“Are you serious! The royal court is actually that dominant?” exclaimed Zu An. 

He had no notion of the royal court’s power thus far, but Divine Physician Ji had just given him some idea of just how powerful the Great Zhou Dynasty was.

From his description, dungeons were places that were likely filled with fortuitous encounters and treasures, and seemed the perfect places for cultivators to significantly raise their prowess. Yet, the royal court had been able to monopolize these invaluable resources.

Such an overbearing move would surely have been met with severe objections from individual sects and unaffiliated cultivators, who would have contested this decision fiercely. Nevertheless, the royal court still managed to maintain their control, and everyone else had been forced to acknowledge it.

Either you submit to the royal court and join the academy, or you give up your dream of ever seeing the treasures in these dungeons.

“Why do you think most of the experts in the world decided to take on roles in the royal court?” Ji Dengtu chuckled in response.

“Wait a moment.” Zu An suddenly noticed a gap in Ji Dengtu’s logic. “Based on what you’ve said so far, these dungeons have existed for a long time. If cultivators have been visiting dungeons since the inception of time, surely they would have been stripped of resources by now?”

Ji Dengtu shook his head. “You’re underestimating the scale of these dungeons. These dungeons are independent worlds with rules of their own, and many of them are of a size comparable to our world.

“They have their own ecosystems, so many of the items in dungeons would regrow over time. It’s similar to how an apple tree doesn’t stop bearing fruit just because you pluck one apple off it.”

“But if cultivators abuse the resources, they would still eventually run out,” said Zu An. 

If the dungeons were under his control, he would have made sure to scrape out all of their resources for his own benefit. Surely other cultivators before him had harbored such thoughts.

“As I said, these dungeons are complete worlds of their own. Sometimes the entrances lead to different places within the dungeons, with completely different layouts. Only a miniscule part of these dungeons have been explored to date. It’s simply not possible to empty out their resources.” Ji Dengtu rolled his eyes. “Besides, dungeons don’t remain constantly open. Most of them only open once every few years, and stay open only between several days to several months.” 

Zu An slowly started to form a clearer picture. “So, you want me to enter the Ursae Dungeon to find the Evanescent Lotus? Based on what you’ve said, the Evanescent Lotus should be an incredibly valuable resource coveted by many experts. How could someone like me possibly snatch it under the eyelids of those experts?”

Ji Dengtu waved his hands impatiently. “You really are ignorant. In dungeons, it’s not the strongest person who will stumble upon a fortuitous encounter; it’s the one who is blessed with luck. As long as you’re lucky enough, the item will naturally appear right before you.

“There are strong people who are born with bad luck, and so they miss many of these encounters. That being said, most experts do have good luck, or else they wouldn’t have been able to attain the strong power they boast.”

Zu An’s face turned bitter. Had he known this earlier, he would have never used his Fortune Pill in the casino. His heart sank with the weight of regret.

Ji Dengtu mistook his expression for worry over acquiring the Lotus, and tried to console him. “Don’t worry, I can tell that you’re a person with great luck. After all, despite being an utter good-for-nothing, you were still chosen by Chu First Miss as her husband. As long as you can earn the right to enter the dungeon, you might just be able to stumble upon something good.”

Ji Dengtu had neglected to mention just how rare something as valuable as the Evanescent Lotus was bound to be. The chances of finding it were equivalent to trying to find a single needle in the vast ocean. In fact, he had no faith that Zu An would be able to obtain it at all. The only reason why he bothered with such lengthy explanations was to safeguard his reputation.

I have already given you the treatment method. There’s nothing else I can do for you if you can’t find me the last ingredient required, so don’t point your fingers at me.

Ji Dengtu suddenly remembered the booklet he had just received, and his conscience pricked at him. So, he took out a blue pill from his robe and passed it to Zu An. “This is the Spirit Root Unsealing Pill that I crafted using the other 80 medicinal herbs. All that’s missing is just the Evanescent Lotus. Bringing the Evanescent Lotus to me before it withers will be difficult, so you should carry this blue pill around with you instead. All you have to do is to swallow the blue pill and the Evanescent Lotus simultaneously, and you’ll be able to release your seal.”

Zu An carefully accepted the blue pill, but still directed a wary look at Ji Dengtu. “I don’t know much about medicine, but are you sure you aren’t toying with me? Aren’t you supposed to combine the ingredients together in a cauldron or something for it to work properly? Will it really work if I just eat the two of them simultaneously?”

“Are you doubting my skill as a physician?” Ji Dengtu glared at Zu An imposingly. “Who do you think I am? Don’t put me on the same level as those inept physicians out there! Medicinal herbs like the Evanescent Lotus shouldn’t be refined. Trying to do so would only cause it to lose its medicinal properties for nothing!”

Zu An couldn’t shake his skepticism. “Is it possible that the Evanescent Lotus is all it takes to release my seal, and your so-called Sealing Pill is just for show?”

Ji Dengtu was deeply offended by Zu An’s words. He reached a hand out to swipe the blue pill back. “If you don’t want it, give it back to me!”

“I’m just joking~” Zu An quickly stowed the blue pill away in his robe before flashing Ji Dengtu a cheerful smile.

Ji Dengtu huffed impatiently. “If not for the booklet you offered me earlier, I wouldn’t have even given you the pill! Speaking of which, do you have more of such stories? Why don’t you give them to me as a sign of respect for your elders?” 

You old pervert, Zu An thought, careful not to let it show on his face. “Why don’t you finish this story first, and I’ll think of more later on?”

Of course he would never give out everything in one shot. He would definitely require Ji Dengtu’s help in the future, and it would be better to keep some bait to dangle in front of him in those moments.

The news that Zu An had more of such stories in reserve brought glee to Ji Dengtu’s face. “Wonderful! Even though you might be inept in certain aspects, your weaknesses are made up for by your talent in this field. I see a brilliant future ahead of you, lad!”

Zu An’s face darkened. Aren’t you insulting me here?

Ji Dengtu gave a start. “Ah, I nearly forgot. Rather than worrying about whether you’re able to find the Evanescent Lotus inside the Ursae Dungeon, I believe that your efforts are better spent on making sure you can enter the dungeon at all.”

“Ah?” Zu An was taken aback. “But I’m a student of Brightmoon Academy! Do the restrictions still apply to me?”

“Of course they do!” Ji Dengtu stared at Zu An as if he were an idiot. “Even though dungeons tend to be fraught with dangers, they are also filled with fortuitous encounters, and all cultivators naturally desire an opportunity to enter and discover their rewards. There are simply far too many people coveting a limited resource, so restrictions have to be put in place.

“A prefectural dungeon is usually controlled by the academy nearest to it, but, as you know, a prefecture has many academies. These academies would usually send their students over prior to the opening of the dungeon. Only a limited number of slots are available, so out of fairness, a selection tournament is held to decide who will be allowed in.”

Zu An’s rage boiled over. “Do you take me for a fool? A selection tournament? How could I possibly win something like that?”

He had managed to secretly raise his cultivation to the third rank thus far, but he was well aware that there were plenty of fourth rank and fifth rank cultivators in Brightmoon Academy. Furthermore, students from the other academies in the prefecture would be participating in the selection tournament as well. Unless he were to reveal all of his trump cards, he stood absolutely no chance.

Of course, he would never choose to reveal all of the trump cards he held. Doing so would only expose his techniques to his enemies.

Moreover, Ji Dengtu wasn’t aware that Zu An was able to cultivate. He had told him about the Evanescent Lotus clearly knowing that it was a hopeless cause.

“Calm down, calm down!” Ji Dengtu said sheepishly. “Even though it’s probably impossible for you, you do have a capable wife. Chu First Miss can be said to be one of the most outstanding cultivators amongst the younger generation. There’s no doubt that she would be able to get into the dungeon. So, you can just get her to find the Evanescent Lotus for you.”

Black streaks crisscrossed Zu An’s face. “As you said, the Evanescent Lotus is an incredible treasure, and even a single petal could raise one’s cultivation by a whole step. Even if she did manage to find it, she would just eat it herself.”

“Aren’t you her husband? If her husband is ailing, then it’s her duty to help you. Or does she intend to live her entire life and die an old maid?”

Zu An glared daggers at Ji Dengtu. If he’d been strong enough, he might have just slit his throat there and then. This bastard was really jabbing all of his sore spots today.

“Then again, it probably isn’t a wise decision to count on your wife. Couples tend to split up in the face of adversity, after all.” Ji Dengtu suddenly changed his tune. “However, you do have other means. Take for example, big-breasted Pei from Brightmoon Academy… Ah, I mean Pei Mianman. Isn’t she interested in you too? If you can’t count on your wife, you could turn to your lover instead. She’ll surely be willing to help you.”

Ji Xiaoxi had informed Ji Dengtu of the events that had transpired in the academy, and the divine physician was honestly impressed by Zu An’s exploits. “I must say, you are quite a wild guy. You’re still able to win the affection of so many beauties despite your troubles down below. If you don’t mind, could you share your secret with me?”

Zu An’s veins began popping out of his temple. You just have to keep mocking me, huh? Just you wait! I’ll remember this! Once I recover from my affliction, I’ll make sure to dig up all of your old wounds and slather salt over them! 

Of course, he dared not say these words openly in front of him.

Ji Dengtu realized that Zu An wasn’t responding well to his teasing, and gradually grew bored of it. “Oh right, I nearly forgot. The Chu clan invited me here to treat your injuries.”

As he spoke, he began to inspect Zu An’s physical state, clicking his tongue in wonderment. “There’s really something strange about your body. An ordinary human would have died after suffering such severe injuries, but you’re still alive and kicking. Not only that, your natural rate of recovery seems to be much faster than average too.”

The news surprised Zu An. Perhaps this is another effect of the Phoenix Nirvana Sutra. This is a skill that relies on getting hurt in order to grow stronger, so it makes sense that it would strengthen a practitioner’s recovery. Otherwise, they would die before they ever become strong.

Ji Dengtu prescribed him some medicine then left with an excited look on his face. He was in a rush to enjoy the little booklet he had just obtained.

After Ji Dengtu’s departure, Zu An lay down, deep in thought. How can I earn the right to enter the dungeon and find the Evanescent Lotus?

A while later, his lips gradually curled into a smile.

… 

The following morning, Zu An struggled up from his bed, insisting on heading to the academy. Chu Zhongtian and Qin Wanru were very pleased to see his proactive attitude towards learning, and for once, they felt that there was hope for him. However, they were still quite worried about Zu An’s injuries, so they called the estate’s physician over to examine him.

To their collective astonishment, they found that Zu An had already mostly recovered from his injuries.

“Hm. It looks like Ji Dengtu’s reputation wasn’t just hearsay.” Chu Zhongtian had no way to know that this was the result of Zu An’s cultivation technique, so he attributed the credit to Ji Dengtu.

Qin Wanru chuckled softly and said, “You weren’t thrilled to let him enter the estate back then.”

“That fellow keeps eyeing you lecherously. How can I possibly allow him to enter the estate?” Chu Zhongtian sniffed.

“Aiyo~ Are you getting jealous over there?” Qin Wanru gently nudged Chu Zhongtian as she felt her cheeks heat up slightly.