Chapter 3053

Yan Xiwan ignored him and began brewing tea on the side. "It has been a long time since I last brewed tea."

"You never liked drinking tea, did you?" Ouyang Tianyun asked. Yan Xiwan possessed excellent tea-brewing skills, yet she disliked drinking it. This often led Ouyang Tianyun to tease her for not knowing how to enjoy life.

"What is so good about tea? I find it troublesome. Brewing it takes effort. Boiled water is simpler and quenches thirst better," Yan Xiwan said with a smile.

Ouyang Tianyun glanced at her. "Then why are you brewing it?"

"Of course, it is for someone to serve me tea," Yan Xiwan raised an eyebrow at Ouyang Tianyun.

Ouyang Tianyun understood and smiled. Indeed, it seemed time for the tea ceremony.

Zhang Tian and Gu Cheng were not fools. Hearing this, they looked at Ouyang Tianyun.

Ouyang Tianyun said, "Since you came here, I have found you two to be fine young men. I wish to take you as registered disciples. Are you willing?"

"Master, please accept your disciple’s bow." Zhang Tian and Gu Cheng were more than willing. They immediately knelt and kowtowed to Ouyang Tianyun.

Yan Xiwan pointed to the brewed tea from the side. "Hurry and serve tea to your Master."

Zhang Tian and Gu Cheng exchanged a smile, then poured the tea. "Please drink tea, Master."

Ouyang Tianyun took the tea, drank a mouthful, and said, "From now on, you two are my only registered disciples in this realm." He then added, "Go pay respects to your Master’s wife."

Zhang Tian and Gu Cheng kowtowed to Yan Xiwan and served her tea. "Please drink tea, Master’s wife."

Yan Xiwan casually took out two bottles of pills, giving one to each of them. "Each bottle contains a Marrow-Cleansing Pill. Since you are Tianyun’s registered disciples, you are also mine. The only thing I can do is ensure your future cultivation path is not too difficult."

"Thank you, Master’s wife." Zhang Tian and Gu Cheng were overjoyed.

They had heard of Marrow-Cleansing Pills but had never seen one. They knew their Master’s wife was a rare healer, but they had never imagined she possessed such pills.

"When we reach the next city, I will prepare some medicinal baths. You will take these Marrow-Cleansing Pills along with the bath, and then we will continue our journey," Yan Xiwan said.

"Yes, Master’s wife." Zhang Tian and Gu Cheng naturally had no objections.

Ouyang Tianyun said, "Your character is excellent. However, due to personal reasons, I cannot take you as direct disciples. But since I have accepted you as registered disciples, I will teach you what I can. How much you comprehend depends on yourselves."

"Yes, Master." Zhang Tian and Gu Cheng agreed without issue.

To Zhang Tian and Gu Cheng, Ouyang Tianyun and his wife were mysterious figures. Now that Ouyang Tianyun was willing to take them as disciples, even as registered ones, it was great news.

From then on, their dynamic changed. They were master and disciples, and Ouyang Tianyun began to teach them slowly.

When they reached a city, Ouyang Tianyun specifically rented a house, paying half a month’s rent. During this time, Yan Xiwan administered medicinal baths to them, had them take the Marrow-Cleansing Pills, and used golden needles to unblock their meridians. This fundamentally transformed their physiques, achieving a qualitative leap.

Zhang Tian and Gu Cheng had never imagined such a day would come. Although their spiritual energy and martial skills were decent, they had never expected to enter the ranks of true experts.

After half a month of recuperation, they continued their journey. They realized they were different. With Ouyang Tianyun’s guidance on the road, even driving the carriage felt like a form of cultivation.

Yan Xiwan and Ouyang Tianyun were very pleased with their progress.

"Master, I feel my cultivation rising rapidly. Will this cause problems?" Zhang Tian asked with some worry.

She was happy about the rapid increase in cultivation but feared that endless growth might lead to issues.

Ouyang Tianyun smiled faintly. "Asking this shows you are honest. You know cultivation must be step-by-step. There is no free lunch. However, you forgot that your Marrow-Cleansing Pill was not free. Your Master’s wife cleansed your marrow and used golden needles to expand and unblock your meridians. That was not done for nothing."

"Master’s wife’s golden needles are powerful. Can she just create experts whenever she wants?" Zhang Tian asked.

Yan Xiwan didn’t even look up. "Do you think everyone in the world is your Master’s disciple? I do not cleanse marrow and unblock meridians for just anyone."

Her implication was clear: if they were not Ouyang Tianyun’s disciples, she would not have done this.

Zhang Tian chuckled, scratching his head, feeling a bit embarrassed. "I thought wrongly, Master."

Yan Xiwan said seriously, "Cultivation follows one’s true heart. Your character is good, so I gave you the opportunity. That is why your cultivation rose so quickly. Otherwise, even with the opportunity, it would be useless."

"Oh." Zhang Tian and Gu Cheng understood.

Ouyang Tianyun said, "If you are worried about your cultivation rising too fast, you can challenge others on the way. You know the names of some experts on the road, right? Challenge them one by one. Whether you win or lose, it will improve your combat experience."

"Yes." Zhang Tian and Gu Cheng thought it made sense and decided to challenge others.

On the way, they began to seek out opponents for challenges.

Naturally, they did not challenge top-tier experts. They did not know their own current level, so they proceeded step by step.

Moreover, their challenges were not battles to the death. They were simply matters of winning or losing.

In the Nine Domains, such challenges happened almost daily, so people did not make a big deal out of it.

Gu Cheng and Zhang Tian took turns challenging others. Gradually, as they got closer to the Nine Domains Dynasty, their fame began to spread.

Normally, traveling from Honghe Town to the Nine Domains Dynasty capital by carriage took fifteen to twenty days. However, due to the constant challenges, it took them two and a half months.

Finally, after two and a half months, they arrived at the capital of the Nine Domains Dynasty.

"Truly the capital of a dynasty. It is prosperous," Yan Xiwan remarked, looking at the crowds and shouting vendors.

Ouyang Tianyun said, "This is normal. The capital of any dynasty is always prosperous."

Ouyang Tianyun added, "Since we plan to stay here for a while, we should rent a place."

"Master, no need. When you came to the dynasty, my father had someone buy a mansion here. It has already been renovated. We can go directly," Zhang Tian said.

Ouyang Tianyun was not surprised. Considering Zhang Tian’s father’s character, this was expected.