09. Lin Xiaowei's Challenge

"Young master, alchemy is boring. There is no gain or joy in doing it! Can you believe it, making pills for someone else to eat them and get stronger?"

"Yes yes, young master. Alchemists have to spend hours brewing medicines, condensing pills… there are so many dizzying processes. It isn't something you should do."

The surrounding alchemists desperately tried to convince Lin Feng that alchemy wasn't worth it. They treated him like a child who has seen an interesting candy. They must root that interest out of his mind, at any cost! 

Lin Feng chuckled in amusement at seeing their reaction. No matter what they said, he just kept walking and came before the best alchemy chamber here. 

"You all chill out. I won't use too many herbs." Lin Feng waved his hands at the alchemists, who all followed him to this lobby.

However, his wording made them even more troubled. If… If he really tried using the precious herbs, they will have to report this to the 2nd Elder. Even if they had to offend the Great Lin family, they couldn't let this young master squander the rare resources…

"Nice carving, oh there is a formation as well." Lin Feng stroked the chamber doors and ordered, "Open it."

However, nobody moved. Lin Feng frowned and turned around. "I said open it."

One old Senior Alchemist sighed loudly and came ahead with a long key. Just as he was about to imbue his Qi and insert it in the door hole, a crisp female voice came from behind.

"Hold it!"

Everyone turned around and immediately their eyes lit up with hope.

"Young Miss Xiaowei!" They cried like a bunch of lost lambs who just saw their shepherd.

Lin Xiaowei was Lin Feng's older cousin and the 1st Elder's direct granddaughter. She was an 8th layer Essence Condensation Realm cultivator and a genius in alchemy.

At 18, she was already a Junior Alchemist. Even Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators could benefit from her pills, so her status was way better than Lin Feng's.

"Lin Feng, don't make trouble here!" She hurried forward with her slender and powerful legs. Furrowing her sharp brows, she said, "If you want to practice alchemy, I can personally teach you, but you have to leave."

Everyone looked at Lin Xiaowei as if she were their heroine. Beautiful, bold, and talented - now this was the true younger generation of their Storm Feather Clan. How could the trash Lin Feng even compare?

Now, if he would stop embarrassing himself and just get out… the red and white-robed alchemists turned to look at Lin Feng.

"Hey there, Little Wei." Yet, he was carefree. "I'm just here to pop some pills in bigger cauldrons."

Hearing him, Lin Xiaowei's shoulders shook in anger. She folded her hands under her sizeable chest and gave him a death glare.

'Hmph, you may not even have the talent for controlling fire. Only when you try to make one pill, will you realize how much it takes to become an alchemist!' She thought and made a plan on the spot.

"Lin Feng, do really think alchemy is as easy as swindling poor innocent girls to your bed?" Lin Xiaowei sharply asked.

The other cultivators in the Alchemy Hall clenched their hands in secret. 'Yes, you tell him, young miss! This Lin Feng might not even know the names of ordinary herbs.'

"I think it's pretty easy, though. It's just alchemy, ain't it? Boil the herbs, take 'em juices out and make pills. Eh, cooking stew is more difficult than this." He said in an overly casual tone.

His words angered every alchemist present in the hall. Elders and juniors alike, they all simultaneously erupted.

"Too arrogant!"

"This young master. We all know you've never tried alchemy, but please give us some face!"

"Hah, he really is a spoiled brat!"

They didn't care if he heard them and voiced out their complaints one by one. With the young miss here, they had gotten bolder.

Lin Xiaowei didn't like Lin Feng. Being a pure girl, she detested his very nature. When she visited the Cold Wind Clan two months ago, everyone had kept mentioning him as her cousin, and it made her embarrassed to the core.

Even the elders lost face. On the spot, she decided to pay the back the humiliation she faced. This pervert must be taught a lesson!

She said: "If you're that confident, then I have a challenge for you. Create a Yuan Replenishing Pill with the materials I give you. If you can't do it within ten tries, then you'll swear to walk around the clan saying 'I'm a manwhore.' Do you dare to accept this challenge, Lin Feng?"

At this moment, all those outside had come to see the drama. There were outer and inner elders, disciples… various alchemists, and even a few inscriptors.

They knew about Lin Feng, of course. He bullied others with his status, but would quickly cower away if he was challenged. Thus, everyone was waiting for him to leave now.

"Sure, though I really don't need ten batches of materials. A mere low-tier mortal-grade pill, I can make it in one try."

Everyone who heard him was stunned, but they started laughing a moment later. Even Lin Xiaowei couldn't help it and laughed at his face.

Hah! What an idiot, what an absolute moron. Even Bai Chaoxiang, their clan's only Alchemy Expert, wouldn't dare say that he could create a pill in just one try.

Every alchemist knew that 100% Effectiveness in alchemy was just a myth. There would always be impurities, increasing the variables of failure. By saying he could do it in one try, Young Master Feng was basically waiting to be humiliated.

"Ha! Alright, follow me then. I'll take you to an Intermediate Alchemy Chamber. There, you can make the pill," Lin Xiaowei said.

She smiled mischievously. After laughing, she felt happy and couldn't wait to see the look on her cousin's face when he started making the pill.

Lin Feng followed her with a smile. When they reached the scene, along with everyone else who wanted this piece of free entertainment, Lin Feng turned to her.

"So little Wei, after I make this small pill, you won't interfere with anything I do here, okay?" He spoke as if he had already succeeded.

Everyone sneered at his boasting. According to them, Lin Feng's confidence was baseless.

"Okay, I agree not to interfere," Lin Xiaowei casually waved her left hand. Someone brought her a chair, and she sat on it, crossing her legs.

All the bystanders made room for Lin Feng after that. He could see quite a few of them were eating rice balls. They truly were waiting for him to put on a show.

'I shouldn't show too much of my skills here,' He thought and touched the copper cauldron.

Lin Xiaowei took out a batch of materials from her spatial ring and placed it beside him. The herbs were in a bamboo basket, and the other materials in their respective containers. They were already prepared.

Lin Feng picked up a blade of Five-coloured Grass and smelled it. He then smelled the herbal juices in a bottle.

After checking the materials, he first lit the Earthfire stones and heated the cauldron.

Nonchalantly putting three quarters of water from a bottle, he boiled the herbs. His movements then became quick as he grabbed the tube containing Butterfly Blood and poured it all.

People started whispering, as this was not the right way to make a pill. They didn't know that Lin Feng was using an improvised method.

As he put more materials and mixed them together, mild conversations resounded in the chamber. Lin Xiaowei stood up and curiously looked inside the cauldron. There was a green paste forming.

Lin Feng ignored her and lowered the fire. He kept its temperature constant and waited for some time before dripping the herbal juices on the paste. The color turned yellow. He then closed the cauldron's lid and spiked the fire.

Lin Xiaowei stepped back. She was confused. In the recipe, making a Yuan Replenishing Pill didn't require one to close the lid.

'This Lin Feng is just bluffing,' she thought just like everyone else.

However, her expression took a wild change after half an incense stick's worth of time passed. An authentic medicinal scent suddenly wafted out of the cauldron and permeated the surroundings.

Everyone smelled the air and let out surprised yelps, one after another. Lin Feng was calm and hit the cauldron's belly. Its lid opened, and he quickly lowered the fire.

All the alchemists rushed to see what was inside. When they saw a pure white pill with golden lines resting neatly - their jaws dropped.

Some rubbed their eyes. They really couldn't believe it. Along with Lin Xiaowei, the senior Alchemist from earlier glanced at Lin Feng, and pointed at the pill, "T-That's a perfec…"