102: Chapter 102 A Frank Admission

Hundred Herb Garden, Section C Field No. 7.

Li Changsheng was tinkering with a bunch of things in the Tool Storehouse.

The stone table was covered with various bottles and jars; some were medicinal herbs bought from the market, some were Spiritual Plants he had grown himself, and others were treasures brought back from the Secret Realm.

Beside him, Li Xiaocao was squatting in front of a small Pill Furnace, carefully controlling the heat.

That small Pill Furnace was something Li Changsheng had bought from the market. Although its quality was average, it was sufficient for practicing Alchemy.

“Brother Changsheng, is the fire too high?”

Li Xiaocao asked in a low voice.

Li Changsheng leaned in to take a look and shook his head.

“It's just right. Maintain this temperature and wait for another stick of incense's time.”

Since returning from the Secret Realm, he had begun studying the “Introduction to Alchemy” Jade Slip obtained from the stone chamber.

Over the past half-year, he had spent almost every spare moment he could squeeze out on it.

Alchemy was a profound field of study, far more complex than farming.

The age, origin, and processing methods of the Materials; the material, temperature, and heat of the Pill Furnace; the timing, amount, and rhythm of spiritual power injection... if any detail went wrong, the pill would fail.

He had failed countless times.

Li Changsheng still remembered the scene at that time.

The first time he tried to refine a qi gathering pill, the furnace exploded, nearly setting the Tool Storehouse on fire.

On the second attempt, he produced a lump of black charcoal that was completely useless.

The third, fourth, fifth time... it wasn't until the tenth attempt that he finally refined a barely usable qi gathering pill.

Its quality was pitifully poor, with only half the efficacy of those sold in the market.

But he did not give up.

Li Changsheng understood that any skill was built upon countless failures.

There were no shortcuts, only hard practice.

Today, six months later, he could stably refine qi gathering pills, with a success rate of around thirty percent.

Although he still couldn't compare to professional Alchemists, for a self-taught Disciple with a mixed Spiritual Root, it was already a miracle.

Li Xiaocao's progress was even faster than his.

This little girl seemed to be born for Alchemy.

Her perception of Materials was extremely keen, allowing her to distinguish the slightest differences.

She also had a natural talent for controlling the heat, almost never making a mistake.

Whatever Li Changsheng taught her, she learned quickly.

Even things Li Changsheng didn't know, she could figure out on her own.

Three months ago, she successfully refined her first batch of qi gathering pills, and their quality was even better than Li Changsheng's.

When Manager Qin found out, he was so happy he couldn't stop smiling.

He decided on the spot to let her formally study under the Alchemists of the Hundred Herb Garden.

Now, she could independently refine three types of Low-grade Medicinal Pills, making her one of the best among the younger generation in the Hundred Herb Garden.

“Brother Changsheng, time's up!”

Li Xiaocao called out.

Li Changsheng walked over, helped her extinguish the fire, and opened the Pill Furnace.

At the bottom of the furnace lay three pale green Medicinal Pills, round and full, emitting a faint medicinal fragrance.

“It's a success!”

Li Xiaocao jumped up in excitement.

“Three pills! They all succeeded!”

Li Changsheng picked one up to examine it and nodded.

“The quality is good.”

“You've improved again since last time.”

Li Xiaocao took the pills and held them in her palms, her small face full of pride.

She thought for a moment, then stuffed all three pills into Li Changsheng's hand.

“Brother Changsheng, these are for you.”

Li Changsheng was stunned. “For me?”

“Mm-hmm!”

Li Xiaocao nodded vigorously.

“You taught me Alchemy and even bought me a Pill Furnace and Materials; I remember all of it. Take these pills and use them.”

Looking at her, a warm current surged in Li Changsheng's heart.

He rubbed her head and said softly.

“Alright. Then I'll accept them.”

Just then, a sound of footsteps came from outside.

Li Changsheng looked up and saw a middle-aged man standing by the edge of the field, staring at him coldly.

The man was in his forties, with a serious face and a deep aura; he was clearly at the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Zhao Guangyuan.

Li Changsheng's eyes narrowed slightly.

He had known this day would come.

He just hadn't expected it to come so soon.

“Xiao Cao,” he whispered, “go back first.”

Li Xiaocao looked at the middle-aged man and then at Li Changsheng.

She nodded sensibly, packed up her things, and ran off in a flash.

Li Changsheng walked out of the Tool Storehouse to the edge of the field and met Zhao Guangyuan's gaze.

“Uncle Zhao.”

He cupped his fists, his expression calm.

Zhao Guangyuan stared at him, his gaze like a blade.

“Do you know why I've come?”

Li Changsheng nodded. “I know.”

“Then tell me, why have I come?”

Li Changsheng was silent for a moment before speaking slowly.

“Uncle Zhao is here for the matter regarding Senior Brother Zhao Yan.”

Zhao Guangyuan's gaze turned cold.

“My nephew—did you kill him?”

Li Changsheng did not deny it.

Deception wouldn't work; it was better to admit it boldly and see how things developed.

“Does Uncle Zhao want to hear the truth or a lie?”

Zhao Guangyuan was taken aback.

Li Changsheng continued.

“I do not deny Senior Brother Zhao Yan's death.”

“But I want to ask Uncle Zhao one thing: do you know why he died?”

Zhao Guangyuan's face instantly turned livid.

His hand pressed against the hilt of his sword, veins bulging.

“You admit it?”

Li Changsheng looked at him; the hand hidden in his sleeve was trembling slightly—not from fear, but from tension and excitement.

In his hand, he was clutching several Defense Talismans and a Positioning Teleportation Talisman for the Secret Realm, ready to activate them at any moment.

Seeing that Zhao Guangyuan made no further move, Li Changsheng said calmly.

“This is what I obtained in the Secret Realm.”

Li Changsheng pulled several items from his robe and handed them to Zhao Guangyuan.

They were a few letters and a blood-stained piece of clothing.

It was identical to the one Xu Sen had given to Zhao Guangyuan.

“Senior Brother Zhao Yan colluded with the Blood Fiend Sect, leading twelve people to surround and kill me in the Secret Realm.”

“These letters were recovered from the bodies of the Blood Fiend Sect members. They are evidence of his correspondence with them. This piece of clothing...”

Zhao Guangyuan remained silent.

He paused and said softly.

“I tore it from his body when I killed him.”

Zhao Guangyuan took the items and looked through them one by one.

His expression grew uglier, and his hands began to tremble slightly.

He recognized Zhao Yan's handwriting.

Those letters were indeed written in Zhao Yan's own hand.

They discussed matters with the Blood Fiend Sect on how to surround and kill Li Changsheng and the others.

Colluding with the Blood Fiend Sect...

Besieging fellow Disciples...

Twelve people...

He looked up at Li Changsheng with a complex gaze.

“Are you telling me this because you want me to let you go?”

Li Changsheng shook his head.

“Uncle Zhao is a Foundation Establishment Cultivator; if you want to kill me, I cannot escape.”

“I only want Uncle Zhao to know the truth.”

“Senior Brother Zhao Yan wanted to kill me, so I killed him in return. The grudge is settled, nothing more.”

Zhao Guangyuan was silent for a long time.

His hand was still pressed against the hilt of his sword.

But his eyes were no longer filled with the same killing intent as before.

“Did you know Xu Sen came to see me?”

He asked suddenly.

Li Changsheng nodded.

“I guessed as much.”

“He said you killed six people from the Blood Fiend Sect, including one at Qi Refining Level 8.”

“Yes.”

Zhao Guangyuan stared at him with a profound gaze.

“You, at Qi Refining Level 5, can kill a Level 8?”

Li Changsheng did not answer; at this moment, he was doing his best to maintain his False Dantian, showing a state of Qi Refining Level 5 Peak.

Zhao Guangyuan waited for a moment, and when he received no answer, he did not press further.

He put away the evidence and turned to leave.

After a few steps, he suddenly stopped and said without looking back:

“I will investigate this matter thoroughly. If you are lying to me, I will not let you off.”

“If you haven't lied...”

He didn't finish his sentence and strode away.

Li Changsheng stood where he was, watching his retreating back, motionless for a long time.

In reality, sweat had already drenched his back.

As the night breeze blew and the Tea Trees rustled, Li Changsheng shivered slightly.

“Was that too risky just now?”

He knew that for now, he had passed this hurdle.

But the real crisis was still ahead.