Although the pregnancy notification was slightly delayed, Zhou Luo was overjoyed when it finally arrived.
He eagerly sank his mind into his consciousness and opened the lottery function.
Just as expected, a white roulette wheel divided into seven zones materialized in the void.
With a heavy heart, he hesitated to begin.
“I hope it doesn’t cheat me this time,” he muttered to himself.
Steeling his resolve, he finally initiated the spin.
A golden cluster of light whirled rapidly across the seven zones, and Zhou Luo’s heart leapt into his throat.
After a few seconds, the golden light slowed to a crawl and eventually came to a halt on the “Skills” zone.
Again?
Zhou Luo’s heart skipped a beat.
Immediately after, the mechanical system prompt echoed in his mind.
[Congratulations, Host, for obtaining First-Rank Alchemy Skill!]
[The reward has been automatically sent to the Host’s inventory. Please check!]
“It’s actually alchemy?”
Zhou Luo was stunned. With an excited heart, he looked at the pill icon now resting in his inventory slot.
[First-Rank Alchemy Skill: Upon use, directly master First-Rank maximum-level alchemy techniques and the corresponding comprehensive catalog of pills.]
Reading the description, Zhou Luo was overcome with delight.
It was true.
It was genuine alchemy, with no tricks or catches this time.
For a moment, Zhou Luo felt as though he had finally tasted sweetness after enduring endless bitterness.
Unlike the art of poison-making, alchemy was one of the most sought-after crafts among the various auxiliary paths of cultivation.
Along with formations, artifact refining, and talisman making, it was heralded as one of the four supreme auxiliary arts.
Mastering any one of them guaranteed a limitless future, making a cultivator highly sought after by prominent aristocratic clans and great sects alike.
Even though it was only first-rank alchemy, if the Lin family were to find out, they would likely treat him as an honored guest immediately.
Most importantly, he had previously pretended to study alchemy as a cover for his poison-making.
Now that he had truly mastered alchemy, he would no longer need to secretly concoct poisons under the guise of practicing the craft. Better yet, he now had a perfect explanation for how he had learned it.
However, he could not display his true first-rank alchemy level just yet.
Doing so would undoubtedly arouse the clan’s suspicion and invite disaster.
Calming his racing thoughts, Zhou Luo decided to purchase a batch of medicinal herbs the next day. He would start with basic, novice-level pills and progress step by step.
The following morning, Zhou Luo headed straight for the Hundred Goods Pavilion, climbing all the way to the Hundred Herbs Hall on the fourth floor.
“Zhou Luo, here for more medicinal herbs?” the old man behind the counter greeted him.
Intrigued by this live-in son-in-law, the old man had uncharacteristically struck up a conversation with Zhou Luo after his first few purchases.
Over time, aided by Zhou Luo’s polite and respectful demeanor, the two had naturally grown familiar.
“Yes, Uncle Shou,” Zhou Luo replied.
Through their prior chats, Zhou Luo had learned that the old man’s name was Lin Zhishou. He had managed the Hundred Herbs Hall for over a century and belonged to the same generation as the Lin family’s current clan head.
Presented with such an influential elder of deep standing, Zhou Luo naturally did not want to miss the chance to build a good rapport.
“Young man, tinkering around like this every day is a complete waste,” Lin Zhishou said, shaking his head.
He had already heard that Zhou Luo was attempting to teach himself alchemy, and he couldn’t help but find it ridiculous.
How could a path as difficult and talent-dependent as alchemy be mastered through self-study?
If it were that easy, wouldn’t alchemists be a dime a dozen?
In the eyes of a true alchemist like Lin Zhishou, Zhou Luo’s actions were nothing short of squandering precious herbs.
Thus, every time Zhou Luo came to buy materials, the old man would offer this same exasperated warning.
“Constant effort yields rewards, Uncle Shou,” Zhou Luo said with a smile.
“You’re just stubborn. Why waste these resources when you could focus properly on your cultivation?” Lin Zhishou grumbled.
Zhou Luo did not offer a lengthy explanation. He simply placed his selected herbs on the counter.
Lin Zhishou began sorting and calculating the cost with practiced ease.
“Huh?”
Suddenly, the elder paused, staring at the ingredients before him in confusion.
He casually shifted the herbs with his weathered right hand, then looked up at Zhou Luo with genuine surprise. “Young man, have you actually made some progress?”
As an experienced alchemist, Lin Zhishou recognized at a glance that these herbs were the exact ingredients required to refine the Fasting Pill, a basic novice-grade pill.
In the past, Zhou Luo had bought a chaotic assortment of miscellaneous plants, but this time he had chosen only these specific items. It was enough to pique the old man’s curiosity.
Zhou Luo decided not to hide it. “Uncle Shou, I’ve indeed had a few breakthroughs recently.”
He knew very well that unlike poison-making, a prestigious skill like alchemy did not need to be kept secret. In fact, displaying it would work to his advantage.
He intended to let the Lin family know about his progress.
Once the clan realized he possessed the potential to become an alchemist, they would almost certainly cultivate his talent.
Even if they didn’t invest heavily in him, his treatment within the family would improve. After all, a talent for alchemy had a chance of being passed down to his descendants.
Sure enough, upon hearing Zhou Luo’s confirmation, Lin Zhishou practically bolted from his chair, staring at him in disbelief. “Are you serious?”
“Uncle Shou, I’m still not entirely sure if I can pull it off. That’s why I need to go back and try,” Zhou Luo said, intentionally playing down his confidence.
“That’s fair. Go back and try right away. If you actually manage to refine a Fasting Pill, you must let me know immediately,” Lin Zhishou said, his expression turning solemn.
“Understood, Uncle Shou,” Zhou Luo replied with a smile. He gathered his purchases and left the shop.
Behind the counter, a younger man watched his departing figure with a look of undisguised disdain.
“Grandfather Shou, do you really think a live-in son-in-law like him can teach himself alchemy?” the youth asked, his voice thick with skepticism.
Lin Zhishou did not look at him. He simply stared at the list of herbs Zhou Luo had just bought and muttered, “In this craft, failing is the norm. Succeeding on your own would be nothing short of a miracle.”
“I bet he won’t succeed,” the young man declared confidently.
Lin Zhishou did not argue further.
Whether it was true or not, the answer would reveal itself soon enough.
*
As dusk approached and the Hundred Herbs Hall was preparing to close, a familiar figure suddenly appeared at the entrance.
Lin Zhishou looked up to see Zhou Luo running in, looking breathless and utterly thrilled.
“Uncle Shou, I think I actually did it!” Zhou Luo panted, his face flushed with excitement.
“You refined a Fasting Pill?” Lin Zhishou gasped. “Let me see!”
Zhou Luo quickly produced a small wooden box and opened it, revealing a vermilion-red pill resting inside.
Lin Zhishou snatched it up immediately, holding it close to his eyes to examine it thoroughly.
“The color has some flaws…” Lin Zhishou murmured instinctively.
Of course there were flaws. Zhou Luo had spent a great deal of effort intentionally introducing those imperfections.
With his maximum-level first-rank alchemy knowledge, refining a flawless novice-grade pill was second nature to him; making it look flawed was actually the hard part.
However, a flawed pill was far more believable.
Though Lin Zhishou pointed out the flaws, his heart was in absolute turmoil.
He had never expected this matrilocal son-in-law to actually teach himself well enough to produce a viable pill.
Even if it was only a basic novice pill of average quality, accomplishing this entirely on his own was an extraordinary feat.
As an experienced alchemist, Lin Zhishou keenly recognized the raw talent before him.
If the clan nurtured this young man, they might very well gain another alchemist in their ranks.
With this thought, the way he looked at Zhou Luo grew intensely fervent.
“Leave this pill with me. Don’t worry, I’ll pay you the price of a high-grade Fasting Pill for it,” Lin Zhishou said gravely.
“There’s no need, Uncle Shou. Just consider it my humble contribution to the clan,” Zhou Luo said, deliberately acting magnanimous.
“Good lad,” Lin Zhishou said, deeply pleased. He then turned to the young man beside him, who was standing frozen in shock. “Xiao Nian, fetch the Spirit Stones for Zhou Luo.”