Chapter 2180 - 2177: Intermediate Pharmacist?

Chapter 2180: Chapter 2177: Intermediate Pharmacist?

"Excellent quality!" Old Man Ling shouted in surprise.

But Lin Tian’s next action left him wide-eyed; Lin Tian casually poured out the elixir without a moment’s hesitation.

"Little brother, this...this is of excellent quality." Old Man Ling’s expression twisted with a mix of heartbreak and reluctance. Although Old Man Zhuge said nothing, his expression was quite similar.

Lin Tian remained unmoved, calmly saying, "Senior Ling, remember, always strive for excellence. Trust me to make better elixirs."

"Such a pity..." Old Man Ling shook his head but was still aching inside.

Lin Tian continued to refine elixirs, adjusting the heat and fusion time with each attempt, continuously optimizing. However, excellent quality seemed to be the peak, and he couldn’t break through it.

On the ground were dozens of elixirs scattered around—failures, subpar ones, excellent ones. The two old men, initially pained and regretful, gradually became numb to it.

"Seems I need some more preparation; let’s call it a night for now." Lin Tian poured out another batch of elixirs, letting out a breath.

Zhuge Cai Zhe nodded in agreement, "Indeed, some things can’t be rushed. After refining so many, it’s best to summarize our experience and make further progress next time."

Lin Tian stored the Heavenly Tribulation Sword away, turning it back into a bracelet, then carefully placed the ingredients aside and returned to his room, forgetting to clean up the elixirs on the ground.

The next morning, while Lin Tian was practicing in the backyard, he suddenly heard a woman’s shout from the front yard.

"Lin Tian...Lin Tian..."

Then came the calls; Lin Tian recognized it as Little La Jiao, Ling Shuiyao. But so early in the morning? Isn’t Little La Jiao supposed to be catching up on her beauty sleep? She hadn’t been waking up this early these past few days.

Feeling curious, Lin Tian stopped his practice and returned to the front yard, finding not only Ling Shuiyao but also Ling Zishan. The two old men were also drawn by the shouting.

Ling Shuiyao was squatting on the ground, staring intently at it, and strangely, Ling Zishan was also gazing at the ground, their expressions peculiar.

"Lin Tian, are these elixirs on the ground?" Ling Shuiyao picked one up, lifting her head to ask.

Before Lin Tian could respond, Ling Xuesong spoke, "Yes, they’re all elixirs, discarded by Lin Tian."

"Really, Lin Tian, have you lost your mind? These are elixirs!" Ling Shuiyao abruptly stood up, looking at Lin Tian as if he were a wastrel, while Ling Zishan also looked shocked.

"Here’s the situation..." Zhuge Cai Zhe came out and explained what happened the night before.

"Oh, so you’re refining a new elixir. But you should be careful not to let other Ancient Martial Artists know." Ling Zishan said somewhat oddly.

"Exactly, if other Ancient Martial Artists find out you discarded elixirs like this, they’d go crazy." Ling Shuiyao said through gritted teeth, evidently unable to comprehend Lin Tian’s wastefulness.

"Is it really that serious?" Lin Tian muttered, somewhat indifferent, "By the way, Miss Shuiyao, what brings you to the back mountain so early?"

Ling Shuiyao blushed, becoming a bit sheepish. Ling Zishan shook her head amusedly, "Didn’t we say before she was lazy? She’s decided to start waking up early to practice with her grandfather from today onwards."

"Ahem, I, as a noble lady, have decided to rise earlier than the sun, practice diligently, and strive upwards every day." Ling Shuiyao declared earnestly.

Zhuge Cai Zhe laughed heartily, "Girl, you’ve already made this resolution many times."

Ling Shuiyao felt a wave of embarrassment, glaring at the old man, then noticing Lin Tian smiling, her face reddened even more, "Grandpa Zhuge, you’re ruining my fun; I’m not playing with you guys anymore. I’m off to practice." With that, she ran toward the backyard.

"This girl, she’s great in every way except being a bit mischievous; without being grounded, how can she advance her realm?" Ling Zishan said with some helplessness.

Lin Tian thought for a moment and said, "Aunt Ling, at the Qingshuang Pavilion auction I saw Miss Shuiyao in action; she caught a brute’s stick with her bare hands, showing solid skills—what she lacks is honing. The upcoming martial arts competition is gathering talents from all walks; she should gain something on stage."

"Let’s hope so." Ling Zishan replied softly.

"I’m off to practice too." Lin Tian bowed his fist to the shakers and movers and headed to the backyard.

Ling Xuesong stroked his beard, laughing, "The girl must be provoked by Lin Tian. Same age, yet Lin Tian is already an Innate Expert."

Zhuge Cai Zhe also nodded in agreement, "We don’t even know who trained Lin Tian, with his incredible talent. Ancient Martial, elixir refinement—seems there’s nothing he can’t do. Do you think he’ll be the lucky one selected by the Medicine King Mansion this time?"

The three elite figures fell into contemplation, unsure of their thoughts.

Arriving in the backyard, Lin Tian saw Ling Shuiyao standing with the morning sun behind her, her ample chest subtly rising and falling with her breath. Each time she exhaled, her breath billowed like a ribbon.

Such a quiet and earnest Little La Jiao was rare, leaving Lin Tian curious about how far Ling Shuiyao would go in the Ancient Martial competition. With her current prowess, she’s not among the top tier.

If she were to face Situ Yufeng or Li Wenfeng, she’d surely lose; let alone Ji Zimo, an Innate Expert.

Lin Tian didn’t disturb her. She practiced her way, and he practiced his.

In the following two days, Ling Shuiyao arrived early every morning to train and stayed very late at night. Ling Xuesong felt naturally pleased to see his granddaughter so determined and guided her wholeheartedly.

Lin Tian, aside from practicing, continued refining new elixirs. Finally, on the third night, a round and glossy pill appeared in the steaming Bronze Tripod.

Ling Xuesong was ecstatic, "Superior quality, little brother, it’s a superior quality elixir! You jumped past the high quality and directly crafted a superior one!"

"Little brother, this time, you won’t discard it, right? After these few days, seeing you discard elixirs daily, I’ve been on edge." Zhuge Cai Zhe said with a joyful expression, finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Of course not." Lin Tian finally smiled, took out a jade bottle, and stored the superior quality elixir.

The quality of this elixir was excellent; however, without producing Elixir Markings, it couldn’t be considered an ultimate elixir. As for what grade this elixir belonged to, Lin Tian was uncertain—beginner? Intermediate?

But regardless of the grade, Lin Tian didn’t care. What he focused on was the elixir’s effectiveness: Clear Heart Demon, calming agitation, aiding meditation—this was what he sought.

Moreover, after these days of exploration and refinement, Lin Tian gained a deeper understanding of elixir-making. Previous Shaoyang Pills and Spirit-Boosting Pills posed no challenge at all, and he seemed to be standing at a new height.

If he were to remake Shaoyang Pills or Spirit-Boosting Pills now, using Purple Flame, Lin Tian was confident each would reach ultimate quality.

Could it be that I’ve ascended to intermediate Pharmacist? Lin Tian suddenly felt a fascinating sensation, like standing atop a mountain and looking back, seeing the peak behind beneath his feet. However, when he looked up, he faintly glimpsed even higher peaks in the distance.