Chapter 221 - 177: A Masterpiece Pill, A Thundering Reputation
Chapter 221: Chapter 177: A Masterpiece Pill, A Thundering Reputation
Chef Zeng’s gaze grew distant, as if he were picturing a city-wide sensation, a spectacle drawing every eye. He could feel his blood begin to race with excitement.
"Alright, Brother Zeng, please stop with the lavish praise. You’re making me feel a little flustered."
Lin Changheng cut Chef Zeng off before he could say more. "I was wondering, Brother Zeng, have you prepared the Demon Beast Essence Blood I asked for?"
The last time they spoke, the man had given him his absolute guarantee, so Lin Changheng didn’t beat around the bush.
"Even if I were to forget my own affairs, I would never forget about yours, Younger Brother Lin."
Chef Zeng laughed heartily, slapped his Storage Bag, and immediately withdrew a batch of Essence Blood.
It was crimson like fire, with what looked like sparks undulating within. It was clearly the same type as last time, all from the Poison Fire Bull.
There were about three hundred portions in total.
"Haha, thank you for going to the trouble, Brother Zeng."
Lin Changheng accepted them without hesitation, counting out just over nine hundred Lower Grade Spirit Stones and handing them over—three Spirit Stones per portion.
"That pretty much clears out my entire stock. If you want this much again, it’ll take me some time to build it back up."
Chef Zeng made sure to state that upfront.
"I understand."
Lin Changheng nodded.
"As for other types of Demon Beast Essence Blood, I’m keeping a constant lookout for you. I’ll let you know the moment I hear anything. But I seem to recall you mentioning that you prefer quantity over rarity, is that right?"
This was Chef Zeng’s way of showing his commitment to their future dealings.
"That’s right. As long as the bloodline is up to par, quantity is my priority. After all, I need large amounts of Essence Blood to research Pill Formulas and verify my alchemy."
Lin Changheng attributed everything to his work in alchemy. With his reputation for profound Alchemy Skill, it was only natural for him to possess a few unique, secret techniques.
"Got it."
The two chatted for a while longer. Just as Yan Mingyi arrived to refill their tea, Chef Zeng asked her why she was here.
It turned out that after the other Foundation Establishment Cultivators had left, she had seen that Brother Lin and Chef Zeng had important business to discuss, so she had thoughtfully withdrawn to give them some privacy.
Chef Zeng, who had been curious about her presence, decided to ask. After all, the three of them had once been neighbors, so a bit of friendly concern wasn’t out of line.
He then learned of Puppet Master Yan’s passing.
He was immediately apologetic, explaining that he hadn’t been back to Yunjian Que in a long time and had no idea.
Yan Mingyi, ever so reasonable, shook her head to indicate it was alright, but her face was still pale. The painful memory had clearly been touched upon again.
After offering his condolences a few more times, an embarrassed Chef Zeng took his leave.
Patting her on the shoulder, Lin Changheng found he couldn’t offer much comfort either. This was something she would ultimately have to overcome on her own.
He then returned directly to his secret chamber and began the Spirit Stealing process.
SWOOSH!
Nearly half a basin of Essence Blood was instantly drained dry.
At the same time, within his sea of consciousness, the Primordial Cauldron pulsed with a radiant light, once again forming an illusory Treasure Seed.
[Poison Fire Bull Treasure Seed: Second Layer]
[Spirit Stealing: 60/100]
The Treasure Seed was plucked and absorbed into his Divine Soul. Lin Changheng immediately felt the wisp of Fire Poison Qi within his body grow stronger and more robust.
It was a wondrous feeling.
[Acquired: Fire Poison Anomaly Technique: Spiritual]
Lin Changheng had a feeling that the poison was still not potent enough to have any real effect on a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.
Based on its current rate of improvement, he estimated it would likely be sufficient by the time he used Spirit Stealing to create the Fourth or Fifth Layer Treasure Seed.
At the same time, Lin Changheng’s Fire Spiritual Root gained another sliver of strength.
It had reached a total of forty-one slivers!
...
Lin Changheng was well aware of the consequences of refining a Masterpiece Foundation Establishment Pill. It was bound to make his name resound throughout the Immortal City once more.
But he had done it anyway, as it would allow him to build a wider network of connections. It opened up more channels for everything, from earning Spirit Stones to sourcing Essence Blood.
Of course, fame also courted danger. For the ever-cautious Lin Changheng, this brought a certain amount of hidden risk.
But Lin Changheng had the confidence to face it—
His Evergreen Body of the Ancient Wood was on the verge of a breakthrough to the Fifth Layer.
He had a strong premonition it would happen within the next two months.
That meant reaching Tier Two Middle Stage Body Refining!
While that level of strength wasn’t enough to kill a Middle Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, his advantage lay in his incredible durability. If he wanted to escape, they wouldn’t be able to stop him.
Therefore, he resolved not to step foot outside his door for the next two months. He absolutely had to achieve this breakthrough.
In fact, this breakthrough was arriving much sooner than he had anticipated.
This was thanks to the potent, lingering effects of the Flood Dragon Blood Fruit.
...
Soon, word got out that Alchemist Lin had refined a Masterpiece Foundation Establishment Pill.
The Immortal City was instantly thrown into an uproar.
At first, many refused to believe it, dismissing it as a mere rumor.
But then, well-informed sources began to leak more details, all of which sounded incredibly authentic, leaving everyone caught between belief and skepticism.
Finally, someone from the Huang Family came forward and confirmed it.
That settled the matter once and for all. Alchemist Lin’s name became not just renowned within the Immortal City, but famous far beyond its walls.
His name was now the topic of discussion on every street and in every alley.
The Cheng Family’s Hundred Herbs Shop, a place Lin Changheng had visited before, was once again bustling with customers. Droves of people came, drawn by his reputation, and the shop soon expanded to accommodate them.
Their business boomed.
At the same time, many families, factions, and independent Cultivators once again arrived at his door, bearing gift baskets.
Among them were many familiar faces from the last round of gift-giving.
Although most of them had never actually commissioned Lin Changheng to perform alchemy for them, they couldn’t rule out needing his services in the future. It was never a bad idea to be a familiar face.
They could all foresee that as Alchemist Lin’s fame grew, getting an audience with him would become increasingly difficult. Soon, one would need an introduction or have to pull some strings just to get in the door.
So, they had to act fast.
That was what they were all truly thinking.
Lin Changheng received them all.
Naturally, he was inundated with so many gift baskets he could barely hold them all. The value of the gifts was slightly lower than last time, with the median hovering around one hundred Spirit Stones. Lin Changheng guessed that his status as the Huang Family’s Honored Guest Elder had removed their incentive to try and recruit him.
Still, the total came out to over five thousand Spirit Stones.
Without the "Huang Family’s Honored Guest Elder" title, the value of the gifts would have surely surpassed ten thousand.
But Lin Changheng was more than satisfied. It was a windfall, after all, and he wasn’t about to be picky.
He set aside some of the Spirit Fruits and Spirit Vegetables for Yan Mingyi to prepare and also gave her the Tier Two Spiritual Materials suitable for repairing Puppets.
...