Notarization

Master Di shook his head. "It's not that I'm stubborn, but I've taken quite a few ordinary soul-repairing pills, with little effect. Only rare fruits like the Soul Infant Fruit, which contain the Soul Origin, or some soul-related treasures born from heaven and earth, could possibly help me repair the Soul Origin. Pills... unless they are rank Tier 8 or higher, they are not very useful."

His meaning was clear: he no longer valued Tier 7 Medicinal Pill.

Cao Dan scoffed, "Tier 8 Medicinal Pill? Master Di, Tier 8 Medicinal Pill is incredibly precious; how could your Bodhi Treasure Liquid possibly compare!"

Lin Ming still didn't look at Cao Dan, as if he were just a buzzing fly. He was pondering something: Tier 8 Medicinal Pill... he did indeed have one.

He had also refined some pills when he was at the Ye Family's place some time ago. However, was it worth exchanging Tier 8 Medicinal Pill for this Bodhi Treasure Liquid? Although the Bodhi Treasure Liquid was good, its value was really not comparable to that of the Soul Infant Fruit or Tier 8 Medicinal Pill.

Lin Ming was weighing the pros and cons.

Just as Lin Ming was pondering, Cao Dan was beaming with pride, Master Di was frowning slightly, an old, somewhat weary voice rang out from another direction. "Old Di, if you really can't exchange your Bodhi Treasure Liquid for Soul Infant Fruit, I do have a little trinket here. I can't say for sure that it can repair your damaged origin, but with long-term nurturing, it might provide some unexpected benefits."

The crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw that on the Cold Jade Platform guarded by the disheveled old man "Old Yan," Old Yan, who had been dozing off, had sat up straight and was watching them with great interest, playing with an object between his withered fingers.

It was a pale yellow copper sheet, about the size of a palm, with some irregular chips along the edges. Its surface was covered with mottled green patina, giving it an antique and worn appearance. But upon closer inspection, one could discover that beneath the patina, some extremely complex and twisted strange patterns seemed to be faintly engraved. These patterns were not static, but rather seemed to be flowing extremely slowly, exuding an indescribable ancient charm.

Upon seeing the bronze plate, both Lin Ming and Elder Yao immediately focused their attention on it.

As for Elder Yao, he saw the pattern on it and it was an ancient artifact. Although he didn't know exactly what was inside, the word "ancient" certainly indicated that it was something extraordinary. Lin Ming, with his Original Work Memory, knew that this bronze piece could produce Spirit Nurturing Dust could Spirit Ascension.

Master Di looked at Old Yan, a hint of doubt and anticipation in his eyes. "Old Yan, what strange and unusual thing have you come up with this time?"

Old Yan chuckled, deftly flipping the pale yellow copper piece between his fingers a few times, and lazily said, "This thing, well, I dug it out of a corner of Ancient Ruins that's about to collapse. The material looks like ordinary bronze, utterly useless. But the strange thing is, carrying it around makes me sleep exceptionally soundly, and my inner demons can't invade my mind. When cultivating my Soul Power, I can also feel a slight increase in speed, making it incredibly smooth. As for whether it can nourish your damaged essence, allowing it to slowly repair itself... hehe, I can't guarantee that. Anyway, I've studied it for decades, and besides discovering it's ridiculously hard, impervious to fire and lightning, I haven't figured out anything else. How about it, want to trade? Consider it a gamble?"

His words were casual, but the shrewdness that flashed deep in his murky eyes did not escape the notice of those who were paying attention.

Upon hearing this, Master Di's gaze fell upon the bronze piece once more. His powerful Soul Power, like an invisible tentacle, cautiously reached out to carefully perceive it. After a moment, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

With his Soul Realm approaching the Spirit Realm, he could indeed vaguely sense that the copper plate contained an extremely faint but ancient, vast, and even eternally significant fluctuation. This fluctuation had an indescribable calming and nourishing effect on the soul.

However... the effect was too weak and unpredictable, more like a long-term, subtle influence. Compared to the Soul Infant Fruit that he desperately needed, which could immediately repair his origin, it was undoubtedly a drop in the ocean.

The glimmer of hope that had just appeared on his face quickly faded. He shook his head, his tone tinged with regret. "Old Yan, this item... is indeed extraordinary; its ancient charm is undeniable. However, its effects are elusive and slow to take effect, unlikely to match the miraculous power of the Soul Infant Fruit. I'm sorry."

His soul had been damaged for a long time, and he dared not place his hopes on something whose effects were unclear and required a long period of time to prove.

Old Yan seemed to have expected this. He pursed his lips indifferently, muttered "an old man who doesn't know his stuff," and then lazily lay back on the jade platform, continuing his listless posture, as if everything that had just happened had nothing to do with him.

The situation reached a stalemate. Cao Dan couldn't produce the Soul Infant Fruit, Master Di resolutely refused to exchange it; Old Yan's Ancient Bronze Fragment had unclear effects, and Master Di looked down on it; Lin Ming, on the other hand, seemed to be weighing his options and did not immediately produce Tier 8 Medicinal Pill.

Upon seeing this, Cao Dan's eyes flashed with a barely perceptible hint of anxiety and anger. This Bodhi Treasure Liquid was extremely important to him, so he couldn't help but step forward again, his tone carrying a hint of urging and a hidden threat, and said to Master Di.

"Master Di! Besides the Soul Infant Fruit, is there nothing else you desire? Cultivation Method? Dou Technique? My Cao Family has a wealth of those! Or perhaps you need my Cao Family to do something for you? In this Pill Region, my Cao Family's reputation still holds some value!"

In desperation, Cao Dan once again invoked the "Cao Family" brand.

Upon hearing the name "Cao Family," even some previously uninvolved powerful figures on the top floor had their eyes flicker slightly. As one of the Five Great Families in the Pill Region, they were indeed a force not to be underestimated.

Master Di frowned even more deeply. The Cao Family's reputation was indeed resounding, but he had devoted his life to the study of alchemy and was quite aloof. He disliked this kind of oppressive behavior. Moreover, getting too involved with the Cao Family might not be a blessing.

He was about to refuse again when his face darkened.

Just as Cao Dan's face turned ashen due to Master Di's expression, caught in a dilemma, and the atmosphere in the room became somewhat stagnant and oppressive because of the Cao Family's reputation, Lin Ming, who had been silently weighing his options, finally slowly raised his head, his gaze clear and calm as he looked at Master Di. His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears:

"Master Di."

In an instant, everyone's gaze, as if drawn by invisible threads, focused once again on this seemingly youngest, yet perplexing, young man in a blue robe.

Lin Ming met Master Di's questioning gaze, which held a last glimmer of hope, and slowly said, "I don't currently have Soul Infant Fruit."

Upon hearing this, Cao Dan's lips curled into a disdainful sneer, and he was about to utter a sarcastic remark.

But Lin Ming First Revolution and continued, "However, I know of a place where a Soul Infant Fruit Tree grows."

"What?!" Upon hearing this, not only did Master Di's body tremble violently, but even the top experts around him who had maintained their composure all showed surprise and stared intently at Lin Ming.

The Soul Infant Fruit Tree! The place where such Heaven and Earth Rare Item grows is even more valuable than a single Soul Infant Fruit!

Ignoring the intense gazes around him, Lin Ming looked at Master Di and said with certainty, "Based on my observations and calculations, the Soul Infant Fruit on that tree should still be about three years away from fully ripening."

Lin Ming paused, carefully observing the sudden glint in Master Di's eyes, before continuing to offer his terms, "Master Di, although your Soul Origin is damaged, your foundation remains, and your aura is stable. You must have prepared for many years to heal your injuries, so three more years won't make a difference. Therefore, my proposal is—you give me the Bodhi Treasure Liquid now, and within three years, I will personally present you with a mature Soul Infant Fruit!"

Seeing the fleeting hesitation in Master Di's eyes—after all, words alone are not enough— Lin Ming smiled slightly and offered his final, and equally compelling, guarantee. "Of course, words alone are not enough. We can have the Pill Tower bear witness and establish Soul Contract here! The contract clearly states: If I, Lin Ming, fail to deliver the Soul Infant Fruit within three years of receiving your Bodhi Treasure Liquid... then, as compensation, I will unconditionally bestow upon you a formula for any type of Tier 8 Medicinal Pill!"

"Eighth Grade Pill Recipe?!"

This time, an uncontrollable gasp of surprise erupted throughout the entire top floor! Even Old Yan, who had been lying down, suddenly sat up straight again, his cloudy eyes flashing with a terrifying light!

A Soul Infant Fruit might be described as a stroke of luck. But an Eighth Grade Pill Recipe... that's a priceless treasure, enough to form the foundation of a family of Alchemist! Its value cannot be measured by ordinary wealth!

No one would believe that someone would dare to issue such terrifying breach of contract terms under the notarization of the Pill Tower! That would mean making an enemy of the entire Pill Tower and the order of the Alchemist world!

Master Di's breathing instantly became extremely heavy, his chest heaving violently. He looked at Lin Ming, at the other's calm yet confident eyes, and then at Xiao Yi Xian and Heavenly Flame Venerate beside him, whose expressions were equally calm, as if what Lin Ming said was perfectly normal.

He quickly weighed the options in his mind: waiting three years might yield the Soul Infant Fruit, curing his chronic illness; even in the worst-case scenario, he could still obtain the coveted Eighth Grade Pill Recipe! Either outcome far exceeded the value of his Bodhi Treasure Liquid! This wasn't just a transaction; it was practically a windfall!

"Change!!!"

With a roar that seemed to burst from the depths of his throat, Master Di no longer hesitated.

With trembling hands, he carefully removed the Energy Shield and solemnly pushed the emerald jade Jade Bottle, which carried his hopes for the future, toward Lin Ming. His eyes were filled with excitement, anticipation, and a sense of relief.

Lin Ming smiled slightly and readily accepted the Jade Bottle. It was cool to the touch, and the pure vitality and tranquil atmosphere emanating from it became even clearer. He was slightly pleased; with this item, he felt much more certain about the idea in his mind.

On the other side, Cao Dan's face was as gloomy as the sky before a storm, frighteningly dark.

He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails almost dug into his flesh, glaring at Lin Ming with venomous resentment. It was him again! He ruined his plans at the Ye Family, and now at this trade fair, he had snatched the Bodhi Treasure Liquid from his sight in a way that he couldn't refute or even question! This frustration and anger almost drove him mad.

"Lin Ming! Hello! You're very good! We'll see!" Cao Dan squeezed out these words through gritted teeth, his voice icy and chilling. He then turned around abruptly, and with the gloomy-faced Bitter Robe Venerate by his side, they slunk away quickly under a crowd of complicated gazes. His retreating figure was filled with embarrassment and resentment.

The way the others on the top floor looked at Lin Ming had completely changed.

The initial surprise and curiosity have now transformed into deep shock, apprehension, and an indescribable sense of inquiry.

This young man is not only exceptionally talented and protected by top-tier experts, but he also knows the Secrets of the Soul Infant Fruit Tree and dares to wager Eighth Grade Pill Recipe... His background is simply unfathomable!

The Yellow Robe Elder was already sweating profusely, his heart filled with turmoil. He secretly rejoiced that he had maintained sufficient respect from the beginning, and at the same time became even more determined to befriend this mysterious Master Lin.

He quickly stepped forward, his voice filled with unprecedented reverence. "Master Lin, Master Di, the Notary Office is inside, please follow me."

So, after Lin Ming put the Bodhi Treasure Liquid into his Storage Ring, the Yellow Robe Elder bowed and led the way, taking Lin Ming and his group, as well as the excited Master Di, towards the Notary Office on the inner side of the top floor, which was presided over by the authoritative elders of the Pill Tower.

A contract written with the Soul Power and imbued with the power of special rules is about to be solemnly concluded in the most prestigious trading place in Sacred Pill City.