[Grade-2-Building Spiritual Liquid]

Xiao Yan's farce of a broken engagement had yet to die down when Xiao Chen returned alone to his secluded little courtyard.

"System, bring up the panel."

Xiao Chen sat cross-legged on the couch. With a thought, a translucent screen appeared before his eyes.

[Host: Xiao Chen]

[Cultivation: One-Star Dou Zhe]

[Cultivation Technique: None (can be unlocked through investment)]

[Fortune Observation: Activated]

[Bound Investment Target: Xiao Yan (Heavenly Mandate Gold Fortune)]

[Investment Return Cycle: Three-Year Agreement]

Xiao Chen's gaze moved downward and settled on the most crucial return rules. His expression gradually turned solemn.

[Return Rules: Items gifted by the host to an investment target will trigger critical returns based on "target grade × target fortune coefficient."]

[Fortune grades, from low to high, are white, green, blue, purple, gold, and rainbow gold.]

[The fortune coefficients are 1x, 2x, 5x, 20x, 100x, and 1000x respectively.]

[The higher the bound target's grade, the greater the return; the more heaven-defying the fortune, the more terrifying the reward. Returns are not limited to multiplied quantities—they can also leap across quality grades!]

"White, green, blue, purple, gold, rainbow gold... Six fortune grades, corresponding to critical returns from one to a thousand times."

Xiao Chen drew a sharp breath, his fingers tightening slightly around the teacup.

That meant that if he gave away a single bottle of Grade-2 Foundation-Building Spiritual Liquid, and it went to a chosen one with Rainbow-Gold Fortune, the return would be at least Grade 5!

This was insanely satisfying!

"And a blue-grade genius gets five times the return; a gold-grade prodigy gets a hundred times; a rainbow-gold chosen one gets a thousand times..."

Xiao Chen rapidly calculated in his mind, growing more alarmed the more he thought about it.

By that logic, as long as he invested his resources precisely in Xiao Yan, even if he only gave away ten bottles of spiritual liquid, the system's rewards would be enough for him to swagger through all of Wutan City!

"As expected, the system is way more badass than some old grandpa mentor! This feels fucking amazing!"

"But..."

Xiao Chen pondered briefly before asking in a low voice, "System, are there any other restrictions on the returns?"

[Ding! What the host asks concerns the system's core mechanism: First, gifted items must come from an "investment intention made in goodwill," and the investment target must truly benefit from them. Second, returns for the same target and the same item may only be settled once.]

"As expected, the system won't let me exploit bugs..."

Xiao Chen laughed helplessly.

If it had been possible, he really would have wanted to gift the system's rewards back to the chosen one.

That way, he could step on his own left foot with his right and spiral straight into the sky!

Unfortunately... the system had plugged that loophole.

Still, given his current situation, the system was already plenty reliable.

After all, compared to those people who only got their systems in their seventies or eighties, his luck was far better.

At that moment, the system's prompt sounded again.

[Ding! Would the host like to open the beginner's gift pack?]

"Yes!"

[Beginner's gift pack successfully opened! Congratulations, host, on becoming a Grade-3 Alchemist!]

As the system's words fell, Xiao Chen delightedly felt the changes in his body.

Even without the system, his identity as a Grade-3 Alchemist would be enough for him to live quite comfortably in the Jia Ma Empire.

After that, Xiao Chen stepped out of his secluded courtyard.

He changed into a clean, neat gray elder's robe, wore a warm and modest smile, and slowly strolled toward the Xiao Clan Medicine Hall.

Looking like this, he was every bit an ordinary elder taking a casual inspection stroll with nothing better to do. No one could see the changes in him.

"Greetings, Elder Xiao."

"Why does Elder have time to visit the Drug Hall today?"

At the entrance of the Drug Hall, several apprentice pharmacists on guard greeted him respectfully, though a trace of disdain inevitably flashed through their eyes.

The Xiao Clan was considered a major family in Wutan City, and the Drug Hall was an especially lucrative and important place. Those who usually came here to give orders were all prominent figures within the clan.

As for this collateral-line elder before them, he had almost no presence in the clan. Many people could not even remember what his name was.

Xiao Chen was not angered. Smiling, he waved a hand. "I had nothing to do, so I'm just taking a look around. Go on with your work."

With his hands behind his back, he put on an act and began pacing around the Drug Hall.

Inside, a rich medicinal fragrance rushed toward him.

Rows of orderly herb shelves were piled with all kinds of medicinal ingredients, from ordinary bloodstop grass to valuable century-old ganoderma. The assortment was dazzling.

Xiao Chen's gaze seemed to sweep about aimlessly, but in truth, he was secretly observing every inch.

"System, scan the spiritual herbs in the Drug Hall."

Xiao Chen silently spoke in his mind.

A moment later, the system screen quietly appeared in his field of vision. Most medicinal herbs bore only dim, faint specks of light, but among a pile of discarded medicinal waste tossed carelessly into a corner of the Drug Hall, one withered yellow herb glimmered with a soft fluorescence, giving off an aura completely different from its surroundings.

[Ding! Spiritual herb detected—"Earth Marrow Grass." Its surface is withered, but its medicinal potency is concealed within. It is the core main ingredient for refining [Grade-2-Building Spiritual Liquid].]

"Found it."

A flash of delight crossed Xiao Chen's eyes.

He slowly walked over to the pile of discarded medicinal herbs, crouched down, and casually picked up the withered yellow herb. He turned it over and examined it, his brows sometimes furrowing and sometimes relaxing, as though he had found a treasure but was not yet certain.

A young apprentice pharmacist grinding herbs nearby saw this and could not help snickering.

"Elder Xiao, what treasure did you pick up there?"

"That grass is practically rotten through. Even a horse would hate how hard it is on the teeth. Don't tell me your eyes have gone dim and you mistook it for some spiritual herb?"

Several other apprentice pharmacists nearby burst into laughter as well.

"Elder, if you need medicinal ingredients, just tell us. Why dig through that pile of trash?"

"Exactly. If the steward sees you rummaging through that pile of waste, he'll surely laugh at you."

Xiao Chen was not angered by their words. Instead, he shook his head with great seriousness and said unhurriedly, "I've lived for most of my life. I still have some skill at judging herbs. This plant... seems to have something unusual about it."

The apprentice pharmacists laughed even louder.

To them, this collateral-line elder was clearly just putting on airs to salvage some dignity.

Xiao Chen smiled faintly and did not argue.

He walked straight to the enormous bluestone medicine furnace in the center of the Drug Hall. With a sweep of his sleeve, he tossed the Earth Marrow Grass and several ordinary auxiliary ingredients into the furnace.

The apprentice pharmacists exchanged looks and were about to speak up and stop him.

Had this elder gone mad?

He wanted to refine medicine with a rotten weed?

Yet in the next moment, the smiles on everyone's faces froze.

Xiao Chen flipped both hands, and a stream of pale cyan Dou Qi surged from his palms, transforming into a gentle yet precise flame that settled steadily within the medicine furnace.

The flame appeared ordinary, but his control over its temperature flowed as naturally as drifting clouds and running water.

Very quickly.

The air inside the Drug Hall suddenly heated up, and a rich medicinal fragrance swept outward like a storm.

"Th-This is..."

The apprentice pharmacists who had been laughing moments ago had their pupils contract sharply as they stared in horror at the gray-robed figure before the medicine furnace.

That method of flame control, that grasp of medicinal properties—those were clearly skills only an experienced alchemist who had immersed himself in the Dao of alchemy for years could possess!

"Since when did Elder Xiao... know how to refine medicine?!"

"This medicinal fragrance... It's clearly a sign that the medicine is about to be completed!"

White mist rose from above the medicine furnace, and faint medicinal vapor swirled through the air.

Xiao Chen remained calm. His hands continuously formed seals as he sent the final wisp of Dou Qi into the medicine furnace.

Accompanied by a clear hum, the furnace lid suddenly flew open, and an even richer medicinal fragrance shot into the air, as if it would drown the entire Drug Hall.

"Medicine complete!"

Xiao Chen shouted softly. With a sweep of his sleeve, a warm spiritual gleam flew out of the furnace and landed steadily in his palm.

It was a jade bottle roughly the size of a thumb. Half a bottle of spiritual liquid that emitted a faint glow rested within it. Merely smelling its medicinal fragrance made one feel refreshed and utterly at ease.

The Drug Hall fell completely silent.

The apprentice pharmacists who had mocked him earlier now stood with their mouths wide open and their gazes blank, as though they had seen a ghost.

They had never imagined that this collateral-line elder, who usually had no presence at all, could casually refine a genuine Grade-2 spiritual liquid!

"Grade 2... This is Grade-2 Foundation-Building Spiritual Liquid!"

"Elder Xiao hid himself far too well!"

"H-How is this possible? He's clearly just a collateral-line elder!"

Among the crowd, a middle-aged steward in charge of the Drug Hall's procurement collapsed onto the ground with a thump, cold sweat streaming down his face.

Just moments ago, he had mocked Xiao Chen in front of everyone for having dim eyes and picking through trash.

If this elder held a grudge, his livelihood would be finished!

"E-Elder Xiao, please forgive me! I spoke without restraint earlier and offended you. I hope Elder will be magnanimous and not hold it against a lowly man like me!"

Xiao Chen merely gave him a faint glance, his tone so calm that neither joy nor anger could be heard in it.

"It's fine. Those who do not know are not guilty."

The steward felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He repeatedly kowtowed and did not dare say another word.

At the edge of the crowd, an elder of the Drug Hall who had been watching coldly from the beginning could no longer remain seated.

He hurried forward, took the jade bottle from Xiao Chen's hand with trembling hands, and examined it carefully for a long while. At last, he lifted his head in shock. The way he looked at Xiao Chen now carried a measure of reverence.

"E-Elder Xiao, this Foundation-Building Spiritual Liquid is three parts purer than even what the clan's consecrated alchemist refines! May I ask which great master taught Elder Xiao the Dao of alchemy?"

Xiao Chen merely smiled and gave no answer.

He tucked the jade bottle close to his body, patted dust from his robe that was not there, and said slowly, "Just a minor skill, not worth mentioning. I still have matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave."

With that, he turned and left, leaving behind a room full of shocked apprentice pharmacists and elders, utterly bewildered.

Once outside the Drug Hall, the smile on Xiao Chen's face gradually faded, and a sharp gleam flashed through his eyes.

"My skills as a Grade-3 Alchemist are really something! Refining [Grade-2-Building Spiritual Liquid] is child's play!"

Xiao Chen put away the [Grade-2-Building Spiritual Liquid] and looked toward the direction where Xiao Yan was.

"Kid Xiao Yan, your old man is coming to give you a hand."