"We did it! We did it!" As the final Alchemy Hand Seal was completed, two Rejuvenation Blood Pills emerged from the furnace. Even someone as reserved as Wenren Yuxin couldn't help but grab Lin Hao's arm and cheer loudly.
Everyone appreciates beauty.
Let alone an unparalleled beauty like Wenren Yuxin.
Lin Hao looked at Wenren Yuxin, her face flushed and a faint fragrance wafting from her, and found it a bit overwhelming. He instinctively averted his gaze.
Wenren Yuxin was startled, realizing her behavior was a bit unseemly. She was feeling flustered when she saw Lin Hao's reaction and couldn't help but let out a chuckle.
"Oh, is my little brother shy? Come on, give your big sister a smile," Wenren Yuxin suddenly teased.
Lin Hao was a head shorter than her, and there had been some unavoidable physical contact when he was teaching her the Alchemy Hand Seals. Wenren Yuxin was a perceptive woman; although Lin Hao had deliberately altered his voice, she had already guessed he wasn't very old.
That's why she decided to tease him.
Lin Hao rolled his eyes. He didn't like being called "little brother."
"Spoilsport. I'll just call you Young Master Lin, then." Wenren Yuxin's lovely eyes twinkled, and she was surprised by her own tone.
If anyone who knew her saw this side of her, they would be utterly shocked.
After all, a woman of Wenren Yuxin's stature was the very definition of cold and aloof. She would never act so casually in front of others.
To outsiders, she was cold, proud, and utterly unapproachable.
But who could have imagined that someone so proud would treat a man this way?
And to top it off, the man in question didn't even seem to appreciate it.
The moment she said the words "Young Master Lin," Lin Hao's guard went up instantly. He took a step back, putting distance between them.
Wenren Yuxin cursed inwardly. 'Damn it.'
In truth, after witnessing Lin Hao's Alchemy skills, she had wanted to recruit him. Why else would she, a woman who never gave men the time of day, display such a rare, girlish side?
But she hadn't expected that those three words would threaten to reset their relationship back to square one.
Just as she was about to say something to fix the situation, Lin Hao cut her off.
"Miss Wenren, you have seen the pills. I trust you will not go back on your word. I'll be taking my leave now." To her surprise, Lin Hao was about to depart.
*Sigh.* Wenren Yuxin sighed inwardly. She hadn't expected him to be so wary.
Since it had come to this, despite her disappointment, she put on a radiant smile. "Young Master's mastery of the Alchemy Dao has left me in awe. I was hoping to ask for more of your guidance. Your words are breaking my heart. Do you see me as some kind of monster?"
As she finished, her expression shifted again, becoming so pitiful it would stir compassion in any heart.
Her rapid changes in demeanor were overwhelming for Lin Hao, who had little experience with women.
However, the thought of his own objective instantly calmed his heart.
"I'm sure we'll meet again. That will depend on your capabilities, Miss Wenren."
"I'll agree to the fifty percent stake, but I have a condition of my own. You may take any materials you need from my Treasure Hunting Pavilion, free of charge. In return, all the pills you create will be managed by us. We'll split the profits fifty-fifty."
It sounded like Lin Hao was getting the better end of the deal, but he was actually the one at a disadvantage.
Wenren Yuxin's heart pounded with apprehension as she said this, because no sane person would agree to such terms.
But Lin Hao's response was far beyond her expectations.
Without a moment's hesitation, Lin Hao readily agreed.
A glint appeared in Wenren Yuxin's lovely eyes as she grew suspicious of Lin Hao's motives.
'The influence of the Treasure Hunting Holy Hall across the continent is immense. The wealth represented by even a ten percent share of the profits is incalculable. For Lin Hao to give up such immense fortune when he held all the cards… it means his ambitions lie elsewhere!'
'What is he trying to achieve by using the Treasure Hunting Holy Hall?!'
Staring at Lin Hao's demonic mask, Wenren Yuxin's expression shifted, her thoughts unreadable.
"At this point, are you still unwilling to remove your mask, Young Master?" Wenren Yuxin asked softly after a long silence.
Lin Hao had never shown his true face. Wenren Yuxin had considered snatching the mask off herself, but making an enemy of an Alchemy Master who knew long-lost Alchemy Hand Seals was not a wise move.
'If he just takes off that mask,' she thought, 'with my resources, finding out his true intentions will be child's play.'
"I don't think much of your Treasure Hunting Holy Hall. If I wanted to, I dare say I could swallow it whole in less than three years! So, it's better to keep our goals simple." Lin Hao's voice was gentle, but his words were thunderous.
'Three years. To shake a behemoth like the Treasure Hunting Holy Hall all by himself…' Before today, Wenren Yuxin would never have believed anyone would dare make such a claim.
But now, his words gave her the strange feeling that if he wanted to, he really could do it.
Wenren Yuxin took a deep breath and said slowly, "You're very confident. But if I were to tell you that the Treasure Hunting Holy Hall has a total of two thousand, seven hundred and eighty branches across the continent, would you still be able to say that so casually?"
However, Lin Hao's reply nearly made her cough up blood.
"Is that all? In that case, two years should be enough."
Wenren Yuxin swayed on her feet. If she hadn't spent the last few hours with him, she would have been certain he was a lunatic.
"I believe you. You know, your confidence reminds me of someone."
"Oh?"
"Her name is Jiang Hanyan!" Wenren Yuxin said, staring intently into Lin Hao's eyes and enunciating every syllable.
It was the first time Lin Hao had heard that name, and it was clearly a woman's. He grew curious.
"Who is Jiang Hanyan?" Lin Hao asked.
A flicker of doubt crossed Wenren Yuxin's eyes. But when she spoke of Jiang Hanyan, her expression immediately became one of solemn reverence. "She is a legendary woman! If I could achieve even a tenth of what she has in my lifetime, I would be content!"
'A woman whom Wenren Yuxin holds in such high regard must truly be extraordinary.'
"I am certain you're from the Lin family. And because of her, I'll trust you! Take this handkerchief. Show it at any branch of the Treasure Hunting Holy Hall, and they will provide you with assistance." Without any warning, Wenren Yuxin suddenly made a decision.
Then, she turned and left.
Holding the handkerchief, still warm from her body, Lin Hao's mind struggled to process what had just happened.
Wenren Yuxin had just made an enormous gamble, all because of a woman's name. Lin Hao had not seen that coming.
'Who is Jiang Hanyan? And what does she have to do with the Lin family?'
Lin Hao found himself growing curious about a name.
"Young Master, you're incredible!" Once they were gone, Yi Mingcheng trotted over, his gaze turning suggestive as he eyed the handkerchief in Lin Hao's hand.
'This Young Master is truly a god,' Yi Mingcheng thought. 'In just a few hours, he's already won over the young lady of the Wenren family! She even gave him her handkerchief so reluctantly at the end.'
'He's a master of Alchemy, his Cultivation Technique is freakishly powerful, and he can pick up girls with ease. Amazing!' Yi Mingcheng's admiration for Lin Hao had reached its zenith.
Lin Hao himself didn't know why Wenren Yuxin had given him a handkerchief. It was certainly an act that invited speculation.
In truth, Wenren Yuxin had never been in the habit of giving people gifts, so she naturally wasn't carrying a proper token on her person.
But her partnership with Lin Hao was a matter of great importance. If she didn't give him a token to prove his identity, it would surely lead to a great deal of unnecessary trouble.
So, after racking her brain, she could only give him the handkerchief she had on her person.
But what she could never have imagined was that this handkerchief would be the start of all her troubles.
"What are you thinking about?" Of course, Lin Hao was oblivious to all this. He tucked the handkerchief away and snapped irritably.
In fact, after his fight with Lin Cheng, he had only been unconscious for a moment. He had woken up by the time Lin Cheng caught up to him.
Lin Hao was perfectly aware of everything Yi Mingcheng did afterward.
And Yi Mingcheng's actions had caused Lin Hao to change his opinion of him. Now, Lin Hao no longer treated him as an outsider.
"I know, I know," Yi Mingcheng replied, his smile still full of insinuation.
Trying to explain would only make things worse. Lin Hao dropped it and suddenly asked, "Do you know a woman named Jiang Hanyan?"
Yi Mingcheng faltered in his step. A flash of panic crossed his eyes before he quickly composed himself and shook his head. "Don't know her."
Unfortunately, Lin Hao was walking ahead and didn't see his expression. He just grunted in acknowledgment and said nothing more.
"Young Master, what are your orders?" The matter with the Treasure Hunting Pavilion was settled, and Yi Mingcheng was eager for his next instructions.
"Let's go back—no, let's go hunting! It's been a while since I've had wild game!" Lin Hao paused mid-sentence, then headed straight for Tian Duan Mountain.
Yi Mingcheng didn't understand, but he was impressed nonetheless. He chose to follow without question.
...
Time passed, minute by minute. The sun began to set, but Lin Hao showed no signs of leaving. He had actually hunted some game and started roasting it over a fire.
Yi Mingcheng followed along happily, doing whatever Lin Hao asked without a single question.
"Alright, they're finally gone!" Lin Hao suddenly tossed aside the game meat he was holding and let out a long sigh of relief.
Yi Mingcheng started. "Young Master, who's gone?"
"The person with Wenren Yuxin." After he spoke, Lin Hao led Yi Mingcheng toward the entrance of a hidden path.
Yi Mingcheng's eyes lit up, a look of shock flashing through them.
Meanwhile, at the pavilion on Ten-Mile Slope, Wenren Yuxin had returned. An old woman completely shrouded in black robes stood before her.
"Miss, he discovered me. I was unable to confirm his identity." The old woman's voice held a hint of anger, a touch of shame, and a thread of bewilderment.
A mere Martial Artist at the Third Layer of Blood Coagulation Realm should have been nothing but an ant before her. In the past, she wouldn't have even bothered to glance at such a person.
But today, another one at the Third Layer of Blood Coagulation Realm had actually discovered her. This completely overturned her understanding of the world.
"It's alright, Nanny." Wenren Yuxin guessed the old woman's thoughts and offered comfort. "I plan to stay in War Dragon City for a few days. I refuse to believe I can't find out who he is!"
The old woman was about to speak when her figure flickered and vanished.
The moment she disappeared, the figure of Ninety-Five appeared.
"Miss, a confidential letter from the Patriarch!" Ninety-Five respectfully presented a sealed letter.
After opening the letter, Wenren Yuxin's expression changed dramatically. She waved a hand, dismissing Ninety-Five.
"Nanny, we must return to Imperial City at once!" Wenren Yuxin's voice was laced with an unprecedented urgency.
"Yes, Miss."
As her voice faded, the pavilion was once again empty.