The brother was named Du Yang and the sister Du Yue, both disciples of the Du family in Yunzhou.
The Du family was not a prestigious clan in Yunzhou, merely having some local renown. The siblings' grandfather was the family head, Du Fen. Du Fen had lived for exactly three hundred years, and these past few days, this mighty cultivator of the fifth realm, Divine Treasury, was nearing the end of his lifespan, frail and close to death. Thus, the entire Du family was scurrying outside, searching for a miraculous medicine to prolong the ancestor's life.
"Brother!"
Du Yue, tears streaming down her face like pear blossoms, said, "If Grandfather dies, our Du family will likely never have another cultivator of the Divine Treasury realm. Can we think of another way?"
"How else can we think?"
Du Yang frowned. "We've already been to the Medicine King Valley. A top-grade Longevity Pill costs two Jin Zi coins, and it only extends life for half a year. Even if our Du family sold all our assets, we couldn't afford two Jin Zi coins! And can you guarantee that Grandfather can break through his cultivation and enter the middle five realms within half a year?"
The young girl knew she was being unreasonable and could only weep.
"Yue'er."
Du Yang pushed the freshly served wontons towards his sister. "Eat something first. We've been traveling non-stop for days. Don't wear yourself out."
"Oh..."
Du Yue, with a tear-stained face, seemed to accept her fate. There was no other choice. The Great Dao was always impartial. As her brother said, this was the will of heaven, something mortals could not resist.
At this moment, Xu Mingan was slightly moved. He divided the remaining wontons in his bowl among his two disciples, urging them to continue eating. Then, he stood up and walked to the front of the Du siblings' table, cupping his hands in greeting. "I am Xu Mingan, a disciple of the Danxia Mountain Daoist sect."
"Oh?"
Du Yang was surprised. He could sense Xu Mingan's aura was extremely potent. He clasped his fists and said, "So you are a distinguished Daoist master. I am Du Yang, the eldest son of the Du family in Yunzhou. This is my sister, Du Yue."
Du Yue quickly wiped her tears and also clasped her fists respectfully towards Xu Mingan. "Du Yue greets Daoist Xu."
Xu Mingan nodded and said, "I overheard your conversation. Your grandfather is a cultivator of the Divine Treasury realm, and his lifespan has been exhausted?"
"Precisely."
Du Yang frowned. "To be honest, Daoist Master, Grandfather is our Du family's patriarch. He is the first cultivator of the fifth realm in our Du family's history of a thousand years. He turned three hundred this year, and his lifespan as a Divine Treasury realm cultivator is exhausted. He still cannot break through to gain more longevity. It seems there is no solution, but Grandfather dotes on my sister and me immensely, especially my sister. Her bond with Grandfather is exceptionally deep. Now that Grandfather lies at home awaiting death, we, his descendants, are filled with anguish and can only accept our fate..."
"Is that so..."
Xu Mingan pursed his lips and said, "Actually, I am an alchemist. I recently refined a batch of rather decent pills. Perhaps they can help your family head break through."
"Oh?"
Du Yang and Du Yue were both stunned.
Xu Mingan took out two Zhenyuan Pills from his brocade pouch and offered them. He spoke into their minds, "If you truly cannot find another way, have your family head take these pills. One might not work, so try two. If two still don't work, then there is nothing more that can be done. It's merely a desperate measure, trying to save a dying horse as if it were still alive."
"Ah?!"
Du Yue's cultivation was too low to communicate mentally, so she whispered, "Daoist Xu, we are but strangers you've met by chance. As for these pills..."
"No need to mention money."
Xu Mingan smiled. "Our meeting is by fate. Take these pills and use them. However, I implore you two to keep this a secret. If the pills truly work and help your grandfather break through and extend his life, do not publicize it, lest it bring me unnecessary trouble."
"Yes!"
Du Yang clasped his fists and lowered his voice. "We will certainly remember Daoist Master's words!"
Du Yue accepted the pills and stored them in her embroidered pouch. She then clasped her fists again to bid farewell to Xu Mingan. The siblings mounted their horses and, without further delay, rode south, returning to Yunzhou.
Xu Mingan returned to his small table, finished his wonton soup, and led his two disciples back to the mountain. Life was a bit frugal, but he enjoyed his freedom.
...
Two days later.
In Yunzhou, a small town nestled among the mountains, the Du family was a prominent clan within it.
Deep into the night, in a mansion with white walls and black tiles, a benevolent light suddenly shot out from the rooftop, reaching dozens of feet high. Inside the house, an old man took a deep breath, his complexion becoming increasingly ruddy. In that very moment, he had successfully broken through his bottleneck, leaping from the fifth realm, Divine Treasury, to the sixth realm, Purple Mansion, officially entering the ranks of the middle five realms. In the surrounding regions, those in the middle five realms were already considered lofty existences. Indeed, this old man, named Du Fen, would undoubtedly occupy a central position in the ancestral records, forever renowned within the clan.
"Hoo..."
Du Fen exhaled a turbid breath. This feeling of regaining life was truly wonderful.
"Father!"
Not far away, his eldest son, Du Xian, clasped his fists, his face beaming with joy. "Congratulations, Father, on successfully breaking through your seclusion! Congratulations on entering the middle five realms!"
"Hmm."
Du Fen looked at the empty embroidered pouch beside him. Both Zhenyuan Pills had been used, giving him a feeling of divine aid. The once unshakable hundred-year bottleneck finally loosened, allowing him to break through. Du Fen narrowed his eyes and said, "Xian'er, these pills... were they brought back by Yang'er and Yue'er?"
"Precisely."
Du Xian replied respectfully, "Yang'er and Yue'er encountered a young Daoist in the northern mountains. It was this Daoist who gave them two mysterious pills. As for anything else, they have kept their mouths shut, claiming they promised the Daoist not to reveal any secrets."
"Xian'er!"
Du Fen stood up and asked, "Do you know what kind of pills in this world can help someone break through?"
"Your son does not know. Please enlighten me, Father."
"Zhenyuan Pills!"
Du Fen narrowed his eyes and said, "But the formula for Zhenyuan Pills has been lost for thousands of years. For countless cultivators over the past millennia, this has led them to be stuck at their bottlenecks, dying old before they could ascend. Now, this young Daoist can refine the long-lost Zhenyuan Pills. Do you know what this means for our Du family?"
"Father..."
Du Xian frowned. "But Father, you regained your life because of two Zhenyuan Pills. This young Daoist is our Du family's savior. Does Father intend to..."
"Xian'er, the Great Dao is impartial. Why bother with womanly kindness?"
Du Fen said lightly, "Go. Have Yang'er and Yue'er come see me."
"Yes!"
Du Xian's expression was hesitant. "Father, please don't make things difficult for them... Yang'er and Yue'er are good children..."
"Go quickly!!"
"Yes..."
...
Shortly after, Du Yang and Du Yue entered their grandfather's seclusion chamber.
"Grandfather!"
Du Yue's face was full of joy. Looking at Du Fen, whose complexion had returned to normal, she exclaimed in surprise, "Are you in the middle five realms now?"
"Yes."
Du Fen, with doting affection, gently stroked Du Yue's hair. "Good girl, Yue'er. You have extended my life. I will not forget the contributions of you two. By the way, Yang'er, I heard you obtained these two pills from a young Daoist in the northern region?"
"Precisely."
Du Yang clasped his fists and said respectfully, "Grandfather, on that day, my sister and I passed by a wilderness and met that Daoist, who bestowed these two pills upon us. Fortunately, it was these two pills; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable!"
"Hmm."
Du Fen nodded with a smile. "In which mountain was it?"
"Ah?"
Du Yang was stunned and quickly clasped his fists. "Your grandson begs your pardon, but I cannot say. When the Daoist bestowed the immortal pills, he explicitly told us not to reveal his whereabouts or name. Sister and I have already promised him."
"Insolence!"
Du Fen slammed the table and stood up.
"Father!"
Beside him, Du Xian gritted his teeth and stood with his hands at his sides. "You... you mustn't make things difficult for them..."
"Do you have a right to speak?!"
Du Fen cast a cold glance at Du Xian, then turned to Du Yang, his voice softening considerably. "Yang'er, rest assured, your grandfather has no intention of harming the Daoist. It is merely that this life-saving grace must be repaid. Only by knowing the Daoist's name and residence can we call upon him to express our gratitude. Otherwise, will the world not mock our Yunzhou Du family for lacking any semblance of courtesy?"
"But..."
Du Yang gritted his teeth. "Since I was young, Grandfather taught me that one must keep their promises, even at the cost of their life. Du Yang promised the Daoist, and he will certainly fulfill it!"
"Insolent wretch!"
Du Fen was furious. "Do you truly intend to defy your grandfather's words?"
Du Yang bowed his head. "Your grandson... accepts punishment!"
"You beast!"
Du Fen directly struck out with his palm. Du Yang immediately spat blood and flew out of the room. As he fell to the ground, he was already injured. He quickly got up and knelt on the ground, blood dripping from his mouth. "Du Yang... will never break his trust!"
"Wretch!"
Du Fen roared, "Guards! Lock up Du Yang. No one is to bring him food!"
...
Beside him, Du Yue looked at her grandfather, Du Fen, in disbelief. This old man seemed to have changed into someone she no longer recognized. The next moment, Du Yue unconsciously released her hand supporting her grandfather, turned, and walked out the door, kneeling side-by-side with Du Yang. She said softly, "Grandfather, my brother and I will not speak. Please punish us..."
"You..."
Du Fen gritted his teeth and pointed at the two direct descendants. "You have disappointed me too much! If the Du family were all like you, they would never rise! Guards, lock them all in the secret chamber and starve them for half a month!"
...
Two days later.
A middle-aged martial artist, dressed in a red long gown and exuding an elegant aura, arrived at the Du family. He was personally greeted by the patriarch, Du Fen, whose posture was extremely low, almost servile. The reason was simple: this middle-aged martial artist held an exceptionally high position. He was the steward of the Sun family of the Medicine King Valley, named Su Zhe, a rare eleventh-realm martial artist.
Before an eleventh-realm martial artist, Du Fen dared not show any arrogance.
"Senior Du Fen, you look truly well."
Su Zhe sat in a chair and smiled. "I heard that Senior suddenly broke through a couple of days ago, narrowly escaping death, and that it was due to consuming certain pills?"
"Ah?!"
Du Fen's heart suddenly turned cold. He knew this matter could not be kept secret, but he had not expected it to spread so quickly.