Surprise

"The Medicine King Sect actually... actually... did this."

Li Danshi trembled slightly, seemingly unable to accept the answer.

Unable to contain his curiosity, Chen Lu asked:

"Master, what exactly did the Medicine King Sect do? This disciple doesn't quite understand."

After a while, Master Li came to his senses, sighed, and looked somewhat dejected.

"The issues of air pollution and environmental remediation have been around for ten years, but they haven't been very effective."

When the Xuanqing Sect imposed fines, the pill shops would raise the prices of their pills. The more fines they imposed, the higher the prices would go, and everyone got used to it.

However, no one was refining pills... The Medicine King Sect once taught its disciples that refining pills was not simply a matter of following the instructions, but also required a sincere heart.

Only those who can communicate with the divine essence of heaven and earth through their own insights and sincerity can be considered qualified alchemists and qualified elixirs.

Once, the Thousand Machines Sect suggested that the Medicine King Sect join forces to create a special alchemy artifact that would never make a mistake and would be extremely fast to produce, combining the three arts of alchemy, arrays, and artifacts.

By eliminating the many drawbacks that occur in manual alchemy, we can earn a large amount of spirit stones at a lower cost and faster speed.

And guess what happened?

Master Li Dan asked and answered himself: "The Medicine King Sect erupted in fury, severely rebuking the Thousand Machines Sect and accusing them of having ulterior motives."

They claim that only those refined by humans are true elixirs, while those refined using magical artifacts are evil elixirs that violate the laws of nature.

For a time, everyone in the world praised the Medicine King Sect, while the Thousand Machine Sect laughed and said that they were hypocritical and sanctimonious, which drew a lot of curses from cultivators all over the world.

It was around that time that the Thousand Machines Sect's reputation began to suffer.

Master Li paused, looked at the alchemy furnace, and sighed deeply.

"Many years ago, there were alchemists in the Red Bamboo Immortal City who said that the Medicine King Sect was indeed hypocritical and wanted to destroy all alchemists."

There are too many such dubious rumors; we don't believe them at all. The Medicine King Sect is a sacred place for alchemy; how could they possibly target us alchemists?

But then, Master Li quickly calmed down, composed himself, and said lightly:

"It will be at least a hundred years before a magical artifact that can replace a low-level alchemist appears."

"By then, I'll be dead for decades. The ones who should be worried are you and your disciples when you're old."

Chen Lu nodded, relieved by Li Danshi's open-mindedness.

"The status of alchemists will remain unshakable for at least the next hundred years."

"Hmm." Master Li nodded, leaned closer, and began to examine Chen Lu's alchemy furnace.

"Everyone says this stove is very easy to explode, why did you still buy it?"

To risk one's life for such a small gain is a terrible loss.

"My intuition is always accurate; this alchemy furnace will definitely not cause any problems."

Master Li turned his head, gave him a cold snort of annoyance, and continued to study with his head down, saying at the same time:

"If you were absolutely sure, why did you bring the alchemy furnace over to show me?"

Chen Lu smiled awkwardly. Although the divination had already said that nothing would happen, he still wanted to hear the opinion of a professional.

Shortly after, Master Li straightened up, his tone now carrying a hint of approval:

"You're lucky, kid. Your intuition was right."

All weapon-refining workshops have explicit prohibitions that weapon refiners are not allowed to brand their own marks on magical artifacts within the workshop.

The Medicine King Sect was no exception, but there were always some who liked to be unconventional.

As he spoke, he pointed to several places around the alchemy furnace.

"Look here, this mark is the private seal of the Supreme Elder of the Medicine King Sect who specializes in weapon crafting."

I dare say, in the entire Crimson Bamboo Immortal City, I'm the only one who can recognize this.

Chen Lu was somewhat puzzled. There were countless powerful figures in Chizhu Immortal City, and Master Li Dan was not among them. How could he know such secrets?

Moreover, that person is the Supreme Elder of Weapon Refining, the top weapon refiner of the Medicine King Sect. How could a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator possibly know his mark?

Li Danshi noticed Chen Lu's suspicion and couldn't help but feel somewhat displeased.

"You're amazing, the most amazing in the world. Who am I? Just a nobody alchemist. How could I possibly be qualified to teach someone as great as you?"

"Senior, please tell me whose mark this is?"

Chen Lu gave an embarrassed smile and quickly apologized.

Li Danshi snorted angrily, but continued explaining:

"It is said that the magical artifacts crafted by that Supreme Elder of the Weapon Refining Sect are only given to disciples who have made significant contributions, and it is impossible for non-disciples of the sect to possess them."

This was something he made out of curiosity while he was traveling around.

This kind of thing happens once every few decades. I want to see who will end up with it without any impact.

I knew this because when I went to Xuanqing Sect to visit my son, I happened to run into the Medicine King Sect who came to discuss the Dao and the Dharma.

This was an amusing anecdote that came up unintentionally during their conversation.

When Chen Lu heard about the Xuanqing Sect again, his heart stirred.

Unexpectedly, Master Li's son is a cultivator in the Xuanqing Sect!

No wonder, he's already reached the Foundation Establishment stage, yet he has no children by his side. So that's why.

After noticing that Chen Lu had discovered what he had specifically emphasized, Li Dan felt a surge of pride, and his speech became noticeably lighter:

"You kid, you have great intuition and your luck is abnormally good."

Use this thing as much as you want. Even if you break it, it won't break. Keep it safe and don't sell it. This alchemy furnace can be with you for a lifetime.

Chen Lu's joy intensified.

After all, this was personally crafted by the Supreme Elder of Weapon Refining, so every part of it must be superior to anything else crafted by others.

No matter how you use it, this alchemy furnace will not have any problems.

"Alright, enough of this useless talk. Let's start teaching you alchemy now."

Master Li took out several large boxes of prepared medicinal herbs, clearly intending to refine them directly into pills.

Chen Lu, filled with doubt, asked:

"Master, should I start refining it right away? Don't I need to learn step by step from identification, processing, and pharmacology?"

Master Li glanced at him, chuckled softly, and smiled slightly:

"Your two senior brothers have been following me since they were six years old. When they turn twelve and have the aptitude for cultivation, they will continue to learn from me."

Lacking the aptitude for cultivation, they were sent to the mortal realm to become wandering healers.

Do you know what the first thing they learn is?

"What?"

"To cultivate spiritual herbs, first arrange a small spiritual field, and have a six-year-old child cultivate it by hand for six years."

Only after understanding how most medicinal herbs are cultivated can one delve into pharmacology.

Six years later, after passing the assessment, the elixir will be prepared.

After another six years, once it's confirmed that he's ready, he can then stand by and watch, tending the fire, and only when he feels like it will he teach him alchemy.

Chen Lu felt a headache coming on. If that were true, he estimated he wouldn't be able to touch the alchemy furnace until he was sixty, by which time it would be too late.

"How about it, kid? Learn from me from the beginning."

Don't be fooled by your second senior brother's good aptitude and cultivation speed; he only got to touch the alchemy furnace last year.

He worked as my handyman for twenty years before I taught him how to refine pills.

And you, eighteen years later, won't need to undergo any further assessments and can directly touch the alchemy furnace—your two senior brothers will be green with envy!