"Any news from the Ximen Family?"

As soon as Jiang Chen returned, he immediately had Jiang Zuo ask around for news about the Ximen Family.

Around noon, Jiang Zuo came back.

He had an odd expression as he said, "Big Brother, I did manage to get some information."

"I heard some people saying that Ximen Gong’s son, Ximen Jianren, is dead."

"When he died, his whole body was glowing red, like he’d been stuffed into a vat of dye."

Hearing this, Jiang Chen smiled to himself.

He had been waiting for this news. After all, if Ximen Jiai hadn’t given the Golden Healing Pill to Ximen Jianren to take, it would have been ineffective.

As long as he took it, Ximen Jianren was doomed to die.

Now that he heard Ximen Jianren was dead, he breathed a sigh of relief.

He said to Jiang Zuo, "Alright, I understand. Let me know the moment you have any more news."

Jiang Zuo was very passionate about gathering intelligence.

Suddenly, he said to Jiang Chen, "Big Brother, I heard Mr. Ling, our Jiang Family’s Alchemist, is performing Alchemy in public. Do you want to go to the Pill Room and watch?"

Ling Xuan was the Jiang Family’s Alchemist, hired from the outside. The Jiang Family’s Elixir business almost entirely depended on him.

Jiang Chen thought for a moment.

He nodded. "Alright. I’d also like to see this Mr. Ling, our Jiang Family’s Alchemist, for myself."

Since his rebirth, Jiang Chen hadn’t paid much attention to the Jiang Family’s affairs.

He knew that the family had an Alchemist named Mr. Ling.

He had seen the Elixirs refined by Mr. Ling, but he had never met the man himself.

In Jiang Chen’s mind, the Elixirs Mr. Ling refined were truly mediocre.

’They’re just Black Iron Level. He occasionally refines a Silver Quality one, but its purity is never very high.’

So, Jiang Chen and Jiang Zuo headed straight for the Alchemy Room.

By now, many members of the Jiang Family had already gathered around the Alchemy Room to watch.

Even the Patriarch, Jiang Han, was there watching Ling Xuan perform Alchemy.

Jiang Chen stood at the front of the crowd, watching with his father and the others for a long time.

He shook his head slightly.

’It’s really just average. His technique, his Alchemy Skill, his execution... it’s all a complete mess.’

Of course, Jiang Chen was judging by his own standards.

From his perspective, Ling Xuan’s Alchemy Skill was indeed far too ordinary.

To the other members of the Jiang Family, however, it was practically a miracle.

"Excellent! Simply excellent!"

"Mr. Ling truly lives up to his reputation as a pillar of our Jiang Family! He’s incredible! His Alchemy Skill is amazing!"

Many members of the Jiang Family were full of praise.

Even Jiang Han was extremely satisfied with Ling Xuan’s Alchemy Skill.

This Mr. Ling was responsible for holding up half of the Jiang Family’s Elixir business.

"Hurry up, bring me the ingredients!"

Ling Xuan was a man in his thirties.

At the moment, two young men were assisting him. They were two clansmen the Jiang Family had assigned to learn Alchemy Skill from Ling Xuan.

Ling Xuan barked at one of the young men.

The young man flinched, clearly a little afraid of Ling Xuan.

He hurriedly handed the ingredients to Ling Xuan.

Ling Xuan chided him with great dissatisfaction, "You’re so clumsy! How could the Jiang Family produce a clansman as oafish as you? Honestly."

"If I ruin this batch of Pills, are you going to take responsibility?"

Despite being scolded, the young man forced a placating smile.

"Mr. Ling, I’ll be sure to do better."

"Fine. Don’t let it happen again."

Completely ignoring the crowd of Jiang Family members, and even the Patriarch himself, Mr. Ling continued to berate his two assistants from the Jiang Family.

The slightest mistake earned them a torrent of rebukes and curses.

Seeing this, Jiang Chen said to his father, Jiang Han, "Father, a person like that is worthy of being called an Alchemist?"

He was inwardly scornful. ’A truly skilled Alchemist would never allow their emotions to fluctuate while performing Alchemy.’

’They must remain as calm as still water.’

But Ling Xuan was so insufferably arrogant it made Jiang Chen want to go up and slap him a few times.

’A person with that kind of temperament will never achieve much as an Alchemist.’

Jiang Han, however, didn’t seem to mind.

"Son, that’s just Mr. Ling’s temper."

"It’s fine."

Jiang Chen didn’t refute his father. He just watched Ling Xuan act high and mighty, putting on airs like he was the one in charge.

He didn’t expose him, since Ling Xuan had, after all, refined many Elixirs for the Jiang Family and contributed a great deal.

Two hours later, Ling Xuan finally finished refining a furnace of Elixirs.

He stopped the Alchemy process.

Jiang Han hurried forward and clasped his hands in a salute. "Mr. Ling, thank you for your hard work."

Ling Xuan was somewhat arrogant.

"I’m used to it."

He then tidied up a bit and waved his hand. "Patriarch, I have to go out for a bit."

Naturally, Jiang Han wouldn’t restrict Ling Xuan’s freedom.

"As you wish, Mr. Ling. May I tour your Alchemy Room?"

Mr. Ling nodded, but then added, "Don’t touch anything in the Alchemy Room."

"Don’t let anyone touch anything."

With that, Ling Xuan left the Jiang Family estate with an air of arrogance, ignoring everyone present.

Jiang Chen was very displeased.

"Father, isn’t he far too arrogant?"

"Why not just fire scum like him? Is it because there are no other Alchemists in the world?"

Jiang Han was also aware of Ling Xuan’s arrogance.

But he gave a wry smile. "My boy, this Mr. Ling has now become a Second-Grade Alchemist. It’s all the more reason for our Jiang Family to keep him."

"He’s an Alchemist, after all. A bit of arrogance is to be expected."

"Just be more respectful to Mr. Ling from now on."

Although Jiang Chen didn’t say anything, he snorted inwardly.

’If we’re talking about Alchemy, I could make Ling Xuan feel ashamed of his inadequacy in minutes.’

However, he didn’t say any more.

He followed his father into Ling Xuan’s Alchemy Room.

The Alchemy Room was a complete mess. The ingredients, the Pill Furnace, and the Fire Room were all in disarray.

The two clansmen who assisted Ling Xuan were now rapidly cleaning and tidying up.

"Look all you want, but nobody touch anything inside."

Jiang Han once again instructed the clansmen not to touch anything.

As for what Ling Xuan went out to do, he didn’t ask a single question.

「In a secret location in Hanwu City.」

At this moment, two people were sitting opposite each other.

One was Patriarch Ximen of the Ximen Family, Ximen Gong, his expression grim. The other was a person cloaked and masked in a Black Robe.

The person in the Black Robe asked, "Patriarch Ximen, why have you summoned me?"

Ximen Gong looked at the man in the black robe, forcing himself to calm down and suppressing the pain of losing his son.

He said to the man in the black robe, "Ling Xuan, it’s just the two of us here. There’s no need to hide."

The man in the black robe was named Ling Xuan—the very same Mr. Ling, the Alchemist who had just left the Jiang Family.

He hesitated for a moment, but still took off the hood covering his head.

It revealed Ling Xuan’s face.

Ling Xuan looked at Ximen Gong.

"I knew you wanted to see me about something."

Ximen Gong nodded and said directly, "Let’s not beat around the bush. As the Patriarch of the Ximen Family, I sincerely request that you, Mr. Ling, come to our Ximen Family and become our chief Alchemist."

Ling Xuan’s brows furrowed immediately.

He said faintly, "Ximen Gong, don’t try to get me into trouble. I am not that kind of person."

"I’m quite satisfied at the Jiang Family."

Ximen Gong immediately shook his head, a slight smile on his face. "Mr. Ling, we both know how things work."

"As the head of a family, how could I not understand?"

"Even if you refine Elixirs for the Jiang Family, how much of the money they earn do they actually give you?"

"Not even a tenth, I’d wager."

A flash of anger crossed Ling Xuan’s face. It was clear he had long been dissatisfied with his share of the profits.

Ximen Gong didn’t wait for Ling Xuan to react.

He continued, "As long as you come to my Ximen Family, Mr. Ling, we will split the profits from the Elixirs you refine fifty-fifty."

"Mr. Ling, what do you think of my sincerity?"