Chapter 201: Who Says Pills Can't Be Love Letters?

With a single exchange between them, their relationship transformed. While this mentorship differed from a traditional apprenticeship, it established them as true "insiders," sharing a bond far closer than that with a typical teacher. For Ye Tinglan, this arrangement was akin to having an unofficial disciple. Once their true identities could be revealed, he would become a formal disciple, and instead of calling Dugu Qingli "Miss Dugu," he could call her "Senior Sister." To Lu Xingzhou, it was exactly like having a modern-day doctoral supervisor.

Now that their relationship was closer, Lu Xingzhou felt comfortable asking for a favor: "I heard you are acquainted with the Grand Master. Would you mind delivering this pill to Miss Dugu for me?"

Ye Tinglan asked, puzzled, "Why don't you give it to her yourself?"

Lu Xingzhou seemed a bit embarrassed. "To be honest, Miss Dugu is quite reserved. Although we're acquainted, she's been in the capital for some time now, and I still don't even know where she lives."

He genuinely didn't know Dugu Qingli's residence. He surmised it was likely at the Grand Master's Temple, but he couldn't just show up there publicly looking for her. What would he say if the Grand Master asked about their relationship? Would mere friends really visit someone's residence just to deliver medicine?

These words, however, brought a look of satisfaction to Ye Tinglan's face. Clearly, his disciple's relationship was purely platonic. He comfortably accepted the pill. "Alright, I'll pass it on for you."

He paused, then asked, "The first pill you refined was for Dugu Qingli. What about yourself?"

"I originally intended it to help me break through to the fourth rank, but I've already managed that. I still need to refine three more. A'nuo's is a given, and then two others for Sheng Yuanyao and Pei..."

"Sheng Yuanyao fought alongside you, so it's understandable that you'd refine a pill for her. But what about Pei Chuyun?"

"Well..." Lu Xingzhou said with a sheepish grin, "Don't you remember, sir? You even scolded me for not focusing on what's important before."

"So you're dropping the act?"

"You're my own teacher, after all..."

(Other teachers even help their disciples pursue romantic interests!)

Ye Tinglan couldn't help but lose his composure. "I'm supposed to help you with your love life just because I took you on as a disciple?"

"Get out," Ye Tinglan said, picking up her teacup. "Go back and refine them yourself. Give them to whomever you wish; it has nothing to do with me. Don't expect any more help from me."

A'nuo pointed to her nose, about to speak.

(Wait, is that it? Are we being dismissed? Why did she say "Lu Nuonuo too" earlier? She hasn't said a single word to me this whole time. Am I even considered her disciple?)

Ye Tinglan glanced at her, then suddenly leaned forward and gently pinched both of A'nuo's cheeks with one hand. As A'nuo's lips puckered from the squeeze, a genuine smile finally appeared in Ye Tinglan's eyes.

A'nuo simply looked bewildered.

Lu Xingzhou quickly picked her up. "We'll disturb you again tomorrow, sir."

Ye Tinglan merely hummed in response, leisurely sipping her tea.

Lu Xingzhou darted off, carrying A'nuo. A'nuo looked back at the office, still feeling as if she were in a dream. "So, is she my mentor now?"

"Of course you are," Lu Xingzhou replied, bouncing A'nuo slightly as he carried her back to their dwelling. "In fact, purely in terms of alchemy, she'd prefer you as a disciple over me. Taking me on involved other considerations; I don't know how much influence the Yama Hall had, and my connection to the Huo family likely played a part too. You're the kind of disciple all these masters truly want — young and exceptionally talented."

"Then why didn't she say anything to me?"

"It's just that you called her an 'old woman' and said you wouldn't switch allegiances. Such a proud, aloof woman naturally wants to save face, so she wouldn't say it directly. In reality, taking me on means taking you on — it's an unspoken understanding."

(You really understand 'old women.' So, am I just a part of your master-disciple game?)

A'nuo swallowed the words she wanted to say. Reaching up, she pinched Lu Xingzhou's cheek. "Master, in front of her you act like a bootlicker, but behind her back you call her a 'proud, aloof old woman'?"

"You don't understand," Lu Xingzhou explained. "That professional suit, red-soled high heels, rimless glasses... in that context, 'proud, aloof old woman' is actually a compliment, a compliment!"

"What are you talking about, Master?"

"Oh, nothing. What do you think she looks like under her veil?"

"I don't know. She's our Master. Does it matter if she's pretty or not?"

"You're right," Lu Xingzhou conceded, then pecked A'nuo's cheek. "Not as pretty as A'nuo." He carried her all the way back to their dwelling.

A'nuo suddenly felt quite happy.

She had been feeling a void since her wheelchair was no longer needed, having been accustomed to it for so many years. But now, she suddenly realized it wasn't without its advantages. Since Master could openly stand, he could carry her like a father carries his child every day, which was even better than before!

"Um, Master, am I heavy?" A'nuo asked, a little nervously. "Have I gotten fat again?"

"Your Master is at the fourth rank now. You can afford to gain a little more weight."

A'nuo cupped her cheeks, a hint of worry in her eyes. "I can't get any fatter... otherwise, Master won't look like he's carrying a child, but a pig."

Lu Xingzhou laughed aloud. "Come on, let's go back and refine your pills."

This time's yield was abundant. Combined with his existing medicinal herbs, he could refine many beneficial pills. A'nuo hadn't made much progress since breaking through to the fourth rank after refining the Dragon Elephant Great Strength Pill, mainly because the energy required at the fourth rank was significantly greater. While lower-grade pills could be consumed like regular meals before, who could afford to eat fourth-grade pills that way?

However, by refining several third-grade pills this time, he could effectively compensate for the energy equivalent of numerous fourth-grade pills. At the very least, boosting A'nuo to mid-fourth rank wouldn't be an issue.

This child was more challenging to raise than any other. Lu Xingzhou was already getting a headache thinking about what to do when A'nuo eventually broke through to the third rank. If she needed to consume pills above the third rank like meals, even the Tianyao Holy Land would be bankrupted.

Dugu Qingli sat on the stargazing platform, cultivating with her eyes closed. Suddenly, a subtle stirring in her heart made her open them.

Ye Tinglan ascended the steps from below the platform, playfully tossing a pill up and down in her hand. Her demeanor carried an unexpected hint of girlish delight, which made Dugu Qingli stare intently. "Master, you seem to be in a very good mood?"

"I unexpectedly acquired a top-quality third-grade breakthrough pill. How could I not be in a good mood?" Ye Tinglan said with a smile, settling beside her. "How is your cultivation progressing?"

Dugu Qingli couldn't quite grasp why her master was so pleased about obtaining a third-grade breakthrough pill; to her, it seemed no different than a millionaire finding a penny on the street. However, she didn't bother to dwell on it, simply replying, "I feel like I'm on the verge of a breakthrough, but there's a lingering obstacle that I'm not entirely confident about overcoming."

"The third-rank hurdle requires a certain level of insight, but it's not solely dependent on it. Your insights are sufficient. The obstacle you're sensing is more likely due to an imbalance, or 'disharmony'."

"What do you mean by 'disharmony'?"

"'Solitary yin cannot generate; excessive rigidity easily breaks.' Your breakthrough requires a certain amount of balancing Yang energy, otherwise, you're more prone to complications. Your sword heart senses this, which is why you naturally feel something is still missing for your breakthrough."

As Ye Tinglan spoke, she felt a subtle oddity. Qingli's progression to the fourth rank had been exceptionally fast, and she'd already gained insights into the third rank ahead of time. Could it be that she had already experienced the harmony of Yin and Yang?

On second thought, that seemed unlikely. It was probably just because her disciple was extraordinarily talented and had gained her own unique insights.

She continued, "Seeing your condition today, I had considered refining a specialized breakthrough pill for you, one that contained suitable fire essence for gentle nourishment. However, the right materials weren't readily available, and I was planning to send someone back to the sect to search for them. As luck would have it, someone delivered exactly what was needed right to my door — a tailor-made pill, perfectly suited to you. Of course, your Master is in a good mood."

Dugu Qingli asked, puzzled, "Who could tailor-make a third-grade pill for me? Which Senior Uncle or Aunt?"

(It's your Junior Brother...) Ye Tinglan, not yet wishing to reveal that she had taken Lu Xingzhou on as a disciple under an alias, replied, "Which of your friends possesses such a high level of alchemy, don't you know? It's Lu Xingzhou, of course."

Dugu Qingli silently accepted the pill, saying nothing.

If it was Lu Xingzhou, he wouldn't have refined such a pill merely for the sake of her breakthrough.

He had worried for a long time that the higher her cultivation advanced, the more she would become like a block of ice, unwilling to be intimate with him... (Though, to be fair, she wasn't particularly forthcoming even now.)

Therefore, his act of refining a pill imbued with fire essence was tantamount to embedding an unspeakable expectation within it, as if to say, "Don't become so cold even after your breakthrough."

It was practically a love letter.

Her Master, completely oblivious, was delighted to have "found" a tailor-made third-grade pill and might even have rewarded Lu Xingzhou for it.

Dugu Qingli inexplicably felt a thrill, as if engaging in a secret romance right under her Master's nose. She clutched the pill tightly, her face remaining impassive.

In any case, no matter what she was thinking, her expression remained blank, and Ye Tinglan couldn't discern a thing. What normal person would ever imagine a simple pill delivery could carry such a profound, unspoken meaning?

"This friend of yours is quite loyal," Ye Tinglan said, patting her shoulder kindly. "Go cultivate; I'll stand guard for you. The Newcomer Ranking has never been within your sights; you should be competing with the true heroes. After this breakthrough, I'll arrange a demon-slaying mission for you. Now is the time to make a name for yourself throughout the land."

Sheng Yuanyao was also cultivating in seclusion at home.

Two days had passed since she returned from the Demon Subduing Domain, and for both days, she had locked herself indoors.

Firstly, she simply couldn't face the gossiping stares of her subordinates and preferred to bury her head in the sand until the commotion died down.

Secondly, her trip to the Demon Subduing Domain had made Sheng Yuanyao feel somewhat like a hindrance in front of Lu Xingzhou and his disciple, causing her to lose face.

Although "Melon Girl" was an idealistic and promising young woman, she still retained a hint of her spoiled nature. Her dedication to cultivation paled in comparison to those "obsessed" individuals who even practiced while riding in carriages.

Perhaps never in her life had she felt such an urgent desire to cultivate.

Coincidentally, she now possessed an extremely suitable cultivation treasure: the demonic crystal left behind by the Iron Demon.

According to Lu Xingzhou, it was perfectly suited for incorporating the Metal element to temper the body, allowing for rapid cultivation growth. It would even assist in bone tempering all the way up to the major third-rank hurdle. As an alchemist, Lu Xingzhou's judgment on the effects of treasures was clearly precise.

Previously, Sheng Yuanyao had been at the mid-fifth rank, much like Lu Xingzhou before their joint breakthrough to the upper-fifth rank through shared cultivation.

True to his word, after just two days of secluded cultivation with the demonic crystal, her newly achieved upper-fifth rank was nearly consolidated, reaching a state of perfection. She could now attempt to break through to the fourth rank.

The presence or absence of such precious cultivation treasures truly made a world of difference in efficiency.

Unfortunately, however, the demonic crystal was ultimately just a source of pure energy. While it greatly aided in increasing cultivation, it offered little assistance for breaking through bottlenecks.

For assistance in breaking through, pills like the breakthrough elixir were still the most reliable.

Sheng Yuanyao let out a long breath, planning to emerge from seclusion and ask her father for a few fourth-grade breakthrough pills to test their effects.

Just as she was thinking this, her mother's voice came from outside the door: "Yao'er, you have a guest."

Sheng Yuanyao paused, surprised. "Who is it?"

"The person you like best."

Lu Xingzhou's handsome face immediately flashed in Sheng Yuanyao's mind, and her cheeks flushed. She stammered coyly, "Mom, why would you say that? He and I are not..."

Before she could finish, the door to her quiet room was pushed open, revealing A'nuo's round face.

Her mother's voice continued, "Aren't you and A'nuo the best of friends?"

Sheng Yuanyao's expression froze, then quickly morphed into a forced smile. She rushed forward. "Yes, of course! A'nuo, I've missed you so much!"

A'nuo simply stared.

"What are you doing here?" Sheng Yuanyao whispered in her ear. "You almost gave me away!"

"You're silly; your mother was testing you," A'nuo said, glancing at her disdainfully. "I came to bring you medicine."

Sheng Yuanyao looked confused. "I don't need medicine."

"Oh really?" A'nuo said, pulling out a fourth-grade breakthrough pill. "My Master said you need it. If you don't want it, I'll just eat it like candy."

Sheng Yuanyao snatched it away, her voice barely suppressed. "You wouldn't dare!"

A'nuo looked at her with an expression that suggested she was watching a stray dog by the roadside.

Sheng Yuanyao's face burned crimson. She whispered, "Why does this pill feel so different from the breakthrough pills I usually encounter?"

"It's tailor-made," A'nuo explained. "Ordinary breakthrough pills at most increase one's success rate by twenty to thirty percent, but this pill can boost your chances by at least sixty to seventy percent." A'nuo privately found it rather suggestive that a pill could be customized to such an extent; how intimately must one understand another's physical condition to achieve that?

But in Sheng Yuanyao's eyes, there was no hint of impropriety, only an overwhelming sense of understanding and care.

This wasn't just a pill; it was a love letter.

Seeing her blushing face, A'nuo could roughly guess what she was thinking. She sighed, cupping her hands.

There were two more similarly customized pills. One had already been delivered by Madam Ye, and as for the last one... can you guess where my Master is right now?