Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Seeking Essence Blood

’So the Liu Family came to secretly discuss this matter?’

Sure enough, Xu Fugui’s next words were, "It’s suspected to be about opening a Marketplace."

Meeting Lin Changheng’s surprised gaze, he quickly added, "Of course, that’s just my own guess. You can’t take it as fact."

"That’s certainly possible."

Lin Changheng shook his head slightly, but he agreed with the assessment.

When it came to earning Spirit Stones, opening a simple shop couldn’t compare to opening an entire Marketplace.

The Xu Family’s strength as a Qi Cultivation Clan, however, was insufficient. Whether it was having someone powerful enough to act as a deterrent or laying down the necessary resources like a Grand Array, they were far from ready.

But if they opened it jointly with the Liu Family, that wouldn’t be an issue. After all, the deterrent power of a family with two Foundation Establishment cultivators was undeniable.

’If that’s the case, how can the Xu Family ensure their own interests aren’t compromised when dealing with the vastly more powerful Liu Family?’

The Cultivation Realm might pay lip service to righteousness, but its foundation was the law of the jungle. In the face of absolute power, morality was as fragile as a paper archway, easily torn to shreds.

Unable to figure it out for the moment, Lin Changheng decided to simply stop thinking about it.

This was a matter for the Xu Family’s upper echelons to consider. What did it have to do with him? There was no need for him to worry about it, nor was it his place.

Overstepping one’s bounds was never a good idea.

Xu Fugui also shook his head, indicating that he couldn’t figure it out either.

As they walked and talked, the two arrived before the hall.

Lin Changheng immediately spotted several familiar faces inside.

Xu Xuzhong, the Vice Hall Master of the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall; Xu Xuyang, the Hundred Treasures Hall Steward; the Chief Alchemist; the caravan steward... all were high-ranking members of the clan.

Xu Xuzhong spotted Lin Changheng as well and immediately waved him over to sit.

"Let’s go together."

Lin Changheng said to Xu Fugui, and they went over to take their seats.

On their way, they encountered an old man. He wore blue robes, had a long beard, and stood with a perfectly straight back, but he was one-eyed. He was watching the two of them, his powerful aura startling.

Beside him was a woman in yellow. She appeared to be in her early thirties, with looks that were below average, but her Cultivation had surprisingly reached the Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation.

"Father-in-law."

Xu Fugui immediately bowed obediently. After the old man nodded in acknowledgment, Fugui turned to the woman and said, "And greetings to you, Fellow Daoist Xuying."

"Greetings, Senior. Greetings, Fellow Daoist."

Lin Changheng bowed along with him.

’He must be stationed away from the clan year-round. With that ferocious aura and his one eye, he’s probably a ruthless character.’

As for the woman behind him, seeing Xu Fugui’s subtle expression, and based on his knowledge of Fugui, Lin Changheng knew this must be his new Daoist partner.

’It’s just that Fugui married many beauties before, but now he’s ended up with someone so... plain.’

’But with such a powerful father-in-law, he has no choice but to accept it.’

’Still, it wasn’t without its benefits. For instance, Fugui’s new partner had a decent Cultivation level, which meant she possessed a certain degree of Spirit Root talent.’

"You’re that Alchemist Lin?"

The one-eyed old man’s gaze swept over Lin Changheng, pausing for a moment before he suddenly asked as if he had just remembered something.

"I am," Lin Changheng replied, neither servile nor overbearing.

The one-eyed old man broke into a smile. "Not bad, young friend. I’ve heard you and my son-in-law are good friends. You two should get closer in the future."

"I would be honored to."

Lin Changheng would naturally not refuse such a gesture of goodwill, so he nodded with a smile. In his dealings with others, he always abided by two principles: first, to avoid strife and conflict, and second, to cultivate good relationships far and wide.

Make as many friends as possible, and as few enemies as possible.

As for the enemies you couldn’t avoid, you go all out and eliminate them completely.

"Go on, then."

The one-eyed old man nodded in satisfaction. The woman behind him, though she hadn’t spoken, also maintained impeccable etiquette.

After they left, Xu Fugui looked as if he’d been granted a royal pardon. Lin Changheng couldn’t help but click his tongue in amazement; he had never seen Fugui act like this before, like a mouse that had just seen a cat.

"Brother Lin, you don’t know the half of it. Back when we were seizing new territory, my dear father-in-law, who was only at the Eighth Layer of Qi Cultivation, killed a Ninth Layer Qi Cultivation cultivator from the Chen Family in a one-on-one fight."

"He lost an eye in the process, but he showed no pain or despair. He even gouged it out himself and ate it raw."

"At the time, a Late Stage Cultivator from the Chen Family saw him, bathed in blood, kill his opponent and then eat his own eye. The sight made his Divine Soul tremble so violently that he nearly fell from the sky. If his companion hadn’t grabbed him and fled, he probably would have lost his life right then and there."

Xu Fugui used the Sound Transmission Skill, speaking a great deal directly into his ear.

This incident occurred before the Chen Family’s internal power struggle and infighting; the loss of a Ninth Layer Qi Cultivation expert was one of the sparks that lit the fuse.

Lin Changheng was stunned by the story. ’A truly ruthless man,’ he silently appraised.

Xu Fugui’s next words also explained to Lin Changheng why the old man had been willing to marry off his daughter.

Apparently, Xu Fugui had performed well on the battlefield. At the Fifth Layer of Qi Cultivation, he had killed two Chen Family cultivators at the Fourth Layer. He had even used himself as bait to drag a Sixth Layer cultivator from the Chen Family into a Poisonous Miasma, leaving them severely poisoned.

When the old man, Xu Qianzhan, heard about this, he felt that Fugui’s ruthlessness and methods were quite similar to his own.

This laid a good foundation for marrying off his daughter to him later on.

...

The two took their seats and had just exchanged a few pleasantries with some acquaintances.

Suddenly, the entire hall fell silent. They turned to see Patriarch Xu leading three people into the hall.

An old man in simple hemp clothes walked in the center, clearly the leader.

Half a step behind him followed a man and a woman.

The man had a square jaw and a burly build; he looked to be middle-aged and gave off a steady, reliable impression.

The woman, by contrast, was young, appearing to be in her early twenties. She was pretty, with exceptionally lively eyes that seemed to twinkle like stars as they moved, her every glance filled with grace and charm. The cuffs of their moon-white robes were embroidered with the emblem of a Spirit Fox.

The group chatted and laughed as they made their way toward the head table under the watchful eyes of everyone in the hall.

Lin Changheng glanced at the three of them and immediately understood the dynamic: a leader, an executor, and a junior who had been brought along for training and exposure.

Soon, everyone was seated, and the welcome banquet began.

Patriarch Xu raised his cup and offered many welcoming words and polite platitudes about their long journey. The old man from the Liu Family responded with thanks and spoke of the collaborative development between the two clans.

With the formalities over, the feast officially began, and the hall immediately grew lively.

Lin Changheng ate a few bites of the delicious Spiritual Food and clinked cups with others at his table. Meanwhile, his mind was turning. ’The Hall Masters of both the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall and the Hundred Treasures Hall are here. This might be a good time to show my hand.’

With a plan in mind, he raised his cup to offer a toast and casually brought up the subject of the Alchemy Dao, which immediately drew the attention of those at his table.

They were quite curious about Lin Changheng’s progress and experiences in the Alchemy Dao.

After a few sentences of conversation, he sighed and said, "Speaking of Alchemy, I’ve had some decent insights recently that might help with refining Masterpiece Pills. However, I’m short on some Demon Beast Essence Blood to use as a catalyst for my experiments. It’s become quite a headache..."

Before the others at the table could even process the meaning behind his words, Xu Fugui, who was sitting beside him, immediately picked up the thread. "How can this be! This is a major issue! If Brother Lin can refine a Middle Grade Masterpiece Pill sooner, it would be of immense benefit to the clan!"

There were no flaws in his statement; it was the truth. The others at the table were led by his train of thought and couldn’t help but nod in agreement.

Xu Fugui furrowed his brow in thought for a moment, then, as if hit by a sudden realization, rattled off a suggestion, preemptively offering a solution. "Aren’t the Liu Family members here right now? I wonder if we could acquire some through them?"