The final tally of lower-grade Spirit Stones came to six thousand in total, and the Spirit Medicine and other materials were also worth about four thousand Spirit Stones of the same grade.

All in all, roughly ten thousand Spirit Stones.

Seeing this number, both father and son fell silent. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Half a year ago, they only carried a few hundred Spirit Stones, worrying every day about how to make ends meet, but now, their fortune had soared past ten thousand.

"Chang’an, strength is the foundation of all things. Without strength, making money is as hard as climbing to heaven."

Lu Chang’sheng took a deep breath and reminded Lu Chang’an.

He didn’t want his eldest son to get distracted by such trivial matters, and let his cultivation suffer for it.

"I understand, Father,"

Lu Chang’an replied solemnly.

Afterward, he discussed buying a residence with Lu Chang’sheng.

Though they’d already parted ways with the Zhu Family, the Qu Family wasn’t much worse off, and if help was needed in the Great Yuan territory, they’d find a way to get some people over.

In the blink of an eye, half a year passed.

Lu Chang’sheng found the lessons increasingly difficult.

It meant that most of what he’d accumulated before had now been spent, and what’s laid before him were things he’d never encountered before.

He dared not slack off; relying on his scholar’s sharp memory, he recorded Lin Yan’s lectures, then took them home to ponder again and again.

"It’ll take me fifty years to raise my talent by one small grade, so I must use Alchemy to shorten my cultivation time as much as possible within these fifty years."

"Only then might I have a chance to break through the Foundation Establishment Realm."

That was Lu Chang’sheng’s thought.

He was like a sponge, absorbing every drop of moisture he could find to strengthen himself.

······

Inside the Alchemy Room.

A pale cyan flame slowly melted into Lu Chang’sheng’s palm.

For an Alchemist, Alchemy itself is also a form of cultivation.

Veteran Alchemists are far more skilled at Fire Control Technique than many cultivators; of course, years spent on Alchemy meant they might lack some combat experience.

Lu Chang’sheng opened his palm—a faint cyan flame sprang out, leaping restlessly between his fingers.

"Entry into Cyan Wood Fire Technique yields a pale cyan flame, Minor Achievement is cyan, Great Success is deep cyan, and Perfection is dark cyan."

He glanced at the Light Curtain Panel.

"Immortal Technique: Cyan Wood Fire Technique (Grade One, Intermediate)"

"Time required for Entry: half a year (achieved Entry)"

"Time required for Minor Achievement: 8 years (Minor Achievement)"

"Time required for Great Success: 35 years (Great Success)"

"Time required for Perfection: 85 years (Perfection)"

Seeing this, Lu Chang’sheng fell silent.

His talent really was something else.

Luckily, in the Alchemy Dao, progress had been fruitful.

"Alchemy: Qi Storage Pill (Grade One, Low): Entry requires: 0.2 years (Entry achieved).

Minor Achievement: 2.5 years (Minor Achievement).

Great Success: 8 years (Great Success).

Perfection: 15 years (Perfection).

"Progress in Alchemy Dao depends heavily on experience. Every day I listen to Master’s lectures, and even have discussions with him, so the time required for each phase has considerably shortened."

Now, half a year had passed; at this pace, in at most two years, he would reach Minor Achievement and become a true Grade One Alchemist.

Comparatively, though Five Wood Immortal Technique had fair progress, it couldn’t compare to Alchemy Dao.

Lu Chang’sheng tidied up, storing his entry-level Pill Furnace into the Treasure Vault Immortal Insect.

"Today is the day Master Lin Yan tests us."

Unlike many Alchemists, Lin Yan placed great importance on examinations, using it to assess his disciples’ potential.

Talent in Alchemy Dao wasn’t as obvious as Spirit Root, no visible phenomenon to speak of; it was mostly shown through actual Alchemy.

So, the exam was a big deal.

Lu Chang’sheng walked out.

The dawn sunlight pierced the lingering dew, and Lin Yan approached through the rain-soaked morning, a soft aura of fire swirling around him; instantly, the dew on his Magical Robe evaporated into mist.

Two people followed him—his newest apprentice candidates from the past half year.

The one in white was Zheng Yuan, and the one in gray was Wu Feng.

Seeing Lu Chang’sheng, they both quickly bowed in greeting.

Lin Yan wasn’t fond of taking in disciples with hidden backing unless they were exceptional—and evidently, Zheng Yuan and Wu Feng did not meet that standard.

So, even if there was idle gossip about Lu Chang’sheng in White Cloud Pharmacy, the two wouldn’t dare act superior before him.

No one’s foolish enough to make enemies over trifles.

"Teacher!" Lu Chang’sheng called out.

Lin Yan nodded.

Just then, the other disciples arrived one after another.

They looked at Lu Chang’sheng and the other two, their eyes with a faint hint of mischief.

Everyone knew today was the day the teacher would examine the three newcomers.

Especially Lu Chang’sheng, the earliest of the trio—his pressure was certainly much greater than the other two.

After a routine lecture, Lin Yan turned to the three, saying, "You’ve been here a while now. By my rules, you must be tested on your lessons."

Lu Chang’sheng and the others stood to answer.

Immediately, Lin Yan began to arrange the details of the exam.

Q&A!

The questions were all from his previous lectures.

For example: If a pill is contaminated with fire poison, how should you identify it?

The three spread out their prepared papers and wrote out their answers.

All wrote: "Listening to the wind."

This means listening for the flow of air from the Pill Furnace’s vent to judge conditions inside.

Then, question after question.

Soon, Huo Ming, Ji Yuan, and a few others sitting at the back looked on in mild surprise.