Chapter 202: Ignorant and Uninformed

After some thought, Lin Dong felt something was off and asked in confusion, “Is the Guangling Dan a spiritual pill below the fifth level?”
Yun Lan shook her head. “The main ingredient is the seventh-level Wanhong Fruit, so it certainly isn’t a fifth-level spiritual pill. The Guangling Dan belongs to the seventh level.”
“If it’s a seventh-level spiritual pill, how can a fifth-level alchemist create it?” Lin Dong was surprised.
“The reason lower-level alchemists can’t create higher-level pills is, first, their spiritual energy isn’t pure enough, and second, they can’t comprehend or master the methods for crafting seventh-level pills.” After a pause, ensuring Lin Dong understood, Yun Lan explained, “With my strength, I already possess the spiritual energy needed to create seventh-level pills. Although I can’t fully comprehend or master the methods, my success rate is still only lower than that of a seventh-level alchemist. A seventh-level alchemist might succeed once every two attempts, while I can succeed once every hundred attempts.”
Lin Dong was speechless. Though one Wanhong Fruit could be used to make several Guangling Dans, taking them directly was more effective than taking just one Wanhong Fruit. But with a success rate of one in a hundred attempts, it was still less efficient than taking the Wanhong Fruit directly.
Yun Lan clearly saw Lin Dong’s thoughts and smiled gently, saying slowly, “Whether it’s alchemists or blacksmiths, they all build their skills through countless materials. A second-level alchemist using first-level spiritual materials has a nearly 100% success rate, but compared to using second-level materials, the success rate might only be half. Yet their growth rate is definitely faster. If you’re willing to use ninth-level materials every day to train alchemists—just any few people—ignoring their strength, their growth rate could even exceed that of genius alchemists.”
Lin Dong didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Using ninth-level materials to train first-level alchemists—after establishing inns at levels 100 to 180 and having branches in every village across the Han Country—might indeed be worth trying.
“Whether you’re willing or not is up to you,” Yun Lan said leisurely.
How could he not be willing? The inn had only Yun Lan as an alchemist, one who knew all the methods for crafting various pills. They had to become a high-level alchemist at all costs. But…
Lin Dong hesitated for a moment before asking, “Weren’t you uninterested in alchemy? From what you said, it seems like you’re willing to start learning it now?”
“The Tianjian Sect is based on the Tianjian Art and alchemy. As the next sect leader, it’s unacceptable not to understand alchemy,” Yun Lan said calmly. “If someone offers me high-level spiritual materials for free to craft pills, why would I refuse?”

Lin Dong didn’t believe it, but he was smart enough not to ask further. He changed the subject and said, “What materials are needed for the Reverse Meridian Pill? If there are restrictions in the sect rules, just mention the high-level materials required—there’s no need to specify the quantities.”
“Grade 9 Eye-Clarifying Grass, Grade 9 Heart-Nourishing Flower, Grade 9 Immortal Beast Inner Core, Heavenly Wave Soil…”
Yun Lan listed them one by one. Lin Dong felt dizzy listening and quickly waved his hand, saying, “Wait, wait—too fast! I don’t have a memory like that; I can’t remember all of it at once.”
“If you really want it, I’ll write it down for you later. But…” Yun Lan said meaningfully, “It’s best if you give up the idea of asking my father to help mass-produce Reverse Meridian Pills. With his temper, if he finds out you can gather enough materials for large-scale production, he’ll definitely investigate to the bottom. And if he learns you have a spiritual array that can make spiritual materials grow faster than vegetables, even with Old Master Ding protecting you, he’ll spare no effort to lock you up in the Nine Nether Ice Prison of our Tianjian Sect and force you to hand over the array.”
Lin Dong mumbled, “That’s a bit too harsh, isn’t it? After all, I can be considered his drinking companion. Besides, aren’t you here?”
“If you hand over the array, he should let you go,” Yun Lan said with a light smile.
Lin Dong was speechless—it was as if he hadn’t said anything. Thinking it over, he and Yun Cangqiong had only been drinking companions for seven or eight days, and there was also Yun Lan as a link between them. But the Reverse Meridian Pill was no trivial matter. If mass-produced, it would essentially allow for the large-scale creation of cultivation geniuses. The temptation was simply too great for a sect master.
Even if Yun Cangqiong valued Yun Lan more than Tianjian Sect, he would never value a friend of Yun Lan more than the sect itself. The fact that he would spare Lin Dong’s life instead of killing him after getting the array already made him an extremely kind person—rare as one in a million.
It seemed that mass-producing Reverse Meridian Pills was only possible once Yun Lan became a Grade 7 or 8 alchemist. Otherwise, at most, he could only gather a small amount of materials to have Yun Cangqiong help make ten or eight pills.
Wiping the dirt off his palms, Lin Dong asked, “What grade are you as a spiritual array master now?”
“Grade 7!” Yun Lan smiled. “My strength is limited, so no matter how hard I try, it’s in vain. Fortunately, you have a spiritual array that can speed up cultivation. In a few more years, I should be able to become a Grade 8 spiritual array master.”

Lin Dong smiled, locked the door, and stretched, saying, “When you have time, tell me more about alchemists, spirit array masters, blacksmiths, and such! I realize I don’t know anything at all. I only found out recently that the seeds and branches of high-level spirit trees exist, and I just learned that lower-level alchemists can create high-level spirit pills. I’m really too ignorant.”

Yun Lan nodded. “It’s normal if you’re not a disciple of the sect to not know these things. I’ll introduce them to you during meals from now on.”

They parted in the corridor. Lin Dong returned to his room, planned out the layout of his small garden and matters related to the Wanhong Fruit, then sat in meditation.

Early in the morning, there was a knock at the door. As soon as Lin Dong opened it, Ma Chun asked, “Boss, Qiao Tianhao, the former head chef of Fenglin Restaurant, is here. He says you asked him to join our Lin’s Inn as the chief chef.”

“Yes! I’ll go see him.”

Lin Dong nodded with a smile and strode toward the lobby. As soon as he entered, he saw several staff members massaging Qiao Tianhao’s legs and back, while Qiao Tianhao lay back in a wooden chair, his feet on the counter, his blue cloth shoes swaying leisurely.

“It seems you’re being very polite to him?” Lin Dong asked Ma Chun, who was following behind.

“He’s the head chef of Fenglin Restaurant. Since he’s coming to our inn and even ranks below Jiang Kui, how can we not be polite?” Ma Chun had joined the inn after Qiao Tianhao caused trouble and knew little about his personality. From the investigation materials, he knew that this Qiao Tianhao didn’t even respect the inn owner at Fenglin Restaurant, so they dared not neglect him.

“Remember, never be polite to him in the future. Otherwise, he won’t be polite to you,” Lin Dong instructed, leaving Ma Chun, who was still trying to process his words, and strode over to the counter.

“Boss!”

Seeing Lin Dong arrive, the staff quickly stepped aside.

“Boss!”

Qiao Tianhao hurriedly put his feet down and stood up, saying with flattery, “Good morning, boss. You look really good today.”

“You’re quite eloquent,” Lin Dong said coldly, casually grabbing a stool. “Your skills at playing the ‘Lord Qiao’ are also quite good.”

Qiao Tianhao’s legs turned weak, and he almost collapsed. He was all too familiar with the consequences of Lin Dong grabbing a stool.

“You must follow the rules of this inn once you’re here,” Lin Dong said sternly. “Don’t use the tactics you used at Fenglin Restaurant here, and don’t think that just because you’re a good cook, you can act like a lord.”

“Understood, understood.”

Qiao Tianhao nodded eagerly, ready to swear an oath. Lin Dong casually put down the stool and said gravely, “Are you sure you want to join our Lin’s Inn as a chef?”

“I’d be happy to,” Qiao Tianhao said obsequiously. “To be an underling of the owner is a fortune I, Qiao Tianhao, would have to work hard for ten lifetimes to earn.”
“Alright, starting today, you’ll be the head chef at Lin’s Inn.” Lin Dong turned to Ma Chun, who was running over. “Take him to the kitchen. Whether it’s guests, kitchen staff, or helpers, if anyone expresses even the slightest complaint about him, give them ten whips. If there are more than two complaints, let me know.”
Ma Chun was stunned. When had the owner become so strict?
“Manager Ma, please give me any orders you have in the future,” Qiao Tianhao said with a smile, looking at Ma Chun. “I can’t sit still. Chopping wood, boiling water, wiping tables—please don’t hesitate to assign me these trivial tasks.”
Seeing Qiao Tianhao’s somewhat flattering smile, Ma Chun found it hard to believe. Just moments ago, he had acted as if Qiao Tianhao was the most important person after the owner, but now he had completely changed.
Though puzzled, Ma Chun didn’t dare delay and immediately took Qiao Tianhao to the kitchen.
Lin Dong checked the inn’s system and saw Qiao Tianhao’s name on the list. His initial attributes were all at top-tier levels, with a few even exceeding Jiang Kui’s. The only attribute below 90, and even failing, was loyalty—30! Less than a third of Jiang Kui’s. Lin Dong had no doubt that if he didn’t let this kid taste some success, he’d run away within a month.
Just as he planned to return to the backyard to practice for a few more weeks, Feng Changzhai and his family of four arrived with gift boxes.
Reluctantly, Lin Dong had to greet them himself. By the time he saw them leave, it was already time to prepare breakfast…
For half a month, the news of Qiao Tianhao leaving Maple Forest Restaurant to join Lin’s Inn didn’t spread. Undoubtedly, Maple Forest Restaurant’s owner, Jiang Youcai, had also strictly ordered his staff not to spread the news, just like Lin Dong.
This made Lin Dong feel much more at ease. If the news had spread, it would have been great publicity for the inn. But poaching staff was never a honorable act, so it was better to keep it hidden.
Over these half a month, although the inn’s system showed no significant improvement in cooking skills, the kitchen’s skill bonuses did increase Qiao Tianhao’s loyalty by a few points. As a result, though Ma Chun, the chefs, and the helpers were still not used to speaking harshly to him, his loyalty kept them in check.

The only truly outstanding chef at Lin’s Inn is Jiang Kui. The other chefs, even with their culinary enhancements, still fall short compared to the master chefs at major restaurants. Jiang Kui specializes in home-style dishes, and although his skills with spiritual beasts and materials have improved significantly, he still lags behind the head chefs at those restaurants. Qiao Tianhao learned from Chef Jiang Yi and has extensive knowledge of spiritual beasts and materials. His arrival has undoubtedly raised the overall culinary standards of Lin’s Inn. As a result, the number of tables served on the second floor has increased from 123 to 128–129 per day in the past half month. Though the increase isn’t very substantial, it’s remarkable given the continuous price cuts at Maple Forest Restaurant and the rising popularity of Windward Pavilion. Qiao Tianhao, the new top chef, deserves a great deal of credit for this!