Deceiving Fa Ma

Before Xiao Se could knock on the door, an old familiar laugh from Fa Ma rang out from inside the room. "Haha, come right in."

Xiao Se pushed the door open, and what greeted him was a spacious, antique room. Several bookshelves lined the walls, and in the center was an old-fashioned desk.

"Sit," Fa Ma said, smiling at Xiao Se from behind the desk.

Xiao Se nodded slightly, pulled out a wooden chair from under the desk, and casually sat down. With a calm smile, he said, "I'm not sure why you've summoned me late at night, President Fa Ma. If it's something within my abilities, I won't refuse."

"Haha, you're a smart kid, so you've probably guessed why I called you. But before we get to that, I have a question," Fa Ma said with a smile.

Xiao Se frowned slightly and gestured. "Go ahead, President Fa Ma."

With a serious expression, Fa Ma said, "Even though you're using a special technique to hide your true appearance, and not even a peak Dou Huang like Jia Xingtian can see through it, I can tell that you've altered your appearance."

"As expected, you have sharp eyes. So, what does President Fa Ma plan to do with me now?" Xiao Se shrugged, casually removed the Ice Silkworm Mask from his face, and smiled.

Seeing Xiao Se's youthful and handsome face, even younger than before, Fa Ma was momentarily stunned. His cloudy old eyes showed a hint of surprise before he smiled warmly. "Haha, I didn't expect you to be even younger than I thought. Don't worry, as long as you have no ill intentions toward the guild, I don't care if you're hiding your identity."

Changing the subject, Fa Ma said seriously, "I believe you're no older than fifteen, and perhaps around the same age as that girl from the Nalan family. Yet, you have such mastery over alchemy that every movement is flawless. Even that shameless old man, Huo Tan, can't compare. This level of skill isn't just a matter of talent. It requires years of practice and accumulation."

Hearing this, Xiao Se remained silent for a moment, then sighed and said helplessly, "Well, I suppose it's not a big deal. Tell me, President Fa Ma, have you ever heard of the Pill Emperor Luohan?"

"The Pill Emperor, Luohan?" Fa Ma's pupils shrank suddenly. Memories from a hundred years ago flooded his mind, and his voice trembled. "You said the Pill Emperor, Luo Han?"

Xiao Se nodded slowly.

"Are you his disciple?" Fa Ma asked excitedly.

"Something like that," Xiao Se answered solemnly.

"Where is he now? Is he doing well?" Fa Ma asked eagerly, before muttering to himself, "It's a long story. Lord Luo Han was once a highly respected elder of our Alchemist Guild. A hundred years ago, I was just an apprentice and had the honor of seeing him once. But then he suddenly disappeared. Some said he went into seclusion to break through to Douzong, while others said he went traveling. After that, no one ever saw him again."

Xiao Se sighed. "Senior Luo Han has passed away. By chance, I found the cave where he died. Before he passed, he condensed all his alchemy knowledge into a wisp of residual soul. After passing his test, the residual soul transferred all that knowledge into my mind, allowing my alchemy skills to progress rapidly, saving me years of study. Here's the letter he left behind. President Fa Ma can take a look. He left behind this remnant because he didn't want his alchemy skills to be lost, nor did he want to be forgotten by future generations."

As Xiao Se spoke, he took out the letter left behind by Luo Han.

When Xiao Se received the information from the residual soul, he vaguely saw a scene of Luo Han giving lectures inside the Alchemist Guild. He hadn't thought much of it at the time, but when he saw the familiar layout of the guild's main hall during a recent test, he recalled it. This was how Xiao Se learned about Luo Han's deep connection with the Alchemist Guild of the Jia Ma Empire.

Xiao Se handed the letter to Fa Ma, not just to fulfill Luo Han's final wish of not being forgotten but also to gain Fa Ma's trust in preparation for obtaining the prescription for the Spirit Fusion Pill.

Fa Ma took the letter with trembling hands, glanced at it, and then searched through the bookshelves, eventually pulling out an old sheepskin scroll. He compared the writing and found it to be identical.

"Ah, it's indeed Lord Luo Han's handwriting," Fa Ma sighed, returning to his seat. The suspicion and slight wariness in his eyes disappeared, replaced by affection for the younger generation. He said, "Although your progress is thanks to Luo Han's residual soul, for you to have refined your skills to this level in such a short time is impressive. Even Gu He would fall short."

"President Fa Ma flatters me. Due to some special reasons, I don't wish to expose myself to the public. I hope you can keep this secret for me," Xiao Se said earnestly.

"Haha, don't worry. As Luo Han's heir, I should probably address you as 'Uncle' in terms of seniority," Fa Ma joked.

"President Fa Ma, you're too kind," Xiao Se said with a helpless smile.

Fa Ma nodded with a smile. "Now that we've cleared up that you're not like that rule-breaking old man, Huo Tan, I'll get straight to the point."

As he spoke, Fa Ma waved his hand, and a black scroll and three wooden boxes appeared on the table. He motioned for Xiao Se to open the scroll.

Xiao Se carefully unrolled the scroll, and a rush of soul information flowed into his mind. After a moment, Xiao Se smiled slightly.

Just like in the original novel, it was the recipe for a fourth-grade pill, the Three Lines Green Spirit Pill.

Xiao Se put away the scroll and the three boxes. Both he and Fa Ma smiled mischievously, like two foxes sharing a secret.

"Go get some rest. I'm looking forward to your performance in tomorrow's competition," Fa Ma said with a smile.

"I won't disappoint you," Xiao Se replied with a smile.

Fa Ma didn't say much, only giving the pill recipe and the three sets of ingredients. Xiao Se didn't ask for more. He intended to refine a higher-grade pill, the Spiritual Recovery Purple Pill, tomorrow. The recipe and materials Fa Ma gave him were just a bonus. After all, Fa Ma wanted him to win the championship, and it didn't matter what pill he used as long as he won.

Having received the recipe and ingredients for the Three Lines Green Spirit Pill, Xiao Se moved on to his next request. "President Fa Ma, I have a favor to ask. Does the Alchemist Guild have the recipe for the Spirit Fusion Pill? I have a friend who has suffered a soul injury and urgently needs treatment."

"The Spirit Fusion Pill?" Fa Ma frowned and pondered for a moment before sighing. "Originally, the Spirit Fusion Pill recipe was meant to be the prize for the Alchemist Competition champion, but due to unforeseen circumstances, it was replaced. However, if you win the championship, I'm willing to give it to you along with the champion's reward."

Xiao Se's heart leaped with joy, and he gratefully replied, "Thank you, President Fa Ma."

With that, his mission was nearly complete. As for the champion's reward, if the Spirit Fusion Pill recipe had been replaced, the new prize must be something extraordinary.

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