Chapter 62: Easy-peasy

Chapter 62 - Easy-peasy After counting the spirit stones, Lordi Payne didn't dare linger near the Tower of Hundred Treasures a moment longer. He bolted from the mountain peak in haste, heart pounding. Even returning directly to Ghost Shade Peak felt too risky. Instead, he veered toward a nearby mountain and hurried straight to the Punishment Crypt at its summit. Only when he reached the crypt's front plaza—watching the enforcer deacons march in and out—did he finally allow himself to relax. "I can't selling Bone Tempering Pills alone any more!" Lordi Payne muttered, his brow furrowed in frustration. "Damn this useless AwfulOS system! There's not even an option to lower the elixir's quality. Hey system, can't you just alchemy mid-level or entry-level pills next time?" [AllFullOS: Version 1.0.0] > All-Smart Full-Host Cultivation SystemTM at your service! > One-click cultivation, worry-free ascension! ... "..." Lordi Payne sighed, then steeled himself. "However I have to keep making elixir pills—otherwise, I'll be in deep trouble when the fine comes due." But the premium-grade Bone Tempering Pills had already drawn unwanted attention. Not only was the Tower of Hundred Treasures sniffing around, but Kim Simona was also tracing the pills' origin. A dull ache throbbed in his temples. "I need to fix this 'too high-quality' problem... or find another way." After a long moment of contemplation, Lordi Payne's thoughts sharpened. He is no longer in Deerspring Town anymore. He's in the Abyss Pit Sect. Back in Deerspring, the Payne Clan ruled. As a disfavored descendant—his birth mother long dead, his stepmother and half-brother relentlessly suppressing him—survival had been a delicate balance. If he kept his head down, played meek, and never threatened Twu Payne's position, they'd tolerate his existence. After all, in the history of the Payne Clan, there's never any clan man like Kinson Wexford who slaughtered kin parents just for demonic power. For a clan aspiring to rise, even if they turned a blind eye to internal strife, outright murder of their own blood was forbidden. At the very least, the Clan Chief wouldn't allow it. But here? The Abyss Pit Sect had no such protections. Keeping a low profile wouldn't save him. Without strength or backing, he was little more than an ant beneath a predator's gaze. "I need a shield. A powerful backer." "And right now, the only candidate within reach was Kinson Wexford." Lordi Payne had no connections to the sect's true power players—no chance to beg for their favor. But Kinson Wexford? That might be possible. Decision made, Lordi Payne wasted no time. He rented a Corpse Cloud and sped toward Withered Orchid Villa. ---- "Why it's you again?" Kinson Wexford's voice was a low growl as Lordi Payne stepped into the villa. The senior's injuries had faded to faint scars, barely noticeable unless close squinted. But his mood? Sour as curdled blood. If not for Fairy Lith's invisible leash, Kinson Wexford would've hurled Lordi Payne through the nearest wall on sight. Even now, his knuckles whitened around the armrest of his chair, his face a sculpture of frost. "What, do you want?" Lordi Payne stiffened. He'd always shown this senior brother the deference he was due—bowed deeper, spoke softer, brought gifts. Last time, Kinson Wexford had at least tolerated him. Now? The man looked ready to peel his flesh from bone. Before Lordi Payne could puzzle it out, Kinson Wexford flicked a dismissive hand. "Get out. The inner sect isn't your playground. You know why we let outer sect disciples like you wander in?" A sneer, thin as a slit throat. "Because if we inner sect seniors gutted you right now, all it'd cost us is a small pile of stones, plus a lie to the Punishment Crypt said the dead being rude first. Sect rules." Oh fuck me! Lordi Payne's gut twisted. This demonic sect really does bury corpse with $tones! Lordi Payne swallowed the dread acid rising in his throat and forced out a quick reply. "Senior Brother, I attended an alchemy lecture course at Alchemy Peak. Simpler than I thought. Then I heard—elixirs sold to the Tower of Hundred Treasures turn rot into riches." He bowed deeper, fervent. "This is my chance to repay you!" Kinson Wexford snorted, barked a laugh. "Simple? Try igniting a Dao Furnace before spewing nonsense. Back in my day—" He cut himself off mid-sentence, jaw tightening, and switched to a sharp rebuke. "You've just been enrolled in the holy sect what, a month? Already chasing the moon with such naive delusional. How the hell are you worth Senior Sister's faith?" "Senior Brother, I'm not talking nonsense—alchemy is indeed a breeze," Lordi Payne said, met his gaze, voice steady as stone. "I've already made a few successful batches of Bone Tempering Pills. Sold them all to the Tower. Confirmed the profits are real. That's why I'm here—to repay your kindness as my gratitude." Kinson Wexford's brow creased, suspicion flickering in his gaze. "Are you serious?" If some random fourth-layer Qi Refinement Stage scrub spouted this, Kinson Wexford wouldn't waste a breath—probably just slam that guy into the wall by a slap on the face and call it a mercy punishment. However, now it's Lordi Payne, who's selected by Fairy Lith as a unpolished gem. That gave it weight. and that's why Kinson Wexford patiently confirmed again. He leaned in to Lordi Payne, voice low and edged. "Tower's records ain't hard to check. You dare feeding me lies, don't expect me to play nice." "Even if this Lordi Payne is a talent that my Senior Sister had chosen, if Lordi Payne dares prank on me, waste my time." Kinson Wexford mused, "Senior Sister won't blink if I teach him the price of arrogance—so long as he breathes after." Lordi Payne's voice is still steady. "If you doubt it, well, Senior Brother, would you mind arranging someone to bring me a Dao Furnace? I've got a few Nether Fire Dao Fulu with me. Let me demonstrate to alchemy a batch of pills right here for you. I'm serious Senior Brother! Alchemy? It's way easier than people think, like enjoying piece of cake! All you need are these trusty hands of yours—give it a good grab, and boom, done! Easy-peasy." Yes, Lordi Payne decided to disguise himself as an alchemist genius. Anyway, the system alchemy show of alchemy elixir pills was seamless. To any observer, he would appear wholly immersed in this sacred art, movements precise, focus unbreakable. The elixir pills he produced were pristine, their quality unimpeachable. Of course such craftsmanship demanded absolute concentration. Common interests bind people tighter than favors, Lordi Payne thought. This was his only bargaining chip—his sole lifeline to secure Kinson Wexford's backing. Wexford squinted at him, sizing him up. After a weighted silence, he flicked his fingers and murmured a voice transmission words. Soon, a knock rattled the villa gate. Several young handyman disciples about Lordi Payne's age stepped in, curiosity glinting in his eyes as their shoulders hunched under the weight of a compact Dao Furnace. "Bloodline Lord, your honor, here's the Dao Furnace you ask for." "Put it down and leave." Kinson Wexford said with a curt nod. He did not satisfy the handyman disciples' curiosity. After the people left, he waved to close the villa gate remotely and jerked his chin at Lordi Payne as a signal for him to start, "You have just been in the holy sect for a few days, and considering that you even stepped out of the sect for a task mission. With such short time of yours cultivation and practice in the sect, and I will not make it difficult for you. As long as you alchemy any finished pills, even if it is only one entry-level elixir pill, I will acknowledge you as an alchemy genius." "But if all of your attempts failed, my time is not something you can waste in vain!" Lordi Payne met his gaze, noded solemnly, "Senior Brother, I won't let you down." "System," Lordi Payne commanded inwardly, "I want to practice. Selected Alchemy Skill: Bone Tempering Pill." ---- Kinson Wexford lounged back, arms crossed, watching with lazy indifference. After all, in his opinion, even if Lordi Payne really had a very high talent in alchemy, he still a newbie just have enrolled the holy sect. Even if Lordi Payne studied the skill of alchemy with all his time, no eating or sleeping, and invested a huge amount of resources to practice the alchmey skill, with such short learning time, craft a bare entry-level quality elixir pill is a miracle. If back to the days Kinson Wexford was still in the outer sect, he would have valued Lordi Payne's so called alchemy talent a little more. But now he has became one of the thirteen Bloodline Lords of the inner sect. Several entry-level elixir pills were nothing treasure. However, when Lordi Payne had just finished pre-processed the first two main ingredients, Kinson Wexford suddenly jolted up straight. That pre-processing technique... How exquisite! Kinson Wexford had once walked the path of alchemy himself, back in his younger days as an outer sect disciple. He'd poured large amount of Spirit $tones into the craft, chasing the dream of turning raw herbs into shimmering elixirs. But reality had hit hard. Alchemy demanded a rare trifecta—natural talent, abundant resources, and relentless time—and Kinson Wexford had fallen short. He'd cut his losses and moved on, the bitter lesson etched into his bones. Even the grand elders of the Abyss Pit Sect, now hailed as legendary alchemists, hadn't risen overnight. Their reputations had taken root only after a year or two within the holy sect's domain. And they'd had advantages Kinson Wexford never did—noble bloodlines or wealthy sponsors who ensured their cauldrons never sat cold for lack of ingredients. Talent alone wasn't enough; it needed nurturing, a steady stream of resources to fuel the fire. But this Lordi Payne? He was a different story entirely. Born to a humble family, he'd had no chance to even glimpse the secrets of alchemy before joining the sect. His time here had been a mere flicker—a handful of weeks at most. Yet here he was, in Kinson Wexford's villa, deftly handling prime ingredients with a precision that left Wexford slack-jawed. It was nothing short of a miracle. Wexford's face tightened, his eyes locked on Lordi Payne's every motion. Suspicion gnawed at him. Could this youth be a spy? A mole slipped into the Abyss Pit Sect by some rival powers, cloaked in the guise of a prodigy? The thought flared bright and hot in his mind. No! Impossible! He dismissed the idea almost as quickly as it came. Lordi Payne's movements were too flawless, too pure. The way he prepped the ingredients—swift, precise cuts that wasted nothing. The timing—each step flowing into the next like water down a stream. The control of the Dao Flame, its heat bending to his will as if he'd been born with fire in his veins. This wasn't the work of a schemer playing a role. This was mastery, raw and undeniable. Even crafting something as simple as a Bone Tempering Pill, Lordi Payne's fundamentals shone like polished jade. Wexford watched, transfixed, as the youth worked the furnace with an almost otherworldly grace. When the process ended and Lordi Payne slid the tray of pills from the Furnace cauldron, Kinson Wexford's breath caught in his throat. Twelve Bone Tempering Pills gleamed before him—each one a perfect, premium-level. Twelve pills?! In one single batch?! Most novices struggled to produce half that number, and even then, the quality would be entry level at best. Kinson Wexford stared at Lordi Payne, awe and disbelief crashing through him like a tidal wave. Genius! No This wasn't just genius. This was a freakish, world-shaking genius—the kind of prodigy who could rewrite the sect's future. Senior Sister was damn right, Kinson Wexford thought, a wry smile tugging at his lips. Her Highness, the sect's noble successor, has eyes sharper than a deity hawk's. I'm a creep dust next to her.