In the latrine of the Treasure Hunting Pavilion, the clerk Zhang San was so drained he was on the verge of collapse.

After finally confirming there was nothing left to expel, he unfolded the crumpled paper and began to clean himself.

He hadn’t even had time to fully unfold the last piece of paper when he heard someone call his name.

"Zhang San, don’t wipe your ass!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang San’s face went pale with fright.

He had no other hobbies, aside from listening to storytellers.

Just yesterday, he had heard a story about the particular passions of some noblemen for other men.

Now, hearing that voice, he was so scared that he clutched the last piece of paper tightly in his hand and hastily pulled up his pants.

Just as he pulled his pants up to his waist, Zhang San saw the stall door get yanked open. A man with bloodshot eyes and a ferocious expression lunged toward him.

The latrine was a simple wooden structure with a hole cut in the middle of a plank. The space around it was quite wide, and Zhang San, terrified, pressed his body tightly against the left wall.

"Zhang San, did you wipe your ass?!" A man stared at him, his face twisted into an utterly ferocious scowl.

Zhang San clutched his pants, trembling in fear, and said in a voice on the verge of tears, "I... I wiped. I have a disease, please don’t... don’t mess with me..."

’It’s the Treasure Hunting Pavilion’s Alchemy Master! His status is incredibly high. If he wants to have his way with me, I wouldn’t even dare to resist.’

"What! You actually dared to wipe your ass! I’ll deal with you later!" Hearing that the paper had been used, the Alchemy Master couldn’t spare another thought for Zhang San.

The latrine was a filthy, disgusting place. In the past, the Alchemy Master wouldn’t have wanted to stay for even a second, but now...

Thinking of the paper’s value and the murderous look in the Pavilion Master’s eyes, the Alchemy Master had no doubt that if he couldn’t find it, he would die a miserable death.

Steeling himself, the Alchemy Master, whose name was Dan Fang, tore a piece of cloth from his robes, covered his mouth and nose, and leaned over the hole, peering down into the pit below.

’I’ve heard that Alchemy Masters are also skilled physicians... D-Don’t tell me he’s planning to examine my waste to see if I’m really sick?!’

Zhang San’s eyes flew wide open; he was nearly scared to death by Dan Fang’s actions.

However, something even more shocking was about to happen.

Because he saw the Pavilion Master.

Especially when he saw the Pavilion Master staring at Dan Fang’s rear end with gleaming eyes, Zhang San felt his own butthole clench tight.

’It’s over!’

’Another one... I’m going to die!’

Zhang San’s face was deathly pale, and his body trembled uncontrollably.

Ninety-Five was quite pleased to have found Dan Fang, but as he drew closer and saw what he was doing, he pinched his nose and asked, "Dan Fang, what are you doing?!"

"Pavilion Master, he wiped his ass. My eyesight isn’t good enough; I can’t see it clearly," Dan Fang replied nervously, turning his head. He was about to pass out from the stench.

Ninety-Five glanced at Zhang San, steeled himself, and copied Dan Fang’s method. After tearing off a piece of cloth, he too squatted down and peered into the hole.

Standing nearby, Zhang San was scared absolutely witless. A warm stream gushed out as he lost control of both his bladder and his bowels.

"I can see some writing. Do you remember what words were on it?" The eyesight of an Elemental Realm expert was astonishing. Even while squatting, Ninety-Five could see far more than Dan Fang.

"Thousand Blood Vine, Demon Flame Flower..." Dan Fang remembered these two ingredients the most vividly; in fact, they were the only two he could recall.

The stupefied Zhang San, standing to the side, jolted when he heard those two names. He glanced down at the crumpled ball of paper clutched tightly in his hand.

He thought he had just seen those names on this very paper.

"P-Pavilion Master... it’s... it’s here..." Zhang San stammered, stretching out his hand and uncurling his fingers.

Ninety-Five’s head snapped up. His hand shot out and snatched the wad of paper from Zhang San’s palm.

He unfolded it and thrust it at Dan Fang, asking urgently, "Quick, look! Is this it?!"

"This is it! This is the paper! Yes, yes, yes!" Dan Fang was so excited he was babbling.

Ninety-Five snatched it back and shot out of the latrine like an arrow.

’A dignified Elemental Realm expert like me, squatting in a latrine over a piece of paper... If I don’t leave now, am I going to wait for a crowd to form?’

The place reeked to high heaven, and Dan Fang had had enough. But seeing the trembling Zhang San and realizing the man had witnessed everything, Dan Fang frowned and demanded sternly, "What did you just see?"

"Nothing! I didn’t see anything..." Zhang San shook his head so hard it rattled.

Seeing how terrified he was, Dan Fang offered what he believed was a gentle smile. "You’re a clever one. From now on, you can follow me and be my alchemy apprentice."

"N-No thank you! I’m not cut out for it." Zhang San grew even more frightened, hitched up his pants, and sprinted away.

The psychological trauma Dan Fang had just inflicted on him was simply too great.

"And here I was calling you clever. Turns out you’re just an idiot. Being an alchemy apprentice is infinitely better than being a mere clerk." Watching Zhang San’s retreating back, Dan Fang shook his head.

Then, Dan Fang’s eyes lit up, and he too broke into a frantic run.

...

In the Pavilion Master’s room at the Treasure Hunting Pavilion.

Having bathed and changed their clothes, Ninety-Five and Dan Fang stood facing one another, sharing a tacit understanding to never speak of what had just transpired.

"Dan Fang, now that the pill formula is in hand, can you refine this pill?" Ninety-Five asked, holding the piece of paper that they had gone through so much trouble to retrieve. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Dan Fang’s expression was bitter as he shook his head.

"You... Forget it! If you had that kind of ability, you wouldn’t be holed up in this backwater War Dragon City with me." Ninety-Five was about to get angry, but instead, he shook his head, his interest waning. His tone was filled with resignation.

"I know you’re not content with this, and neither am I. But now, an opportunity has presented itself. If we seize it, we can climb our way up, step by step!"

Ninety-Five’s gaze burned as he stared at the paper in his hand.

Dan Fang shuddered. He stared at the paper as well, his expression growing excited. He bowed deeply and said respectfully, "Please give me your orders, Pavilion Master!"

"Both this pill formula and the Alchemy Hand Seal for the Rejuvenation Blood Pill are connected to Lin Hao. Depart at once. Go to the Lin Mansion. Whatever he wants, give it to him!" Ninety-Five ordered as he paced back and forth.

"Remember, I am not sending you to spy on him! His words are to be treated as my own commands. Playing tricks on him is absolutely forbidden!" Fearing Dan Fang might misunderstand, Ninety-Five added a stern warning.

Dan Fang had no idea the previous Rejuvenation Blood Pill was also connected to Lin Hao. In his shock, he felt not a single shred of dissatisfaction with Ninety-Five’s arrangement.

After respectfully agreeing, Dan Fang was about to prepare for his departure when Ninety-Five stopped him.

"Wait. I will go with you to the Lin Mansion to pay him a visit. The Lin family is currently going through a difficult time. This is our chance to provide timely aid!"

The dignified Pavilion Master of the Treasure Hunting Pavilion, not only an esteemed Elemental Realm expert but also the undisputed most powerful figure in War Dragon City, was now using honorifics to address a mere junior at the Third Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm!

If word of this got out, the entirety of War Dragon City would be shaken to its core!

And yet, Ninety-Five, fearing this still wasn’t respectful enough, decided to personally select the gifts...

While Ninety-Five was preparing the gifts, in a sprawling mansion elsewhere in War Dragon City...

"Who in the world are you? And where is this place?"

Lin Tianhao and his son were seated in a room. It was Lin Tianhao who had just spoken.

Across from him sat a man wearing a ghost-faced mask.

This ghost-faced man had long, slender fingers that emitted a faint blue glow. He was none other than the man who had pursued Lin Hao with Shi Bai that night!

When Lin Tianhao had left the Lin family with Lin Zheng, he originally planned to head for the Capital, but he had run into this ghost-faced man.

As the saying goes, "the onlooker sees clearly." When the ghost-faced man told Lin Tianhao that going to the Capital now was tantamount to walking into a trap, Lin Tianhao came to his senses.

The ghost-faced man then led them to this residence.

Hearing Lin Tianhao’s question, the ghost-faced man hesitated for a moment before removing his mask.

The face beneath the mask was somewhat pale, with long, narrow eyes that did not belong to a kind person.

Seeing this face, Lin Tianhao shot to his feet and cried out in shock, "Wu Tianli! It’s you!"

Wu Tianli, the Patriarch of the Wu family—War Dragon City’s number one family.

The Wu family and the Lin family were constantly at odds. After Lin Wu entered Imperial City, the Wu family quieted down for a time, but after Lin Wei and Lin Tianhao’s "falling out" last year, they had grown arrogant once more.

Lin Tianhao never would have imagined that the one who saved him would be Wu Tianli.

To now find himself in the hands of the Wu family was no different from having walked into a trap.

"What are you planning?!" Lin Tianhao glared at Wu Tianli, his aura flaring powerfully.

But Wu Tianli seemed to ignore his aura completely, smiling as he said, "Brother Wu, please calm down. If I wanted to harm you, I certainly would have removed my mask *after* capturing you, not before."

Doubt flickered in Lin Tianhao’s eyes, and his aura gradually subsided.

Wu Tianli had a point. If he wanted to deal with him, he wouldn’t have removed his mask and put him on guard.

’Then what is Wu Tianli after?’

"Brother Lin, the truth is, the Wu and Lin families should put aside their prejudices. After all, in the current War Dragon City, we aren’t the ones who truly call the shots," Wu Tianli said unhurriedly, taking a sip of tea.

Lin Tianhao was stunned. "You want to go against the Treasure Hunting Pavilion?!" he blurted out.

Behind the Treasure Hunting Pavilion was the Wenren family, one of the four great families of the Cangnan Empire. Where did Wu Tianli get such audacity?

"Wrong. It’s not the Treasure Hunting Pavilion I’m after, but the power behind it. Perhaps Brother Lin is unaware, but the Holy Hall in the Capital just released the Rejuvenation Blood Pill, shaking the entire continent and causing the major families to scramble for it. But they made a public declaration: the pill will not be sold to the Lin family of the Capital!"

"Such a thing happened?!" Lin Tianhao was deeply shaken. He had indeed not heard this news.

’It seems what the Pavilion Master said about Lin Hao being close friends with the young miss of the Wenren family is true. With both the Wenren and Lin families being among the four great families, this declaration is an open challenge to the Lin family.’

’The Rejuvenation Blood Pill alone wouldn’t be enough to warrant this.’

’And then there’s the Rejuvenation Blood Pill itself. The first mention of it came from Yi Mingcheng, and Yi Mingcheng suddenly became Lin Hao’s servant.’

’And the fact that the boy who was once a fool suddenly recovered his wits...’

In an instant, Lin Tianhao connected many dots.

’Behind all of this, there seemed to be one person pulling the strings—the hidden figure backing Lin Hao!’

Wu Tianli observed Lin Tianhao’s expression and knew he had figured it out. He said, "The person I am looking for is precisely that hidden figure behind Lin Hao. If we can lure him out, the Pavilion Master of the Treasure Hunting Pavilion will surely make a move!"

"And why should I cooperate with you?" Lin Tianhao asked with a cold snort.

’Indeed, while the Wu family might be the top family in War Dragon City, their influence ended there.’

"Heh heh. There are four great families in the Cangnan Empire," Wu Tianli said with a profound, mysterious smile.

Lin Tianhao was shocked. Wu Tianli’s meaning was obvious: the Wu family had the backing of one of the four great families!

Besides the Lin and Wenren families, the other two of the Cangnan Empire’s four great families were the Chen family and the Hu family.

’Which family was backing Wu Tianli?’

’The Chen and Hu families were two of the four great families. Why would either of them support the Wu family, located countless miles from the Capital?’

More and more questions surfaced in Lin Tianhao’s mind.