Chapter 15 (2/2)

Xu Shangao looked at the jade bottle in his hands in a daze. He opened the cork subconsciously and found that there were eight perfectly round pills emitting a faint scent from inside the bottle.

Feeling hesitant, Xu Shangao sealed the bottle cork properly. A moment later, he clenched his teeth and arrived before Fang Lin’s room.

“I’d like to pay my respect to you, Teacher,” said Xu Shangao solemnly. Soon afterward, he knelt down in front of Fang Lin’s room.

The door to the room opened, and Fang Lin cracked a smile when he saw Xu Shangao kneeling on the floor with a solemn expression. “Senior Brother Disciple, why are you being so serious? I was only joking.”

Xu Shangao almost leaped up from the ground in rage. Is there anyone who jokes like you? I’ve actually prepared myself mentally and physically and I’m already kneeling, yet you’re telling me it’s a joke?

Fang Lin realized that Xu Shangao was certainly feeling exceedingly depressed when he noticed his friend’s fury. Waving once, he sent a roll of jade scroll into Xu Shangao’s hand.

“This is the alchemy insights Elder Mu Yan gave me. I’m not using it, so I’m giving it to you. I hope that you will benefit from this, Senior Brother Disciple,” said Fang Lin.

After pondering for a moment, Fang Lin procured a book and also passed it to Xu Shangao. “This was given to me after the old man, Zhao Deming, lost a bet to me during the alchemy altar lesson today. I’m giving it to you too, Senior Brother Disciple.”

Xu Shangao had a jade scroll in his hand and an ancient book in his other hand. His face was constantly contorting into different expressions. “How…h-how can I accept this?” he said while shaking his head.

Fang Lin smiled. “Senior Brother Disciple, please do not refuse me anymore. These items aren’t useful to me, but they are very useful to you. I can only be here for six months after all. I believe that you’ll find these useful to help you break through to become a medium-grade disciple.”

Xu Shangao stopped declining anymore after hearing Fang Lin’s words. He then accepted the two items with a gratified expression. Due to his status as a low-grade disciple, he was never granted the authority to enter the alchemy pavilion to study the alchemy books, let alone receive the alchemy insights of an elder. Therefore, Fang Lin’s two gifts were as precious as the Mount Taishan to him.

“Junior Brother Disciple, you’re truly my lucky star!” Xu Shangao returned to the alchemy room eagerly to learn alchemy skills eagerly after saying that.

Fang Lin closed the door of his room and locked up properly. He was prepared to consume the Energizing Pills now to elevate his realm to level-3 primordial man.

Even though he was in the alchemy sect and his most important focus was refining elixirs, he could not overlook his realm either. He would have the confidence to do anything only when his realm was impressive enough.

The cultivation base of the level-2 primordial man realm was considered very poor amongst the junior alchemy disciples. The best junior alchemy disciple, Kang Lu, was said to have already achieved the level-6 primordial man realm. However, no one really knew Kang Lu’s actual cultivation base except for himself and a few others.

In fact, even Lu Xiaoqing was on the level-4 primordial man realm and would frequently make fun of Fang Lin due to his weak realm.

‘Three Energizing Pills should be enough to elevate me to the level-3 primordial man realm. It’s only more troublesome because I cultivated the Divine Nine Cauldrons Passage, so I must consume alchemy cauldrons to elevate my realm,’ said Fang Lin in his heart as he cultivated.

The Energizing Pills transformed into a clear stream of energy that flowed rapidly in his body, and he felt extremely comfortable.

Sigh. Starting to cultivate from nothing feels horrible. If I were still in the Alchemy Saint Palace, I’d be able to improve my realm immensely just by simply consuming two pills! Fang Lin exclaimed in his heart as he thought about life in the Alchemy Saint Palace.

In the blink of an eye, three days passed. Fang Lin was still cultivating in the house when Hou Rulong who came three days ago had arrived early in the morning.

“Xu Shangao, have you managed to refine the Energizing Pills that I asked for?” said Hou Rulong coldly.

Hou Rulong was a martial arts sect disciple. Moreover, he was rather powerful amongst the official disciples of the martial arts sect, so he despised low-grade alchemy disciples like Xu Shangao naturally.

Had it not been due to Lin Xu’s promise for precious rewards, Hou Rulong would never have consented to make things difficult for Xu Shangao for no reason.

Xu Shangao, oh, Xu Shangao, you’ve offended Lin Xu recently and it was he who sent me here, so don’t put the blame on me. Hou Rulong snorted coldly in his heart as if he was certain that Xu Shangao would fail to produce the Energizing Pills.

Who would have known that Xu Shangao would remain expressionless as he procured a bottle of pills at once without uttering a word?

“The pills are here. Consume them properly, Senior Brother Disciple Hou,” Xu Shangao said smilingly.

Hou Rulong was astonished as he accepted the pills suspiciously. He opened the bottle and checked them, only to see that it really was a bottle of Energizing Pills.

‘That’s strange. According to Lin Xu, Xu Shangao is absolutely incapable of refining the Energizing Pills. So, where did this bottle of pills come from then? Could it be that there’s more to Xu Shangao than meets the eye?’ Hou Rulong was slightly alarmed. The script that he had prepared originally was rendered completely useless now. His expression looked rather sour.

“What’s going on, Senior Brother Disciple Hou? Are you not satisfied with the pills?” Xu Shangao asked intentionally.

Hou Rulong grunted once. Then, he turned around and was about to leave with the bottle of pills when Xu Shangao stopped him by saying, “Hey, aren’t you going to compensate me, Senior Brother Disciple Hou?”

Hou Rulong turned around and glared at him. He spoke in a slightly embarrassed manner, “I forgot to bring it with me today. I shall compensate you tomorrow.”