While Lin Qinghen and Yin Jiuxiao were quietly talking, Lin Yunsi was already coming up with a few lousy ideas.

“How about we give something away? Doesn’t Die Meng have a lot of elixirs in stock? Those Homeostasis Powders aren’t worth much, anyway. I could even refine some on the spot,” Lin Yunsi suggested with a worried look. “If someone takes the lead and accepts something, maybe others will follow.”

Just one day in, and he was already genuinely worried about this matter, almost as if he was afraid Lin Qinghen would fail.

Lin Qinghen glanced at him, exchanged a look with Yin Jiuxiao, and then the two of them slightly shook their heads. They both thought, Kids these days just don’t have any patience.

“Just sit tight and keep quiet,” Lin Qinghen said. “It’s only just begun. Why the rush?”

He wasn’t in a hurry.

It wasn’t that Lin Qinghen was stingy, but even if he wanted to give things away, that wasn’t the way to do it.

The hesitation from the townspeople right now was genuine and not unfounded. The Spirit World hadn’t tried this kind of setup before, and a three-month term wasn’t exactly short. Just luring people in with a few benefits at first wouldn’t keep them interested for that long.

Lin Qinghen believed the things he offered were already good enough. He wasn’t out to fool anyone; he sincerely wanted to offer something beneficial.

People needed to fully understand that this wasn’t some empty promise. It was real, and only then would they maintain the enthusiasm and motivation to persist.

But Lin Yunsi didn’t understand. Even after sitting down, he was fidgeting restlessly.

Lin Qinghen sighed and explained briefly, “Today, at the Die Meng shop up north, we’ve already started selling some elixirs.”

The Nurturing Origin Pill, two types of Spirit Soul Pills, and Gale Powder were all put on the market for the first time today. He had prepared a batch in advance—not a large amount—and they hadn’t even started supplying the Yin family yet. Today, Lin Qinghen just put them at Die Meng.

“So?” Lin Yunsi still didn’t get it. “What’s the point?”

Lin Qinghen shook his head, sighed, and didn’t bother to explain further. He simply left him with, “Just watch.”

The quality of those elixirs would be apparent to anyone who bought them and used them.

With the ten percent quality boost he had, Lin Qinghen could confidently say his elixirs were the best at the same star level and price, and not just a little better.

Die Meng had earned some goodwill up north after using Homeostasis Powder for disaster relief last time, so a lot of people were eager to buy the new elixirs. Once they tried them, they’d understand.

Not long after Lin Qinghen sat down, Shopkeeper Xie personally sent a message saying the new elixirs introduced today were already sold out.

Die Meng didn’t sell these elixirs cheaply. After all, the quality was top-notch. Plus, with Lin Qinghen’s involvement, Die Meng saved on alchemist fees, which should’ve been a great boost for business.

However, when Shopkeeper Xie reported this, he didn’t look too pleased. After crunching the numbers, he was quite troubled.

For every bottle of the new elixir sold, they were actually losing money. The price of the maturation agent was too high, and each bottle lost them a few hundred Spirit Coins. Right now, they were still relying on the old Homeostasis Powders to break even.

Shopkeeper Xie didn’t know what Lin Qinghen was planning, but he and Yu Yinyin were used to it by now. They just followed his lead, keeping any doubts to themselves.

Lin Qinghen’s reason for selling at a loss was to let everyone directly see the effects of the spirit plants being cultivated. Nothing would demonstrate the effects better than using the elixirs.

With a group of real users to vouch for him, Lin Qinghen wouldn’t have to say much.

And this was only the first step.

Shopkeeper Xie wasn’t just here to give an update; he also brought two items as instructed by Lin Qinghen.

A small alchemist’s cauldron and a bulging little pouch.

The alchemist’s cauldron, an essential tool for alchemists, came in various sizes. A portable one was about half an arm’s length, and Die Meng had a few basic models in stock.

Lin Qinghen turned around, handed the items to Lin Yunsi, and raised his chin, saying, “Go ahead. Didn’t you say you wanted to refine something on the spot? Well, here you go. I’d love to see what Yunsi can do.”

Lin Yunsi, still caught up in his worries, didn’t react at first. He turned to look at Lin Qinghen, wide-eyed. “Refine what?”

Why was he suddenly being asked to refine elixirs? Weren’t they supposed to be recruiting?

“Well, we’re not exactly getting applicants. Die Meng has the materials, and I brought them just for you,” Lin Qinghen said, winking. “Wanna give it a go?”

Lin Yunsi was about to say he wasn’t going to refine elixirs right here, but he reflexively reached out and took the materials Lin Qinghen handed him.

When he opened the pouch, he was speechless.

The materials Lin Qinghen gave him were for Gale Powder, specifically the fruit of the Seven Star Vines.

The spirit plants Lin Qinghen had previously delivered to his room and shown to the alchemists yesterday were all potted, except for the Seven Star Vines, which were tree-grown and couldn’t be potted.

Lin Yunsi had only caught a glimpse of this plant in the Die Meng Medicine Garden once. He hadn’t looked at it closely before Lin Qinghen had arrived, and after that, he’d been too caught up in their conversation to pay attention to it.

Since then, he’d been obsessed with the plant, even trying to drop hints about it a few times, but Lin Qinghen had kept it hidden. Now, finally holding it, his eyes lit up.

It was even better than he had imagined.

How did Lin Qinghen come up with this? How did his mind work?

The Gale Powder refined from Seven Star Vines was the most modified item in Lin Qinghen’s current batch. But he’d kept it tightly under wraps, only showing it once to Mu Jiu and Lin Yunsi.

Lin Qinghen was always discerning, and this was no exception.

Currently, he was mainly selling Ruo Rong Grass to the medicine halls, as his system didn’t provide the recipe to refine it into elixirs, making it suitable for wide distribution.

He had also shown Mu Jiu other spirit plants, and according to their agreement, he was teaching the methods, not just limited to Ruo Rong Grass. After all, Lin Qinghen would need these materials for supply in the future, so they had to be shared.

However, each spirit plant required a different potency level for its respective elixirs. Even as he shared them, Lin Qinghen could still control what he provided to the medicine halls. Their yield and plant types all depended on him.

Some things needed to be kept, while others needed to be let go.

Lin Qinghen intended to keep the best Seven Star Vines just out of reach, showing Mu Jiu that there was always something he wanted but couldn’t have—the very best.

As for Lin Yunsi, he seemed to be almost fully lured in.

Lin Yunsi had joked about being an on-the-spot alchemist, but now that Lin Qinghen had handed him the materials, he was serious about refining.

He hadn’t had the time to look at them closely before, but now that he did, he was astonished. The initially dismissive look on his face turned solemn.

Was this really Yellow Tier material?

The Seven Star Vine was known as pretty useless, yet it had been improved like this?

Of course, the full effects could only be seen after the materials were refined, but as an alchemist, Lin Yunsi couldn’t resist. He decided to refine it right there since it wouldn’t take long.

However, he pushed away the cauldron Lin Qinghen had given him in disdain.

“What is this? Trash. I’m not using it,” Lin Yunsi said, lifting his head slightly. “I brought my own.”

Cauldrons definitely varied in quality, and Lin Qinghen didn’t need one himself, so the ones in Die Meng’s warehouse were naturally subpar. He hadn’t really expected Lin Yunsi to use it—it was just bait to get him started.

He even clapped for Lin Yunsi with a modest smile, saying how amazing Yunsi was and that Die Meng’s tools really couldn’t compare. He looked at him with such sincere admiration that Lin Yunsi couldn’t help but feel invigorated.

Ever since he’d arrived, Lin Yunsi had been outwitted by Lin Qinghen at every turn. Now, receiving some genuine praise, he felt a surge of pride.

As a proud prodigy, he felt like he was back in his element. He had only intended to mess around a bit, but Lin Qinghen’s few words sparked his ambition.

Lin Yunsi had his own storage device; Lin Qinghen knew that. As an alchemist, he carried at least three cauldrons with him, all top-tier from the Lin family, far better than the ones the Hai Hun Alchemist Association had provided. Even Mu Jiu couldn’t compare.

Mu Jiu had always assumed Die Meng didn’t have high-star-level alchemists. Today, Lin Yunsi would prove him wrong.

So, with a high and mighty air, he was saying that he wasn’t reliant on the Hai Hun Alchemist Association.

The place wasn’t exactly the best setting for refining, but with Yellow Tier materials, it didn’t matter for a Mysterious Level Nine Star alchemist like him.

He cleared a small, clean area on the table, picked out his smallest and least impressive cauldron from his storage ring.

Once his cauldron was out, Lin Yunsi’s previously flippant demeanor shifted, becoming focused and refined. Despite being physically weak, alchemists were a type of spirit master, and as his power was activated, the surrounding atmosphere grew charged, drawing people’s attention.

The cauldron floated in response to his power, a faint orange-red glow spreading beneath it, resembling a flame. This glow represented the alchemist’s strength, giving a sense of their skill.

Mu Jiu, who had been sitting calmly, suddenly straightened, his gaze locked on Lin Yunsi.

Cauldrons were spiritual devices, one of an alchemist’s prized possessions.

The cauldron Lin Yunsi had brought out was a Heavenly Tier spiritual device, dense with spiritual power, though bound to its owner, making it impossible for others to take.

This boy beside Lin Qinghen, younger than him and someone he’d only noticed yesterday, was far more capable than he had expected.

Not only Mu Jiu, but everyone’s attention had shifted to Lin Yunsi, and the place fell into an unusual silence.

Was that Die Meng’s alchemist?

Everyone’s first thought was how young he was; their second thought was how the modest town of Hai Hun had managed to produce such a talent.

Author’s Note:

Lin Qinghen: Yep, he’s my alchemist. I only just conned him into joining yesterday.