The Decaying World-Chapter 89 - 84: Test 2

’Alchemy: You are skilled at successfully refining elixirs from recipes. Special Effect—Heart Unification: When performing alchemy, your success rate will increase by 30%.’

This ability had no evolutionary branches, but the special effect he gained instantly made Lin Hui feel that the two stalks of Yun Lingzhi had been well worth it.

The moment he unlocked the skill, a vast number of memories of himself performing alchemy flooded his mind.

Countless minor details, small techniques, precautions, and precise requirements regarding alchemy now took root and rapidly expanded, perfecting themselves within his mind.

Although he didn’t know what elixirs he had refined in these memories, Lin Hui now felt that he could try his hand at any elixir and have a decent chance of success.

He pushed open the door, in high spirits, and saw Wang Hongshi approaching outside with a tray of food.

"Why are you the one bringing breakfast today?"

"Observatory Master, you’ve finally come out of seclusion. It’s like this, someone named Lin Hongyu has been waiting for you in the reception hall. She arrived the day before yesterday, but because you sent word you were in seclusion, we didn’t dare to disturb you. She’s been waiting ever since," Wang Hongshi said in a low voice, placing the tray on a low wooden table to the right of the door.

"She’s been waiting this whole time?"

’Lin Hongyu?’

Lin Hui wasn’t close to this cousin from the main family branch. Moreover, she was the one who had snatched his spot to enter the Chen Family.

’What’s she doing here? And she’s been waiting for days, no less.’

He thought for a moment.

"I know. I’ll go take a look."

’She must be well aware of the conflict between us.’

’Lin Hongyu supposedly joined the main Chen Family long ago. This is a perfect opportunity to dig some intel out of her about what it’s really like there.’

The Chen Family, one of the Three Greats of the Inner City, had always seemed quite mysterious to Lin Hui.

Even Wang Yueheng’s Wang Family and his second mother’s Liu Family were like ants before an elephant compared to the Chen Family.

Lost in thought, Lin Hui was about to turn toward the reception hall when he suddenly stopped.

"Oh, right. I had a sudden insight not long ago and have reworked and greatly improved Qingfeng Temple’s original Nine-Section Swift Sword. The swordsmanship’s power has increased immensely. This is something well worth celebrating."

"Uh... Observatory Master, you mean...?" Wang Hongshi was a bit confused.

"Qingfeng Temple’s three branches have united, and our foundation has grown much stronger. Shouldn’t you all congratulate me?" Lin Hui said seriously.

"..." Wang Hongshi had always thought his Observatory Master was a bit touched in the head, but in this day and age, who who practiced martial arts didn’t have a few side effects? Wasn’t Song Zhanlong hopelessly lecherous and quick to anger?

"Still don’t get it?" Lin Hui was exasperated. "Hold a celebration, understand? I like lively events. As for whether or not to bring gifts, that’s secondary. It’s enough for everyone to just get together and have a good time."

"Yes... This disciple understands. I’ll go make the arrangements right away." Wang Hongshi understood immediately.

’He specifically mentioned gifts, so I’d better take that seriously and figure out what the Observatory Master likes.’

Seeing that he finally understood, Lin Hui turned and left, satisfied, heading for the reception hall.

"Oh, right, Observatory Master, there’s one more thing. It seems our pharmacy in Fu’an Town was framed with fake medicine and smashed up. The Body Tempering Disciple on garrison duty there was also severely injured. How do you wish to handle this?" Wang Hongshi said quickly.

"Announce it to everyone. Whoever is willing to go and resolve this matter will receive a reward of 200,000 cash," Lin Hui said casually.

’Two hundred thousand for one trip. We’ll see which of the disciples is short on cash.’

The current Qingfeng Temple was lacking in many things, but money wasn’t one of them.

The allocated Body Tempering Soup could also be put to use now. The recipe from Wang Yueheng was for something called the Cloud Water Pill.

Lin Hui planned to go and try to concoct it himself in a little while.

He quickly passed through the corridor and arrived at the reception hall.

Through the disciples guarding the door, he could see a young woman anxiously pacing back and forth inside.

The woman was dressed in black gauze that covered her entire body, and she wore a black mask over her face. Her figure, however, was quite good, with ample curves. Her crescent-shaped eyes shimmered, and it seemed that after entering the Inner City, she had learned how to dress up and wear makeup, making her much prettier than before.

At that moment, Lin Hongyu also saw Lin Hui slowly approaching.

She had gone to the Lin Mansion earlier but was turned away at the door. Lin Shunhe was apparently swamped with work and not at home.

With no other choice after being unable to find him, she had to ask for Lin Hui’s address.

Upon learning that Lin Hui, whom she had once looked down on, had actually managed to become the master of a sect, the sense of disparity in Lin Hongyu’s heart was incredibly intense.

She herself had entered the Inner City, only to end up living a precarious existence, and soon she would even have to go out into the Fog Area to gamble with her life.

And Lin Hui...

Now, Lin Hongyu watched the approaching man.

He was tall, with a well-proportioned and powerful build. The V-taper of his back muscles was clear and distinct.

One look was enough to tell he maintained his physique very well.

Looking at the white robes Lin Hui wore, with his white clothes and jade belt, his gaze was bright. Though his features were plain, his sweeping glance held a captivating aura.

He didn’t look like a young man of nineteen, almost twenty, at all.

Instead, he seemed no different from those veteran martial arts hall masters.

’Why...!’ Lin Hongyu looked at the radiant Lin Hui and couldn’t help but compare him to herself.

’Look at my own pathetic state, and then look at his current splendor...’

’Why did I end up like this when I was the one who entered the Inner City?! Could it be that the spot to enter the city wasn’t an opportunity, but a trap!?’

’This pit was originally meant for Lin Hui; he should have been the one to bear it. But now, I took his place and shielded him from disaster...’

The moment Lin Hongyu thought about how she would soon have to leave the city and gamble with her life, all the repression and resentment in her heart seemed to find an outlet, converging entirely on Lin Hui.

’If... if I hadn’t entered the Chen Family back then and had stayed to make my way in the Outer City instead, with my strength and aptitude so much greater than Lin Hui’s, I would definitely be doing even better than he is now!’

’If not for back then... how could it have come to this!? HOW COULD IT HAVE COME TO THIS!!!’

The resentment in Lin Hongyu’s heart swelled.

But at least she still remembered what she had come here for.

Forcibly suppressing her emotions, Lin Hongyu stepped forward to greet him.

"Cousin... long time no see. It’s me, Xiaoyu."

"..." Lin Hui entered the hall and heard this opening line, momentarily stunned.

He looked down at Lin Hongyu, who was slightly shorter than him.

"I don’t think we’re that close, are we?"

"We’re all family, we grew up together. Brother Hui, why be so petty?" Lin Hongyu forced a sweet smile, removed her mask, and looked at Lin Hui with a pitiful expression.

"Xiaoyu came this time hoping you could help me talk to Fourth Uncle and ask him to go to the Inner City to put in a good word for me. I really can’t hold on anymore... In the Chen Family, I’m always being targeted... Everyone is mean to me... They all want to bully me..."

As soon as Lin Hongyu started talking about the Chen Family, the rims of her eyes turned red.

"If you’re looking for my father, then go talk to him yourself." Lin Hui was baffled. "What are you looking for me for?"

"But isn’t Fourth Uncle out on business? I couldn’t find him... so I could only come look for you," Lin Hongyu said helplessly.

"But you and I aren’t close," Lin Hui frowned.

"But you’re my cousin! Fourth Cousin! I’m going to die, you can’t just watch and do nothing! Even if we had conflicts in the past, at a time of life and death, we should just let those minor disagreements go. Why does family have to be so petty?!" Tears welled up in Lin Hongyu’s eyes.

"I’m being petty?" Lin Hui laughed in anger. "Is there something wrong with your brain? You want me to fix it for you?"

"Fourth Cousin! Don’t you just hate me for taking your spot back then? That’s all in the past! It’s been so long, and you’re still holding a grudge! What on earth do I have to do for you to help me!?" Lin Hongyu also started crying out of anger.

"You’re doing so well for yourself now, so successful and respectable. Why are you still holding that trivial past matter against someone who’s about to die!? Do you have a conscience!?"

BAM!!

With a slap as fast as lightning, Lin Hui struck the side of Lin Hongyu’s face, sending her flying sideways. She crashed onto the flagstones of the training ground outside the reception hall, skidding to a long stop.

She went limp, knocked into a sleep as deep as an infant’s.

"Have someone drag her away and dump her back at the Lin Clan Territory." Lin Hui retracted his hand and pulled out a silk handkerchief to wipe off the tears and snot that had gotten on him. He then tossed the handkerchief away. "It’s stained with shit, and I don’t want it anymore."

"Get rid of this, too," he ordered.

"Yes, sir."

Two servants who had just entered quickly acknowledged the order.

One stepped forward to pick up the silk handkerchief, while the other went to carry the unconscious Lin Hongyu.

A moment later, the filth was gone.

Only then did Lin Hui’s mood improve slightly. Leaving the reception hall, he headed straight for the pharmacy.

He quickly had Chen Meng wrap up some raw materials for the Cloud Water Pill. He was ready to try his hand at it.

Qingfeng Temple originally had its own Body Tempering Medicine, as did the Black Dragon Sect, and of course, the Intention Blade Sect had an even better one.

But these were all highly specialized medicinal powders that couldn’t be used by all three branches, making the recipes relatively troublesome to compound.

Because of this, Chen Meng had even requested to recruit two additional assistants specifically to prepare the three types of medicinal powders.

Those three medicinal powders were quite effective and simple to prepare, but their price was not low, and they were supplied only to Inner Sect Disciples.

Therefore, the Inner Sect Disciples needed to constantly complete missions to earn money to purchase the Body Tempering Medicine.

The reason Lin Hui placed so much importance on the Cloud Water Pill was mainly because its medicinal properties didn’t conflict with the other three Body Tempering Medicines; their effects could even stack!

That was just absurd.

Next, he found a courtyard in the rear of the mansion, had someone buy a pill furnace, and had it delivered and set up.

He also bought firewood, charcoal, and fire starters according to the recipe’s instructions. Then he arranged the prepared medicinal ingredients neatly in individual bowls.

Finally, he asked Chen Meng to come and help keep an eye on things.

After tinkering for two hours, he opened the furnace, placed the pot inside, added water, and threw in the initial medicinal powder.

Simmering, stirring.

As it simmered down, a pot of yellowish-brown, incredibly viscous paste was finally concocted.

"This isn’t an elixir, is it?" Lin Hui frowned.

"It’s a great success. Why wouldn’t it be?" Chen Meng looked surprised from the side. ’The Observatory Master actually succeeded on his very first try!?’

’It was simply unbelievable.’

’Could it be the Observatory Master had prior experience with alchemy?’

"I heard elixirs are supposed to be perfectly round. I followed the steps, but this doesn’t seem right..." Lin Hui said, confused.

"It is, it is." Chen Meng stepped forward, scooped out a spoonful of the paste, and rolled it between her hands. In a flash, she had rolled it into a perfect sphere.

"See? Isn’t it round?"

She said with a smile, handing it to Lin Hui.

"Don’t tell me... all those pills... are just...!?" Lin Hui was speechless.

"Most of them are. Some people even roll them halfway through, take a trip to the latrine, and don’t even wash their hands," Chen Meng said with a laugh.

Looking at the elixir in the large pot, Lin Hui was once again at a loss for words.

But regardless of its appearance, at least it seemed to be a success...

Next, he would test one or two to make sure there were no problems. Then, he could try to compound the recipe he got from the Baihua Sect.