Chapter 53: Spirit Nourishing Pill

The red-robed youths were not a single person, but a group.

However, with just a single glance, Chen Lin discovered that aside from the leader, the rest were merely ordinary people. They possessed no trace of spiritual energy fluctuations; at most, they knew some mundane martial arts.

A martial arts expert might actually succeed against an unprepared early-stage Qi Refinement cultivator, but they posed no threat to a mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivator who had mastered spells. As long as a protective shield was activated, no matter how hard they struck, they wouldn't be able to break through.

Seeing the red-robed youth, Bai Yunyue couldn't help but frown.

"Li Ziqing, I don't have time to bicker with you today. Get out of the way!"

The red-robed man called Li Ziqing let out a sneer. "Bicker? I didn't come here to bicker. I'll say it again: make your sister my concubine, or I'll cripple your cultivation today!"

"You're talking bullshit! Go to hell!"

Insulted by Li Ziqing, Bai Yunyue flew into a rage and hurled a Fireball Talisman!

A fist-sized fireball, carrying scorching heat, flew toward Li Ziqing. Instead of dodging, Li Ziqing produced a talisman and slapped it onto himself—it was the Vajra Talisman that Chen Lin frequently used.

The Vajra Talisman was the talisman version of the Vajra Shield spell. The light shield it formed was identical to the Vajra Shield, though it could not last long due to the limited mana contained within the talisman.

The Fireball Talisman struck the Vajra Shield, causing it to flicker twice before dissipating into specks of light. However, the fireball was extinguished at the same time.

Bai Yunyue struck another Fireball Talisman, but the result was the same; it was neutralized by the Vajra Talisman.

"Hmph, you want to compete with me over who has more talismans?"

Li Ziqing reached into his pocket and pulled out a stack of Vajra Talismans—at least a dozen of them.

Bai Yunyue's face instantly turned ashen.

The other party's wealth was indeed beyond his comparison. Furthermore, the man was a disciple of the Kaoshan Sect, which was even stronger than his own Qingyun Sect. Using his status as a Qingyun Sect disciple to suppress the man was useless.

"Li Ziqing, I know your goal is our family's heirloom recipe for the Spirit-Nurturing Pill, but I have already contributed the inheritance jade slip to my sect. If you have the ability, go demand it from the Qingyun Sect!"

Watching the scene from the side, Chen Lin's brow twitched at the mention of the "Spirit-Nurturing Pill."

Originally, he certainly wouldn't have involved himself in such melodramatic disputes; if it weren't for the sake of obtaining spirit stones, he would have left immediately. However, he seemed to have seen information regarding the Spirit-Nurturing Pill in the Treasure Pavilion. It could nourish mental strength, making it a special type of pill similar to the Soul-Nurturing Pill used to nourish the divine soul.

And the side effect of the Enlightenment Pill was precisely damage to one's mental strength.

Thinking of this, Chen Lin took a step forward and said to Bai Yunyue, "Let's go. Don't waste any more time."

As he spoke, the mana fluctuations of a mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivator manifested from his body!

Bai Yunyue was overjoyed, not expecting Chen Lin to stand up for them.

On the opposite side, Li Ziqing froze, a look of shock crossing his face. He had seen Chen Lin earlier and assumed he was a newly recruited guard for Bai Yunyue; he hadn't expected him to be a mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivator!

His eyes darted around, and Li Ziqing took a step forward, cupping his fists in greeting.

"What is the esteemed Daoist's name? The Bai family is merely an ordinary clan, and currently, only Bai Yunyue possesses cultivation talent. Even in the Qingyun Sect, he is nothing more than an insignificant, ordinary disciple. Why not join our Li family, Daoist? Whatever reward the Bai family offers in spirit stones, our Li family will double it!"

Chen Lin opened his mouth, slightly stunned by this young master Li's maneuvering. The man was incredibly blunt, attempting to poach him on the spot. Unfortunately, what Chen Lin needed wasn't spirit stones, but a pill recipe that could solve his own problems.

"Let's go!"

Chen Lin said nothing and simply walked past him. He wasn't truly a guest of the Bai family, so there was no need to offend the man too deeply.

Seeing this, Bai Yunyue and the others hurriedly followed, casting a glare at Li Ziqing before leaving.

With a mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivator present, Li Ziqing did not dare to act rashly; he could only watch helplessly as Bai Yunyue and his group walked away.

"Young Master, what should we do? Should I call more brothers over?" a follower asked sycophantically.

*Slap!*

Li Ziqing delivered a heavy slap to the man's face.

"What should we do? How should I know? All of you behave! A mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivator is not something you mortals can touch. He could crush you like ants!"

After speaking, his expression shifted unpredictably as he stared at Chen Lin's retreating back.

***

Chen Lin's group did not stay in Huangtu Town; they passed through and headed straight for Guyuan City. This time, they did not walk but traveled by carriage. The carriages were those Bai Yunyue had left here before entering the mountains—two very luxurious ones.

"Daoist Lin, thank you so much for this time. If it weren't for you, I really wouldn't have been able to deal with that Li Ziqing," Bai Yunyue said, sitting in the driver's seat and flicking the whip.

Inside the carriage, only Chen Lin and Bai Lingshan sat facing each other; the remaining followers sat in the carriage behind them.

Chen Lin found this arrangement somewhat amusing. Bai Yunyue was quite naive, thinking she could use her sister to tie him to the Bai family? Forget the fact that Bai Lingshan was merely a mortal; even if she were a cultivator, he wouldn't seek a dual-cultivation partner this early. In the Qi Refinement stage, it was far from the time for such pleasures.

However, Bai Lingshan, having changed her clothes, looked quite handsome. Perhaps out of shyness, a faint blush dusted her cheeks, making her quite pleasing to the eye.

Hearing Bai Yunyue's words, Chen Lin spoke calmly, "It was nothing. Since we met, it was only right to lend a hand. But what is the deal with that Li Ziqing? It seems he was intentionally picking a fight with you."

"Hmph!" Bai Yunyue snorted with disdain. "He is nothing more than an ordinary disciple of the Kaoshan Sect. Like the Qingyun Sect, the Kaoshan Sect is only overseen by a single Foundation Establishment ancestor. However, besides Li Ziqing, my Li family also has his uncle, who is a cultivator at the mid-stage Qi Refinement level. He is quite powerful in Guyuan City."

Seeing that Chen Lin did not respond, Bai Yunyue continued on his own, "I don't know how Li Ziqing heard that my family possesses a recipe for the Spirit-Nurturing Pill, but he has been trying to seize it by force. He only refrained from acting because he feared my status as a Qingyun Sect disciple. But once we find the Red-Patterned Ginseng, my father's injuries can be healed, and we won't have to fear the Li family's coercion anymore!"

Chen Lin's expression shifted upon hearing this.

"Oh? Is your father also a mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivator?"

If the opponent's family had a mid-stage cultivator, the Spirit-Nurturing Pill recipe might not be so easy to obtain.

Bai Yunyue gave an awkward laugh.

"To be honest, my father truly was a mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivator, but that was in the past. A few years ago, he damaged his foundation while hunting demon beasts in the mountains, and his cultivation was completely lost."

"However, my father's swordsmanship is extraordinary; he is known as the Number One Swordsman of Guyuan. If a real fight were to break out, he might still be able to wound a mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivator. Furthermore, my father has some connections with several late-stage Qi Refinement elders in the Qingyun Sect."

Chen Lin merely smiled and said nothing. He suspected the man didn't even believe his own words. The idea of a martial arts expert being able to harm a mid-stage cultivator existed only in theory; unless the cultivator had never learned a single spell, it was laughable. As for "connections," most cultivators were very pragmatic; whether they would extend a helping hand was hard to say.

Of course, he saw no need to argue the point. Instead, he changed the subject: "I have heard of the Spirit-Nurturing Pill, but it seems quite difficult to refine. Since the Li family wants to seize it, do they happen to have an alchemist in their family?"