Eternal Life Starts from Tai Chi

Chapter 401: Chapter 401: Clean Background, Grinding Bones to Dust

"Pharmacist Yang, are you satisfied with this group? If not, we can find you more."

The Steward from the Medicine Hall brought over a hundred people.

They were all rather thin and weak, sallow and gaunt. A single glance revealed they hadn’t been living well down the mountain and hoped to change their fate by coming to the Cyan Yuan Sect.

It had become too difficult to survive down the mountain. Only by coming to the Cyan Yuan Sect could they have a chance to make something of themselves, or at the very least, live a decent life.

If they stayed in the Cyan Yuan Sect, at least they could eat their fill.

"They all have clean backgrounds and wish to stay of their own accord?"

Yang Chan asked, looking at the Steward.

Although he was fairly certain this was the case, Yang Chan still had to ask.

"There are no issues. They all know they’re here to become Maids."

"If you find them suitable, Pharmacist Yang, you can take them with you right away."

The Steward nodded hurriedly. He had, of course, received orders from his superiors to let Pharmacist Yang have the first pick of the new arrivals.

"The ones in the back are a bit better. They came from well-to-do families but fell on hard times after encountering some disasters."

"But we’ve already investigated their backgrounds. There are no issues. They’re not spies, and they won’t cause any other trouble."

The Steward gestured, pointing out a few women with more striking figures and features. Although their complexions were also a bit sallow, they were in better condition overall.

"Alright, then I’ll take these twenty."

Yang Chan made a quick comparison. ’Since their backgrounds are all clean,’ he thought, ’I might as well choose the ones who are easier on the eyes.’

The group the Steward had pointed to, along with those standing nearby, totaled twenty people. Yang Chan accepted all of them as his Maids.

The Steward had also offered to send male Attendants, but Yang Chan refused. ’One man in my courtyard is enough,’ he thought.

"Register them, run another background check on their information, and if everything is clear, you can send them over to Yuanqing Courtyard."

Yang Chan looked over at Han Bingyu, assigning the task directly to her.

Han Bingyu was already living in his new courtyard, where she was in charge of most of its affairs, big and small. Since she had so many responsibilities, she delegated specific duties to the other Maids, allowing each to manage her own station.

These new Maids would now be assigned to the more senior ones for training, which meant she wouldn’t have to expend as much effort on them herself.

Yang Chan was satisfied with her management style. It caused no trouble, proving she was an extremely capable steward for his affairs.

’Focusing on every little detail isn’t always the best approach. Setting the overall direction and leaving the specifics to subordinates, however, is a very effective management style.’

"Yes, Pharmacist Yang!"

Han Bingyu had no objections, of course. In fact, she was happy to see this happen.

’The more useful I am to Yang Chan, the less likely he is to cast me aside. When he eventually goes to the Merak Sacred Land, I should be able to follow him.’

’I could go as his Pharmacist’s Assistant, or even as a Basic Level Pharmacist. The benefits to me would be enormous.’

She had noticed recently that the Han Family was sending her more and more Cultivation Resources. They had obviously guessed she had a high chance of following Yang Chan to the Merak Sacred Land and were placing greater importance on her as a result.

They were using the time they had left to strengthen their relationship with her, and these Cultivation Resources were the best tool for the job.

After all, once Han Bingyu entered the Merak Sacred Land, how else could they hope to bridge the gap between them?

To have a Holy Land disciple within the family, especially one who maintained close ties, would command great reverence. It would also be like draping a protective cloak over the entire family.

Han Bingyu walked toward the group Yang Chan had indicated, which numbered more than twenty. By entrusting her with this task, Yang Chan was instructing her to screen them again and select the most suitable candidates.

After a brief glance, Yang Chan paid the matter no more mind. He would review the information Han Bingyu provided on these Maids later to confirm there were no problems.

Anyone problematic would be sent away immediately; those without issues would stay.

He wouldn’t have even bothered coming if his new residence weren’t so large.

Now that business was concluded, it was time for him to return to his elixirs and Cultivation. His Cultivation was on the verge of a breakthrough, so he needed to spend more time training.

...

"Damn you, bastard! The next time I find you, I swear I’ll grind your bones to dust!"

The Taiyin Saintess’s face was a mask of pure frustration.

She had unleashed another burst of power to force back the man in the Mask, simultaneously clearing away the traces he had left on her body.

The man had left something behind as he fled. She scraped it off now and attached it to a bird.

’If I could have just killed him, none of this would be necessary,’ she thought. But her condition was dire. After forcibly unleashing that power, her aura was slowly weakening. Soon, her entire Cultivation would drop to the External Refining Realm, perhaps even lower.

The level of her body’s Tempering would also decrease, and she wouldn’t be able to use her Power at all. This was her state even after just taking a Healing Elixir.

She had piled new injuries on top of old ones, making her situation all the more severe.

’If it weren’t for that man in the Mask, my condition would be much better,’ she fumed. ’But now I have no choice but to lie low for a period of time, waiting for my injuries to heal and my Cultivation to return to its peak.’

And that would take time.

Therefore, she couldn’t let anyone catch up to her; her best bet was to go into hiding. However, since her position had been exposed, her pursuers would likely be on her trail again. This was the dilemma she faced.

’I can’t count on the Holy Sect right now. If I return to them in this state, it’s certain death. I need to find a relatively stable place to recover slowly. Only after my Cultivation has returned to its peak can I go back to the Taiyin Holy Sect.’

’I’ve been hunted repeatedly. Someone in the Holy Sect must have sold out my location; otherwise, how could I be so unlucky!’

’When I return to the Taiyin Holy Sect, I will settle my accounts. Every single person who made a move against me... I won’t let any of them off the hook!’

A vicious expression twisted the Taiyin Saintess’s face, making her exquisitely beautiful features look terrifying.

’All I have left now is the Tempering of my physical body. I can’t use my Martial Seals, and the most Combat Power I can muster is equivalent to the External Refining Steel Realm.’

’If it weren’t for that final mishap, I could have at least maintained my strength at the Inner Refining of the Lungs and Spleens level. That man really deserves to die!’

The Taiyin Saintess’s expression grew even more grim at the thought.

’It’s just my terrible luck,’ she thought. ’Otherwise, how could I still be on the run?’

However, even though her opponent had retreated, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t pursue her again. She had to consider this possibility and take steps to avoid it.

The forces acting against her were not limited to a single person. She would have to evade not just one individual, but multiple factions.

’The Qingyuan River is up ahead. I’ll have to travel by water to completely throw them off my trail.’

’Nearby, I could head to Qing State, Yu State, Yu State, or Silver State, among others. All are decent options.’

’I’ve been to Yu State before, so I’m more familiar with it. However, others who know my background would be aware of that, so I should rule it out first.’

’I’ll have to choose from among the remaining states.’

A thoughtful expression crossed the Taiyin Saintess’s eyes.