When Yang Wudi entered the reception room, he plopped down heavily in the main seat, lightly tapping the armrest with his fingers, a thoughtful expression on his face.
The Breaking Clan and the Butterfly House had almost no connection. Lin Yang's personal visit this time would likely cause trouble. However, as long as he stubbornly refused to admit anything, even if Lin Yang had a Titled Douluo backing him, they could do nothing to him.
Eventually, guided by the guards, Lin Yang safely entered the Yang Family estate. After passing through several corridors, he arrived at the reception room.
The moment he stepped inside, his eyes were drawn to the calligraphy scroll hanging in the center of the room. The large, bold character "破" (Break) at the top was written with powerful, dynamic strokes that exuded an unyielding and invincible spirit.
A slender figure sat in the highest seat beneath the calligraphy scroll.
So this was Yang Wudi, the clan leader of the Breaking Clan?
Yang Wudi had black hair and a healthy complexion, but his eyes were somewhat eerie and sharp. Judging by his build, he was not a muscular man but rather slender like a white crane. Yet this did not give the impression of weakness or fragility. Instead, he resembled a long spear that would rather break than bend.
Lin Yang stepped forward and bowed slightly.
"I am Lin Yang, a junior. Clan Leader Yang, please forgive my unannounced visit!"
Yang Wudi nodded lightly, his hawk-like sharp gaze fixed on Lin Yang.
"Please have a seat."
Lin Yang took the guest seat. A disciple soon brought him tea. He picked up the teacup, took a sip, and set it down. Aura lay comfortably in his arms, lazily stretching its front paws with a completely indifferent expression.
After the disciples withdrew, Yang Wudi pondered for a moment before speaking.
"Young Master Lin of the Butterfly House has already made a name for himself across the continent at such a young age, yet our Breaking Clan has no connection whatsoever with the Butterfly House. May I ask the purpose of your visit to the Yang Family?"
Yang Wudi's tone was stiff and devoid of courtesy.
Lin Yang paid it no mind. He smiled lightly and maintained a calm, composed demeanor.
"I have long heard that the Breaking Clan's alchemy skills are the finest on the continent, so I came to exchange insights."
"Exchange insights?"
Yang Wudi's expression darkened significantly, as if he had realized something. His tone grew sharp.
"Now the Butterfly House's medicine business is thriving and spreading across the continent. I must admit I am impressed by their pharmaceutical techniques."
"Unfortunately, my meager skills probably cannot meet your expectations."
The words were harsh, but Lin Yang could tell the old man was not at all convinced. It was only natural for a veteran expert who had devoted his life to alchemy to feel displeased about being surpassed by a newcomer using completely different methods.
Lin Yang's expression remained unchanged.
"Clan Leader Yang is too modest. The profound traditions passed down through generations of the Breaking Clan are something a novice like me can never match."
He knew it was flattery, but the timing was perfect, and Yang Wudi's expression softened considerably.
More importantly, the other party did not appear to have come demanding an explanation. The issue of deciphering the medicines was not mentioned at all.
Saying "just an exchange" was merely an excuse to save face.
Given how things had developed, no matter how stubborn Yang Wudi was, continuing to speak coldly to Lin Yang would be too embarrassing. Moreover, Lin Yang had a Titled Douluo—Poison Douluo, who was notoriously protective and unpredictable—backing him. Face had to be preserved no matter what.
With that in mind, Yang Wudi maintained a stern expression but softened his tone.
"In what way would you like to exchange?"
He paused, then added, "First, let me be clear—if you came to inquire about the alchemy traditions of my Breaking Clan, you might as well give up that idea."
A faint smile appeared on Lin Yang's face—confident yet without arrogance.
"Senior, please don't worry. While I have some interest in alchemy, the Butterfly House's medicines have their own unique properties."
"To be frank, the fact that the Butterfly House's medicines have spread across the continent is proof of their excellence."
These casually spoken words carried immeasurable weight.
Yang Wudi snorted coldly but offered no rebuttal. Deep down, he knew the boy was telling the truth.
He had spent an unknown amount of time thoroughly studying the two types of medicines circulating in the market—the Soul-Returning and Soul-Burning medicines. The more he investigated, the more uneasy he became.
Setting aside the ingredients, the fact that every batch consistently produced the same effect was already astonishing to him. Traditional medicine refinement was different—achieving a forty percent success rate per ten batches was considered high, and even within the same batch, potency could vary.
Second, there was output.
The Butterfly House's potion production technique was truly remarkable. This was also one of the key reasons their medicines had spread so rapidly across the continent. With sufficient production capacity, they could expand and develop without pressure.
Only when the reach was wide enough and the target audience large enough would it cease to be a fleeting phenomenon and instead create sustained market demand.
Many secret medicines existed on the continent, but because production was limited, few people even knew of their existence. How could one expand the market when the audience consisted of only a handful of people?
Even if the Breaking Clan gathered every member and worked day and night on medicine refinement, they would not reach even one-tenth of the Butterfly House's output. They were humans, not machines.
Furthermore, if they attempted it, the loss of medicinal herbs alone would be enormous—enough to bankrupt the entire clan.
What puzzled him even more was that the ingredients for those medicines were specified with extreme precision, almost as if they were being demanded. Slightly less and the effect weakened; slightly more and it became completely useless. Achieving perfect efficacy required extremely precise adjustments.
This meticulous control was so exquisite that even a veteran alchemist like him, who had spent his life refining medicines, could not help but feel envious.
Yang Wudi remained silent for a while, then suddenly stood up. "Follow me."
Lin Yang picked up Aura and followed.
Yang Wudi led him through two courtyards and into another stone chamber. The chamber was carved from a single piece of bluestone, with no windows—only a heavy stone door tightly shut.
Yang Wudi pressed a switch, and the stone door rumbled open slowly. A faint medicinal fragrance drifted out from the gap.
"This is…"
Lin Yang looked slightly surprised.
"An alchemy room," Yang Wudi said without turning around. "If you want to exchange insights, show me your true skill. Let's see whether that famous Butterfly House is all talk and no action."
Lin Yang was momentarily stunned, then smiled. "Understood!"
Upon entering the stone chamber, Lin Yang saw a bronze medicinal cauldron about half a person's height, with a blazing fire burning beneath it. Strangely, the chamber did not feel hot; the temperature remained constant.
Yang Wudi seemed to notice Lin Yang's surprise and remarked casually, "A friend of mine designed this. He's truly skilled at building houses."
Lin Yang muttered to himself, "Does the Yu Clan possess such ability? I should ask the royal family someday to renovate the Butterfly House. Especially my research laboratory—it doesn't need to be too luxurious, just up to this standard."
...