Troublemaker’s Guide to Immortality

[Deep scan required. Target Yu Songnian's cultivation exceeds the host's. Deep scan consumes 10 Advanced Simplification uses.] The System's mechanical voice announced.

Yun Jin sucked in a sharp breath.

Ten Advanced Simplification uses?!

That was the equivalent of 100 intermediate or 1,000 basic simplification uses.

She did have over 1,000 basic uses stocked up, but spending all of them just to scan Third Senior Brother? No way. That would derail her entire plan.

The system's implication was clear. Since Yu Songnian's cultivation surpassed hers, only advanced simplifications could be used for deep scans. If her realm eventually surpassed his, the cost might drop. Still, it would be a painful number either way.

Yun Jin gave him another look, now filled with suspicion.

In the original story, Yu Songnian had always been a forgettable presence. Quiet in life, quiet in death. When people talked about Tianjian Peak, they often forgot he even existed.

Yet now, scanning him demanded a massive price. Clearly, there was something deeply hidden in his body.

Yun Jin's curiosity burned hotter, but she forced herself to shelve the scan for now.

"Senior Brother, you still haven't told me. What sword technique does Third Senior Brother actually practice?" Yun Jin asked.

"He's cultivating a sword art passed down in the Yu Clan," Yue Zhao replied. "It uses a short sword. Normally, the blade remains hidden. But once drawn, it's an overwhelming strike—decisive and destructive. That's why it's called..."

Yun Jin's eyes lit up as she blurted, "The Heaven-Sundering Stone Sword Art!"

Yue Zhao stared at her, deadpan.

Undeterred, she tried again: "The Tyrannical Overlord Sword Art?"

Yue Zhao took a deep breath and said, "It's called the Hidden Sword Path. The essence lies in concealment. If it's not a critical moment, you'll never see him draw the blade."

He added, "And it's not that your third senior brother is withholding the technique. The sword art belongs to the Yu Clan. He has no right to teach it to outsiders."

Yun Jin waved her hand. "No worries. I've already got plenty of sword techniques."

Yue Zhao and Si Wanning's fists itched.

"Should we just leave Third Senior Brother like this while he's petrified?" Yun Jin asked.

Yue Zhao nodded. "For now, yes. It'll wear off in an hour or two."

Yun Jin's fascination with Yu Songnian's condition only grew.

Once I have spare Simplifications, I'm investigating this thoroughly.

But for now... she had to save those uses for refining the Bu Tian Pill.

After all, that was a seventh-grade pill.

Even though Yun Jin had amassed over 6,000 basic simplification uses thanks to emotional value farming, that only translated into a little over 60 advanced uses.

And to simplify a seventh-grade pill? She would need to leap multiple tiers, which meant exclusively using advanced simplifications.

There would almost certainly be additional conditions too.

With just over two months left, she had to focus all efforts on that pill.

After talking Yu Songnian's case to death, Yun Jin turned serious. "Senior Brother, sit down. I need your help with something."

Yue Zhao: "..."

At least she didn't tell me to kneel while listening.

"Speak, Junior Sister," he said, straightening.

"Of course. What is it?" he asked, adjusting his expression.

Yun Jin frowned slightly. "It's like this. I feel like I don't have enough pill formulas. The Foundation Establishment Pill and Return Essence Pill are functional, but they don't directly raise spiritual energy. I need a second-grade pill that can do that."

If she could get her hands on such a pill, then by combining the raw medicinal power with the system boost, she should be able to quickly hit the peak of Foundation Establishment. From there, she could try breaking into the Golden Core stage.

More importantly, compared to others, she had one huge advantage—her soul had already been tempered to a peak state from hopping through so many timelines. Once her cultivation caught up, her soul would ascend naturally. That saved her an immense amount of time compared to other cultivators.

This was why Yun Jin believed she could defy fate at the sect tournament.

Hearing her request, Yue Zhao grew serious. "Sister, no matter the stage, pills that directly enhance cultivation are incredibly valuable. For example, Peak Master Huo Lie has such a pill formula, but it's the foundation of his standing. He'd never share it. As for the Herb Pavilion, they definitely have formulas, but with our identities being set as disciples of a top sect or Holy Land, we're not supposed to lack access. I didn't dare ask them, for fear it would raise suspicion. The marketplace is unstable lately too—asking around could expose us. My advice is to hold off. Focus on stable cultivation for a few months first."

Yun Jin wasn't discouraged. "That's fine. I don't need the formulas. Just get me the actual pills."

Yue Zhao blinked. "Just the pills?"

Yun Jin smiled. "How do you think I got the formulas for the Foundation Establishment and Recovery Pills? I reverse-engineered them from the pills themselves."

[+100 Emotional Value.]

[+100 Emotional Value.]

...

A double whammy from both Yue Zhao and Si Wanning.

Yun Jin's smile grew even more radiant.

"What?" she said, playing innocent. "Isn't that basic alchemy? Other alchemists don't do that?"

Yue Zhao's lips twitched.

Basic operation, her foot!

If every alchemist could reverse-engineer pills like that, those precious formulas wouldn't be locked up tighter than sect vaults.

"Wait, you guys never wondered how I could refine those pills?" Yun Jin tilted her head. "Didn't you find it odd?"

Si Wanning spoke up weakly. "I thought Senior Brother bought them for you."

They were common enough formulas. Yun Jin had earned plenty of spirit stones refining Bi Ling Pills early on, so it was plausible she just purchased them.

Yue Zhao said, "I assumed you traded for them with Elder Ming."

Yun Jin: "..."

These two were a little too careless.

Good thing it was her. If someone with real ulterior motives had joined Tianjian Peak, they'd have been led around by the nose.

Yue Zhao cleared his throat and asked, "So, you really can reconstruct pill formulas from the pills themselves?"

"I think so, at least for first and second-grade pills," Yun Jin replied cautiously.

Third-grade and higher would need intermediate or advanced simplification. She might as well wait until she reached Core Formation before bothering.

Yue Zhao nodded. "If you don't need the formulas, just the pills, then we're good. I can get those from the sect without raising suspicion. Wait here. I'll be back soon."

He walked off so fast, his steps barely touched the ground.

Si Wanning muttered, "What's with Senior Brother? Why does he look like he's running from ghosts?"

She looked up—and saw Yun Jin's dazzling smile.

"Senior Sister," Yun Jin said sweetly, "let's go practice swordsmanship."

Si Wanning: "..."

YUE ZHAO, YOU TRAITOR!!!

No wonder he fled like the wind!

Worst. Senior Brother. Ever.