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

"I came to discuss something with you, but I didn't expect to disturb your sweet nothings!" Upon hearing this, Sun Yao quickly took a step back, distancing herself from Yang Ling, and stood there at a loss. Yang Ling looked at the female head of the family, helplessly rubbing his temples, muttering to himself: What's she doing here so late at night?

"Madam, you've come so late at night, you don't really just want to talk to me about something, do you?"

"Please excuse me for a moment, I need to talk to him alone!" Sun Yao nodded to Yang Ling. Actually, even if Yang Ling hadn't said anything, she would have left anyway. Luckily, she hadn't done anything out of line, or she would have been incredibly embarrassed. After she left, Yang Ling came to his senses, turned to look at the female head of the family, and said coldly.

"What brings you to me so late at night? I'm a bit confused. Has something happened?" The female head of the family sneered when she heard Yang Ling's words. How dare Yang Ling ask? Did he think he didn't know?
"Do you think I don't know anything? Or am I pretending to be confused? I think you're the one with a guilty conscience!" Yang Ling didn't understand what this female family head was up to. Could it be that she came all this way just for this?
"Grandma, stop beating around the bush, I admit defeat, okay?"

Seeing Yang Ling beg for mercy, the female patriarch calmed down a bit. She walked up to Yang Ling, found a seat, and said...

"It's very simple. What happened on your trip to the Spirit Realm? Did you encounter anything interesting or fun?" Yang Ling finally realized that he had thought it was something important, but it turned out that this was what he was asking.

Yang Ling seemed quite enthusiastic about this. He recounted the whole story to the female patriarch. After listening, the female patriarch appeared thoughtful. To be honest, she wasn't particularly interested in the matter of origins.

"Given my current status and position, do you think it's appropriate for me to steal from others?" She certainly didn't want to do that. Yang Ling fell into deep thought after hearing this.

"Didn't you say you always wanted to stay near the Lin family? Why don't you just live here? Besides, with you around, those people can learn a lot from you!" Yang Ling praised the female head of the family without reservation. He would feel much more at ease if she stayed. Yang Ling could tell that the female head of the family actually had this idea, but she was unwilling to lower herself due to her status.

"You have to build me a new place to live, and I can't let just anyone barge into this place. You know I've never liked dealing with these kinds of people!" Yang Ling coughed lightly.

"Of course I know that, so don't worry!" Yang Ling thought to himself, the female head of the family usually didn't care about these things, so what was wrong with her today, coming to chat with him like this? It was too unusual.

“Actually, I was thinking that after you settle down at the Lin family home, I would arrange a brand new place for you. Once it’s built, you can move in, what do you think?” The female head of the family nodded, thinking that this was a good idea.

"Alright, since you've put it that way, I think it's feasible. Your idea is quite good, and you're quite capable in all aspects. I know you have the ability!" With that, the female family head turned to leave. Yang Ling wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt that the female family head was in an exceptionally good mood today, looking particularly happy. Could he be mistaken?
Watching the female patriarch's retreating figure, Yang Ling was still somewhat taken aback; this person's changes were too rapid. Just when everyone thought Yang Ling was about to establish a new family, he announced that all disciples with spiritual energy and aptitude should come to the Lin family to participate in a competition. As long as their talent was outstanding, he was willing to personally guide them.

Yang Ling's actions were undoubtedly a slap in the face to those powerful families. These families had undergone numerous changes, and their reluctance to leave stemmed from the immense effort and resources they had invested. Was Yang Ling joking? Who would believe he was going to train so many people? However, a few families knew of Yang Ling's exceptional talent. Even the most powerful among them were no match for him; his path was unconventional, and ordinary people were no match for him. But why would Yang Ling do this? To Yang Ling's surprise, after the news spread, no one dared to come forward.

Not only that, some people felt that Yang Ling was spreading rumors and deliberately contradicting them. Yang Ling sighed.

"Why don't those people dare to come? I've never done anything wrong!" The others' faces twitched upon hearing Yang Ling's words. Who dared to compare themselves to Yang Ling? He was proficient in every field, having mastered it to its highest level. Comparing themselves to Yang Ling was tantamount to suicide!

Yang Ling thought for a moment and then spoke directly.

"Here's what we'll do: you spread the word that as long as they're willing to come, I'll give them the best resources, whatever they want. Anyone can come!"

"These resources will definitely tempt them!" Yang Ling was indeed adept at manipulating people's hearts. Even bystanders were excited upon hearing this, let alone those people themselves. They were already itching to go, wishing they could rush to the Lin family to find Yang Ling right now. With Yang Ling making such a grand show of force, they didn't believe he would turn his back on them and attack on the spot. Besides, which family could offer resources like Yang Ling's? As soon as the news spread, a long line of people formed.

"Did you know? Yang Ling's competition isn't just about physical strength, it's also about magic. You could understand if he were competing in other areas, but why is he doing this too?"

"Exactly, what's the point of comparing these things?" The more they thought about it, the more confused they became...

"Today we'll make him admit defeat wholeheartedly! If you ask me, those who sided with Yang Ling are truly blessed!"

"That's right, if I had another chance, I would definitely side with them again!"

They chattered away, one after another, discussing the topic incessantly.

He wasn't surprised at all by these reactions. If the Lin family members were in their shoes, seeing Yang Ling take out such valuable items, they would surely be envious. How could these people, who usually considered themselves the best in the world, not be tempted? Besides, this place was completely different from other places; it was a rare and blessed land.

As many people displayed their magical abilities, the Lin family members looked up and discovered that most of them possessed considerable strength, and that they also had past grievances with Yang Ling. To be honest, their main purpose in coming here was to reconcile with Yang Ling. If Yang Ling agreed, they planned to join the Lin family and serve him. After all, finding a good future was the most important thing; even if they had offended Yang Ling in the past, so what? Surely Yang Ling wouldn't fight them to the death.

These people were sensible enough to plan to say some nice things to Yang Ling when they saw him later. However, Yang Ling never showed himself. In fact, Yang Ling was right there in the crowd, but he was deliberately concealing his appearance. After all, if he showed himself, those old guys would definitely accuse him of bullying others. The others frowned, wondering to themselves, "Who exactly is this guy? He has such a big presence; his strength must be considerable."

At that moment, someone standing below suddenly blurted out a comment.

"Who do you think was that masked guy just now? I'm really curious about his identity; he seems unusual!" "Why are you curious about him? Even if he is unusual, so what?"

"Don't you know? A genius has emerged from the Southeast! This genius is incredibly powerful, especially in the field of sorcery; his skill is exceptionally high!" The others scoffed, thinking, "What does this have to do with us? We're just here to watch the show. If anyone dares to risk their life, we'll see." Yang Ling casually found a seat, while the others exchanged glances, wondering who would be the first to compete. Yang Ling then asked the Lin family head to preside over the proceedings.

"Everyone, please calm down. Young Master Zhao has already set the rules for you. Everyone's cultivation level is different, and the methods of cultivation are also different, so you will be divided into different areas. The main purpose is to allow you to improve yourselves through competition!"

"The rest is up to you. I will supervise this competition. If anyone dares to make a malicious move, I'm sure you don't want to offend Young Master Zhao!" As soon as these words were spoken, everyone understood. Who would want to offend Yang Ling for no reason? Unless they didn't want to live, they weren't that stupid.

After considering it for a moment, they felt the rule was acceptable. Besides, they didn't believe their opponent could be that much stronger than them. The Lin family head sat in his chair and spoke solemnly.

"The content of this competition is very simple. The competition part is for sorcerers. You just need to be able to refine the pills. The method for refining the pills is right in front of you!" Of course, he wouldn't care about any grudges these people had with Yang Ling. Since Yang Ling had called them here, he probably didn't care so much about what happened back then.

The others frowned upon hearing this, wondering if they were being asked to refine such a difficult pill right off the bat. The ingredients were notoriously difficult to process, making this a true test for them, and they couldn't help but gasp. However, none of them were without expertise; how could they easily admit defeat?
"The time is neither too long nor too short. You'll have the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. After that, the winner will be decided!" They knew this wouldn't be simple; not only could they not make mistakes, but they also had to refine the elixir perfectly. Shang Yong and Zhang Yangming were among them. They were also sorcerers, and upon hearing this result, they couldn't help but gasp. They could tell from each other's eyes that this was no easy task…

As expected, the generous rewards weren't so easy to obtain. However, inviting so many people must have taken a lot of effort. Shang Yong and Zhang Yangming, being among the top contenders, naturally wouldn't give up easily. As for how far they could go, they weren't sure either. At the start of the competition, they looked tense and immediately produced a pile of medicinal herbs. Those below the stage nodded in satisfaction at this sight.

"I think Shang Yong is quite capable, and he's faster than him!"

"Zhang Yangming is more impressive, isn't he? He's methodical, which reduces the chance of mistakes. These pills aren't like cabbages; they're not easy to refine!" They eagerly offered their opinions, clearly showing that both men were giving it their all. Shang Yong finished first, and the others assumed he was a shoo-in. Shang Yong finished so quickly and refined the pills so skillfully; he must be incredibly capable. Seeing this, Zhang Yangming retorted, not to be outdone.

"I've finished refining mine too, but I'm definitely no worse than you. Besides, although your technique is skillful, in my eyes you're still a step behind!" His words shocked everyone; this man was quite arrogant. Possessing such skill wasn't something an ordinary person could do, yet Zhang Yangming dared to boast like that. When the Lin family head stepped forward, Yang Ling gave him a magic artifact. By placing the refined pills on the artifact, he could determine which one was the best.

"Zhang Yangming is quite skilled, and the pills he refined are very powerful. He won!" Those below the stage were somewhat doubtful. How could this be? Shang Yong is very powerful; how could they say he won? This is simply impossible!

"Could someone be pulling the strings behind the scenes? I don't think that's possible. Could it be that they have powerful backers?"

"Yeah, could it be that someone has powerful connections? The more I think about it, the more suspicious it seems. Is there anyone who can handle this?"

"I also want to know what's going on!" they exclaimed eagerly. The Lin family head, of course, knew some would question him, and he was used to it. He took out his magical artifact and placed it before everyone.

"I'm sure you all can feel the power of this magical artifact without me having to explain it, and you can tell just by looking at this pill." Everyone's pupils constricted sharply as they quickly realized what was going on. It was simple; the moment the rich medicinal fragrance wafted out, they knew why Zhang Yangming had won.

Shang Yong felt utterly humiliated; it was incredibly embarrassing. If word got out, where would he put his face? The crowd sighed in dismay.

"There are so many people here today. If Yang Ling also participates in the competition, those of us who are physically strong and have high skill levels will have no chance to get on the field."

“You’re right. If Yang Ling were to compete with us, we probably wouldn’t even last a single round. We might as well pack our things and leave!” they said bluntly. Although their words were crude, the truth was undeniable.

Yang Ling, caught in the crowd, felt somewhat bewildered by their comments. To be honest, he was a little embarrassed by their words; he wasn't as capable as they thought.

"Why is this person still wearing a mask? I thought he was going to take it off. What is he thinking?"

"They're probably afraid of being outmatched and embarrassing themselves later!" Yang Ling avoided their gazes and ignored them. His identity couldn't be revealed yet, because he had a much bigger plan in mind.

Witnessing this scene, the onlookers couldn't help but express their feelings.

"There are really a lot of experts here this time, it's truly a gathering of strong individuals!"

"Of course! Didn't you see all those big families coming? Aren't they all after the generous rewards!"

"Almost everyone with a bit of fame and considerable ability has come to join in the fun!"

"These people must be incredibly strong! It's a good thing Yang Ling didn't show up, otherwise, who knows what would have happened!" They discussed excitedly, their curiosity about what was about to unfold below growing stronger. With so many people competing, only one could ultimately claim the title; the thought filled them with excitement and anticipation. (End of Chapter)