"So, Dean Lin, are you agreeing to my terms?"
As a fragrant breeze wafted over, Lin Yu turned to see the graceful Dean Lin Man in her green dress, pulling him back gently. Her beautiful and dignified face showed a serene smile, and Lin Yu asked her, half-smiling, half-amused.
"I am here on behalf of the Botanical Academy to agree to Young Master Lin's conditions," Lin Man replied, releasing Lin Yu's arm and taking a few steps back. Her elegant demeanor was paired with a composed smile.
"These pills are truly remarkable. Until now, nothing like them has ever appeared on our Douluo Continent. You, Young Master, received this mysterious alchemy book from the live broadcasts, and in less than a year, you've already managed to refine three different types of pills. That's an extraordinary feat."
"I can only imagine the effort and cost it must take to successfully refine such magical pills. Given that you're also in the process of founding your sect, it's clear that you need funds right now. We at the Botanical Academy understand this and will be considerate of your situation."
"As for the discounts on the pills, once your Immortal Palace is fully established, I'm certain you won't forget to take care of our academy in return."
Lin Man's perspective was straightforward. While pills were certainly valuable, the long-term alliance with Lin Yu and the future Immortal Palace was far more important than getting a discount right now. In her eyes, Lin Yu's need for funds was legitimate, and trying to haggle for a significant discount at this moment would seem tactless.
Plus, Lin Yu hadn't insisted that this discount would be permanent. By agreeing to promote the Immortal Palace to her graduates now, and ensuring many of them joined, Lin Man believed that when the sect eventually flourished, the Botanical Academy would have plenty to gain from its influence. The future was bright, and their graduates would likely hold important positions in the Immortal Palace.
"Hehe, well, thank you, Dean Lin, and the Botanical Academy for your understanding." Lin Yu smiled, extending his hand toward her.
Lin Man returned the smile warmly, offering her delicate hand to shake his.
Her hand was soft.
"Sigh..."
Just then, a sigh came from the side as Huo Xiaotian walked over, a look of resignation on his face.
"What's wrong, Dean Huo?" Lin Yu asked, pretending to be curious.
"The Blazing Academy will agree to your terms as well," Huo Xiaotian sighed, glancing briefly at Lin Man before looking back at Lin Yu.
Huo Xiaotian had considered the same points as Lin Man. However, human nature is greedy. He had gambled on the idea that Lin Yu had chosen the Blazing and Botanical Academies for specific reasons, hoping to hold more leverage in the negotiations. But with his "ally" Lin Man now switching sides, he had no choice but to agree.
Still, he comforted himself with the thought that even at a 95% rate, the discount wasn't too bad. Considering the original prices, such as 90,000 gold coins for a bottle of Soul Nourishing Pills, the five percent off would still save him several thousand coins per bottle.
"Hehe, glad to hear it, Dean Huo. I look forward to our cooperation," Lin Yu said with a grin, offering his hand to Huo Xiaotian as well.
...
After the Pill Assembly concluded, Lin Yu tallied up the results. In total, he refined and sold 180,000 pills during the event, raking in a staggering sum of tens of billions of gold soul coins!
This amount was more than enough to build a top-tier sect on par with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. Both Lin Yu and the four great clans under his banner were extremely pleased with the outcome.
Following the event, Lin Yu entrusted the Defense Clan with the responsibility of overseeing the construction of the Immortal Palace. His only instruction was that the sect's buildings should be aesthetically pleasing, leaving the rest in their hands. The Defense Clan, known for their architectural expertise, happily took on the task, eager to create a grand and enduring legacy for their future home.
With the groundwork laid for the sect's construction, Lin Yu quietly returned to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
This time, his visit had two purposes. First, he intended to sow more seeds of rare herbs, allowing them to flourish in this unique environment. Second, he aimed to refine a specific pill from the alchemy book he had obtained—a pill known as the "Shaping Pill."
But don't get the wrong idea!
This "Shaping Pill" wasn't the same as the one from the Battle Through the Heavens world, though its name and effects were similar. In the world of Douluo, this version of the Shaping Pill required the legendary herb, Lovesick Heartbroken Red, as its primary ingredient. Lin Yu had already gathered all the other materials necessary for its creation.
Now, standing at the edge of the mist-shrouded Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Lin Yu activated his Dual Pupils Martial Soul. His sharp gaze fell upon the boiling heat and frigid cold swirling together like a yin-yang symbol, and he strolled forward confidently.
"Heavier than I thought!"
As Lin Yu casually scanned the various precious herbs growing around the well, he eventually arrived at the place where the Lovesick Heartbroken Red thrived. Digging carefully, he extracted the plant along with the pitch-black rock to which its roots clung. After weighing the stone in his hands for a moment, he smiled.
Due to the high quality of the plant, it hadn't evolved yet, despite his earlier efforts with the Chaos Green Lotus Martial Soul and its domain. But that didn't matter—now it was time to use the flower for refining the Shaping Pill.
For most, harvesting the Lovesick Heartbroken Red was nearly impossible without a heart full of genuine love. But Lin Yu had the Chaos Green Lotus Martial Soul, which allowed him to bypass this requirement entirely. Summoning his Qiankun Cauldron Martial Soul, he used it to refine the black stone first, then proceeded to refine the flower itself—effortless.
Lin Yu then took out the remaining herbs needed for the Shaping Pill. Carefully following the prescribed process, he refined each ingredient's essence, combining them one by one within the cauldron.
Soon, a pink pill about the size of a dragon's eye emerged, glowing with a crystalline luster and emitting a faint pink aura.
"The Shaping Pill, successfully refined!"
Lin Yu couldn't help but smile as he held the translucent pink pill in his hand. To verify its properties, he activated his external soul bone, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's Vertical Eye, which allowed him to peer into the pill's secrets.
Name: Shaping Pill
Type: Pill
Ingredients: Lovesick Heartbroken Red, Vermilion Lotus, Purple Spirit Grass, Black Jade Mushroom, Cloud Vine...
Effect: When consumed by a soul beast, the Shaping Pill allows the beast to take human form, maintaining this form indefinitely. The transformation places the soul beast directly into its mature stage, and even a Limit Douluo would be unable to detect its true identity.
For a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, the pill grants the ability to switch between beast and human forms, both in mature stages. Even a Limit Douluo would be unable to discern the beast's true form.