Backyard of Tianding Pavilion
Living room
Zhao Sheng sat on the purple wooden chair at the head of the table, calmly looking at and pondering an old, grayish-yellow animal hide in his hand.
To his left sat a short, thin old man in a black robe, with a sallow complexion and a disheveled appearance. This man was anxiously sizing up Zhao Sheng.
Half an hour later, Zhao Sheng finished reading the prescription in his hand, pondered silently, and placed it on the wooden table beside him, tapping his fingers on the animal hide.
Seeing this, the short, thin old man couldn't help but probe, "Senior Zhao, I guarantee with my life that the formula for this Enlightenment Pill is genuine."
After listening, Zhao Sheng smiled knowingly and said calmly, "You added the three spiritual herbs at the end of the pill formula—Seven Flavors, Lotus Flower, and Heart-Connecting Fruit—yourself, didn't you?"
Upon hearing this, the old man was first taken aback, then his face filled with indignation, and he was about to open his mouth to defend himself.
At this moment, Zhao Sheng raised his hand to stop the other party's movements and said quickly, "You don't need to explain. The main ingredient in this pill formula is the Thousand-Year Mysterious Fruit. Don't you know that the Mysterious Fruit and the Seven-Flavor Fruit absolutely cannot be put together?"
Seeing the old man's blank expression, Zhao Sheng continued unhurriedly, "It doesn't matter if you don't know. You must have heard of the Seven Mysteries Poison of the Seven Mysteries Sect. Mysterious Fruit and Seven Flavors are the two main ingredients of the Seven Mysteries Poison."
The Seven Mysteries Sect is a notorious demonic sect in the Shattered Star Sea. Its members are especially skilled in poisoning and assassination. The Seven Mysteries Deadly Poison is the sect's signature spiritual poison, known for its incurable nature.
Upon hearing this, the short, thin old man broke out in a cold sweat and knelt down with a thud, repeatedly kowtowing to Zhao Sheng and begging for mercy.
In the world of cultivation, it is common for alchemists to use fake pill formulas to deceive others, and it is also common for them to be exposed.
However, the old man was so audacious as to try to deceive a Foundation Establishment stage alchemist, only to have his trick exposed.
The consequences of this incident are so severe that it would be deserved if someone were beaten to death.
Zhao Sheng smiled slightly upon seeing this, and asked in a slightly raised tone, "What about the method for refining the pill?"
"Senior, spare me! Senior, uh, uh, the refining method is right here!"
The short, thin old man was taken aback upon hearing this. When he came to his senses, he hurriedly pulled out a folded animal hide from his pocket and respectfully handed it over.
"Senior, spare my life! I'm not lying. This pill formula truly was passed down from my ancestors. If I dare utter even a single lie, may I be struck by lightning!"
Just as the old man was making his vows, Zhao Sheng quickly glanced through the elixir's refining method and felt more confident.
Based on his experience and knowledge, the refining method should be correct, but two key steps are missing.
Furthermore, aside from the three spiritual herbs added at the end, the spiritual herbs mentioned at the beginning of the prescription are most likely genuine as well.
This can be verified by combining the various steps of alchemy.
Zhao Sheng was 80% certain that the pill formula was genuine, but it was missing a few key medicinal herbs and one or two refining steps.
"Alas, what a pity!" Zhao Sheng sighed inwardly.
This prescription reveals just how serious the problem of clinging to outdated practices is in the cultivation world.
Over thousands of years, countless divine skills, techniques, and secret knowledge in the cultivation world have been lost or missing due to selfishness, monopoly, shortsightedness, and other reasons, and have eventually disappeared from the world.
Thinking of this, Zhao Sheng felt speechless and impatiently waved his hand at the old man, signaling him to get lost.
Upon seeing this, the short, thin old man leaped away with a look of wild joy, disappearing from the waiting room in a flash.
Zhao Sheng then picked up the prescription again and began to study it carefully.
This time, he combined the refining method with his study, gaining some insights with each reading.
The name "Enlightenment Pill" must be real, but let's call it Enlightenment Pill for now.
The recipe for the Enlightenment Pill contains as many as thirty-one spiritual herbs, and the animal hide bears eleven steps for refining the pill. It takes about three to five days to refine one batch.
Based on his experience, the Enlightenment Pill is at least a second-tier pill, and might even be a third-tier spirit pill, and it is extremely difficult to refine.
After carefully analyzing the medicinal properties of the herbs in the prescription, Zhao Sheng had a general idea of what was going on. The Enlightenment Pill was likely a "Smart Pill" that could enhance a cultivator's comprehension in a short period of time.
If that's the case, the value of this prescription is immeasurable, with a huge difference between its upper and lower limits.
The lower limit might be similar to a mind-controlling pill, which can cause a sudden surge in mental energy and a significant increase in brainpower.
It's hard to predict the upper limit, but the best expectation is that it can permanently enhance a cultivator's comprehension to some extent.
Regardless of the final outcome, Zhao Sheng has certainly "gotten a bargain" this time.
Just as he was patiently studying the pill formula, a young man in white strode into the living room and said respectfully, "Master, Senior Jin has arrived!"
"Haha! I don't need to announce myself!"
Before he could finish speaking, Jin Ming appeared at the door with a smile on his face, and then slowly walked into the living room.
At this moment, behind him followed a middle-aged man with a fair complexion, no beard, and piercing eyes.
Zhao Sheng put down the pill formula, stood up from his chair, and said with a smile, "Fellow Daoist Jin, of course you don't need it. Please come in."
After saying that, he instructed the young man in white, "Xiao Yong, go and brew two pots of Fengyou tea."
The young man in white immediately bowed and agreed, then quickly stepped back.
"Please sit down!"
After the three sat down, Zhao Sheng examined Jin Ming and saw that his hair and beard were now completely white, and his face was covered with black spots. He looked like a very old man, as if he had become a completely different person just two years ago.
Zhao Sheng sighed inwardly, knowing that this was the result of failing to establish his foundation.
Five years ago, Jin Ming had enthusiastically asked him how to refine the Spirit Essence Pill.
But after failing to establish his foundation six months ago, he aged rapidly, his energy and spirit were almost gone, and it seemed he only had a few years left to live.
Jin Ming noticed Zhao Sheng's regret, but he laughed it off and pointed to the middle-aged man, saying, "Fellow Daoist Zhao, this is my nephew Jin Jiang, who is also the next head of my Jin family."
As soon as he finished speaking, the middle-aged man stood up abruptly, bowed deeply to Zhao Sheng, and said respectfully, "This junior, Jin Jiang, has long admired Senior Zhao's name. Seeing your esteemed presence today, I am truly impressed by your extraordinary talent. My respect for you is as boundless as the Milky Way..."
Seeing Jin Jiang's obsequious flattery, Zhao Sheng turned to Jin Ming and gave him a look, as if to say, "Why did you choose such a thing?"
Jin Ming gave a wry smile. He didn't want to either, but Jin Jiang was the most outstanding member of the family.
His apprentice, Jin Dancheng, was too stubborn and not smart enough to support the large Jin family.
Jin Ming shook his head helplessly and stopped him, saying, "Alright! Jin Jiang, sit down!"
Upon hearing this, Jin Jiang couldn't help but smile awkwardly and quickly sat back down.
Just then, the young man in white, carrying two pots of spiritual tea and teaware, strode into the living room.
He set out the teacups, poured three bowls of spiritual tea, and then the young man in white tactfully withdrew.
After chatting over tea for a while, Jin Ming finally revealed his purpose.
It turned out that Jin Ming felt his days were numbered, so he planned to entrust the family's precious medicine pavilion to Zhao Sheng, and at the same time introduce the next family head, Jin Jiang, to him.
Hearing his old friend's words, Zhao Sheng understood.
Jin Ming's family is very weak. The previous generation of the family who reached the Foundation Establishment stage died decades ago, and now the family is entirely supported by Jin Ming.
Once Jin Ming dies, the Jin family will be unable to hold onto the lucrative Zhenyao Pavilion, so they will need to find a powerful backer.
After much deliberation, Jin Ming concluded that Zhao Sheng was wealthy and reliable, and probably wouldn't be interested in the meager items from Zhenyao Pavilion.
That's why I'm here today.
After understanding the two men's intentions, Zhao Sheng thought for a moment and readily agreed, but also stated beforehand that he would definitely help with small matters if he could, but for some matters, it would depend on the situation.
The implication is that they wouldn't risk getting themselves into trouble for the sake of the Jin family.
Jin Ming not only fully understood Zhao Sheng's advice to "protect oneself wisely," but also seemed very happy and excited.
From the above words, Jin Ming was certain that his old friend would never covet Zhencao Pavilion, and he had indeed not misjudged him.
An hour later, only Zhao Sheng remained in the living room, and two milky-white jade slips appeared on the table beside him.
The jade slips were left behind by Jin Ming when he left. One of them contained the alchemy experience and insights of generations of alchemists in the Jin family, while the other contained various pill formulas collected by the Jin family.
This gesture of "sincerity" was undeniably sincere. After much deliberation, Zhao Sheng finally accepted the gift.
At this moment, he probably felt that he would only be able to settle this karmic debt if the Jin family could support a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
...
A year later, Jin Ming passed away peacefully, and Zhao Sheng advanced to the fifth level of Foundation Establishment.
At the same time, Zhencaoge was indeed targeted by some competitors.
To resolve the trouble, Zhao Sheng, unusually, changed into a pill-robed robe and went to the Pill Master Association's residence located at the foot of Sunset Peak.
That afternoon, the long-closed doors of the Condensing Pill Hall suddenly opened, and one after another, alchemists dressed in blue robes and full of vigor arrived to participate in the alchemist exchange meeting held in the Condensing Pill Hall.
Outside, the sun was blazing, but inside the main hall, it was cool and refreshing. Jade tables and chairs were arranged around the hall, where alchemists gathered in twos and threes, some engaging in lively discussions, exchanging alchemical insights; others whispering gossip and secrets; and still others bartering.
As time went on, the number of alchemists in the Condensation Hall exceeded twenty, which means that one-third of the members of the Alchemist Guild were present here today.
In a small group of three in the northeast corner of the main hall, a red-haired, aquiline-nosed alchemist said mysteriously, "Did you know? Old Jin recently passed away!"
"I knew it long ago! Alas, with Old Jin gone, the Jin family has lost its backer and will probably have a hard time establishing itself on Jiuzhen Island," someone nearby chimed in.
"Who can argue with that! The Jin family is a family of alchemists with a history of three hundred years, yet they have declined to this state. I'm afraid the Treasure Medicine Pavilion will not be able to survive either!"
"Gentlemen, are you interested in that shop? To be honest, I'm in dire need of a place to process medicinal herbs. I, Liu, am determined to acquire that Zhenyao Pavilion," a fat, ruddy-faced middle-aged alchemist said firmly.
Before he could finish speaking, the gaunt Qian Bo chuckled and said, "Hehe, Brother Liu, I'm sorry, but I've also taken a liking to Zhenyao Pavilion. I've already made an offer to the Jin family. If nothing unexpected happens, this deal will be done."
"You bastard Qian Bo, you acted so quickly! Just you wait, it's not certain who will end up with Zhenyao Pavilion." Liu Yu shouted angrily, his eyes wide.
Liu Yu is a veteran first-tier alchemist. Although he started as a rogue cultivator, he is a disciple of Liu Fangzhou, the head of the Alchemist Association and a near-third-tier alchemist. He holds a high position in the Alchemist Association and is considered an alchemist with influence.
Just as Liu Yu and Qian Bo were arguing over the Zhenyao Pavilion, Zhao Sheng led Jin Dancheng, who was wearing a brand-new dan robe, into the Ningdan Hall.
Jin Dancheng had only been promoted to a first-level alchemist a few days ago and had just joined the Alchemist Association the day before yesterday. Today was his first time formally participating in the Alchemist Exchange Meeting, so he seemed quite reserved.
Zhao Sheng noticed this and reassured him, "Dancheng, don't be nervous! You'll get used to it. Just stick close to me now."
After speaking, Zhao Sheng smiled and walked towards the nearest circle of people exchanging words.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, he took the opportunity to introduce Jin Dancheng to the other alchemists, clearly expressing his intention to protect him.
Although Zhao Sheng has only been a member of the Alchemist Association for less than ten years, he is very famous in the association.
It wasn't just because he was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, nor just because he was generous; more importantly, Zhao Sheng went from learning alchemy to advancing to a first-level alchemist in just a few short years. He truly deserves to be called a genius in alchemy.
Therefore, although he rarely participates in the various activities organized by the Alchemist Association, he is often the focus of attention whenever he appears.
After introducing Jin Dancheng, Zhao Sheng chatted for a few minutes, then excused himself and led him to the next circle, where he once again solemnly introduced Jin Dancheng to everyone.
The meaning behind such a move is all too clear.
Needless to say, this move clearly indicates, "I've got this guy under my protection."
With a little thought, it's not hard to figure out who has now fallen into the hands of Zhenyaoge.
Seeing this, Liu Yu was furious.
He had been coveting Zhenyaoge for a long time, and finally, after Jin Mingsi died, he thought his chance had come.
Who knew that someone would suddenly appear and steal the meat?
At this moment, Qian Bo said dejectedly, "Brother Liu, we're out of luck now. With Guest Master Zhao here, Zhenyao Pavilion is not something we can get our hands on."
Liu Yu gritted his teeth and said fiercely, "This isn't over yet, just you wait and see!"
After saying that, Liu Yu stood up, turned around and walked towards the back hall.
"Brother Liu, you..."
Qian Bo was quite surprised. He was about to call out to him, but stopped abruptly, his expression shifting slightly, as if he had thought of something.
On the other side, Jin Dancheng followed closely beside Zhao Sheng. Watching Senior Zhao chatting and laughing with everyone, he felt both envious and very grateful.
He wasn't stupid; he naturally understood the meaning behind Senior Zhao's actions—it was practically a direct indication that he was the Jin family's backer.
This was nothing short of reassurance for the Jin family, who were already in dire straits.
Just as Jin Dancheng was gradually relaxing and occasionally managing to interject a few words, a sharp and sarcastic voice suddenly came from not far away:
"Haha! So it's the famous Guest Elder Zhao. It's been years! I've missed you terribly!"
Jin Dancheng's heart skipped a beat. He turned around and saw a one-armed young man with a smiling face but icy eyes striding toward them, surrounded by a group of people.
As Zhao Sheng saw Ge Chen approaching, he smiled calmly and said, "Fellow Daoist Ge, the ten-year period has not yet ended, yet you have managed to emerge from the Cave of Repentance. This shows that you must have made great progress."
"Yes, that's truly cause for celebration!"