Lin Changheng, cautious by nature, had made his decision.
And it was true. Some loss of Essence Blood was normal when forming an Inferior Pill or dealing with Pill Poison. But for none of it to be left—not even a whiff of its metallic scent—was another matter entirely. Unless the Li Family were all fools, they would definitely notice if he brought them a few more Pills like this!
Attracting that kind of attention and suspicion would be disastrous.
It also went against Lin Changheng's fundamental principle of steady, stable development.
Without hesitation, his mind connected with the [Primordial Cauldron], and his palm swept quickly over the eight Wasted Pills.
In the next instant, the Red Treasure Seed changed, growing a bit more solid.
[Fire Crow Treasure Seed: Spirit Stealing Metamorphosis]
[Spirit Stealing: 5/100]
[Utility: Mixed Grade Demon Beast Bloodline with an Innate Fire Attribute. Possesses Lifebound Talents: Fire Control, Breath, Beak Strike. Upon Spirit Stealing Success, one can be chosen to be Refined into the user.]
'Excellent!'
A flash of excitement lit up Lin Changheng's eyes.
But he didn't immediately start absorbing the Fire Crow Essence Blood from the remaining twenty Inferior Pills. First, he needed to "destroy the evidence"—the Wasted Pills he had just drained.
He had to eliminate any chance of being discovered.
The ever-cautious Lin Changheng wouldn't permit even the slightest risk!
He ground the Wasted Pills into a fine powder, lit the furnace, and activated the [Fire Gathering Array], beginning to incinerate the remains bit by bit.
After the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn,
the Wasted Pills were dealt with, their ashes carefully collected and put away.
Then he began preparing the neutralization agent for the Inferior Pills. Fortunately, the Pill Shop had all the necessary Materials. He worked for a full hour before the mixture was complete.
Ignoring his fatigue, Lin Changheng took a deep breath, rubbed his hands in excitement, and began to absorb the Essence Blood, one Pill at a time!
He drew about fifty percent from each, though the amount fluctuated and wasn't exact.
He would absorb from one Pill, then neutralize it.
Working quickly, he finished absorbing from all twenty Pills!
[Fire Crow Treasure Seed: Spirit Stealing Metamorphosis]
[Spirit Stealing: 10/100]
'Very good. It's only been a few days, and the [Fire Crow Treasure Seed] has already accumulated ten percent. This is countless times faster than the [Origin Treasure Seed]! And with the monthly disposal of Wasted Pills, if nothing unexpected happens, I can achieve Spirit Stealing Success in ten months at the latest!'
'Within these ten months, with my current comprehension, I will definitely master the Refining Technique for the [Red Flame Pill]. Once I get the [Fire Control] Talent from the [Fire Crow Treasure Seed], I'll be able to succeed in one attempt, become a Pill Master, and never have to enter the Wilderness again! Then I can just hole up with the Xu Family or practice Alchemy in the Marketplace, collecting Essence Blood...'
Lin Changheng was secretly thrilled, but he quickly took a deep breath and reminded himself,
'The Cultivation Realm is fraught with peril. I must avoid conflict and competition. I can't get arrogant. Only by proceeding with caution can I go far...'
After all, you only get one life.
Lin Changheng was keenly aware of this.
...
By the time he left the Alchemy Room, it was nearly 3:00 PM.
The sky was still bright. Barring any surprises, he'd have to watch the furnace all day tomorrow and likely wouldn't have the time, so Lin Changheng decided to make a trip to the Li Family Spirit and Flesh Shop now.
Although security in the Marketplace was decent, Lin Changheng still wrapped the Long Wooden Box tightly in a shabby cloth bag. After a quick word with the Xu Clan Members in the shop, he headed out onto the street.
There were still a fair number of Cultivators on the street, but compared to the bustling crowds of ten years ago, the difference was like night and day.
The Shopkeepers and clerks of many quiet storefronts were bored stiff, so they simply moved stools to their doorways to gossip with their neighbors. When the conversations grew animated, their eyebrows danced and spittle flew.
Some people recognized Lin Changheng and enthusiastically beckoned him to join them. Lin Changheng could only claim he was busy, promising "next time for sure" as he hurried on his way to the Li Family Spirit and Flesh Shop.
"Customer, you're just in time! Any later and there wouldn't be an ounce of this fine Mang Tuna left!"
"Take a look! Which cut do you want? Or will you just buy the lot?"
Before Lin Changheng could even speak, a burly man standing at the entrance of the Li's shop, carving meat with a large knife, began his sales pitch.
"I'm not here to buy meat," Lin Changheng said with a smile and a shake of his head. "I'm from the Xu Family's Alchemy Shop, here to deliver some Pills."
"Please, come in! My Shopkeeper was just wondering why the Fellow Daoist from the Xu Family hadn't arrived yet..." The burly man quickly set down his cleaver and led Lin Changheng inside.
The thick, coppery smell of blood immediately assaulted his senses.
Normally, Lin Changheng would have wrinkled his nose at the overpowering stench, but now, he found it intoxicatingly sweet.
Lin Changheng hadn't expected the Shopkeeper of this Spirit and Flesh Shop to be a scrawny man with a handlebar mustache, a stark contrast to the nature of his business.
The man immediately began to inspect the box of Inferior Pills. Though Lin Changheng appeared outwardly calm, his heart was pounding.
"Not bad."
Apparently, the Shopkeeper hadn't noticed anything unusual. Or perhaps he simply didn't care about the small amount of Essence Blood in the Inferior Pills.
"The transaction is complete."
With his business concluded, Lin Changheng didn't hurry away. Seeing no new customers, he deliberately struck up a conversation with the burly meat-cutter at the entrance.
Lin Changheng was a skilled conversationalist. He started by subtly and overtly praising the man's cuts of meat and his knife skills. Once the man was in high spirits, feeling as if he'd met a kindred soul, Lin Changheng slowly steered the conversation toward "Beast Blood."
"Heh, some folks really do have a taste for Beast Blood, especially for making Red Fat. If Fellow Daoist likes it, just give me a heads-up, and I'll be sure to set some aside for you tomorrow."
"Many thanks!" Lin Changheng said with a smile. Feeling he had laid enough groundwork, he got to the crucial point. "I was wondering, do you have any 'Essence Blood' for sale?"
A Demon Beast's regular blood and its Essence Blood are not the same. The former is ordinary blood, containing faint Demonic Power and numerous impurities. The latter is a Demon Beast's lifeblood, a concentration of its life essence and the very source of its power.
"Essence Blood?"
The burly man froze for a second before recalling the identity of the person before him. Realization dawned on his face.
"Of course we have Essence Blood, but all of it is spoken for. It's pre-ordered by a few of the Spirit Wine Districts and talisman making shops in the Marketplace. We don't sell it to individuals."
Fearing Lin Changheng might not understand, he added, "It's probably very difficult for an individual Cultivator to acquire..."
"Thank you for the information."
Despite not getting the answer he wanted, Lin Changheng kept a pleasant expression and made his polite farewells before leaving.
After all, the Cultivation Realm wasn't just about fighting and killing; it was also about navigating human relationships.
"Fellow Daoist, come by anytime you need something! If I can help, I, Li, will certainly not refuse!"
Lin Changheng was already some distance away, but he could still hear the man thumping his chest with a resonant THUMP-THUMP. He just nodded and smiled.
He had only asked on a whim. Opening up a new channel for obtaining Demon Beast Essence Blood would have been great, of course, but he wasn't too disappointed by the outcome.
A calm mind allows for better judgment;
that, too, was a form of Cultivation.
After returning the Spirit Stones from the sale of the Inferior Pills and the old manual detailing how to handle Wasted Pills to Ink Master, Lin Changheng had successfully completed his assigned task.
"Not bad!"
Ink Master chuckled, offering a few words of praise.
Lin Changheng immediately expressed his "loyalty," professing his desire to share Ink Master's burdens and hinting that he was ready to take on more responsibility.
His talk of other responsibilities was just for show, but his interest in the Wasted and Inferior Pills of the [Wood Element Pill] was entirely genuine.