First Time, Failure Is Normal

Inside the alchemy room.

The firelight from the pill furnace cast a red glow on his cheeks. Lin Chang'an stared intently at the furnace, watching as pill after pill took shape with a spiritual glow. A smile touched his lips.

"Breakthrough pills. Six tries to get one, not bad."

As the final pills solidified in the furnace, Lin Chang'an let out a sigh of relief, his face filled with pride. Although a mystical treasure purified his mana, allowing him to control it to his utmost, alchemy was more than just control.

"It seems my alchemy talent is quite good."

Shamelessly, Lin Chang'an grinned. In the next moment, he swallowed all six pills, not even sparing the five failed ones.

As the pills entered his stomach, their potent medicinal energy and pill toxins began to erupt. However, in the next instant, the mystical treasure in his sea of consciousness emitted a milky white light, purifying the pill toxins within his body.

Simultaneously, the powerful medicinal energy transformed into rampant mana, which, under the purifying light, gradually became docile and gentle. Lin Chang'an sat cross-legged with a calm expression, circulating his cultivation method.

Six breakthrough pills would allow even a pig to break through, let alone Lin Chang'an, who had decent talent. Yet, he converted all this mana into strengthening his physical body.

"Ice Muscle Jade Bone Art."

"While this isn't the best body-refining cultivation method, it's the best I have mastered for now! And it also helps me hide myself better."

Lin Chang'an muttered to himself. He was at the sixth layer of Qi Condensation. All the spirit stones he had hoarded over the years, along with countless pills, had been perceived by outsiders as solely for his cultivation. While that wasn't entirely wrong, most of it had been poured into body refinement.

By the time dawn broke, Lin Chang'an opened his eyes, a look of solemnity on his face. "Six pills and I still can't break through! Body refinement is truly difficult."

Everyone knew Lin Chang'an cultivated the Ice Muscle Jade Bone Art, but no one would have imagined he dared to continue cultivating it. After all, once he broke through and his cultivation method reached great success, it would invert yin and yang.

However, relying on the mystical treasure, Lin Chang'an dared to cultivate any powerful but flawed cultivation method as long as he had enough spirit stones. Others feared cultivating might lead to qi deviation and problems, but he wasn't afraid, unless it required self-harm.

"An entire batch of spirit herbs wasted like this."

Rising, he looked at the empty pill furnace and sighed, patting his deflated storage bag. He then activated the formation and walked outside.

When Lin Chang'an emerged from the alchemy room, his face was ashen. Those who saw him from afar could tell he was unapproachable and in a foul mood.

The moment Lin Chang'an exited the alchemy room, Elder Lu received the news.

Listening to the report from below, Elder Lu took a deep breath and said gravely, "I am aware of this matter. You may go."

"Yes."

Just as the person who came to report was about to leave, Elder Lu seemed to recall something and suddenly said sternly, "Oh, right. Go pick out a batch of dancers and send them over. Tell Chang'an to take his time, no need to rush."

"Yes." The disciple who came to report had eyes filled with immense envy.

Had they ever seen someone fail at alchemy and receive such treatment? It was utterly inhumane.

Watching the departing figure, Elder Lu couldn't help but sigh. He had expected that breakthrough pills, such a difficult type of pill, wouldn't succeed on the first try. After all, there were always exceptions.

It was clear Lin Chang'an was not among the lucky ones; he had failed the first time.

"It's fine, it's only the first time. Failure is normal. This time, I've prepared a full ten batches of spirit herbs. With this kid's talent, as long as he maintains his optimal state, he will definitely succeed."

Elder Lu encouraged himself with a determined expression. The main reason was that Lin Chang'an had proven his talent over the past three years, which was why he dared to act this way. After all, cultivating an alchemist required significant resources.

For a talented alchemist like Lin Chang'an, they couldn't get angry even if he failed; instead, they had to dote on him like a parent, pampering him to keep him happy.

Refining high-level pills placed immense demands on an alchemist's spirit, energy, and mind.

"Lin Chang'an! Don't disappoint me!" Elder Lu murmured. As long as the breakthrough pill succeeded once, the sect's previous investments would begin to yield returns.

Especially now that the Liu Family was in trouble, it might even trigger a major upheaval. At that time, the sect might not have the capacity to continue investing in Lin Chang'an.

Two months had passed since the Liu Family's incident. Although there had been some turmoil, with the Great Sword Sect joining forces with various powers, and the Liu Family decisively cutting off its losses by ceding most of its assets, the situation had stabilized.

In this region, the Great Sword Sect's alliance with various powers marked a good start, bringing a sigh of relief to the allied factions and strengthening their relationships.

Especially with the immense benefits the Liu Family had given up, the turmoil was visibly beginning to stabilize.

Market town.

"Sister, they're bullying us too much! This shop was clearly left to us by Mother. When did it become theirs?"

Outside a grand and imposing shop, a girl of about fifteen or sixteen, dressed in a pink long dress, spoke with tearful eyes and a pouting mouth, her grievance evident. Her sister, around twenty years old and dressed in a jade-green silk fitted outfit, was filled with rage.

"Oh, you still think you're the eldest daughter of the Liu Family?"

A middle-aged cultivator looked at the two beautiful women before him with a lewd gaze and said with a threatening smile, "This shop has always belonged to our Wang Family. Back then, your Liu Family was overbearing, married a woman from our Wang Family, and occupied our Wang Family's shops. Now the tables have turned, and the Liu Family is in trouble!"

"Moreover, who is in charge of the Liu Family now?" The man let out a burst of unrestrained laughter.

"Let's go!" The green-clad girl coldly pulled her younger sister and turned to leave.

"Sister!" Before leaving, her sister cast a reluctant glance at the shop her mother had left them.

Patrol Prefecture.

"Junior Brother Lin, how many times has it been now?"

Zhang Qing asked nervously, leaning back lazily in his chair and listening to music. He had never been this anxious before, but he couldn't help it.

Lin Chang'an sighed and shook his head, "It's been six times. Elder Lu's spirit herbs are down to the last four batches."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Qing became even more anxious and pained than Lin Chang'an. "Junior brother, you must conserve your energy properly. If it's really not working, senior brother will find you a different set of musicians another day."

Seeing Zhang Qing, who was clearly anxious but pretending to urge him to relax, Lin Chang'an couldn't help but find it amusing. "Senior brother, why are you more anxious than me? This is a breakthrough pill, not a Bigu Pill. It's not that easy."

Seeing Lin Chang'an's casual tone, Zhang Qing couldn't help but chuckle wryly, "Junior brother, senior brother already took a breakthrough pill back then. I was young and reckless and didn't take it seriously at all, wasting a perfectly good one."

"Pills like this are treated as treasures within the sect. You can only obtain them by rendering great service." Zhang Qing's face was filled with regret as he spoke.

"Senior brother is counting entirely on you." It was clear that Zhang Qing had placed all his hopes on Lin Chang'an.

"Junior brother, if you can refine it, I'll offer this much!" Zhang Qing gritted his teeth, a determined look on his face, and held up his thumb and index finger.

Eight hundred spirit stones! That was enough to buy a high-grade magic item.

"Senior brother, I'll do my best!"

Seeing Lin Chang'an's promise, Zhang Qing secretly sent a voice transmission, his voice low, "Junior brother, the Liu Family has had an incident. The Beast Taming Zhou Family definitely won't just stand by and watch. At this time, a breakthrough pill concerns both your and my future!"

Before Lin Chang'an could react, Zhang Qing's hearty laughter completely hid the urgency he had just conveyed privately.

"Oh, right, junior brother. Recently, the Liu Family's businesses in the market town have been in disarray, and there are many people causing trouble. Elder Lu himself said that even though the Liu Family has had an incident, they are still allies."

Lin Chang'an casually nodded at Zhang Qing's instructions, "Understood, senior brother. You've been working hard lately."

However, through their exchanged glances, they both saw a hint of solemnity. This was merely the last period of stability; turmoil was imminent, and they were both caught in this storm.

Thanks to 'Assistant of the Abandoned Flying Sword Recycling Station' for 100 coins, 'Under One Punch' for 100 coins. Thank you to all fellow Daoists for your support. I asked the editor today, and our read count is on track for the second round, heh heh.