5: Chapter 5: The Ye family is beset by internal and external troubles, and the eldest young lady comes in person to offer guidance!

Three days later.

Bizhu Manor, a quiet room.

Butler Ye and Shopkeeper Liu of Linlang Pavilion sat facing each other; the atmosphere in the room was heavy.

"Butler Ye, the news you requested has some leads." Shopkeeper Liu's voice was low.

Butler Ye picked up his teacup, his hand steady. "Speak."

"The Song Family of Tianqing Valley has been acting frequently of late. Not only have they been recruiting Loose Cultivators on a large scale, but they have also been in close contact with several traveling merchant caravans, seemingly hoarding Materials."

Shopkeeper Liu paused, his voice dropping even lower. "The most troublesome part is that our planted informant has confirmed that the Song Family Old Ancestor... successfully achieved a Breakthrough to the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment two months ago."

Butler Ye's hand trembled imperceptibly, causing ripples in the tea.

"Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment... The Song Family now has one Cultivator at the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment and two at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment."

He set down the teacup, his voice devoid of emotion. "How is the injury of our Ye Family Old Ancestor?"

Shopkeeper Liu was silent for a moment, then said slowly: "Last night... the Old Ancestor coughed up blood again."

"The Elder of the Alchemy Hall stated bluntly that without a third-rank 'Life-Generating Creation Pill' or similar life-extending treasure medicine, I fear... he will not last more than three years."

"Crack."

A faint snapping sound rang out in the quiet room; it was Butler Ye crushing a corner of the armrest.

"Three years..."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "If the Old Ancestor passes away, the Ye Family will only have the Patriarch and Young Miss Xueyi as Cultivators at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment."

"At that time, what will we use to block the Song Family's predatory gaze?"

Shopkeeper Liu lowered his head and said nothing. The answer was laid out before them, bloody and stark.

"What about within the Family?"

When Butler Ye opened his eyes again, he had regained his composure, though the chill in his eyes was even deeper.

"The manager of the Second Branch met privately with a manager from the Song Family last month under the guise of procurement."

"The Third Branch has recently been secretly selling off several remote properties, seemingly intending to leave."

"The Fourth Branch... remains undecided." Shopkeeper Liu reported truthfully.

"The tree hasn't fallen yet, but the monkeys are already thinking of scattering." Butler Ye sneered. "The Patriarch has had it too hard these past few years."

"Precisely because of this, this lad Ye Linchuan appears... crucial!" Shopkeeper Liu raised his head, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

"Oh? Elaborate."

"When the Old Ancestor was healthy, our Ye Family stood firm on Talismans and could still manage."

"Now, Talisman Dao is on the decline, and the Alchemy Hall is suffering from a lack of successors; there is only one elderly first-rank High Grade alchemist struggling to hold things together, and they haven't refined a second-rank Medicinal Pill in many years."

Shopkeeper Liu's tone became urgent. "And yet Ye Linchuan, without any guidance, has been able to stably refine top-quality calming pills in three months!"

"Such intuition and talent for Alchemy are unheard of!"

"If he can grow quickly and become a first-rank alchemist, or even... touch the threshold of the second rank."

"Then it will be as if our Ye Family has gained another pillar of stability!"

Butler Ye nodded slowly. "I have also thought of this, but... he is a son-in-law, after all."

"The contract is the strongest chain!" Shopkeeper Liu said. "His descendants are in the Ye Family, and his future is in the Ye Family."

"If he is smart, he will know how to choose."

"Moreover, I have observed that this lad's Heart-Nature is steady, and he is not a person of short-sighted vision."

Butler Ye pondered for a long time. "Tomorrow, I will ask Young Miss Xueyi to accompany me to his courtyard."

"Although the Young Miss specializes in Talisman Dao, she can draw inferences about other subjects and also has insights into Alchemy."

"It is most appropriate for her to provide guidance."

The next day, early morning.

Ye Linchuan was in the Alchemy room, refining calming pills using the newly acquired first-rank Medium Grade bronze Pill Furnace.

His movements were fluid, yet he deliberately controlled the speed and quality of the pill formation. Finally, he lifted the furnace lid.

Three High Grade calming pills lay quietly at the bottom of the furnace.

"Hmm, this 'progress' to High Grade is just right." He nodded with satisfaction and put away the Medicinal Pill.

Suddenly, the courtyard gate was lightly knocked.

"Son-in-law Ye, are you in?"

It was Butler Ye's voice, but unlike usual, it seemed to carry a bit more... courtesy?

Ye Linchuan's heart stirred; he quickly cleaned the Pill Furnace, straightened his clothes, and then went up to open the door.

Two people stood outside the door. Butler Ye, and a young woman dressed in white as snow.

The woman was just over twenty, her skin whiter than snow, her features picturesque, and her temperament so cold and aloof that she did not seem like a person of the mortal world.

Just by standing there quietly, she made the entire courtyard seem to brighten up.

Especially the fluctuations of Spiritual Qi faintly circulating around her, which were several times denser than in Bizhu Manor, indicating that her cultivation was definitely not low.

"Butler Ye." Ye Linchuan cupped his hands in greeting, looking at the woman in white with a puzzled gaze.

"Son-in-law Ye, this is the Patriarch's daughter, Young Miss Ye Xueyi." Butler Ye introduced her with a smile.

Ye Xueyi?! Ye Linchuan was shocked in his heart.

Patriarch Ye Tianying's only daughter, a Talisman Dao Genius rarely seen in the Ye Family in a hundred years. It was said that she was already a Cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage, and was actually the second most important figure in the Ye Family!

Why would she come here? And personally visit the courtyard of a son-in-law?

"Greetings, Young Miss Xueyi." Ye Linchuan suppressed the shock and suspicion in his heart and bowed respectfully.

Ye Xueyi's gaze was clear and cold, lingering on Ye Linchuan's face for a moment. "I heard that without any guidance, you became an Alchemy apprentice in three months and refined top-quality calming pills?"

Upon hearing this, alarm bells rang in Ye Linchuan's heart. Did Ye Xueyi come for Alchemy? Wasn't she a Talisman Dao Genius?

"I dare not claim the title of apprentice; I was just lucky to succeed a few times. I hope you will not laugh at me, Young Miss." Ye Linchuan's tone was humble.

"Lucky?" Ye Xueyi's eyes flickered slightly as she walked into the courtyard. "In the Dao of Alchemy, there is no such thing as luck."

"Take out your Pill Furnace and refine a batch of calming pills on the spot."

As expected, she wanted to test him! Ye Linchuan agreed, weighing his options quickly in his heart.

He took out the first-rank Medium Grade bronze Pill Furnace and the fire control plate, setting them up on the stone table in the courtyard. Then, he took out three portions of calming pill Materials, appearing slightly nervous.

When he began to process the medicinal herbs, his technique was no longer as clumsy as it had been in the previous assessment. Instead, it appeared earnest but slightly awkward.

He strove for stability in controlling the heat, yet there were occasional subtle fluctuations. The entire process was several times slower than when he refined it privately, but it showed obvious progress compared to the previous assessment.

The degree of purification of the medicinal liquid reached a medium level. The order and timing of adding the medicinal herbs completely conformed to the basic Pill Formula.

When melting the pills, he was fully focused, sweat appearing on his forehead, and his technique was still not very smooth. However, every step was done strictly by the book.

Finally, through his efforts, the pill liquid successfully condensed. The furnace lid was lifted. Three Medicinal Pills lay at the bottom of the furnace.

Two were glossy in color with clear pill patterns, reaching the High Grade level. The third had a slightly duller color and blurred pill patterns, making it only Medium Grade.

One batch, three pills; two High Grade, one Medium Grade. This result, for a novice who had been self-studying for three months, could be called stunning! It was enough to prove his outstanding talent and rapid progress!

Ye Linchuan let out a sigh of relief and presented the three Medicinal Pills to Ye Xueyi.

Ye Xueyi extended her slender jade fingers, picked up one High Grade calming pill, examined it closely before her eyes, and then lightly sniffed the pill fragrance.

After a long while, she put down the Medicinal Pill, her cold gaze falling on Ye Linchuan's face. "Your technique for processing medicinal herbs is still stiff."

"The heat adjustment is slightly sluggish."

"The guidance of Spiritual Qi during pill melting is not smooth enough."

She pointed out the problems one by one, her voice calm. Ye Linchuan lowered his head in shame. "Young Miss has a Wisdom Eye; I am dull-witted."