Monsters also need to cultivate immortality scientifically (7): The sudden change in the style of cultivation

After spending some time with Si Qi, the members of the Lingxiao Sect gradually came to understand his temperament.  

This youthful-looking yet highly senior cultivator initially gave the impression of being arrogant and aggressive—unwilling to yield even to the high-ranking elders. His very first appearance had forced the entire sect to apologize to him, making him seem difficult to get along with.  

Later, as Si Qi frequently visited the Alchemy Peak to study pill refining, interacting with both the disciples and the enthusiastic elders who couldn’t resist coming to observe, everyone realized that the boy they had assumed needed to be handled with flattery and caution wasn’t as ill-tempered as they had imagined.  

In fact, when disciples mustered the courage to ask Si Qi why he processed certain materials in a particular way, he would patiently explain his reasoning and analyze the details.  

This unexpectedly amiable demeanor left everyone pleasantly shocked. After several cautious conversations, they slowly discerned the truth—Si Qi wasn’t fierce or cold at all.  

Looking back, they realized that their initial impression of him as difficult hadn’t been his fault. Rather, it was their own actions that had crossed the line and provoked his displeasure. They had brought the unpleasantness upon themselves.  

As a result, their attitude toward Si Qi grew more sincere and respectful. In the cultivation world, someone so talented yet so approachable was an extreme rarity.  

Whether they were alchemists, talisman masters, formation experts, or artifact forgers, every master of extraordinary skill tended to be eccentric and hard to please. Cultivators who wanted something from them had to pay exorbitant prices, endure disdain, and grovel just to get a fraction of what they needed.  

But now, someone as formidable as Si Qi was willing to appear among them—not driving them away with cold indifference or scolding them, but speaking to them calmly and even offering guidance. How could the younger disciples, accustomed to the cutthroat scheming of the cultivation world, not be moved? Whenever they met disciples from other peaks and were asked about Si Qi, their expressions would fill with admiration, and their words overflowed with praise.  

“Senior Si is gentle and kind—an extremely good person.”  

“Senior Si has an inquisitive mind and understands things intuitively. While we take months to master a single pill recipe, he grasps it after just a brief study. It’s truly awe-inspiring.”  

“Senior Si never hoards his knowledge. Just recently, he taught me how to analyze the different uses of various parts of a spirit herb, and I benefited greatly from it.”  

Those whose impressions of Si Qi still lingered on the initial hostility found this unbelievable and couldn’t help but say, “Has Senior Si’s intimidation left you so terrified that you’d say such things?”  

“What’s the need for such caution between us? Why hide the truth?”  

This left the Alchemy Peak disciples both amused and exasperated. They repeatedly insisted that they weren’t being forced to flatter him against their will—Si Qi really was that amiable, and their admiration came from the heart.  

“Then why did Senior Si threaten the sect leader and the elders at the beginning?” others reflexively retorted.  

The disciples answered without hesitation, “Naturally, it was because our actions crossed Senior Si’s bottom line. A genius like him has his own pride—how could he tolerate such disrespect from us?”

After hearing this explanation, the surrounding disciples finally understood—so that’s how it was. No wonder.  

Besides, having a mild-mannered, soft-spoken senior like Si Qi was far better than dealing with someone temperamental whom everyone had to tiptoe around and beg favors from. To prevent a repeat of the incident that had angered Si Qi before, the sect’s attitude toward him became unusually unified: everyone spoke of him in glowing terms. Whether their praise was sincere or self-serving, no one dared to openly contradict it.  

And this reputation reached its peak when Si Qi willingly shared his pill recipes.  

Chu Feng was puzzled by Si Qi’s decision—such behavior was practically unheard of in the cultivation world, if not outright unimaginable.  

Si Qi smiled faintly, thinking to himself that he couldn’t very well explain to Chu Feng at this moment that he needed to advance this world’s development and help his beloved gather more World Energy.  

On the surface, it seemed like these people were reaping enormous benefits, tirelessly refining batch after batch of supreme-grade pills day and night. But in Si Qi’s eyes, they were like diligent little ants, painstakingly hauling World Energy bit by bit for Chu Feng, laboring away as tools to propel the world forward.  

So he explained to Chu Feng: “No matter how many pills I refine alone, it can’t compare to what hundreds or thousands of people can produce together. I already made an agreement with the sect leader—every cultivator who uses my refining methods must give me a percentage of their output as compensation.”  

With a Heart Demon Oath as a safeguard, Si Qi wasn’t worried about them reneging on their promises or “starving the master after learning his craft.”  

Moreover, the benefits Si Qi could bring them far exceeded just the supreme-grade Spirit Recovery Pill recipe. Anyone with half a brain wouldn’t foolishly burn bridges by offending him—they still had a long, mutually beneficial relationship ahead.  

Chu Feng had never before heard terms like “royalties” or “intellectual property” in this ethereal cultivation world, and for a moment, he found the concept novel. He was also astonished by his disciple’s cleverness.  

This was indeed an extraordinarily brilliant young man. Whether it was his ability to innovate cultivation techniques and pill recipes or his wisdom in handling interpersonal relationships, he far exceeded Chu Feng’s expectations.  

Before he knew it, Chu Feng found himself deeply intrigued by this youth. And the way he expressed his interest was by completely abandoning his old habit of holing up on his mountaintop for decades-long seclusions—instead, he now spent every day by Si Qi’s side, watching him, touching him, preventing his absurdly unlucky disciple from stumbling into mortal danger. He willingly became Si Qi’s chauffeur and study companion.  

This also led many outsiders familiar with Chu Feng’s formidable reputation to recognize just how highly the esteemed Immortal Venerable Chu valued his beloved disciple—and thus, they treated Si Qi with even greater deference.  

—  

That day, Si Qi—whose learning speed advanced by leaps and bounds—finally mastered all the knowledge in Elder Zhou’s mind, synthesizing it in his own way.  

Priceless pill recipes were compiled into manuals and casually tossed into his storage ring.  

When he stepped into the Alchemy Peak’s refining hall, its appearance had completely transformed from before. Gone were the isolated little cubicles designed to prevent disturbances—instead, it now resembled the factory-style centralized management Si Qi was more familiar with.  

The vast hall was neatly lined with large cauldrons emitting faint heat, their bases fueled by spirit stones burning with spiritual flames. In the distance stood several workers -ahem- refining disciples holding jade slips to track time.  

Next to them were shelves stocked with spirit herbs and jade bottles.  

The once-coveted supreme-grade Spirit Recovery Pills were now stored here by the bottle. Reflecting on it, the Lingxiao Sect disciples couldn’t help but marvel—such a scene would have been unthinkable in the past, something they wouldn’t have dared to dream of.  

Now, when the disciples saw Si Qi arrive, they brightened with joy, no longer stiffening nervously at the sight of Chu Feng as they once had.  

It had to be said, the lively, youthful Si Qi and the cold-faced Immortal Venerable Chu made a harmonious pair. There was no sense of two clashing colors forcibly mashed together—instead, they balanced each other’s “shortcomings.”  

Like a gentle, quick-witted antelope walking beside an aloof and majestic lion—the lion seemed less fearsome, while the antelope, no matter how harmless it appeared, still carried an air of extraordinary distinction.  

Just then, a messenger talisman flew to the two of them, carrying the sect leader’s voice: “Immortal Venerable, Disciple Si, could you come to the main hall?”  

They exchanged a glance, and Si Qi nodded. Chu Feng dutifully summoned his flying sword, standing at the front. The sword, once reserved solely for his use, had now grown thoroughly accustomed to its second rider. Soon, they arrived at the sect leader’s hall.  

Inside, apart from the sect leader, were many familiar faces—the elders of various peaks.  

Upon seeing Si Qi, they nodded warmly in greeting, then saluted Chu Feng before turning back to their hushed, frustrated discussions with their fellow elders.  

With his sharpened demonic hearing, Si Qi easily pieced together the gist of their conversation.  

Turns out, ever since Si Qi taught his refining methods to the Alchemy Peak disciples, they had been shocked by the 100% success rate. Under the eager supervision of the sect leader and elders, they had enthusiastically mass-produced countless supreme-grade Spirit Recovery Pills—along with other supreme-grade elixirs—working tirelessly without pause.

It wasn’t until everyone paused to take stock that they realized the sheer volume of supreme-grade pills they’d refined—enough to give every one of the sect’s thousands of disciples several each, with plenty to spare. Stopping production now would be wasteful, but just handing them out unconditionally would be too extravagant. After all, sect rules dictated that disciples had to complete tasks to earn rewards.  

So after some deliberation, the sect leader and elders decided to sell the surplus. Each pill could fetch thousands of high-grade spirit stones—despite only requiring a few spirit herbs to produce—netting the sect staggering profits.  

At first, when Lingxiao Sect auctioned a single bottle of ten supreme-grade Spirit Recovery Pills, outsiders weren’t particularly surprised. As the cultivation world’s top sect, with vast resources and Immortal Venerable Chu Feng presiding, parting with a few supreme-grade pills was no big deal—just a testament to their wealth.  

Those pills sold for astronomical prices, each rivaling the cost of a fine high-grade magical artifact. Buyers who missed out lamented, wondering when they’d get another chance.  

Then, at the next auction, another twenty Spirit Recovery Pills appeared—again from Lingxiao Sect. This time, sharp-eyed cultivators began to suspect: Could they actually have a large stockpile? Even for a major sect, this was excessive.  

Once those sold out, allied sects cautiously inquired if Lingxiao Sect truly had more to spare—and if so, they’d buy at any price.  

To their shock, Lingxiao Sect replied: “Yes. How many do you want?”  

Elated yet wary, sects tentatively asked: “Ten… do you have ten?”  

Lingxiao Sect’s response was downright domineering: “Of course!”  

Soon, tens of thousands of high-grade spirit stones flocked to the sect’s vaults—in exchange for a few inconspicuous bottles from the Alchemy Peak shelves.  

The buyer sects, hoarding their treasures in secret, assumed they alone had struck gold. For months, they kept discreetly checking: “Any more pills? No rush—we’ll ask again later.”  

Yet every time, Lingxiao Sect cheerfully confirmed: “Plenty in stock!”  

This left the sects baffled by Lingxiao’s bottomless wealth. Had they recruited some legendary alchemy master?  

When they subtly probed neighboring sects, they found—to their astonishment—that everyone seemed to be secretly investigating the same thing, all acting equally shifty about it!

Then it hit them—Wait a minute, they were doing the exact same thing! Could it be that others had also bought piles of supreme-grade Spirit Recovery Pills from Lingxiao Sect and were similarly hoarding their bargains?  

A few allied sect leaders cautiously compared notes and, to their mutual embarrassment, realized: “So you’re in on it too?” Mystery solved—Lingxiao Sect had somehow produced nearly a thousand supreme-grade pills. A thousand!  

Even the most legendary alchemy master would need at least a century to refine that many supreme-grade pills. Yet if Lingxiao Sect had such a figure, why would they hide them for a hundred years, leaving no rumors?  

Something was off.  

Even stranger, after the Spirit Recovery Pills, Lingxiao Sect began rolling out more supreme-grade elixirs—each batch flawless. The sheer volume left every insider dumbfounded and deeply unsettled.  

Soon, factions mobilized all resources to uncover the master alchemist’s identity. Probes slithered into Lingxiao Sect’s ranks, and before long, a name emerged: Si Qi.  

Rumors said he’d joined the sect mere months ago, his talent so monstrous he’d been directly taken in by the cultivation world’s strongest—Immortal Venerable Chu Feng. Within a month, he’d refined Lingxiao’s thousand-year-old cultivation technique, publicly produced a hundred cauldrons of supreme-grade Spirit Recovery Pills in one go, then mastered hundreds of pill recipes—openly teaching every disciple his methods…  

Any one of these feats would’ve shocked the cultivation world. Combined in a single person, they defied belief.  

Every cultivator who heard of Si Qi’s deeds imprinted his name into memory, awed by his genius.  

Without a doubt, here was a figure whose potential rivaled even Immortal Venerable Chu Feng’s. Though his current cultivation might be weak, his exposure would trigger a frenzy—countless factions scrambling to court, protect, and exploit him.  

This was precisely what troubled Lingxiao’s sect leader and elders now.  

Not that they feared external threats—as the world’s top sect, they had confidence to spare.  

Their worry lay elsewhere.  

The sect leader cut straight to the point for Si Qi and Chu Feng, who’d just arrived: “The Spirit Taming Sect has inquired about our recent mass sales of supreme-grade pills.”

Neither Si Qi nor the original owner of this body were familiar with the unspoken rules of the cultivation world, so Si Qi asked, “What is the Spirit Taming Sect?”  

An elder nearby answered, “They are the undisputed masters of alchemy in the cultivation world. Nearly ninety percent of the pills on the market come from them.”  

Si Qi immediately understood.  

No wonder everyone looked so uneasy—this was clearly a hostile visit.  

The sect leader’s earlier phrasing of “inquiry” was likely a diplomatic understatement. Si Qi guessed the Spirit Taming Sect’s tone had been far from polite—more like a direct challenge.  

Fortunately, Lingxiao Sect was powerful enough to stand its ground. That was probably why the Spirit Taming Sect hadn’t pushed too hard—yet.  

Had a smaller sect dared to encroach on their monopoly, the Spirit Taming Sect would’ve crushed them without hesitation. This was a blatant threat to their dominance—stealing food straight from the tiger’s mouth!  

Any industry monopolized for centuries would inevitably become a seller’s market, where consumers and competitors had to obey the monopolist’s rules without question.  

And this was the pill industry—a lifeline for every cultivator. Who could guarantee they’d never need pills to save their lives? Being blacklisted by the Spirit Taming Sect meant being cut off from essential resources, a nightmare no one dared risk.  

For hundreds of years, the Spirit Taming Sect had enjoyed this unchallenged supremacy. Even without an Immortal Venerable like Chu Feng, countless factions would side with them for access to their pills.  

That was why Lingxiao Sect now found itself in this awkward position—frustrated but hesitant.  

1. Pride: As the top sect, they refused to bow to external pressure.  

2. Greed: The profits were too enormous to abandon without resentment.  

3. Confidence: With Si Qi’s abilities, they believed they could rival—or even surpass—the Spirit Taming Sect.  

The only real concern was the Spirit Taming Sect’s vast influence. A full confrontation would bring Lingxiao Sect significant trouble, so they preferred to avoid it if possible.  

After much deliberation, they decided to consult their pillar of strength—Chu Feng—and, of course, Si Qi himself.  

Chu Feng, though outwardly cold, had always harbored a quiet loyalty to the sect. He showed no objection, silently accepting the potential storm—even if it meant standing alone against half the cultivation world.  

But Si Qi had a different perspective.  

“Why must it be surrender or war? There’s a third option.”  

The sect leader and elders blinked. “A third option?”  

Si Qi smiled. “Cooperation, of course!”  

For a moment, they looked stunned—then thoughtful.  

Not waiting for them to piece it together, Si Qi laid out his plan:  

“What if we shared our refining methods with the Spirit Taming Sect? Do you think they’d still object to us selling supreme-grade pills together?”

The group instinctively replied, “Of course not!”  

Or rather—the Spirit Taming Sect would be getting the deal of a lifetime!!!  

Resources in the cultivation world were finite. Cultivators, accustomed to fighting both heaven and man for every advantage, hoarded treasures like dragons guarding gold. The idea of sharing such crucial pill recipes made their expressions twist with reluctance, silently willing Si Qi to reconsider.  

But then Si Qi added, “So why not let the Spirit Taming Sect refine and sell the pills for us?”  

Another stunned silence.  

Si Qi continued matter-of-factly, “Instead of exhausting ourselves to produce a meager batch of supreme-grade pills each year, why not openly commission the Spirit Taming Sect? Given their scale, even a tenth of their output would dwarf ours!”  

These elders were no fools—they could do the math instantly.  

Comparing Lingxiao Sect’s modest alchemy output to the Spirit Taming Sect’s near-total market dominance, the gap was laughable. Lingxiao’s strength had always lain in combat and cultivation techniques, not pill refining.  

This way…  

Cooperation would clearly yield far greater profits!  

Eyes blazing with realization, they nodded fervently. “He’s absolutely right.”  

“This is the way!”  

Since ancient times, wealth moved hearts—and cultivators, hardened by the law of the jungle, crazed resources beyond mortal comprehension. They’d kill for a single spirit herb that might ease their path to immortality. A stable, massive influx of spirit stones? That was worth its weight in divine artifacts.  

The sect leader exhaled in relief, pleased. “An ingenious solution.”  

Not only did it defuse tensions with the Spirit Taming Sect, but it also secured a powerful ally. The sect’s future gains would dwarf their past struggles—a turnaround so dramatic it felt like stumbling upon a windfall.  

His gaze toward Si Qi shifted subtly—no longer just protective admiration, but the respect accorded to a sage and an equal. Only now did he realize: Si Qi wasn’t just someone to shield, but a figure whose words could steer their decisions, command their attention, and shape their future.  

And Si Qi, living up to that realization, pressed on: “Not just Spirit Recovery Pills—we can hand all future recipes to the Spirit Taming Sect.”  

A previously anxious elder chuckled, lighthearted now: “At that point, the Spirit Taming Sect might as well become our Alchemy Peak.”  

The others laughed, picturing it. With Si Qi’s methods, the Spirit Taming Sect would surely discard their once-prized techniques. Forced to refine pills for Lingxiao, bound by mutual benefit, and funneling profits back—calling them Lingxiao’s Alchemy Peak wouldn’t even be an exaggeration.  

Si Qi added, “Once they witness my capabilities, they won’t hesitate to share even their most guarded recipes.”  

After all, if Si Qi could instantly master and optimize any recipe handed to him, why wouldn’t they beg him to tackle their unsolvable divine-level formulas? True, entrusting sect treasures to an outsider was risky—but if Si Qi delivered, the rewards would be unimaginable.  

The mere possibility set their hearts ablaze.  

The Spirit Taming Sect had hoarded peerless recipes for millennia—any one of which could drive sects to madness. The thought of Si Qi perusing them all was enough to make their hands tremble with greed.  

The sect leader and elders could no longer sit still. “We’ll contact the Spirit Taming Sect at once.”  

“As long as Disciple Si agrees to share the methods, we’ll coordinate everything!”  

Si Qi smiled amiably, his cooperative demeanor endearing him to them even more. “Of course. I leave it to you, honored elders.”  

Beaming as if spirit stones were already raining down, they praised his “selfless devotion”—unaware that Si Qi was inwardly gloating:  

Hah! Trade some mastered techniques for exclusive divine recipes, rake in passive income, and let others handle the work?  

Only a fool would refuse!