Alchemy Talent

However, for some unknown reason, he had studied for many years without ever producing a single mid-grade pill, forcing him to admit a fact: he simply had no talent for alchemy whatsoever.

So, although he had previously learned and collected many pill formulas, he never personally attempted to refine them again.

After all, as a Nascent Soul cultivator, did he really need to know how to refine pills himself? Wasn't it just as good to directly obtain them from those who could?

Hearing the first part of his sentence, Lin Xiao initially thought he had personally refined the antidote pill, but it turned out he had only instructed Sun Yigao to do it. Lin Xiao found this both amusing and exasperating.

But didn't this also count as teaching Sun Yigao the skill of refining an antidote pill?

So he quickly said to Liao Pantu:

"Thank you for saving me, Senior. From now on, you shall be an elder of our Lingxian Sect! The future development of our sect will greatly rely on your guidance."

Seeing Lin Xiao being so sensible, Liao Pantu stroked his beard and nodded with satisfaction.

He then continued:

"But you, kid, are also quite bold, daring to try and kill that Silver Frost Python Demon with your mere Foundation Establishment cultivation. Do you know, from observing its demon core, that was a python demon whose cultivation was no weaker than my original body! Even though it was severely injured by the Heavenly Tribulation and its power greatly diminished, it still possessed the cultivation level of a half-step Golden Core cultivator! If it weren't for your formation, you would have been done for there."

Thinking back on it now, Lin Xiao still felt a lingering fear. He said to Liao Pantu:

"At the time, for some reason, I suddenly became single-mindedly focused on killing it. Now, even I think my actions were extremely reckless."

Upon hearing this, Liao Pantu stroked his beard in thought for a moment before suddenly realizing:

"You were probably already poisoned by it at that time? It is said that the Silver Frost Python Demon's venom can also stir up the deepest desires in the heart of the poisoned..."

As he spoke, Liao Pantu looked at Lin Xiao, who was recovering well on the bed, and thought to himself: The python demon probably never expected that this kid's greatest desire at that moment was to kill it, right?

Otherwise, it might have lived a few more years.

Liao Pantu smiled slightly and said:

"But this is for the best as well. It saves us from keeping this lurking threat that could erupt at any time, causing daily unease. After all, I don't know how long my Nascent Soul pressure could have deterred it." He didn't know yet that Lin Xiao had used a Sealing Talisman on the Silver Frost Python Demon, otherwise he might have felt it was a pity.

After all, if it could have been sealed for three years, allowing time for proper cultivation and meticulous preparation before going to kill the python demon, that would have been very safe.

But in life, how can everything go exactly as one wishes?

Having a good outcome is already fortunate.

At that moment, the door opened, and Lin Yun walked in carrying a basin of water, with Lin Xiao's face towel hanging over the edge.

As soon as he entered the room, he saw Lin Xiao awake on the bed and immediately exclaimed with joy:

"Erlang, you're awake!"

This shout woke up Lin Dayou, who was dozing lightly by the bedside.

Lin Dayou opened his bloodshot eyes and saw Lin Xiao sitting up, looking in good condition. His usually stern face finally broke into a gentle smile.

Then he suddenly remembered something, his expression turning fierce as he angrily scolded Lin Xiao:

"You little brat, think you're something now, do you?! A scrawny kid without two ounces of meat on his arms dares to go looking for trouble with that monster all by himself! Didn't you see how big that monster was? Huh?! One of its eyeballs could fit three of you! What were you trying to prove by showing off?!"

As he spoke, he stood up, hands on hips, glaring at Lin Xiao, and continued:

"What if you had been swallowed by the monster? I wouldn't even have been able to recover your body!"

After venting his anger, Lin Dayou turned and left with a livid face. Before exiting the door, he tossed a final sentence at Lin Xiao:

"When you're better, go kneel in front of your mother's grave for three days! Let's see if you dare do something like this again!"

With that, he left the room.

Seeing Lin Dayou angry with him, Lin Xiao wasn't unhappy at all.

He smiled and called out to Lin Dayou's retreating back:

"Understood—Dad, you get some good rest!"

Outside the door, Lin Dayou heard him, gave a soft "hmph," and walked out of the house with cheerful steps.

He needed to send the news of Lin Xiao waking up to the old house to save everyone from worrying.

As soon as Lin Dayou left, Tietou and the others, who had been waiting outside for a long time upon hearing the commotion, swarmed into Lin Xiao's room.

Tietou, using his height advantage, was the first to squeeze to Lin Xiao's bedside:

"Brother Xiao, Brother Xiao! You're just too awesome! Taking on such a huge python demon all by yourself!"

Liu Yu'nan, relying on agility to claim the second spot, immediately added:

"That's right, Brother Xiao! You're incredible! The python corpse Senior Liao brought back is enormous, and you actually managed to kill it alone!"

Qin Jianghe, who had squeezed up behind them, nodded repeatedly,

"Just seeing that python corpse scared me so much my legs went weak! If it were me, I'm sure I would have forgotten to even lift my legs and run if that python demon tried to swallow me!"

Their words were full of admiration.

Only Jiang Youfu couldn't squeeze to the front, so he had to speak from the back:

"It's just a mere python demon, so what if it looked big? Wasn't it still killed by my Brother Xiao alone? It's just that the python demon was too despicable, resorting to poison when it couldn't win, hmph! Cowardly!"

Mentioning the poisoning, everyone asked:

"Brother Xiao, how do you feel now? Is the poison really completely cleared?"

Lin Xiao smiled and nodded.

Liu Yu'nan then laughed heartily:

"This antidote pill is really that effective! Brother Xiao, you don't know, when Brother Lin carried you back, your whole body was green! We were all terrified seeing you like that. Uncle Lin almost fainted when he saw your condition."

Qin Jianghe nodded in agreement:

"Yeah, Brother Xiao, at that time you were barely breathing, only exhaling. It was Senior Liao who immediately told Yigao to refine the pill, that's what saved you."

Lin Xiao was just about to thank Sun Yigao, but looking around he didn't see him, so he asked:

"Where's Yigao?"

The other sect members were female, so it made sense they wouldn't be mingling with Tietou and the others right now, but Sun Yigao's absence from the crowd was somewhat unusual.

Given his character, he would definitely have come with everyone to visit Lin Xiao.

Liu Yu'nan waved his hand and said with a sigh:

"Yigao refined two batches of pills in a row. Before the second batch was even finished, he had completely exhausted his spiritual power. But he didn't say anything, instead forcibly persevering by converting his essence blood into spiritual energy to finish refining the second batch. He's resting at home now. We were planning to go visit him soon too."

Hearing this, Lin Xiao immediately threw off the quilt and got out of bed:

"I'll go with you."

With that, the group of youths left the Lin household, jostling and crowding around each other.

Liao Pantu stood behind, stroking his beard as he watched the departing backs of these young men, a faint smile on his face.

Youth is truly wonderful.

As he thought this, he also began pondering about the young man Sun Yigao.

This kid is really good. His spiritual roots are excellent, his character is outstanding, and most importantly, his talent for alchemy is high!

Although Liao Pantu himself had extremely poor alchemy talent, he had loved the art of pill refining ever since he began cultivating. It was only due to his limitations that he had to give it up.