Chapter 40: I Want It All

Chapter 40: Chapter 40: I Want It All

The temptation was immense, but Chen Yue suppressed the urge.

Source Points were too precious and difficult to obtain. If he were to use them to boost his proficiency, he would have to wait until the Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield reached Minor Success, or even the Great Success Realm, to maximize their value.

Chen Yue suppressed the tremor in his heart and began to absorb the other insights from tonight’s settlement, especially the faint glimmer of understanding regarding the Entry Level of the Breath Concealing Technique.

This Spell could help him better hide his own aura, giving him an extra layer of security in the coming turmoil.

The next day, guided by a servant of the Chen Mansion, Chen Yue met with Lin Quan, who had also been brought to the mansion for protection.

Lin Quan seemed to be in decent spirits, but an unshakable worry lingered between his brows.

He told Chen Yue that after a discussion between the Patriarch and Miss Yuqing, it was decided that for their safety, the two of them would have to live in the Chen Mansion for a while, until the external threat was completely resolved.

As they were speaking, a middle-aged man in a green robe with a three-stranded beard slowly approached, accompanied by a young attendant.

Upon seeing this man, Lin Quan smiled and took the initiative to introduce him to Chen Yue. "Chen Yue, this is Chen Zhige, one of our Pill Masters. He is the foremost Alchemy Master of our Chen Clan, with exquisite skills."

’Chen Zhige?’

Chen Yue’s heart stirred. He cupped his hands in a salute. "Junior Chen Yue pays his respects to Pill Master Chen."

Chen Zhige’s gaze swept over Chen Yue dispassionately before he gave a slight nod. "You’re too kind, Elder Lin. This must be Chen, I presume? To be able to skillfully refine the Blood Circulation Pill at such a young age is not bad."

Despite his words, there was no ripple of emotion in Chen Zhige’s eyes. The Blood Circulation Pill was, after all, just a basic Elixir. Back in his day, he had only spent a little time to master it completely.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries with Lin Quan about trivial matters like the recently arranged Alchemy Room and medicinal ingredients in the mansion, Chen Zhige floated away with his young attendant, his posture poised and full of reserved arrogance.

Once Chen Zhige was a good distance away, Lin Quan lowered his voice and said to Chen Yue, "That Pill Master Chen has a rather cold personality, but his Alchemy Skill is truly remarkable. Many of the Elixirs required by Martial Artists at the Bone Forging realm are personally refined by him.

Since we’ll both be in the mansion from now on, you might be able to find an opportunity to ask for his guidance if you encounter any difficulties in the Alchemy Dao, but remember to be mindful of your place."

Chen Yue nodded in understanding. To be able to refine Elixirs needed for the Bone Forging realm, his status and skill were naturally extraordinary.

’As far as anyone knows, I can only refine Blood Circulation Pills. In his eyes, I’m probably no different from an apprentice.’

The next three days were relatively peaceful for Chen Yue.

Perhaps the Chen Family was considerate of his lingering shock, or perhaps they were too preoccupied with mansion affairs to spare him any attention, but no one came to urge him to refine Blood Circulation Pills.

This suited him perfectly. Chen Yue poured all his time into his Cultivation.

The slow but steady progress of his Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield, the deep study of the Floating Light and Shadow Technique Body Technique, the contemplation and initial attempts at circulating the Breath Concealing Technique, and the repeated analysis of the Antitoxic Pill’s Pill Formula...

The Cultivation value displayed on his panel, as well as the experience bars for his various skills, also grew steadily with his round-the-clock efforts.

It wasn’t until the afternoon of the fourth day that a soft knock sounded at Chen Yue’s door.

Opening the door, he saw Chen Yuqing and her maidservant, Cui, standing outside. Chen Yuqing was still in her simple, moon-white dress, her expression calm. Cui stood behind her, her gaze sweeping over Chen Yue’s face with a familiar, scrutinizing look, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly.

"Steward Chen, please come in." Chen Yue stepped aside to let them pass.

The two entered the room. Chen Yuqing’s gaze swept over the simple interior before finally landing on Chen Yue. She spoke, "Have you been settling in well at the mansion these past few days? If there is anything you need, feel free to ask."

"Thank you for your concern, Steward Chen. Everything is fine, there’s nothing that needs changing," Chen Yue replied with a smile.

Chen Yuqing nodded and, dispensing with the pleasantries, got straight to the point. "The turmoil outside has not yet subsided, but the pharmacy’s business cannot remain stagnant for long. Starting today, I’m afraid we’ll have to trouble Pill Master Chen to resume refining Blood Circulation Pills.

The medicinal ingredients will be sent over shortly, and a Pill Furnace has already been prepared in the Alchemy Room in the front courtyard."

Chen Yue nodded, his expression unchanged. "I understand. I will complete the twenty Blood Circulation Pills daily."

"It’s not twenty a day,"

Cui, who was standing to the side, couldn’t help but interject, "It’s twenty-five! Did you forget what Miss told you at the pharmacy?"

Hearing this, Chen Yue’s brow twitched almost imperceptibly.

He raised his eyes, looked directly at Chen Yuqing, and said calmly, "Steward Chen, regarding the matter of the Secret Manuals we discussed last time... has there been any progress?"

Seeing Chen Yue completely ignore her and speak only to her mistress, Cui’s cheeks puffed out in anger.

Chen Yuqing didn’t answer immediately. She looked at Chen Yue for a moment before slowly taking out four books of varying thickness from her wide sleeve and placing them gently on the table between them.

"I petitioned the Patriarch, explaining that in these chaotic times, it’s always good to have more power to protect oneself."

Chen Yuqing’s voice was steady, betraying no emotion. "The Patriarch took into consideration your recent fright and your contributions to the pharmacy. He has finally agreed to bestow a Cultivation Technique upon you as an incentive."

Chen Yuqing pointed to the four Secret Manuals on the table. "However, twenty-five Blood Circulation Pills a day is the bottom line. Not a single one less. Moreover, you can only choose one of these Secret Manuals."

Chen Yue looked at the four Secret Manuals Chen Yuqing had placed on the table but did not immediately reach for them. Instead, he looked up at her and asked, "Steward Chen, may I ask what aspects these four Secret Manuals focus on? And what are their approximate grades? It would help me make a choice."

Chen Yuqing seemed prepared for this. Her slender fingers tapped each of the four Secret Manuals in turn as she explained in a steady voice, "These four Cultivation Techniques are all of a higher grade than the Mountain Flipping Technique. They are some of the more practical Foundation Establishment Martial Arts from the Chen Family’s repository. This one,"

She pointed to a slightly thicker booklet. "Stepping on Snow Without Trace. It’s a Body Technique that excels in Lightweight Body Techniques. ’Stepping on Snow Without Trace’ is just a description, but when cultivated to a deep level, it is exceptionally effective for moving across complex terrain. This one,"

Chen Yuqing pointed to a thin booklet. "Nourishing Essence Skill. It’s a Heart Method that focuses on nourishing Qi Blood and stabilizing one’s foundation. The Inner Strength it cultivates is of Central Justice and Peace, which is beneficial for long-term cultivation. This one,"

Chen Yuqing then pointed to one with the oldest-looking cover. "Mountain Shifting Force. It’s an External Skill that specializes in increasing Qi Cultivation. It requires specific medicinal baths to temper the bones and muscles during training. Although progress might be a bit slow, the foundation it builds is solid, and the increase in strength is significant. And this last one,"

Chen Yuqing paused and pointed to the last one. "Stone-Splitting Fist. It’s a Fist Technique with fierce and explosive moves. Its power is greatly enhanced when used in conjunction with the Mountain Shifting Force. Which one do you want?"

Chen Yue didn’t answer right away. His gaze swept slowly over the four Secret Manuals, as if he were carefully comparing them.

After a moment, Chen Yue looked up at Chen Yuqing and said with a smile, "Steward Chen, my knowledge is shallow. I find it difficult to choose based on names and descriptions alone. Would it be possible for me to briefly look through all four Secret Manuals to get a general sense of their methods and key points before making a decision?"