A Tool with Dignity?

"I hear you're an alchemist?" *Heard?* *Where did he hear that?* Luo Chen was hardly famous. Even if his Myriad Wonders Pill business was doing reasonably well, the people who bought those pills weren't exactly going around singing his praises from the rooftops. How had he caught the eye of this Foundation Establishment senior? *It's Wang Yuan!* Understanding dawned on Luo Chen, though he put on a look of panic and apprehension. "I've only refined a few shoddy pills, nothing more than dabbling. I couldn't possibly call myself an alchemist." Without Luo Chen noticing when, a plump, bright-red pill resembling a ball of jelly had appeared in Mi Shuhua's hand. "This is hardly shoddy dabbling. It's first-order mid-grade!" His voice held unreserved praise and appreciation. "What?! A mid-grade pill?!" Beside them, Qin Liangchen froze in shock, looking as if a cat had just stepped on a mouse's tail. He had always assumed Luo Chen only refined unranked Fasting Powder, and that even the Myriad Wonders Pill was nothing more than an unpresentable aphrodisiac pill. Yet now, a Foundation Establishment cultivator was telling him... His little brother had actually refined a mid-grade pill! What did that imply? Even though Qin Liangchen had taken high-grade pills before, buying and swallowing them was one thing; concocting them was entirely another! That represented countless failures, as well as exceptional alchemy talent. Especially considering Luo Chen was merely a mid-stage Qi Refinement rogue cultivator without family backing or sect support, completely unable to afford many failed batches. The conclusion was obvious: He possessed an alchemy talent that could only be described as terrifying—monstrous, even! "My good little brother, you hid this deep, didn't you?" Qin Liangchen looked at Luo Chen faintly, a touch of resentment in his eyes. He had no idea that at this moment, cold sweat was already drenching Luo Chen's back. *Have I finally caught their attention?* *What awaits me next?* Looking at the young man who stood taller than him even with his head lowered, Mi Shuhua seemed to recall something. He patted Luo Chen on the shoulder. "Raise your head!" "Your cultivation may be low, but you must never lack pride!" Luo Chen did as told and looked up, meeting the kindly, elder-like smile on the man's face. A chill ran through his heart. On his face, however, he showed a resolute expression—lips pursed, eyes wide. "Xiao Luo takes this to heart!" Mi Shuhua smiled in satisfaction, then said, "Right now, the Mountain Breaker Gang has the Seven Tigers Hall, and now Wang Yuan's Flood Dragon Hall. Everything is back on track and flourishing. Tell me, what would you think if we established a Pill Hall as well?" Qin Liangchen hesitated, his gaze instinctively drifting to Luo Chen. "Luo Chen, how about you become the master of this Pill Hall?" Mi Shuhua said with a beaming smile. Flattered and overwhelmed, Luo Chen waved his hands repeatedly. "Xiao Luo's cultivation is meager, and my alchemy skills are laughable. I'm afraid I cannot shoulder the responsibility of a hall master." "Young man, have a little confidence!" Mi Shuhua turned, clasped his hands behind his back, and strolled forward. "I think very highly of you!" "Once the Pill Hall is established, the other eight halls will look out for you as best they can." "I also have some books related to alchemy and one or two pill recipes, which I will lend you to read." "In addition, the Mountain Breaker Gang will purchase a shop in the inner city, where the pills produced by the Pill Hall will have a dedicated place." "Xiao Luo, don't let everyone down!" ... "Hall Master Luo, you'll have to take good care of us two in the future!" "Sister-in-law, you jest. I hardly deserve that title!" "Hehe, you two go on chatting. I'll go rest." Murong Qinglian set down a pot of wine and walked gracefully away. Left behind in the living room were two men, one deep in thought and the other smiling bitterly. After a long while, Qin Liangchen snapped out of his daze. Right in front of Luo Chen, he activated a talisman. "This is a Soundproofing Talisman. It blocks Qi Refinement cultivators from eavesdropping. While it can't block the probing of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, the talisman will spontaneously ignite the moment it is touched." Looking at the talisman, Luo Chen understood that Qin Liangchen probably wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk with him. To speak of a heart-to-heart might seem a little laughable. Unlike Wang Yuan, Qin Liangchen had no history of favors traded with Luo Chen, nor did he share the camaraderie of sharing a market stall like Old Daoist Chen. Yet this scene felt completely natural. Simply because the two of them felt like kindred spirits who regretted not meeting sooner, two like-minded souls cut from the same cloth. Especially after fighting side by side through this recent ordeal, their temperaments and dispositions suited each other well. Thus, seeing Qin Liangchen assume such a posture, Luo Chen grew serious as well. "Brother Qin, speak your mind." Qin Liangchen gave an affirmative grunt. "Let me ask you: if the Pill Hall is set up, do you truly have the ability to sustain it?" Luo Chen gave it serious thought, then slowly nodded. Surprise flickered across Qin Liangchen's face; he hadn't expected the young man to actually possess such confidence! "Then here comes the question: what are your demands?" "First, it must not interfere with my cultivation!" Luo Chen said with a solemn face, adding, "Not only that, but the Mountain Breaker Gang must support my cultivation with all their might!" Qin Liangchen knitted his brows, then said with certainty, "That requirement isn't unreasonable. The higher your cultivation, the better the pills you can refine. Mi Shuhua can't refuse, and he has the means to support the cultivation of a single mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivator." "Second, I must receive a cut of the profits from the pill production!" "That might be difficult. Your realm is too low, so you won't have much of a say." "I refuse to be a mere tool!" "A tool?" "It means working for free." Qin Liangchen's brows furrowed tight as he pondered deeply. Eventually, he said slowly, "We'll have to fight for this. Your sister-in-law and I will definitely support you, and Wang Yuan certainly will too. But Mi Shuhua and the other hall masters probably won't budge easily." "If I refuse to cooperate, they can forget about earning a single spirit stone from it," Luo Chen said fiercely. Qin Liangchen laughed. "You're a mere Qi Refinement Layer 5. What good will refusing to cooperate do? Aren't you afraid of dying?" "Give me liberty, or give me death!" Luo Chen declared resolutely. "Are you serious?" Luo Chen's face instantly collapsed. "Of course I'm joking! Who would want to die if they could live?" Qin Liangchen poured him a cup of wine and picked up his own to drink. Luo Chen also took a sip of wine with a long face. He had tried so hard to avoid becoming someone's tool, yet in the end, things had still come to this. All he could say was that a rogue cultivator who was also an alchemist drew far too much attention. Previously, he had Wang Yuan covering for him. But now, the person looking to exploit him was even more formidable than Wang Yuan—in fact, he was Wang Yuan's direct superior. Suddenly, Qin Liangchen set down his cup. "Go look up Old Man Yuan!" "Who?" "The crippled old man who sells you yellow pear wine!" Luo Chen's eyes lit up. "You mean Ravine-Leaping Tiger's elderly father, Yuan Xiaoyue's grandfather?" "Yes. Although his leg is crippled and his son is dead, his words still carry weight in the Mountain Breaker Gang. Coiled-Dragon Tiger was his apprentice once, and the new master of the Mining Hall is also a former subordinate of Ravine-Leaping Tiger. Besides, I'll get in touch with my sworn brother, Ke Yuelin, as well." At the mention of Ke Yuelin, Qin Liangchen paused briefly. Then he said with certainty, "That way, between the eight halls, myself, and another elder, half will be on your side." "Of course, those are just verbal promises. No one wants to give up potential profits. Therefore, you will also need to make some commitments." "Such as?" "Once your cultivation improves, refining pills that boost cultivation for everyone. Or perhaps training an alchemist or two for them." At this point, he looked at Luo Chen. "You know how to teach, right?" Luo Chen gave a sly grin. "Of course I do. If they fail to learn, that just means they have no talent for alchemy." "You little brat, you really aren't as innocent as you look on the surface," Qin Liangchen chided with a chuckle, before asking curiously, "Then what is your final demand?" Luo Chen took a deep breath and spoke bluntly: "Longevity extension!" "Any lifespan-extending technique, pill, or natural treasure!" Qin Liangchen was stunned, staring at Luo Chen in bewilderment. "You're only twenty-seven!" "I'll be twenty-eight after the New Year." "But when it comes to things tied to lifespan, no one will part with them," Qin Liangchen sighed. If anyone truly had treasures like that, who would be willing to give them to someone else? If Mi Shuhua got his hands on one, he would likely be the first to consume it himself. "I have five-element spiritual roots, and I was born with a deficient constitution. An expert once told me that I wouldn't live past eighty. That's why I must have lifespan-extending items." "Even so..." "Brother Qin, in fact, we can put this final demand at the very top." "Huh?" Qin Liangchen was taken aback, then seemed to realize what he meant. Pondering it for a moment, he burst into laughter. "Very well, we'll do it your way." Having settled the negotiation strategy, both men felt more grounded. Sipping their wine alongside small side dishes, Qin Liangchen began chatting about some of the lesser-known people and matters within the Mountain Breaker Gang. By the end, his tone grew deeply melancholic. "Xiao Luo, do you know what crossed my mind tonight when Old Man Mi said those things to you?" *Which things?* *Raise your head! Your cultivation may be low, but you must never lack pride!* *Young man, have a little confidence!* *I think very highly of you!* *Don't let everyone down!* "Back then, I was thinking..." "This very moment was so much like that moment back then!"