Lin Qinghen, as an unconventional “Alchemist,” rarely got the chance to observe real alchemy, so he was watching very attentively.

These serious alchemists were pretty fascinating; they often held alchemy conferences and events, which were not only practical but also enjoyable to watch.

The way the cauldron was controlled by an invisible force, with the fragrance of the herbs gradually filling the air, was truly delightful and interesting to see.

As for Yin Jiuxiao, since he was sitting close by, he wasn’t too happy about Lin Qinghen constantly staring at someone else, and he even leaned in to whisper to Lin Qinghen during the process.

“He’s only average; his alchemy skills are a bit rough,” Yin Jiuxiao commented, his tone exceptionally cold. “Still too inexperienced, he has a lot to learn.”

Yin Jiuxiao had seen plenty of alchemists, and Lin Yunsi definitely didn’t meet his standards.

Lin Qinghen knew exactly what he was thinking and turned to smile at him.

“Alright, it’s already quite good; he’s still young,” he said, giving Lin Yunsi some credit, and then sincerely reassured Yin Jiuxiao, “Not everyone can be as talented and unbeatable as you, right?”

Yin Jiuxiao, being gently appeased, immediately felt much better, secretly reaching out to pull Lin Qinghen even closer.

Everyone here was focused on watching Lin Yunsi, so nobody noticed them.

Lin Yunsi’s speed at refining was fast; when an alchemist refined medicinal ingredients of a much lower level than their own, it indeed shortened the time. In just half an hour, he had already produced the pill.

Lin Qinghen felt a bit envious about this.

His system needed cultivation and clearly hadn’t reached Lin Yunsi’s level. Creating Gale Powder took him an hour and twenty minutes—it was one of the most troublesome pill recipes.

In his excited research state, Lin Yunsi didn’t notice the commotion outside.

He wasn’t concerned about others’ attention either. After obtaining the pill, he sat down to examine it, pondering for a while before finally deciding to eat one to see its effects.

Lin Yunsi wasn’t a combat-oriented Spirit Master, so even after consuming the pill, he couldn’t fully experience its effects. His light and airy steps made his movements look slightly awkward.

But after testing it, Lin Yunsi knew how incredible it was for a Yellow-Tier pill to have such an effect.

After trying it, he stood there in a daze for a while and then looked at Lin Qinghen with an expression even more fervent than before.

“See? I wasn’t lying to you,” Lin Qinghen, aware that Lin Yunsi had finished testing it, said with a smile, timing his words perfectly. “I told you I really have good stuff, and there’s even more to come in the future. So, has Yunsi made up his mind? Ready to join Die Meng?”

Actually, Lin Yunsi had wanted to nod yesterday; he just tried to stay a bit reserved and wanted to think about it a little longer.

But now, spurred on by the Gale Powder, he didn’t care about anything else anymore. Just as he was about to say that he agreed, Mu Jiu, who had been observing for a while, came over, drawn by the scent.

Mu Jiu was a promising young alchemist with top-notch talent on the continent. As the president of the Alchemist Association, there was no way he would just let this slide.

“Young man, are you an outsider?” Mu Jiu asked with a friendly smile, addressing Lin Yunsi as he walked over. “It was a neglect on our part at the Alchemist Association in Lei City, and I owe you an apology. Now that you’re here in Lei City, you should have reported to us first. Lei City is chaotic, and it’s really too dangerous for you to be wandering around alone.”

Upon seeing this old man, Lin Yunsi’s first reaction was to take a step back, hiding behind Lin Qinghen with a wary look.

He wasn’t foolish; he was actually quite shrewd.

Lin Yunsi had his own pride as well. Throughout Lei City, he didn’t think much of others, and even Yu Yinyin, a Heavenly Tier Six Star, seemed ordinary to him. Only Lin Qinghen could impress him.

As for danger, Lin Qinghen would protect him. Mu Jiu’s level? It wasn’t even on his radar.

“There’s no need to trouble President Mu about that.”

A faint, polite smile appeared on Lin Qinghen’s face, devoid of warmth. He shifted slightly, fully shielding Lin Yunsi behind him.

“As a member of Die Meng, I’ll protect him myself,” Lin Qinghen said. “Besides, alchemists have the freedom to go where they please; no one has the right to interfere.”

Lin Yunsi nodded vigorously behind him.

What registration? The Alchemist Association in the various cities of Bei Zhou was a scattered mess with no such rule. Lin Yunsi wouldn’t even bother.

Mu Jiu, temporarily stumped, didn’t dare to push back against Lin Qinghen for now.

Lin Qinghen wasn’t inclined to waste time on empty conversation. He mainly wanted everyone to see Mu Jiu’s actions.

To rush over eagerly, smiling warmly and kindly at a young alchemist—this wasn’t Mu Jiu’s usual demeanor at all. After being rebuffed, he still refused to leave.

The fact that even the president of the Alchemist Association had been attracted here showed that this young alchemist’s sudden emergence wasn’t all fluff; he had real strength.

This shift caused the crowd, which had been harboring doubts about Lin Qinghen and Die Meng Medicine Hall, to become intrigued.

Such a talented young alchemist had never appeared in Lei City before. And it was clear that he belonged to Die Meng. If this medicine hall had such talent, Lin Qinghen’s credibility as the young master rose considerably.

The onlookers started to murmur, their voices growing louder.

Just then, a new group arrived.

This group consisted of a few middle-aged men and women, clearly moving together with a clear purpose. They headed directly towards Lin Qinghen, didn’t hesitate, confirmed something briefly, and then pressed their handprints in succession.

Five of them signed five alliance pacts, and a light glowed on the oath documents, making the signing official.

They came very suddenly, obviously having decided long ago. Without a word of excess, they signed and then exchanged a few words with Lin Qinghen.

“We’re from the north side of the city. Because of the rat infestation, we trust Young Master Lin and Die Meng,” said the leading woman, bowing slightly to Lin Qinghen. “When we heard about this good opportunity in the south, we came together. When can we start working?”

Lin Qinghen replied, “Anytime.”

He then waved to his staff, signaling them to coordinate, assign land, explain necessary details, and lead the newcomers to the site.

“You signed early, so I’ll give you a good spot to make it easier for you to move around,” Lin Qinghen added. “If you have any questions, feel free to come to Die Meng.”

Watching this scene from behind, Lin Yunsi felt thrilled, completely disregarding Mu Jiu, exclaiming, “Finally! People came—this is great!”

Though it was just five, it was a start, and with people taking the lead to sign, the terms, scrutinized over and over, made those watching feel eager.

Some had even gone to the medicine hall hiring farmhands to compare notes, discovering that the medicine hall intended to cultivate plants that Lin Qinghen himself provided—genuinely good new varieties.

If the whole city’s medicine hall was willing to plant it, there must be no issue; it had to be good.

It didn’t cost anything, so why not give it a shot?

After those five signed and left, more people came forward to express their interest.

But Lin Qinghen, with a friendly smile, politely refused their request.

“Sorry, the plantation here is just starting, and many things aren’t fully prepared yet. So, there’s a daily limit,” Lin Qinghen explained. “Today’s quota has just been filled; please come back tomorrow.”

What nonsense was he talking about?

Mu Jiu frowned. Although the land wasn’t entirely ready, the area now cleared and properly delineated could definitely hold more than five plots.

He wanted to say something but then stopped himself.

He had originally planned to let Lin Qinghen struggle to make an impact, expecting that the new system would fail and eventually come to him for help.

But if he openly encouraged others to sign now, what would that accomplish?

Lin Qinghen didn’t care what he thought.

Since the Alchemist Association wasn’t in charge, he had full control here. With the alliance oath stone in his possession, if Lin Qinghen said there was no availability, then there was none.

And after those five signed, he had already stood up, holding Yin Jiuxiao’s hand and signaling for Lin Yunsi to leave. Crisp and decisive, he wasn’t kidding around.

The people of Lei City, just as their enthusiasm began to rise, found themselves abruptly stopped.

They watched as he walked away, leaving the terms clearly displayed on the platform, along with two staff members from Die Meng Medicine Hall who gave lackadaisical answers to any questions.

“You can’t sign today,” the two employees repeated, over and over. “Come back tomorrow, don’t rush.”

Hearing this, the people felt a sudden sense of urgency, as though they were missing out on something.

Lin Yunsi, curious but aware of Lin Qinghen’s nature, refrained from questioning in front of others and obediently followed him.

Only after they were in the carriage did he ask urgently, “Why didn’t you let them sign? Only five isn’t nearly enough!”

Lin Qinghen glanced at him, then leaned naturally on Yin Jiuxiao’s shoulder. Instead of answering, he tugged on Yin Jiuxiao’s sleeve and laughed, “Jiuxiao, do you know why I did that? Why don’t you explain it to Yunsi?”

Of course, Yin Jiuxiao knew.

Even if Lin Qinghen didn’t spell it out, they understood each other so well that no words were necessary. A look, a gesture, and he got it.

“Those five were arranged by Qinghen in advance. They came too conveniently, signed too swiftly—they probably discussed everything with Die Meng beforehand,” Yin Jiuxiao said. “Not only today, but tomorrow, too. In the coming days, the people signing will all be those chosen by Qinghen.”

Lin Qinghen knew he would understand.

Due to the rat infestation, Die Meng already had a strong reputation in the northern part of the city. As Lin Qinghen prepared to formally roll out the contract system, Die Meng had already reached out to a few people for feedback.

With the rules explained, a dozen households had already agreed to trust Die Meng and were waiting to sign. They were customers who had previously bought Homeostasis Powder and were now long-term clients.

In other words, these were prearranged signatories, mostly for show.

It seemed that Lin Yunsi’s mind was indeed working faster than before; at least with a bit of guidance, he could keep up with Lin Qinghen.

After thinking for a moment, he started to understand.

“We’re not in a hurry,” Lin Qinghen said. “If we don’t grab the pie falling from the sky, when they finally scramble for it and still can’t get it, they’ll know it’s valuable.”