Stepping Into the Light

Xu Xuyang was taken aback, then continued shining the mirror.

He had traded with Lin Changheng for a long time and admired his alchemy. Every pill was a genuine mid-grade pill of particularly fine quality, proof of his deep skill.

But Lin Changheng had never once produced a premium-grade pill.

"Bzzz~"

Golden light flashed across the bronze mirror again. This time, Xu Xuyang saw it clearly.

"Alchemist Lin, congratulations! Your Pill Dao has advanced, and you've refined a premium-grade pill!"

As the congratulations rang out, Lin Changheng smiled. "It's the result of long accumulation. At last, it's paid off."

He was neither arrogant nor impatient, as tranquil as a drifting cloud.

Seeing Lin Changheng's state of mind, Xu Xuyang gave him a long look and nodded. "With a mindset like that, Alchemist Lin, your future achievements will surely be remarkable."

"Thank you for your kind words, senior."

Xu Xuyang continued inspecting the other pills.

Yellow light, yellow light, golden light...

"Another premium-grade pill?"

Xu Xuyang could hardly contain himself, though delight was the greater part of it.

He looked at Lin Changheng the way a lustful demon might look at a beauty, or a starving ghost at a feast.

"After gaining experience and bringing my insights together, I finally produced another one in the next three batches."

Lin Changheng had already prepared his explanation. It meant he could reproduce the result; it wasn't a fluke born of random attempts and a stroke of luck.

That made its value completely different!

"Excellent."

Xu Xuyang quickly settled the account with Lin Changheng, paid him in spirit stones, and saw him out. Then he hurriedly tucked away the two premium-grade pills and left the hall.

He entered the Returning Peak Dojo, deep in the core area.

After that, Lin Changheng went to Master Mo's little courtyard.

It was another dojo, called Cloud-Viewing Dojo, built along the main vein of a mid-grade spirit vein.

The concentration of spiritual energy there was at least three times that of a branch vein.

Those at the middle stage of Qi Refining, as well as guest cultivators, could live there.

Lin Changheng hadn't, and neither had Dantai Feiyue. They had both kept their breakthroughs to the middle stage under wraps.

They still lived in the Tide-Listening Dojo.

After shamelessly freeloading on food and drink for a while, Lin Changheng told Master Mo that he could refine premium-grade pills.

Master Mo immediately looked proud, with a teacher's joy in his eyes.

The words "I taught him" nearly showed right on his face.

Master Mo promptly brought out his treasured spirit wine, and he and Lin Changheng clinked cups back and forth.

Once the wine had flushed his face, Master Mo spoke of his friend's death.

His friend had also been a mid-grade alchemist, named Xu Hanli.

Though he belonged to the "Han" generation, the same generation as Xu Hanji, he wasn't a young man, but an old one.

He came from a mortal branch of the Xu Family, born in a mortal town. Later, after people discovered his Spirit Root and talent for alchemy, he was brought into the Xu Family.

He and Master Mo had become friends.

Recently, however, while gathering materials for alchemy outside, he had been ambushed by the Chen Family and killed on the spot, his head severed from his body.

To lose an old friend, and have his corpse left in pieces, was a pain Master Mo could hardly bear.

"Ambushed? Could it have happened at the Black Dragon Pond Fishery?"

As he poured wine for Master Mo, Lin Changheng's thoughts stirred.

Lin Changheng comforted him, then probed for details. Master Mo was half-drunk and revealed only part of the story, but Lin Changheng still got a definite answer.

"So it really was the Black Dragon Pond Fishery!"

Everything fell into place.

That was also why Bai Fengxian and the others had been pulled away to guard it.

"Losing a mid-grade alchemist must be a grievous blow to the Xu Family, right?"

Lin Changheng thought that, with the Xu Family having taken such a loss, they would have no choice but to go all out on the front lines. They might even be figuring out how to strike the Chen Family's rear.

After drinking for a while longer, Lin Changheng circulated his magical power, dispelling most of the alcohol before taking his leave.

He still needed to stay alert on the road.

Only then would he be safe.

But his mind kept turning over the same question: with the Xu Family down a mid-grade alchemist, would they train someone else to fill the vacancy?

Otherwise, their supply of pills for outsiders would likely fall short.

Then he suddenly remembered his cheap older brother, Xu Xuzhong, the steward of the General Affairs Hall, and his veiled reminder: "When you go back this time, be sure to spend more time studying the Pill Dao and improving your alchemy..."

"Gasp!"

Lin Changheng stared in shock, then grew excited.

"So that was what he meant... Maybe there really is a good chance!"

At the same time, a night breeze slipped by. Leaves rustled, and the clouds above parted, letting moonlight spill down.

The road ahead shone white. He could step into the light and walk.

Before half a month had passed,

someone came to find him.

"Phew~"

Lin Changheng stopped circulating the Departing Fire Night-Illuminating Guide, which he had cultivated to the "proficient" stage, and shut down the first-tier, low-grade Spirit Gathering Array.

The array consumed a great deal. It drew on spirit stones to gather the energy of the spirit vein, and its spirit stone had to be replaced every three days. It could be activated and used as needed, but the energy couldn't be wasted.

Now that the Departing Fire Night-Illuminating Guide had reached the proficient stage, his cultivation speed had increased by another two points. He could feel himself improving after every session, and it was a truly satisfying feeling.

Steady progress was addictive.

"She's here."

Lin Changheng opened the door, but the visitor wasn't one of his fellow immortal seedlings. It was an unfamiliar Xu Family female cultivator. "May I ask what brings you here?"

"The eldest young lady wishes to see you."

The female cultivator bowed.

The eldest young lady?

Lin Changheng was a little surprised.

In the entire Xu Family, only Xu Hanji could be called the eldest young lady.

The image of a purple-robed girl immediately came to mind, cool and radiant.

She wanted to see him?

They rarely crossed paths and had never even spoken. What could she want with him?

Could it be... about the Pill Dao? That was the only reason he could think of, given that he had just revealed he could make premium-grade pills.

"Please lead the way."

He locked the door and followed the female cultivator.

In the Returning Peak Dojo.

Beside a small waterfall stood an elegant little courtyard.

Lin Changheng followed the female cultivator inside.

This dojo was truly different. Not a trace of spiritual energy leaked outside the buildings; instead, it was gathered within each one.

They were all equipped with extraordinary Spirit Gathering Arrays. He couldn't tell their exact grade, but they were certainly not low-grade.

Each courtyard was also protected by a defensive array, offering the utmost security.

Lin Changheng marveled at the sight, more than a little envious. A residence only deserved to be called a cave dwelling if it was protected by powerful arrays, didn't it?

"Why haven't you served tea to Fellow Daoist Lin?"

Lin Changheng had barely sat down in the reception room when a cool voice sounded.

It was cool, but not cold.

It was simply her nature, not that she looked down on others.

Lin Changheng turned to look. This time, Xu Hanji wore pale yellow robes, her hair tied with a purple ribbon. Her skin was fair as snow, and she seemed to glow.

Compared to her purple dress, this outfit was less forbidding, but brought out more of her girlish charm.

"Greetings, eldest young lady."

Lin Changheng rose to greet her, neither servile nor overbearing, his manners impeccable.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, please sit."

They exchanged a few polite pleasantries, both knowing the conversation was only small talk. Then Xu Hanji got to the point. "I heard you tended the furnace for ten years without slacking, and now, after finally reaching the next rank, you've already refined a premium-grade pill. This young woman truly admires you."

So she'd finally brought it up?

Lin Changheng felt relieved, though his expression remained calm. "You flatter me, eldest young lady. It's merely that Heaven rewards diligence."

At his words, Xu Hanji looked surprised, then smiled faintly. Heaven rewards diligence? That's an interesting way to put it. I've only ever heard people curse that Heaven is unjust, that Heaven is blind. This is the first time I've heard someone say that.