Cultivation: I Have Studied Abroad in the Modern World

"Sect Leader, why are you here?"

Zhao Jingfan looked at Song Sect Leader in the alchemy room and asked in surprise.

Song Sect Leader was staring at the flames inside the alchemy furnace, his brows furrowed, expression focused, and ignored him. Only when the spiritual fire extinguished did he turn to Zhao Jingfan.

"Why can't I be here?"

Zhao Jingfan didn't reply.

Beside the alchemy furnace, Elder Xiong picked up a newly refined spirit pill and sniffed it. A terrifying blue-purple color appeared at his nose, spreading to his cheeks and forehead, as if he was poisoned.

"Phew!"

Elder Xiong exhaled, and a black vapor was expelled from his mouth, producing a sizzling sound in the air, which sounded somewhat eerie.

"The pill poison is too strong."

His face turned from green to white, then darkened again, seemingly dispirited, and he looked at Song Sect Leader and asked:

"Do you have any ideas?"

Song Sect Leader stroked the beard on his chin, pondering deeply, and said, "Currently, this spirit pill has some medicinal properties, but they are lacking, yet the pill poison is exceedingly strong..."

"Perhaps there are too many impurities."

Elder Xiong nodded, seeming to agree with his judgment, and sighed, "I'm afraid it's still the issue with these two ingredients. Let's not talk about the Five Elements Orchid; I've heard of the Frost Leaf but really don't know its purpose, and I couldn't find it in the sect's records."

"I've used all secret techniques, yet the pill poison remains strong..."

As he spoke, an expression of defeat appeared on his face, as if he had lost confidence.

"Grand Elder, I have already summoned the pill masters above the Golden Core level within the sect to contribute collectively." Song Sect Leader's tone was extremely resolute, with a determined momentum, "All secret techniques, elixir recipes, records, everything must be brought out; this is no time to be selfish."

"If this spirit pill fails, then so be it."

"If it succeeds, it can only be refined by our Qingmu Sect!"

These words startled Zhao Jingfan.

He now understood that Song Sect Leader was not just personally involved in helping the Grand Elder with alchemy.

He was mobilizing the entire sect for this batch of pills.

Why?

He looked at the Sect Leader, not understanding.

Song Sect Leader glanced at him, seeming to perceive his confusion, and said flatly, "The reputation of Qingmu Sect as the leading alchemy sect within the Hundred Immortals Alliance cannot be lost!"

"Oh."

Zhao Jingfan had a compliant expression, but a questioning heart.

Is reputation really that important?

"Confused, when you are to lead Qingmu Sect in the future, don't you want to understand this?"

Zhao Jingfan was at a loss for a moment, but given his intelligence and experience leading the Zhao Family for years, he quickly grasped the situation:

"The Alchemist Guild?"

"Exactly!"

Song Sect Leader's voice was tinged with some gratification, even surprise, as if he hadn't expected it.

Zhao Jingfan felt that the Sect Leader's delight at his not being a fool was somewhat insulting.

"Sect Leader, I'm not really foolish... We've sold our ancestral secret techniques, and if the Jiushan Sect has better ones, won't ours be worthless?"

"That's correct."

Elder Xiong sighed and said, "The issue is, if Jiushan Sect succeeds, it's tolerable; what really irks us is... if a group of Foundation Establishment disciples can produce spirit pills we can't..."

"The face of Qingmu Sect is a minor matter."

"How we can establish ourselves in the future is a major one..."

"What about patent rights, do we still have a share?"

Zhao Jingfan felt somewhat enlightened; he had previously thought Elder Xiong was merely driven by rivalry but now realized... this was a contention between two schools of the Alchemy Dao.

The parallel experimentation mentioned by Zheng Fa had developed into a dispute between traditional Xuanwei Alchemy represented by Qingmu Sect and new alchemy methods represented by Jiushan disciples.

This contention was crucial for the future influence of the alchemy system in the Hundred Immortals Alliance, or the discourse power within the Alchemy Master Alliance.

"If we cannot surpass that group of Jiushan disciples..." Song Sect Leader's expression also grew heavy, his tone slightly lacking confidence, "Then all the secret techniques we've accumulated."

"The pill masters nurtured in Golden Core and Nascent Soul."

"Even our Qingmu Sect's stature, would it become insignificant?"

"Do you understand?"

Zhao Jingfan was silent for a while, then murmured, "Grand Elder, weren't you quite confident just two days ago?"

At that time, he had said something about winning without honor; now he was frantically calling for help.

Absolutely bewildering!

Elder Xiong's expression was a bit awkward, and after a pause, he said hesitantly, "Of course I have confidence; logically speaking, me being a Nascent Soul, how could I lose to a few Foundations Establishments..."

"But Grand Elder, you..."

"Isn't there Zheng Fa?"

Zhao Jingfan was stunned for a moment, hearing the aggrieved tone in Elder Xiong's voice:

"But looking at Zheng Fa's history, when did he ever follow reason?"

...

As Zhao Jingfan walked into the second alchemy room, he couldn't help but stare at Zheng Fa.

Sometimes he found it fascinating how Zheng Fa now still looked much the same as in his memories.

But Elder Xiong was so... apprehensive.

"What is it?"

Zheng Fa was looking down at the experimental records in his hand when he seemed to sense Zhao Jingfan's gaze and raised his head to ask.

"Nothing... just Song Sect Leader is now exerting all efforts to help Elder Xiong with alchemy."

"He's even said that none in Qingmu Sect should keep anything to themselves now."

After listening, Zheng Fa's expression remained unchanged:

"Oh."

Oh?

This response was overly calm, prompting a thought in Zhao Jingfan's mind: "Did you foresee this early on?"

"Yes."

Zheng Fa lifted his eyes, looked at him, and smiled; this smile sent a chill down Zhao Jingfan's spine...

Nothing unchanged my foot.

Why does Zheng Fa seem more devious each time?

He felt he had understood Zheng Fa's intentions as well—

Whether this group of Foundation Establishment disciples could actually produce pills might not be important.