Hua Yunzhen Was Running Out of Time
After thinking for a moment, Lu Ping decided to see the performance through to the end.
Lu Ping chose B.
[You chose B.]
[Hua Yunzhen shrewd; knowing that Jealous Brother has a problem with you, she still keeps him in contact with you.]
[Since Pavilion Master Hua is so insistent, you naturally can't remain silent.]
[The jealous guy saw you accept the gifts and turned to leave with a cold face.]
["Etc."]
[You call out to him.]
He paused, turned around, and looked at you expressionlessly.
"The goods have been delivered. Is there anything else you require, Grandmaster Lu?"
[You seemed completely oblivious to his expression, and spoke slowly and deliberately.]
"That day on the Cloud Boat, the Spirit Tea personally poured by Pavilion Master Hua tasted exceptionally good."
"Lu is about to start his furnace operation and needs this to calm his mind and focus his energy. I would be grateful if you could fetch another two jin."
[The jealous guy's eyelids twitched violently, his chest heaved, and he almost spat out a mouthful of blood on the spot.]
He stared intently at you, his face alternating between pale and flushed.
Even though he was being treated so difficult, he didn't get angry; instead, he explained things to you.
"Grandmaster Lu is unaware of something."
"That Spirit Tea is a secret cultivation within the pavilion; the mother tree yields only one pound of it after a hundred years."
"The Pavilion Master has always used it only to entertain his most important guests, never selling it to outsiders, and there is no stockpiling in the Pavilion. He can't even produce two jin."
[Seeing his extremely frustrated expression, yet his forced attempt to explain, you understand.]
[The fact that he tolerated such an outrageous request shows that when he dared to publicly reprimand you during the book-borrowing incident, he was indeed secretly instructed by Hua Yunzhen.]
Now that you've found the result, you don't press the matter further, simply waving your hand dismissively.
"Fine, then. You may leave."
[The jealous guy gritted his teeth, turned around without a word, and strode across the threshold, even his back view exuding a sense of resentment.]
[Your door is tightly shut, and a wooden sign reading "Secluded Meditation" hangs above it.]
[The Artisan Spirit is now in effect.]
[Reverse Engineering, in effect.]
[Workaholic, effective.]
[...]
[This Trait is working like crazy; you'll wipe out all the alchemical texts in the Desire Sea Pavilion.]
[The Desire Sea Pavilion has been entrenched in the North Sea for many years; its foundation is indeed quite profound.]
[Among this batch of ancient texts, you even found two more Earth-Grade Pill Formula.]
[You successfully completed the High Antiquity scroll given to you by Yin Wuqi, and deduced the complete "Nine-Revolution Heaven-Defying Pill".]
[However, as Yin Wuqi said, the key spirit medicine recorded in the formula had long since disappeared from this world, making it impossible to refine them according to the original formula.]
[You'll have to find another way, utilizing existing medicinal materials and their properties to deduce a suitable alternative Pill Formula.]
[While you're at it, use the spiritual materials you extorted earlier to refine the Antidote to Severed-Fate Hehuan Powder.]
[On this day, you set your sights on the Herb Garden in the courtyard once again.]
[You summoned the Moon Palace Fire-Devouring Furnace, suspending it above the Herb Garden, and then cast several Method Formulas.]
[Suddenly, the Herb Garden trembled, and a ten-foot patch of ground was scraped away.]
[The entire courtyard of spiritual soil, along with the remaining medicinal roots, was swallowed whole by the Little Toad into its Grotto-Heaven.]
[Perhaps because it had just eaten a Heavenly First True Water Divine Crystal, the Little Toad obediently pretended to be dead when they filled the soil in this time.]
[Even with this near-destructive commotion, Hua Yunzhen didn't stop it.]
[You gazed towards the Main Peak of the Desire Sea Pavilion, your eyes slightly darkened.]
Another month has passed in the blink of an eye.
[In the Quiet Chamber, you held a newly engraved Jade Slip between your fingers and let out a long sigh of relief.]
[The complete Pill Formula for the Nine-Revolution Heaven-Defying Pill Alternative Pill is now complete.]
[Since the old version is now extinct, your version is the true Nine-Revolution Heaven-Defying Pill.]
[It's just one of the main ingredients, which you haven't seen in several simulations. Looks like you'll need to put in some effort.]
[Meanwhile, within the Grotto-Heaven within the Little Toad's body.]
[Under the stimulation of the previous bottle of "Creation Spirit-Promoting Dew," the first batch of "Thousand-Whisker Spirit-Luring Grass" transplanted there grew remarkably.]
[At this rate, you'll be able to freely obtain the Lesser Creation Spirit-Stimulating Dew in less than three years.]
At the end of the month, Hua Yunzhen personally paid a visit.
Her tone betrayed no anger, only a hint of coldness in her eyes.
"Fellow Daoist Lu, in this past month, you've taken all the spiritual materials, read all the alchemy manuals, and practically scraped the ground clean."
"Where are the Pills I asked for?"
"Could it be... that you intend to retire here and have no intention of giving me an explanation?"
[Options pop up.]
[A: Now that we've eaten and drunk our fill, let's get to work.]
[B: Remaining calm and composed, he forcefully retorted, citing the inauspicious time of day.]
[C: Slamming his hand on the table, glaring angrily: "Hurry! What's the rush! Can't you see this grandmaster is working on his Dao of Alchemy PPT? Doesn't polishing a plan take time? Doesn't agile development require a closed loop? Doesn't the R&D verification cycle require milestones? Say one more word and I'll just bring out the 'Quick-Cure Pill,' and then you can expect a public reprimand from the Heavenly Certification Alliance!"]
It's a seller's market now, so you need to establish a solid public image.
Moreover, this Pills is most likely intended to harm Jiang Mutian, so it cannot be released too quickly.
Lu Ping chose B.
[You chose B.]
You slowly set down your teacup, meeting Hua Yunzhen's murderous intent gaze.
"If Pavilion Master Hua cannot wait, I, Lu, may begin refining the pills right now."
[Your tone was cold.]
"But whether it succeeds or not depends entirely on fate. If the furnace explodes and the Yin-Yang Love-Tribulation Flower is destroyed, please don't blame me, Pavilion Master."
[Hua Yunzhen frowned slightly.]
[You meet her gaze and then begin to speak,]
"To achieve a perfect elixir, one must wait for the specific moment when my Secret Method intersects with the Yin Sha of heaven and earth."
"When the time comes, yin and yang will return to their proper places, and this elixir will surely be completed."
[Hua Yunzhen for a long time, her gaze shifting, before finally letting out a cold snort and turning away.]
[You watched the direction she left in, your expression gradually darkening.]
[Hua Yunzhen now were not simply because she was heartbroken over a batch of Pills; it was more as if a crucial moment was about to arrive.]
[After that, time passed. Hua Yunzhen visited more and more frequently.]
[At first, she was able to control her temper and would visit once a month to urge him/her.]
[Later, it became sending messages every two weeks to urge them on, then shortened to checking every ten days and seeing them every five days.]
[This usually composed Pavilion Master Hua, who never showed her emotions, gradually lost her composure, revealing a growing anxiety.]
[Yet you remained as steadfast as a mountain.]
[Every time I see her, I just throw the same old excuse back at her.]
"If Pavilion Master Hua cannot wait, I, Lu, will light the fire and start the furnace now. Whether it succeeds or not, it all depends on fate."
[Hua Yunzhen ultimately couldn't bring herself to make up her mind and take the plunge.]
[However, based on your understanding of Hua Yunzhen, a shrewd and ruthless man like him would never put all his eggs in one basket.]
[She has most likely already begun secretly recruiting high-level Alchemists for future use.]
[Even, backup candidates may already be ready within the Desire Sea Pavilion.]
[If you delay any longer, your risks will only increase.]
[Hua Yunzhen running out, and yours isn't running out either.]
[Nineteen years old, with one year of work experience.]
[Trait being generated...]