Chapter 193 - 165: Cultivation Technique Acquired, Profound Flame Advancement?
Chapter 193: Chapter 165: Cultivation Technique Acquired, Profound Flame Advancement?
Only Huang Linglin attended this meeting.
According to her, Chef Zeng had returned to his clan on business and was unable to attend.
Lin Changheng didn’t mind. He only cared about the news Huang Linglin had brought.
To his surprise, Huang Linglin was in a greater hurry than he was. Before Lin Changheng could even bring out the Spirit Tea and Spirit Fruit, she spoke up.
"Alchemist Lin, after we returned last time, we found a way to contact the Old Ancestor of our branch..."
"And what did the Old Ancestor of your esteemed branch say?"
Lin Changheng asked with a smile.
"The Old Ancestor holds you in high regard, Alchemist Lin. Although this matter goes against our rules, after careful deliberation, he pushed past all opposition and agreed!"
This time, Huang Linglin was dressed in a crimson gauze skirt that draped over her fair, curvaceous figure, giving her a unique allure. Her eyes sparkled as she smiled and delivered the good news to Lin Changheng.
Lin Changheng instantly recognized this rhetorical technique: build up the difficulty of the situation to emphasize how highly the Old Ancestor regarded him.
But he cared little for such things, latching onto the main point. "He agreed?"
’The Cultivation Technique I’d searched high and low for... has it really fallen into my lap just like that?’
"He agreed," Huang Linglin confirmed with a nod. "But the Old Ancestor has one condition."
"What condition?" Lin Changheng’s brow furrowed slightly. He had an extreme dislike for situations where extra conditions were tacked on at the last minute.
"The technique must not be passed on."
Those six words from Huang Linglin made Lin Changheng’s brow instantly relax. ’What kind of condition is that? It’s a given.’
But on second thought, he realized why. ’After all, the Cultivation I’ve shown is only Ninth Layer Qi Cultivation. It’s plausible that I’m seeking this technique for someone else, not just myself.’
’The former scenario is fine, but the latter carries a definite risk of the technique being leaked. That’s why they need to state the condition up front.’
Then her full lips parted as she continued, "Originally, the Old Ancestor planned to give you a Tier Two Upper Grade Fire Element Technique from our own clan. But his plan was met with fierce opposition. The objectors argued that a clan Inheritance must not be given to an outsider—it’s an ironclad family rule, a decree from our ancestors that even he cannot forcibly defy."
"This put the Old Ancestor in a bind. But since he had already promised you your choice of a technique, Alchemist Lin, he refused to break his word. Fortunately, he suddenly remembered a Tier Two Upper Grade Technique he had unexpectedly obtained while traveling years ago. And as luck would have it, it’s a Fire Element Technique! He decided to take it out and gift it to you as a welcoming present for joining our family!"
"Oh? And there was no opposition to giving this Cultivation Technique away?"
Lin Changheng asked with a knowing smile.
Huang Linglin’s expression turned into a wry smile. "There was opposition, of course. Once the technique entered the family repository, it was technically considered family property. But the dissenting voices were much fewer this time. Furthermore, since the Old Ancestor was the one who found it, he has the right to dispose of it. And it’s not a secret Inheritance of our family. So, he overruled the objections and forced the decision through."
As she continued, a trace of indignation crept onto her face.
From her words, Lin Changheng pieced one thing together: ’It seems the various branches of the Huang Family on Spirit Dome Mountain are tangled in a great deal of conflict and covert power struggles.’
"And what is the name of this Cultivation Technique?"
"The *Jade Void Brilliance Scripture*!"
...
In the end, Lin Changheng accepted her invitation.
He decided to become a Tributor for the Huang Family of Spirit Dome Mountain.
His main motivations were the *Jade Void Brilliance Scripture*, a Tier Two Upper Grade Technique with a rather inscrutable name, and the "title without responsibilities" nature of the Tributor position.
But when Huang Linglin asked when he planned to visit the family and view the scripture, she was cut short by Lin Changheng’s astonished tone.
"I am an old man, over sixty now. I’m afraid I cannot travel so far. Please, Fellow Daoist Huang, have someone bring the Cultivation Technique here for me to look at."
Lin Changheng had no intention of leaving the Immortal City, nor did he wish to rashly venture into the home of a family he had never met.
Especially after what had happened last time, he was all the more cautious. He had no desire to become a Pill Slave under someone else’s thumb.
"This... Very well!"
Huang Linglin felt helpless, but at this critical juncture, she could only concede. She didn’t want all her efforts to be for nothing.
She gritted her teeth and made up her mind. She would just have to indulge him in these small matters.
...
「Half a month later.」
Lin Changheng took some time to first pay a visit to the Hundred Herbs Shop.
After all, Alchemist Cheng and his son had worked hard to recommend Foundation Establishment clients to him and had contributed significantly to the "reputation building" phase of his core plan. Lin Changheng would naturally not forget this.
He not only gave Junior Brother Cheng some pointers on the Alchemy Dao, but also stated that if he ever encountered any difficulties or had any questions about alchemy in the future, he was welcome to ask.
He even made a point of showing up at the Hundred Herbs Shop during a peak hour, making his appearance in full public view. There, his identity was "carelessly" revealed, sparking a wave of excitement.
He then calmly admitted in front of everyone that the Hundred Herbs Shop was opened by his "respected elder" and "junior brother."
This was his way of lending his reputation to endorse the Hundred Herbs Shop and spread its fame, all as a way of returning their favor.
Lin Changheng kept his remarks brief, but it was more than enough. Countless Cultivators would fill in the details through word of mouth during their leisure time, and their versions of the story would likely be even more embellished.
And just as expected, the Hundred Herbs Shop, which already had a long-standing and decent reputation, instantly became popular all over again. Customers flocked to buy Elixirs, greatly expanding its new customer base.
As a result, business at the Hundred Herbs Shop boomed. In less than half a year, it was already showing signs of needing to expand once more.
Watching the endless stream of customers in his Pill Shop, Alchemist Cheng was overjoyed. ’The best decision I’ve made in twenty years,’ he thought, ’was getting to know Changheng and giving him a little help.’
"Indeed! Master Lin’s Skills are superb and his character is noble. He is my role model!" Junior Brother Cheng couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration, his eyes filled with reverence.
"There are countless Cultivators in this world, but how many are like Changheng—with a fiery passion for alchemy, who so deeply values relationships and righteousness?" Alchemist Cheng stroked his beard, his gaze distant and filled with emotion. He turned to his son and instructed him with great solemnity, "You are fortunate to have Changheng guiding you on the path of the Alchemy Dao. He is not your master, but he is greater than one. You must forever treat him with the respect owed to a teacher."