Troublemaker’s Guide to Immortality

"Grandmaster Ming Heng, the only third-rank pill master permanently stationed here! His achievements are magnificent, his contributions astounding, and his vision—boundless! Let us all give Grandmaster Ming Heng a round of thunderous applause!"

Yun Jin delivered her speech with dramatic fervor, and the crowd obediently clapped.

Ming Heng shuddered.

Mortifying!

This was utterly mortifying!

Yet within that shame... why did he feel the tiniest sliver of satisfaction?

No, that was an illusion. It had to be.

"Master Ming Heng, thank you for overseeing this examination. For this second-rank alchemy trial, I've chosen to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill. Could you share a bit about this pill for everyone?" Yun Jin asked warmly.

Dragged into it like a duck to water, Ming Heng responded almost on instinct, "Second-rank pills are generally used by cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage. Among them, the Foundation Establishment Pill is a rare functional pill with an irreplaceable effect. Unlike other second-rank pills, this one is intended for cultivators at the peak of Qi Refining. After consuming it, there is a chance to break through into Foundation Establishment. In this era, where Foundation Establishment techniques have been mostly lost, this pill has become the cornerstone of human cultivation. Its importance rivals even some eighth or ninth-rank pills."

Yun Jin nodded. "So, since it's such an essential pill, would the pill's quality directly affect a cultivator's chances of breaking through?"

Ming Heng replied, "Naturally. For an average cultivator with middling talent, taking a Foundation Establishment Pill of ordinary quality offers only a ten percent chance of success. If it's of excellent quality, the chance increases to thirty percent."

"And if it's of perfect quality?" Yun Jin continued.

Ming Heng raised his brows. "Then the success rate soars to eighty percent. However, perfect-quality Foundation Establishment Pills are extremely rare. You won't find them on the market. So, most Qi Refining cultivators prepare several pills before attempting to break through, just in case."

"Did you all hear that?" Yun Jin looked over the crowd. "Perfect-quality Foundation Establishment Pills are nearly impossible to find, yet their effectiveness in helping with breakthroughs is astounding. Especially for those with weaker talent—if all they can access are ordinary pills, their chances remain low no matter how many they consume. But with a perfect-quality pill? Their odds would increase dramatically."

At this point, Ming Heng felt something was… off.

He shot Yun Jin a suspicious glance.

Wait a minute—

Was this girl… pitching a sales offer?

Was she implying she had perfect pills?

A ripple of [+X Emotional Value] notifications flickered.

Yun Jin smiled knowingly. "At this point, I know many of you might be wondering. Everyone knows how powerful perfect-quality pills are, but if they're unavailable, what can you do? Well, I'm here to tell you—you're in luck! As many of you already know, during the first-rank assessment, I refined a perfect-quality Biling Pill. And this time, for the second-rank exam, I've chosen the Foundation Establishment Pill. Please wait just four hours, and witness the birth of another perfect-quality Foundation Establishment Pill! Once it's complete, we will be offering a limited number for sale on-site, so please stay until the end and don't leave early."

What?!

The crowd erupted.

Perfect Foundation Establishment Pills?!

Sure, the perfect-quality Biling Pill was impressive for its potent spiritual energy, but its price was steep and its usefulness limited. It wasn't something most cultivators would risk their savings on.

But a perfect Foundation Establishment Pill? That was a whole different matter.

It was a functional pill!

For those whose talents were lacking, even consuming piles of ordinary pills wouldn't guarantee a breakthrough.But if it were perfect quality—

It could be their only real chance to advance!

Could this young woman truly guarantee the refinement of a perfect-quality Foundation Establishment Pill?

If that was true, it would be a massive event in the cultivation world.

Even Ming Heng stared at her several times, eventually asking, "The Foundation Establishment Pill is far more difficult to refine than the Biling Pill. Are you truly confident?"

Yun Jin smirked. "Remember this: Any pill I refine will be Perfect. Without exception."

Such arrogance!

Even the most revered alchemists of Xuandan Gate wouldn't dare make such a bold claim.

Yet this girl said it without blinking.

"No more nonsense. Let's begin the pill refinement." With that, Yun Jin walked toward the central alchemy furnace.

The furnace had been provided by the Alchemy Pavilion again, but this time it was a second-rank model. The herbs for the Foundation Establishment Pill were already laid out.

There were over twenty kinds of herbs prepared for this attempt, along with seven types of auxiliary spiritual liquids.

Ming Heng kept his eyes locked on her.

Last time...

Yun Jin didn't follow the official Biling Pill recipe precisely. But the Foundation Establishment Pill's recipe was a result of countless generations of research by powerful cultivators. It was the most refined version passed down through history.

Surely she wouldn't go off-script again?

Yun Jin glanced briefly over the ingredients, then quickly selected the herbs and liquids she needed. She only used about half of what the Pavilion had prepared.

Ming Heng's face paled.

She did it again.

She altered the recipe AGAIN!

If she actually produced a flawless pill this way, the implications would be staggering. He'd have no choice but to report it. Even a minor tweak to the Foundation Establishment Pill formula could reshape the entire cultivation world!

The mere act of selecting ingredients flooded Yun Jin with another wave of [+X Emotional Value].

When she began casually tossing herbs into the cauldron—just like before—many spectators clutched their chests.

Holy—

They'd heard about her unorthodox methods, but—

This was the Foundation Establishment Pill! A second-rank pill!

And she was treating it like leftovers?!

Even livestock feed got more preparation!

Yet she just… dumped everything in?

How could this possibly work?!

Soon, Yun Jin patted her hands clean, and the cauldron began rotating on its own.

The crowd stared in dead silence.

Seeing this was a thousand times more shocking than hearing about it.

And now, if past behavior was any indicator…

Right on cue, Yun Jin pulled out a bag of sunflower seeds.

It was absurd.

Yet somehow… predictable.

She crunched a few seeds, their scent drifting in the air as the crowd stared, stunned.

Then suddenly, Yun Jin raised the bag. "Crisp and fragrant spirit sunflower seeds! Take them with you, eat them anywhere! Three hundred pounds available, all on sale now! Don't miss out as you pass by!"

The crowd: "????"

Hold on.

What.

This was a pill-refining assessment!

A solemn, sacred alchemy examination!

And she was… hawking snacks?!

[+50 Emotional Value]

[+55 Emotional Value]

[+60 Emotional Value]

Something must be wrong with the world today.