"Blood Spirit Pill!"
Upon hearing those three words, Zhang Qing's expression turned grave, and he gave Lin Chang'an a long, searching look.
"Though the Blood Spirit Pill can greatly increase one's spiritual power and accelerate cultivation, it comes at the cost of overtaxing the body and shortening one's lifespan. Moreover, this pill is exceedingly precious. Junior Brother Lin, surely you understand that?"
Seeing that Lin Chang'an wanted to exchange for Blood Spirit Pills, Zhang Qing frowned and solemnly explained this pill's drawbacks.
"Senior Brother, you're overthinking it. Your junior brother hasn't lived long enough yet."
Lin Chang'an did not know whether to laugh or cry. He knew Zhang Qing had gotten the wrong idea. "The greater drawback of the Blood Spirit Pill lies in its addictiveness. Once taken, it must be taken again at regular intervals."
As he spoke, Lin Chang'an gritted his teeth. He had considered this over and over before making the decision, precisely because this place was so chaotic and lawless.
"Senior Brother should know about the Ascending Dragon Pills I refined before. If the Ascending Dragon Pill were supplemented with a portion of the Blood Spirit Pill's medicinal properties—such as its addictive dependence..."
At that, he shut his mouth. Zhang Qing's expression changed instantly upon hearing it.
"Come with me and report this to Elder Lu."
Senior Brother Zhang Qing led him all the way to Elder Lu's mansion.
Elder Lu, who carried an imposing air without even showing anger, looked at the pill formula in his hand. His brows furrowed as he asked in a deep voice, "Are you certain you have confidence in this?"
He might not have been capable in a life-or-death fight, but when it came to pill refinement, his greatest specialty, Lin Chang'an immediately revealed a confident smile.
"Chang'an was fortunate enough to refine three batches of Ascending Dragon Pills before, but Great Jin lacked Blood Spirit Pills. Furthermore, the Cultivation World of Great Jin was controlled by the great lineages and sects, so..."
The meaning was obvious: he had refined them before. Yet Lin Chang'an now showed a pained expression and sighed sorrowfully. "So the pill was shelved. Only after arriving at our Market did I learn that the sect was actually so powerful..."
Good heavens. Even Zhang Qing, who had been standing to the side with his head lowered, staring at his own toes, could not help twitching at the corner of his mouth. What kind of pill was this? An addictive aphrodisiac?
Watching Lin Chang'an eagerly and tirelessly promote how excellent his pill was, how could Elder Lu, old and shrewd as a demon, fail to see through him?
"Elder Lu, business at the Flower Pavilions in the Market is fiercely competitive. This pill can not only be taken orally, but also ground into powder and burned... Its effects are slow, making people gradually find themselves unable to get enough... becoming lost in lust and desire..."
As the description continued, Elder Lu had already thought of something. He narrowed his eyes at Lin Chang'an, and a smile gradually appeared on his face.
Lin Chang'an eagerly rambled on with a smile across his face. To put it bluntly, he wanted to rise through the ranks. He had handed over the pill formula, but how many resources would it take to cultivate a pill refiner like him from scratch? That was where his confidence lay.
Elder Lu was moved as well. Pill refiners might not be scarce, but every pill refiner capable of deducing and developing new pills was exceptionally gifted. From this alone, one could see Lin Chang'an's talent on the path of alchemy.
"Elder Lu, for the sect's future, Lin Chang'an is willing to go through fire and water."
At this moment, Lin Chang'an wore an expression of respectful fervor as he declared his loyalty—and ambition. Elder Lu also smiled.
"This old man has spent his entire life striving to revitalize the sect. Fortunately, my senior brother emerged out of nowhere and became a Foundation Establishment Ancestor, while my son possesses the aptitude for Foundation Establishment. Now, with a talented young man like you joining us, this old man is greatly comforted..."
Upon hearing this, Lin Chang'an immediately clasped his fists in excitement. "Chang'an has drifted through half his life, only regretting that he had never encountered..."
Before Lin Chang'an could finish, Elder Lu could not help twitching at the corner of his mouth. He directly raised a hand to stop what he was about to say next. This brat really knew how to climb up the pole once given an inch.
"This old man has toiled for the sect his entire life, wandering about for many years with all these skills..."
Lin Chang'an, who had initially been somewhat disappointed, immediately revealed an excited expression. Clasping his fists, he shouted, "I pay respects to Master!"
Laughter immediately rang through the hall. Zhang Qing was dumbstruck by the sight. Good heavens, just like that, they had become master and disciple?
Lin Chang'an stood in the hall with a smile across his face. At this moment, he had finally completed his change in status. Though this master-disciple relationship was not especially secure, this identity alone was enough to let him integrate into the sect.
"Elder Lu, in order to increase the pill refinement success rate, I need some hands to help boil medicinal paste..."
At Lin Chang'an's request, Elder Lu waved his hand with a beaming smile. "Just go to Zhang Qing and have him assign you some people."
Zhang Qing, who had been standing by like an ornament, immediately smiled. Clasping his fists, he said, "Junior Brother Lin, if you need anything in the future, simply come find your senior brother."
"Then I'll have to trouble Senior Brother." Lin Chang'an also smiled, acting as though they were already family.
Here, the greater one's value, the better one was treated. Once that value reached a certain height—when he became the sect's foremost pill refiner—the sect itself would fear something happening to him. Thinking of 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 became grave.
"Elder Lu, that man is brimming with ambition. Why not search his soul?"
Seeing Zhang Qing's concern, Elder Lu merely glanced at him and shook his head in disappointment. "Zhang Qing, after living here for so many years, have you still not understood this principle?"
"How many sects have vanished into the river of time, yet some sects and lineages, clearly not powerful, have nevertheless endured for centuries without falling?"
At this point, Elder Lu gave him a deep look. "People! For a sect to weather wind and rain without falling, it needs countless people like you, people with feelings for the sect who press forward one after another. It also needs to take in gifted cultivators."
In Elder Lu's eyes, there was only one word: value. Lin Chang'an's talent in pill refinement was worth investing in. Upon hearing this, Zhang Qing suddenly understood and clasped his fists. "Elder Lu is truly brilliant. This subordinate understands."
"At the very least, that brat is far more valuable than those who only want to redeem themselves and leave this place." Elder Lu gave a meaningful glance, and Zhang Qing smiled.
A soul search could leave one's soul injured at best and cause one's death and dispersal of the Dao at worst. Losing a pill refiner with limitless potential over mere suspicion would be far too wasteful. Besides, the Great Sword Sect had already passed the stage of accumulation.
Elder Lu understood perfectly just how important a high-level pill refiner was to the sect.
Lin Chang'an returned to rest, his crimson eyes gleaming with delight. If he had not feared being overheard, he truly would have wanted to laugh wildly a few times.
Only in a chaotic and lawless place like this could his pills find a place to shine. Moreover, by displaying his talent as a pill refiner, he could openly and legitimately have the sect support him.
Thinking of this, Lin Chang'an curled his lips into a strange smile. "This pill formula only has a fifty-percent success rate in my hands. As for other pill refiners, hehe!"
"The banker takes all!"
A shadowy smile flickered across his face. He slowly closed his eyes, sat cross-legged upon the bed, and began restoring his spiritual power as he rested.
The pill formula he had given Elder Lu was genuine, without the slightest falsification. But during refinement, the difficulty of blending the medicinal properties was extremely high. If not for his Mysterious Treasure, which made his spiritual power not only incomparably pure but also almost perfectly controlled, he would not have dared possess such confidence.
Before you continue