Under the gaze of all present.
"A month ago, an alchemist adult found my son and said he had the talent to become an alchemist, taking him as a disciple... Later, that alchemist adult gave my son a medicinal formula. According to what is written on the formula, my son brewed a medicinal liquid called the 'Six-Treasure Body Tempering Fluid', which can enhance the cultivation speed of martial artists in the Body Tempering Realm!"
Li Rou said slowly.
Enhance the cultivation speed of martial artists in the Body Tempering Realm?
Li Rou's words were like a thunderclap, shocking everyone except Seventh Elder Li Kun, including Great Elder Li Huo.
"Li Rou, stop spouting nonsense! In my opinion, you are just mystifying things. What alchemist, what medicinal liquid—it's all completely fabricated by you! You are clearly just looking for an excuse to absolve your son of his crimes!"
Seventh Elder Li Kun stood up in agitation, glared at Li Rou, and shouted sternly.
"Great Elder, you are a Grade Nine Alchemist. This is the medicinal formula written by my son. Although it doesn't specify the proportions of the medicinal ingredients, it is still enough to catch a glimpse of the whole leopard. Whether it is true or false, you will know at a glance."
Ignoring Li Kun, Li Rou took out a medicinal formula and handed it to Li Huo, using facts to prove everything.
Li Huo unfolded the medicinal formula and began to read.
"Wonderful! Truly wonderful! Why didn't I think of this before? Combining these six medicinal ingredients, as long as the proportions are properly mixed, it is indeed possible to enhance the cultivation speed of martial artists in the Body Tempering Realm."
"Moreover, the medicinal efficacy of these ingredients is very easily absorbed. No wonder... no wonder that little fellow was able to undergo such a huge change in just one month. Most importantly, these medicinal ingredients are very ordinary. Any elder has the ability to provide them for their children's long-term use."
After reading it, a flash of bright light crossed Li Huo's cloudy eyes, and he exclaimed.
The upper echelons of the Li Family present could choose not to believe Li Rou's words.
However, Great Elder Li Huo was the only Grade Nine Alchemist in the Li Family, and no one would doubt his words.
For a moment, they were all stirred with excitement.
This kind of medicinal liquid was enough to change the destiny of their children, and change the destiny of the Li Family.
"Patriarch!"
Li Huo looked at Li Nanfeng with a solemn expression.
Li Nanfeng nodded heavily.
He knew this was an opportunity for the Li Family.
"Ninth Elder, do you mean that Duan Lingtian can brew this kind of medicinal liquid?"
Li Nanfeng looked at Li Rou.
"Yes."
Li Rou nodded.
For a moment, the main hall of the Li Family was filled with the sound of heavy breathing.
Every Li Family elder present had children of their own.
One could imagine that if their children could obtain the medicinal liquid brewed by Duan Lingtian, their cultivation would surely advance by leaps and bounds.
The changes that happened to Duan Lingtian were the best example.
Every parent hopes for their children to succeed.
"Ninth Elder, since your son Duan Lingtian obtained such a precious medicinal formula, he should contribute it and hand it over to the family... Elders, what do you say?"
Sensing that the atmosphere was wrong, Seventh Elder Li Kun's face sank as he spoke directly.
"Right, Seventh Elder makes sense. Such a precious medicinal formula should naturally be handed over to be shared with the family."
Sixth Elder Li Ping also voiced his support.
"Hahahaha..."
Just as Li Rou's face darkened and she was about to retort, a wild laugh came from outside the main hall.
"Patriarch, Duan Lingtian requests an audience!"
Abruptly, the laughter cut off.
Duan Lingtian!
The eyes of the Li Family elders in the hall lit up.
If, in their eyes, the former Duan Lingtian was just an outsider...
Then the current Duan Lingtian was the hope that could allow their children to soar into the sky.
"Come in."
Li Nanfeng replied.
"Sixth Elder, what did you just say? Did I hear you correctly? You want me to share the medicinal formula?"
Duan Lingtian stepped inside and walked directly up to Sixth Elder Li Ping, asking indifferently.
"That's right! Duan Lingtian, I know you are an outsider, but you've eaten and worn things provided by the Li Family all these years. Shouldn't you pay the Li Family back now?"
Li Ping said with a righteous air.
"When did I ever eat or wear things provided by the Li Family? The silver I used for food and clothing was all earned by my mother through her salary for working for the Li Family. What does that have to do with the Li Family? Even if we weren't in the Li Family, couldn't my mother and I get this kind of salary if we defected to the Chen family or the Fang family?"
Duan Lingtian smiled.
"Duan Lingtian, you have some nerve! How dare you betray the family!"
Seizing the opportunity, Li Kun directly slapped Duan Lingtian with the charge of betraying the family.
"Betray the family? Li Kun, I know that crippling your son Li Jie made you hate me to the bone, but so what? I haven't violated family rules... Right now, are you trying to frame me for betraying the family so you can use private punishment against me to avenge your son?"
Duan Lingtian smiled with disdain, tearing off all pretense.
"You literally just said you're going to defect to the Chen family and the Fang family. How is that not betraying the family?"
Having his inner thoughts exposed by Duan Lingtian, Li Kun flew into a rage from embarrassment.
"Idiot! Which of the elders present couldn't hear that I was just using an analogy? Do you understand what an 'analogy' is? Didn't your parents teach you what an 'analogy' means? What I said just now was simply to tell the Sixth Elder that I don't owe the Li Family anything. The only reason I am standing here right now is because the Li Family is my mother's home!"
After spitting all over Li Kun's face, Duan Lingtian turned his gaze back to Li Ping.
"Sixth Elder, if you want me to help brew medicinal liquid for your son in the future, I hope you think things through before you speak, and think clearly before you do things... lest we ruin our cordial relations. Don't you think that's reasonable?"
A threat!
A naked threat!
Li Ping's face darkened, but he obediently shut his mouth.
Duan Lingtian's threat had struck his soft spot.
"Putting aside what I just said, even if I were willing to hand the medicinal formula over to the family, I wouldn't dare... My teacher said that anyone who dares to forcefully snatch my medicinal formula will undoubtedly die!"
Duan Lingtian shifted his gaze, speaking with resounding certainty.
Duan Lingtian's words caused the upper echelons of the Li Family present to gasp.
Only then did they remember that Ninth Elder Li Rou had indeed mentioned earlier that an alchemist had taken Duan Lingtian as a disciple and passed down a medicinal formula.
However, they had focused entirely on the medicinal formula and forgotten about that alchemist.
"Little fellow, what grade of alchemist is your teacher?"
Great Elder Li Huo asked.
"I don't know what grade of alchemist he is either, but I've seen him refine pills with my own eyes. He uses Origin Force to condense pill fire, and the color of the pill fire seemed to be golden..."
Duan Lingtian frowned, pretending to recall as he spoke.
"What?!"
Li Huo's pupils constricted. He stood up instantly and exclaimed, "A Seventh-Grade Alchemist!"
A Seventh-Grade Alchemist?
The upper echelons of the Li Family were completely dumbfounded. Patriarch Li Nanfeng asked, "Great Elder, are you certain?"
Li Huo let out a low snort. "Any graded alchemist knows that an alchemist who can condense golden pill fire must be a Seventh-Grade Alchemist... Furthermore, a Seventh-Grade Alchemist is at the very least an expert above the Seventh Level of the Yuandan Realm!"
A Yuandan Realm expert!
The hearts of the Li Family's upper echelons shook violently once again.
A Yuandan Realm expert was an existence surpassing the Dan Condensation Stage, and the strongest person in their Li Family, the Great Elder, was only at the Dan Condensation Stage - Level 6.
At this moment, no one doubted Duan Lingtian's words. Even people like them who had lived for most of their lives did not know until today that the pill fire of a Seventh-Grade Alchemist was golden.
"This little bastard really lucked out!"
Seventh Elder Li Kun's face looked as unsightly as it could possibly be.
"Patriarch, Elders, I have things to attend to, so I'll be heading back first. Oh, Elders, if you need me to help brew the 'Six-Treasure Body Tempering Fluid', you can buy the medicinal ingredients and bring them to me... Right, I almost forgot, Patriarch, I seem to still have one thousand liang of silver with you, don't I?"
After taking back the one thousand liang silver note stored with Li Nanfeng, Duan Lingtian swaggered out of the Li Family main hall.
The Six-Treasure Body Tempering Fluid was a medicinal liquid Duan Lingtian had created by removing one medicinal ingredient from the Seven Treasures Body Tempering Liquid, and its effect was only half of the Seven Treasures Body Tempering Liquid.
Duan Lingtian was not generous enough to share the best things with others.
"Patriarch, Great Elder, my son should be waking up soon. I'll head back first."
Seventh Elder Li Kun took a deep breath, his mood complicated as he left the Li Family main hall.
He knew that now, all the elders—including Sixth Elder Li Ping, who was on good terms with him—had requests of Duan Lingtian for the sake of their children's future. They would no longer make things difficult for Duan Lingtian for the sake of his crippled son.
"I'll take my leave as well."
Li Rou hurriedly followed after him; she was worried that Li Kun might become desperate and make a direct move against her son.
Inside the Li Family main hall, the remaining Li Family elders did not leave.
Under the chairmanship of Patriarch Li Nanfeng, another family meeting began.
This family meeting revolved primarily around the medicinal formula mastered by Duan Lingtian.
Finally, for the sake of confidentiality, they unanimously decided to allow only the children of those present to use this medicinal liquid.
"Patriarch!"
Fifth Elder Li Ting looked at Li Nanfeng with a solemn expression.
"Today, we didn't punish Duan Lingtian, and Seventh Elder definitely harbors resentment. If he spreads the word about the Six-Treasure Body Tempering Fluid, even if the Chen family and the Fang family are wary of the Seventh-Grade Alchemist behind Duan Lingtian, they will surely join forces to coerce our Li Family and demand a share."
"Fifth Elder is right. I know Seventh Elder very well. Even with a Seventh-Grade Alchemist backing Duan Lingtian, he will never let this matter rest."
Sixth Elder Li Ping also said with trepidation.
As soon as he finished speaking, he noticed Li Ting looking at him with a bizarre expression, and couldn't help smiling awkwardly.
"This matter also concerns my son's future."
His relationship with Seventh Elder was good, but now that his son's future was at stake, he had made his choice.
Soon, the upper echelons of the Li Family made a major and covert decision.