“Uh.”

Faced with Lin Yan’s sudden question, Jiang Chen was momentarily struck dumb.

The two of them stared at each other, wide-eyed and at a complete loss for words.

Lin Yan raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, her expression turning impatient. “Well? Cat got your tongue?”

Jiang Chen forced a dry laugh. “The question was a bit sudden.”

Lin Yan huffed softly. “So, answer me. What do you really think of my sister?”

Jiang Chen gave it a moment of serious consideration. “Your sister is cute. Her talent and comprehension are decent, too.”

“That’s it?” Lin Yan blinked, clearly expecting a long, rambling confession rather than a professional performance review.

Curiosity flickered in Jiang Chen’s eyes. “Why are you asking this all of a sudden?”

Lin Yan sighed helplessly. “Ever since she ate your cooking, she’s been clamoring to find you every single day.”

Jiang Chen smiled, relieved. “She’s a kid. Children have short attention spans; she’ll quiet down in a few days.”

Lin Yan pouted playfully. “She’s not that small anymore. She turns eighteen next year. That’s a big milestone.”

Jiang Chen hesitated, picturing Lin Yu. “But she looks…”

“I took after our father,” Lin Yan explained, gesturing to her own curvaceous figure. “She took after our mother.”

Jiang Chen nodded, realization dawning on him.

No wonder they looked so different despite being sisters. One was mature and alluring, the other petite and youthful. He had assumed it was a significant age gap, but it turned out to be simple genetics.

Chatting intermittently, the pair arrived at the entrance of the [Pill Tower].

The crowd here was thin. Unlike the bustling markets outside, there were almost no Fire Spirit Root apprentices loitering about; most people entering were full-fledged alchemists.

Entry required registration and status. If Jiang Chen had come alone, he likely would have been turned away at the door.

Fortunately, he had Lin Yan. Even though she was only a Primary Alchemist, her voucher was enough to get him in.

After logging their information, they stepped onto the first floor.

The interior was shockingly spacious, resembling a small indoor plaza. The air was cool and smelled faintly of medicinal herbs. Display cases lined the walls, showcasing pills ranging from low-grade to Earth-grade, and even fragments of Heaven-grade pills.

Each display listed the pill’s type, the refiner, and the date of creation.

Jiang Chen noticed that common staples like the [Vitality Pill] or even the [Foundation Pill] didn’t qualify for display here. It was a silent testament to the terrifying depth of the Pill Tower’s resources.

“The Pill Tower looks like a three-story building from the outside,” Lin Yan explained as she led the way. “But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. To better utilize the Earth Fire veins, the tower extends eighteen floors underground.”

Jiang Chen nodded. “Like an inverted pagoda?”

“Exactly.” Lin Yan continued, “My Senior Sister, Yu Caiqing, has terrifying talent in alchemy. She became an Advanced Alchemist at a young age. Pills like the [Foundation Pill] or [Profound Heart Pill] are effortless for her. More importantly, her cultivation talent isn’t weak either. She’s been training outside for years, preparing to assault the [Golden Core] stage.”

Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow in genuine surprise. “Your Senior Sister sounds impressive.”

An Advanced Alchemist aiming for the Golden Core. Her talent had to be heaven-defying—perhaps even surpassing Huo Ling, the current top-ranked genius of the Alchemy Hall.

They descended the spiral staircase, going deeper underground.

With every step, the temperature rose. By the time they passed the fifth floor, the heat was a tangible weight pressing against their skin.

If Jiang Chen hadn’t awakened a Fire Spirit Root, the oppressive heat would have been unbearable for a pure Wood cultivator.

Lin Yan watched him from the corner of her eye, inwardly astonished. Since when can a Wood Spirit Root withstand such scorching temperatures without breaking a sweat?

She kept her doubts to herself. She wasn’t a Wood cultivator, so perhaps she was ignorant of their resilience. Besides, every cultivator had their secrets; probing too deeply was a taboo.

They finally stopped on the ninth underground floor.

A long, cavernous corridor stretched out before them. Heavy stone doors lined the walls on both sides, sealing off the rooms completely. Not a sound leaked out.

“These are Earth Fire Alchemy Rooms,” Lin Yan whispered, pointing to the doors. “Only Advanced Alchemists are qualified to own one. Inside, they have access to controllable Earth Fire and advanced furnaces. It increases the yield of high-quality pills by twenty percent.”

Jiang Chen did the math instantly. “Does the success rate increase the deeper you go?”

“Yes, that’s exactly how it works,” Lin Yan confirmed.

It explained why every Primary Alchemist dreamed of gaining access to these levels. Unfortunately, the barrier to entry was brutal.

They stopped in front of a heavy stone door marked [Nine-Seven].

The door was sealed tight. There was no way to know if the occupant was busy or resting.

Lin Yan retrieved a pink storage pouch, took out a [Communication Talisman], and infused her fire spiritual power into it.

“Who is it?” A cold voice echoed from the talisman.

“Senior Sister, it’s me, Lin Yan!”

“What is the matter?”

“I’ve found a Spirit Farmer for you!”

Silence followed.

Jiang Chen wondered if the cryptic Senior Sister simply didn’t want to see them. But a moment later, the massive stone door trembled.

Rumble.

The stone ground against stone as the door slowly retracted.

Before the person inside was even visible, a wave of grey-white, scorching mist surged out into the corridor.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Footsteps echoed from the fog.

Then, a stunningly beautiful woman emerged.

Her brows were like distant mountains dusted with snow, her eyes like cold pools reflecting a winter moon. Her skin was pale to the point of transparency, and her lips were the color of pale cherry blossoms.

She wore a moon-white, wide-sleeved alchemy robe with a cyan jade medicine pouch hanging at her waist. A crystal hairpin held her hair in place, radiating waves of chilling intent that warred with the heat of the room.

This was the famous Advanced Alchemist, Yu Caiqing.

Jiang Chen stared for a split second, stunned by her ethereal appearance, but his survival instincts kicked in immediately. He snapped out of it and lowered his head respectfully.

Lin Yan looked at her Senior Sister with undisguised envy. She bowed, clasping her hands. “Senior Sister, I hope I haven’t disturbed your alchemy?”

Yu Caiqing swept a cool, indifferent gaze over the two of them. “The [Black Nether Cauldron] is stable. It doesn’t need my control for the moment.”

Lin Yan let out a breath she had been holding. She gestured to Jiang Chen. “This is the friend from the Spirit Farm I mentioned. His name is Jiang Chen.”

“Senior Sister Yu.” Jiang Chen bowed with clasped hands.

Yu Caiqing gave a noncommittal “Hmm” in response.

Lin Yan pressed on. “Senior Sister, weren’t you looking for a Spirit Farmer to partner with? My friend here should meet your requirements.”

Yu Caiqing’s expression remained flat. “Cultivation realm?”

“Early Foundation Establishment,” Jiang Chen replied calmly.

“Quality of your spirit plants?”

Jiang Chen smiled slightly, his voice firm. “Top-grade.”

The iceberg finally cracked. Yu Caiqing’s eyes flickered with genuine interest for the first time.

“A Foundation Establishment Spirit Farmer who can cultivate Top-grade plants?” She murmured. “No wonder Junior Sister Yan introduced you personally.”

Lin Yan seized the moment, stepping forward to hug Yu Caiqing’s arm, acting coquettishly. “So, Senior Sister… next time you refine pills, can you let me watch and learn?”

Jiang Chen almost chuckled. It was the first time he had seen the usually bold Lin Yan act like a fawning little sister.

Yu Caiqing ignored Lin Yan entirely. Her gaze remained fixed on Jiang Chen.

“Since you claim to cultivate Top-grade spirit plants, I am willing to give you one chance.”

Jiang Chen’s eyes lit up. “Thank you, Senior Sister!”

Yu Caiqing reached into her cyan jade pouch and pulled out a handful of tiny, pale seeds.

“One month,” she said, her voice cool and commanding. “If you can bring me one thousand stalks of Top-grade [Moonlight Grass], we can discuss a long-term partnership.”