Inside the main hall.
"Chang'an, these are the spirit herbs needed for the Breakthrough Pill. I have prepared ten sets for you. Do not let outside matters distract you. Even if something truly happens, you are still my disciple—and the alchemist with the greatest potential in the sect."
As the others dispersed, Elder Lu kept Lin Chang'an behind. His face was unusually grave as he spoke, and his final words carried a deeply meaningful undertone.
Lin Chang'an was secretly startled. It seemed peaceful days would not last much longer; even this old fellow had seen the signs of coming turmoil.
The next moment, as he looked at the spirit herbs in his storage pouch, Lin Chang'an revealed an excited expression. "Rest assured, Elder Lu. I will not let the sect down."
Lin Chang'an knew that this old fellow had devoted his whole heart to the sect. Flattering the old fellow might not make him smile, but flattering the sect would surely please him. Besides, whether chaos came or not, he was a valuable alchemy talent. Even if they truly had to go to war, he would be among the last to be sent out.
Sure enough, Elder Lu immediately smiled at Lin Chang'an's display. He even said nothing when Lin Chang'an carefully hid the storage pouch beneath the sole of his shoe right in front of him.
He knew that Lin Chang'an might not feel much attachment to the sect, but Lin Chang'an could no longer leave the sect now.
"Oh, right. Once you break through to late Qi Condensation, I will personally petition the Sect Master to grant you the antidote. By then, you will become an honorary elder of the sect."
Before leaving, Elder Lu painted such a grand promise that Lin Chang'an's face flushed with excitement. He cupped his hands and said, "I can never repay Elder Lu's kindness. Chang'an will surely give everything for the sect."
Elder Lu nodded approvingly. The instant Lin Chang'an turned around, mockery flashed through his eyes. This old thing really knew how to paint a pretty picture.
The news of the Liu Family's misfortune spread, causing a tremendous uproar. After all, the deaths of two Foundation Establishment Great Experts were a major matter to them.
Yet in the next moment, greed became even more rampant. Countless smaller factions began eyeing the Liu Family's various businesses, while the Beast Taming Zhou Family secretly stirred up trouble.
But afterward, the Great Sword Sect took the lead in joining forces with other factions, openly declaring that they would protect their fellow sect members, the Liu Family. Yet anyone with eyes could see that most of the Liu Family's businesses had been carved up among them.
After all, the Liu Family could no longer hold on to them. Trading those businesses for protection was, in this cruel world, enough to let many people glimpse a sliver of comfort.
At the very least, the Great Sword Sect's move earned the goodwill of many people, especially the factions that had joined forces with them.
In the world of villains, as long as you displayed the slightest act of goodness, it would be magnified without end.
Under the night sky, inside the Pill Room.
Beneath the swaying dim lamplight, Lin Chang'an, dressed in a brocade robe, rarely wore such a grave expression. He lowered his voice and said in a deep tone, "Li Han, where did you get this spirit herb?"
This was a two-hundred-year-old Spirit Cleansing Grass, and it was the primary medicinal ingredient for refining Spirit Cleansing Powder.
As for Spirit Cleansing Powder, it was regarded as one of the rarest sacred antidotes in the world, capable of neutralizing hundreds upon thousands of deadly poisons!
Li Han, clad in black, nervously swallowed. He knew this time he had taken a risk, but if he did not do this, he would never have a chance to rise.
"Brother Lin, I think you can see it too. This place will not remain peaceful for much longer. With the Liu Family losing power, would the Beast Taming Zhou Family let such a good opportunity slip by?"
Gritting his teeth, Li Han laid out their current situation. "And does the sect truly trust us? Not everyone in the sect is like Elder Lu. The others have always looked down on outsiders like us."
Elder Lu was cunning, but his vision and methods were likewise beyond ordinary people. As long as he was around, he could naturally keep these matters suppressed. Right now, there seemed to be no difference between people like them and the sect's disciples.
But what if turmoil broke out?
"Can Spirit Cleansing Powder remove Gu worms?" Li Han asked what had been on his mind, while also laying bare his resolve.
Upon hearing this, Lin Chang'an's pupils contracted. He narrowed his eyes at the ordinary-looking friend before him, who had never seemed the least bit remarkable in daily life. Yet those black eyes were as firm and persistent as they had been back then.
"I never expected Brother Li's Dao heart toward cultivation to be so steadfast!"
At that moment, he recalled their first meeting. Li Han's gaze whenever cultivation was mentioned had been exactly like this—if anything, even more persistent now.
"Brother Lin." Seeing Lin Chang'an's emotional expression, Li Han gave a bitter laugh. "What steadfast Dao heart do I have? I am merely afraid of dying."
What kind of place was this? He had never forgotten that simply because they had enjoyed more than three years of peaceful days.
"Spirit Cleansing Powder can neutralize hundreds upon thousands of deadly poisons, but Gu worms are not poison!"
Lin Chang'an's words immediately made Li Han's expression turn solemn. As long as the Gu worm remained in his body, he had no possibility of leaving this place.
"However!" Lin Chang'an's next sentence instantly sent Li Han's emotions plunging and soaring like a roller coaster.
"Brother Lin!" Li Han looked at him eagerly, as though asking whether he could finish everything in one breath. Lin Chang'an merely grinned.
"Fight poison with poison!"
Seeing Li Han's bewildered expression, Lin Chang'an could not help shaking his head. "Though Gu worms are not poison, they can still be poisoned. We can poison the Gu worms to death first, then use Spirit Cleansing Powder to cure the poison."
Li Han was dumbfounded after hearing that. What kind of logic was this?
Spirit Cleansing Powder could not deal with Gu worms, but they could poison the Gu worms to death, then use Spirit Cleansing Powder to deal with their own poison? This logic!
Thinking about it, it did seem to make some sense—though something still felt off.
The next moment, Li Han's expression changed. "Brother Lin, what if the Gu worms are not dead yet, but we die from the poison first?"
That was the crucial issue. Could they withstand a poison strong enough to kill Gu worms?
Watching Li Han's face gradually turn green, Lin Chang'an grinned and revealed a sincere smile. "Probably not. You cultivate the Evergreen Cultivation Method, so your vitality should be somewhat tougher than that of ordinary people."
Lin Chang'an's words made the corners of Li Han's eyes twitch. He could tell Lin Chang'an was teasing him, and he said irritably, "Brother Lin, do not forget that you have a Gu worm inside you too."
In Li Han's eyes, that had clearly been a joke at his expense. Yet the smile on Lin Chang'an's face gradually turned somewhat strange, until it made Li Han's scalp prickle.
"Me? Elder Lu said that as long as I break through to late Qi Condensation, I will be granted the antidote."
Li Han was stunned upon hearing that. After all this, was he the only one?
Looking at the dumbstruck Li Han, Lin Chang'an laughed. The two-hundred-year-old Spirit Cleansing Grass in his hand was then placed into his storage pouch.
When Li Han saw this, he looked at him eagerly. Lin Chang'an smiled and nodded. "Cultivate well. No matter when it is, only strength can be your own safeguard."
As he said this, his expression gradually became solemn. He stepped forward, patted Li Han's shoulder, and used the Voice Transmission Technique to say in a low voice, "You managed to get your hands on two-hundred-year-old Spirit Cleansing Grass. Not simple at all!"
Li Han's pupils contracted at those words. Before he could say anything, Lin Chang'an smiled reassuringly. "I am joking. Once the Spirit Cleansing Powder is refined, I will give you a portion."
Seeing Lin Chang'an's hearty smile, Li Han felt even more stifled. All the explanations he had prepared were now useless; the other man simply would not press further.
"Brother Lin, I found this spirit herb when Old Man Li was being buried..."
Li Han gave a helpless bitter smile and explained the origin of the spirit herb. He truly had not lied. Back then, Lin Chang'an had thrown him three Spirit Stones to handle the funeral arrangements, and Qi Feng had also handed it over to him. Who could have expected that Old Man Li had long ago chosen a plot of blessed geomantic land for himself and his daughter? When they buried him, Li Han discovered it there.
Looking at Lin Chang'an's smile, Li Han knew he had done it deliberately! Before coming here, his worst expectation had been that Lin Chang'an would greedily keep the spirit herb. As for dragging him out to inform on him, that would only bring more loss than gain.
After all, Lin Chang'an was half a sect member himself. If he reported Li Han, leaving aside whether a minor figure like Li Han was worth it, there were no telling how many among their group wanted to leave this place but merely lacked the opportunity.
If Lin Chang'an did that, he would become unwelcome both inside and out. Therefore, the worst outcome was simply having his weakness fall into the other man's hands.
Thank you, fellow Daoists, for your support.
Before you continue