Chapter 97: The Crowd’s Disdain

Jun Wushuang’s sudden outburst startled everyone.

But Jiang Mingde quickly recovered.

“What are you talking about?”

“Elder Yao is a sixth-rank alchemist. He has refined more pills than you have eaten bowls of rice. And you dare question his skill?”

“Young man, eat whatever you like, but speak with some care. I know you feel slighted, and I understand your resentment, but this concerns my father’s life. I will not allow you to spout nonsense here.”

“Lan’er, hurry and take him away!”

Jiang Mingde’s face darkened with fury as he barked the order, eager to have Jun Wushuang thrown out on the spot.

Who was Yao Wuchen?

He was a sixth-rank alchemist from the sacred land of alchemy.

In the entire Great Qian Empire, only the Azure Pill King had the qualification to question him at all.

As for Jun Wushuang, what was he worth?

If not for Jiang Ruyan’s sake, Jiang Mingde would have already ordered him seized.

“Hmph, ignorant brat!”

Jun Wushuang’s challenge also made Yao Wuchen’s expression turn cold.

“I began my education at the age of three, refined pills at six, and by nine I was already a true alchemist.”

“For decades, I have devoted myself to the art of alchemy. I have tasted more than ten thousand spiritual medicines, read over ten thousand alchemical texts, and the pills I have refined number no fewer than eighty or ninety thousand.”

“And you, a brat still wet behind the ears, dare question my alchemy?”

“Do not think that having a little talent in alchemy entitles you to come out here and make a spectacle of yourself. It will only disgrace you, and it will cost you dearly.”

“If a young person wants real achievement, he must be steady and practical, advancing step by step, not arrogant and overbearing.”

“Otherwise, not only will you waste your talent, you will amount to nothing and vanish into the crowd.”

Yao Wuchen lectured Jun Wushuang in the tone of an elder admonishing a junior.

He had not seen anything extraordinary in Jun Wushuang.

And given Jun Wushuang’s age, even if he knew a little alchemy, how much could he possibly achieve?

What was more, this was a matter of saving the Prince of the South.

If Jun Wushuang’s words led to the prince dying from poison, countless people would suffer.

“Father, Elder Yao, Young Master Jun may be young, but he is truly capable. Before, Grandfather also suffered from the sinister poison of death. If not for Young Master Jun’s intervention, Grandfather would likely have long since been unable to endure it.”

Jiang Ruyan grew anxious and hurriedly spoke up.

She hoped her father would trust her, and trust Jun Wushuang.

“You said he used no pills and no other methods, and merely placed his hand on the body to cure the poison?”

The more Jiang Mingde heard, the darker his face became.

“Ruyan, how can you talk such nonsense? The sinister poison of death is terrifying beyond measure. Once it erupts, it can poison an entire small city into ruin, and you’re telling me he could casually cure it months ago?”

“I know you’re worried about Grandfather’s safety, but you cannot invent such lies to fool us. Go back to your room and reflect behind closed doors!”

Jiang Mingde did not believe a word his daughter said.

It was simply too inconceivable.

Before Jiang Ruyan could speak again, he turned to glare at Jun Wushuang.

“Jun Wushuang, I know of you. Though you come from humble origins, you are gifted, and even Dongfang Li and Nangong Tianxuan died by your hand. I admit you have some talent.”

“But martial cultivation and alchemy are not the same. Your martial talent may be extraordinary, but your skill in alchemy is not necessarily profound. My father is not only my father, but also the Prince of the South of the Great Qian Empire. Whether he lives or dies will affect the fate of countless people.”

“If you feel slighted by how I treated you earlier, then I apologize. But I hope you will not interfere with Elder Yao.”

Jun Wushuang’s name had long since spread throughout the entire Great Qian Empire.

Jiang Mingde naturally knew it too.

But with his father’s life on the line, he would not place his hopes on Jun Wushuang.

Yao Wuchen was the one he trusted most.

“The prince has shown me kindness. I will not stand by and watch him die of poison.”

Jun Wushuang showed Jiang Mingde no courtesy whatsoever.

He owed a debt to Jiang Hongru, not to Jiang Mingde.

“So young, and yet he refuses to learn what is proper—only knows how to make a scene!”

Yao Wuchen snorted coldly, utterly disappointed in Jun Wushuang.

“You think that because your surname is Jun, you are the Grandmaster Jun?”

“Let me tell you this: the symptoms of the pavilion master’s illness were described in a jade slip bestowed by Grandmaster Jun. I spent three days and three nights before I finally found the correct method of treatment.”

“Do you really think your ability surpasses Grandmaster Jun’s?”

Yao Wuchen stared coldly at Jun Wushuang, feeling that this young man was far too ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth.

“Similar does not mean identical.”

Jun Wushuang had proposed the question himself, so naturally he knew the matter better than Yao Wuchen.

The jade slip did indeed contain a similar case, but trying to copy the solution directly would absolutely not work.

“Hmph, the young people of today truly do not know the limits of their own place.”

“Young man, today I will show you what real medicine is.”

“If I am wrong, I will apologize to you in public.”

“But if I am right, then from this day on you are not to study alchemy again, lest you harm others and yourself.”

Yao Wuchen’s arrogance was thoroughly provoked.

At once, he made a wager with Jun Wushuang:

“Young man, do you dare make a bet with me?”

Jiang Mingde frowned slightly, but said nothing.

He also felt that Jun Wushuang was too arrogant and needed a harsh lesson.

Jiang Ruyan was so anxious that sweat beaded on her forehead, but no one would listen to her now.

“Very well. If you want to bet, I’ll play along.”

Jun Wushuang agreed readily.

“Young man, you have already lost!”

“Open your eyes and watch closely. I will let you see what true alchemy is!”

Yao Wuchen declared with pride, utterly confident in himself.

The wager was set.

No matter how anxious Jiang Ruyan became, it was useless.

At this point Jun Wushuang no longer spoke, but he remained ready to act at any moment.

Jiang Hongru had shown him kindness, and no matter what, he would not stand by and watch Jiang Hongru die of poison.

Whoosh!

Yao Wuchen moved swiftly. In an instant, nine golden needles pierced into various parts of Jiang Hongru’s body.

Black poisonous blood flowed along the needles, and in a flash it corroded the floor into a dark, deep crater.

As the poisonous blood drained away, the toxic blotches on Jiang Hongru’s body gradually diminished, and his complexion slowly became more ruddy.

At the sight of this,

the taut string in Jiang Mingde’s heart eased a little, and his confidence in Yao Wuchen grew considerably.

“Three-Aperture Spirit Pill can break the corpse-ghost seal and awaken the pavilion master!”

Yao Wuchen took out an exceedingly precious middle-grade dao pill and carefully fed it to Jiang Hongru.

Soon, the pill’s power took effect, and Jiang Hongru’s face grew even healthier in color.

The ferocious ghost tattoo between his brows also seemed to be wailing in agony, as though it were about to be broken.

Seeing Jiang Hongru’s condition gradually improve, Jiang Mingde was overjoyed.

Yao Wuchen, meanwhile, cast Jun Wushuang an arrogant sidelong glance, as if to say that he had already won.

Pfft!

At that very moment,

Jiang Hongru suddenly spat out a mouthful of black poisonous blood.

Then the toxic blotches erupted, and the ghost tattoo instantly spread across his entire face.

The already faint thread of vitality within him drained away at high speed, leaving him on the brink of death!