"Pharmacist Yang, your actions are truly admirable. Many people claim they aren’t swayed by great personal gain, but when faced with the opportunity, few can actually live up to their words."
Lü Zhenghai stared at Yang Chan, somewhat surprised by the clarity in the young man’s eyes.
Though Yang Chan’s words seemed to include him, it didn’t feel like a deliberate jab—more like an accidental slight.
In such a situation, Lü Zhenghai felt a surge of anger but had no way to vent it.
After all, the young man hadn’t done it on purpose.
"However, making the right choice is crucial for a person. Life only gives you so many chances to choose. Only by choosing correctly can you have a bright future and go further!"
"Pharmacist Yang, you have immense talent as a Pharmacist, but the best choice is to turn that talent into tangible ability."
"Otherwise, talent is just potential!"
After his praise, Lü Zhenghai changed the subject again. He clearly hadn’t given up.
His opening words were merely a prelude to what he was about to say now.
Persuading someone is much more effective if you first build a rapport with them.
"What Hall Master Lü says is correct, but I believe staying true to one’s heart is more important. If I were to go against my principles for personal gain, I might quickly improve my Pharmacist Ability, but I fear it would create problems with my state of mind."
"On the other hand, by following my heart now, my progress as a Pharmacist might be slower, but I’ll have peace of mind. It also ensures that my state of mind won’t become an obstacle in my Martial Arts Cultivation."
Yang Chan took a page from Lü Zhenghai’s book, first agreeing with him before voicing his own opinion.
He was, after all, an extremely quick study.
And since someone had just demonstrated the technique, he found it quite natural to apply.
All he had to do was adapt the phrasing slightly.
"A stable state of mind is very important. The more profound one’s Cultivation becomes, the more crucial it is."
"However, if you’re worried about your state of mind, there’s a way to give back!"
"Just as was mentioned in the Council Pavilion today, you could bring back a batch of Elixirs from the Merak Sacred Land for the Cyan Yuan Sect. In the end, you would still be repaying and serving the Sect!"
"That way, you’d be using the Merak Sacred Land’s Cultivation Resources to support the Cyan Yuan Sect. What could be wrong with that?"
Lü Zhenghai immediately reframed the concept. The issue of one’s state of mind was critical, especially for cultivators with higher Cultivation. If one’s state of mind was unstable, it could easily lead to qi deviation during a breakthrough, resulting in the complete obliteration of body and soul.
Anyone who wished to go far on the path of Martial Arts Cultivation naturally placed great importance on this.
"Elder Lü, you can say such things to me, but please, never mention this to anyone else. They might mistake you for a spy from a rival Sect!"
"If we join the Merak Sacred Land, our loyalty must be to them. Even though we hail from the Cyan Yuan Sect and can help our home Sect to some extent, we should do so using our own personal Cultivation Resources, not by misappropriating those of the Merak Sacred Land."
"If we were discovered, it would bring immense shame and humiliation upon the Cyan Yuan Sect!"
"The Cyan Yuan Sect became one of the Merak Sacred Land’s Affiliated Forces not for access to Cultivation Resources, but to fulfill our founder’s dream—the dream to one day Return to the Merak Sacred Land."
"If it were merely about Cultivation Resources, the support of the entire Qing State would be more than sufficient!"
Yang Chan’s expression shifted. After a quick glance around the room, he spoke with great solemnity.
It was as if a line had been crossed, one that could not be uncrossed.
His words carried an unmistakable gravity.
"Pharmacist Yang, you are truly a man of noble character. It seems a simple test like this is nothing to you!"
"I have high hopes for you, Pharmacist Yang. If you ever feel like joining the Merak Sacred Land ahead of schedule, just say the word. I’ll figure something out for you."
"Of course, if you don’t wish to go now, I won’t insist. You can serve the Sect from anywhere; there’s no saying one place is better than another."
Lü Zhenghai’s expression flickered upon hearing Yang Chan’s words, but he quickly composed himself. His change in tune was just as fast, reframing his proposition as a test.
It was then that Lü Zhenghai realized Yang Chan was still just a young man—the kind who couldn’t tolerate a single grain of sand in his eye. One might even say he possessed the heart of an innocent.
He was completely uncompromising when it came to matters of principle.
That was why he quickly changed the subject, avoiding any further mention of sending Elixirs. It was a sensitive topic, and pressing the matter would only make things worse.
"I have other matters to attend to today. Pharmacist Yang, if you have a change of heart, you know where to find me."
"I’ll take my leave now!"
Lü Zhenghai said, cupping his fist. He then rose and departed.
"Since Hall Master Lü has urgent business, I won’t keep you. Take care, Hall Master Lü!"
Yang Chan rose as well, seeing Lü Zhenghai out of the Yuanqing Courtyard.
After watching him leave, Yang Chan returned directly to his study.
And just as Lü Zhenghai departed, the hidden figure that had been watching also vanished.
’Sect Leader Gu, you can rest easy now!’
’If you’re so relieved, how about giving me some more Spiritual Materials next time!’
Yang Chan thought to himself as he sensed the presence disappear.
Yang Chan was very familiar with Gu An’s aura. Even though the man was Concealing his Breath, there was nowhere to hide from the eyes of his Soul Body. He had located and identified him instantly.
’If the Holy Land were truly as wonderful as you claim, you wouldn’t have to try so hard!’
’Looks like the situation in the Merak Sacred Land is even worse than Lü Zhenghai let on.’
’I’ll leave the opportunity to join the Merak Sacred Land to those who are more desperate. I’m in no hurry. I’ll wait a while longer!’
Yang Chan mused.
’If the situation in the Merak Sacred Land was really so good, Lü Zhenghai and his group shouldn’t be this short-staffed. After all, so many people have already been sent from the Cyan Yuan Sect, and they were all exceptionally talented individuals.’
’Normally, their Talent and aptitude should be superior to those who remained in the Cyan Yuan Sect. Otherwise, the Former Sect Leader, Liu Xuan, would never have taken them with him.’
’But now they’ve come back to the Cyan Yuan Sect to recruit another batch. It’s highly likely that the Cyan Yuan Sect Disciples in the Merak Sacred Land have suffered heavy casualties, and that’s why they need reinforcements.’
’Joining the Merak Sacred Land now would just be signing up to be cannon fodder. I’d be sent to the front lines and get used up in no time.’
This was not a fate Yang Chan desired, so he resolved to maintain his distance from Lü Zhenghai, just as before.
As for his excuse, a perfectly reasonable one—repaying the Sect for recognizing his potential and contributing to its welfare—was the best approach.
"For the time being, I want you to keep a close eye on Hall Master Lü and the others who came from the Merak Sacred Land. See what they’re up to within the Cyan Yuan Sect."
"You don’t need to be too specific. Just gather a general overview of the situation."
"If anything feels off, bring the information to me immediately."
Yang Chan gave his instructions to Han Bingyu, who was waiting outside. He had a feeling that Lü Zhenghai’s group was planning something significant, but he couldn’t be sure what. It was best to investigate; besides, it wouldn’t take much effort.