I Have A Martial Dao World

Upon hearing Lu Yao was willing to spend money to buy, Zhou He shook his head with a bitter smile, "Young Master Lu, it's not that I am stingy, but the secret teachings of my school must not be leaked."

Lu Yao didn't speak, and without turning his head, he gestured one finger towards Liao Qe.

After a short while, Liao Qe took off her battle armor and came over with a tray covered with a red cloth.

She gracefully performed a full curtsy, placed the tray on the stone table, and removed the red cloth.

In an instant, silver light shimmered; it was a thousand taels of silver.

That amount of silver was equivalent to fifty kilograms and merely amounted to 250,000 yuan on Blue Star. But in the Otherworld, it was no trifling sum!

An official of the Ninth Grade would have a yearly salary of only two taels of silver; even Liao Ya, who had previously received a generous stipend from the Imperial Court as a high-level talent, would earn but three to four taels after a year of hard work and risking her life.

Zhou He picked up a silver ingot and squeezed it, his expression changing slightly. After hesitating for a while, he set it back down.

"Young Master Lu has used several pounds of silver bullets to exorcise demons and, presumably, is not short of silver money. But as someone who has grown older by a few years, I have gained some insights, whether it be in the Martial Path or Spirit Refinement. Why not propose some other condition?"

Lu Yao still didn't speak, only giving Liao Qe a look.

The two shared a mutual understanding, often embracing each other in sleep, a single glance able to convey countless pieces of information.

Liao Qe nodded, returned to the house, and soon reappeared with another tray, once again filled with a thousand taels of silver!

She also brought over a duck egg-sized Blood Core.

Under the brilliance of two small mountains of silver, Zhou He's leisurely demeanor vanished.

"Young Master Lu is indeed immensely wealthy... I..."

Zhou He felt a great turmoil inside. The sum of two thousand taels of silver was indeed not a small amount, one that even his own Wudang Sect could hardly assemble.

Blue veins bulged on his temples as he seemed to struggle with a difficult decision. After a long time, he waved his hand and said,

"So be it! I shall not hide the fact that our school is indeed in need of funds to tide over these troubled times. I shall shamelessly accept..."

Lu Yao smiled, "It's just some money. Please feel free to accept it, Master. Just teach me Alchemy."

"How shameful, how shameful. Although silver is vulgar, it can resolve a myriad of woes," Zhou He said, taking out a palm-sized, thick notebook from his bosom.

"The art of Alchemy must be supported by the Spirit Refinement Realm. Your stability is just passable. Here's a notebook of my own experiences and collected Pill Recipes. It's not considered leaking secret teachings... you can take an advance look. In seven days, visit my residence, and I will personally instruct you on the matters of Alchemy."

Lu Yao bowed, "Thank you, Master."

He took the notebook and flipped through it briefly; it was filled with dense, tiny characters, and the ink on the last few pages was still fresh, clearly just recorded.

Zhou He picked up the duck egg-sized Blood Core and stroked his beard, pondering,

"Since the time of Immortal Qin, Monster Beasts have gradually become extinct, and many prescriptions have also become ineffective, rendering high-level Western Demon Beast Blood Cores extremely rare.

However, possessing such an item signifies that someone must have killed a high-ranking foreigner."

"I have always operated in the shadows, and thanks to Young Master Lu's blessing, this is the first time I've seen such a grand spectacle... Tsk, tsk, a full thirty of them.

Although it's satisfying, trouble is not small. The Yunzhou Consul has been making a fuss about this matter... something is not right."

Lu Yao closed the notebook and curiously asked, "Isn't the Yunzhou Consul also a Vampire? Shouldn't querying into this matter be part of his duties?"

"Young Master is unaware. Those Western Demon Beasts are divided into several factions."

"Kartin belongs to the 'Originalist Faction,' as you have already witnessed, they delight in torture for entertainment;

Whereas the Yunzhou Consul belongs to the 'Secular Faction,' who, although also not commendable, prefers to rule and enslave through power and money.

The two factions cannot see eye to eye and fighting among each other is not uncommon, let alone wasting efforts to inquire and investigate."

Zhou He sighed and said, "If I'm not mistaken, Einheit must be planning something big."

Lu Yao understood and said, "Are you referring to what the newspapers are saying, that the Westerners will invade amidst the chaos caused by the Great Vehicle Sect?"

Zhou He nodded, "Exactly. The former Ming dynasty also perished amidst domestic and foreign troubles. And chaotic times... are also a catastrophe for the common people. I hope I'm wrong."

~~~~~~

After chatting for a while, it was getting late. As it was Zhou He's first visit, it wouldn't be appropriate for him to stay too long, so he stood up and took his leave:

"The demons from the West act atrociously on the land of the Divine Land, yet today's martial artists value their lives too much and are stingy in acting heroic.

It's rare to meet someone like you, young master, who harbors righteousness. It's my pleasure to have made your acquaintance.

I have a few friends who also cannot stand the Western demons. I will introduce them to you another day. For now, I shall take my leave."

"You flatter me, Taoist priest."

Lu Yao quickly rose to see his visitor out, escorting the old priest to the door.

After walking a few steps, Zhou He looked back and smiled, "Young Master Lu~ if there is another Blood Feast like the last time, open two shots less, and you can call on a few Blood-Exchange Warriors to help."

Lu Yao also smiled, "I prefer methods that are straightforward and decisive."

Zhou He shook his head with a laugh, "Silver dissipates after killing a demon beast, which is such a waste. Young Master Lu, don't forget to visit my residence in seven days."

"I've long heard of the great reputation of White Cloud Observatory, I will not miss the appointment."

The entire Yunzhou knows about this patron living beside the Su River at the "White Cloud Observatory."

~~~~~~~~

Returning to the boxing gym, the two sisters gathered around.

Liao Ya expressed her surprise, "I did not expect that blind musician to actually be a master of Spirit Refinement of Divine Fetal Breathing. Junior brother, you have a lot of nerve; alchemy is a secret art, and normally, asking for it would mean a fight to the death."

Lu Yao shrugged, "The old Taoist is spiritually perceptive and bore no ill will, and since he sought us out, I thought I'd give it a try."

Liao Qe pouted with concern, "All the silver you brought is gone..."

Liao Ya said, "Spending 2,000 silver ingots on the art of alchemy and the goodwill of a Fetal Breath powerhouse is not a loss."

"Next time, I will bring 10,000 silver ingots over," said Lu Yao as he took out a notebook and started reviewing it with the sisters.

The notebook was thick and worn. The handwriting at the beginning was youthful, clearly written by Zhou He when he was younger.

It explained simply what alchemy is—processing metals and minerals, refining medicinal herbs, transforming Inner Breath into Immortal Pills!

The processing and refining methods were not difficult, being mostly about mixing the required alchemy materials in the correct proportions and heating them up.

It should be about the same as a chef's standard, where "moving effortlessly" in a calm state is quite easy to achieve.

The difficulty lied in the subsequent control of the Inner Breath, which not only required a robust Inner Breath but also great control to achieve various miraculous effects.

But with the assistance of the Spirit Refinement Realm, it was merely a matter of extra attention.

Closing the notebook, Lu Yao's mind was already imagining what kind of "pet" to raise — "A tiger… or a golden eagle?"

Liao Ya, however, was enchanted by the various Immortal Pills recorded in the notebook.

As described, these pills had powerful effects and, once refined, could be carried and consumed at any time, unlike medicinal concoctions that need to be brewed fresh.

The only drawback was they all required a "Demon Core," or "Blood Core."

"So many elixirs can be made just with a Blood Core. Junior brother, although we gave the largest one to Taoist Zhou, we still have many slightly smaller ones that can also be used for refinement.

Everyone is looking forward to the visit to White Cloud Observatory in seven days.