Everyone was stunned upon hearing this. Cheng Shi counted left and right and said: “Dalang, isn’t it just ten people?”

Wu Zhouxu laughed and said: “Since there are only ten lots, that’s perfect. Tenth Brother already fought with that brat from the Herb Division yesterday, so he’ll give up this opportunity to me. Besides, these lots were made by you—if you draw again, it would inevitably raise suspicion. You can just stand aside and watch.”

When the others heard this, they immediately understood. No wonder this drawing of lots was different from before—so there was this layer of reasoning behind it.

Cheng Shi, upon hearing this, was greatly displeased and muttered: “Dalang, you’re competing with the people for profit. That’s not something a person in a high position should do!”

Wu Zhouxu gave an awkward smile and said apologetically: “Even a landlord has no surplus grain!”

With several loud “clang” sounds, everyone toppled off their chairs! Before hitting the ground, they all had the same thought: “Good thing we came to find him—otherwise, the most suitable candidate would’ve been monopolized by him.”

Leaving aside how the people of the Pill Division fought fiercely among themselves, nearly splitting their heads open over who would be the first to face Zhang Xiaohua in the wagered matches, at the cliffside of Tianmu Peak, Chen Fengxiao and Qiu Weicheng chatted with Zhang Xiaohua for a while longer. Then, Chen Fengxiao gave Qiu Weicheng a look. Understanding that the chief had private matters to discuss with Zhang Xiaohua, Qiu Weicheng smiled and said: “We’ve been talking with Brother Ren for quite some time, and we’ve also been sitting on this grass for quite a while. Boss Chen, please keep Brother Ren company—I’ll go call the brothers over to tidy up this small courtyard. No matter what Brother Ren plans, during these days of the wagered matches, he should still stay here.”

After speaking, he stood up, cupped his hands, and left.

Once Qiu Weicheng had gone far away, Chen Fengxiao looked at Zhang Xiaohua and hesitated before asking: “Little brother, although you haven’t explicitly stated your relationship with Spring Rebirth Valley, judging from your martial arts, and what you said yesterday, you seem to understand how to refine pills. From this, I know your connection with Spring Rebirth Valley must be very close. I believe what you said earlier—that you won’t concern yourself with the grievances between Spring Rebirth Valley and me. However, I still want to ask—do you truly understand pill refining?”

Zhang Xiaohua had thought he would ask about his relationship with Spring Rebirth Valley, but unexpectedly, the topic shifted to whether he knew pill refining. Recalling Chen Fengxiao’s expression when he heard yesterday that he could refine pills, Zhang Xiaohua could not help but be taken aback and said curiously: “Is pill refining that rare? There are so many disciples in the Pill Division at Tianmu Peak—don’t they all know how to refine pills?”

“All know how to refine pills?” Chen Fengxiao said with a face full of mockery, “You think too highly of these disciples.”

Zhang Xiaohua was puzzled. “Aren’t disciples of the Pill Division supposed to refine pills? How could they not know how?”

Chen Fengxiao looked at the distant white clouds and said with a sigh: “If it were pill refining like that of Spring Rebirth Valley, then among them, some could barely be considered to know how.”

“Eh? You’ve also seen Spring Rebirth Valley’s pill-refining rooms?”

Chen Fengxiao was even more astonished than him. “You’re a medicine boy selected and sent by Spring Rebirth Valley, yet you don’t even know this? Although medicine boys in Spring Rebirth Valley don’t need to refine pills, the steps of pill refining must still be known. As for the specific methods of operation, none of that is taught. So if one wants to observe pill refining, it naturally has to be in Spring Rebirth Valley’s pill-refining rooms.”

Zhang Xiaohua nodded, offering no explanation.

Chen Fengxiao did not press further and continued: “Back then, I was filled with longing for pill refining. I thought that once I arrived at the Incense Spreading Sect, I would be able to learn it. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until coming here that I realized that within the sect, only disciples of the Pill Division can come into contact with pill refining. We of the Herb Division can only plant medicinal herbs—we’re not even allowed to enter the pill rooms!”

“Ah? Not even allowed inside the pill rooms?” Zhang Xiaohua almost cried out.

“That’s exactly how it is. In the Incense Spreading Sect, every disciple has their own duties, and secretly learning the skills of others is strictly forbidden.”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said: “Tianmu Peak is Boss Chen’s territory. I don’t believe that Boss Chen has never been inside the Pill Division’s pill rooms.”

Chen Fengxiao did not hide it and nodded. “At first, I had the same thought—I planned to sneak into the Pill Division’s pill rooms to secretly learn. But when I saw the refining methods of several of the consecrated elders of the Pill Division, I no longer had any desire to learn pill refining from the Pill Division’s disciples.”

“Eh? Why is that?” Zhang Xiaohua asked curiously, already feeling a hint of vigilance in his heart.

“Let me first talk about the Pill Division’s disciples. Not all of them at Tianmu Peak actually refine pills. Some are responsible for washing and sorting medicinal herbs, some are responsible for forming the pills, and only a small portion are truly refining pills…”

“Washing herbs?” Hearing this, Zhang Xiaohua began to understand—this Tuodan Hall’s Pill Division seemed to follow a method of pill refining somewhat similar to that of Spring Rebirth Valley.

“Exactly. Only a small portion of disciples actually refine pills, and their refining methods are no different from Spring Rebirth Valley’s. But aside from these disciples, there are also several consecrated elders of Tuodan Hall. They were either eliminated from the inner sect’s pill-refining selection or had grown too old to endure the intensity of inner sect pill refining, and thus came to Tuodan Hall to live out their later years. Yet their refining methods are something Spring Rebirth Valley cannot hope to match—according to rumor, that is the true art of pill refining.”

Zhang Xiaohua nodded, thinking to himself: “It seems this Incense-Spreading Sect truly is formidable. I only learned the method of the Bewildering Soul Finger from the Heaven’s Way Alliance and thus came to understand the way of using inner force to simulate true qi. Presumably, the Incense Spreading Sect already possesses such methods of its own.”

“It’s just that these consecrated elders never take disciples. I only observed from afar, but even so, I came to understand just how shallow the Pill Division’s refining methods are. So I gave up any thought of learning from them.”

Zhang Xiaohua asked: “Then the hard currency in the hands of the Pill Division… is all…”

“Hehe, naturally, it’s pills refined by those consecrated elders. The pills made by the Pill Division itself—how could they be used for circulation? Moreover, these consecrated elders live quite leisurely at Tianmu Peak. If they didn’t maintain good relations with us, they might not enjoy such comfort. So they’re also willing to turn a blind eye. Ah, it’s just that although these consecrated elders are stronger than the Pill Division disciples, their success rate in forming pills is still extremely low—it can’t compare to the inner sect’s pill refining. I’ve heard that in the inner sect, the success rate has already reached sixty percent.”

“Success rate?” Zhang Xiaohua was greatly surprised. He had seen this term in the jade slips before, but had never understood it. Now that he heard it, he couldn’t help but ask.

“Yes. The success rate of the Pill Division’s consecrated elders is generally around thirty percent, far below that of the inner sect disciples. That’s why we don’t dare to skim too much off the top. Oh, right, little brother, what’s your success rate?”

Chen Fengxiao asked casually, without suspicion.

“Oh, about ten to twenty percent, I suppose.” Zhang Xiaohua didn’t dare say more. Since a lower rate meant poorer skill, he might as well give a low number.

A flash of delight appeared in Chen Fengxiao’s eyes. “That’s already not bad—very good, very good.”

Zhang Xiaohua was taken aback, only then realizing that Chen Fengxiao had been testing him. He couldn’t help but smile and said: “Boss Chen truly has a clever mind. How did you know I could refine pills like those consecrated elders of the Pill Division?”

“Hahaha!” Chen Fengxiao seemed extremely pleased. “Last night, when little brother said you knew how to refine pills, I kept pondering it. Spring Rebirth Valley’s Nie Shuai has, for decades now, been trying to uncover the secrets of ancient pill refining. That fellow is exceptionally intelligent—he won’t rest until he achieves his goal. He must have already made some progress. And with little brother’s martial arts, you meet the very requirements needed for ancient pill refining. That’s why I dared to test you.”

Zhang Xiaohua inwardly grumbled, but only said aloud: “So Boss Chen saw through it. I had only claimed I could refine pills using the water method, but who knew Boss Chen had such keen eyes—I couldn’t hide it at all.”

“Hehe.” Chen Fengxiao gave a crafty smile and said: “This is a secret of our Herb Division—remember it well. Little brother, you absolutely must not tell anyone else, otherwise, there will be troubles beyond your imagination.”

Zhang Xiaohua thought to himself: “What trouble could there be? At most, the higher-ups of Tuodan Hall would find out and transfer me from Tianmu Peak to Baiyue Peak—then you wouldn’t be able to gain any benefits from me. But if I went to Baiyue Peak, wouldn’t I become the center of attention? Not only would I have to refine pills for Tuodan Hall every day, but I wouldn’t even be able to line my own pockets. Who would have the patience to work for them like that? And by then, wouldn’t I be watched closely at all times? Even trying to go look for my second brother would become nearly impossible. Since you want to keep this a secret and keep me at Tianmu Peak, don’t you realize I also want to keep it hidden, using Tianmu Peak as a cover? Haven’t we both come to the same conclusion?”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said: “I fear trouble the most, so I’ll have to trouble Boss Chen to take care of things.”

Chen Fengxiao nodded. “Rest assured, little brother. Since you’re staying at Tianmu Peak, I will do my utmost to satisfy your requests, so that you won’t regret today’s choice.”

Just as they were speaking, Qiu Weicheng arrived with more than a dozen sturdy disciples. After giving a few instructions, he sent the disciples toward the small courtyard, while he himself walked over to the cliffside and cupped his hands. “Little brother, there’s nothing important in the courtyard, right?”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled. “Just some gold leaves—nothing else.”

“Hahaha!” Both Chen Fengxiao and Qiu Weicheng laughed. “Those gold leaves have stirred up quite a storm.”

Zhang Xiaohua shrugged. “How would I know someone would take my bundle? If anyone’s to blame, it should be Cheng Shi.”

Chen Fengxiao said: “Little brother, don’t be too nervous. With me here at Tianmu Peak, they won’t dare do anything disgraceful. At most, they’ll try to lure you into losing those gold leaves through wagered matches.”

“Then I’m relieved. For this one match, I’ll use gold leaves. If there are more matches in the future, pills alone will suffice, hehe.”

Chen Fengxiao glanced at Qiu Weicheng and said, “Alright, everything has been explained. Little brother, you should go prepare. Although you won’t be going on stage this afternoon, you should still rest well—at least put on a show for them.”

Qiu Weicheng cupped his hands. “Then we’ll take our leave.”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled. “After you two leave, I’ll just stay here and watch the clouds rise and fall.”

After Chen Fengxiao and Qiu Weicheng had gone quite a distance, Qiu Weicheng turned his head to look back at where Zhang Xiaohua could no longer be seen, frowning as he said: “Boss Chen, why do I feel that this kid isn’t being honest? You’ve already told him the truth, yet he’s still holding things back. Could there be something fishy going on?”

Chen Fengxiao also let out a cold laugh. “Now that he’s come to our Tianmu Peak, even a powerful dragon must become a loach. Whatever his background, at most he’s just a relative of that bastard Nie. Judging from his tone, he’s probably entangled with Nie’s youngest daughter. Heh heh—people from Spring Rebirth Valley aren’t new to us; we’ve dealt with more than just one or two. Today, we’ve finally caught a big fish.”