Returning after 10000 Years Cultivation

In his previous life, Shen Le was Jiang Tian’s closest buddy after he joined the company. Shen Le had helped him out countless times, treating him like a real brother.

When the Zhao family was on the brink of collapse, Jiang Tian had no choice but to return to the Jiang family to deal with the mess. He was barely keeping himself afloat and could only entrust Zhao Xueqing to Shen Le’s care.

In order to protect Zhao Xueqing, Shen Le was beaten so badly by the furious Liu Wangfeng that both his legs were broken, and he was stabbed multiple times.

Although Shen Le survived after emergency treatment, his legs were permanently crippled.

His girlfriend abandoned him shortly after, running off with a wealthy man. Shen Le drowned his sorrows in alcohol every day, and his life spiraled into ruin.

Before Jiang Tian took his own life, he visited Shen Le one last time. Shen Le clung to Jiang Tian, weeping bitterly, blaming himself for failing to protect Zhao Xueqing and saying he deserved to die. He even begged Jiang Tian to hit him to vent his anger.

“In our past life, we were trampled like stray dogs, like ants, without any power to fight back.”

“Now that I’ve been reborn, no matter what, I will repay this immense debt of gratitude and help you reach the pinnacle of success!”

Jiang Tian’s eyes narrowed slightly as he let out a long sigh in his heart.

—

As soon as work hours began, Ding Yahan, the head of the public relations department, walked in. She clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention and asked Jiang Tian to introduce himself.

Jiang Tian and Zhao Xueqing’s marriage had been kept under wraps by Zhao Hucheng, so Ding Yahan had no idea about it. As a result, she didn’t pay any special attention to Jiang Tian.

Jiang Tian stood up and gave a brief introduction.

Everyone saw that he was average-looking and didn’t say anything particularly impressive, so they quickly went back to their conversations.

When he sat down, the applause was sparse, and he was completely ignored by everyone.

“Your introduction was way too simple! In public relations, you need to be articulate and quick on your feet!” Shen Le rolled his eyes at him, then proudly declared:

“I’m Shen Le. People call me the ‘MILF Killer.’ When it comes to clients who are middle-aged women, there’s no one I can’t win over! And don’t think I’m selling my looks—I’m selling my skills, not my body. Although, I am pretty handsome!”

Jiang Tian chuckled inwardly. Of course, he knew Shen Le’s name.

But wasn’t Shen Le exaggerating his achievements? From what Jiang Tian remembered, Shen Le hadn’t closed a single deal in half a year.

“Come on, let me introduce you to some beauties!” Shen Le patted Jiang Tian’s shoulder with a grin.

“Our PR department is full of beauties, but the most stunning one is Wu Fangfei, the ‘Flower of the PR Department!’”

Shen Le pointed to a tall, elegantly dressed girl with delicate features.

“She used to be a print model for a company and endorsed several cosmetics brands. Rumor has it that just two years after graduating, she bought a big house and a sports car. Now that she’s past her prime modeling years, she joined our company. With her salary and bonuses, she makes at least 100,000 a year!”

In 2007, a 100,000-yuan annual salary was considered a high income.

Jiang Tian nodded and glanced at Wu Fangfei.

“A word of advice: don’t mess with her!” Shen Le said seriously.

“In this company, not just the male employees, but even half the department heads are her admirers. All the girls in the PR department revolve around her too. If you offend her, you’ll be completely isolated. You won’t even find a girlfriend, and you’ll have a hard time surviving in this company!”

“Oh, she is quite beautiful…” Jiang Tian nodded.

Seeing Jiang Tian’s apparent interest, Shen Le quipped sarcastically, “But don’t get your hopes up. Wu Fangfei has sky-high standards. Even a handsome guy like me can’t catch her eye, so with your looks, you’ve got no chance!”

“Hmm…”

Jiang Tian touched his cheek. Once I reach the Qi Refining stage and can alter my appearance, I’ll scare you to death, you sarcastic devil.

“She’s into Jiang Qiusui!” Shen Le said indignantly. “But Jiang Qiusui is even more arrogant—he doesn’t even care about her!”

Suddenly, Shen Le gestured toward the door with his eyes. “See that guy? Do you think he’s better-looking than me?”

“He’s better-looking than you,” Jiang Tian replied, glancing toward the entrance.

A tall, handsome young man walked in, fashionably late.

His custom-tailored suit was impeccably fitted, his trousers perfectly creased, and his Italian leather shoes showcased his refined taste.

“Qiusui, come to my office for a chat!” Ding Yahan, who usually seemed strict, greeted him with a beaming smile.

Jiang Qiusui wasn’t just talented and high-performing; his uncle was the deputy director of the Drug Administration Bureau, giving him strong connections in official circles.

When the company’s new drug approval was stuck at the bureau, Jiang Qiusui had stepped in and resolved the issue effortlessly.

In Ding Yahan’s eyes, Jiang Qiusui was her golden boy. Whether he was late or left early didn’t matter at all.

Jiang Qiusui carried his briefcase and walked toward Ding Yahan’s office.

All the female employees stared at him with adoration, as if they were fans meeting their idol.

Even Wu Fangfei, who had been listless during Jiang Tian’s introduction, now gazed at him with deep admiration.

“Sigh, he’s just on another level. We can’t compare. I heard his family is loaded, and he graduated from a top university. Now he only comes to the office a few times a month but still pulls in over 300,000 a year!”

Shen Le’s face was a mix of envy and resentment. “He’s into Zhao Qianru, the chairman’s daughter!”

“Zhao Qianru… my sister-in-law. She’s interning in the finance department, right?” Jiang Tian thought to himself, smiling faintly.

Jiang Qiusui was indeed clever. If he could marry Zhao Qianru, he’d gain a lot of benefits.

Noticing the faint smirk on Jiang Tian’s face, Shen Le asked curiously, “What? You’re not impressed?”

Jiang Tian smiled slightly. “I don’t think he’s all that special.”

In his past life, Jiang Tian had often been humiliated by Jiang Qiusui in the PR department.

Back then, Jiang Tian’s mental state was unstable, and he couldn’t fight back. Faced with someone as capable and well-connected as Jiang Qiusui, he had even felt a sense of inferiority and fear.

But now, after cultivating for ten thousand years and reaching the pinnacle of the universe, how could he possibly care about such a small fry?

“You’re even more narcissistic than I am!” Shen Le shot Jiang Tian a thumbs-down.

—

As the day went on, everyone got busy with work.

Although Jiang Tian had just joined, Wu Fangfei put him to work immediately.

Whenever clients arrived, she had him serve tea and water, run downstairs to buy gifts, and handle all the menial tasks.

This kind of work was not only tedious and exhausting but also didn’t contribute to Jiang Tian’s performance metrics. It was clear that Wu Fangfei was bullying the new guy.

But Jiang Tian didn’t mind. He was here to protect Zhao Xueqing, after all.

By noon, everyone headed out for lunch.

Jiang Tian reached for his wallet and froze.

He had spent over a thousand yuan buying gifts for clients that morning, and the finance department hadn’t reimbursed him yet. Now he was down to his last few bucks.

After some thought, Jiang Tian decided to grab a cheap meal at the fried noodle shop downstairs.

—

Zhao Pharmaceuticals was located next to Wanghu Park, facing the vast expanse of Xiu Lake.

On the other side of Wanghu Park was the “King’s Villa Complex,” developed by Guangsha Group. With its prime location by the lake and mountains, the villas were considered excellent feng shui and cost over ten million each, making it a famous affluent neighborhood in Linzhou.

“I remember this was developed by Zheng Guangsha, Linzhou’s richest man. When I was buying a wedding house in my past life, I insisted on getting a villa here, but Mom couldn’t afford it.”

Memories flooded Jiang Tian’s mind, and he shook his head with a sigh.

Back then, he had been so clueless, unaware that the Jiang family was already in deep trouble. His mother couldn’t afford it, and he must have disappointed her greatly.

—

“Such rich spiritual energy!”

As Jiang Tian reached the office building’s entrance, he took a deep breath and sensed a strong surge of spiritual energy.

“How strange! Could there be some spiritual herbs or fruits in the park?”

Following the energy, Jiang Tian arrived at a corner of the park. He broke off a tree branch and dug a hole in the ground, uncovering several medicinal plants.

“Heavens! It’s Nine-Bend Polygonatum! Human-shaped Fleeceflower Root! Poria! And they’re all several hundred years old!”

Jiang Tian’s eyes lit up with excitement.

Polygonatum had always been shrouded in mystique, known for its calming effects, ability to enhance vitality, and even cleanse the marrow. Long-term consumption was said to lighten the body and lead to immortality.

The Baopuzi recorded: “In ancient times, people believed this plant absorbed the essence of the earth and heaven, hence its name ‘Polygonatum.’ Consuming it for ten years yields great benefits.”

Poria was also regarded as a divine substance, with texts stating that “after a thousand years, it transforms into a rabbit or bird. Consuming it lightens the body and leads to immortality.”

Even Journey to the West mentioned: “The Monkey King led his troop to pick immortal peaches, pluck exotic fruits, dig up divine herbs, cook yams, boil Polygonatum, and grind Poria and barley. Slowly simmered in a stone pot, the concoction was a delicacy beyond compare.”

Clearly, Polygonatum, Poria, and Fleeceflower Root were seen as miraculous by the ancients, even making their way into mythical tales.

The Polygonatum in particular had nine twisted “heads,” resembling a coiled dragon. It was an extremely rare “Nine-Bend Polygonatum,” brimming with spiritual energy.

To Jiang Tian, while it wasn’t a full spiritual herb, it was close enough.

“Looks like my luck is really turning around!”

Jiang Tian quickly gathered the Polygonatum, Poria, and other herbs, washed them hastily by the fountain, and stuffed them into his mouth, chewing and swallowing voraciously.