After all, in the world of immortal cultivation, there truly was such a thing as a Heaven-Gifted Immortal Seed!
Some people were born with Heaven or Earth Spiritual Roots, favored by the Heavenly Dao and destined to become prodigies.
Others were born destined to be mortals, their immortal fates cut off from the start.
After all, without a Spirit Root, it was truly impossible to cultivate immortality!
Hard work was rewarded by Heaven. Perhaps that was true; perhaps it was merely a fool's dream, something that invited ridicule.
But when Lin Changheng said those words, they carried a certain ring of truth. After all, he really had spent eleven years as an apprentice, tending the furnace and watching the fire. And now, he had truly made it as an alchemist!
"This young woman won't beat around the bush. I'll simply relay the clan's decision."
"I'm all ears."
"Because the clan recognizes that the alchemists have risen early and stayed up late, diligently advancing their Pill Dao and refining pills for the clan, they've decided to grant low-grade alchemists capable of refining Premium Grade pills the opportunity to learn the middle-grade Pill Dao's secret teachings..."
Lin Changheng's heart lifted at the first half of her words.
Though they were all pompous official phrases, she hadn't mentioned at all that the clan had lost a middle-grade alchemist and needed someone to fill the vacancy.
The Xu Family wanted to conceal the real situation and its true purpose, turning the matter into an act of pure generosity, with no outside pressure driving it.
After all, there was a vast difference between being forced to open up the teachings and choosing to bestow them.
Lin Changheng knew this perfectly well, but didn't call them out.
But when he heard the second half, he was taken aback.
Especially by the final word: "opportunity."
Sure enough, Xu Hanji continued, "But to encourage healthy competition, the clan has decided to teach them to only one person, selected as the best."
As she said this, she shook her head ever so slightly, clearly not understanding the decision herself.
"How many people are eligible?"
Lin Changheng had no interest in guessing at Xu Hanji's thoughts or those of the Xu Family's higher-ups. He focused on the main point and asked.
"Two. You, Fellow Daoist Lin, and Alchemist Lv."
Xu Hanji was quite straightforward.
"Alchemist Lv..."
Lin Changheng immediately understood why the Xu Family was opening its secret teachings to outsiders.
Neither Lv nor Lin was an Xu!
If there had been a low-grade alchemist surnamed Xu who could refine Premium Grade pills, the secret teachings probably wouldn't have been brought out at all. They would have gone straight to that person.
It was precisely because the clan had no one to carry on the work that they had no choice but to choose someone from outside.
As expected of a secret inheritance: it stayed within the family.
The Xu Family's higher-ups' intentions were plain as day.
"Will there be a competition? A pill-refining contest?"
Lin Changheng asked.
"That is indeed what the clan has in mind."
Xu Hanji nodded. She hadn't expected Alchemist Lin to be such a perceptive man.
After that, Xu Hanji offered some words of encouragement and reassurance on behalf of the Xu Family.
The gist was that he only needed to wait for the contest. The Chief Alchemist would judge the results, there would be no favoritism, and he could rest easy.
Half a month later.
A pill-refining contest was quietly held at the Returning Peak Dojo.
There was no grand ceremony.
The witnesses consisted of only a few Xu Family elders, some of the family's alchemists, and the two competing "registered guest" alchemists.
The gathering was kept small, but no deliberate effort was made to keep it secret or prevent word from spreading. Sooner or later, the news would get out anyway.
Two Alchemy Furnaces were set up in the middle of the main hall. Lin Changheng and Alchemist Lv would refine pills directly under everyone's watchful eyes.
This was to prevent any cheating, such as preparing pills in advance or secretly switching them.
The competing Alchemist Lv was named Lv Bailian. Lin Changheng had met him before.
He was only a little over thirty, with white beard and hair and a dignified face.
Master Mo had said that his alchemy skills were quite good, and that he had long been able to refine Premium Grade pills.
He had managed to refine them before Lin Changheng, and had studied alchemy for longer. He was quite well-known in the Xu Family.
For that reason, more of the Xu Family's elders favored him over Lin Changheng.
But that had nothing to do with Lin Changheng.
He wasn't looking to show off or slap anyone in the face. He didn't want to do anything that would draw attention.
The best outcome would be to edge out Alchemist Lv by a hair, win the middle-grade Pill Dao secret teachings, and yet not stand out too much. That would be ideal.
And with Lin Changheng's current skill in Fire Control and pill-refining techniques, he could precisely hold himself back.
The rules were simple: each person would refine three batches of ten pills. Whoever produced more Premium Grade pills would win.
If they made the same number of Premium Grade pills, the remaining pills' quality would decide the winner, with the overall results taken into account.
With that, at the announcement of the Xu Family's Chief Alchemist, the high-grade alchemist Xu Qianyan, the two began refining pills.
Compared with Lin Changheng's minimalist approach, where he saved effort whenever possible and stood motionless in his spare moments like a stone statue, Lv Bailian was the complete opposite. His techniques were flashy, his movements broad. When his motions came in quick succession, they even had the graceful beauty of a classical dance.
The stark contrast brought all sorts of expressions to the faces of the onlookers.
Xu Hanji's gaze moved back and forth between the two. She seemed deep in thought.
Time passed, and more than half a day slipped by in the blink of an eye.
Everyone present was an immortal cultivator; they had plenty of patience. Not a single spectator had left.
"Clang!"
Suddenly, Lv Bailian slapped the Alchemy Furnace and sent a pill formula into it. Pills immediately shot out one after another. Once they had been placed on a tray, it was handed to the Chief Alchemist.
"One Premium Grade pill, six others of upper-middle quality, and three of middle quality."
As expected of a high-grade alchemist. With a slight twitch of his nose and a single glance, he had judged them.
Lv Bailian immediately looked pleased with himself.
Some of the onlookers looked at him with admiration; others concealed their respect.
At this level, he had a good chance of becoming a middle-grade alchemist.
Lv Bailian clearly relished their gazes. He immediately cupped his hands toward the crowd with a spirited flourish, then sat down cross-legged to rest.
The crowd's attention shifted to the black-robed figure standing before the other Alchemy Furnace.
He was still standing motionless.
"He..."
The contrast was so obvious that someone muttered a doubt under their breath.
Xu Hanji's cool gaze swept over at once. Their eyes met, and the man realized he shouldn't have spoken and disturbed them. He gave an awkward smile, then clamped his mouth shut.
Lin Changheng finally began to move, unhurriedly. He didn't slap the Alchemy Furnace, instead sending the pill formula into it from a distance. His pill-taking process was just as minimalist.
The pills were presented to the Chief Alchemist. The meditating Lv Bailian seemed to sense something and looked up.
"Hmm. One Premium Grade pill, seven of upper-middle quality, and two of middle quality."
The moment he said this, everyone in the hall exchanged glances.
If they hadn't misheard, Lin Changheng had just barely edged out Lv Bailian by turning one middle-quality pill into an upper-middle-quality one, winning by a hair?
Lv Bailian also found it unbelievable. How could it be such a close match?
But he didn't dare question the result or make a scene. He gritted his teeth, rose at once, and started another batch.
Lin Changheng merely cupped his hands toward the crowd before resting on his own.
By then, the two had fallen out of sync.
Time passed,
Lv Bailian took out his pills again and received the same assessment: "One Premium Grade pill, seven of upper-middle quality, and two of middle quality."
Half a quarter of an hour later, Lin Changheng maintained his standard. His batch was exactly the same.
That round ended in a draw.
For the third round, Lv Bailian became even more focused. He was meticulous and grave, no longer showing off.
"Not bad. Alchemist Lv's batch contains one Premium Grade pill, and the remaining nine are all upper-middle quality."
The Chief Alchemist, Xu Qianyan, swept his old eyes, bright as furnace flames, over the pills and gave his verdict in a low voice. Rarely, he even added a subjective remark.
To reach this level was truly no small feat.
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