Chapter 134

Huff! Huff! Huff!

Never before had Luo Chen's breathing been so rapid.

His heart hammered for it.

His gaze cast aside almost everything else, staring fixedly at that pure white pill suspended in mid-air.

Foundation Establishment Pill!

At such close range, Luo Chen saw the true appearance of a Foundation Establishment Pill for the first time.

Four wisps of pill patterns, like clouds and mist, set off this pill, making it seem so sacred.

After a long while, he gritted his teeth and forcibly compelled himself to shift his gaze away.

He said in a hoarse voice: "What is the meaning of the Gang Leader's action?"

Mi Shuhua was very satisfied with his reaction, yet he also felt a trace of surprise that Luo Chen could suppress his greed so quickly.

He did not take back the pill, letting it quietly hover in mid-air.

Mi Shuhua's expression became serious, "It's very simple, I want you to refine Jade Marrow Pills with all your might, without the slightest reservation."

"I have already done my utmost..."

"No, you haven't!"

Mi Shuhua narrowed his eyes slightly, saying word by word: "I sent people to investigate the situation regarding your sales of Myriad Wonder Pills. After you refined mid-grade Myriad Wonder Pills, you almost never produced low-grade ones again. The same goes for the high-grade ones!"

"In other words, you have a more terrifying and extreme talent in alchemy than we imagined."

"At the beginning, I wasn't quite sure."

"But when you first refined Jade Marrow Pills on a large scale, you revealed some clues."

"Do you still remember what your pill success rate was at that time?"

Luo Chen's breathing almost stopped.

All along, he had felt that he was doing very well, almost seamlessly.

And he was confident that even if Mi Shuhua knew he was skimming some Jade Marrow Pills, he wouldn't pursue it deeply.

From the past, and even now, Mi Shuhua had indeed not caused him any trouble.

But he hadn't expected that the alchemy attainments he had been trying to hide had suddenly been exposed.

A thick account book appeared in Mi Shuhua's hand.

With a flick of his hand, the account book flipped to the first few pages.

"In the 3407th year of the Shanhai calendar, December 1st, at the beginning of winter, the Alchemy Hall obtained ten low-grade Jade Marrow Pills and twenty mid-grade Jade Marrow Pills, consuming a total of four sets of raw materials, with a pill success rate of fifty percent. The ratio of low to mid-grade was one to two!"

After reading this sentence without a trace of emotion, Mi Shuhua stared fixedly at Luo Chen.

"Based on my understanding of you, you must have skimmed a portion while collecting the pills yourself, and it's highly likely they were the mid-grade Jade Marrow Pills of the best quality!"

"Luo Chen, I'm not wrong, am I!"

Luo Chen's forehead broke out in sweat, and he remained silent.

Mi Shuhua didn't seem to want to hear his answer either, continuing: "I don't understand alchemy, but I know that the art of alchemy is just a matter of practice! It only gets more and more proficient, with better and better success rates; there's no reason for it to get worse."

"But after that time, your success rate never returned to above fifty percent."

"Not only that, the ratio of low-grade to mid-grade even fell to seven-three at one point. Even after you claimed your alchemy attainments had improved slightly, it was barely a six-four ratio."

"Luo Chen, what explanation do you have for this?"

Explanation?

What explanation could Luo Chen give?

He could only remain terrified, head bowed, waist bent, continuing to say nothing.

Sweat fell, drop after drop.

In the stone room, the pattering sound was like raindrops from the eaves falling onto the bluestone slab.

Quiet, unspeakable, oppressive.

Like a high-and-mighty emperor looking down on a subject who had committed a great crime.

Seeing him in this state, Mi Shuhua couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

What a cunning little fox; it really almost fooled me.

But that's fine, now that it's been found out, it's not too late.

The beating is about enough.

Next, it's time to win over his heart and maximize Luo Chen's utility.

Right now, he really needs this value!

The quiet atmosphere was soon broken by Mi Shuhua's noticeably softened tone.

"I know you come from a background as a loose cultivator, just like me back then, wary of everything and trusting no one. Even if there's the slightest benefit, you're unwilling to give it up."

"But I consider myself to have treated you well!"

"You want elixirs, I give them. You want auxiliary cultivation resources, I give them. You want Qi Refining insights, I give them."

"I even took the initiative to send over things like the Pulse-Moistening Liquid and the small Spirit-Gathering Array."

"Any one of these things, if taken out, would be enough to make loose cultivators fight to the death, but you can enjoy them without even stepping out of your door. I even forcibly suppressed the dissatisfaction of my Mi family cultivators because of it."

"So, shouldn't you also reciprocate and do your utmost to serve me?"

A hoarse voice sounded from Luo Chen's mouth.

"I deserve to die, short-sighted, blinded by greed."

He stood there respectfully, recounting his own sins.

He even confessed to many of the mid-grade Jade Marrow Pills he had skimmed.

Hearing these confessions, Mi Shuhua couldn't help but reveal a satisfied smile.

"And in the future?"

Luo Chen said resolutely: "I will do my utmost to serve you!"

Not enough, still not enough!

"I know you're also worried that your terrifying alchemy talent will attract the covetousness of others." Mi Shuhua said proactively, as if to exonerate Luo Chen: "But now that you have my protection, and the name of Alchemist Danchenzi has already been well-laid, it is only right and proper for you to show some of your brilliance."

"Gang Leader is right, I was indeed short-sighted before!"

Luo Chen was filled with remorse, almost slapping his own mouth.

"I once promised you that when you reach Foundation Establishment, I would definitely buy you a Foundation Establishment Pill; do you still remember?"

Luo Chen raised his head, his gaze falling on that Foundation Establishment Pill.

Mi Shuhua nodded at him, "I am not one to make empty promises; this Foundation Establishment Pill now belongs to you."

Luo Chen was stunned; it really belongs to me?

Then the next moment, he saw the Foundation Establishment Pill fall into a jade box.

The jade box then floated in front of Luo Chen.

"When you reach the perfection of Qi Refining, you can come find me, and I will unlock the restriction on it for you."

"How about it, now that the Foundation Establishment Pill is in your hands, you can be at ease, right!"

Luo Chen was in a daze, holding the jade box, still unable to believe it.

A Foundation Establishment Pill, obtained so easily?

His gaze fell on Mi Shuhua's expectant face.

Suddenly!

His expression turned solemn.

He then pointed to the sky and swore an oath.

"As long as Luo Chen is in the Poshan Gang for one day, I will refine as many mid-grade Jade Marrow Pills as possible, and will no longer hide my skills! If I deceive you, may I be struck by lightning!"

Hearing this promise, Mi Shuhua finally revealed a look of satisfaction.

Although some people don't take a cultivator's oath seriously, it's still somewhat useful, more or less.

Especially for someone like Luo Chen, who has his heart set on the Great Dao.

He was extremely satisfied!

In today's showdown, it was Mi Shuhua who had the last laugh after all.

A little fox is no match for an old fox!

Accompanied by Mi Junping, Luo Chen, with a face full of gratitude, left the Mi family.

Mi Junping couldn't help but sneer inwardly at his change in demeanor.

This kid hides really deep; does he really think a Foundation Establishment cultivator is so easy to fool!

From now on, just do your best to be a beast of burden for the Mi family!

Not until Luo Chen returned safely to the Inner City and hid in his own home did the gratitude on his face completely fade away.

Taking out the jade box, Luo Chen's face was gloomy.

Foundation Establishment Pill!

What kind of damn ghost Foundation Establishment Pill!

It's nothing more than a big pie in the sky!

And this pie is one that many people have been fooled into wanting to eat.

Han Dang, the Heart-Devouring Tiger who died on the Discussion Platform, Qin Liangchen who lost an arm, and even Zeng Wen and Wang Yuan of the Poshan Gang, and so on.

Now, this big pie has come into Luo Chen's hands.

But he can only look at it, yet cannot eat it.

Under the gaze of Luo Chen's Spiritual Eye Art, the restrictions on the jade box were so dense that there was almost no way to start.

This couldn't even be considered a restriction anymore; it could be called a small sealing array!

A Qi Refining cultivator shouldn't even think about how to unlock it.

A Foundation Establishment cultivator, other than Mi Shuhua himself, would also be unable to unlock it.

Because on it, there was also Mi Shuhua's spiritual sense imprint; once touched, the items inside the box would collapse.

Perhaps only a Jin Dan cultivator, who is completely a major realm higher, could easily unlock it.

But for a mere Foundation Establishment Pill, how could one possibly invite a Jin Dan cultivator to take action?

"It's quite a calculation; I fear he's been waiting for me to make that Great Dao oath all along!"

Luo Chen clenched his fists, his anger surging.

Mi Shuhua treated him well, but when had he ever let Mi Shuhua suffer a loss?

Just from the Jade Marrow Pills refined previously, the bulk of the profits were all taken by Mi Shuhua.

Yet today, he still set up such a trap for him!

Taking deep breaths, Luo Chen forced himself to calm down.

He began to recall every single thing he had encountered after stepping into the stone room.

Whether it was the pseudo-second-tier spirit vein stone room created by the second-tier Spirit-Gathering Array, the monthly cultivation sessions, or even the Foundation Establishment Pill revealed at the end.

Every one of them was striking at Luo Chen's heart with huge temptations.

After laying the groundwork, he then suddenly brought up Luo Chen's previous hiding of skills and corruption.

Under such a huge impact, I fear anyone would be unable to bear it.

But as it happens, Luo Chen, this transmigrator, has experienced plenty of PUA from his superiors and leaders.

Especially when Mi Shuhua handed that sealed Foundation Establishment Pill to Luo Chen.

He knew that this was the most typical "carry a big stick, give a sweet date."

"This old man's art of controlling subordinates is truly skillful."

Playing with the jade box, Luo Chen could easily guess that the Foundation Establishment Pill inside was the one nominally belonging to Qin Liangchen.

Now that Mi Shuhua has given it to him, isn't it just being used to sow discord between himself and Qin Liangchen?

In the Poshan Gang, besides Wang Yuan, it was Qin Liangchen and his wife who had the best relationship with him, and they could rely on each other.

Now that he has taken someone else's Foundation Establishment Pill, no matter what happens in the future, there will be a sense of estrangement toward Qin Liangchen in his heart.

But this thing, it's visible, yet inedible!

It's purely meant to disgust people!

One pill to kill two warriors?

No, counting the cultivators who died because of this Foundation Establishment Pill, it's more than two!

In the final analysis, it was still his own carelessness.

Back when his Jade Marrow Pill proficiency reached the perfect level, in order not to make Mi Shuhua wait too anxiously, he started large-scale refining.

Without master-level proficiency, he was unable to control the pill success ratio well.

That Mi Shuhua is also a mindful person; by slightly checking the situation of his previous sales of Myriad Wonder Pills, he probably guessed the truth about his hiding of skills.

What an old fox... no!

Luo Chen frowned, "He found out through the Alchemy Hall's account books, but if he knew before, why didn't he say anything?"

The ratio of pill grades would have a huge impact on profits.

The profits involved here aren't just one or two spirit stones, but hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of spirit stones!

"I occasionally skim a little, he wouldn't mind. But involving such huge profits, he should have talked to me long ago."

"Which means, he actually only discovered it recently!"

Thinking this through, Luo Chen could only curse "old scoundrel."

But fortunately, he did keep a hand in reserve after all.

Luo Chen had played a trick on the Great Dao oath he made while following the atmosphere at the time.

"Refine as many mid-grade Jade Marrow Pills as possible; this doesn't include high-grade Jade Marrow Pills!"

Although Mi Shuhua overestimated Luo Chen's alchemy talent, he didn't expect that Luo Chen could already refine high-grade Jade Marrow Pills.

The profits from this are even more enormous!

Moreover, this sentence also had a premise.

That is, "As long as Luo Chen is in the Poshan Gang for one day."

In other words, if Luo Chen runs away, this oath will also collapse on its own.

Mi Shuhua should be able to guess this point, but he was very confident in the methods he left on Luo Chen, so he didn't expose it.

Especially after Luo Chen racked his brains to hide his realm, only to be seen through by Mi Shuhua.

Mi Shuhua became even more confident in his methods.

Both had their own calculations, but in the end, it was Luo Chen who was at a disadvantage.

The reason is very simple: his strength is not as good as the other's.

"I only hate that I don't have Foundation Establishment strength; otherwise, why would I have to be servile and act like a villain!"

"Foundation Establishment, Foundation Establishment..."

Luo Chen muttered this term; never before had his heart for Foundation Establishment been so intense!

But for now, he was ultimately powerless.

Putting the jade box away properly, Luo Chen sighed.

He couldn't hide his skills anymore; he really had to refine mid-grade Jade Marrow Pills on a massive scale.

He didn't know if the name of Alchemy Master Danchenzi was really useful or not.

Could Mi Shuhua's mid-stage Foundation Establishment strength really protect him well?

These were all unknowns.

Luo Chen really disliked this feeling of having his life and death controlled by others; he even already had thoughts of running away.

The best escape route was Changyin Mountain.

That area had already been explored quite thoroughly, and by relying on the master-level Qi-concealing technique, he could hide relatively safely.

But Changyin Mountain was still too close to Dahe Market.

There was only one Huiye Mountain separating them.

What if he went deeper into the Xiaoyue Mountain Range and took a detour to other markets?

According to the map planning, to go from the Xiaoyue Mountain Range to the nearest other market, he would at least have to cross the Great Snow Mountain.

In the million mountains of the Eastern Wasteland, the deeper one goes, the higher the rank of the demonic beasts, and there is no lack of third-tier and fourth-tier demonic beasts among them.

A master-level Qi-concealing technique, I fear, is not enough!

However, he was already very close to the Great Perfection level; he could seize the time to practice more recently.

Another problem with running away was also very prominent.

That is, after running away, how would he solve the problem of cultivation?

In the deep mountains and wild forests, there was no stable and safe cultivation environment.

Moreover, with his aptitude, relying solely on the operation of his cultivation technique, his cultivation speed would at most reach the efficiency of a dual-spirit-root aptitude.

And that was only with the support of a cultivation environment like a spirit vein cave.

He needed elixirs, a large amount of elixirs, and preferably orthodox cultivation elixirs produced by the Spirit Medicine Pavilion.

This was also something the deep mountains and wild forests could not provide.

As for other auxiliary cultivation resources, Luo Chen hadn't even thought that far yet.

"A loose cultivator seems carefree. But when it comes to cultivation, it's truly useless!"

Luo Chen shook his head; if he really wanted to run away, he had to at least prepare enough cultivation resources first.

And all of these required a large amount of spirit stones.

"Fine, I'll just work hard for a few months and make a big profit first!"

"With master-level proficiency in Jade Marrow Pills at full power, the output of elixirs will probably make the Alchemy Hall cultivators stare in astonishment!"

Luo Chen thought to himself, finding joy in his bitterness.

But as soon as he thought that Mi Shuhua would definitely earn more after he went full power, he felt a bit stifled in his heart.

"Speaking of which, Mi Shuhua suddenly used all sorts of methods to deal with me, both temptation and suppression, and finally promised a heavy treasure, the Foundation Establishment Pill. Such urgent chain methods don't fit his traditional art of controlling subordinates at all!"

Suddenly, Luo Chen thought of that sickly pale face he saw when he first entered the stone room.

"He was seriously injured?"