Beginner's Benefits

In the medicine room of the Demon Suppression Bureau.

Ah Nian was no longer the young girl she once was, having grown into a graceful woman, though her attire still reflected the style of her homeland.

As the Bureau's only cultivator specializing in the medical arts, Ah Nian received resources no less than those given to frontline combat personnel.

After all, cultivators who forgo offensive techniques to specialize solely in healing arts were exceedingly rare.

Unless driven by genuine boundless compassion or personal passion, few cultivators would choose this path that benefits others more than oneself.

Thanks to this resource allocation, Ah Nian had already broken through to the Foundation Establishment realm.

A Foundation Establishment cultivator specializing in healing arts was considered a top-tier treasure in this part of the Southern Continent.

The Demon Suppression Bureau of Yuzhou City had expended great effort to prevent Ah Nian from being transferred away.

Naturally, Ah Nian's own reluctance to leave was also a factor.

Nowadays, aside from the Bureau Chief, virtually everyone greeted Ah Nian with respect.

Many lives within the Bureau had been pulled back from the brink by Ah Nian's hands.

Due to these reasons, Ah Nian held a uniquely high status within the Demon Suppression Bureau, which, incidentally, allowed her the occasional luxury of "wasting" some medicinal ingredients.

She used them to research and experiment with the pill-liquid technique taught by Chu Xingchen.

Of course, given its uniquely potent taste, Ah Nian dared not sample her own concoctions. Usually, when someone suffered a minor injury, Ah Nian would mutter incantations and perform a little ritual over the liquid—praying for it to work—before finally administering it.

She would then carefully observe the test subject's expression. After all, what Chu Xingchen was most famous for wasn't just the somewhat miraculous efficacy of his medicine, but its terrifying side effects.

If the recipient didn't end up crying for their parents, begging on their knees, or bashing their head against the floor, then the attempt was considered a failure.

Recalling the method and refining it for years, Ah Nian had still not reached Chu Xingchen's level.

After much painful reflection, Ah Nian felt that in her previous attempts, she had always pursued the best possible efficacy, striving for perfection.

While this did significantly improve the medicine she refined, the realm of Chu Xingchen remained distant and unattainable.

Ah Nian began to think that perhaps she needed to reverse her approach.

Forget pursuing efficacy; first, aim for extreme bitterness, a soul-piercing bitterness.

Efficacy was secondary nonsense.

Given Chu Xingchen's temperament, he probably concocted it in the most bitter way possible to punish others, and only by accident stumbled upon creating a highly effective medicinal liquid.

The more Ah Nian pondered, the more convinced she became.

She decisively began refining anew.

Thus, the medicinal liquids Ah Nian had previously refined, while somewhat bitter, were still at a level an ordinary person could force down by holding their nose.

Moreover, their efficacy was quite good, earning them a solid reputation within the Bureau.

Although occasionally the flavor would be a bit off, changing unpredictably.

But simmering a medicine a bit longer or adding slightly less of an ingredient could alter the taste; it wasn't a big deal.

As long as it healed.

Bitterness lasted only a moment, but pain was measured in months.

Ah Nian never lacked volunteers for her experimental concoctions.

However... ever since Ah Nian changed her approach to refining the pill-liquid, everything became different.

The bitterness grew increasingly intense.

The efficacy dwindled to almost nothing.

Those who needed to rest for a month still needed twenty-nine days.

Those who were bleeding still bled.

The main selling point? Was it effective?

Effective, but barely.

The taste also became increasingly outrageous, often bitter enough to make people lose their senses.

The unpleasant flavors grew bizarre and varied, and the odors stranger.

Even with Ah Nian's high standing, she couldn't withstand the rising tide of rumors.

For a time, rumors ran rampant in the Demon Suppression Bureau—was Ah Nian adding excrement to her mixtures?

The Bureau Chief personally intervened to discuss the matter with Ah Nian.

Ah Nian decisively refuted the claims—no investment, no return! If we give up now, will the future deaths be on your head?

Coupled with Chu Xingchen's formidable reputation in Yuzhou City,

and Zhao Wanqing's personal guarantee of the efficacy of Chu Xingchen's pill-liquids,

the Bureau Chief ultimately allowed this sole Foundation Establishment medicinal cultivator free rein.

After all, those taking the medicine only had minor injuries; Ah Nian wouldn't force her experiments on the seriously wounded.

The Chief also assured everyone—Ah Nian's pill-liquids were simply evolving; it wasn't some perverse hobby of adding improper ingredients.

Three more years passed with this method of refinement.

Ah Nian's once-famous pill-liquids had now become utterly feared.

The only ones still willing to drink them were the newest recruits.

Many veterans of the Bureau would even deliberately bring new, perfectly healthy recruits to Ah Nian for a special refining session, making them taste it properly.

It had become a unique welcoming ritual for joining the Demon Suppression Bureau.

If you couldn't even endure Ah Nian's pill-liquid, how could you bear the heavy responsibility of protecting the people of Yuzhou City?

Ah Nian was caught between satisfaction and dissatisfaction—dissatisfied that her painstakingly researched concoction had become a training tool, but satisfied that volunteers were delivered to her doorstep.

However, the Bureau didn't get new members every year.

Lately, Ah Nian found herself with fewer and fewer volunteers.

Now, looking at her freshly refined pill-liquid, Ah Nian felt she had replicated at least seventy percent of Chu Xingchen's signature taste. It was a shame there were no volunteers to sample it.

"Maybe... I should set a rule: anyone who comes to me for treatment has to taste this pill-liquid after they're healed?"

Ah Nian stroked her chin, murmuring softly.

But wouldn't that mean no one would dare seek her medical help anymore?

While Ah Nian was still pondering this dilemma, the door to her room was gently knocked.

Ah Nian's gaze shifted.

A woman wearing a veil hat and possessing a graceful figure stood at the doorway.

Ah Nian's eyes lit up. "You must be the new member! Finally, you're here."

Upon hearing this, Xu Linglong was momentarily taken aback, unsure whether to confirm or not, but she quickly chose to go along with it.

After all, shared identity was the most effective way to build rapport.

Forcibly extracting memories through soul-searching was naturally a last resort, for when her cover couldn't be maintained.

At the very least, she needed to understand all the interpersonal relationships here first.

Xu Linglong gave a slight nod and said,

"That's me. Is there something you need?"

"Hey, what could it be?" Ah Nian pointed to a bowl containing the pill-liquid nearby. "Drink this, then tell me about the taste and the effects."

Hearing this, Xu Linglong glanced over. This Demon Suppression Bureau was quite something, actually conducting tests on living people.

Rather interesting.

Xu Linglong walked over, lowering her gaze to inspect the refined liquid.

With just one look, Xu Linglong completely understood the medicine's properties.

It wasn't poison... it was a common healing medicine.

Only... why was its effect so weak?

And why did it smell so foul?

Xu Linglong looked at the eagerly expectant Ah Nian and asked,

"Before I drink, may I ask why I need to drink this?"

"Have you heard of the name Chu Xingchen?"

"Naturally, I have."

"I'm surprised someone of the new generation knows. But it's good that you do. This pill-liquid was personally taught by Chu Xingchen. It's his secret technique, the very key to his success in cultivation. Countless people wish to understand its mysteries but cannot."

Ah Nian said with an air of righteous solemnity, her expression suggesting Xu Linglong had hit the jackpot, and continued,

"This privilege is unique to our Yuzhou City Demon Suppression Bureau. Consider it your initiation benefit."

Xu Linglong looked at Ah Nian, who spoke with such righteous conviction. The information her divine sense had captured earlier also corroborated that what she said was true.

After a moment of contemplation, she still picked up the bowl.

Chu Xingchen's secret to success in his cultivation journey so far?

Xu Linglong gazed at the medicinal liquid in the bowl, then turned her eyes back to Ah Nian.

"An initiation benefit?"

Ah Nian nodded emphatically.

"An initiation benefit!"