Chapter Fourteen: Only Children Insist on Reason

“You’re looking for a fight, aren’t you…” Chao’s temper flared, her handsome appearance unable to mask the violence simmering beneath. She stepped forward, ready to teach Li Daoze a lesson with her fists.

Lin Qingyun grabbed the explosive Chao, pulling her behind him. If he were going to fight, he’d have done so already. To truly crush someone like this, violence was only the last resort.

“So you came prepared, full of confidence, Qian Shanming…” The way Li Daoze strutted about, like a petty man newly empowered, a dog biting the hand that feeds it, made Lin Qingyun want to laugh.

If not for Chao, and if not for living this life anew, he’d never crossed paths with Li Daoze in his previous life. But he could well imagine that, when he appeared before the world alongside Burning Heaven Blade and the others, Li Daoze would be quick to claim, “That was my club president, I was his little brother, I always followed him.” At least for now, spurred by Lin Qingyun’s changes, Li Daoze’s true nature was fully exposed.

Lin Qingyun mused aloud over the name Qian Shanming, for he knew him well. Greedy for money, that was Qian Shanming. Though now only a Grade Nine senior alchemist, in Lin Qingyun’s previous life, he’d become a master alchemist. Thirty years on, Qian Shanming had even become a Grade Nine master. Yet everything revolved around money for him; if you had money, he’d talk, if not, there was nothing to discuss. Clearly, achievement in alchemy and character had no necessary connection.

“It’s not that I’m prepared, it’s you who’s been too arrogant and reckless.” Li Daoze raised his head proudly, looking at Lin Qingyun. “Respect is earned, not given. Today, in front of so many club members, I won’t make things difficult for you. Apologize for what you said just now, and you can leave.”

Li Daoze’s side appeared strong and numerous, especially after Zheng Haoyue’s arrival with four bodyguards, making their presence all the more imposing.

By comparison, Lin Qingyun’s side consisted only of Zhao Chao, a tomboy.

“President Li, we’re all classmates. What happened just now was only a verbal dispute; isn’t this a bit much?” At that moment, Chu Qing timidly stepped forward, trying to mediate.

“Miss Chu, this is no joke. We’re all adults now, not in high school anymore. Best you stay out of this.” Li Daoze glanced at Chu Qing, showing her no courtesy.

Chu Qing was the class belle, and he’d once fancied her, but she kept her distance from everyone—no one had managed to win her over in three years of high school. Therefore, today Li Daoze gave her no face. His mind was set on the vast forest; a single unattainable tree no longer concerned him, especially as this was something he’d wanted to do for a long time.

“I just think it’s unnecessary…” Chu Qing tried again to help.

“Chu Qing, you don’t need to mediate. I want to see what he’s going to do, what the hell he can do. The two of us are right here—if you’re so capable, come at us! Who do you think you are, acting all high and mighty now, trying to reclaim the dignity you lost kneeling as a dog back then?” Chao’s anger boiled over, sleeves rolled up, ready to throw down.

Everyone focused on the confrontation, except Zheng Haoyue, who kept his eyes on Lin Qingyun. Like an observer, he’d said his piece and now watched as Lin Qingyun, after musing over Qian Shanming, began fiddling with his communicator, leaving Zheng Haoyue puzzled.

After more than a year apart, whether at the auction house where Lin Qingyun snatched Zhang Baole’s bid, or today, his actions didn’t match Zheng Haoyue’s memories. Lin Qingyun seemed entirely changed.

Could it be his parents’ disappearance had dramatically altered his character?

While Chu Qing tried to mediate, and Chao prepared to fight, Lin Qingyun had already finished his arrangements. Through a contact in the Lin Pharmaceutical Group’s external relations department, he had reached Qian Shanming.

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A low hum echoed as Lin Qingyun tossed a three-dimensional holographic projector onto the ground. The instant the call connected, Qian Shanming appeared before them, clad in traditional attire, slightly overweight, yet exuding the aura of a master.

“Teacher…” Li Daoze was startled by Qian Shanming’s sudden appearance, then glared angrily at Lin Qingyun. “Hmph, Lin Qingyun, I didn’t expect you to refuse to admit your mistake and apologize, instead resorting to using your family’s resources to contact my teacher, trying to have him solve your problem for you.”

Though he spoke angrily, Li Daoze felt secretly triumphant. If Lin Qingyun had to rely on Qian Shanming to speak for him, he’d already won.

Not only Li Daoze thought so; Zheng Haoyue frowned. This was the classic rich kid’s trick—make trouble, then call the parents. He’d thought Lin Qingyun was different now…

“Bro, we don’t need this. The two of us can handle them ourselves…” Chao was anxious, feeling this was unnecessary. Even if they managed to suppress Li Daoze by calling his teacher, it would still count as a loss—a bit like students running to the teacher or parents to solve disputes. Embarrassing.

“You’re… from the Lin family, hmm?” Qian Shanming’s holographic eyes surveyed the scene. Lin Qingyun could control what he saw, either just himself or the surroundings. Qian Shanming recognized Lin Qingyun and noticed Li Daoze and the others. He remembered Li Daoze but didn’t care; his focus was on Lin Qingyun.

He’d been in the middle of negotiations when the Lin Group’s external relations department contacted him, saying the major shareholder, young master Lin Qingyun, wanted to speak.

Seeing the situation, and hearing Li Daoze’s words, Qian Shanming immediately guessed the reason and frowned slightly. Was Lin Qingyun, heir to the Lin Group, really contacting him over a dispute with a not-yet-admitted student? That was a bit…

“If I recall correctly, the Li family mainly resells and distributes certain pharmaceuticals. They only have patents for two kinds of pills, both focused on tempering and stabilizing the foundation at the Heart of Qin stage.”

“Professor Qian’s collaboration with them must be in this area. Their two pills don’t sell more than three hundred million a year; with the collaboration, sales might increase by one or two hundred million, profits by tens of millions.”

As Lin Qingyun spoke, everyone exchanged bewildered glances. Qian Shanming was puzzled, and Li Daoze even more so, though a sense of foreboding began to gnaw at him.

“Lin—”

“Silence. I’m speaking with Professor Qian; you have no right to interrupt.” Li Daoze tried to cut Lin Qingyun off, but Lin Qingyun’s voice thundered, explosive as sunlight, stunning Li Daoze until stars danced before his eyes and he staggered.

Without waiting for Qian Shanming to speak, or for Zheng Haoyue to voice his displeasure, Lin Qingyun continued swiftly.

“Professor Qian, while organizing some of my father’s confidential alchemical formulas, I discovered he’d also researched low-cost tempering and stabilization pills. When he was around, the Lin Pharmaceutical Group avoided taking market share from local small pill companies, focusing only on high-end products.”

“Although his research hasn’t been fully mass-produced, the basic framework is complete. I’ve sent it to you as a private contract. If there are no issues, I believe we can collaborate with Professor Qian and Haicheng University in this area.”

“I’m willing to take a smaller profit; Haicheng University and Professor Qian can leverage school resources. We all make less, but we can lower the price of these basic pills by thirty to forty percent, benefiting poor cultivators. If Professor Qian agrees, this project can proceed as a joint effort between myself, Haicheng University, and your private research lab.”

“There are other public-benefit pills as well, and we can continue cooperating long-term. If Professor Qian finds this feasible, I suggest terminating your collaboration with the Li family. As for Li Daoze—he has questionable character, and I don’t recommend you take him as a disciple.”

A hundred years after the resurgence of spiritual energy, the state, sects, and families all had their own models, but the modern university system remained dominant. This was why cultivation had become so widely accessible.

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Ordinary students entered university and chose among martial arts, alchemy, array formations, and other departments, following standard courses. The exceptional few were chosen as disciples.

That was the source of Li Daoze’s pride—at a top university, only two or three percent of students were selected as disciples by professors or masters.

Lin Qingyun made no attempt to hide it, openly severing the Li family’s collaboration with Qian Shanming. If they no longer worked together, and Li Daoze wasn’t taken as a disciple, it was no real loss. After all, Li Daoze lacked the talent to make mentors desperate to take him as an heir.

“Teacher… don’t listen to him. He just had a dispute with me, he… he’s doing this…” Li Daoze, having recovered, desperately tried to explain to Qian Shanming.

He was flustered, and everyone else was stunned—Lin Qingyun was ruthless, directly severing Li Daoze’s foundation.

If this went through, the Li family would suffer greatly, and Li Daoze would be its scapegoat.

Could things really be done this way? Wasn’t this too ruthless…

But would the professor agree? It was all so blatant, so mercenary…

Qian Shanming’s expression was calm, but his heart surged with emotion. Lin Qingyun, scion of the Lin family, spoke of formulas found among his father’s papers—those would be from Lin Kunlun, already researched to the final stage.

Lin Kunlun, globally the youngest master alchemist, had already reached Grade Eight before disappearing last year. He founded the Lin Pharmaceutical Group and was the true disciple of Master Chifeng…

Qian Shanming ignored Li Daoze’s protests, quickly reviewing the information sent by Lin Qingyun.

As a leader among senior alchemists, Qian Shanming, while Li Daoze desperately pleaded, had already checked the data on a nearby device. Though simple, it was clearly at a high level—reducing costs by thirty percent, simplifying one ingredient. While it hadn’t undergone mass production trials, Qian Shanming’s expertise told him Lin Qingyun’s formulas were genuine.

To so thoroughly improve basic, affordable formulas for the Heart of Qin stage was extraordinary. Lin Qingyun claimed they were casually tossed aside by his genius father, Lin Kunlun, and Qian Shanming believed him, wholeheartedly. Only a genius like Lin Kunlun could achieve this, and then dismiss it as an afterthought, not bothering to mass produce.

“Ahem!” Qian Shanming cleared his throat. Though it was only a holographic call, his presence was unmistakable. His gaze turned to Li Daoze.

“I agreed to take you because of the Li family’s research partnership. Your talent is lacking, and your character I don’t yet know. Now, since I will no longer cooperate with the Li family, you are no longer my disciple.”

“Oh, and you never officially became my disciple—you haven’t even enrolled yet. That’s all; I’ll have someone send a formal notice to your family.”

At these words, Li Daoze was struck as if by lightning, left utterly dumbfounded.