Chapter 96: Chapter 96: Stirrings of the Heart

"I wish to meet the person behind the Foundation Strengthening Pill. Please, I need your help."

"You will be generously rewarded."

For the President of the Alchemy Master Guild to personally come looking for someone, and to say such things, showed just how highly he regarded this individual.

Master Tian Mu was startled.

He then asked, somewhat surprised, "Is the Alchemy Master Guild also interested in this individual?"

He hadn’t expected that a mere Foundation Strengthening Pill would actually alarm Master Qin, the President of the Alchemy Master Guild.

Master Qin nodded.

"Indeed. Anyone who can refine a Purple Gold Quality Foundation Strengthening Pill must be an exceptionally skilled Alchemist."

"Since this person is here in our Hanwu City, it is only natural that we, the Alchemy Master Guild, extend the courtesy of a host."

He spoke as if he genuinely intended to treat the person with courtesy.

Master Tian Mu, however, was inwardly disdainful.

’Such words were just nonsense. He didn’t believe a word of Master Qin’s rubbish about "extending courtesy."’

So he deliberately exposed the other’s intentions, smiling as he said, "Your Alchemy Master Guild wants to recruit this person, don’t you?"

Master Tian Mu was well aware of the true nature of this President of the Alchemy Master Guild.

Anyone who could be of benefit to them would inevitably be pulled into the Alchemy Master Guild.

An ordinary Alchemist would naturally not catch Master Qin’s eye, but an Alchemist capable of refining the Foundation Strengthening Pill was a different matter entirely.

Never mind the Alchemy Master Guild wanting to recruit them; their Treasure Elephant Pavilion wanted to as well.

But Master Qin shook his head and retorted, "How could that be? All Alchemists in the world are one family."

"I simply wish to meet them."

"Besides, even if I wanted to recruit them, it would depend on whether they agreed."

Since he had put it that way, Master Tian Mu knew that having the President of the Alchemy Master Guild, a man like Master Qin, owe their Treasure Elephant Pavilion a favor would be a good thing for them.

Of course, he still said deliberately, "I understand your request, but we at the Treasure Elephant Pavilion have our rules."

"We absolutely cannot reveal the client’s identity. To do so would be to ruin our own reputation."

The Treasure Elephant Pavilion had always maintained respect for those who brought them treasures.

They never leaked their clients’ information.

That was why the Treasure Elephant Pavilion’s reputation had always been excellent.

Master Qin grabbed Master Tian Mu’s hand.

"I know you must have a way. Just say I owe you a favor, can’t you?" 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"In the future, whenever you need Elixirs, you can come find me. How about it?"

In his desperation to meet that Alchemist, he was going all out, promising Master Tian Mu quite a few benefits.

The two were clearly old acquaintances.

Master Tian Mu glanced at Murong Xiangming.

Murong Xiangming didn’t object, standing there quietly.

"Fine. I’ll see what I can do and find out if the person is willing. If they don’t want to meet, then my hands are tied."

He had agreed to Master Qin’s request.

Master Qin was overjoyed.

"Then I must thank you, my old friend."

He knew that as long as Master Tian Mu was involved, he would almost certainly get to meet the person.

Afterward, Master Qin noticed Murong Xiangming.

He immediately gave a slight, amicable smile and said, "This must be Miss Murong, yes?"

Murong Xiangming nodded. "Chairman Qin."

Master Qin quickly waved his hands.

"You’re too kind, you’re too kind."

Meanwhile, as Jiang Chen left the Treasure Elephant Pavilion, he happened to pass by the people from the Alchemy Master Guild who were just entering. They merely brushed past each other, and Jiang Chen paid them no mind.

He returned to the Jiang Family estate on his own.

He checked on Jiang Xuan’s and Jiang Ling’s Alchemy progress and found that they were improving rapidly. They basically no longer needed his guidance.

The Pills they refined were also quite good now.

So he left them to it.

And went straight back to his own courtyard.

"Young Master, you’re back."

When Liang Yiyi saw Jiang Chen return, she immediately ran over happily, like a little nightingale.

"Mm."

Jiang Chen nodded, preparing to go straight to his room to attend to his own affairs.

Liang Yiyi said, "Young Master, wait! The eight-treasure porridge I made for you is still warm. Have some while it’s hot. You haven’t eaten all day."

He touched his stomach; sure enough, it was growling.

With a wry smile, he had no choice but to first eat the eight-treasure porridge Yiyi had prepared.

"Young Master, how does it taste?"

Liang Yiyi asked, her cheeks flushed.

She seemed to be hoping for Jiang Chen’s praise.

"Mm, not bad. You’re getting better and better."

Jiang Chen realized that the food Liang Yiyi made was genuinely good.

Liang Yiyi giggled. "I’ve been learning how to cook from your mother these past few days."

This surprised Jiang Chen.

’Yiyi is becoming more and more sensible. She even knows to learn cooking from my mother.’

After eating and drinking his fill, he stretched his back.

He immediately felt full of energy.

He suddenly remembered the Celestial Maiden Scattering Flowers technique he had taught Liang Yiyi.

So he asked Liang Yiyi, "Yiyi, how is your practice of the Celestial Maiden Scattering Flowers I taught you coming along?"

Liang Yiyi thought for a moment.

And gave a sweet smile.

"I’m not sure how I’m doing either. How about I perform it once for you to see, Young Master?"

Jiang Chen nodded.

He walked into the courtyard with Liang Yiyi.

Liang Yiyi then began to perform Celestial Maiden Scattering Flowers in the courtyard.

"Flowers fly and fall like endless rain, blooming and withering, ever enchanting..."

"Where a young man’s heart may lie, I know not, but in this life, I vow to follow..."

Liang Yiyi softly chanted the incantation for Celestial Maiden Scattering Flowers. Her entire being at times transformed into a butterfly, fluttering through the air.

At others, she became a flower, scattering and dancing in the wind.

Although everything looked enchanting—especially Liang Yiyi’s graceful figure, which, as she moved, made her seem like a fairy gracefully emerging into the world—

—a strange, deadly intent was hidden within the beautiful dance.

Every Illusion Realm, every flower, every movement, was imbued with killing intent, capable of killing without a trace.

This was Celestial Maiden Scattering Flowers, a technique Jiang Chen had created with his past-life companion, the Orchid Fairy.

Originally, it was created exclusively for the Orchid Fairy.

Unfortunately, Jiang Chen could no longer see the Orchid Fairy now.

And while Liang Yiyi was not as beautiful as the Orchid Fairy, her own looks were still remarkable.

As she performed Celestial Maiden Scattering Flowers, it seemed to Jiang Chen as if the Orchid Fairy was right before his eyes.

It created an illusion for him.

He began to see Liang Yiyi as the Orchid Fairy.

Overcome by emotion, Jiang Chen suddenly moved.

SWOOSH!

He shot forward.

The next moment, he appeared within Liang Yiyi’s Celestial Maiden Scattering Flowers.

All around, endless petals and butterflies danced, surrounding Jiang Chen.

Every flower, every butterfly, would transform into a shadow of Liang Yiyi.

They encircled Jiang Chen.

With Jiang Chen at the very center.

"How beautiful!"

Jiang Chen, completely lost in the moment, extended his arm and slowly reached into the sky full of dancing flowers.

He accurately caught Liang Yiyi, his hands wrapping around her slender, willow-like waist.

He gazed deeply at Liang Yiyi.

And murmured, "Lan..."

Liang Yiyi, her Celestial Maiden Scattering Flowers interrupted by Jiang Chen, found herself suddenly in his arms.

Her delicate body trembled.

She let out a small gasp, her face blushing crimson.

She stopped performing Celestial Maiden Scattering Flowers.

"Young Master..."

Seeing the look of deep affection in Jiang Chen’s eyes at that moment made her heart pound even more erratically.