About two hours later, the heavy doors of the first pill chamber trembled slightly before slowly swinging open.
Wan Hong'an, who had been chatting idly with Jia Tong, immediately trotted over to the chamber doors. He tilted his head up slightly, his face full of anticipation as he looked at the youth before him. "H-how did it go?"
Jia Tong followed close behind. When he saw that the alchemist was actually a youth not even twenty years old, he could not help but feel disappointed.
In his eyes, this person was far too young. Even if he had truly refined pills before, it was most likely a fluke.
He knew exactly how difficult Wan Hong'an's requested pills were to refine. Even he had ruined three sets of materials, only familiarizing himself with the medicinal properties on the fourth attempt to form a pill by pure luck.
Lu Li also noticed Jia Tong but paid him no mind. He withdrew his gaze and smiled at Wan Hong'an, retrieving a jade bottle from his robes and offering it forward. "Market Master, please take a look."
Wan Hong'an hurriedly took the jade bottle, pulled the stopper, and poured it into his hand. With a soft clatter, a yellowish-gray pill emanating a faint gray mist rolled into his palm.
"A success. It really is a success!"
Feeling the lingering warmth of the pill, Wan Hong'an was indescribably overjoyed.
Jia Tong was inwardly startled, wondering if he had truly misjudged the youth. He quickly stepped forward, picking up the pill from Wan Hong'an's hand while sizing up Lu Li with surprise and doubt.
After observing it for a moment, he could not help but feel deeply ashamed. Although he did not know the pill's function, the medicinal properties contained within were clearly more potent than the one he had refined last time. He quickly cupped his fists and asked, "This... Master, dare I ask, how many attempts did it take you to succeed?"
Lu Li returned the salute with cupped fists, a slightly ashamed look on his face. "I dare not accept the title of Master. I only succeeded by luck on the fifth set of materials."
In truth, Lu Li had only failed once, and only because he had poured in too much Cold Jade Marrow, causing the temperature inside the furnace to plummet. However, he obviously had no intention of telling the two the truth, as he wanted to pocket the remaining three Buddha-Heart Fruits for himself.
So that was how it was.
Upon hearing this, Jia Tong's mood immediately brightened. He smiled and returned the pill to Wan Hong'an. "The quality of this pill is quite good. Congratulations, Market Master, on finding another candidate."
He was still waiting to go to that mysterious place to refine pills and earn spirit stones. Since someone had finally arrived to fill the quota, he naturally would not deliberately pick faults.
Wan Hong'an did not care how many times Lu Li had failed. In his eyes, as long as he could succeed, he was an extraordinary pill master. He quickly smiled and offered, "Master Qin, shall we step outside to discuss my actual request?"
"Alright." Lu Li smiled and nodded.
Lu Li exited the Pill Tower first. Wan Hong'an exchanged a few polite words with Jia Tong before following him out.
The two arrived at a stone table near the edge of the front plaza and sat down. Lu Li then asked, "What is this request the Market Master mentioned?"
Not wanting to risk displeasing the youth, Wan Hong'an stopped beating around the bush and spoke directly. "To tell the truth, the power behind me urgently needs five pill masters to help refine a batch of pills. It will take one month, and the reward is twenty thousand True Essence Pills..."
"Oh?" Lu Li's heart stirred slightly. This reward was incredibly generous. Back then, he and Wu De had gone through Nine deaths and one life in the Great Marsh just to obtain less than twenty thousand True Essence Pills. However, such an overly good thing still made him somewhat uneasy. He asked, "Dare I ask, which power is this?"
He knew it was impolite to ask, but he could not help his curiosity. Just who was throwing wealth around so lavishly?
"This... I am not afraid you will laugh, Master, but the truth is, I do not know either. I am merely following orders," Wan Hong'an said, his face full of embarrassment.
Even Wan Hong'an did not know the identity of the power behind him?
Lu Li mused that Wu De had indeed been right. The factions behind every market were incredibly cautious, to the point of keeping their own Market Masters in the dark.
Seeing Lu Li fall silent, Wan Hong'an feared the youth would refuse. He hurriedly added, "As long as Master agrees, in addition to the reward from the higher-ups, the earth fire of the Jinyang Market Master's Estate will be open for Master's free use for life. Furthermore, I will gift Master a private courtyard. How about it?"
These conditions were extremely generous. Just for helping someone refine pills for a single month, he would effectively gain permanent residence rights within the Jinyang Market Master's Estate.
However, the richer the terms, the more uneasy Lu Li felt. He pressed Wan Hong'an with a few more questions.
When he heard that the mysterious faction would only come to collect them in two months' time, Lu Li stared at Wan Hong'an and asked his final question. "Market Master, if I do not agree... does that mean I will no longer be allowed to use the pill rooms here?"
Seeing Lu Li's hesitation, Wan Hong'an figured the youth would not easily agree without a little push. He feigned a difficult expression. "Master Qin, although I love making friends and hold pill masters in the highest respect... if Master does not agree, I am afraid..."
"Alright, I agree." After turning it over in his mind, Lu Li felt his cultivation had stagnated at the fifth level for far too long. If he hesitated now, there was no telling when he would find another place with suitable earth fire. He agreed outright.
Was it not just refining pills for a month? Compared to breaking through to the sixth level, it was a trivial matter.
Overjoyed by Lu Li's acceptance, Wan Hong'an immediately gifted him the easternmost independent courtyard in the ninth row, declaring that the estate would forever belong to him. Though Lu Li did not take the promise to heart, he still maintained a polite facade and thanked him.
After all, he could not possibly stay here forever. He was rather worried about Chen Zhong's safety. Once matters here were concluded, he planned to head to Xinzhou to search for him. He had never forgotten his brother.
The immortal path was long and arduous; he did not want to walk to its very end only to find himself utterly alone.
They chatted for a short while longer. Seeing that Wan Hong'an kept indirectly probing to see if he had any other suitable pill masters to recommend, Lu Li grew bored. He made an excuse to take his leave and headed for his new courtyard.
The courtyard was not particularly large, spanning less than a single li. To Lu Li, who was accustomed to the expansive Jade Lake Manor, this place felt rather delicate and compact.
Of course, if this were the mortal world, owning such an estate would be a sign of extreme wealth.
Whether intentionally or otherwise, Wan Hong'an had also assigned Lu Li two guards and a beautiful maidservant.
Both guards were at the third level of Qi Refining. The maid in the pink skirt was not a mortal either; though she looked only fifteen or sixteen, she possessed a first level Qi Refining cultivation.
The guards stopped at the entrance, taking up positions like wooden posts on either side of the gate. Lu Li did not speak to them, walking straight inside.
There was no backyard. Stepping through the entrance revealed a courtyard planted with various spiritual flowers and ancient trees. Facing the main gate was a stone-carved spirit screen, two zhang long and one zhang high. Suspended corridors and several pavilion rooms lined the perimeter of the courtyard.
Lu Li walked past the spirit screen and climbed the wooden stairs onto the corridor. Directly ahead lay the main hall. Lu Li merely cast a glance inside before turning to the maidservant. "Miss Chuntao, you may go attend to your own matters. I am a bit tired and wish to find a room to rest for a while."
The maid bowed gracefully upon hearing this and asked tentatively, "Does Master require Chuntao to serve him?"