“Rewards are not based on cultivation levels, I only care about results. Anyone who makes a contribution will receive the corresponding reward, regardless of who they are.” Li Qianren said coldly.
Gu Qingfeng couldn't help but look at Li Qianren with a bit more respect. The guy might be a bit of a stoic, but he seemed to have principles, at least when it came to rewards and punishments.
“Alright, all of you may leave now. Gu Qingfeng, you stay.”
Me? Stay?
Gu Qingfeng was a bit puzzled. He had no idea what Li Qianren was up to.
Soon, everyone else left, and a kind Earth Realm Exorcist even dragged Wang Fatty and Xu Daizi away.
By now, the grand hall was left with only Li Qianren and Gu Qingfeng.
Li Qianren remained silent for a moment before speaking to Gu Qingfeng, “Gu Qingfeng, do you know that after today, you will become famous throughout the entire Great Yan Dynasty?”
Gu Qingfeng nodded, “Killing one of the Seven Demon Generals at the Qi Gathering Realm Fourth Layer is indeed enough to cause a stir.”
“Fame often brings trouble, especially when you're only at the Qi Gathering Realm Fourth Layer. People will envy you, be jealous of you, but they will never respect you.”
Gu Qingfeng grinned, “A true genius is one who is envied by others.”
Li Qianren gave Gu Qingfeng a slightly surprised look, then continued, “You may have exceptional physical and spiritual talents, but your cultivation talent is too poor. Do you know what that means?”
“It means... an uncertain future?”
Li Qianren nodded, “Physical training won't make you a grandmaster. Even at its peak, it can't compare to the Tough Qi Realm's Qi protection. Your spiritual power is on par with a grandmaster, but spiritual power is not primarily used for combat. With your cultivation talent, even with ample medicinal pills, you might never break through to the True Qi Realm in your lifetime. Do you understand?”
“Oh? So my talent is that bad?” Gu Qingfeng was initially surprised, then laughed.
He knew his talent was poor, but he didn't expect it to be so bad that he couldn't even reach the True Qi Realm.
He didn't doubt the judgment of a grandmaster, but he trusted the power of the system even more. Once he reached the Internal Qi Realm and could increase his cultivation by being attacked by demons, reaching the True Qi Realm, or even becoming a grandmaster, would be a piece of cake.
Seeing Gu Qingfeng's carefree laughter, Li Qianren couldn't help but admire his mental fortitude.
Such a mindset was truly rare.
“Yes, it's very poor. However, this world isn't just about martial cultivation. There are also the Dao of Alchemy, the Dao of Talismans, the Dao of Formation Arrays, and more. All these paths require strong spiritual power to excel in. At your young age, you already possess spiritual power comparable to a grandmaster, which makes you a potential genius in these other paths. I asked you to stay behind to ask if you'd be willing to pursue these paths.”
Gu Qingfeng understood now. This was trying to make him a support role!
However, he didn't rush to refuse, as he felt there was more to Li Qianren's intentions. There had to be more to it than just showing concern for talent.
“Then, what path does Lord Li think I should choose?”
“The Dao of Alchemy.” Li Qianren answered without hesitation.
“May I ask why?”
“Among these paths, only the Dao of Alchemy is the most sought after. However, I'm not suggesting you choose it for that reason.”
“Then why?”
“A mission.”
“A mission?”
“Yes, a mission that could make you rise to great heights. If you complete this mission, even if you never become a grandmaster, you could gain status and wealth far beyond that of a grandmaster!”
What the heck? What kind of mission is that?
“Please, enlighten me, Lord.” Gu Qingfeng was getting curious.
Li Qianren didn't immediately answer but instead asked, “Do you know who the top alchemist in the Great Yan Dynasty is?”
Gu Qingfeng's expression changed, and without hesitation, he answered, “That would be the Alchemy King, Qiu Yulong.”
Although Gu Qingfeng didn't know how to refine pills, he had heard of this household name.
“Correct, it's Qiu Yulong. The acknowledged top alchemist in the history of the Great Yan Dynasty. Do you know why he is considered the best?”
“Why? Isn't it obvious? He's the best at refining pills.”
Li Qianren shook his head, “Throughout history, there is no 'first' in alchemy, just as there is no 'second' in martial arts. Martial artists can determine the best through duels, but alchemy cannot. Every alchemy master has their specialty. For example, one might excel at refining detoxification pills, while another specializes in pills that boost power. The value of different pills is hard to judge, and for someone trying to break through, a power-boosting pill is the best, but for someone poisoned, a detoxification pill is the most important. Therefore, there is no 'first' in alchemy.”
Gu Qingfeng was getting even more curious, “Then why is Qiu Yulong called the Alchemy King?”
“Because he refined a pill that everyone needs.”
“Everyone needs? What kind of pill is that?”
“The Ageless Pill.”
“The Ageless Pill!? Does it grant immortality?” Gu Qingfeng exclaimed in surprise.
“It doesn't grant immortality. Immortality is beyond the realm of humans; it's a domain of the gods. However, the Ageless Pill can reverse the natural order and extend life, allowing one to regain youth! A person's lifespan is determined by the heavens. Unless one breaks through to a higher realm, one cannot increase their lifespan. But what about the innate realm? At most, it grants two hundred years of life. After that, it's just a handful of dust.”
But the Ageless Pill allows you to defy the heavens and change your fate. As long as you're alive, you have a chance. Perhaps you might even touch the realm beyond grandmasters!”
After Li Qianren finished, he noticed Gu Qingfeng looking at him with a strange expression, not saying a word.
Li Qianren frowned slightly, “What is it?”
“Lord Li, are you dying?”
Those words almost made even the composed Li Qianren lose his cool.
“I'm not dying!” Li Qianren retorted irritably.
“Then why are you talking about the Ageless Pill? Could it be... the mission is related to the Ageless Pill? But the Alchemy King Qiu Yulong died over a hundred years ago. Where would we find it? Unless...”
Gu Qingfeng suddenly thought of a possibility and stared in disbelief, “Lord Li, do you have the recipe for the Ageless Pill and want me to refine it? You must have too high an opinion of me. I haven't even started studying the Dao of Alchemy...”
“Stop speculating and listen to me!” Li Qianren cut him off coldly.
“Fine, fine. You're the boss; I'll listen to you.” Gu Qingfeng pouted.
Li Qianren's sword-like eyebrows furrowed slightly. Was it because he had been too approachable? Why did this guy seem a bit disrespectful?
transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”
tions: attribute allocation, analysis, proficiency, and simulation. Specializing in mechanical alchemy, from crafting sorcerous battle armor to handcrafting mechanical maidens, his mechanical legion conquers endless realms... Relying on his wits, he begins with a student-teacher romance, wins over a female director, enslaves a female assassin and a underworld queen, becoming the husband of a Grand Duchess... He enslaves the Goddess of Magic from the divine realm, developing his power simultaneously in both the Wizard World and the Realm of Gods...
【Prologue: The Beginning of It All – Use holy water to heal the saintess tainted by demonic energy, then converse with her.】 Shen Nian stared at his older sister sipping yogurt, lost in thought. So you’re telling me my sister is the saintess, and yogurt is the holy water? 【Main Quest 1: Brave Youth, Become an Adventurer! Reward: Rookie Adventurer Title.】 【Side Quest 1: Find the Adorable Kitty! Reward: 1000 Gold Coins.】 Shen Nian: "Wait, I’m a high school senior here—did some guy who got isekai’d accidentally bind his system to me?" Hold on, completing quests gives gold rewards? Titles even boost stats? Is this for real? (A lighthearted, absurd campus comedy—not a revenge power fantasy.)
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
