Meeting the Master

"Blood Spirit Pill!"

Upon hearing the words "Blood Spirit Pill," Zhang Qing's expression turned somewhat grave as he cast a deep glance at Lin Chang'an.

"The Blood Spirit Pill, though remarkably effective at greatly increasing cultivation speed by boosting mana, comes at the cost of draining the body and shortening one's lifespan. Moreover, this pill is extremely precious. Junior Brother Lin, surely you understand this!"

Regarding Lin Chang'an's desire to exchange for the Blood Spirit Pill, Zhang Qing couldn't help but frown and speak solemnly of the pill's drawbacks.

"Senior Brother, you're overthinking it. This junior hasn't lived enough yet."

Lin Chang'an found it a bit amusing and exasperating. He knew the other had misunderstood. "The Blood Spirit Pill's flaws lie more in its addictiveness. Once taken, one must consume it again at regular intervals."

Saying this, Lin Chang'an gritted his teeth. He had deliberated over it repeatedly, and it was precisely because this place was chaotic and lawless that he had made this decision.

"Senior Brother should be aware of the Ascending Dragon Pill I refined before. If the Ascending Dragon Pill is supplemented with a portion of the Blood Spirit Pill's properties—say, the addictive dependency—"

At this point, he fell silent, and Zhang Qing's face instantly changed upon hearing it.

"Come with me to report to Elder Lu."

This Senior Brother Zhang Qing led him all the way to the residence of this Elder Lu.

Elder Lu, imposing without anger, looked at the pill formula in his hand, furrowed his brow, and said in a low voice, "Are you certain you can pull this off?"

If it came to desperate combat, he was no good, but when it came to his specialty—pill refining—Lin Chang'an immediately showed a confident smile.

"Chang'an was fortunate enough to refine three batches of Ascending Dragon Pills before, but in Great Jin, Blood Spirit Pills are scarce, and the cultivation world of Great Jin is controlled by various clans and sects. So!"

It was clear he meant he had refined them before, but now Lin Chang'an revealed a pained expression and said wistfully, "Thus, this pill was shelved. But only upon arriving at our market did I learn that the sect is so formidable..."

Good heavens. Zhang Qing, who had been staring at his own toes, couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth. What kind of pill was this? An addictive aphrodisiac?

Watching Lin Chang'an eagerly pitching how excellent his pill was, Elder Lu, shrewd with age, could see right through him.

"Elder Lu, the Flower Pavilion business in the market is fiercely competitive. This pill can not only be taken orally but also ground into powder for fumigation... Moreover, its effects are slow, gradually making one crave the taste... indulging in lust and desire..."

As the description went on, Elder Lu had already caught on. He narrowed his eyes at Lin Chang'an before him, and a smile gradually spread across his face.

Lin Chang'an chattered on with a full smile, talking a mile a minute. In essence, he wanted to climb the ranks. He had handed over the pill formula, but how many resources would it take to nurture a pill master from scratch? That was his confidence.

And Elder Lu was tempted. Pill masters might not be plentiful, but those who could deduce and develop new pills were invariably gifted individuals. From this, it was clear that Lin Chang'an had talent in the path of alchemy.

"Elder Lu, for the future of the sect, Lin Chang'an is willing to give his all."

At this moment, Lin Chang'an wore a look of utmost respect and fervor, expressing his loyalty and ambition, while Elder Lu smiled in return.

"This old man has spent his life striving to revitalize the sect. Fortunately, my senior brother emerged and became a Foundation Establishment Ancestor. My son also has the potential for Foundation Establishment. And now, with a worthy nephew like you joining, this old man is gratified..."

Hearing this, Lin Chang'an was so excited he immediately cupped his fists. "Chang'an has drifted half his life, only regretting that he never met—"

Before Lin Chang'an could finish, Elder Lu twitched his mouth and raised a hand to stop him. This kid really knew how to seize an opportunity.

"This old man has spent his life toiling for the sect, moving from place to place for years, with all these skills..."

Lin Chang'an, who had been somewhat disappointed, suddenly lit up with excitement, cupped his fists, and shouted, "Disciple pays respects to Master."

At once, laughter echoed through the hall. Zhang Qing watched this scene, utterly dumbfounded. Good heavens, they were already master and disciple?

In the hall, Lin Chang'an was all smiles. At this moment, he had finally completed his identity shift. Though this master-disciple bond wasn't solid, this status was enough for him to integrate into the sect.

"Elder Lu, to improve the success rate of pill refining, I'll need some hands to prepare the medicinal paste..."

At Lin Chang'an's request, Elder Lu waved his hand with a full smile. "Just go to Zhang Qing for the personnel allocation."

Zhang Qing, who had been standing by as decoration, immediately smiled and cupped his hands. "Junior Brother Lin, if you ever need anything in the future, just come to me."

"Then I'll trouble you, Senior Brother." Lin Chang'an also smiled as if they were old friends.

Here, the higher your value, the more privileges you received. When it reached a certain level—becoming the sect's top pill master—even the sect would fear for his safety. Thinking this, Lin Chang'an revealed a strange smile.

After Lin Chang'an left, only Elder Lu and Zhang Qing remained in the hall. Zhang Qing's expression turned serious.

"Elder Lu, this man is ambitious. Why not use soul search?"

Seeing Zhang Qing's concern, Elder Lu glanced at him with some disappointment and shook his head. "Zhang Qing, after living here for so many years, haven't you yet understood this principle?"

"How many sects have vanished in the river of time? Yet some sects and clans, though not strong, have stood unshaken for centuries."

Saying this, Elder Lu gave him a deep look. "People! For a sect to weather storms and not fall, it needs countless devoted individuals like you who care for the sect, and it also needs to attract talented cultivators."

In Elder Lu's mind, there was only the word "value." Lin Chang'an's alchemy talent was worth his investment. Hearing this, Zhang Qing suddenly understood and cupped his hands. "Elder Lu, you're brilliant. This lowly one understands."

"At the very least, this kid is far more valuable than those who only want to buy their freedom and leave this place." Elder Lu's meaningful glance made Zhang Qing smile.

Soul search could range from mild soul damage to death. Wasting a promising pill master over mere suspicion was too wasteful. Besides, the Great Sword Sect had already passed the accumulation stage.

The importance of a high-level pill master to the sect was crystal clear in Elder Lu's mind.

Back in his resting place, Lin Chang'an's crimson eyes gleamed with joy. If not for fear of being overheard, he would have burst into loud laughter right then.

Only in this chaotic, lawless land could his pill find its use. And by revealing his talent as a pill master, he could openly let the sect support him.

Thinking this, Lin Chang'an curled his lips into a sinister smile. "This pill formula only has a fifty percent success rate in my hands. As for other pill masters, heh!"

"The Banker takes it all!"

A dark smile flickered across his face as he slowly closed his eyes, sat cross-legged on the bed, and began to recover his mana and rest.

The pill formula he had given Elder Lu was genuine, with no falsification. But the difficulty of merging the medicinal properties during refining was high. If not for his unique treasure, which made his mana not only exceptionally pure but also gave him near-perfect control, he wouldn't have dared to be so confident.