"Young Master, I..." Yi Mingcheng felt a chill run through him, unsure of what to say.
Lin Hao glanced at him and said coolly, "Enough. I, Lin Hao, am clear about my debts and grievances. Even if I leave the Lin family, I won't treat you unfairly. Just do as I say."
"Yes, I'll see to it at once." Yi Mingcheng agreed respectfully, then hesitated, looking like he wanted to say more.
"Here's the antidote for the next three days." Lin Hao tossed three pills over to him.
Yi Mingcheng was overjoyed.
A flicker of disappointment crossed Lin Hao's eyes. 'This guy is only so obedient because of the antidote.'
At that, Lin Hao decided to up the stakes.
"The Treasure Hunting Pavilion has branches all over the continent. A Tier One Top Grade Body Forging Blood Coagulation Pill is nothing in their eyes. Perhaps they deliberately restricted the pill supply before just to drive up the price. Now that Top Grade Pills have appeared, their interests are threatened. If you don't bring out a trump card, they'll just try to force the price down. I'll give you some leverage!"
"Young Master is wise!" Yi Mingcheng's earlier hesitation wasn't just because of the antidote; he truly had the exact concerns Lin Hao just mentioned. He had originally thought Lin Hao hadn't considered this. Now that Lin Hao had brought it up, he was completely won over.
"Tell them you have... the Rejuvenation Blood Pill!"
The Rejuvenation Blood Pill, a pill whose refining method was almost lost to the continent! Yi Mingcheng could hardly believe his ears.
"Am I... Am I dreaming?" Yi Mingcheng foolishly slapped himself across the face with a crisp "CRACK!"
"OW!" The pain snapped Yi Mingcheng back to his senses. Seeing Lin Hao looking at him with a faint, unreadable smile, Yi Mingcheng, surprisingly, didn't feel embarrassed. Instead, his face took on a look of desperate craving, like a spurned wife, and he asked Lin Hao stupidly, "Y-Young Master, I didn't mishear you, did I?!"
Although the Rejuvenation Blood Pill was only Tier One, its effects were immense. Taking it before the Third Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm could enhance one's own qi and blood, greatly increasing the probability of awakening a bloodline.
This effect alone was enough to make all the major families on the continent fight madly for it.
Once a disciple awakened their bloodline, their family's combat strength would increase by at least thirty percent. Not to mention, a disciple with an awakened bloodline would be highly valued by sects, their future prospects immeasurable.
Lin Hao didn't answer. Instead, he took out a porcelain vial, tipped out a single pill for Yi Mingcheng to see clearly, then put it back.
Yi Mingcheng's mind reeled. 'Rejuvenation Blood Pill... It really is the Rejuvenation Blood Pill, and there's more than one!!'
'An expert. There must be an expert backing Lin Hao! I absolutely cannot offend him.' Yi Mingcheng was stunned for a full fifteen minutes before he recovered his senses, his awe for Lin Hao deepening.
At that, Yi Mingcheng puffed out his chest and guaranteed, "Rest assured, Young Master, I will definitely complete this mission!"
Just as he was about to leave, Lin Hao called him back again.
"Tell the Treasure Hunting Pavilion that the Rejuvenation Blood Pills aren't for sale in exchange for silver banknotes. As long as they have the materials, I can provide an endless supply of Rejuvenation Blood Pills!"
'The Treasure Hunting Pavilion has countless branches across the continent. If I could cooperate with such a behemoth, not only would I not have to worry about materials for Alchemy and Artifact Refining in the future, but I could also earn a fortune in silver. Why wouldn't I?'
An Alchemy Master could never succeed without massive financial support.
This seemingly simple sentence sent another massive shock through Yi Mingcheng's mind!
Yi Mingcheng knew what this meant. It meant that the expert behind Lin Hao had mastered the fire-controlling hand seals for Refining the Rejuvenation Blood Pill!
'How ridiculous. I was still thinking about getting rich off the Body Forging Blood Coagulation Pills. Fucking pathetic.'
'If I stick with Lin Hao, forget Body Forging Blood Coagulation Pills—I'll have access to even higher-grade pills in the future!'
In that instant, Yi Mingcheng made up his mind.
After bidding farewell to Lin Hao with the utmost reverence, Yi Mingcheng backed out of the room. Before leaving, he picked up Yi Jia's corpse and viciously kicked it.
He muttered, "How the hell did I ever take in an ungrateful bastard like you? People like you should be thrown out to feed the dogs!"
"He was still one of the Lin family's people. Give him a proper burial." The dead deserve respect, and Lin Hao wasn't one to bicker with a corpse.
"Yes, Young Master is merciful." Recalling the old Lin Hao, Yi Mingcheng became even more certain of his decision.
...
After burying Yi Jia outside the city, Yi Mingcheng rushed back into town without stopping.
He was now on his way to the Treasure Hunting Pavilion.
The Treasure Hunting Holy Hall was a behemoth-like existence in the Cangnan Empire. It had a branch, named the Treasure Hunting Pavilion, in almost every city.
Previously, Yi Mingcheng had held the Treasure Hunting Pavilion in awe. Even after obtaining six Body Forging Blood Coagulation Pills and having people from all the major families try to curry favor with him, he still had to act like a meek grandson if he went to the Treasure Hunting Pavilion.
Forget him, not even the City Lord dared to cause trouble here.
But things were different now. Knowing Lin Hao had the Rejuvenation Blood Pill, Yi Mingcheng was full of confidence.
Taking large strides up the steps and through the main doors, Yi Mingcheng couldn't help but smile as he thought about what was about to happen...
The clerks at the Treasure Hunting Pavilion were all sharp types, able to see and hear everything around them. And having worked there for so long, they couldn't help but look down on others.
They spotted Yi Mingcheng the moment he walked in. With a single glance, they had already passed their final judgment: average-looking, sleazy smile, a mere servant.
Seeing the foolish grin on his face now, several clerks began to mock him without the slightest bit of concealment.
"Here comes another idiot. You can tell from his stupid look that it's his first time at the Treasure Hunting Pavilion."
"Yeah, I wonder which family's servant he is. What an embarrassment to his master."
...
Their taunts were completely undisguised. Hearing them, Yi Mingcheng's expression darkened.
"I'm here to see your person-in-charge about a big deal!" He wanted to explode in anger, but remembering this was the Treasure Hunting Pavilion, he ultimately didn't dare. Frustrated, he quickly stated his purpose.
"Haha, why don't you take a piss and look at your own reflection? Is the head of our Treasure Hunting Pavilion someone a person like you can just meet?"
"Exactly! Even the City Lord has to make an appointment to see our Pavilion Master. You? What the hell are you?!"
"Whose yard let this dog out? Scram, don't get in the way of our business."
The clerks' mouths were more venomous than the last, their faces full of contempt as they spat their words.
Yi Mingcheng had enjoyed the spotlight for the past few days, but he had also endured more than enough humiliation behind the scenes.
In front of Lin Hao, he had knelt and slapped himself. He'd lost count of how many times he had struck his own face.
And that wasn't all. Before coming here, he had personally dealt with the adopted son he had raised for ten years.
That was a living, breathing person, not some random cat or dog. It's not like he, Yi Mingcheng, had a heart of stone; of course he felt awful. But there was nothing he could do. He couldn't afford to offend Lin Hao.
It was so fucking frustrating!
And now, here at the Treasure Hunting Pavilion, he was being ridiculed by a few mere underlings.
Dammit, they were taking it too far.
Yi Mingcheng felt his blood rush to his head.
Then, without any warning, he exploded!
CRACK!
He swung out and slapped the clerk right in front of him, sending the man staggering.
Then, with a backhand, he slapped another one, and the clerk to his right went down.
The last clerk was left dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events. 'Is this guy crazy? He actually dares to hit someone from the Treasure Hunting Pavilion?!'
Before he could think any further, he saw the madman's bloodshot eyes fixate on him.
Oh god!
The clerk shrieked and turned to run.
He was nimble, and in a moment, he had pulled open a door and scrambled inside.
One got away!
And it was the one who'd been the most vicious with his insults!
Yi Mingcheng faltered for a second, then took off after him. When he reached the door, he didn't even think; he just kicked it open. Simple, direct, brutal!
He chased after him and saw a room packed with a dark mass of people. In the middle was a high platform where an old man stood with a small gavel raised in mid-air, staring blankly in his direction.
So this was the Treasure Hunting Pavilion's auction.
The thought had barely flashed through Yi Mingcheng's mind when he saw the clerk trying to disappear into the crowd.
That guy's insults had been the most venomous, and Yi Mingcheng had no intention of letting him go.
"You little bastard, don't you fucking run!"
"Aren't you all just a bunch of fucking dogs yourselves? I'll beat you mongrels to death!"
"So what if this is the Treasure Hunting Pavilion?! The Pavilion Master ain't shit! I'll make him kneel and lick my boots!"
Yi Mingcheng cursed loudly as he gave chase, growing more furious with every word. Having lost all reason, he didn't think about the consequences at all.
A perfectly good auction had been interrupted for no reason. At first, the people here didn't know what was going on, but now, after hearing his shouts, they understood everything.
Still, this guy's audacity was off the charts. Was he trying to defy the heavens?
This was the Treasure Hunting Pavilion, yet he dared to so brazenly beat up a clerk.
Not only did he beat him, he was chasing him down to beat him more!
And that wasn't all. He even dared to curse the Treasure Hunting Pavilion's Master and brazenly declare he'd make him kneel and lick his boots!
Badass!
So fucking badass!
'This has to be a fucking dream. Otherwise, who would dare to pluck a tiger's whisker?!'
Several Patriarch-level figures from War Dragon City were even seated in the audience. Hearing such words, they couldn't help but shrink back, their mouths going dry.
The clerk had already pissed his pants in fear. He originally thought that if he hid in the auction hall, the madman wouldn't dare to follow. But now, Yi Mingcheng was latched onto him like a rabid dog.
He started crying and screaming incoherently, "Guards, help me! Pavilion Master, save me! Someone wants you to kneel and lick their boots!"
Ever since the Treasure Hunting Pavilion opened in War Dragon City, no one had ever dared to cause trouble inside, so the guards—Martial Artists in name—had never been called to action.
Like parasites, they had also been stunned by Yi Mingcheng's crazed actions and had completely forgotten their duties.
Now, hearing the cry, the guard Martial Artists finally snapped out of it. They swarmed forward and surrounded Yi Mingcheng.
Daring to say the Pavilion Master should kneel and lick boots—the guards didn't even have to think. They all drew their gleaming longswords, raised them high, and prepared to chop Yi Mingcheng into meat paste.
The blinding flash of the blades and the boundless killing intent instantly snapped Yi Mingcheng back to his senses.
"Rejuvenation Blood Pill! I have the Rejuvenation Blood Pill!" The threat of death made Yi Mingcheng blurt out the words rapidly, yet his enunciation was perfectly clear.
"Stop!"
A somewhat rushed roar echoed out. The Martial Artists' swords stopped in unison, all of them hovering just above Yi Mingcheng's head.
A few strands of hair fluttered down...
Yi Mingcheng had just taken a trip to hell and back. His chest heaved, and the immense pressure made him collapse onto the ground with a THUD.
Only then did Yi Mingcheng realize what he had just done.
Looking at the dense crowd surrounding him, Yi Mingcheng was scared out of his wits. His hands grasped about unconsciously, hoping to grab onto a life-saving straw.
The next moment, his hand closed around a porcelain vial.
The cold touch sent a jolt through his heart.
'I have the Rejuvenation Blood Pill. The Pavilion Master ain't shit!'
Yi Mingcheng repeated this sentence over and over in his mind, and his fear actually began to slowly recede.