A god-level alchemist, starting by manually crafting forbidden pills.

It was a blue jade pendant with a pattern of an alchemy furnace engraved on it and the character "Su" on the back.

"This is my token. With this jade pendant, you may use all the resources of Baicao Pavilion at your disposal."

If you encounter danger, you can crush the jade pendant, and I will sense your location.

"Thank you, fairy."

Luo Fan took it; it felt warm and smooth to the touch.

"And this too."

Su Qingyuan then took out a jade slip and handed it to Luo Fan.

"This is the introductory chapter of the Five Elements Alchemy Classic, although you may have the complete version."

But this is a version personally annotated by Master, containing some insights and reflections that might be helpful to you.

The version annotated by Master Qingxuan himself.

It's practically priceless.

"Fairy, this is too precious."

"Keep it."

Su Qingyuan waved her hand, "It would be a waste to keep it here; it can only realize its true value if I give it to you."

Luo Fan no longer refused and solemnly accepted it.

"It's getting late, I should head back."

He stood up, preparing to take his leave.

"I send you."

Su Qingyuan also stood up, her bare feet stepping on the bluestone slabs, and saw him to the courtyard gate.

"Luo Fan".

She suddenly called out to him.

Luo Fan turned around.

Su Qingyuan looked at him and said very seriously, "Take care."

"The same to you."

Luo Fan nodded and turned to leave.

Manager Wang followed behind him, escorting him all the way to the entrance of Baicao Pavilion.

"Young friend Luo, take care."

"Manager Wang, please wait."

Luo Fan cupped his hands in greeting and walked out of the Hundred Herbs Pavilion.

Even as the sun began to set, the market was still bustling with people.

Luo Fan glanced back at the plaque of Baicao Pavilion, took a deep breath, and blended into the crowd.

In her arms, the cyan jade pendant still carried the warmth of Su Qingyuan's body.

He never expected that this fairy from the Hundred Herbs Pavilion would have such a connection with the Five Elements Pill Sect.

Even more unexpectedly, Su Qingyuan was a disciple of Qingxuan Zhenren.

He also understood why Qingxuan would leave the inheritance to a destined person outside the sect.

Putting aside the fact that there was a traitor within the sect, it would be a risk no matter who it was given to.

Furthermore, his biggest reason for wanting to do so was to win over true allies for the Five Elements Pill Sect.

Luo Fan sighed, feeling that the burden on his shoulders had become even heavier.

Since there are still disciples of the Five Elements Alchemy Sect alive in the world, he cannot escape this karma.

He thought this was also why Su Qingyuan didn't claim back the inheritance as a direct disciple of the sect.

Having him as an ally is better than going it alone, and for Luo Fan, it's not a bad thing.

Although he didn't try to sense Su Qingyuan's cultivation level, his intuition told him that this woman was terrifying.

"I'm just destined to be a kept man, isn't that infuriating?"

Luo Fan looked up at the sky and shrugged.

At that moment, he didn't feel the burden was too heavy; on the contrary, he felt somewhat excited.

The path of cultivation is inherently defying the heavens; more challenges make it more interesting.

Manager Wang stood at the entrance of Baicao Pavilion for a while before turning around and going back inside.

He walked through the front hall and returned to the backyard.

Su Qingyuan was still standing under that old tree, her back to him, looking in the direction Luo Fan had left.

"Miss, the person has been seen off."

Manager Wang walked behind her and bowed slightly.

Su Qingyuan did not turn around.

She remained silent for a long time, so long that Manager Wang thought she had forgotten how to speak.

"Uncle Wang."

She suddenly spoke, her voice very soft, carrying an indescribable weariness.

"This old servant is here."

What do you think of him?

Shopkeeper Wang thought for a moment and said cautiously, "This boy is calm and composed, and he doesn't panic when things happen. He is a promising talent."

More importantly, he received the legacy from his former master, indicating a deep connection with the Five Elements Alchemy.

Su Qingyuan gave a soft "hmm".

"I think so too."

She turned around and looked at Manager Wang.

The previous calmness was gone from those phoenix eyes; instead, a hint of bitterness appeared.

"But Uncle Wang, do you know how unwilling I am to accept this?"

She bit her lip, as if talking to herself.

"The legacy left by our master, the hope of our sect, rests entirely on an outsider."

"And I, the proper direct disciple, can do nothing."

Manager Wang sighed.

"Miss, please don't say that. The old master left the inheritance in the secret realm back then because he didn't want the people in the sect to start fighting again."

Moreover, the traitor's whereabouts are still unknown. If you were to obtain the inheritance, you would be in even greater danger.

"I know."

Su Qingyuan closed her eyes, took a breath, and said, "But I'm just not willing to accept it."

She clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms.

"My master treated me like his own daughter, and the sect raised and taught me."

In the end, however, the master perished, and the sect was destroyed.

I can only hide here like a rat, running this run-down little shop.

"Miss!"

Manager Wang interrupted her, his tone becoming more forceful.

"Baicaoge is not a dilapidated shop; it is the culmination of your hard work over the years and the foundation for our comeback."

He softened his voice, "The old master left the legacy to outsiders for his own profound reasons."

Perhaps they took a liking to Luo Fan, because he possessed something that our sect's disciples lacked.

Su Qingyuan opened her eyes.

"What is it?"

"variable."

Shopkeeper Wang's eyes gleamed. "That kid, I can't see through him. He's definitely not an ordinary Qi Refining cultivator."

Furthermore, the fact that he could make the Nether Spring Cold Fire recognize him as its master is itself an immense stroke of luck.

"The old master used to say that heroes emerge in troubled times, and opportunities arise from unexpected changes."

That Luo Fan is the variable of the Five Elements Pill Sect, and also your opportunity.

Su Qingyuan remained silent.

She walked to the stone table, sat down, and poured herself a cup of tea.

The tea has gone cold.

She didn't mind and picked it up to take a sip.

It's bitter.

"Uncle Wang."

She put down her cup and looked at Manager Wang. "Do you think he can refine the Five Elements Creation Pill?"

"able."

Manager Wang answered very readily.

Why?

"Because he was chosen by the old master."

Manager Wang said in a deep voice, "The old master has a sharp eye; the person he chose cannot be wrong."

Su Qingyuan tugged at the corners of her mouth, wanting to laugh but unable to.

"I hope so."

She looked down at her empty palms.

"I've waited too long."

"It's been so long that I've almost forgotten what my master looks like, and what the sect looks like."

"Miss……"

"I'm fine."

Su Qingyuan waved her hand, returning to her previous calm demeanor.

"By the way, did you write down all the medicinal herbs he wanted?"

"I've got it."

Manager Wang took out the slip of paper and handed it to her.

Su Qingyuan took it and glanced at it.

The list contained more than a dozen medicinal herbs, most of which were common, but a few...

"Mysterious Yin Soul, Fire Spirit Snow Lotus, Blood Jade Marrow—what does he need these for?"

She frowned.

These medicinal herbs have conflicting properties and cannot be used together to refine pills.

"Even this old servant cannot see through it."

Manager Wang shook his head, "But judging from his appearance, he must be of great use."

Su Qingyuan pondered for a moment.

"We don't care what he wants to do. Since we've already started cooperating, we'll give him our full support."

She handed the form back.

"Go check the warehouse. If they have it, just give it to him. If they don't, find a way to get it. Price isn't an issue."

"Yes."

Shopkeeper Wang took the order and turned to leave.

"etc."

Su Qingyuan called out to him.

"Is there anything else you need, Miss?"

"Send someone to keep an eye on the market, especially those few troublemakers."

Su Qingyuan's eyes turned cold. "Luo Fan is one of ours now. We can't let anything happen to him."

"This old servant understands."

Manager Wang nodded and withdrew.

yard.

Once again, only Su Qingyuan remained. She sat on the stone bench, looking at the teacup in her hand.

The tea in the cup reflected her face.

Pale, weary, yet with an indescribable stubbornness.

Her fingertips tapped lightly on the table as she pondered Luo Fan's intention in wanting those medicinal herbs.

"What's this little guy up to?"

Su Qingyuan looked at her beautiful face reflected in the tea, and then seemed to think of something.

Her slightly furrowed brow was replaced by wide, beautiful eyes and slightly parted red lips.

"Could it be...?"

Thinking of that possibility, Su Qingyuan could not hide her shock.

If, as she predicted, the little one succeeds…

Why not keep the promise I made to my master back then?

"Luo Fan..."

She murmured the name softly, her eyes filled with complex emotions, "I hope you won't disappoint me, and please don't let me down..."

"Master is disappointed."

She picked up the cup, drank the cold tea in one gulp, and walked back into the house barefoot.

His silhouette was both lonely and resolute.

Meanwhile, in the mountains and forests outside the market town.

Luo Fan had just experienced a great battle, and there were about seven or eight people lying on the ground, lifeless.

"They really are from the Black Dragon Gang."

Each of them had a dragon-shaped tattoo, including the one-eyed giant that Luo Fan had seen before.

It was the same person who had chased Zhao Heihu in the market earlier, whom he had dealt with in the process.

They took the valuables from their bodies and then burned their corpses with a fire-starting spell.

Luo Fan unleashed a streak of sword light and sped toward the Peach Blossom Temple.

As darkness grew increasingly dim, a tall figure emerged from the shadows.

The man was dressed in black, his face obscured, so his features were not visible.

He glanced at the seven or eight humanoid ashes remaining on the ground, then vanished from the spot.