"Sigh~ After all, other fellow Daoists wasted plenty of resources too. I can’t exactly go around announcing it, can I?"

Lu Chang’sheng said with a smile.

"That’s true." Wu Feng thought back to those Daoists who’d been feeding the beast day after day not long ago, and couldn’t help but feel sorry for them.

Especially He Feng and Zhong Mountain.

Right now, Wu Feng was dying to see the looks on their faces. His respect for Lu Chang’sheng was only growing more and more.

Who could have predicted that the two who seemed most likely to sign the Little Fire Cloud Beast would end up empty-handed, while the utterly unremarkable Lu Chang’sheng would have the last laugh?

"Just got lucky, that’s all!" Lu Chang’sheng replied.

Soon, the gathering began. Luo Li, the manager, specifically told the two of them to head inside the institute, where Dean Huang Yun was seated in a chair, his complexion rosy and healthy, not at all like someone whose end was near.

But Lu Chang’sheng knew—the more things appeared this way, the more wrong they were. A cultivator’s blood and qi is restrained, never surging visibly on the surface like that of ordinary Martial Artists in the mortal world.

Among all the first-rank alchemists present, the two of them stood out glaringly. As soon as they entered, Huang Yun had them come take a seat.

The other first-rank alchemists, however, had no seats and could only stand aside and listen to Huang Yun speak.

"This must be Fellow Daoist Lu?" Huang Yun looked at Lu Chang’sheng and said.

His tone was neither particularly warm nor cold—just perfectly measured.

"That’s right."

"You’ve been with the Good Beast Sect for twenty years now, but unfortunately, for reasons of my own, I’ve never had the chance to meet you in person."

"You flatter me, Dean. You should really put your own health first at a time like this."

Lu Chang’sheng replied.

These words made Huang Yun’s smile warm even further, and he said again and again, "Fellow Daoist Ning He really did bring back some true talent."

This was Lu Chang’sheng’s first time conversing with Huang Yun at such close range. On the surface, it seemed rather cordial. Still, once Huang Yun mentioned a certain someone, the tone began to shift.

"You’re considerably older than He Feng. From now on, you should spend more time with him. Don’t let the relationship between you two grow distant."

As he spoke, Huang Yun gestured at He Feng, who was standing nearby.

"Of course, Dean."

Lu Chang’sheng answered with a smile.

Huang Yun seemed to realize this was a bit out of line, so he didn’t pursue it further. Instead, he said, "Just yesterday, the sect leader informed me that there’s been new progress over at Purple Ice Lake. The entrance may open in the near future, so I’ll be leading a team there. However—"

"Someone must remain behind to watch over the Alchemy Institute."

Huang Yun glanced around, his gaze eventually settling on Lu Chang’sheng and Wu Feng.

"I hear you’re not too interested in going to Purple Ice Lake. Why not stay behind and hold the fort at the Alchemy Institute for us?"

Huang Yun looked at Lu Chang’sheng, his expression kindly.

Lu Chang’sheng really didn’t mind—he had never planned on joining in the fun anyway.

Still—

"I truly don’t mind, but I may need to leave for a while soon. I’m not sure exactly when I’ll return."

"There isn’t much major business at the institute, mainly just pill refinement. If you’ll take on this duty, how about I let you have thirty percent of the Foundation Establishment Pill crafting quota for the next five years?"

"As long as you can ensure the basic pill output, the rest of your time will be your own to arrange as you please."

"In that case, I’ll gladly accept." Lu Chang’sheng replied with a smile.

Once Lu Chang’sheng agreed, Huang Yun was visibly pleased. A wide smile spread across his face and the flush in his cheeks deepened. He couldn’t help but cough lightly.

At his side, He Feng hurried forward with a cup of tea. "Teacher, have some tea."

"Mmm~" Huang Yun looked at the obedient He Feng, satisfaction flickering in his eyes.

This disciple had real talent. With his help paving the way, there was no reason He Feng couldn’t surpass him someday.

To think, such a genius, yet Ning He still wanted to recommend Lu Chang’sheng. It was truly baffling.

Lu Chang’sheng’s alchemy talent was decent, but compared with He Feng, he still fell short by quite a lot.

"If you had a hundred years, you’d probably reach second-rank in both cultivation and alchemy."

Huang Yun smiled at He Feng as he spoke.

He Feng replied modestly, "Teacher flatters me."

After the gathering broke up, He Feng couldn’t help but ask Huang Yun, "Teacher, why did you let him sit in back at the sect?"

"And give him so many benefits!"

Sitting at the sect wasn’t the issue—the real thing he couldn’t understand was handing over thirty percent of the Foundation Establishment Pill quota.

The refinement of Foundation Establishment Pills was mostly overseen by Huang Yun himself, since every year the sect only had so many materials for these pills. Only a small portion ever went to other second-tier alchemists for practice.

The Foundation Establishment Pill was extremely renowned among second-tier pills and simply couldn’t be avoided by any alchemist worth their salt.

The difference in status between those who could and couldn’t refine it was huge.

For example: two alchemists, both just starting out in second-rank—Lu Chang’sheng could only be a nominal elder, while Huang Yun was fit to serve as dean. Even the sect leader of Good Beast Sect had to treat him with utmost respect.

A sect could afford to have no other second-rank alchemists, but absolutely could not lack an alchemist who could make Foundation Establishment Pills.

And the ingredients for those pills were ludicrously precious and rare; even Good Beast Sect couldn’t possibly let a second-rank alchemist practice unlimited times.

Without enough practice runs, it was awfully hard to improve.

Which meant, thirty percent of the quota for five years would have plenty of second-rank alchemists drooling with envy.

"The Ning Family recommended Lu Chang’sheng to serve as dean. Obviously, they think highly of him. This trip to Profound Turtle Alchemist’s estate might yield some valuable alchemy treasures. If he’s there, he could cause you some trouble."

He Feng hadn’t expected his teacher to think this way. Though he felt a little uneasy, he still nodded in acknowledgment.

"I know you’re not fond of these methods, but that fellow Daoist does have some skills. What you’re lacking is time, and I believe you can outperform him."

"As for the thirty percent, that’s just to give the Ning Family an explanation and prevent any gossip about my arrangements."

There was still another reason Huang Yun didn’t mention aloud.

Namely, if Lu Chang’sheng squandered this many Foundation Establishment materials and showed no clear progress, it would be easy to use that as justification to suppress him.

······

"Dean Huang has become a bit reckless." After leaving the institute, Wu Feng sighed.

He’d seen right through Huang Yun’s bias—something rarely seen before.

Clearly, his failure to break through had made Huang Yun drop many former scruples and begin paving the way for his disciple He Feng’s rise.

Lu Chang’sheng really didn’t mind. On the contrary, he felt a bit excited.

The Good Beast Sect produced between five and ten Foundation Establishment Pills a year. With Huang Yun’s skill, it took around twenty sets of materials just to make them.

So over five years, thirty percent meant at least thirty sets of materials.

"Immortal sects really do have deep pockets!"

Liu Yun had been a manager at Glazed Glass Trading House for years and only ever managed to get a single Innate Spiritual Seed.

But in the immortal sect, dozens of sets were handed out at a time without a thought.

"Seems like Foundation Establishment is finally within reach."

Whether he chose to sell them and trade up for higher-level Foundation Establishment Pills, or keep them for his own cultivation, he’d save a lot of time trying to scrape together resources.

"Since you’ve made up your mind, I won’t say any more." Wu Feng smiled.

The next day, the institute staff gathered on the square, then transformed into a stream of light and left.

After seeing them off, Lu Chang’sheng officially took over the Alchemy Institute. First, he visited the institute’s herb garden to check on Foundation Establishment material cultivation. As he learned from the elder in charge, Good Beast Sect’s output of Foundation Establishment materials ranged from about ten to thirty sets per year.

"Cultivating Foundation Establishment materials is extremely difficult, and the yield is unpredictable. Honestly, just keeping a stable number of plants alive is already something to be grateful for."

The elder looked at Lu Chang’sheng and shook his head in silence.

Before Lu Chang’sheng arrived, he’d received word from Huang Yun, which left him feeling the whole thing a bit unserious.

Just handing over thirty percent of the Foundation Establishment materials like that? Wouldn’t that seriously cut into the sect’s supply in the coming years?

Still, as dean, Huang Yun did have the authority. The elder was unhappy about it, but wasn’t about to give Lu Chang’sheng the cold shoulder over it.

He just wasn’t going to be particularly welcoming, that’s all.

Lu Chang’sheng noticed, but didn’t say anything. He simply told the elder to let him know when the materials matured, and left it at that.