4: Chapter 4: Concern from Senior Sister Yunlan

"So that's how it is. This is the Profound Truth of the Qingxin Manual, the Mind-Cultivation Technique for women..." Lin Yi realized suddenly.

Subsequently, a massive amount of information flooded into his mind. Lin Yi felt his head swell with pain, but soon... that knowledge was branded deep into his memory.

However, the clearer he became about the requirements of this Cultivation Technique, the colder his heart grew.

The Qingxin Manual requires the practitioner to have a heart as still as water and to sever all worldly attachments and roots of affection.

And the most extreme method of Breakthrough is to first develop feelings, then personally sever them... and the one to be severed is not someone else, but the very person who caused her to develop those feelings!

"The Host must execute the mission as soon as possible," the System urged.

Lin Yi silently moved back two steps, increasing the distance between himself and Senior Sister Yun Lan.

Although he knew Senior Sister Yun Lan currently harbored no ill intentions toward him, since she had clearly developed a fondness for him, based on the Qingxin Manual she was cultivating... she would inevitably develop the intent to kill him in the future!

He unconsciously became vigilant.

"Junior Brother Lin, what's wrong?" Senior Sister Yun Lan noticed his movement and frowned slightly.

"It's nothing, the wind is strong, I'll stand a bit further away." Lin Yi gave a dry laugh, but his gaze involuntarily avoided hers.

Don't be fooled by Senior Sister Yun Lan's current calm and indifferent appearance; Lin Yi had witnessed her methods before. If he were truly hunted by her, the current Lin Yi would really be in danger of losing his life!

"Forget it, forget it. This matter requires careful consideration..." Lin Yi muttered to himself.

Seeing that Lin Yi was no longer looking at her, Senior Sister Yun Lan also pursed her lips and didn't ask any further.

The three of them spoke a few more words, and Lin Yi made an excuse about needing to return to prepare for the Life and Death Arena, then hurriedly took his leave.

Senior Sister Yun Lan had wanted to see him off, but he waved his hand, saying it wasn't necessary, and with wind beneath his feet, he disappeared at the end of the mountain path in a few steps.

"So he... this..."

Senior Sister Yun Lan stood in place, watching Lin Yi's receding figure, a trace of surprise flashing in her eyes.

So Lin Yi had already learned the method of flight!

However, it was normal to think about it; the methods Lin Yi had just used against Xiao Cheng clearly showed an aura of the half-step Core Condensation stage. It seemed he had been hiding his true strength all along.

Since that was the case, why didn't he say so when he came, and specifically make her bring him here? And...

"...So that's it! Hmph! Men!"

Senior Sister Yun Lan's face flushed red again. She remembered how Lin Yi had hugged her waist at that time; so Lin Yi also had these feelings for her!

Although there was some annoyance on her face, the expression in her eyes and the curve of her lips revealed her maidenly heart.

Senior Sister Yun Lan also recalled how Lin Yi looked when he took those Jade Slips out from his bosom earlier... one after another, stuffing them into Xiao Cheng's arms as if they cost nothing.

Especially those last few books, which vaguely had words like "Alchemy Basics" and "Spirit Medicine Illustrated" written on them.

"He... is interested in Alchemy?" Senior Sister Yun Lan muttered to herself.

She pondered for a moment, then turned around, preparing to step onto her lotus platform and leave.

At this moment, Xiao Cheng finally spoke, "Yun... Senior Sister Yun Lan!"

Senior Sister Yun Lan turned her head away, her expression long since restored to its usual coldness, and said indifferently: "On the Life and Death Arena, you naturally have no chance of winning. However, since Junior Brother Lin Yi is so concerned about your path of cultivation, you must Cultivate these Cultivation Techniques well and not have any more crooked thoughts! If you let him down, don't blame me for being impolite to you!"

After speaking, Senior Sister Yun Lan turned and left, leaving only an afterimage behind.

Xiao Cheng lowered his head dejectedly, tears wetting his eyes.

It is said that men do not easily shed tears, it is just that they haven't reached the point of heartbreak yet!

Now, Xiao Cheng had been left with a ruined reputation after Lin Yi's series of maneuvers, and he no longer had the face to even approach the woman he admired. His Dao Heart was shaken incessantly, yet he was helpless!

...

On the other side, Lin Yi returned to his dilapidated small courtyard, closed the door, and leaned back against the door panel, letting out a long sigh.

The Alchemy knowledge instilled by the System was still swirling in his mind. He tried to circulate it and found that he was indeed proficient in countless Pill Formulas and techniques, but the problem was... he had no fire.

To be precise, he had no Fire Control technique.

Alchemy requires stable and precise true fire; either one Cultivates a fire-attribute Cultivation Technique oneself, or one utilizes Earth Fire or Pill Furnace fire-seeds.

What Lin Yi cultivated was the Nine Cauldrons Spirit Refining Method instilled by the System. His spiritual power was incomparably thick, but he did not have a specialized fire-attribute method.

"Let's try." He sat cross-legged and, following the Alchemy techniques in his memory, urged his spiritual power to transform into flames.

Pfft! Pfft!

A twisted cluster of flames emerged from his palm, flickering in size, its color unstable, and it extinguished with a puff after only maintaining for three breaths.

Lin Yi was speechless, "...How the hell can this perform Alchemy?"

He was unwilling to give up and tried a dozen more times.

The result was either the fire was too big and burned the simulated herbs to ash, or the fire was too small and couldn't even raise the temperature.

The last time, it even exploded into a cloud of black smoke, leaving him covered in soot.

"System, couldn't you have also instilled Fire Control?" Lin Yi muttered helplessly to himself.

But the System did not answer him, and Lin Yi could only sigh up at the sky.

Except when issuing missions, this System had never made a sound. It seemed he would have to find a way to Cultivate Fire Control himself.

But cultivating Fire Control, how could it be such an easy thing? Especially in such a short time...

While he was worrying, a light knocking sound came from outside the courtyard gate.

"Is Senior Brother Lin here? Senior Sister Yun Lan asked me to bring something over."

Lin Yi opened the door and saw an outer disciple child holding an exquisite Medicine Cauldron, respectfully handing it over.

The Medicine Cauldron was entirely dark green, with cloud patterns on it, and felt warm and smooth to the touch. It was clearly not an ordinary item.

"Senior Sister said that she saw you seemed interested in Alchemy, and it just so happened she had an idle cauldron, so she ordered me to bring it over. She also said... also said if Senior Brother Lin has anything you don't understand, you can go ask her at any time."

The child curiously examined Lin Yi, seemingly wanting to desperately remember Lin Yi's appearance.

Clearly, this Senior Sister Yun Lan rarely paid attention to so-called "Junior Brothers," and Lin Yi was the first. This child had naturally been specially instructed by other children to take a look at this man's demeanor.

Lin Yi didn't mind, holding the Medicine Cauldron with a complex expression.

It seemed Senior Sister Yun Lan had misunderstood.

She thought he was interested in Alchemy when he took out those Alchemy books, and seeing him leave in a hurry, she thoughtfully sent over a Medicine Cauldron.

If this kindness had been offered at a normal time, he would definitely have been moved.

But now, thinking about the System's mission to have him harm Senior Sister Yun Lan, his heart was filled only with fear and guilt.

"Thank Senior Sister for me." Lin Yi managed to squeeze out a smile and sent the child away.

Closing the door, he looked at the Medicine Cauldron and was silent for a long time.

"Forget it, since the Alchemy knowledge is already in hand, it would be a waste not to practice." He sighed and rummaged through his Storage Pouch to find some of the most basic Spiritual Plants.

These were all low-grade Spiritual Plants used for healing in daily life and weren't worth much.

Following the Pill Formula in his memory, he began to try refining the simplest "spirit-returning pill".

Fire Control was still a big problem.

Lin Yi gritted his teeth, repeatedly urging his spiritual power, carefully adjusting the temperature.

The first three times, the furnace exploded completely. Although the Medicine Cauldron was sturdy and didn't break, the whole courtyard was filled with a burnt smell.

The fourth time, he finally managed to make the flames stable, and the Spiritual Plants slowly melted and underwent Fusion in the cauldron.

Half an hour later, the Medicinal Pill was finally formed!

Lin Yi opened the Medicine Cauldron full of anticipation, only to see three round... Medicinal Pills emitting a strange fragrance lying inside.

The color was a pale pink, and it looked quite good.

"It really succeeded?" He was overjoyed, picked one up, and brought it close to smell it.

The fragrance was refreshing, but he felt something was wrong somewhere.

"A spirit-returning pill should have the fresh scent of plants, but this is... a floral scent?"