Millions of years. This old pill king had devoted millions of years to the Dao of Alchemy.

He had studied ancient manuals, explored forgotten ruins, and spent countless nights refining pills until exhaustion threatened to consume him.

The path of alchemy was vast and profound.

Even now, after all his achievements, he did not dare claim to have reached its peak.

Yet Lin Feng was speaking as though mastering it would be a simple matter.

"Perhaps one day I’ll give it a try," Lin Feng continued casually. "Maybe I’ll even master it."

Duan Tieshou’s beard twitched.

For a brief moment, he felt a surge of irritation.

Master it?

Did this young man think the Grand Dao of Pills was some children’s game?

Countless geniuses had dedicated entire lifetimes to alchemy only to achieve mediocrity.

Even heavenly prodigies often spent thousands of years mastering the fundamentals.

And yet Lin Feng spoke as though becoming a grandmaster was merely a matter of finding some free time.

However, the old man’s anger quickly faded.

His eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

’No...’

’That can’t be right.’

The more he thought about it, the less he believed Lin Feng’s words.

Such terrifying soul power did not appear out of nowhere. Every pill master knew the importance of the soul.

Without powerful spiritual perception, one could never control flames precisely enough to refine high-grade pills.

Without immense soul strength, reaching the peak of alchemy was impossible.

The soul pressure Lin Feng had displayed earlier was beyond anything Duan Tieshou had ever encountered.

A person with such a soul claiming to know nothing about alchemy?

The old man simply refused to believe it. In his mind, there was only one explanation.

Lin Feng was a hidden expert.

An unfathomable grandmaster who had immersed himself so deeply in the Dao of Pills that ordinary standards no longer applied to him.

Perhaps he simply did not wish to reveal his true attainments.

The more Duan Tieshou considered the possibility, the more convinced he became.

His eyes gradually brightened.

"Fellow Daoist."

"Hm?"

Lin Feng looked up from his meal.

The old man smiled.

"Would you be interested in discussing alchemy with me?"

His voice carried unmistakable excitement.

"I’ve studied the Dao of Pills for many years and would greatly appreciate the opportunity to exchange insights."

Lin Feng shrugged.

"Sure."

The answer came so quickly that Duan Tieshou almost thought he had misheard.

"I doubt I can help much, though."

The old man’s smile became even wider.

Naturally.

A hidden expert would always speak modestly.

"Come, have a seat."

Lin Feng gestured toward an empty chair.

Duan Tieshou immediately sat down without the slightest hesitation.

Soon, tea was served. The two began talking. At first, the conversation revolved around basic principles of alchemy.

Then they moved on to medicinal properties. Refining methods. Soul control. Flame manipulation.

The balance between spiritual herbs. The mysteries hidden within pill formulas.

As the discussion deepened, Duan Tieshou found himself becoming increasingly excited.

Many of Lin Feng’s casual remarks sounded ordinary on the surface, yet after careful consideration, they contained insights that seemed to point directly toward the essence of alchemy itself.

Several times, the old man felt as though a veil had been lifted from his eyes.

Questions that had troubled him for centuries suddenly appeared much clearer.

The more they spoke, the more convinced he became that Lin Feng’s understanding of alchemy was unfathomable.

Meanwhile, Lin Feng was simply speaking whatever came to mind.

To him, it was nothing more than a casual conversation over a meal.

To Duan Tieshou, however, it felt as though he were sitting before the greatest pill master in existence.

Before long, the old pill king had completely forgotten why he had come to the restaurant in the first place.

Gao Shan. Revenge. His disciple’s death. None of it mattered anymore. Right now, there was only alchemy.

And the mysterious man sitting across from him.

An hour later, Old Man Duan Tieshou sat on the ground with tears streaming down his face.

"Hak!"

"Hak!"

"Hak!"

The old man cried like a child who had finally found something he had spent his entire life searching for.

Yet he felt no shame whatsoever.

In his opinion, a true man was not someone who hid his emotions, but someone who could express them honestly.

His gratitude toward Lin Feng had simply grown too overwhelming.

During the past hour, Lin Feng had casually answered countless questions that had troubled him for millions of years.

Mysteries that had seemed impossible to solve were unraveled one after another.

Concepts that had once appeared as impenetrable walls now looked as clear as a bright sky after a storm.

For countless years, he had walked the path of alchemy while feeling as though he were wandering through a dense fog.

He had made progress through talent and hard work, but many doubts still lingered in his heart.

Today, that fog had completely vanished. The world before his eyes had transformed.

The Dao of Alchemy that once seemed vast and mysterious now revealed countless new possibilities.

The bottlenecks that had imprisoned him for ages were shattered.

Even his cultivation realm had begun to stir from the enlightenment he had gained.

If not for his strong self-control, he might have broken through on the spot.

How could he not be emotional? How could he not cry?

To him, the teachings Lin Feng had shared today were treasures greater than mountains of spirit stones or countless divine artifacts.

With trembling hands, Old Man Duan bowed deeply.

"Thank you, Senior Lin Feng!"

His voice shook with emotion.

"Thank you for enlightening this ignorant old fool! From this day forward, you are this old man’s greatest benefactor. If Senior ever has a need, just give the order. Even if it means climbing mountains of blades or crossing seas of fire, this old man will not hesitate. I am willing to offer my life for Senior!"

The great Pill King spoke with absolute sincerity.

He knew that meeting Lin Feng today was a priceless stroke of karma, a fortuitous encounter that could only be chanced upon and never forced.