West City.

In the middle of the Hundred Herbs Hall's sprawling medicine garden, fifty miles wide, sat a quiet little courtyard with white walls and red tiles.

At this moment—

Inside the courtyard, an elderly man, all hair and beard snow-white, sat with a face full of deep wrinkles, thin arms, eyes dim, dressed in a gray robe.

This old man was none other than Tian Ci, the founding ancestor of the Hundred Herbs Hall!

Kneeling before Tian Ci was a middle-aged man, about forty years old.

This middle-aged man was Tian Yu, the current Patriarch of the Tian Family—one of Min Nan City's Five Great Clans—as well as the Grand Hall Master of Hundred Herbs Hall. His cultivation had reached the peak of First-class Realm, and his alchemy skills were renowned!

"Yu'er, you... are sharp-witted, quick to adapt, the hope of our Tian Family! Your great-grandfather's lifespan is running out; I've summoned you to entrust you with some matters..."

Tian Ci gazed at Tian Yu, worry etched deep in his eyes.

"Great-grandfather, please speak! Yu'er will obey your every word!"

Tian Yu crawled forward on his knees, looking up at his great-grandfather, sorrow in his gaze.

"When your great-grandfather passes, there will be no Martial Arts Grandmaster holding down Hundred Herbs Hall. Thus, you must maintain good relations with the Great Yu Royal Family, Golden Saber Sect, and Liuyun Sect—be diplomatic in all directions to safeguard our family's foundation! At the same time, strengthen our clan's abilities. In these times, a single misstep and we'll be eaten with not even our bones left! Forge the iron; your own strength is the key!"

Tian Ci took a deep breath and spoke slowly.

"Great-grandfather, I understand!"

Tian Yu nodded.

"Also, the Dragon Blood Pill and Nourishing Spirit Pill are the recipes our Hundred Herbs Hall built its name on! If push comes to shove, you may have to sacrifice these pill formulas... for the sake of the family's survival!"

"Like they say—'Once fortune's spent, it can return again.' Look at the rise of Mad Blade Martial Arts Hall and Tiger Roar Martial Arts Hall—you'll understand."

Tian Ci said.

He knew, deep down, that once he died, the fate of the Tian Family would be uncertain.

"Yes, Great-grandfather, but... the Dragon Blood Pill and Nourishing Spirit Pill are the roots of our family!"

Tian Yu's expression shifted at Tian Ci's words.

The Tian Family's Hundred Herbs Hall was once a humble medicine shop; great-grandfather by chance obtained a medicinal book and a Nourishing Spirit Pill, which recorded the formulas for Tiger Blood Pill, Dragon Blood Pill, and Nourishing Spirit Pill.

With the Nourishing Spirit Pill, great-grandfather Tian Ci advanced to Martial Arts Grandmaster, and after refining Tiger Blood and Dragon Blood Pills, his reputation spread far and wide. The Tian family became one of Min Nan City's Five Great Clans!

"The pill formula is just a piece of paper. If there are no clan members, what use is it?"

"Besides, pill formulas can be copied. Your great-grandfather never managed to refine the Nourishing Spirit Pill in his lifetime… If trading the formula could buy the family's peace, that would be my wish!"

Tian Ci stared off at the distant sky, murmuring.

"Yu'er understands!"

Tian Yu nodded again.

........

Lin Chang'sheng took enough silver, slung Dawn over his back, and, with Tiger Claw in hand tapping rhythmically, headed for the Hundred Herbs Hall in West City.

Tiger Roar Fist experience +1!

.......

In the corner of his vision, the panel flashed red alerts.

[Tiger Roar Fist: Perfection!]

When Lin Chang'sheng arrived in West City, his panel notified him: Tiger Roar Fist had reached Perfection.

[Detected: Perfect Tiger Roar Fist, Perfect Thunder Fire Finger, Perfect Iron Sand Palm. You may spend 150 taels of silver to fuse them into a new martial art. Fuse?]

Just then, a red prompt popped up on Lin Chang'sheng's panel.

"Fuse!"

Lin Chang'sheng immediately selected Confirm.

[Fusing Perfect Tiger Roar Fist, Perfect Thunder Fire Finger, Perfect Iron Sand Palm... Fusion successful! New martial art acquired: Five Thunders Transcendent Hand!]

[Detected: Five Thunders Transcendent Hand. You may spend 100 taels of silver to simplify it. Simplify?]

Lin Chang'sheng had barely confirmed when another red alert flashed.

"Simplify!"

Lin Chang'sheng confirmed right away.

[Great Dao is Simple: Simplifying Five Thunders Transcendent Hand... Simplification complete... Five Thunders Transcendent Hand == Finger Exercise!]

Red alert popped up again.

"Five Thunders Transcendent Hand = Finger Exercise?"

Lin Chang'sheng blinked.

This finger exercise—so simple! Just grasp both hands, rotate them left and right, move the fingers, pinch a bit. He learned it as a kid.

........

Lin Chang'sheng flexed his hands a few times, checked his panel, and found his experience had just gone up by 8 points.

[Great Dao is Simple: Level 1]

[Lin Chang'sheng: 17/75]

[Cultivation: Martial Arts Grandmaster (2707/62500)]

[Cultivation Skill: Five Elements Nourishing Essence Skill (Proficient 300/25000), Golden Bell Shield – Partial Fifth Level (Perfect)]

[Martial Arts: Five Thunders Transcendent Hand (Entry 8/1000), Nine-Star Linked Beads (Arrow/Hidden) (Perfect), Thunder Shock Slash (Perfect), Fleeting Shadows (Perfect), Cyan Snake Sword Technique (Perfect), Stepping on Snow Without Leaving Traces (Entry 0/500), Gale Saber Technique (Skilled 1273/2500)]

[Alchemy: Qi Replenishing Pill (Perfect)]

[Spend certain silver taels to simplify cultivation technique, martial arts, etc.]

[Status: Yin Qi Invasion (Severely Weakened)]

"Not bad. Wonder how powerful this Five Thunders Transcendent Hand really is?"

Lin Chang'sheng gripped his hands, practicing finger exercise, and walked toward the Hundred Herbs Hall, full of anticipation.

Three martial arts combined—it should be strong, right?

........

......

West City.

Hundred Herbs Garden.

"Great-grandfather, there's a guest at the medicine hall whose cultivation matches yours, and he wants to buy Dragon Blood Pill!!"

Tian Feng, Third Hall Master of Hundred Herbs Hall, used his body technique to rush to the quiet courtyard in the medicine garden, bowing at the entrance to report.

The shock in his eyes hadn't yet faded.

Just earlier, a guest had arrived. The man's aura was so powerful, it nearly suffocated him!

With no other choice, Tian Feng could only have the guest wait in the medicine hall while he came to report and let great-grandfather decide.

"Matches great-grandfather? That's a Martial Arts Grandmaster, isn't it?"

Inside the courtyard, Tian Yu, who was chatting with great-grandfather Tian Ci, was startled by the news.

In Min Nan City, besides great-grandfather, Golden Saber Sect, and Liuyun Sect, only three Martial Arts Grandmasters were known—where would another come from?

Could it be an outsider?

"I apologize for not welcoming such an esteemed guest in advance. Tian Ci asks your forgiveness for my lapse!"

At that, the elderly Tian Ci looked past Tian Feng, moved, and clasped his hands in salute.

After speaking, he turned quickly to Tian Yu beside him. "Yu'er, bring out spirit tea to serve our guest!"

"Ah... Yes!"

Tian Yu started, surprised.

This spirit tea—great-grandfather rarely allowed himself to drink it! Yet today, he was willing to serve a guest.

What's more, this guest's arrival had passed unnoticed even with his peak First-class cultivation!

The depth of the visitor's cultivation—hard to imagine!

"I am Lin Chang'sheng—sorry for dropping by unannounced!"

With Tian Ci's words, a youth of eighteen or nineteen appeared in the courtyard in a flash, clasped his fists, and said.

"Young friend Lin—you've reached Martial Arts Grandmaster at such an age; I have been stuck here for decades. Ashamed, truly ashamed!"

Tian Ci eyed the strength pouring off Lin Chang'sheng, thought of his own dwindling lifespan, and was full of emotion. After a chat, and learning Lin Chang'sheng was staying in Min Nan City, he looked thoughtful.

"Patriarch Tian, name your price for the Dragon Blood Pill!"

Lin Chang'sheng didn't waste time, stating his goal outright.

With the Dragon Blood Pill, he could heal the Little White Fox and obtain the cultivation immortality technique from the jade scroll!

Just thinking of that technique, Lin Chang'sheng's heart blazed with excitement.

Tian Ci seemed troubled. "Young friend Lin, our Hundred Herbs Hall's Dragon Blood Pill requires rare materials, so only a few are ever made. And nearly all go to the royal family, Golden Saber Sect, and Liuyun Sect—they're already reserved. The only three remaining were set aside for Golden Saber Sect... If I sell to you now, there'll be no way to explain it to them!"

"Patriarch Tian, did Golden Saber Sect put down a deposit for those Dragon Blood Pills?"

Lin Chang'sheng spoke in a low voice.

This Dragon Blood Pill was crucial for mastering the Fire Cloud Technique; he had to get it!

"No deposit yet, just the usual arrangement—we hold them until they send a disciple to pay silver and pick them up."

Tian Ci looked bitter.

He might be a Martial Arts Grandmaster, but his focus was alchemy—actual fighting was not his forte. If Golden Saber Sect or Liuyun Sect weren't worried he'd risk everything, Hundred Herbs Hall might have been swallowed up, rather than merely reserved.

"Then what's the issue?"

"They didn't leave a deposit—you don't have to save them for someone!"

Lin Chang'sheng said, voice firm.

"Young friend Lin, if you truly insist, may I ask you to agree to one condition?"

Tian Ci sighed inwardly, resigned, and spoke.

Golden Saber Sect he couldn't afford to offend—neither could he offend this guest.

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