Chapter 40: Lingxiao Apothecary

Lin Chuan sat cross-legged on the bed in the guest room, his spiritual energy surging through his meridians like a flowing stream. Having crawled out of the alchemy room two hours ago, he had nearly thought he was done for.

Yet, at this moment, he was astonished to find that the rate at which his spiritual energy circulated was nearly twenty percent faster than before. Each meridian through which the energy flowed felt unobstructed, as if the channels had been widened.

"This 'Human Alchemy Technique' really has its merits..."

Lin Chuan opened his eyes, looked at the twenty low-grade spirit stones that had crumbled into powder beside him, and whispered to himself.

In just two short hours, his speed at absorbing spiritual energy had reached an unprecedented level. Combined with the accumulation from the past few days, the energy in his dantian was nearly saturated; he was only a step away from breaking through to the third level of Spirit Martial.

"That is only natural."

Little Fatty’s voice resonated in his mind. "Having purged thirty percent of the impurities from your body, the circulation of spiritual energy will naturally be faster. However, your speed at absorbing spirit stones is still too slow. Once you obtain the blood of dragon and phoenix spirit beasts to practice the first level of the 'Heavenly Feather Dragon Transformation Art,' your circulation speed will increase by another one or two times."

Lin Chuan was about to respond when footsteps echoed at the courtyard gate. He rose and pushed open the window to see Zhang Yida, the couple Zhang Lin and Li Yu, and Wang Tiezhu walking into the yard.

"Brother Lin! Which room are you in?" Zhang Lin’s booming voice echoed through the courtyard.

"The main guest room." Lin Chuan pushed open the door and beckoned to the four. Although his body still ached, he felt much better than he had immediately after exiting the alchemy furnace.

The four walked over quickly, their faces filled with excitement. Zhang Lin spoke first: "Brother Lin, according to your arrangements, the twenty alchemy apprentices have been settled. Brother Tiezhu has distributed the medicinal materials, and we can begin refining medicinal liquid tomorrow."

Wang Tiezhu patted his chest. "I’ve rented a carriage, and starting tomorrow, I’ll be specifically responsible for transporting the medicinal materials and liquids between the inner and outer cities. I’ve memorized the locations of all the apprentices' houses; I guarantee there will be no mistakes."

Zhang Lin's wife, Li Yu, took a property deed from her bosom. "Zhang Lin and I bought a three-story building in the A-zone of the outer city. The location is excellent, right across the street from the branch of the Heaven's Luck Pavilion. It cost five hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones, and the paperwork is already done."

Lin Chuan took the deed, examined it, and nodded with satisfaction. "Very efficient. Once Zhang Yida has accumulated enough pills, we can open for business."

"Speaking of opening..." Zhang Yida scratched his head. "Our pharmacy doesn't even have a name yet."

The four looked at Lin Chuan in unison, their eyes filled with anticipation.

"A name..." Lin Chuan rubbed his chin. Although he had read plenty of novels in his past life, when it came to naming his own business, he couldn't think of a good one on the spot. "Why don't we all think of one together? Whichever one we all agree on, we'll use."

"How about 'Spirit Gathering Pavilion'?" Wang Tiezhu suggested first.

Zhang Lin shook his head. "Too common. The streets are full of names like that."

"Hundred Herb Hall?" Li Yu suggested tentatively.

"Not imposing enough," Zhang Yida commented.

The group suggested a few more names, but none were satisfactory. Lin Chuan pondered for a moment, and suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck. "How about 'Lingxiao Pharmacy'? Derived from the meaning of 'soaring directly into the clouds,' it implies that our pharmacy will rise to great heights."

"Lingxiao Pharmacy..." Zhang Lin repeated the name in a low voice, his eyes gradually brightening. "Good name! It’s imposing and not cliché."

The other three expressed their agreement one after another. Just like that, the name of the pharmacy was decided—Lingxiao Pharmacy.

With the report finished, the three were about to take their leave, but Lin Chuan suddenly raised a hand. "Wait, there is one more thing."

The four stopped and looked at him in confusion.

"Elder Zi reminded me," Lin Chuan pointed to his temple, "that since we are building our own power, the talent of our core members cannot be too poor. Otherwise, as my cultivation level rises, you will soon be left far behind."

The group looked at each other, complex expressions appearing on their faces. They understood this principle well; in the Cangxuan Continent, strength was the foundation of everything. But talent was innate—what could they do about it?

"Brother Lin, what do you mean..." Zhang Yida asked cautiously.

Lin Chuan revealed a mysterious smile. "I have a way to help you purge the impurities in your bodies and improve your cultivation talent."

"Really?" Wang Tiezhu stepped forward, his voice cracking with excitement.

"Naturally." Lin Chuan nodded, then changed his tone. "However, the process might be a little... unique."

Before the four could ask for details, the Blood Spirit Ring on Lin Chuan’s left hand suddenly shone with a brilliant purple light. Elder Zi’s figure drifted out from the ring, hovering in mid-air, a cunning smile on his kindly face.

"Young friends, follow me." Elder Zi gestured and drifted toward the alchemy room.

Although full of doubts, their trust in Lin Chuan made them follow without hesitation. Lin Chuan did not accompany them but stood at the door of the guest room, watching them enter the alchemy room, a strange smile on his face.

"What are you smiling at?" Little Fatty’s voice echoed in his mind.

"Nothing," Lin Chuan shrugged. "I'm just thinking about the expressions they'll have in a moment."

Inside the alchemy room, Elder Zi had already activated the Earth-Fire formation, and the water in the cauldron began to heat up. He patiently explained the principles of the "Human Alchemy Technique," his voice as gentle as if he were explaining a common cultivation method.

"...Therefore, although this process is somewhat uncomfortable, the results are excellent. The Young Master has verified it himself," Elder Zi said with a smile.

"Uncomfortable?" Zhang Yida seized the keyword. "Elder Zi, exactly how 'uncomfortable' will it be?"

Elder Zi smiled without answering. He simply waved his hand, and an invisible force lifted Wang Tiezhu, tossing him into the boiling cauldron before he could even react.

"Ah—!" Wang Tiezhu’s scream instantly echoed through the entire courtyard. "Hot! Hot! Let me out!"

The lid of the cauldron slammed shut with a "clang," muffling Wang Tiezhu’s curses inside. The other three stood dumbfounded, their faces turning pale.

"Who is next?" Elder Zi asked kindly, as if he were simply asking who wanted tea next.

...

More than an hour later, the door to the alchemy room finally opened. The four crawled out, steam rising from their bodies, their skin flushed red like boiled shrimp. They collapsed onto the stone slabs of the courtyard, panting heavily, their eyes filled with the relief of survivors.

"Is... is it over?" Zhang Yida asked in a hoarse voice.

Elder Zi floated in mid-air, stroking his phantom beard with satisfaction. "Not bad, you all performed better than expected. Especially Wang Tiezhu, who lasted for over a quarter of an hour; that is quite rare."

Wang Tiezhu weakly gave a thumbs-up, too exhausted to speak.

"How long did... Lin Chuan last?" Li Yu suddenly asked.

A glimmer of admiration flashed in Elder Zi’s eyes. "The Young Master persisted for a full hour."

Upon hearing this, the four looked toward the main guest room, their eyes filled with genuine respect. Having experienced that pain themselves, they could hardly imagine how Lin Chuan had endured it for so long.

"All right, go back and get some rest," Elder Zi instructed. "You will feel a significant difference during your cultivation tonight. Remember, this tempering should be done at most once every three days; otherwise, you will damage your foundation."

The four struggled to their feet and helped each other toward the gate. Only Zhang Yida remained; he needed to familiarize himself with the environment of the alchemy room, as he would begin refining pills there tomorrow.

As night fell, Lin Chuan entered a state of cultivation again. The spiritual energy within him flowed like a mountain stream, smoother than before. He could clearly feel that his efficiency in absorbing spiritual energy had increased by nearly twenty percent.

Meanwhile, in four different houses across the inner city, the others were also attempting to cultivate. Although the improvement was far less than Lin Chuan's, each of them felt a real change—Wang Tiezhu’s cultivation speed had increased by about one-twentieth, and the other three by about one-thirtieth. Such an increase might seem small, but over time, it would create a massive gap. Especially for them, whose talent was not originally outstanding, this was a rare opportunity.

In the main room, Lin Chuan finished his cultivation and walked to the window to look at the starry sky. In just a few days, he had gained a foothold in this unfamiliar world—he had his own business, reliable partners, and his cultivation level was steadily rising.

"Lingxiao Pharmacy..." He whispered the name, the corners of his mouth curling upward. "This is only the beginning."

The Blood Spirit Ring on his left hand grew slightly warm, as if responding to his ambition. Little Fatty’s voice echoed in his mind with rare approval: "Not bad, you're starting to look the part. But don't be too happy yet; the real challenges are still to come."

Lin Chuan nodded, his gaze deepening. He knew that in this world of the survival of the fittest, his current achievements were but a drop in the ocean. But regardless, he had taken the crucial first step.