Son, Put Your Father To The Test (FF)

Master Pang Qi's heart was filled with anguish.

He was trapped in a vicious cycle—raiding tombs, obtaining treasures and fortuitous opportunities, becoming stronger, and then raiding even larger tombs to acquire more treasures and opportunities, becoming even stronger, and continuing to raid more tombs...

Previously, he never realized that advancing his cultivation could be this easy.

Ever since he started tomb raiding, it was as if he had awakened some kind of fate or luck. His cultivation surged rapidly, and now he had reached the peak of the Nirvana Realm!

It had only been about half a year!

Such cultivation speed was simply terrifying.

But... he was not happy.

After all, he was an alchemist! His pursuit was not strength but the ultimate art of alchemy!

What was happening to him now?

He was rapidly growing stronger through tomb raiding, yet the high-level alchemy recipes he dreamed of were nowhere to be found!

What was the meaning of this?

Was this fate tempting him to give up alchemy and become a full-time tomb raider?

"Hmph, I will never give up! As long as I keep raiding tombs, I'll eventually dig up a high-level alchemy recipe!"

Inside a narrow tomb tunnel, Master Pang Qi squeezed himself out, gritting his teeth as he tried to encourage himself.

These days, his body was getting fatter, resembling a pudgy, oversized rat.

He suspected this was some side effect left by one of the many "fortuitous opportunities" he had encountered during his raids.

For example, when he opened a coffin, a hidden mechanism shot a dart at him, which was coated with some potent reddish liquid. The medicine's power burst through his cultivation bottleneck.

Or the time he tossed a corpse out of its coffin and was bitten by a black beetle hiding in the clothing, which caused his body to undergo a dramatic transformation, making him appear younger.

Then there was the time he accidentally triggered a trap, and a green liquid splashed over him, causing his whole body to smoke while his cultivation broke through to the next level!

In short, the tombs held unpredictable opportunities. A single careless action could result in breakthroughs.

This left him deeply troubled.

Why did he have such incredible luck but never find anything related to alchemy?

"Perhaps I should consult Master Qin Chuan. He managed to find so many alchemy recipes—he must have a special method."

Master Pang Qi muttered to himself as he thought this over.

By now, Qin Chuan's reputation in the Alchemist Association was sky-high. Even when he wasn't physically present, his legend remained.

Every day, alchemists used his recipes while watching his wealth grow at a terrifying rate...

...

The next day, Master Pang Qi visited the Seven Martial Sect.

However, he didn't get to see Qin Chuan because Qin Chuan was in seclusion in the library, and no one dared to disturb him.

Nowadays, Qin Chuan's status within the sect was unmatched. Everyone knew he was a powerful Saint-level expert!

So, Master Pang Qi stayed at the Seven Martial Sect, waiting for half a month before Qin Chuan finally emerged.

"Master Qin Chuan!"

Master Pang Qi greeted him with a big smile, looking slightly nervous. He wiped his hands on his robe, as if trying to remove nonexistent dirt.

"Pang Qi, what brings you here?"

Qin Chuan was a bit surprised when he saw him. He noticed that this man seemed much younger than before.

"Master Qin, may I... have a private word with you?"

Master Pang Qi winked and gestured, clearly wanting to discuss something secretive.

Matters like these couldn't be discussed openly. If word got out about his tomb raiding, he might get killed.

Qin Chuan instantly understood, giving Master Pang Qi a knowing smile. He then led him into the library.

"Master Qin, I brought a little gift for you, please accept it."

Master Pang Qi, ever so obsequious, handed over an old, yellowed booklet to Qin Chuan.

The booklet looked ancient, but it was well-preserved and showed no signs of decay. Four bold characters were inscribed on the cover:

Qinglian Sword Art!

These characters were vigorous and archaic, carrying an astonishing sharpness. Just staring at them for too long caused a stabbing pain in one's soul.

"Hmm?!"

Qin Chuan was slightly taken aback. The feeling these words gave him was exactly the same as the Qinglian Sword he had obtained.

He immediately grabbed Master Pang Qi's arm and asked, "Where did you find this booklet?"

"Uh, I... dug it up from an ancient tomb, but there was no body, just a memorial tomb."

Master Pang Qi looked a little guilty, then asked cautiously, "Do you... have a connection to the tomb's owner?"

He was nervous.

What if, by accident, he had dug up one of Qin Chuan's ancestral graves? If that were the case, it would be like jumping into a boiling pot of oil.

"No, I was just curious."

Qin Chuan released Master Pang Qi's arm. He now suspected that the royal Qinglian ancestor might not have actually died.

After all, the entire royal family seemed to be putting on an act.

But it wasn't really his concern, and he had no interest in digging deeper. It wouldn't benefit him to interfere in such matters.

As for the sword manual, he accepted it.

The sword art seemed to be a perfect match for the Qinglian Sword, likely crafted for use by peak Saint-level experts. It conveniently filled the gap in his swordsmanship—he couldn't just wield a sword without knowing how to use it properly.

"What is it you wanted to ask me? Speak directly."

Qin Chuan put the manual away and asked.

"I was hoping to ask for your guidance on how to dig up alchemy recipes from tombs."

Master Pang Qi lowered his head in embarrassment and said, "To be honest, I've raided so many tombs but haven't found a single recipe."

Qin Chuan was dumbfounded.

How would he know the answer to that?

When he had told Pang Qi that his recipes came from tomb raiding, this guy had taken it seriously? Did he really think Qin Chuan was some kind of tomb-raiding expert?

No wonder Pang Qi had addressed him so naturally as "Master Qin"—he thought he was an expert in this field!

Qin Chuan was speechless.

But since he had already accepted the gift, he couldn't just say he didn't know the answer. After all, one shouldn't take benefits without delivering results.

Whether the advice worked or not was a different matter.

He composed himself, his expression growing serious, his gaze becoming deep and mysterious. In a calm voice, he asked, "Do you believe... in tomb luck?"

Master Pang Qi froze.

Normally, he wouldn't have, but given his recent experiences, he believed!

After all, he had mysteriously avoided countless dangers while raiding tombs—he couldn't deny it.

"In fact, there's an ancient saying about tomb luck. You've probably heard the phrase 'a grave emits auspicious smoke,' which refers to the tomb's luck spilling over, affecting someone's fate."

Qin Chuan explained, "For a tomb raider, their fate becomes tied to the grave, and their fortune will be influenced by the tomb's luck. This influence is uncontrollable."

"In other words, when you enter a tomb, you might avoid all dangers and survive, but what you gain from it is not up to you."

He specifically mentioned avoiding danger.

After all, he knew that Pang Qi had surely had many close encounters in tombs, or he wouldn't be standing here today.

The person in question often misses the bigger picture.

But hearing this, Master Pang Qi was astonished. He thought, This is uncanny! He even knows that I've narrowly escaped death in tombs!

This must be a true expert!

"Then, how do I change this? How can I find an alchemy recipe?"

Master Pang Qi asked anxiously, his anticipation rising.

"That's actually not difficult."

Qin Chuan responded calmly, "Tomb luck isn't completely uncontrollable. However, it requires your heart to fully align with tomb raiding. Only then can you resonate with the tomb's luck."

"What do you mean by that?"

Master Pang Qi was confused.

Qin Chuan smiled confidently and explained, "When you raid tombs with the sole goal of finding an alchemy recipe, your mind is fixated on the recipe, rejecting the tomb raiding process itself. Naturally, the tomb's luck won't favor you."

"But when you focus solely on tomb raiding, respecting the act of tomb raiding for what it is, the tomb's luck will naturally smile upon you. When that happens, the alchemy recipe you desire will manifest."

"As the saying goes, 'Flowers bloom when least expected; willows grow without being planted.'"

Qin Chuan's words were forceful and resonant!

"I see..." Master Pang Qi trembled as if struck by lightning. His mind cleared, and everything fell into place!

It was as if a grand door had opened before him, revealing a new path.

His soul was elevated, entering a completely new realm of understanding.