The next day, Jian Dan packed up her things and headed straight to Law Enforcement Peak to report in with Senior Brother Jian Li.
Descending in a streak of light, she landed at the base of the peak where the guards on duty immediately bowed. Without needing to announce her arrival, they respectfully ushered her into the main hall of the Law Enforcement Hall.
"Jian Lu greets Senior Brother."
Jian Dan cupped her hands in salute to Jian Li, who was busy sorting through jade slips on the dais.
"You've come. Sit down."
Jian Li handed the jade slip in his hand to Jian Ning beside him, then gestured for Jian Dan to take a seat at the side of his desk.
Jian Ning offered a gentle smile and saluted her. "Greetings, Jian Lu Zūnzhǔ."
"You don't need to be so formal."
Jian Dan sat down and waited for Jian Li's instructions.
"The Fu family cultivators have all been captured," Jian Li said first. "A few stragglers managed to slip away, but Jian Wu has already taken people to deal with them."
He then handed Jian Dan a jade slip and continued, "This came from Tian Yun Zhēnzhūn's soul search. You should take a look. It basically confirms everything you deduced on Medicine Peak the other day."
Jian Dan accepted the jade slip and swept it with her spiritual sense, reading the contents in full. She shook her head, then sighed.
"To live as long as the heavens and earth — that's every cultivator's dream. But for that goal, the Fu family chose to fall into darkness, dragging their entire clan down with them."
"For those whose lifespans are nearly exhausted, the temptation is overwhelming. With a few more years, they might break through... maybe even ascend." Jian Li's tone held a hint of understanding.
"You're right, Senior Brother. But there are other ways — he could've searched for Lifefruit, refined longevity pills. Instead, he chose to extend his life by fusing souls with evil cultivators. That kind of path defies the heavens. Even if he did manage to break through, wouldn't the heavenly tribulation strike him dead the moment he tried to ascend?"
Jian Dan shook her head.
"He tried all of those things. It was only when his lifespan truly reached its end that he gave in to temptation and took that final, dangerous step."
Jian Li paused, then looked her in the eye.
"Junior Sister, if your lifespan were about to run out, what would you do?"
"Me?" Jian Dan laughed lightly, still twirling the jade slip in her hand. "I'd try my best to ascend before that day ever came. If that didn't work out, I'd travel around Lingyun Continent, take on a few disciples, pass on what I've learned. When my time's up, I'll disperse my cultivation and return everything I've gained to this land."
"You really are free-spirited, Junior Sister."
Jian Li chuckled, but Jian Ning frowned slightly, a hint of confusion in her gaze. Jian Dan noticed and turned to her.
"Jian Ning, what's on your mind?"
"Forgive me, Zūnzhǔ. I was just wondering... perhaps you could pass your cultivation to a successor. That way, your legacy would live on, and the one inheriting your power would be a high-level cultivator, able to protect the sect and the clan."
Jian Dan gave a knowing smile and responded calmly.
"Then by your logic, the Fu family could have done the same. So why didn't they? Because in the end, they placed themselves above all else.
I don't do it that way because while I can pass on cultivation, I can't transfer experience, battle instincts, or insight. Without those, what good is raw power? Are they supposed to rely on spiritual pressure every time they face an enemy?
True cultivation is about shedding falsehood and seeking truth. Comprehending the Dao. It's better to rise step by step, on your own."
Jian Ning seemed lost in thought after hearing that. Jian Li nodded, clearly in agreement.
"Still," Jian Dan added, "Jian Ning's view isn't wrong either. It's a valid path for families or sects under pressure. I don't have any burdens like that, so I'm free to choose my own way."
She turned to Jian Ning and offered a final reminder.
"What you mentioned is a last resort — something a clan or sect only turns to when decline is unavoidable."
"Yes. I understand."
Jian Ning bowed in gratitude.
"Senior Brother, since we're talking about disciples, I'd like to get your opinion on something."
"Go ahead."
"Yesterday, a few of the brats from the Tongzhi's Hall came to see me. They asked if I'd continue teaching them while I'm still in the sect. I gave it some thought. They're promising seedlings. I want to keep teaching them. What do you think?"
Jian Li wasn't surprised.
"Someone already brought this up to me indirectly. Do you have any idea how much your body-tempering decoction recipe is going for right now?"
Jian Dan thought for a moment, then laughed behind her hand.
"Senior Brother, maybe you should make it public. The formulas I gave those little ones were all tailored to their specific conditions — meant for before they even start drawing in spiritual energy. Each one is different. Even if someone else got their hands on them, they wouldn't necessarily work."
"Some people figured that out already," Jian Li said, "but they're still trying everything they can to collect your notes. They think if they study them long enough, they might be able to develop something even better."
"Let them try. I'd love to see it."
Jian Dan shrugged, completely unbothered. After all, her formulas came from the Ice-Skin Jade-Bone Demon Body Art, an ancient demonic art. Not just anyone could decipher it.
"Those twenty brats are all cultivating now. I've already switched them to body-refining formulas."
"I know. Thanks to your decoctions, their meridians have been widened and toughened. That's why their elders want you to keep teaching. But..."
Jian Li trailed off. After all, this touched on Jian Dan's personal cultivation methods.
"As long as they can find the spiritual herbs, demonic plants, and high-tier beast blood listed in my formulas, I can keep upgrading their decoctions all the way until Mahayana stage."
Jian Dan spoke with confidence. Jian Ning, off to the side, couldn't help but gasp quietly. "What kind of incredible fortune would that be?"
Right now, most body-refining decoctions in the cultivation world were beginner level. Intermediate ones were rare. High-tier? Nearly nonexistent.
That's why body cultivators were so few in number. The deeper they went into their path, the harder it became to break through. Not just due to personal limitations, but because they lacked the external support — especially high-grade decoctions — to aid their progress.
These days, pure body cultivators were rare. Most chose to dual cultivate. Take the Heavenly Sword Sect for example. Sword cultivators often had to strengthen their bodies to wield sword qi, sword intent, and ultimately, the sword domain. Without a strong body, those techniques were impossible to manifest.
Jian Li remained silent for a long time. At last, he looked up and asked seriously:
"Junior Sister, are you really willing to share everything?"
"Of course. Why else would I bring it up?"
Jian Dan nodded, then added a few words to reassure him.
"I do have a selfish reason. I teach them partly because of fate, partly because I value talent. They have high starting points and can use these decoctions long-term.
More importantly, I'm their teacher in truth, if not in name. They're free to choose other masters in the future, but they'll always be part of Jian Lu's legacy.
And most of all... someone's got to train successors early. Otherwise, we'll be worked to death. Look at you, dragging me in at the last minute and throwing me into the deep end. I didn't have a choice!"
She finished with a helpless shrug. Jian Ning had to duck her head to hide her smile.
"Jian Lu, you really do see things clearly," Jian Li said. "This is good — for them and for the sect. I have no reason to refuse. Just remember, you'll still need to help with the Law Enforcement Pavilion."
"Of course. I plan to teach four days a month, two hours per day. The rest of the time, I'll assist you as usual. If anything changes, I'll adjust."
"Good."