The Subsidy of Xuanwu Nation

Yuzhou City Demon Suppression Bureau.

Inside the medical hall, Chu Xingchen watched as Ah Nian stood on a small stool, flipping through books on the shelf.

Ah Nian pulled out a few basic alchemy manuals from the nearby shelf:

"Ya promised, ya’d show me how to refine the elixir again later!"

"Teaching... are ya sure ya wanna learn my method?"

Ah Nian hopped off the stool, clutching three alchemy books in her arms, her gaze earnest:

"Yer technique’s new, and the effects are real good. The taste ain’t the problem—it can definitely be improved, ya know?"

Ah Nian had studied it carefully afterward. After all, she’d witnessed the entire refining process that day. But no matter how she tried to replicate it, she could never achieve Chu Xingchen’s level.

That meant he definitely had his own unique method.

This time, if she observed closely, she’d surely master it completely.

As for trying to extract his core technique just by borrowing a few books—Ah Nian didn’t even dare think about it. Getting to watch him again was already a sign of Chu Xingchen’s generosity.

Chu Xingchen, on the other hand, didn’t mind at all. After all, refining medicinal liquid wasn’t some high-level skill, and the resulting concoction was only useful for emergencies.

If it was meant to be emergency healing medicine during a fight, Chu Xingchen figured fighting injured might still be better than taking his medicine.

Taking the alchemy books, since he planned to refine pills in the future anyway, he said:

"If ya manage to improve it, be sure to let me know."

Ah Nian nodded earnestly:

"Sure thing! Since it’s based on yer technique, any improvements’ll definitely be shared with ya."

With that settled, Chu Xingchen stuffed the alchemy manuals into his spatial ring and proceeded to demonstrate his cauldron-free refining method once more—this time using the Demon Suppression Bureau’s herbs.

He casually refined a healing elixir.

Ah Nian’s large almond eyes were fixed intently on the process, her expression serious. As the elixir took form, she gave a solemn nod, as if she’d grasped the crucial details.

This time, she confidently held out a small bowl to catch the medicinal liquid Chu Xingchen had refined.

"Senior, how does this plan sound for the matter you entrusted us with?"

Zhao Wanqing’s voice came from outside the door. She held a stack of papers in her hands and, after a glance at Ah Nian, immediately understood the situation.

Ever since Chu Xingchen’s medicinal liquid had proven shockingly effective, Ah Nian had been obsessed with mastering this unorthodox refining method.

As a physician, a brand-new and highly effective path had opened before her—one too tempting to ignore.

Whenever she had free time, Ah Nian would attempt to refine medicine using Chu Xingchen’s method.

She could manage the refining part, but the efficacy... left much to be desired. In fact, the results were even worse than standard pills made from the same ingredients.

Though, according to Ah Nian, the taste was at least normal—bitter but still tolerable.

Nowhere near as horrifying as Chu Xingchen’s concoctions.

When Ah Nian had asked Zhao Wanqing to test it once, Zhao Wanqing hadn’t dared take a sip.

Lately, Ah Nian seemed to have hit an insurmountable barrier and hadn’t attempted refining for a while.

But from now on, the poor cauldrons would suffer again.

Chu Xingchen took the documents from Zhao Wanqing, scanning them briefly with his divine sense before nodding lightly.

"The terms are indeed favorable. Just make sure the promotional plan is on a larger scale. Any extra costs in silver or spirit stones can be deducted from Xuanwu Kingdom’s monthly subsidies."

This trip to Yuzhou City for alchemy books had been worth it.

Chu Xingchen had initially assumed that this so-called "sect cooperation" would offer meager benefits in exchange for some community management work.

After all, nothing in the world came without reason.

So, he’d mentally filed this "official cooperation" business in the same category as the letter from Zen Forest Temple—a troublesome affair.

When he’d arrived, he’d planned to ask Zhao Wanqing for details first. If the conditions were too absurd, he’d simply pretend he’d never seen the letter.

But after a brief discussion, he realized this wasn’t some community management role—it was a full-blown "raising a powerhouse" scheme!

The terms could be summarized simply: Xuanwu Kingdom had an unshakable duty toward Chu Xingchen, while Chu Xingchen’s obligations to Xuanwu Kingdom were minimal at best.

The benefits and conditions were so generous that Chu Xingchen half-expected Xuanwu Kingdom to invite him to ascend the throne.

Zhao Wanqing smiled and nodded. "Then we’ll finalize the proposal and deliver it to your sect later, Senior. If there are no issues, we’ll proceed immediately."

"Much obliged."

"No trouble at all. I still owe you a great debt, Senior."

Chu Xingchen nodded once before turning to leave, eager to start practicing alchemy as soon as possible.

Zhao Wanqing watched him go, then glanced at Ah Nian, who was now poking at the medicinal liquid with a small silver needle, preparing to taste it.

This time, Zhao Wanqing didn’t linger. She left as well.

She respected Ah Nian’s dedication—but she didn’t understand it.

The moment Zhao Wanqing stepped outside, Ah Nian’s wail echoed behind her.

"This is it! This is the taste!"

---

Sect Main Hall.

Li Yingling lowered her gaze, gently stroking her teacup.

Yuan Kong sat stiffly, his small head held high in stubborn defiance.

Li Yingling held some goodwill toward the abbot for what he’d done—for Yuan Kong, for all living beings.

But no amount of goodwill would allow him to set his sights on her sect.

No one understood better than her how hard her master had worked—from a dilapidated temple to finally establishing a true sect of their own.

Compared to pitying the abbot, Li Yingling’s heart ached far more for her own master.

Setting down the teacup, she kept her eyes downcast, not looking at Yuan Jing as she spoke softly:

"This matter isn’t up for discussion. Even if my master were here, the answer would be the same."

Yuan Jing remained calm. He cleared his throat and said earnestly:

"Zen Forest Temple will compensate your sect to the best of our ability..."

Li Yingling shook her head, cutting him off. "Compensation? You mean silver? Does Zen Forest Temple even have spirit stones left?"

Then she turned to Yuan Kong:

"You tell me—does such a logic exist in this world?"

Yuan Kong’s defiant posture crumbled. He hung his head and mumbled, "No..."

Yuan Jing sighed quietly. He truly had no ground to stand on here. Without that most crucial relic, even possessing the Buddha’s Heart was of limited use.

But a relic from a Bodhisattva at the Divine Transformation realm? That was something Zen Forest Temple could never afford.

Still, one had to try.

This whole affair was, in a way, a minor farce.

Zen Forest Temple had actually planned this as a trial for the young Yuan Kong. They hadn’t expected that, in the time it took to enjoy a sugar painting, Yuan Kong would sell off everything except the Buddha’s Heart.

And worse—he’d been led through the Heart-Tempering Trial by someone else...

That kid had a real talent for cutting corners.

But a promise was a promise.

Yuan Jing had no intention of arguing over it.

If one spoke of fate, then these items were clearly meant to belong to Chu Xingchen.

Halfway through his thoughts, Yuan Jing rapped Yuan Kong’s little head with his knuckles.

"You—out!"

Yuan Kong opened his mouth to protest, but one look at his senior brother’s stern eyes made him slump and shuffle out.

Once Yuan Kong was gone, Yuan Jing pulled out a brand-new book from his sleeve.

"This is the top-tier Buddhist scripture of Central Plains' Zen Forest Temple. How about I exchange this for that relic of yours?"

"It's my personal handwritten copy—no one else knows of its existence. If you agree..."

"Once I step out this door, I shall enter the vow of silence, never uttering another word for the rest of my life."

Yuan Jing's gaze remained tranquil. This was the only treasure he possessed that could match the value of that relic.

In truth, this supreme scripture far surpassed the worth of a single relic.