Chapter 12: Midnight Bargain and Profound Pills

Tasin continued to circulate energy via the Nebula Heart Sutra, solidifying his newly achieved Tier 1 Channel (Early Stage) foundation while maintaining the Void Form Scripture's Sense (Peak Stage) facade. The dual focus was demanding but exhilarating. Every completed cycle brought a minuscule increase in strength and control, a tangible reward for his effort – a feeling utterly foreign to his previous twenty-four years.

Time flowed like the cosmic energy within him. Hours melted away in focused cultivation until the internal system chime resonated precisely at midnight.

[Ding! Daily Multiplication Charge +1 available.]

Tasin opened his eyes, a predatory gleam within them. Phase two of the plan was ready. He needed to fulfill his promise to Jin Li, cement her initial loyalty, and provide her with the means to become a more useful pawn... and a better tool for provoking Fang Hao.

"Iris," he commanded inwardly, "Access the Mall. I need a medicinal pill. Requirements: Must facilitate a breakthrough from Tier 1 Channel (Peak Stage) to Tier 1 Core (Initial Stage), guarantee a solid foundation post-breakthrough, ideally offer a slight enhancement to innate talent with repeated use, and possess absolutely zero negative side effects or hidden backlashes. Filter options within my current point balance." He currently had 10,050 Recycle Points.

The System Mall interface flickered in his mind. [Searching database based on specified parameters and budget... Two primary candidates identified.]

[System Mall - Recommended Breakthrough Aids]

[Azure Core Pill (High-Grade)]

Description: Refined from stellar condensation essences. Aids cultivators at the peak of the Channel stage in forming a stable initial Core. Provides moderate foundation strengthening. Minimal impurities. Slight chance (approx. 5%) of minor talent affinity boost upon successful breakthrough.

Cost: 6,000 Recycle Points

[Nebula Heart Embryo Pill (Profound-Grade)]

Description: A potent alchemical creation utilizing trace elements from nascent nebulae. Specifically designed to guide energy convergence for Core formation, ensuring a significantly stronger and purer Core foundation compared to standard methods. Actively nourishes energy pathways, offering a notable chance (approx. 25%) of slightly improving innate talent affinity. Guaranteed no negative side effects. Highly effective for Tier 1 breakthroughs.

Cost: 9,000 Recycle Points

Tasin compared the two. The High-Grade option was cheaper, but the Profound-Grade pill offered a stronger foundation, a much higher chance of talent improvement, and perfectly matched the 'Nebula' theme of his own cultivation technique – a subtle detail that might subconsciously reinforce his fabricated backstory if Jin Li ever learned his technique's name. The cost was steep, leaving him with barely any points, but the investment seemed worthwhile for securing a valuable, controllable asset.

"Purchase the Nebula Heart Embryo Pill."

[Ding! Purchase 'Nebula Heart Embryo Pill (Profound-Grade)' for 9,000 Recycle Points?]

"Yes."

[Ding! Purchase successful. 9,000 Points deducted. Remaining: 1,050 Points.]

[Nebula Heart Embryo Pill (Profound-Grade) x1 added to Storage.]

Immediately, Tasin issued the next command. "Iris, use the daily multiplication charge. Amplify the quantity of the Nebula Heart Embryo Pill by 100 times." This time, he wasn't aiming for a super-pill; he needed stock.

[Acknowledged. Initiating x100 Quantity Amplification on 'Nebula Heart Embryo Pill (Profound-Grade)'. Consuming daily multiplication charge.]

The familiar, subtle energy drain occurred within his connection to the system.

[Ding! Quantity Amplification complete!]

[You have obtained: Nebula Heart Embryo Pill (Profound-Grade) x100!]

[Items stored in Storage.]

One hundred Profound-Grade breakthrough pills! Enough to potentially raise a small squad of cultivators from Channel Peak to Core stage, assuming they had the talent to reach that peak first. His storage now held a small fortune in medicinal terms. He checked his points balance – a pitiful 1,050 remained. Need to get more points soon, he thought grimly. And for that, I need Luck Points to upgrade Iris. Which means Jin Li needs to start interacting with Fang Hao again...

Just as he finished organizing his thoughts, a faint, hesitant knock echoed from his apartment door. Right on time.

Tasin smoothed his expression, ensuring his Void Form Scripture was firmly projecting the Peak Sense aura, and went to the door. He opened it to find Jin Li standing there, bathed in the dim hallway light. She had changed from her earlier practical training attire into a simple but elegant dark blue dress that accentuated her figure. Even under the low light, her beauty was striking, combined with the cool confidence of a cultivator.

Tasin momentarily found himself thinking, How did idiots like Fang Hao and Alex Chen manage to fumble this? Though, maybe her ambition and calculating nature made genuine connection impossible for them. It certainly made her vulnerable to his own calculated approach.

Jin Li met his gaze, a hint of challenge in her eyes. "Am I welcome, or did you change your mind?"

"Right on time," Tasin stepped aside, gesturing her in. "Please, come in. Have a seat."

She entered the small, sparsely furnished apartment, her eyes quickly scanning the modest surroundings. It certainly didn't scream 'super-rich heir', but perhaps that was part of the 'punishment'. She chose the simple sofa in the tiny living room area, sitting gracefully, her back straight, radiating a wary alertness.

Tasin sat in the chair opposite her. "No need for pleasantries, I assume," he began.

"None," Jin Li confirmed coolly. "I arrived as requested. You made promises. It's time to deliver."

Tasin smiled faintly. "Direct. I appreciate that." With a casual flick of his wrist, seemingly pulling it from thin air, a small, intricately carved jade box appeared in his palm. Inside, nestled on a bed of soft synth-silk, lay a single pill. It was about the size of a thumb nail, deep violet in color, swirling with faint, nebula-like patterns of silver light. A potent, pure medicinal aroma instantly filled the small apartment, carrying an energy that made the ambient cosmic power hum in response.

Jin Li's eyes widened, instantly drawn to the pill. Even without knowing its exact nature, her cultivator's senses screamed that this was something extraordinary, far beyond any standard Tier 1 medication. Then, another thought struck her – how had he produced it? He wore no spatial ring, no pouch was visible. Did his 'family' provide him with integrated biological storage? Or was it an ability of a higher-tier cultivator, temporarily accessible despite his seal? His mystery deepened.

"What... is this?" she asked, her voice losing some of its earlier coolness.

"This," Tasin said, holding the box out towards her, "is a Nebula Heart Embryo Pill. Profound-Grade." He explained its effects carefully. "It will allow you to safely break through the bottleneck from Channel Peak to the Core stage. More importantly, it will ensure the Core you form is exceptionally stable and pure, providing a vastly superior foundation for future cultivation compared to a standard breakthrough. There are absolutely no negative side effects. Furthermore," he added the crucial hook, "this pill contains energies that subtly nourish your innate pathways. Consuming enough of them over time could potentially elevate your talent from Bright to Radiant."

He leaned back slightly. "Take this pill now, consolidate your Core. Prove your potential. Reach the peak of the Core stage through your own efforts afterwards, and I will provide another pill like this, perhaps even something better, to aid your push into Tier 2. As promised."

Jin Li stared at the pill, then at Tasin's calm, confident face. The pill's aura was intoxicatingly pure. The promise of a stronger foundation, a guaranteed safe breakthrough, and the potential to improve her talent to Radiant... it was everything she craved. The risk felt increasingly negligible compared to the overwhelming temptation. Her ambition, the driving force behind her difficult choices, flared brightly. Alex Chen could offer her credits, maybe some standard resources, but this? This felt like a genuine shortcut to power.

She reached out and took the jade box, her fingers closing around it possessively. "You expect me to consume an unknown pill, given by a stranger, right here?"

"I expect you to recognize an opportunity," Tasin replied smoothly. "And I will remain here. If the pill were harmful, wouldn't it be foolish for a 'sealed' cultivator like me to be present when a Peak Channel expert suffers?" He gestured around the small apartment. "I'll even help stabilize the surrounding energy to prevent disturbances."

Jin Li hesitated for only a second longer. Then, decisiveness won. She opened the box, popped the Nebula Heart Embryo Pill into her mouth, and swallowed it. Almost immediately, she closed her eyes and sat cross-legged on the sofa, dropping into a deep meditative state as the pill's potent energy began to dissolve and surge through her meridians.

Tasin watched her, internally slightly dumbfounded. Seriously? Just like that? No further questions? No precautions? Is she incredibly ambitious, blindingly trusting, or just plain foolish when faced with sufficient bait? He shook his head slightly. Her trusting nature, or perhaps her overwhelming desire for advancement, made her easier to manipulate, but also slightly pathetic.

He quickly focused. "Iris, mask any energy fluctuations or unusual auras emanating from this room during her breakthrough. Make it seem completely normal from the outside."

[Acknowledged. Implementing localized energy dampening field. Estimated duration: 1 hour. Cost: 50 Recycle Points. Deduct?]

"Yes, deduct." His points dropped to 1000.

The air in the room seemed to subtly thicken, muffling the potent energy Jin Li was beginning to radiate. Waves of cosmic power gathered around her, drawn by the pill's effect and her own straining cultivation technique. Her face tightened in concentration, sweat beading on her forehead as she wrestled with the surging power, guiding it towards convergence, towards the formation of her Core. The process was intense but controlled, guided by the pill's profound efficacy.

Time stretched. Tasin watched patiently, his Gaze of Providence occasionally flickering over her, observing the intricate process of Core formation. Finally, after perhaps forty minutes, the turbulent energy around Jin Li coalesced, stabilized, and settled into a powerful, rhythmic pulse emanating from her lower dantian. A faint, new layer of pressure radiated from her – the distinct signature of the Core stage.

Jin Li slowly opened her eyes. They seemed brighter, clearer, and pulsed with newfound power and confidence. A faint smile touched her lips as she felt the solid, potent Core settled within her, humming with energy far purer and stronger than she'd anticipated. The breakthrough was flawless.

Tasin immediately activated a detailed scan.

[Target Scan Initiated... Detailed Analysis Active...]

Name: Jin Li

Age: 22

Cultivation: Tier 1 Core (Initial Stage)

Talent: Bright (Affinity subtly enhanced, potential for further growth noted)

Skills: [Energy Flow Control (Adept)], [Basic Meditation (Adept)], [Social Maneuvering (Expert - Passive)], [Basic Water Manipulation (Adept)], [Appearance Enhancement Aura (Minor)], [Core Stability (Enhanced)]

Technique: [Clear Stream Circulation Method (Advanced)]

Identity: Student, Xylos City Cultivation College; Designated Primary Antagonist/Stepping Stone (Early Stage)

Affiliation: Tasin Ahmed (Probationary Subordinate) / (Alex Chen - Status: Exploiting for Resources/Status)

Relationship Value: (Alex Chen) 0/100, (Tasin Ahmed) 20/100

Luck Value: High (Fluctuating - Currently slightly elevated due to successful breakthrough, potential increase when acting in Tasin's interest if aligned with plot antagonism)

Tasin noted the changes. Core Initial Stage confirmed. Talent subtly enhanced, just as the pill promised. And crucially, a Relationship Value of 20/100 had appeared towards him. Not loyalty, certainly not affection, but a baseline acknowledgment of benefit received, a foundation he could build upon. Or exploit.

Jin Li stood up, feeling the difference in her power. "The pill... it was genuine," she stated, looking at Tasin with a newfound respect, mingled with calculation. "You delivered."

"I always deliver on my promises to those who are useful to me," Tasin replied smoothly. "Consider this the first step. Your future depends on your next actions."

This is the finish of chapter