Daqin arrests alchemists, what does it matter to me as a qi refiner?

Upon seeing this, the leader's eyes narrowed, and he took a step forward, lowering his voice and saying coldly, "We've come to inquire about something. A few people just left from here. Do you know where they went?" His voice was deep and hoarse, as if it came from the depths of hell, carrying an undeniable authority.

The man being questioned stood rooted to the spot, his body trembling slightly, his eyes filled with conflict and fear. He glanced at the leader, then at the menacing figures around him, his lips moving, but he couldn't utter a single word.

Seeing that he didn't speak, the leader frowned slightly, took out a bag of crystals from his pocket, and gently weighed them in his hand, making a "clattering" sound.

“I know you won’t speak up easily. However, I have a bag of crystals here. As long as you tell us the news, this bag of crystals is yours.” His voice was still cold, but there was a hint of temptation in his tone.

The man looked at the bag of crystals, a glint of greed flashing in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by fear. He kept rubbing the hem of his clothes with his hands, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead, and he stammered, "I...I really don't know, they left in such a hurry, I didn't notice where they went."

The leader's eyes turned cold, and he took a step forward, his voice carrying a hint of threat: "Are you sure? If you dare to lie to me, you won't get this bag of crystals, and you might even get into big trouble."

The man was so frightened that his legs went weak and he almost collapsed to the ground. He hurriedly waved his hands and said, "I...I'm not lying to you, I really don't know. They were in such a hurry that I didn't have time to ask them any more questions."

The leader stared intently into his eyes, seemingly trying to discern whether he was lying from his gaze. After a long while, he slowly said, "Alright, I'll believe you this once. If I find out you've lied to me later, you'll be in big trouble!" With that, he put away the bag of crystals and led the group away.

Yang Ling watched their departing figures, secretly relieved, but at the same time knew that his troubles were not over yet...

The man quickly waved his hand and said seriously, "How could I possibly accept your things so easily? Besides, I have rules here, and information won't be easily leaked. If you really want to know, you should ask someone else."

"Besides, those people are meritorious officials whom the city lord ordered to be rewarded. How can we let just anyone inquire about them!" The man, growing impatient with the questioning, assumed it was something important and pulled out something else, placing it in front of the other person. The man coughed lightly, and upon seeing what he had taken out, immediately said:
"They went to the borderlands. I can't tell you the exact location." The leader nodded, frowning slightly, wondering to himself: What would Yang Ling be doing in a place like that? That place is extremely remote and sparsely populated. Could it be intentional? But these people are acting suspiciously; they must have some ulterior motive. They're definitely not ordinary people. He calmed down and said slowly:
"They must have had a reason for going. Let's just go directly there."

“Besides, it’s not too late to go back now, it’s not a big deal,” one of them said.

"I'd like to see what they're up to!" the leader sneered, not taking it seriously at all.

"You should spread the word and see if you can bring back more experts. Those people are powerful; if they really try to stop us, things will get really bad!" they said, one after another. That person's abilities were indeed not to be underestimated; if they hadn't intervened in time, Yang Ling would probably be dead already. Even though Yang Ling himself was quite strong, the gap in their cultivation levels wasn't something that could be easily overcome.

After they left, the person left behind watched their retreating figures with utter disdain. They thought they could get information out of him with such a paltry amount of stuff? No way! They were clearly no pushovers; he wouldn't easily reveal their exact location, after all, he wasn't an ordinary person.

Meanwhile, Yang Ling finally returned, letting out a long sigh of relief. He knew the Chen family's whereabouts well and could find them easily. Yang Ling led everyone to the Chen family's residence, but the people at the gate didn't recognize him.

"Who are you people? Don't you know that the Chen family isn't a place where just anyone can enter?"

"If you want to get in, you need an invitation in advance!" Yang Ling's lips twitched slightly. He hadn't expected the Chen family to have changed so much in such a short time. However, to Yang Ling's surprise, the Chen family's young master came out and recognized him at a glance.

"You're Yang Ling? You actually came back? This really surprises me!"

"Alright, enough nonsense, take us inside!" Young Master Chen hurriedly led Yang Ling inside, nagging all the way. He said his cheapskate father was always thinking about Yang Ling and couldn't wait for him to come back. He didn't care about his son at all, and sometimes when he thought about it, he felt quite bitter.

A slight smile graced Yang Ling's face. This place was naturally different from where he had been before. Ultimately, it felt more familiar to him here. When the Chen family patriarch passed by, he immediately recognized Yang Ling, completely ignoring his son standing to the side.

"When did you get back? Why didn't you tell us beforehand?" Yang Ling replied with a smile.

"It's only been a few months, and you've come back in quite a hurry. Come on in!" The Chen family head greeted them warmly. Suddenly, he seemed to remember something.

"I didn't expect you all to have changed so much, it's really quite unexpected!" He said, placing his hand on Yang Ling's shoulder and patting him gently a few times, showering him with praise. Yang Ling remained calm; in his eyes, these were nothing.

The head of the Chen family was relieved.

"Seeing you all like this now puts my mind at ease. I was so worried about you before, but now I can finally breathe a sigh of relief!"

The next day, Yang Ling went to the Sword Sect again. After all, he had personally helped build the Sword Sect, and since they had taken him in, he felt he had to return to show his gratitude. The people there were quite surprised to see Yang Ling return; the aura of a true powerhouse drew them all around, chattering incessantly, marveling at his exceptional talent.

"I see your cultivation level has improved to an extraordinary degree this time; this level is definitely very strong!" The Sword Sect Master praised Yang Ling as he walked up to him. Yang Ling was also somewhat surprised and curious. The Sword Sect was developing quite well, and in fact, it was becoming stronger and stronger. Could there be some connection between the two?
"After you left, we've been gradually expanding our strength, and we're indeed stronger than before. Your help has been indispensable in this. I believe that with you here, the Sword Sect will only get better and better!" Yang Ling led his men away first; he still had to visit the ruins. As Yang Ling stepped into the ruins, Qin Xiaoxiao felt a powerful aura wash over her. This aura felt very familiar, as if it originated from the same source as her. In this place, legendary tales of Yang Ling were told everywhere. A slight smile tugged at the corner of Qin Xiaoxiao's lips.

"If you hadn't genuinely come to me with something, I would have thought you were just lying to me, making up an excuse. Everyone here is praising you; I almost didn't realize it!" Yang Ling smiled. How could this be the same thing?
"How was I supposed to know those people were so good at praising? Although some of their claims were exaggerated, they were all true!" Qin Xiaoxiao couldn't help but roll her eyes.

Then they continued forward...

Yang Ling led Qin Xiaoxiao into the ruins. The moment Qin Xiaoxiao stepped inside, her gaze fell directly upon the ruins, as if lost in some memory. Then, Yang Ling took out a scroll and placed it before Qin Xiaoxiao. It had been given to him by someone who bore a resemblance to Qin Xiaoxiao.

"Have you remembered anything yet?" Qin Xiaoxiao shook her head at Yang Ling, but a strange intuition welled up in her heart.

"I feel like this thing you gave me is strangely familiar, like I've owned it before. It's really weird. I've never been to such a remote place before, so how could I have this impression?" He held the scroll Yang Ling had given him, feeling the unimaginable power emanating from it. Yang Ling saw white light flashing around Qin Xiaoxiao and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"It seems this cultivation manual should belong to you. Go back and practice it diligently; it might greatly benefit you!" Although Yang Ling had always possessed this manual, he had never been able to grasp its essence. Now, it was a return to its rightful owner. Yang Ling wasn't a stingy person, and besides, this manual wasn't suitable for him; it was better to return it to Qin Xiaoxiao than keep it.

Qin Xiaoxiao took a deep breath, her mind filled with doubt. What was this feeling all about? What did Yang Ling know? Yang Ling gently placed his hand on Qin Xiaoxiao's shoulder and patted it.

"Don't worry, your current strength isn't actually that great; you haven't unleashed the full power of this technique. I believe you can definitely do it!" Qin Xiaoxiao's eyes widened, her face filled with disbelief. This technique was of an extremely high level, its power even surpassing ordinary techniques. It was difficult to find such a unique technique anywhere else, and this was only a part of it.

"I brought you to this ruin to ask if there's anything you're curious about, or if you remember anything?" Qin Xiaoxiao shook her head again, indicating that besides feeling somewhat familiar with the things here and having a strange feeling about this cultivation technique, she didn't remember anything else. Yang Ling was slightly suspicious. In his opinion, there must be some connection between the two; otherwise, why would this cultivation technique have such an effect on Qin Xiaoxiao?
However, we need to think carefully about the specifics. Yang Ling then said:

"We'd better leave quickly; this place is no place to stay any longer!" The old man beside them watched their actions, a smile involuntarily creeping onto his lips. His gaze towards Qin Xiaoxiao changed, carrying a strange undertone, but he didn't say anything more. Qin Xiaoxiao gradually pulled herself together, her brows furrowing as she turned to look at Yang Ling.

"What exactly are you planning? And why are you being so kind as to give me such a valuable cultivation technique? You should keep something this valuable for yourself, not give it to me!"

"Someone left this to me, saying that if I met the right person, I should give it to them. Giving it to you now is the most appropriate thing to do, so why wouldn't you want it?" Yang Ling casually explained, since there was no harm in saying these things anyway. The old man's lips twitched, and his gaze towards Yang Ling changed. He hadn't expected Yang Ling to be so good at making things up, exceeding his expectations.

He looked at Yang Ling, naturally not believing Yang Ling's words.

Yang Ling, guessing what he was thinking, turned his head to the side.

"Alright, stop trying to fool me with those excuses. Since you've given me such a valuable cultivation technique, there's no reason for me to refuse it. Once this thing is in my hands, it won't be so easy to get it back!" Yang Ling waved his hand. This guy's true feelings were written all over his face; he actually refused the cultivation technique offered to him. Anyway, it was originally his, he just hadn't been able to use it, and now he'd finally found the right person for it.

He had originally kept it, intending to give it to Ying Zheng, but Ying Zheng was simply not suitable. Although Ying Zheng had considerable talent, he couldn't fully master this technique. Even if he had it, it would only bury its potential. Ying Zheng could use any technique he found with ease; this technique would be more effective in Qin Xiaoxiao's hands. Yang Ling, seeing Qin Xiaoxiao's serious expression, didn't think much of it.

Since Yang Ling was offering it to him, he would accept it. Such a valuable cultivation technique would be a waste not to take it; he wasn't stupid. Besides, this technique would definitely be fiercely contested if given away, and its power would only increase over time, potentially boosting his strength even further and greatly aiding his future cultivation. Afterwards, Yang Ling led him outside. The old man followed closely behind, but Yang Ling could tell that the old man had other plans in mind.

"What mischief are you up to now?" Yang Ling asked out of the blue. The old man was at a loss. Had he been discovered? Yang Ling was so capable.

When they returned to the Chen family home, Yang Ling looked at the people in front of him with a smile on his face.

The man looked wary, and Yang Ling couldn't help but mutter to himself.

"Why are you in such a hurry? I just came out to chat with you." With that, Yang Ling walked straight into the house. The old man sighed; he knew that meeting Yang Ling wouldn't end well. He sat opposite Yang Ling, who had specially stolen some top-quality tea from the Chen family head. It was said that this tea was worth a fortune and could even subtly enhance one's cultivation—truly remarkable.

He watched Yang Ling's movements.

"You really brought such fine tea; I'm truly flattered. However, you must have come for more than just this, right? Is there something else?" Yang Ling looked at the old man and knew he had something on his mind, so he asked directly.

"What are your thoughts on today's events? Don't tell me you have no opinion; I know perfectly well what's going on," Yang Ling asked the old man directly, feigning ignorance. Even if he knew, the old man wouldn't say it; besides, what would it mean if he did?

"I don't quite understand what you're talking about, and I know you fairly well. What you did in the Qin family was no simple matter, and you possess many treasures. I've come to rely on you entirely because of your extraordinary abilities!" he praised Yang Ling. Yang Ling also deliberately picked up the tea on the table and took a few sips. Even at this point, he was still lying to him. (End of Chapter)