Repaying Every Slight

Within the dim dungeon.

"How is this pill formula?" Elder Lu asked calmly, as though he had already grown accustomed to this.

The figure imprisoned within the dungeon had his collar bones pierced through by steel chains. With a cold laugh, he looked at the pill formula in his hand, his face full of mocking scorn.

"Old Lu, this pill formula is real, but it can also be fake."

Elder Lu frowned upon hearing this and asked in a deep voice, "What do you mean?"

"You're asking me what I mean?" The figure in the dungeon immediately let out a derisive laugh.

"Haha, for a genius alchemist, this pill formula is real, because it requires an exceedingly high talent for controlling spiritual power. But what genius alchemist would waste his talent refining this sort of pill?"

As though he could already see the ugly look on the other man's face after obtaining the true pill formula yet being unable to refine it, the figure in the dungeon laughed heartily in delight.

"Old Lu, save your breath. I'm not bragging, but with the requirements on this pill formula, anyone who can successfully refine four out of ten has the potential to refine Foundation Establishment Pills."

At this point, the disheveled prisoner suddenly paused. Seemingly recalling something, an excited expression immediately appeared on his face.

"No! Old Lu, you absolutely must try it. Find more alchemists to test this pill formula. When you discover an alchemist who can successfully make four or five pills out of ten, you must spare no effort to capture him. Then you can pass my legacy on to him and strengthen your sect."

Watching the figure in the cell excitedly shout at him, Elder Lu calmly nodded. "There is no need for you to concern yourself with that. Sooner or later, the sect will cultivate its own alchemist capable of refining Foundation Establishment Pills. When that day comes, you truly will have no value left at all."

Yet after hearing this, the chained figure burst into wild laughter. "Haha, right! You'd better put your heart and soul into cultivating one. Alchemists are fed into existence, after all. Old Lu, you must let me see an alchemist capable of refining Foundation Establishment Pills emerge in the sect before I die."

His wild laughter brimmed with teasing ridicule, but Elder Lu had clearly long become accustomed to it. His expression remained calm and unmoved, while he instead declared with firm determination, "You will see that day."

Elder Lu believed this without a shred of doubt. The other man merely sneered, seemingly looking forward to seeing him pour countless resources into this endeavor, only to end up utterly dejected and filled with regret.

For a sect or lineage to cultivate even one alchemist capable of refining Foundation Establishment Pills—was that really so easy?

The next day.

"Junior Brother, the materials you need for pill refinement have already been prepared. This is the workshop for simmering medicinal ingredients and making pellets, and this is the room where you will rest normally..."

Zhang Qing's tone was exceedingly courteous, and the smile on his face was even broader. Lin Chang'an lightly nodded after hearing him out.

"Elder Lu said that if Junior Brother needs anything else, just speak up."

Zhang Qing patted his chest as he made this guarantee. Lin Chang'an stroked his chin, a smile appearing on his face.

"Senior Brother, pill refinement is delicate work. I'll need a few assistants. What do you think?"

Upon hearing Lin Chang'an's request, Zhang Qing's smiling face immediately fell. He had only been polite—how had it been taken seriously?

"Junior Brother, please spare me. The Market has had a great demand for pills lately. If it were any other time, this would be no problem."

Seeing Zhang Qing's expression, Lin Chang'an did not make things difficult for him. Smiling, he raised two fingers. "I only need two people."

Hearing this, Zhang Qing could not help but breathe a sigh of relief. Lin Chang'an narrowed his eyes and casually said, "The Alchemist Li who came with me, and Alchemist Wang from next door, will do nicely."

Zhang Qing, who had just breathed that sigh of relief, immediately widened his eyes. Good heavens—Alchemist Li might be an excuse, but if asking for Alchemist Wang was not revenge, he would change his surname on the spot.

"Senior Brother, this isn't troublesome, is it?"

Lin Chang'an spoke with a smiling face, while Zhang Qing's eye twitched. "Not troublesome. It's only transferring two people."

It definitely would not have worked last night, but Elder Lu had specifically instructed him that morning. Transferring two people was entirely feasible.

"Oh, right. Alchemist Wang has decent cultivation and refined skills. Before that, let Alchemist Wang first take charge of refining Bigu Pills. After all, the demand for pills has been high lately. For the sake of the sect, I believe Alchemist Wang will gladly accept the order."

Listening to Lin Chang'an speak so casually beneath that relaxed smile, Zhang Qing secretly muttered to himself. He really repaid every slight.

"As for Alchemist Li, let him handle the simmering of medicinal ingredients first." Lin Chang'an said with narrowed eyes and a smile. Clearly, this was an easy job.

But what did any of this have to do with him? Zhang Qing indifferently shrugged, then smiled and nodded. "Fine, no problem. I'll have Alchemist Li report here shortly."

Looking at the separate little courtyard prepared for him, with rooms for refining and simmering pills as well as a room for resting, Lin Chang'an could not help narrowing his eyes. There was someone capable within this sect.

The pill formula he had brought out the previous night had also been a test. Only high-level alchemists could see the difficulty of the formula. Even if Elder Lu could not see it, that did not matter. Once other alchemists tried refining it, the contrast with him would naturally become apparent.

When that time came, his talent would naturally be exposed. It was only a matter of sooner or later.

From the very beginning, this had been a game he had laid out. The pill formula was merely a token of allegiance. The Ascending Dragon Pill, with its addictive qualities that made cultivators indulge in lust and sink into depravity, was nothing more than a pill for gathering wealth.

What he truly wanted to tell Elder Lu was of his talent for pill refinement, thereby making the sect begin cultivating him.

Since he was already here, and could not resist, then he might as well enjoy it properly. Better yet, his enemies would use their own resources to cultivate him. At this thought, Lin Chang'an could not help smiling.

"Alchemist Lin." The summoned Alchemist Li lowered his head and respectfully bowed. His face was full of complicated emotions. Not long ago, they had been brothers sharing the same hardship, but today, Lin Chang'an had already flown onto a branch.

It truly proved that saying: one feared one's brother living in hardship, yet also feared one's brother driving a Land Rover.

The news that Lin Chang'an had become Elder Lu's disciple had already spread everywhere. Even Zhang Qing, Elder Lu's trusted confidant, stood beside Lin Chang'an with a beaming smile.

Seeing Alchemist Li arrive, Zhang Qing casually said with a smile, "Junior Brother Lin needs manpower for pill refinement. Pack up and move into the courtyard next door. From now on, just listen to Alchemist Lin."

That final sentence was spoken while looking at Lin Chang'an. Seeing this, Alchemist Li hurriedly revealed a grateful expression, clasping his hands toward Lin Chang'an again and again in excitement. "Many thanks, Alchemist Lin, many thanks..."

In contrast to Alchemist Li's tearful gratitude, Alchemist Wang, the dwarf who was walking toward them, kept his head lowered and did not dare look at Lin Chang'an even once.

After word spread last night that Lin Chang'an had become Elder Lu's disciple, regret gnawed through him until his guts felt torn apart. Yet where in the world was there medicine for regret?

"Greetings, Senior Brother Zhang!" After first clasping his hands to greet Zhang Qing, Alchemist Wang looked toward Lin Chang'an, a forced smile more unsightly than tears appearing on his face.

"Greetings, Senior Brother Lin."

Looking at Alchemist Wang's dwarf-like appearance, Zhang Qing impatiently waved his hand. "From now on, you will take over Alchemist Lin's work. The Bigu Pills are yours."

Alchemist Wang's face looked like an eggplant wilted by frost. He looked aggrieved, but he knew he had no capital to resist and could only clasp his hands to accept the order.

Yet a sentence from Zhang Qing suddenly sounded beside Lin Chang'an's ear.

"Junior Brother Lin, once the Market stabilizes, how about leaving this man to your disposal?"

Lin Chang'an narrowed his eyes at Zhang Qing, lightly nodding as he replied through the Voice Transmission Technique, "It's a deal."

This was how those in power operated. In mere moments, they had decided the fates of two people.

"Oh, right, Junior Brother. Didn't you say yesterday that you felt you had encountered a bottleneck? As it happens, I have a bottle of Golden Marrow Pills here. Perhaps they can help Junior Brother break through."

As though suddenly recalling something, Zhang Qing slapped his forehead in annoyance. Then, wearing the smile of one of their own, he took out a bottle of pills from his storage pouch.

Seeing this, Lin Chang'an also put on a look of sudden realization.

"Senior Brother, look at me. I've been a little short on funds recently. How about I give you this pill furnace that Master bestowed upon me? I can't take it for nothing."

"Junior Brother, that's not right. What pills could compare to the pill furnace Elder Lu bestowed upon you?" Zhang Qing could not help pulling a stern face as he forcefully stuffed the pills into Lin Chang'an's hand, looking as though refusing them would mean refusing to give him face.

This scene left Alchemist Wang both choked with frustration and chilled to the bone. This was killing a man and piercing his heart!