Lin Fenglei faced a stern expression. Since he assumed the position of family head, no one had dared to question him—especially not in front of outsiders, and that outsider was Qin Feng. This made him feel deeply embarrassed. In fact, the situation exactly matched Lin Jia's earlier prediction: despite his efforts, he had failed to produce a single pill, and in the process, he had depleted over 90% of the medicinal inventory. Without this inventory, the Lin family members would not receive any pills next year. Although a year might not seem significant for cultivators, who enjoy lifespans far exceeding ordinary people, going a year without pills would negatively impact cultivation progress. Even if the impact on an individual was minor, it would still affect the family's overall interests. Under the influence of Lin Fenglei, all the members of the Lin family are cold and reserved, always thinking about how to secure more advantages, and even minor losses seem to be unbearable. Once they hear that there will be no medicinal pills available next year, they will certainly insist on their demands. This is exactly what one might call "what you sow, you reap"—or simply, self-inflicted hardship. As for how to navigate through this crisis, the old man has no particularly solid plans in mind. He can only rely on his status as a resident of the family home, hoping to calm the current group of people and buy himself some breathing room before making further decisions. He shrugged: "You're talking about family matters, and strictly speaking, I'm still an outsider. I'm not sure I'd be comfortable staying here. I remember someone clearly mentioned yesterday that it was still uncertain whether I could become the son-in-law of the Lin family. So, I don't intend to get involved—I'm stepping down!" "Qin Feng, now I'm beginning to doubt you myself," Lin Jiahou intercepted him and said, "I'm not sure whether the alchemy techniques you've taught the family head are genuine." Under normal circumstances, Lin Fenglei should have stepped forward first to testify and prove the validity of his alchemy methods. Yet, the old man didn't do so—he even saw it as a strategic move to deflect attention. When all the scrutiny is focused on Qin Feng, his own pressure will be significantly reduced. Therefore, he chose to remain silent. Qin Feng looked at Lin Jiahou and said, "Whether it's true or false, you should ask the old man yourself. Will doubting me really help?" Lin Jiahao did this deliberately to add another charge against Lin Fenglei—one of being unable to distinguish right from wrong. That’s why he was so eager to confront Qin Feng, and only after securing Qin Feng’s position would he turn his attention to Lin Fenglei. The old man was genuinely convinced that Lin Jiahao had deliberately created difficulties with Qin Feng out of concern for his younger brother, and had no intention of challenging his status as head of the family. Two expressions surged upon the old man's face—now, even if he were willing to swear it, Lin Jiahou and the others would likely still not believe him. Lin Jiahou felt a quiet joy within; he hadn't expected such an unexpected windfall. Not only had he challenged the head of the household, but he also got to witness the entire process of alchemy firsthand—winning both ways. Qin Feng didn't care about any of that. He walked to a corner, reached out, and lifted the bronze alchemical furnace, then settled into a meditative posture. "I'll demonstrate just once," he declared. "Whether you learn it or not is entirely up to you—it has nothing to do with me!" With that, he began the alchemical process. The herbs, the furnace, and the infusion of spiritual energy combined seamlessly. As before, he deliberately skipped certain details—details even Lin Feng couldn't perceive, let alone Lin Jiahou and the others, who were less familiar with alchemy. A few minutes later, the batch of pills was complete, with a 100% success rate. Lin Fenglei felt inspired and couldn’t wait to put his ideas into practice. Lin Jiahou and the others also found the experience deeply beneficial—once they mastered alchemy, they would no longer have to look to the patriarch for approval. "Have you all observed carefully?" he stood up, holding the twelve newly crafted Qi-accumulating pills in his hands, pointing with clear intent. "The alchemical process is actually quite simple. The real problem lies in people developing bad habits—these habits are often the primary cause of failure. Of course, as long as you master my method, alchemy becomes as simple as making candied beans!" Lin Jiahou was truly impressed. It was no wonder the patriarch held such high regard for him—just this one skill in alchemy alone could establish him as a force to be reckoned with in the cultivation world. They didn’t know that, in terms of alchemical skill, Qin Feng actually fell far short of Lin Caivi. Yet, all these years, everyone had treated her merely as a decorative figure, never considering her as anything more. Lin Jiahou didn’t forget the most important point and continued pressing Lin Fenglei: "What about the herbs? Where are our herbs?" "The old man scowled, "I've used up everything—do you have any objections, Fifth Brother? You've seen it yourself. As long as we master Xiao Feng's alchemy, we'll have an endless supply of pills. What's a little amount of herbs compared to that?" Lin Jiahao coldly replied, "Xiao Feng himself has mentioned that certain established habits of some people are actually the root causes of alchemical failures. You've wasted so much material without achieving a single successful batch—can't this clearly point to a problem?" "Fifth Brother, what do you mean? Don't you know that failure is the mother of success? How dare you question my authority!" the old man said with strong emphasis. "I'll personally cover the cost of the herbs I've lost—surely that's manageable. But don't expect us to receive even one more pill than before!" After all, he had been the family head for several decades and possessed the ability to command the presence of these people. Lin Jiahao saw that the people behind him had all lost their energy, and with a firm voice said, "We can overlook the issue of wasted materials. But if you still fail to succeed—what then?"