Medicinal materials available

Looking at the dense collection of medicinal ingredients inside his spatial ring, Long Chen nodded with satisfaction. He had to admit, Elder Sun's efficiency was truly impressive.

What Long Chen didn't know was that Elder Sun was currently feeling a heartache so severe he felt like dying. His life savings had shrunk by more than half in an instant.

"Long Chen, it is time you gave me the second half of the Cultivation Technique," Elder Sun said in a deep voice, though his voice clearly trembled with a hint of nervousness.

Long Chen tallied the Medicinal Pills inside the spatial ring. They were exactly as listed on the manifest, which delighted him immensely.

Although everyone received rewards for the recent righteous-evil war, core Disciples like Tang Waner had received over ten million points.

Even ordinary Inner Sect Disciples received welfare benefits of over a million points. To them, these points were a massive fortune.

However, for Long Chen, it was still a drop in the bucket, so he had set his sights on Elder Sun, that fat sheep.

One had to realize that points could not compare to an Elder's contribution value. There were some items that even if one had the points, they might not be able to obtain them.

Even if they could be exchanged, the precious medicinal ingredients in this ring would definitely require over a hundred million points, and that was a conservative estimate.

Furthermore, many of these medicinal ingredients were not available at the branch sect. Elder Sun had run to other branch sects to exchange for them. At this moment, Long Chen couldn't help but sigh; indeed, anything could be converted into resources, it just depended on how one utilized it.

"What is it? Are you trying to go back on your word?" Seeing Long Chen's sinister smile, Elder Sun's heart skipped a beat, and he asked angrily.

One had to know that their transaction had been conducted in secret with no witnesses. If Long Chen refused to acknowledge it, things would be troublesome.

"Bullshit, do you think I am that kind of person?" Long Chen snorted coldly and flicked his hand, sending a black zircon flying towards Elder Sun.

Elder Sun hurriedly caught it and took a look. It was indeed exactly the same as the black zircon he already had in his hand. The front was engraved with meridian patterns, while the back was likewise engraved with an ancient character.

"Kill"

The "Kill" character engraved on the back of the other black zircon—how would it combine with the previous "Rebel" character? Would it be Rebel-Kill? Or Kill-Rebel?

However, no matter how they were combined, both characters were filled with dominance. Elder Sun was overjoyed:

"Hehe, many thanks. I will head back now."

Long Chen nodded and said, "Fine, you may go back. Come find me if you have any other business."

Seeing Long Chen wave his hand lightly, as if dismissing a Junior, made Elder Sun feel very displeased.

"I will, I will definitely come to find you again," Elder Sun smiled kindly, though a trace of ruthlessness flashed deep in his eyes.

Although he had obtained the Cultivation Technique, being fleeced by Long Chen made him feel very uncomfortable. Furthermore, if he wanted to keep this secret, he would naturally have to come find Long Chen again.

Watching Elder Sun's retreating back, a mocking smile appeared on the corner of Long Chen's mouth: I know you will come find me again, but the time we are talking about is completely different.

Long Chen returned to his Immortal Cave and saw Tang Waner leaning against the entrance. A meaningful smile hung on her pretty face as she asked, "What kind of shady business are you up to again?"

"Slander, that is absolute slander. I am upset, you need to coax me," Long Chen said with a look of displeasure.

"Tch, do I not know you? Speak, what kind of sneaky transaction were you conducting with Elder Sun just now?" Tang Waner wasn't falling for Long Chen's act at all, and she asked.

It turned out that Tang Waner had just come out of seclusion when she saw the scene of Long Chen and Elder Sun "cordially" chatting at the foot of the mountain, which aroused her suspicion.

"It is nothing. You also know that I am a person of great righteousness and loyalty, and I never hold grudges," Long Chen laughed.

"As if I would believe you. You don't hold grudges because you always take revenge immediately; you don't even wait overnight. You don't even have the chance to hold a grudge. Honestly, tell me, what exactly did Elder Sun come here for?" Tang Waner stared at Long Chen with her beautiful eyes, adopting a stance that she wouldn't let him enter the room unless he told her.

"Do you really want me to tell you?" Long Chen asked, appearing somewhat troubled.

"Speak quickly."

Long Chen sighed helplessly; women were such a hassle. He had no choice but to tell the truth: "Actually, after this great war, Elder Sun discovered that I have a full forehead and clear bone structure—I am a martial arts prodigy that only appears once in ten thousand years…"

"Get to the point." Tang Waner knitted her brows. She knew Long Chen was starting to clown around again.

"Hmm, he wants to take me as his master," Long Chen had no choice but to say honestly.

"Pfft."

Tang Waner lightly punched Long Chen and chided, "Do not always be so glib. I am talking to you seriously."

"It is true. He even gave me a gift for accepting him as a Disciple. I said I would consider it and let him go back first. However, I felt embarrassed to refuse the gift; if I didn't accept it, it would be like slapping him in the face. It wouldn't be right in terms of reason or sentiment," Long Chen said, looking troubled, and handed the spatial ring to Tang Waner.

Tang Waner suppressed her laughter and took the ring from Long Chen's hand. When she saw the mountain-like pile of rare medicinal ingredients inside, the smile on her face vanished. She gently covered her cherry lips with her jade hand, her beautiful eyes filled with shock.

Although Tang Waner was not an Alchemist, she still recognized some high-level medicinal ingredients. Those rare treasures that usually required thousands or even tens of thousands of points to exchange for a single stalk were here in piles.

"Could it be true?" Tang Waner muttered to herself.

"Of course it is. Think about what kind of person I, Long Chen, am. As long as I raise my voice, I do not know how many people would be crying and screaming to take me as their master. If…"

"It really is true."

Tang Waner held a rare medicinal herb in her hand, placed it before her nose, and sniffed it lightly. The scent was correct; it was indeed real.

Long Chen was gesturing and speaking, but seeing that Tang Waner wasn't even looking at him, he had to stop his actions and stare at the floating clouds in the sky.

"Why did you stop bragging?" Tang Waner couldn't help but find it funny when she saw Long Chen's expression.

"It is boring. By the time I finished bragging, even I didn't believe it myself," Long Chen shook his head and said.

"Long Chen, I am just puzzled. Is there nothing that ever worries you? Why are you always so devil-may-care?" After saying this, Tang Waner's pretty face blushed red. This sentence had been spoken without thinking; how could such words come out of a young woman's mouth?

However, Long Chen didn't mind and continued to look at the floating clouds, saying, "Being devil-may-care isn't a bad thing. Otherwise, if I kept everything in my heart, wouldn't I be worried to death?"

For some reason, at this moment, although Long Chen still had that uncaring expression on his face, there was a clear trace of loneliness in his eyes.

If it had been before the righteous-evil war, Tang Waner might have found it difficult to perceive that loneliness. However, after she absorbed the Dao text and became a Dao Derivative, she clearly felt that loneliness on Long Chen.

That kind of loneliness wasn't about how many people were surrounding him; it was that although he was there, he seemed completely out of place with the entire world, as if he had been rejected by the entire world, or perhaps he was rejecting this entire world.

Tang Waner gently took Long Chen's large hand and said softly, "Long Chen, if you have anything on your mind, you can tell me. I am willing to share the burden for you."

Being held by Tang Waner's smooth, delicate little hand, Long Chen's heart couldn't help but flutter. Looking at Tang Waner—her features were as beautiful as a painting, her smile like a flower, and a trace of shyness on her pretty face—she was like cherry blossoms in March, so beautiful that one dared not harbor any thoughts of desecration.

Although he had always thought Tang Waner was extremely beautiful, at this moment and in this situation, he felt Tang Waner was even more beautiful.

Long Chen felt his heartbeat quickening, and Tang Waner also felt her breathing becoming somewhat rapid. The distance between the two grew closer and closer.

Being stared at by Long Chen, Tang Waner didn't dare to look into his eyes. She slowly closed her beautiful eyes, her cherry lips parting and closing, warm and moist like jade. Long Chen could no longer hold back and kissed her deeply.

"Ying ning."

Tang Waner let out a soft moan, and involuntarily hugged Long Chen's neck tightly, her whole body becoming weak and limp.

Long Chen also felt his brain buzz; his entire mind was focused solely on the sensation between their lips and teeth.

"Ahem."

Suddenly, a soft cough sounded in their ears. The sound wasn't loud, but to them, it sounded like a thunderclap.

The two instantly separated as if they had been electrocuted. They saw Qing Yu looking at them with a helpless expression. Tang Waner was so ashamed she didn't know where to hide. She lowered her head and ran into the room inside the Immortal Cave, shut the door tightly, and refused to come out no matter what.

Even though Long Chen was thick-skinned, being caught in the act made his face feel as if it had been branded by a hot iron, and he felt quite uncomfortable.

"Big Sister Qing Yu, hehe, what a coincidence." Tang Waner could run, but Long Chen couldn't. Since he was a man, he had to endure it even if he had to hold on for dear life.

"Big Sister Qing Yu, please do not misunderstand. I have been having internal heat these past few days and got a blister on my tongue. I was just asking Waner to help me suck out the pus from the blister; it really was nothing," Long Chen explained. However, after explaining, he felt that even he himself couldn't believe it.

Qing Yu shook her head and sighed, "You two, you are not young anymore. You should know what you are doing. I know you both like each other. However, the feelings between a man and a woman are like dry wood and raging fire. If you cannot control yourselves, you would be harming Waner, do you know that?"

Long Chen nodded and said earnestly, "Big Sister Qing Yu, I was wrong."

"I know you will guard the final line and not cross it. However, doing what you did just now will affect your Dao Heart. I am afraid that you will become obsessed and delay your cultivation, so do not blame Big Sister Qing Yu for being long-winded," Qing Yu exhorted.

One had to know that if a woman lost her virginity before reaching the Innate realm, she would be unable to maintain her Pure Yin Body, and then even the best talent would be ruined.

For the first time, Long Chen didn't feel Big Sister Qing Yu's words were long-winded. At the same time, he secretly cursed himself; this was playing with fire for a thrill. If he hadn't been able to control himself, he would truly have regretted it for a lifetime.

Three hours later, whether because Qing Yu was tired of talking or felt that Long Chen's attitude in admitting his mistake was good, she returned to her Immortal Cave.

However, Long Chen saw her go to knock on Waner's door, but Waner refused to open it no matter what, so she had to give up. Perhaps she would find an opportunity in a few days to give Waner some remedial lessons.

After returning to his room, Long Chen began to organize the medicinal ingredients and started heating the furnace to refine medicine. He refined those medicinal ingredients into powder one by one, then attached labels to the jade bottles and sealed them.

This way, future Alchemy would be much more convenient, eliminating a very complicated process and saving a lot of time.

Long Chen was continuously refining medicine at home, but after just two days, Elder Sun came looking for him, fuming with anger.