If he hadn’t gotten soone’s nod from the mountain gate, where would he get the guts to ss with ?
Still, Lu Chang’sheng didn’t think he was entirely innocent, so he just smiled, spinning a spirit stone in his palm.
At that mont, Steward Yang pulled out a pouch of spirit stones and placed it on the table.
"Here’s a thousand spirit stones—consider it ands for what happened before."
Lu Chang’sheng let out a faint smile. "You’re too kind, Steward Yang."
Luo Ming also produced a pouch of spirit stones, though there were only five hundred inside.
Seeing that Lu Chang’sheng didn’t refuse, Steward Yang quietly let out a sigh of relief and said, "Alchemist Lu, you’re sharp. I’m sure you know what all these targeted actions are getting at. Honestly, there’s really no need for you to linger here and waste your ti."
"And why do you say that?" Lu Chang’sheng asked.
Steward Yang said, "You don’t get along with Fellow Daoist Zhou Lin, and soon Zhou Lin will be the public face of White Cloud Cave Mansion. So, if you stay here, things will only get more uncomfortable. Better to leave early, rather than wait for the elders of the mountain gate to intervene."
"Fair enough, but about the art learning fee?" Lu Chang’sheng sighed.
Steward Yang let out an awkward laugh, dodging the question; when it cos to leaving this sect, the art learning fee is unavoidable.
Yet with his position, he couldn’t afford to make this matter more complicated.
"Fellow Daoist is savvy—skill and power are priceless. Before entering White Cloud Cave Mansion, you were just an ordinary loose cultivator. Now it’s only been twenty years and you’re already a leading figure in Platinum Immortal City. It’s understandable the learning fee would be higher."
"You’re not wrong, Steward Yang. Unfortunately, I don’t have the money at the mont. Why not give a little ti to save it up?"
Steward Yang sighed again.
"If Alchemist Lu wishes it so, I can’t force the matter. Just leaves the two of us stuck in the middle, though."
The two of them stood and took their leave.
Steward Yang knew full well Lu Chang’sheng’s talk of ’saving up money’ was just a dodge; after all, Lu Chang’sheng hadn’t even asked how much the fee was, so what was there to save?
He felt a bit resentful, cursing Lu Chang’sheng for not knowing when to accept good fortune.
But after seeing Lu Chang’sheng’s abilities, the arrogance he’d had before was gone. Once back in the mountain gate, he went to visit Thunder Cauldron himself.
"Alchemist Lei, the mountain gate’s been busy lately—could we hand the matter of Lu Chang’sheng to soone else?"
He wanted nothing more to do with Lu Chang’sheng, but couldn’t say so plainly to Thunder Cauldron, so he ca up with an excuse.
Unfortunately, Thunder Cauldron was no fool. He frowned and said, "Isn’t Luo Ming already in charge at the pharmacy? You only need to check in once a month."
Steward Yang cursed inwardly, seeing the appraisal in Thunder Cauldron’s eyes, and had no choice but to agree despite his hesitation.
He couldn’t very well say he was afraid of offending Lu Chang’sheng—that would only make Thunder Cauldron dissatisfied.
It hadn’t been easy to get into the mountain gate and beco a White Cloud Cave Mansion disciple; ssing up now wasn’t an option.
With no other choice, he stuck to the plan and kept assigning tasks to Lu Chang’sheng.
Only, every ti he delivered the tasks, Steward Yang would be sure to find a private mont to apologize to Lu Chang’sheng in person.
His aim was to soften Lu Chang’sheng’s hostility.
But as ti went on, Steward Yang’s pressure only mounted day by day.
The workload had already maxed out what anyone could reasonably be expected to do—nobody could finish them on ti. Yet Lu Chang’sheng always managed it.
This only deepened his wariness of Lu Chang’sheng’s alchemy skills.
Lu Chang’sheng was almost like a tireless machine, spending every single day holed up in Yun’an Institute, with not even a break for magic cultivation.
By month six, Steward Yang was summoned by Thunder Cauldron to report on his progress driving out Lu Chang’sheng, and finally his patience ran thin.
"Alchemist Lei, that Alchemist Lu’s skill is just too great—this thod simply won’t work."
He laid out everything that had happened in detail. Thunder Cauldron was shocked, half-suspecting Steward Yang was lying to him.
So he personally assigned three new pill formula tasks and had Luo Ming deliver them to Lu Chang’sheng.
Three months later, when the pills were delivered, Thunder Cauldron fell silent.
That night, all three kinds were sent up to Elder Liu Jiu.
"The Erosion Sand Pill is extrely rare—other pills, maybe he could submit them by burning up his personal stash, but the Erosion Sand Pill is just impossible."
Liu Jiu, having reached the cusp of second-grade in alchemy training, held definitive authority in his words.
"So, he’s just as capable as Lin Yan guessed years ago—he’s got so real skill."
"What do you all think?"
He looked around at the others.
The ones seated here were all true core mbers of White Cloud Cave Mansion now.
"Lu Chang’sheng’s cultivation in the alchemy Dao is impressive—his insight is formidable. But let’s be honest: his talent, his Root Bone, is genuinely terrible."
"The fact that Lu Chang’sheng was able to ascend to mid-level Qi Cultivation over these years is entirely thanks to his alchemy prowess. Still, with Root Bone not even rated D, there’s no way he ever makes it past late-stage Qi Cultivation."
"You all know exactly what that ans."
Everyone nodded in agreent.
"Since we’ve already chosen Zhou Lin, let’s not get hung up on this. If he’s not with us, keeping him around just breeds discontent."
Thunder Cauldron spoke.
This faction never cared for Lu Chang’sheng—his current achievents didn’t change their minds one bit.
"I say, why not keep him for pill-making?" soone suggested.
"You could use his alchemy skills, yes, but are you sure he won’t grow resentful over ti?"
"Then forget it," Liu Jiu said, narrowing his eyes.
After the Xiao Feng fiasco, he couldn’t tolerate even a grain of sand in his eye.
Besides—
"Zhou Lin hit Qi Cultivation layer seven so ti ago. It’s ti to prepare his Foundation Establishnt. White Cloud Cave Mansion needs soone at Foundation to support the sect’s reputation."
Zhen Heitu spoke.
To them, Lu Chang’sheng’s situation was a minor concern—what mattered was prepping for Zhou Lin’s breakthrough.
Right now, Foundation Establishnt cultivators were in desperately short supply in White Cloud Cave Mansion.
······
"Fellow Daoist Lu, anything gained?"
Early next morning, Lu Chang’sheng went for a walk.
After months of sleepless pill-making, his body was already worn thin—he needed the break.
"A little, yeah."
Lu Chang’sheng replied with a smile.
Zhong Ming’s brows twitched, unable to resist: "Could you share what you gained?"
Lu Chang’sheng didn’t mind his bluntness, replying, "Just got started with so new pill formulas, nothing fancy."
Zhong Ming felt a weight lifted—it really wasn’t anything worth showing off, but Lu Chang’sheng actually bothered to answer, which made him quietly grateful.
The two strolled aimlessly.
Zhong Ming was also out to relax—his monthly routine. Whether for cultivation or alchemy, pacing yourself was everything.
Running into Lu Chang’sheng was pure chance.
"I heard you’re not on the mountain gate registry?"
Zhong Ming suddenly asked.
Lu Chang’sheng nodded.
The mountain gate registry had only just co out—most of the B-grade alchemists from White Cloud Pharmacy had already been listed.
It was clear that, going forward, those on the registry and those left off would be seen as altogether different.
With Zhong Ming’s talent, he naturally knew the inside story: "If you get a shot, you should get yourself on the registry."
"Thanks for the heads-up, Daoist." Lu Chang’sheng said.
Zhong Ming assud Lu Chang’sheng was eligible, but in truth, Lu Chang’sheng hadn’t heard a single word about it.
"Looks like they’re picking insiders!"
Watching Zhong Ming leave, Lu Chang’sheng mused.
You’d think Zhong Ming and I were both neutral in the previous strife, and with my record, at the very least I ought to be listed, yet not even a ntion.
It just goes to show—what makes the difference isn’t strength, but the trouble leftover from past enmities.
Lu Chang’sheng didn’t care. So long as he stayed here, he could keep learning new pill formulas, and practice with the materials besides.
Liu Jiu and his ilk wanted to pressure into paying a sky-high art learning fee—I won’t play along.
Wandering through the corridors and gardens, he heard faint whispers here and there.
That was when he realized the registry matter had gotten everyone stirred up in private conversation.
Especially among those who didn’t make the list.
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