Chapter 129: Chapter 80: Night Burning of the Scripture Pavilion! The Chaos of the Giant Whale!_1

But Su Changkong noticed that Liu Geng always tried to get close to him during his free time, asking about his past experiences. Su Changkong guessed that the other party might be probing his background.

Therefore, Su Changkong used the same story he had told before, saying that his hometown was in Cattle Village, thousands of miles away, that his parents had passed away, and that he had not returned home for many years since he had left to wander the world.

In this era, information was not easily accessible. Verifying this would be time-consuming and laborious, and even if someone went to verify it and found no such person as him, Su Changkong could simply claim that he had left Cattle Village when he was young, so it was normal for no one to remember him.

Additionally, Su Changkong discovered that Liu Geng also had a certain foundation in alchemy. He could easily recognize various medicinal herbs and had a very precise control over the heat. Su Changkong then casually inquired, “You also practice alchemy?”

Upon hearing this, Liu Geng’s expression turned slightly unnatural, but still, he responded with a shy smile, “A little. When Master Gong was around, I would occasionally help him with various tasks.”

Su Changkong was contemplative.

“Seven Qi Increasing Pills in one furnace!”

Su Changkong’s eyes lit up as the aroma of the pills wafted from the pill furnace. This time he had set his own record by producing seven fully formed pills in a single batch!

An envious tone was evident in Liu Geng’s voice beside him as he said, “Master Su, your talent for alchemy is extraordinary… No wonder Master Gong chose you.”

Su Changkong did not respond to the remark. He took out the seven Qi Increasing Pills from the pill furnace, placed five into a jade bottle, and one into a smaller vial for himself.

“You have been a great help to me today, take this Qi Increasing Pill as a token of my gratitude,” he said as he handed the remaining pill to Liu Geng.

Seeing it as only fair to share, Su Changkong felt it was necessary to maintain a good relationship with Liu Geng; he couldn’t hoard all the benefits for himself and decided to let Liu Geng also get a taste of the rewards from time to time.

“Many thanks, Master Su!”

Liu Geng did not refuse, knowing that declining the offer would cause Su Changkong to overthink. He expressed his gratitude and accepted the pill.

Every time Su Changkong refined pills and produced more than five in a single furnace, he would appropriately take some for his own cultivation!

After all, as an alchemist for the Giant Whale Gang, he received a salary of 300 taels of silver per month. His other benefit was being able to act as a ‘middleman.’

After a busy day, when the disciples from the Giant Whale Gang came to inspect and collect the refined Pill Medicines, Su Changkong handed over the pills and left the Pill Refining Room to eat and rest.

The life within the Giant Whale Gang was quite comfortable, with access to alchemy and pills, and ample resources that allowed Su Changkong to steadily progress with his Turtle Breath Technique and Five Animal Frolics. Su Changkong felt that living peacefully like this for a few years would surely bring about a metamorphosis that would be extremely beneficial!

“It’s a pity… there’s still no news about Gong Zheng’s death.” The only thing that slightly concerned Su Changkong was the unresolved issue of Gong Zheng’s death.

Gong Zheng was brutally killed not long after leaving the Giant Whale Gang. The entire organization was in a Furious Roar, fully dedicated to finding the killer, but after such a long time, there had been no news, and Su Changkong figured the case would likely come to nothing.

“Don’t think too much about it. I’m just an alchemist. It’s fundamental to focus on refining pills and strengthening myself.” Su Changkong shook his head. Even the entire Giant Whale Gang hadn’t been able to find the assassin who killed Gong Zheng, let alone him. He was completely clueless about the matter.

After dining in the public kitchen, Su Changkong returned to his tranquil residence. He practiced the Five Animal Frolics and nourished his energy for half an hour as the sky darkened. Then, he swallowed a Qi Increasing Pill and started his cultivation with the Turtle Breath Technique.

…

Inside the Giant Whale Gang, in a magnificent hall, the delicate and shy Liu Geng quietly waited.

Steady footsteps echoed as a man in blue clothes entered the hall. The man, in his forties, was not particularly handsome, but possessed the charm of a mature man, especially in his deep and penetrating eyes that seemed to see into one’s soul. He exuded a unique presence that irresistibly made others bow their heads in a sense of incomparable inferiority.

“Deputy Gang Leader.” Upon seeing the blue-clad man, Liu Geng respectfully nodded and saluted.

The blue-clothed man was none other than Meng Sang, the Deputy Gang Leader of the Giant Whale Gang, a powerful figure well-known throughout Ink Forest Prefecture City!

“Hmm,” Meng Sang responded with a slight nod as he sat down in a chair, then slowly began to ask, “You have been observing that Su surnamed youth for half a month. What do you think of him?”

Liu Geng reported respectfully, “Master Su is very disciplined. He hardly pays any attention to outside matters, focusing on alchemy every day and keeping to himself. When he does interact with others, he is modest and polite, maintaining a cautious distance. Regarding the death of Gong Zheng, he did not show much reaction.”

Hearing Liu Geng’s report, Meng Sang commented with interest, “You have a high opinion of this young man surnamed Su. How would you compare his talent in alchemy to yours? After all, he took the spot that could have been yours.”

Upon hearing this, Liu Geng’s complexion became slightly unnatural, but he honestly replied, “When it comes to talent in alchemy… Master Su is superior to me. His progress is incredibly rapid. It’s probably only a matter of time before he surpasses Master Gong; he’s a rare genius.”

In truth, while Liu Geng showed outward deference and politeness to Su Changkong, inside, he harbored jealousy and resentment.

The reason was simple. When Master Gong was selecting a young alchemist to succeed him, it wasn’t just Su Changkong — there were three candidates.

One of them was Liu Geng. With a solid foundation in alchemy and considerable talent, he had a chance to secure the position of alchemist within the Giant Whale Gang.