"Teacher, what's going on? Didn't you say you developed the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid and no one else knew about it!?" Xiao Yan asked anxiously in his mind. After all, someone had noticed something was amiss.
But at this moment, Yao Lao's shock was no less than Xiao Yan's. He had developed this Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid to give that traitorous disciple, Han Feng, a perfect cultivation aptitude. Besides that traitorous disciple who had benefited from it, only his closest friend, Venerable Feng, knew about it.
And he had only ever told Han Feng the formula for the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid. Could it be that Gu Han had some connection to Han Feng!?
Or perhaps, was it that young lady Xun Er, who was suspected to be from the Ancient Clan, who knew something!?
"Brother Xiao Yan, rest assured, I mean no harm." Gu Han continued before Xiao Yan could come up with an excuse. "My sect's leader, Yun Yun, once attended an auction in the Black-Corner Region to the south. At that time, a batch of Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid was auctioned off, said to be the work of the master of that region's Maple City, Medicine Emperor Han Feng."
That traitorous disciple, it was that traitorous disciple!
Boundless fury and killing intent surged in Yao Chen's heart.
He had raised Han Feng like his own son, even refusing to be with Azure Fairy and Xuan Yi for his sake.
In return, he was stabbed in the back, causing him to fall from his peak as a Dou Venerable to his current state, barely surviving as a spiritual body.
He wished for nothing more than to grind Han Feng's bones to dust.
"Little Yan, ask him when this batch of Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid was auctioned," Yao Lao transmitted his voice to Xiao Yan.
"Brother Gu Han, when did Medicine Emperor Han Feng auction this batch of Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid?" Xiao Yan asked.
"At the end of last year," Gu Han replied.
Yao Lao immediately confirmed it: Han Feng had switched to cultivating the incomplete Flame Mantra.
Otherwise, with the perfect aptitude he had created for Han Feng, along with the cultivation techniques and resources he had left behind, so many years would have passed that even if he hadn't broken through to Dou Venerable, he wouldn't be far off.
"At the time, the Sect Leader managed to win a bottle of Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid and brought it back to the sect. Only disciples with the surname Yun have the opportunity to use such a resource." Gu Han's eyes were deep. "There was a senior brother whose cultivation speed was slightly inferior to mine, but after obtaining the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid, he reached the eighth stage of Dou Disciple before I did."
"He was also the one who told me about the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid. Not long ago, I confirmed it with the Sect Leader. I never expected that there was a second-grade pill on the continent that could be used by cultivators in the Dou Disciple stage."
"I am naturally sensitive to the scent of pills I've encountered before. I smelled the same scent on you that I once smelled on that senior brother."
The master and disciple duo: "....."
They never thought they would be exposed for such a reason.
"I do, indeed, have a way to get some Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid," Xiao Yan admitted generously, then asked in confusion, "But this pill is of no use to you, Brother Gu."
"What I value is not the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid, but the channel you have to access it," Gu Han stated his thoughts very directly. "The founder of my Cloud Mist Sect was a Dou Venerable expert."
"Although I've never even seen a Dou Ancestor, let alone know how powerful a Dou Venerable truly is, I know that they are as rare as a phoenix feather in the southern part of the northwestern continent."
"The founder left behind many connections for the Cloud Mist Sect, as well as some records of strange tales that can broaden one's horizons, and manuscripts from powerful experts."
"I heard from the Sect Leader that the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid is a unique pill formula that the Medicine Emperor obtained from his master, and it is never shared with outsiders."
"For you to be able to obtain Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid, you must have some connection to that Emperor Han Feng, right?"
Xiao Yan: "..."
"Teacher, is there a connection?" Xiao Yan asked in his mind.
"Purely in terms of relationship, he is your senior brother," Yao Lao's voice was slightly heavy as he replied. "But he has already betrayed our school. As his master, I only wish to clean house. You don't need to know the specific details for now."
"Tell Gu Han that the person you know has some connection to Han Feng's master, but you don't know Han Feng."
Hearing this, although Xiao Yan had many questions in his heart, he did not press further.
He believed that when the time was right, Yao Lao would tell him everything.
"I am not acquainted with that Medicine Emperor..." Xiao Yan replied according to Yao Lao's instructions.
"That's still very impressive," Gu Han's tone was subtle. "I've heard that Medicine Emperor Han Feng's teacher was a Dou Venerable expert, and also the number one alchemist below the ninth grade. That's why no one dares to try and forcibly snatch the pill formula from the Medicine Emperor's hands."
"For you to be able to obtain the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid through that Medicine Emperor's master is even more impressive."
Xiao Yan: ???
Xiao Yan: !!!
He had guessed that Yao Lao was very strong, but he never imagined he was strong to this extent.
A peak Dou Venerable and an eighth-grade Alchemist in his prime. He was indeed qualified to look down on Pill King Gu He, who wasn't even qualified to become his disciple.
"Everything he said is true. We'll talk about the specifics when you become stronger," Yao Lao's voice carried a hint of helplessness.
Gu Han suddenly revealing his information was both a good and a bad thing.
The good thing was that Xiao Yan would definitely listen to him more and respect him even more.
The bad thing was that it would make Xiao Yan more dependent on him, which was not conducive to his growth.
Overall, the pros outweighed the cons. Besides, hearing his own achievements from someone else's mouth was much more satisfying and convincing than saying it himself.
"So, Brother Xiao Yan, you can contact a high-grade Alchemist?" Gu Han asked, cutting straight to the point.
"I suppose so," Xiao Yan nodded slightly, answering with some reservation. "Actually, I have taken an Alchemist as my master. The recovery of my cultivation talent is also thanks to my teacher. He might have some connection with that Medicine Emperor's master."
"Good." With a flip of his wrist, Gu Han pretended to take a jade box from his Storage Ring and placed it in front of Xiao Yan.
"Then take this as my investment in you. If there's a chance in the future, I hope to ask your master to refine a sixth or seventh-grade pill for me. Would that be possible?"
"What's in here?" Xiao Yan didn't say yes or no. He wanted to know what Gu Han was giving him first.
"It's a Jade Spirit Fruit. Little Yan, open it and see," Yao Chen's voice was somewhat excited.
Jade Spirit Fruit?
Xiao Yan had never heard of it.
But for it to stir such emotions in Yao Chen, it must be no ordinary item.
Xiao Yan raised his hand and opened the jade box. Before him appeared a fruit that emitted a faint glow, as smooth and translucent as a precious jade.
"It really is a Jade Spirit Fruit." Yao Chen's voice was filled with emotion. "I didn't expect this Gu kid to be able to produce such a fine item. It seems he truly bears you no ill will, but rather saw that you have someone backing you and wants to build a good relationship."
With that, Yao Chen began to explain the effects of the Jade Spirit Fruit.
Opposite Xiao Yan, Gu Han also spoke up at the right time, stating that this was a Jade Spirit Fruit and explaining its effects.
"You once broke through to Dou Fighter. Your Dou Qi vanished because of me, but the tempering your meridians received is still there. You haven't slacked off in your cultivation all these years. If you consume this Jade Spirit Fruit, your meridians will be strengthened to a perfect level."
"With the medicinal power of the Jade Spirit Fruit, your success rate in breaking through to Dou Fighter will be one hundred percent, and your cultivation speed during the Dou Fighter and Dou Master stages will be very fast."
"With the medicinal power of the Jade Spirit Fruit combined with the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid, I am confident I can get you back to the ninth stage of Dou Disciple within half a year."
Hiss!
Hearing Yao Lao's words, a shocked expression appeared on Xiao Yan's face.
This Jade Spirit Fruit was clearly an enhanced and amplified version of the fourth-grade pill, Qi Gathering Powder.
"Brother Gu Han, I cannot accept a reward without merit!"
Xiao Yan's gaze was firm as he forced himself to resist the urge and push the wooden box back.
"I am not worthy of such a treasure of heaven and earth."
If he took this item, he would owe a huge favor.
A debt of gratitude was the hardest to repay!
Gu Han: A debt of gratitude is exactly what I want.
Pre-booking the two strongest alchemists on the continent to be my personal alchemists in the future.