Chapter 28: Keeping a Mulligan

The strength of a cultivator is determined by three factors: their cultivation realm, their divine abilities, and their magic artifacts. All three play a vital role. He couldn't afford them before, but now, after two months of work and becoming wealthy, he can naturally consider acquiring everything he needs.

Meanwhile, at Xu's Elixir Shop, after Wang Yu departed, the Zhu grandfather and grandson gathered. The young master, who had been arrogant earlier, now spoke nervously to Old Zhu.

"Grandpa, can Wang Yu really take the blame for this crime?"

"He can't." Old Zhu shook his head, his gaze exceptionally cold. "Find a few more alchemists and have them share the blame."

Young Master Zhu was immediately filled with guilt. "If I hadn't offended that person from Evil God Peak, Grandpa, you wouldn't have to take such a risk."

"What nonsense. There's no need for such talk between grandfather and grandson. Apart from offering a large sum of spirit stones to clear your name, the elixir shop also needs someone to take the fall, or we'll never have peace. Stay away from the elixir shop for a while. If anything goes wrong, leave the sect as soon as possible and find a way to smuggle yourself across the formidable pass between the two realms."

The Zhu grandfather and grandson had already amassed considerable illicit gains from the newly opened Xu's Elixir Shop, using these funds to expiate their own wrongdoings. This system of expiating sins was also a distinct feature of the Spirit Reversal Blood Sect. Aside from grave offenses like treason, any misdeed could be offset with spirit stones. They were using one crime to cover another, the difference being that Foundation Establishment deacons were easier to exploit, and there were ways to make others take the fall. This, not Deacon Xu's goodwill, was the true reason for the high salaries offered in the employment contracts.

Young Master Zhu's mockery of Wang Yu earlier that day was actually meant to discourage him. After all, it was preposterous for a Qi Condensation Level 3 alchemist to embezzle tens of thousands of spirit stones. Who would dare such a thing? No one would believe that such a person could be the sole scapegoat! That's why he was eager to get rid of Wang Yu, to prevent any further complications. However, Old Master Zhu had his sights set on Wang Yu. The old man, cunning as a fox, knew it would be unreasonable to pin such a massive sum of spirit stones on a single person. After all, the embezzled funds would eventually be traced. The larger the group implicated, the lower the individual share, making it impossible to precisely track the destination of every single spirit stone. This provided them with ample room for manipulation. He was a professional at manipulating accounts!

The next day, Wang Yu hummed a tune as he strolled leisurely to work at Xu's Elixir Shop. Free from the oppression of his time as a spirit slave, his mindset had shifted; now he was working to earn money for himself.

"Old Zhu, how's business today?"

It was shortly past 9 AM. Wang Yu stepped into the elixir shop, where Old Zhu was busy copying something behind the counter. He was about to go over and chat. However, he heard Old Zhu say, "Alchemist Wang, you're here. The furnace in the Earth Fire Chamber is already warmed up, and there's a boy at the entrance ready to deliver ingredients."

Wang Yu paused, a seed of doubt sprouting in his mind. Why was he being rushed off to refine elixirs with just a casual greeting? What was the meaning of this? Just then, a customer approached the counter to pay for a bottle of Spirit Return Elixirs.

"Shopkeeper, I'll take this bottle of elixirs. Please hurry; I have a mission outside the sect."

"Yes, yes, of course."

Seeing this, Wang Yu walked towards the Earth Fire Chamber in the back. The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt, until five words echoed in his mind: *This is a Demonic Sect!* Suspicion, vigilance, and decisiveness were all commendable virtues for demonic cultivators, and he was gradually cultivating these instincts. There was something suspicious about Old Zhu, and whether it was minor or significant, he needed to be prepared. He temporarily set this matter aside, resolving to make plans after work.

The contract was signed, and daily work still had to be completed. Operating with only one arm was challenging, meaning Wang Yu had to perform each fire-control and elixir-congealing seal with a single hand! His alchemy was more mentally taxing. While his spiritual energy was sufficient for two batches of refining, his divine sense would be completely depleted, requiring a short nap and entering a state of reverie for quick recovery. This also had its advantages. Pushing his divine sense to its limits and then allowing it to recover was akin to physical training: just as muscles grow stronger through repeated strain and repair, so too did his divine sense. Its strength, maximum capacity, and precision control all grew with each recovery. Even if each improvement was subtle, it represented steady progress. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step; countless small streams form mighty rivers and seas! It was precisely these seemingly insignificant acts of perseverance and accumulation that allowed a mere seed to eventually grow into a towering tree. Given his poor spiritual root aptitude, Wang Yu highly valued every improvement he made. Realizing how alchemy enhanced his divine sense, he dedicated himself even more, gradually becoming completely immersed in the process.

Unaware of the time, a full day passed. He refined five batches of Spirit Return Elixirs and five batches of Grain Abstinence Elixirs. The former yielded 32 pills, and the latter 29. Wang Yu only submitted the medium-grade elixirs; any high-grade pills that emerged from the furnace found their way into his own pocket. He already had roughly a bottle's worth, which could be attributed to acceptable "fire loss." If these hadn't been simple first-tier spirit elixirs, with almost no risk of a furnace exploding, he could have even pilfered a few sets of ingredients – what a waste.

After a short period of meditation, he calmed his breathing. Only then did he leave the Earth Fire Chamber and enter the front hall of the elixir shop. By this time, the customer traffic had subsided. Old Zhu was speaking with three cultivators. Upon seeing Wang Yu emerge, he promptly called out.

"Alchemist Wang, come over quickly. These three alchemists will be joining Xu's Elixir Shop. Come and introduce yourselves."

The man in a square scarf and blue robe, possessing a scholarly aura, introduced himself: "I am Zhou Tao, a Qi Condensation Level 8, First-Grade High-Rank Alchemist, and an outer disciple of Five Yin Peak." Wang Yu immediately understood. For someone with this cultivation level to still be an outer disciple, they must be a cultivator without any influential background, aiming to become a deacon or elder. As for Five Yin Peak, it was the seventh peak of the Spirit Reversal Blood Sect, specializing in ghost enslavement and deity cursing – a set of treacherous methods that were difficult to guard against. The remaining two were more unremarkable, but they shared one crucial similarity: a lack of influential connections!

"I am Huang Kai, a Qi Condensation Level 6, First-Grade Mid-Rank Alchemist, and an outer disciple of Blood Nether Peak."

"I am Luo Pinghu, a Qi Condensation Level 5, First-Grade Mid-Rank Alchemist, and an outer disciple of Heavenly Corpse Peak."

After Zhou Tao, Huang Kai, and Luo Pinghu introduced themselves, Wang Yu glanced at Old Zhu before giving his own standard introduction. Learning that he was only at Qi Condensation Level 3 and refined elixirs with just one arm, they were all surprised. They had intended to invite Wang Yu to a tavern for a meal and to discuss the dao of alchemy, but he declined. There was no time to lose; he needed to go out and investigate as soon as possible.

Considering the various possibilities, he decided to pay a personal visit to Deacon Xu. It was quite odd that he hadn't yet met the actual owner of the elixir shop, despite it having been open for several days. Deacon Xu held a post in Evil God Market. Generally, cultivators were assigned to the market associated with their originating peak. When outer disciples were promoted, they usually received nominal positions, granting them only a title and the lowest tier of benefits. Most of them would still be dispatched outside the sect to guard specific resource-rich territories controlled by the sect. When inner disciples were promoted, however, they received substantial positions, such as Deacon of the Enforcement Hall, Deacon of the Dharma Transmission Hall, or Deacon of the Mission Hall. These roles, protected by the sect, offered security and abundant resources. Another group would be stationed in various cities under the Spirit Reversal Blood Sect's control.