In the next moment, under the astonished gazes of the crowd, Guan Chengye's body began to tremble. His facial skin then started to squirm as if he were in agony.

"Master Lin, what is this…?"

Everyone was startled, their faces filled with panic. They feared the so-called elixir was actually poison.

However, Lin Mu offered no explanation, instead serenely sipping his tea.

UGH!

Suddenly, Guan Chengye spat out a mouthful of black, foul-smelling blood.

"It really is poison!" a magnate exclaimed in alarm, shooting to his feet and pointing at Lin Mu. He suppressed his rage and said, "Master Lin, what is the meaning of this? We were kind enough to help you, and you repay us by trying to harm us?"

This man was Cheng Bugui, a major figure in River City whose influence was comparable to Dao Wuming's. As soon as he spoke, the expressions of the other leaders turned grim.

"Everyone, please calm down," Song Wen said, standing up to soothe the crowd. Although his own face was pale, he continued, "With Master Lin's strength, if he wanted to harm us, why would he need to stoop to a despicable method like poison?"

Liang Yue hurriedly agreed. "That's right, Old Master Song is correct. If Master Lin really wanted to do something to us, he could have just attacked directly. There's no need for all this trouble."

Though their faces remained dark, Cheng Bugui and the others said no more.

As for Lin Mu, he simply maintained a calm smile from beginning to end, looking completely unfazed. Only then did the others turn their attention back to Guan Chengye.

Just a few seconds later, a shocking scene unfolded.

BOOM!

A dull thud echoed from within Guan Chengye's body, and a powerful aura erupted from him. At the same time, the wrinkles on his face began to fade. His complexion grew rosy, and he looked as if he had shed more than a decade from his age, radiating with vitality.

WOW!

The crowd gasped in amazement, staring at Guan Chengye with utter disbelief.

"Hahaha! My injuries... they're completely healed!" Guan Chengye burst out laughing, his voice trembling with emotion. "In my early years, I fought battles far and wide. Even after treatment, I was left with many hidden injuries that caused my strength to stagnate. I thought I'd never have a chance to fully recover in this lifetime, but to think a single elixir could not only heal my injuries but also considerably improve my strength!"

With that, Guan Chengye stepped forward and bowed deeply to Lin Mu. "I, Guan Chengye, thank Master Lin for this gift of rebirth!"

Lin Mu nodded slightly and looked at the others. At that moment, all traces of doubt vanished from their eyes. Their gazes were now fixed with fiery intensity on the porcelain bottle on the table.

If we weren't weaker than Lin Mu, we might just try to seize it by force, some of them thought.

Seemingly sensing their thoughts, Guan Chengye shifted his position slightly, moving to stand in front of the table and shield Lin Mu.

Cheng Bugui swallowed hard, suppressing the reckless idea in his heart. He cupped his hands and said, "Master Lin, what is the price for this elixir?"

"Indeed, Master Lin! No matter the cost, I, Song Wen, will buy one!" Song Wen exclaimed, equally thrilled. He too was a Martial Artist, but his cultivation level was low, only at the mid-stage of External Strength. At my age, I no longer expect any breakthroughs on the Martial Way, but a miraculous elixir like this could extend my life by at least ten years! No matter the cost, I must get one!

Everyone's breathing grew ragged as they stared intently at Lin Mu.

Lin Mu smiled faintly. "No charge. I'm giving them to you. Of course, it's one per person."

What?

No charge?

Free?

The crowd was stunned, certain they had misheard.

Cheng Bugui got straight to the point. "What are your conditions, Master Lin?" He never believed that good things just fell from the sky. And with an Immortal Pill this potent, I refuse to believe Master Lin would give it away for nothing.

Lin Mu gave him an appreciative look and smiled. "I own a pharmaceutical company, and I plan to use it to produce this."

"What did you say?" Even Guan Chengye couldn't hide his shock. "Master Lin, are you saying this can be mass-produced?"

Lin Mu slowly shook his head. "Mass production is an overstatement. Besides, some of the required medicinal ingredients are hard to find. However, if we modify the formula slightly, the resulting product, while not as effective as this one, will still be a hundred times better than anything else on the market."

Lin Mu's explanation was clear, and the others were no fools. They understood his meaning perfectly. With their business acumen, they could already see the immense profits and opportunities this represented.

"What do you need from us, Master Lin?" Song Wen asked gravely.

Although the Song Family was a clan of scholars that valued literature and etiquette, every great family's growth depended on its industrial enterprises. And this… this could be a pivotal moment for the Song Family's next hundred years!

The others looked on, their faces a mixture of curiosity and anticipation.

Lin Mu smiled. "Simple. I want you all to invest in my company. We will pool all the resources in River City, and even the entire Three Rivers Area, to operate it. I'll take an eighty percent stake, and the remaining twenty percent will be divided equally among you."

This was a plan he had considered for some time. Cultivation relies on wealth, companionship, method, and location, with wealth always being the most critical. Given his current condition, the only way to rapidly raise his cultivation level was through the aid of various elixirs and training in locations rich with Spiritual Energy. Both of those required an immense amount of money! Although he could help the Qin Family leverage their status in River City to grow quickly and amass a fortune, they were ultimately outsiders. Given Lin Mu's personality, he was unwilling to rely on them. That was why he had taken over Boheng Pharma, to build his own industrial base in River City. Of course, he would still help the Qin Family—the two endeavors weren't mutually exclusive. In fact, he had another, grander plan slowly taking shape in his mind, but the time was not yet ripe for it.

The magnates exchanged hesitant glances. After all, an eighty percent stake was enormous.

"The Guan Family has no objection!" Guan Chengye declared, the first to speak. The Guan Family was already inextricably linked with Lin Mu.

"The Song Family has no objection either," Song Wen said with a shrewd smile.

Liang Yue also nodded in agreement. The Liang Family was in the medicinal herb business, so partnering with Master Lin was a golden opportunity for them.

Next was Ning Xian. For him, the shares were irrelevant. What truly mattered were Mr. Lin's endless stream of medicinal recipes and elixir formulas.

With these key figures having voiced their support, Cheng Bugui and the remaining men also nodded their assent.

"Good. These elixirs are yours," Lin Mu said with a smile.

The moment he finished speaking, the dozen or so people scrambled over each other to claim the Essence Cultivating Pills from the table. They swallowed them in a single gulp, as if terrified someone else would snatch them away.

Lin Mu watched them quietly. Only after they had all taken the pills and begun to feel the incredible changes in their bodies did he speak again, his tone cool. "You have all taken the elixirs. Now, I want you to remember one thing."

He stood up, clasped his hands behind his back, and swept his gaze across the room.

"Everything you now possess was given to you by me. And I can take it all away whenever I please."

His voice was quiet, yet it resounded with absolute authority.

"There can only be one voice in River City!"

As his words fell, Guan Chengye was the first to drop to his knees, his voice filled with profound respect. "We pay our respects to the Venerable Master!"

"We pay our respects to the Venerable Master!" the others echoed, kneeling in unison.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.