Feng Xian

Lin Yu stood outside the city gates, looking at the familiar city as a wave of warmth rose in his heart.

He had lived in South Cliff City all these years. It was only because he had followed Hu Jiujiu all over the mountains and plains, chased by Fire Ants the entire way, that they had taken such a huge detour. Otherwise, he would have returned long ago.

"Come on, let's go into the city."

Lin Yu led Yao Chen through the gates. The moment they stepped inside, Yao Chen felt a scorching wave of heat rush toward him.

The heat was mixed with the smell of sweat, spices, livestock, and countless other unidentifiable odors, crashing into them like an invisible wall.

Peddlers and travelers filled the streets. A vendor selling candied hawthorns shouted at the top of his lungs, the blacksmith's shop rang with constant clanging, noisy toasts and laughter drifted out of the taverns, and street performers at the corner drew a crowd of idle onlookers cheering them on.

Yao Chen widened his eyes, nearly unable to decide where to look.

Everything here was completely different from the Yao Clan—in the Yao Clan, everything was orderly. No matter how many people there were, the place remained quiet and peaceful. Clan members spoke softly and walked with measured steps; no one dared make a scene.

Here, however, noise was everywhere. Everyone shouted when they spoke, as if determined to drown out every other voice.

They had not gone far when Lin Yu and Yao Chen saw several ragged children clinging to a young man.

The children were skin and bones, their faces filthy. They stretched out their grimy little hands and made begging gestures.

The young man surrounded by them wore fine brocade robes. The quality of the fabric made it obvious at a glance that he was the young master of a wealthy family.

He had red lips, white teeth, and gentle features, with the kind and harmless look of someone untouched by worldly strife. Yet now, surrounded by several little beggars, he seemed completely at a loss. His face flushed red as he waved his hands repeatedly. "I really don't have any..."

But how could the little beggars believe him? Seeing that he was a richly dressed young master, they crowded around him even more tightly, grabbing at his sleeves and hem with all their hands so he could not get away.

"What a coincidence, Feng Xian. You actually came to South Cliff City."

The brocade-clad youth looked up at the sound. The instant he saw Lin Yu, the embarrassment on his face turned into wild delight, like a drowning man clutching at a lifeline. "Brother Lin, I was just looking for you!"

Lin Yu glanced sideways at the little beggars still tugging at him. Without wasting words, he grabbed Feng Xian's wrist with one hand and seized the back of Yao Chen's collar with the other. Dou Qi suddenly gathered beneath his feet as he unleashed a movement Dou Technique.

The three of them flashed away, as though swept up by a fierce gust of wind. Within a few breaths, they had shaken off the dumbfounded little beggars and vanished into the depths of an alley.

By the time Feng Xian came back to his senses, Lin Yu had already dragged him to the entrance of a quiet little courtyard in the western part of the city.

Lin Yu released him and pushed open the creaking courtyard gate.

"Come in."

"Feng Xian, did you come looking for me because you need pills refined?"

Lin Yu closed the courtyard gate and led Feng Xian and Yao Chen through the yard into the main hall.

The room was simply furnished, with a wooden table and several long benches. A few medicine racks stood in the corner, sparsely stocked with bottles and jars, while a faint bitter herbal scent lingered in the air.

Feng Xian sat on a bench, accepted a bowl of cold tea from Lin Yu, and took a few gulps before nodding. "That's right. Brother Lin, could you refine a batch of second-grade pills for my Feng Family?"

His eyes were filled with expectation as he spoke.

The Feng Family was considered a significant force in Wulong City, with a nine-star Dou Ling overseeing it.

Over the years, Feng Xian had dealt with Lin Yu many times. He knew full well how solid this seemingly young man's pill-refining skills truly were.

Lin Yu did not answer immediately. He lifted his tea bowl and slowly took a sip, his gaze lowered to the rim as he considered it for a moment.

Second-grade pills were not difficult for him, and the Feng Family had always paid fairly. Besides, while he had been settling down in South Cliff City over the years, Feng Xian had helped him make many connections. Unfortunately, the Feng Family would be destroyed before long.

"Fine." Lin Yu set down the tea bowl and agreed with a crisp nod.

At once, a smile blossomed on Feng Xian's face, carrying the relief of a burden finally lifted.

He removed a Storage Ring and offered it to Lin Yu with both hands. "All the ingredients are inside. Sorry to trouble you, Brother Lin."

Lin Yu took the Storage Ring and swept it with his spiritual sense. The types and quantities of herbs were all correct, neatly arranged by category. The Feng Family's way of handling matters was as meticulous as ever.

He put away the Storage Ring, rose to his feet, and called out to Yao Chen and Feng Xian, "Make yourselves at home. I'll get to work first." With that, he headed straight toward the rear courtyard.

Behind Lin Yu's home was a specially designated pill-refining room, its walls built from thick, sturdy bluestone.

Several fist-sized Moonlight Stones were embedded in the four walls, emitting soft white light that illuminated the entire room.

Before taking out his medicinal cauldron and sitting cross-legged, Lin Yu opened the Storage Ring and removed the herbs one by one. Dozens of ingredients were arranged by type before him, covering nearly half the floor.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Forming hand seals with both hands, he sent a stream of pure Dou Qi into the base of the medicinal cauldron.

Crimson flames surged up with a whoosh, and the cauldron let out a deep hum.

The door to the pill-refining room closed, cutting off all sounds from the outside world.

Feng Xian and Yao Chen sat in the main hall, staring at each other. Yao Chen felt somewhat awkward, but Feng Xian was naturally sociable and soon pulled him into conversation.

A full day slipped quietly away amid the hum of the medicinal cauldron.

When the white light of the Moonlight Stones gradually replaced the daylight beyond the window lattice, the door to the pill-refining room finally creaked open.

Lin Yu emerged from within, looking somewhat tired, though his eyes were exceptionally bright.

Refining second-grade pills continuously for a full day and night had drained a considerable amount of his soul power, but the gains were equally substantial. He had accumulated quite a few more Fusion Points than before.

He sealed the refined pills one by one into jade bottles, placed all the bottles into Feng Xian's Storage Ring, then returned to the main hall and casually tossed the ring to Feng Xian, who was dozing off.

Feng Xian caught it in a fluster, swept it with his spiritual sense, and instantly lost all trace of sleepiness. He said in delighted surprise, "So many? Brother Lin, your pill-refining skills are unbelievable!"

Lin Yu waved a hand and said nothing more.

Feng Xian was not one to drag things out either. He carefully put away the Storage Ring, stood, and clasped his fists. "Brother Lin, then I won't disturb you any longer. They're urgently waiting for this batch of pills at home."

Lin Yu nodded and escorted Feng Xian to the courtyard gate. Only after watching him hurry out of sight at the mouth of the alley did he turn and return to the courtyard.

Over the years, Lin Yu had worked with the Feng Family many times using his status as a first-grade alchemist, obtaining quite a few Dou Techniques and cultivation methods from them.

Through fusion over the years, he had ultimately acquired a low-grade Earth Rank cultivation method, a low-grade Earth Rank movement Dou Technique, and the low-grade Earth Rank Dou Technique used by the Da Dou Shi from the Yao Clan whom he had killed earlier—the Scarlet Flame Sky-Shattering Palm.

The remaining techniques were all Mysterious Rank. Though their grades were not exceptional, they covered a wide range: some were defensive, some supportive, and they allowed him to deal with different opponents.

Still, these cultivation methods and Dou Techniques were limited. If he continued forcing them to fuse, conflicts would inevitably arise. Further fusion would also deduct Fusion Points, making it more trouble than it was worth.

He turned his head and looked at Yao Chen, who was sitting beneath a jujube tree in a daze. Since leaving the Yao Clan, Yao Chen had broadened his horizons considerably along the way, but his cultivation had barely improved.

Lin Yu rummaged through his Storage Ring, took out several Mysterious Rank Dou Techniques, and casually tossed them to Yao Chen.