Chapter 95: Combining Kindness and Power

Chishen Valley was situated in the mountain range to the north of Tianzhou, just north of Fengyue City. After leaving the auction house, Xiao Chen flew directly towards Chishen Valley.

"Xiao Chen, a fourth-grade alchemist is much more arrogant than a third-grade one. Are you sure you can persuade that old guy? Gu Yan also mentioned earlier that he has a peculiar temper and doesn't talk to strangers!" The Ancient White Tiger communicated telepathically.

Xiao Chen shook his head and said, "I don't know either, but we have to meet him first to find out. Solutions are figured out along the way. There should be a way."

Xiao Chen flew swiftly for an hour before arriving at the mountain range where Chishen Valley was located. He remembered Gu Yan saying there was a lake in the valley. After spending over ten minutes searching, he finally found a valley with a lake.

Xiao Chen descended into the valley and approached the edge of the lake. After washing his face, he looked around and muttered, "This should be the Chishen Valley Gu Yan mentioned. Although remote, it's a great place for cultivation—quiet and rich in spiritual energy, perfect for alchemy."

"Xiao Chen, there's not a single person here. Where's the old man?" The Ancient White Tiger felt deceived.

"Indeed, there's no sign of anyone living here, and there's no trace of anyone having stayed here. Strange, Gu Yan shouldn't have lied to me." Xiao Chen surveyed the surroundings, finding no signs of habitation or even a simple wooden hut. It seemed more like a desolate place.

"Something's off." Xiao Chen, puzzled, sniffed the air and seemed to catch a scent. He quickly said, "There's a scent of medicinal herbs."

"The scent of medicinal herbs? You can even smell that?" The Ancient White Tiger was astonished.

"As an alchemist, I'm naturally familiar with the scent of herbs. The spiritual energy emitted by these herbs is quite potent, indicating high-grade herbs for refining quality pills. It must be just ahead." Xiao Chen smiled confidently and followed the scent.

Walking along the edge of the lake, Xiao Chen soon discovered a small, artificially planted garden filled with various medicinal herbs.

After taking a closer look, Xiao Chen smiled and said, "If I'm not mistaken, these herbs are for refining fourth-grade pills, and they're cultivated by humans. Their spiritual energy is even stronger than Xuanling Grass. It seems Gu Yan didn't lie to us; the old man must live here."

"Could there be a cave around here?" The Ancient White Tiger asked telepathically.

Xiao Chen glanced around and shook his head, saying, "No, even though it's a valley, there's no sign of a cave around. Strange, I can't sense any activity with my divine sense either. Could the old man be living under the lake?"

"It seems the old man really has a peculiar temper, just like Gu Yan said. It looks like we'll have to use some extreme methods to draw him out." Xiao Chen muttered.

"What extreme methods?" The Ancient White Tiger asked curiously.

"Hey! Old turtle! I'm Xiao Chen. I heard you're a fourth-grade alchemist, and I'm here to challenge you. If you have the guts, come out and see who's stronger—you or me!" Xiao Chen cleared his throat and then shouted arrogantly.

Hearing this, the Ancient White Tiger was almost scared out of his wits. He quickly communicated telepathically, "Xiao Chen! This method is too risky! You're here to ask for his help, and if you anger him, you can forget about getting his assistance!"

"Don't worry, as long as I can draw him out, I'll have a way to get him to help." Xiao Chen laughed softly, his eyes filled with determination and confidence.

"Are you that confident?" The Ancient White Tiger asked in surprise.

"Of course!" Xiao Chen smiled, keeping a close watch on the surroundings.

A minute passed, then two, then ten, but there was no movement in the valley.

"Xiao Chen, it seems your method didn't work. We still don't see anyone. Could the old man have gone out?" The Ancient White Tiger asked in confusion.

"He shouldn't have. Since this method didn't work, I have other ways!" Xiao Chen said with a sinister smile.

"What ways?"

"Little White Tiger, do you know what alchemists love the most?" Xiao Chen asked mysteriously.

"Of course, it's pills."

"Wrong! It's medicinal herbs. Alchemists love herbs the most. They can refine pills anytime, but they need herbs to do so. Without herbs, even the best alchemist is useless. Little White Tiger, if I destroy his herbs, do you think he can stay calm?" Xiao Chen said with a sinister smile, taking out an herb from his storage ring.

"Xiao Chen, this method sounds like a bad idea. If you provoke the old man, he might destroy everything in a fit of rage, and then our plan will fail." The Ancient White Tiger communicated, worried that Xiao Chen was challenging the alchemist's bottom line.

"Old turtle! If you don't come out, I'll destroy all your herbs." Xiao Chen shouted, squatting down next to the herb garden. Observing no movement, Xiao Chen pretended to pull out a herb and immediately broke it.

Holding the broken herb in his hand, Xiao Chen smiled smugly, "Old turtle, look, I've broken your herb!"

"Rumble!"

However, as soon as Xiao Chen finished speaking, the surface of the lake suddenly became agitated. The water in the lake surged, and soon, a pavilion emerged from beneath the lake.

"Xiao Chen, you were right. The old man really lives under the lake!" The Ancient White Tiger communicated in shock.

"Hehe, finally, he's out!" Xiao Chen laughed.

"Little brat! You dare destroy my herbs! I'll skin you alive!" From the pavilion, an old man dressed in a white robe, with white hair and beard, shouted angrily. He quickly jumped down from the pavilion and walked on the water towards the lake's edge, his face full of fury.

"Old man, please don't get angry. I didn't actually break your herb. This is Xuanling Grass, and you don't have Xuanling Grass in your garden." Xiao Chen said calmly, handing the broken Xuanling Grass to the old man.

The old man took a look and indeed saw that it was Xuanling Grass. Realizing he had been tricked, he was furious. He had just vowed not to be fooled, and now he had fallen for it.

"This brat! How dare he deceive me!" The old man thought angrily, glaring at Xiao Chen and preparing to leave.

"Old man, wait!" Xiao Chen quickly blocked his path, appearing in front of him in a flash.

"This brat's cultivation is not weak, on par with mine. Seeing him descend from the sky earlier, he must have reached the Golden Core stage. It's unbelievable that such a young boy has such an astonishing talent and cultivation speed!" The old man thought in shock but did not show it on his face.

The old man shouted angrily, "Speak quickly if you have something to say!"

"This old man's temper is indeed something!" The Ancient White Tiger communicated.

Xiao Chen thought the same and smiled, "Old man, I came here to ask for your help. You are a fourth-grade alchemist, and my Xiao family needs your assistance."

"No way! Get lost!" The old man shouted impatiently, waving his sleeve and preparing to leave.

"Old man, I can give you the recipe for refining Xuanling Pill!" Xiao Chen quickly offered his condition, but the old man showed no interest.

"Xiao Chen, that old guy is a fourth-grade alchemist. A third-grade pill recipe is useless to him." The Ancient White Tiger communicated.

"I won't give up on this old guy today!" Xiao Chen muttered, glancing at the herb garden. He said with a sinister smile, "Old man, don't you care about your herbs? You're a fourth-grade alchemist, but your cultivation is only at the mid-stage of Bigu. If I destroy your herbs, you don't have the strength to stop me!"

Hearing this, the old man stopped, turned back, and shouted angrily, "Brat, are you threatening me? Do you know the consequences of offending me?"

Xiao Chen was unfazed and smiled calmly, "I understand the influence of a fourth-grade alchemist, but it seems there are no other people around here. If things get ugly, I will kill to protect myself. And for an alchemist, herbs are more important than their own life. I don't think you would want to see your herbs destroyed, right?"

"You're an alchemist too. Would you really destroy these herbs?" The old man shouted angrily, his eyes almost spitting fire, his anger almost exploding.

"I'm not like you. I'm just a little second-grade alchemist. I can't refine fourth-grade pills. Destroying these herbs doesn't affect me at all." Xiao Chen shrugged, looking indifferent.

"You!" The old man was furious, his face red with anger, his facial muscles twitching, looking like he wanted to eat Xiao Chen alive.

"Others might fear offending you, but I don't. Old man, think carefully. You've spent a lot of effort cultivating these herbs. I can see they're important to you. Otherwise, you wouldn't have rushed out and yelled at me. So, do you want to come with me, or should I destroy these herbs?" Xiao Chen smiled calmly, knowing from the old man's expression that these herbs were crucial to him.

Xiao Chen was strong, and with his threats about the herbs, the old man was infuriated but could do nothing against him.

Seeing the old man seemingly in a psychological struggle, Xiao Chen added another blow, smiling, "If you agree, I can provide you with a recipe for refining fourth-grade pills, specifically the recipe for Golden Spirit Pills! How about that?"

Upon hearing this, the old man's expression changed, and he asked in surprise, "You have the recipe for Golden Spirit Pills? How does a little brat like you have a fourth-grade pill recipe?"

"You don't need to worry about that. The question remains: do you agree or not?" Xiao Chen asked confidently.

"Fine! I agree! But this matter must not be spread around. Otherwise, even if you kill me, I will not help your Xiao family!" the old man resolutely agreed.

"Deal!" Xiao Chen said with a smile, feeling immensely joyful inside: "Great! With a combination of grace and power, I finally managed to deal with this old geezer! With his help, I can safely head to the Cultivation World!"