Chapter 172: Blood Vine
Chapter 172: Blood Vine
Fang Lin was taken aback, speechless for a moment.
Even Dugu Nian seemed to realise she’d said something outrageous. Her face flushed, she huffed and retreated to her room in a hurry.
Watching Dugu Nian’s receding figure, Fang Lin couldn’t help but imagine a risqué scene of this lass taking a bath.
With the image popping up in his mind, Fang Lin hastily shook his head, not daring to let his mind wander any further. The picture was too enticing, and he didn’t dare to indulge in it.
It wasn’t until afternoon that Dugu Nian finally emerged, apparently having forgotten the morning’s embarrassment.
Fang Lin was lying on a lounge chair in the courtyard, watching Dugu Nian approach out of the corner of his eye. “I have something to ask you,” Dugu Nian said.
“Ask away,” Fang Lin replied.
Dugu Nian asked, “Who is your master?”
Fang Lin was taken aback, he hadn’t expected her to ask that question.
Dugu Nian had wanted to ask this for a long time but always thought it wasn’t appropriate. But curiosity got the better of her. She really wanted to know who had trained Fang Lin, whose mastery of Alchemy Tao was astonishing.
She didn’t believe that Fang Lin had learned these skills at the Pill Sect. Fang Lin had only been with the Pill Sect for a few years. How could he have progressed so rapidly?
Fang Lin replied provocatively, ‘What does this have to do with you?”
Dugu Nian shrugged, “I was just curious, if you won’t tell me then forget it.”
With that, she turned to leave.
Fang Lin thought for a while, then called after Dugu Nian.
“What is it?” Dugu Nian asked impatiently.
Fang Lin said, “I can tell you if you want to know.”
Without saying a word, Dugu Nian brought a stone stool over and sat down nearby.
Fang Lin glanced at her, then started, “You might not believe it, but when I was young, I met an old beggar. He told me I had an extraordinary bone structure, was quick-witted and had the potential to be a great Pill Refiner. So he taught me many methods of Pill Refining and many Pill Formulas.”
Dugu Nian looked skeptical. Who was he trying to fool? Did he think she was a three-year-old?
What old beggar? What extraordinary bone structure? What potential? They sounded like lies to her.
“Hey, if you’re going to make something up, at least make it believable. You think I’d believe that?” Dugu Nian laughed.
Fang Lin maintained a serious expression, “You’d better believe it. This world is full of opportunities and wonderful happenings. It all depends on whether you can find them. As someone as lucky as me, they just tend to find me.” Seeing Fang Lin’s solemn expression, Dugu Nian started to waver.
“Some Alchemy Tao masters are known for their eccentricity, perhaps this guy really did meet one,” she thought.
Fang Lin couldn’t help but want to laugh at her reaction.
But Fang Lin didn’t say anything more. He was just trying to distract Dugu Nian, so she wouldn’t keep asking these random questions in the future.
“Excuse me, is brother Fang in?” At that moment, a voice sounded from outside the courtyard.
Fang Lin immediately replied, “He’s not here.”
“Uh, is this brother Fang? I’m MO Tieshan, a disciple of the Martial Sect. Elder Wang Tianmu asked me to deliver something to brother Fang.” The person outside seemed a bit awkward.
Upon hearing it was someone sent by Wang Tianmu, Fang Lin pondered, giving Dugu Nian a look.
Dugu Nian understood what he meant and went to open the gate.
She saw a man in his twenties standing outside the gate, carefully holding a Nine Palace Bag.
Upon seeing Dugu Nian, MO Tieshan hesitated for a moment, then glanced into the courtyard.
“Stop looking, whatever Elder Wang wanted to send me, just give it to her,” Fang Lin said nonchalantly.
“Uh, okay.” MO Tieshan hurriedly handed the Nine Palace Bag over to Dugu Nian, his expression wavering.
“Is there anything else?” Dugu Nian asked impatiently.
MO Tieshan looked embarrassed, but he dared not show any temper. Fang Lin was now the most acclaimed disciple in the entire Purple Mist Sect, rumored to have Earth Element realm strength. Even the elder brother of the Martial Sect, Qing Jianzi, was friends with him. How could MO Tieshan, a mere ordinary disciple of the Martial Sect, dare to offend him?
With all due respect, MO Tieshan said, “Elder Wang also asked me to convey a message. He hopes brother Fang can forgive Wang Xuanlong’s mistakes, and stop picking on him.”
After that, MO Tieshan gave a bow to Fang Lin and Dugu Nian, then left.
Dugu Nian returned to the courtyard, curiously opening the Nine Palace Bag to reveal a single item. She immediately took it out.
“Hehe, that Wang is quite generous, actually sending a five hundred year old Blood Vine,” Dugu Nian said with some surprise.
Fang Lin looked at the item in Dugu Nian’s hand, it was indeed a Blood Vine. It looked like the root of an old tree, colored like human blood, and had a somewhat strong but peculiar fragrance.
“Not bad, not bad. That Wang Tianmu knows how to get along with people,” Fang Lin nodded and stretched out his hand towards Dugu Nian.
Dugu Nian rolled her eyes and handed over the Blood Vine.
Fang Lin took the Blood Vine and studied it carefully. It was indeed five hundred years old. The color was like coagulated blood, with a unique beauty.
The Blood Vine was a rather rare treasure. Older vines were even rarer.
A five-hundred-year-old Blood Vine was exceedingly valuable. Fang Lin hardly had anything that could be considered as valuable as this Blood Vine.
Moreover, the Blood Vine was of great use. It was an excellent material for pill refining and could also be used to forge divine weapons.
Some ordinary people, unaware of its value, merely used it for decoration.
While inspecting the Blood Vine, an idea sprung to Fang Lin’s mind.
Now that he had a Phoenix Blood Jade Cleansing Flower and this Blood Vine, he could refine a very useful pill.
Having the two main ingredients, the secondary materials should be easy to come by.
Thinking about it, Fang Lin figured that his Phoenix Blood Jade Cleansing Flower was but gathering dust. He might as well put it to good use.
As for the reason Wang Tianmu sent this Blood Vine, Fang Lin understood. All the talk about forgiving Wang Xuanlong’s mistakes was just empty words.
The true intention was to remind Fang Lin to remember this favor atter accepting the gift.
And this Blood Vine must be a cherished item of Wang Tianmu. Giving it away must have required ample consideration.
But since it was sent his way, how could Fang Lin decline?
“Apprentice, I’m going to prepare for pill refining. Don’t let anyone disturb me for the next half-month,” Fang Lin told Dugu Nian..