The news that Li Mengze had submitted the "Pure Source Pill" formula to the academy finally reached Zhang Ao.
"Mengze, have you gone mad?"
His face was full of disbelief. "This is your own improved formula, your unique craft! Just giving it away like this? Think of all the spirit stones you're losing! Don't you realize how much smoother your cultivation path would be with those resources?"
He genuinely felt regret for his friend, along with some guilt. If not for him, why would Li Mengze have needed to trade the Pure Source Pill formula with the academy?
Li Mengze couldn't help but laugh at his friend's "heartbroken" expression, as if he'd lost hundreds of spirit stones.
He patted Zhang Ao's shoulder, gesturing for him to sit down.
"The Pure Source Pill may be good, but given the current situation, it's beyond my control now. For someone like Huang Teng, this is a piece of fat meat he thinks he can take a bite from."
He paused before continuing, "Think about it—if I kept the formula to myself, Huang Teng would be like a mosquito smelling blood, harassing me with every means possible, even using more despicable methods. While I can protect myself at the academy, what about my family? I can't be on guard against such scoundrels all the time."
Zhang Ao frowned deeply upon hearing this.
"By offering the formula to the academy, I gained Contribution Points, while this hot potato became the academy's possession. It's actually a win-win situation."A faint smile curved Li Mengze's lips. "No matter how bold Huang Teng is, he wouldn't dare openly oppose the entire academy. If he acts, he'll be challenging the academy's interests. Tell me then—whose fists are harder, the academy's or the Huang family's martial arts disciples' legs? Especially since you deliberately concealed that the formula was transferred to the academy..."
"Using others to eliminate your enemy!"
Zhang Ao suddenly understood, his gaze shifting from "regretful" to "admiring" as he looked at Li Mengze. "You clever bastard! This Pure Source Pill scheme is brilliant!"
"Just some petty tricks for self-preservation."
Li Mengze chuckled. "We're friends. I haven't forgotten your grudge. But a gentleman's revenge is never rushed. Only when we become strong enough can we repay those past humiliations with interest."
Zhang Ao nodded solemnly, thinking to himself: I'm not yet strong, but when I am, things will change!
.........
At the academy's alchemy hall,
The hall began producing the "Pure Source Pill."
But new problems quickly emerged.
The difficulty of refining the "Pure Source Pill" was far higher than imagined.
Especially the critical step of "harmonizing fire and water, combining ice and flame in the same cauldron," which placed extreme demands on the alchemist's spiritual sense and fire control.
Within the entire hall, only a handful could stably produce pills with three or more pill patterns.
The hall's director, Liu Bai—affectionately called Elder Liu—was a true "alchemy fanatic."
Over seventy years old with cultivation at the late Qi Refining stage, he had devoted his entire life to pill refining and was one of the academy's most respected teachers.
Elder Liu was humble and rigorous in his studies, never judging disciples by their backgrounds.
In his eyes, there were only two types of people: those who could refine pills, and those who couldn't.
When he received the "Pure Source Pill" formula, he was immediately captivated by its exquisite pharmacological balance and bold conception.
"Marvelous! Truly marvelous!"
He studied the formula for days, sometimes clapping in admiration, other times frowning deeply. For one particular issue regarding medicinal potency neutralization, he went several days without sleep.
"No good. This 'harmonizing fire and water' step—I always feel something's slightly off. The success rate won't stabilize above eighty percent."
One day, with dark circles under his eyes, Elder Liu personally visited Li Mengze's small courtyard.
This shocked the entire alchemy department.
"Heavens! Elder Liu actually went to seek out Li Mengze himself!"
"Am I seeing things? That's Elder Liu, whom even the Mountain Master treats with respect!"
Under the awed gazes of the disciples, Elder Liu paid no mind and walked straight to where Li Mengze was tending medicinal herbs.
"Young friend Mengze, this old man has a question he can't resolve. I hope you won't withhold your guidance."
Li Mengze, both flattered and apprehensive, quickly stood up to return the courtesy: "Elder Liu, you humble this disciple too much. Please, ask whatever you wish."
His "Insight into Good and Evil" clearly showed that the old man before him emitted an incredibly pure, glass-like aura—the most intense devotion to the alchemical path, completely untainted.
This instantly earned his respect.
"It's about this 'Pure Source Pill.'" Elder Liu didn't stand on ceremony and laid out his confusion directly.
Li Mengze listened quietly.
Though Elder Liu's alchemy skills were profound, he had fallen into the conventional mindset regarding the most critical step.
After some thought, Li Mengze explained in simple terms: "Elder Liu, consider water and fire—they seem opposed, yet can also nurture each other. When merging their medicinal properties, you've been focusing on suppressing the Fire Floss Flower's volatility, forgetting you could use the Ice Crystal Grass's cold nature to guide it. Suppression alone will only cause backlash—it's better to redirect than block..."
He shared all his insights from refining the pill, including his realizations about "yin-yang transformation" and "balancing firmness and gentleness," holding nothing back.
He knew that for a true alchemy fanatic like Elder Liu, no flowery language could compare to sincere exchange of alchemical knowledge.
Elder Liu listened as if intoxicated, sometimes nodding, sometimes lost in thought, his eyes periodically flashing with enlightenment.
"Indeed! When three walk together, one must be my teacher! The ancients spoke truthfully!"
He looked at Li Mengze with undisguised admiration. "Young friend Mengze, your perspective is remarkable! From now on, if you ever need anything, come find me. Whatever this old man can do, I won't refuse!"
From then on, Elder Liu regarded Li Mengze as a "friend across generations," often pulling him into alchemy discussions. Their teacher-student friendship grew increasingly close.
Li Mengze knew this "sincerity" had gained him—and the Li family—an extremely influential ally within the prefectural academy.
Under this master alchemist's guidance, his understanding of pill refining deepened dramatically, his skills advancing by leaps and bounds.
............
At Hundred Herbs Hall, business remained booming.
Shopkeeper Qian grinned so widely his face might split, walking with such a spring in his step his back straightened, greeting everyone cheerfully.
"Shopkeeper Qian! Do you have any Pure Source Pills left today?" A regular customer pushed to the counter urgently.
"None left! None at all!" Shopkeeper Qian waved his hands, face full of smiles. "Today's batch sold out long ago. Come back early tomorrow!"
Just then, an unpleasant roar shattered the lively atmosphere.
"Move! All of you, move aside!"
Seven or eight burly, fierce-looking men roughly shoved through the crowd. Their leader was the chief disciple of Huishan Martial Arts School—a man with a scarred face.
The brutal aura radiating from them made nearby cultivators instinctively retreat.
The scarred man reached the counter and slammed his palm down hard, making the abacus jump.
"Qian! You've got some nerve!"
Seeing their aggressive manner, the old Shopkeeper Qian would have been trembling in fear before.
But now, standing behind him was the entire prefectural academy.
Not only was he unafraid, he leisurely wiped the counter with a cloth, his face carrying a faint trace of mockery.
"Honored guest, I don't understand your meaning. My shop operates with honest business—my courage comes from fair dealings!"
The scarred man froze momentarily before exploding in rage: "Bullshit! Don't play dumb with me! I'm making this clear—stop selling those pills! Or my brothers and I will tear this lousy shop apart!"
At his signal, the men behind him stepped forward in unison, cracking their knuckles menacingly as they glared at Shopkeeper Qian.
Yet Shopkeeper Qian remained utterly unperturbed, even chuckling slightly as he shook his head.
"Honored guests, I advise you to think carefully before acting. If even one tile goes missing from my shop, your Huishan Martial Arts School won't be able to handle the consequences."
His fearless demeanor actually made the scarred man hesitate.
Why is this old bastard so bold today?
But having come this far, how could they back down now?
"Enough threats!" the scarred man blustered. "Today we wreck this place! Let's see who dares oppose the Huang family! Smash it!"
At his command, the men roared and charged toward the nearest herb shelves.
But before their fists could land, an invisible yet mountain-like oppressive force suddenly descended!
"Bam! Bam! Bam!"
The men's knees buckled uncontrollably, crashing onto the hard stone floor and leaving shallow dents.
Their faces turned deathly pale, bodies shaking violently as if crushed by an invisible mountain, unable to move a finger.
The scarred man was flattened completely, face pressed against the cold floor, unable to even lift his head.
"W-who...?!" he stammered in terror.
"The Huang family has quite the audacity."
A calm, aged voice spoke in everyone's ears.
A hunched old man in gray janitor robes, who had been sweeping in a corner, had set down his broom and turned around.
He looked utterly ordinary, but his aged eyes gleamed with an unbearable intensity.
With just a casual flick of his sleeve—
An irresistible force sent the scarred men tumbling out the door like gourds, piling up in the street.
"Tell Huang Teng," the old man's voice carried out, "what belongs to the academy isn't for his taking. Next time won't be so simple."
Then he picked up his broom and resumed sweeping slowly, as if the expert who had effortlessly subdued several martial artists moments earlier was just an illusion.
The scarred men scrambled up, not daring to glance back at Hundred Herbs Hall as they fled in disgrace.
Shopkeeper Qian, filled with triumphant vindication, approached the sweeping elder and bowed deeply.
"Many thanks for your intervention, Elder."
Without looking up, the old man replied mildly, "Mind your business. The rest isn't your concern."
..........
Huang Residence, study.
"Useless! Absolutely useless!"
Huang Teng kicked over a rosewood chair upon hearing the scarred men's embellished account.
"An academy elder? Impossible!"
He roared in disbelief, "That woman Su Qingxue would dare break relations with my Huang family over one disciple?!"
"N-no..." the scarred man stammered, "It was... a janitor old man..."
"A janitor?!"
Huang Teng became even more enraged. "You grown men couldn't even handle a sweeping old man?! You've disgraced the Huang name!"
"Young master, you didn't see it!"
The scarred man said miserably, "That old man was unnatural! With just a sleeve flick, we were like ghosts possessed—couldn't control our limbs! He's definitely some hidden expert from the academy!"
Huang Teng's face cycled through shades of pale and red as fury gave way to icy dread.
That little bastard Li Mengze had played him.
He'd rather give the golden-egg-laying formula to the academy for free, using their influence against him, than share a single spoon with Huang Teng.
Suddenly—
"Disgrace! What madness have you stirred now?!"
The speaker was Huang Teng's father, Huang Dekun, his face livid.
"Father!"
Huang Teng's bluster diminished somewhat, but he still protested, "It's all because of that Li family bastard! He—"
"Silence!"
Huang Dekun cut him off sharply, striding forward to deliver a stinging slap across his son's face.
"Smack!"
The crisp sound echoed sharply in the quiet study.
Huang Teng clutched his burning cheek, completely stunned.
Since childhood, when had his father ever laid a hand on him?
"Do you realize who you've offended today?" Huang Dekun's voice trembled slightly—not from anger, but fear.
"J-just some academy elder?" Huang Teng said uncertainly, naturally not believing the visitor was truly a janitor.
Huang Dekun nearly laughed from sheer fury. Pointing at his son, he hissed:
"You actually think he was merely an academy elder? Do you know his name? He's Qingsong! The academy's guardian who has existed for centuries! Even the Mountain Master addresses him respectfully as 'Elder Qingsong'!"
"Guardian?"
Huang Teng muttered, "Th-that's impossible..."
"Impossible?!" Desperation tinged Huang Dekun's voice.
"Do you know why our Huang family has endured in the prefecture? Because of your petty schemes? No—it's caution! Caution toward those truly beyond our reach! Elder Qingsong sweeps floors and guards gates as part of his cultivation! Provoking him is like stirring a hornet's nest! If not for his mercy, do you think your worthless men would have returned alive?!"
A bone-chilling cold shot up Huang Teng's spine.
He collapsed into his chair, face ashen, body frozen.
Finally, he understood.
Understood why Li Mengze had been so confident.
"That bastard... how vicious..."
Huang Teng muttered brokenly, all arrogance gone, replaced only by uneasy dread.
............
When Li Mengze learned the Huang family had backed down, the tension that had gripped him for days finally eased.
No matter how composed his nature, this battle of wits had drained him mentally.
All this time, he'd forced himself to remain flawless before his teacher, composed before friends, even diverting attention to console fellow alchemy disciples affected by his affairs.
Now that the dust had settled, exhaustion hit him fully.
"Finally over."
Returning to his courtyard, Li Mengze didn't even bother changing clothes before collapsing onto his bed.
Closing his eyes, his consciousness drifted like a weary bird returning to its nest, sinking into that tranquil, warm emerald world.
Within the Emerald Dream, the white jade holy lotus at the lake's heart bloomed quietly.
The glowing orb representing Li Mengze's soul appeared somewhat dim now, floating unsteadily to settle into the lotus's embrace.
A vast yet gentle presence descended like moonlight, softly enveloping the small green light—wordless, yet radiating comfort and warmth.
The orb's flickering gradually steadied as external disturbances were gently soothed away.
From his Spirit Mountain cave dwelling, Li Pingcan had witnessed his son's recent trials through the Emerald Dream.
His heart swelled with both pride and ache.
Pride, because his son had truly surpassed him—not only knowing when to conceal his brilliance, but how to leverage external forces. Facing Huang Teng's relentless pressure, he'd responded with such steady maturity, even counterattacking to permanently sever Huang Teng's ambitions using the academy's might.
Such shrewdness surpassed even many seasoned veterans of the cultivation world.
Yet his heart ached for the burdens his son had borne in this battle.
"So young, yet facing human malice alone."
Li Pingcan sighed inwardly before his gentle eyes flashed with icy coldness.
"Some debts are overdue for collection."
A kindly smile crossed Li Pingcan's face. "A gentleman's revenge waits ten years. I'm no gentleman, so why wait? Settling scores is most satisfying."
Naturally, he wouldn't personally move against the Huang family—that would risk exposure.
But some things didn't require direct action.
The Huang family's prefectural businesses were extensive. The larger the operation, the more vulnerabilities appeared.
He only needed to let certain "interesting" information slip through specific channels—"accidentally" reaching the Huang family's rivals or those prefectural officials who prided themselves on "incorruptibility."
With this thought, Li Pingcan's mood finally lifted completely.
His gaze returned to his son in the Emerald Dream—the small glowing orb had regained its fullness, resting contentedly within the holy lotus's embrace.
"Sleep, sleep."
"With your father here, the sky won't fall."