Chapter One：Friend's Wife and Daughter

"Then it's settled. I entrust my daughter to you, my friend," the man said.

"Off to the Foundation Establishment, where the odds of survival are ten to none. Take care, my brother," his friend replied.

The Taoist accepted the bag handed to him.

With a flash of his sword, he watched his friend's figure disappear into the horizon.

It struck a chord in his heart. Three years ago, he was just like his friend, vying for the chance to establish a foundation.

Unfortunately, his spiritual roots were limited, and even with the opportunity, he couldn't achieve Foundation Establishment. The backlash from the failure had dropped his cultivation level to the eighth layer of Qi Refinement, and he hadn't recovered in three years.

One month later, a spiritual light collided with his cave's formation, waking Wang Xuan.

As the spiritual resonance dissipated, he stepped out and picked up the spiritual light. "My friend has finally left."

Inside the light was his friend's storage bag, containing several letters to his family and over a hundred low-grade spirit stones.

The letters mentioned that, as compensation for the artifacts, Wang Xuan should take care of his daughter and find her a good family to marry into. His friend's family lived in the prosperous Fengcheng of the Xuan Kingdom, and his six-year-old daughter had no spiritual roots.

The next day, Wang Xuan went to the outer sect.

Immortal mountains were enveloped in spiritual energy, with a thousand hues of auspicious light. One of these peaks was the residence of the outer sect.

Inside the Xuan Sect, even the lowest disciples had spiritual roots. Having spiritual roots meant they could one day cultivate and become Qi Refinement stage cultivators.

Elder of External Affairs examined the information Wang Xuan submitted. "Your cave dwelling is quite old, and the sect's compensation price won't be high. I suggest you sell it to new disciples."

He meant well.

Wang Xuan insisted on selling it; he needed at least a decade in the mortal world. His savings wouldn't suffice; only by selling his friend's cave could he have enough.

The price was reduced somewhat, but he received twelve hundred low-grade spirit stones. It was no small fortune.

After purchasing some pills, talismans, and other items, he left the Immortal Sect.

Riding a flying sword, he left the mountain gate, then switched to a fast horse. It took him three days to reach Fengcheng.

Mortal realms had sparse spiritual energy, and even in places with abundant energy, it was heavily impure. Cultivators had to refine the energy themselves, which was time-consuming and strenuous.

Hence, there were few cultivators in the mortal world.

Ordinary people revered cultivators, calling them immortals. They were seen as beings of longevity and power, but to cultivators, ordinary people were no different from ants.

"The mortal world seems to be doing well," Wang Xuan thought. When he first arrived in the Xuan Kingdom, it was during a time of war. After a few months of begging, he started making a living by selling military supplies. With honesty as his foundation, he became a wealthy man within a few years.

Later, he learned of the existence of immortals in this world. Unsatisfied with being a rich man, he sought to transcend and live freely in this world.

Through a series of fortuitous events, he joined an immortal sect. Returning to the mortal realm for the second time, 37 years had passed.

He found the Liu family, knocked on the door, and was greeted by an elderly maid. "I'm here on behalf of Liu Yuanfeng to return his belongings."

The maid instructed him to wait and hurried to inform the lady of the house.

A stunning and slender woman came out in haste. "Uncle, where is my husband's body?"

Wang Xuan shook his head and took out the belongings from the storage bag.

Seeing him materialize so many things out of thin air, the Liu family members were certain that he was also an immortal, like their master.

"Sir, your sudden departure has left my mother and me in a difficult situation," Liu Shiyun said sadly, gazing at Wang Xuan. "I, Su Yuanru, on behalf of my mother, thank you for your effort in returning these belongings. Please come inside and rest."

Wang Xuan nodded slightly, thinking, "My friend was truly fortunate to have found such an enchanting woman."

"Madam, there's trouble! The steward and the accountant are trying to steal the family's wealth!" Two maids ran in, panicked, after hearing about their master's death.

Su Yuanru felt her world spinning. If their uncle wasn't here to help, how would they survive? If their uncle could become their father... but it had only been a few days since their master's death.

"Madam, everything has been resolved," Wang Xuan said after dealing with the rebellion in the Liu household. He looked at the dazed Su Yuanru. "Madam?"

Su Yuanru couldn't shake her thoughts, and then she remembered her uncle.

Wang Xuan stayed for a while and helped her collect the family's assets to hand them over to the authorities.