Immortality and Cultivation: Starting with Harvesting the Talents of Demonic Beasts

Chapter 11 An unexpected surprise
"Not bad!"

Master Mo took the box, opened it, glanced at it, and commented, "Now my Zichuan Pill Shop has gained another pill master!"

This also confirmed Lin Changheng's identity as an alchemist.

Lin Changheng also smiled.

"Remaining calm in the face of honor or disgrace is excellent. Keep it up."

Master Mo praised him highly, and then said, "In six months, we will return to the Xu family so that you can refine pills and advance your cultivation."

"Six months? By then, the 'great reclamation' will have begun in its initial stages, right?"

“That’s right.” Master Mo thought for a moment and then revealed another piece of information, “Originally, we could have gone back in three months, but Zichuanfang is going to be abandoned, so the clan has decided that we will all leave together, which will save us from running around.”

Upon hearing this news, Lin Changheng was suddenly startled.

Zichuanfang flourished for decades, but showed signs of decline five years ago and began to decay. The Xu family even withdrew a master alchemist, and now they are going to give up completely?

Moreover, this "abandonment" is certainly not the abandonment of one family, but the abandonment of many forces together!

Before he could think it over, Master Mo continued, "Now that your status is different, it's alright to tell you these secrets. You can prepare in advance."

After saying this, Master Mo turned and left, not forgetting to return the wooden box to Lin Changheng before leaving, believing it to have special significance for him.

Lin Changheng accepted the gifts with a smile. All he knew was that these were two low-grade spirit stones!

However, he was also wary of the impending changes in the market and made up his mind never to leave the market.

……

The news quickly spread within the Xu family's alchemy shop and gradually spread throughout the neighborhood.

Within three days, everyone in Zichuanfang knew that the Xu family's alchemy shop had gained a new rank-up alchemist, who had been promoted from an apprentice.

Lin Changheng finally received a reply from the Xu family.

As Mo Shi suggested, Lin Changheng's previous apprenticeship benefits were retained, but his job was terminated.

They also sent two apprentices from the clan with basic skills to assist them.

Now, here comes the important part.
That is, the division of alchemy.

Lin Changheng needs to open ten batches of Crimson Flame Pills every month, with five pills per batch. The materials are provided by the shop, and he needs to submit a quota based on a 50% success rate.

The rest, no matter how much more there is, belongs to Lin Changheng himself.

It can be sold to shops at market price, or you can use it for your own cultivation.

For the first month from now on, a lower success rate is acceptable as practice.

"what do you think?"

Master Mo picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then asked Lin Changheng for his opinion.

“I accept the arrangements made by my clan.”

Lin Changheng quickly calculated that with his current alchemy skills, refining five pills in one batch was just within his limit.

Ten batches of Crimson Flame Pills are produced each month, which amounts to fifty pills.

With his profound understanding of alchemy theory, mastery of alchemy techniques, and practical fire control, coupled with his careful approach and avoidance of unexpected events, his success rate in producing pills is extremely high, and he rarely produces inferior pills.

By handing over 50%, Lin Changheng can still net 25 Crimson Flame Pills.

One Crimson Flame Pill costs two spirit stones, so that's fifty spirit stones.

In addition to the apprentice's monthly stipend of three spirit stones, that's fifty-three spirit stones in hand!
The earnings from one month are equivalent to all the income earned in the past year and a half.

No wonder they say alchemy is a gold mine, and alchemists are the ones who dig it up; their efficiency in earning spirit stones is astonishing!
However, he will not reveal all his strength.

After all, such a high success rate in pill formation is too astonishing, especially considering that he has only recently entered the cultivation stage. It might attract unwanted attention and prying eyes from within the clan and from the outside world, which would be disastrous.

It was not uncommon for people to be captured and imprisoned as slaves.

A few years ago, a genius talisman master from Zichuanfang mysteriously disappeared outside the neighborhood and vanished without a trace. No one has seen him since!

Lin Changheng is worthy of the title of alchemist, but the title of "genius alchemist" is a case of praising someone and then destroying them; let's forget about it!

Moreover, he already had a plan: to openly control the success rate of alchemy to around 60%, and to sell the remaining 10% of the pills to shops for spirit stones. The remaining 40% would need to be kept hidden.

Keep the portion for yourself to accelerate your cultivation, and then find an opportunity to sell the rest.

……

"Very good."

Seeing that Lin Changheng's attitude had not changed drastically due to the sudden change in his status, Master Mo nodded and said, "Then let's do it this way."

Next,
He then summoned two more young people, a man and a woman, both unfamiliar faces.

The man's name is Xu Liucai, and the woman's name is Xu Liuli.

These were none other than the two alchemy apprentices sent by Xu Jiaxin.

"You choose one?"

Master Mo said cheerfully that Lin Changheng should choose first.

"Just him."

Without much thought, Lin Changheng ignored the female apprentice who had a delicate, refined air and was staring at him with wide eyes, and pointed to the honest-looking male apprentice.

"it is good."

Ignoring the expressions of the two apprentices, Master Mo smiled indifferently.

……

A month passed quickly.

After Lin Changheng finished reciting the incantation for combining medicine, he walked out of the newly opened alchemy room. Xu Liucai, who was guarding the door, saw the door open from the inside and quickly stood up to greet him, "Master Lin."

"Go ahead and keep a close watch on the fire."

With a smile, Lin Changheng gave a brief explanation and then entered a small, newly vacated room on the first floor of the shop.

Originally, Master Mo planned to convert half of his training room on the second floor for Lin Changheng to rest and practice, but Lin Changheng resolutely refused.

They strongly opposed it on the grounds that disciples should not share a room with their teachers.

They then set up a separate shop on the first floor.

On the surface, Master Mo seemed indifferent, and even criticized Lin Changheng for being too pedantic, but deep down he was very pleased, believing that he had not taught the wrong person all these years.

Therefore, when Lin Changheng suggested that the new apprentices might not be able to handle the waste pills properly, and that they wouldn't have much time to stay at Zichuan Workshop, so it would be better to let him do it, Master Mo readily agreed.

He guessed that Lin Changheng was at most trying to use the discarded pills to cover up his success rate in pill production. What else could he be doing?
Beyond the 50% submission quota, the rest was left to their discretion.

Therefore, he stopped managing it and entrusted the matter of discarding the pills to Lin Changheng.

They even gave him the inferior [Wood Essence Pill].

"what?"

Lin Changheng was stunned to see a stack of long wooden boxes that had appeared out of nowhere.

Overwhelmed by unexpected joy, his face twitched, and he tried his best to control himself, so he pretended to be stunned to cover it up. But Master Mo chuckled and said somewhat embarrassedly, "Then Changheng, why don't you deal with the [Wood Essence Pill] as well?"

Something seems off...

Is he embarrassed?
Does Master Mo think my surprise stems from my displeasure at being burdened with extra responsibilities?

Good heavens, how is this possible?!
"Changheng is willing to share Mo Shi's burdens!"

But on the surface, he still twisted his expression, revealing a look of being ready to go through fire and water, and immediately agreed.

Fearing that Master Mo might overthink things and withdraw the order, they decided to withdraw it.

"Very good! I knew I hadn't misjudged you!"

Master Mo's smile blossomed like a daisy, and his hearty laughter could be clearly heard even on the first floor, causing the waiters and shopkeepers working there to exchange bewildered glances, wondering why Master Mo could be so happy...

(End of this chapter)