Chapter 107

Chapter 107: Pill Debate Begins

Normally, if one wanted to take the examination for a 1-star apothecary, a 2-star apothecary had to be present to witness the proceedings.

However, Zhang Xuan was taking the Pill Debate examination instead of the traditional Pill Forging examination. As such, his examination only required ten 1-star apothecaries to conduct the examination. Even so, the entire proceedings had to be recorded using a Record Crystal, so that the headquarters could check and verify it. In fact, even some apprentice apothecaries were qualified to look through it and if it was proven that some of the examiners went easy on the examinee or so, all apothecaries involved in the proceedings would be stripped of their position and expelled.

This was precisely the reason why no one dared to go easy on others during a Pill Debate. Regardless of how formidable the power backing the examinee was, they were unable and unwilling to do so.

“Guild Leader Ouyang, you said that someone wants to undergo Pill Debate? It can’t be this young brat here, can it!”

Upon sitting down, they glanced at Zhang Xuan and a bizarre expression appeared on their faces. An apothecary took the initiative to pose the doubts of them all to Ouyang Cheng.

Those who undergo Pill Debate were either master teachers or scholars who were well-versed in pills and medicines. Upon receiving the notice, everyone thought that it would be an elderly. Never in their dreams did they expect to see a young man who was barely even twenty.

[Guild Leader Ouyang, are you sure you aren’t joking with us? You really aren’t pulling our legs?

Forged pills are just like white wine; the older the alcohol is, the more fragrant it is. Age may not mean much, but a veteran with numerous years of research behind him is definitely in a better position than someone who had just started studying the subject.

A fellow who isn’t even twenty yet wants to undergo Pill Debate…]

Even if he started to learn from his mother’s womb, how much can he learn?

“Zhang Xuan may be young, but he has a deep comprehension of medicinal herbs. He even achieved a perfect score in the apprentice apothecary Written Paper examination!” Upon seeing the doubtful looks on everyone’s face, Ouyang Cheng explained.

“Perfect score?”

“That means nothing at all!”

“The apprentice apothecary Written Paper only assesses the student’s understanding of the medicinal properties of herbs, their classification, and traits. Scoring full marks can only mean that he has a solid foundation. However, to conduct a Pill Debate based on that, calling all of us over for that, aren’t you being a little too reckless?”

“Pill forging isn’t just about understanding the properties of medicinal herb and their classification. It is much more profound than that. One has to feel and comprehend the art of pill forging. If he hopes to become an apothecary just because he knows some basic stuff, isn’t he being a little way too optimistic?”

The crowd chirped in, their tones filled with contempt and disdain.

Written Paper was just an examination conducted for apprentice apothecary. Official apothecaries often came into contact with medicinal herbs and scoring full marks for them meant nothing at all.

“Er…”

Upon seeing so many people treat him contemptuously before he even got an opportunity to speak, Zhang Xuan felt a little helpless.

If an apothecary’s skill was proportionate to his age, you might as well dig a few of them up from the graves!

Pill forging? They would be formidable if they didn’t turn themselves to ashes in the midst of doing so.

“Cough!” Zhang Xuan coughed to interrupt the commotion occurring among the apothecaries and spoke, “Guild Leader Ouyang didn’t invite you all here to talk about age. I may be young, but that doesn’t mean I’m unable to match up to the rest of you in terms of forging pills!”

“Match up to the rest of us? You aren’t even an apothecary, and yet you are so arrogant that you’d look down on us?”

“Youngsters should be humbler. Despite not knowing much about pills, you dare to undergo Pill Debate. You sure are gutsy!”

“Arrogant fellow, when the Pill Debate begins in a moment’s time, I hope that you still can talk as casually as you are doing now!”

…

The moment he spoke up, all their arrows came aiming toward him.

A deep frown was on every single one of their faces as they attempted to tear him apart with their words.

Pill Debate was actually equivalent to challenging the wisdom of ten apothecaries with the knowledge of a single individual.

All the apothecaries who gathered here upon Ouyang Cheng’s call were all famous figures in Tianxuan Kingdom and every single one of them were of high standing. If they were to lose to a master teacher or an elder, it was still a result acceptable to them. But for an immature brat who wasn’t even twenty yet, if they were to really lose to him, how could they still uphold their dignity?

Thus, they didn’t have any intention to treat Zhang Xuan kindly from the moment they saw him. On the contrary, they tried to oppress him from the very start.

It was an attempt to crush his confidence.

As a bachelor in his previous life, he was tortured daily by the loving display of couples every day. Even so, didn’t he manage to overcome them and live on?

This kind of attacks no longer worked on Zhang Xuan anymore.

“Alright!” The scent of gunpowder was already apparent even though the Pill Debate had yet to begin. Upon seeing the argument escalating, dark lines streaked across Ouyang Cheng’s face. He hurriedly interjected, “There is no use talking about it all, everything should be proven with capabilities instead. After all, capability doesn’t differentiate between ages. Since I have gathered everyone here to conduct a Pill Debate, then let’s just go straight to the point and begin!

“I’ll first talk about the rules of the Pill Debate!”

Afraid that the crowd might come up with even more toxic words, Ouyang Cheng immediately began explaining, “Pill Debate isn’t a true debate. Rather, the ten apothecaries will raise questions for the examinee to answer. As long as there’s a question he is unable to answer or answers erroneously, the examinee fails! If both parties are unsure of the answers to the questions raised, a test can be conducted on the spot to verify the answer. Whoever’s theory is able to produce higher quality pills will win.

“Of course, the questions raised by the apothecaries must be within the sphere of the knowledge of a 1-star apothecary. Also, the examiners are not allowed to pose a question about secrets unknown to others.”

At this point, Ouyang Cheng scanned the surroundings and asked, “Are there any other questions?”

The rules were simple and the explanation was clear.

“No!”

The crowd shook their heads simultaneously.

As an apothecary, even if they had never heard of Pill Debate, they should have done their homework on it beforehand.

There was a limit to the questions they could raise to the examinee. After all, how could an apprentice apothecary possibly answer a question about forging a grade-3 pill or some profound pill forging method?

“Since there are no questions, then let’s…” Ouyang Cheng raised his hand grandly and just as he was about to announce the start of the Pill Debate, Zhang Xuan stood up with a frown, “Hold for a moment!”

“Why? Are you scared now? It’s too late now!”

“It’s too late for you regret your decision! We can either begin the Pill Debate now or you can admit your defeat straight up!”

Upon seeing Zhang Xuan halt the proceedings, they thought that he wanted to resign and sneered coldly at him.

“Regret my decision? You want to make me regret my decision with those standards of yours?” Zhang Xuan activated his aggression-pulling aura.

“What did you say?”

An elder bellowed loudly.

As expected, the apothecaries here immediately erupted upon hearing his words. If looks could kill, he would have been sliced into numerous pieces by now.

“I’m sorry, I’m not saying that your standards are not up to par. I’m saying that… all of you here are unable to make the cut!”

With his hands behind his back, Zhang Xuan emanated a haughty disposition.

[Why?

You want to bicker with me? Do you believe that I can choke you all to death with a few words?]

“You…”

“Arrogant!”

“Ignorant brat!”

Instantaneously, everyone exploded. Everyone flew into a rampage and their beards flew along with their vigorous breathing.

Seeing the atmosphere heating up and that he had become a public enemy for all of them here, Zhang Xuan nodded his head in satisfaction. With a smile, he looked toward the center of the room and asked, “Guild Leader Ouyang, it seems that they look down on me just because on my age. To tell you the truth, I also look down on them. Actually, I don’t think that there is much point to a mere debate, so why don’t we increase the difficulty of the examination?”

“Increase the difficulty?”

Ouyang Cheng frowned.

[Pill Debate is already difficult by itself, and you want to increase the difficulty? Also, how do you intend to go about increasing the difficulty?]

The others were also bewildered.

[Lad, do you find your death lacking splendor, so you want to find a more exciting way to do so?]

“Simply, Pill Debate is just theoretical and words are empty!”

Ignoring the bizarre expression everyone was shooting him with, Zhang Xuan raised his hands boldly, carrying a majestic disposition with him, “How about this? As long as any apothecary here dares to forge pills before me, regardless of what methods he uses, I am able to point out the name of his forging method and the errors he commits in the process. If any of those here finds what I say incorrect, I can admit defeat immediately!”

Chapter 108: Meng Yan

“What?”

“We are official apothecaries, and you, a mere apprentice, dares to claim that you are able to point out our mistakes?”

“What are you putting on an act for? We apothecaries have numerous means up our sleeves. Putting aside whether you can point out our mistakes, if you can even recognize the method we are using to forge pills, we can consider it your win!”

Upon hearing Zhang Xuan’s words, everyone exploded once more.

An immature brat dared to claim that he had the ability to see through their forging methods and flaws just by seeing them forge a pill before him?

“Is he mad?”

At one side, Ouyang Cheng and Wen Xue felt frenzied.

At the very most, one could only ask some remote questions in Pill Debate. As long as one was well-versed in the knowledge of pill forging, much of it could be rationalized and inferred. However, to point out one’s forging method and the errors in it?

Pill forging was just like a person’s handwriting; there are ten thousand different types of handwriting for ten thousand different people. Even for the same pill, there were at least a thousand different methods of forging it. The movements in each method were profound and intricate and a slight difference in their motions could mean an entirely different forging method.

Furthermore, each and every pill forging methods that were able to be passed down through the generations were the blood, sweat, and tears of innumerable people and had been refined countless times toward perfection. It might not be entirely perfect, but at the very least, these apothecaries had been using it daily and never found anything off about it.

Even if a 3-star apothecary were to be here, it would be hard for him to point out the errors in it!

This wasn’t just a mere rise in the difficulty anymore, it was an overturn of the rules, raising the difficulty to the heavens!

If an apprentice apothecary undergoing a Pill Debate was equivalent to the difficulty to three-digit addition and subtraction, what Zhang Xuan proposed was equivalent to Goldbach Conjecture!

The difficulty wouldn’t just increase, it would be increased to an unimaginable level!

[Brother, are you sure you aren’t jesting?]

Wen Xue looked at him as though she was looking at a monster.

Yesterday, he wasn’t even sure about the existence of a book collection vault in the Apothecary Guild and he didn’t know what books he had to read for the apprentice apothecary examination. Yet, today, he suddenly became an expert, putting on airs here. If she didn’t witness it personally, she might have thought that he was afflicted with dissociative identity disorder.

Even though a human’s personality changed over time, it should be impossible for such a massive change to occur in a person in a single day!

Even if he wanted to act cool, there should be no need for him to play it so big!

“Why? You dare not agree? Are you afraid that you will be embarrassed after I point out your errors? Or are you afraid of being humiliated when I point out your forging method?”

Ignoring their stares, Zhang Xuan chuckled lightly.

He had already contemplated over the matter and came up with a solution for passing the Pill Debate.

Even though he was done looking through the basic tier book collection vault in the Apothecary Guild, there was still a certain level of difficulty for him to successfully pass the Pill Debate.

After all, there were so many apothecaries assessing him and it was hard to tell whether they might have capabilities beyond that of the books. They might come up with questions beyond what was written in the books!

If he failed to answer their question, it would be an immediate loss!

Since that was the case, he should find a way to prevent them from bringing up such problems.

In other people’s perspective, to determine a forging method and pointing out the flaws in it through watching how a person forged pills was much more difficult than undergoing a Pill Debate. However, Zhang Xuan possessed the Library of Heaven’s Path, which allowed him to easily see through the flaws of others. What was nigh impossible to others became an absolutely simple task before him, only requiring reading word-by-word off a book.

An apothecary forging pills was equivalent to a fighter executing his battle technique, a book would be compiled by looking at it.

Thus, Zhang Xuan intentionally drew aggression from the others to incur their rage. After which, by behaving contemptuously, the others would definitely think of him as arrogant and agree to it.

As long as they agreed to this method of examination…

[Hehe, once you all agree to it, everything else will be a piece of cake. Witness as I play you all to your deaths!]

“Since you are looking for excitement, we will fulfill your request!”

“Indeed, since you are adamant on acting cool, we’ll see how you cry afterward!”

As he expected, the crowd immediately exploded yet again after his taunting.

Every single of them was tempted to pay greetings Zhang Xuan’s eighteen generations of ancestors and all of his kin.

[Embarrassed your head! The heck that we would be humiliated!

We just fear whether you have sufficient capabilities to do so!]

The ten apothecaries’ fighting spirit roused. If not in consideration of their identity, they would have charged forward to bash him.

“Since all of you have the guts to agree to it, then let’s begin!” Upon seeing how he was able to settle the issue so easily, Zhang Xuan chuckled. Then, looking at Ouyang Cheng, who was standing at the center of the room, he said, “Guild Leader Ouyang, can we begin?”

“Err… Of course!”

He didn’t expect a simple Pill Debate would escalate to this point. Ouyang Cheng felt helpless and frustrated. At this moment, he had no choice but to go along with it.

“May I ask which apothecary would like to go first? I am willing to offer you all free pointer!” Zhang Xuan flung his sleeves arrogantly.

The faces of the crowd flushed red in anger.

“I can’t stand watching him act like this any longer. Allow me to teach this brat a lesson first!”

Finally, an apothecary couldn’t hold in his rage any longer and stood up.

It was a middle-aged man in his forties. His face was slightly gray and his eyes glowed as though they were lanterns. With a single look, it was clear that he wasn’t someone with a good temper.

“It’s Apothecary Meng Yan!”

“Meng Yan’s temper may be awful, but he’s a true 1-star primary stage apothecary. Given how he’s able to forge over a dozen kinds of pills, he isn’t someone to be underestimated!”

“Indeed, a few of his apprentices even made it big. Furthermore, he has many kinds of forging methods. It is most suitable for him to make the first move!”

Seeing the middle-aged man stepping out, the rest of the apothecaries secretly nodded their heads in agreement.

How could there be any mediocre figures among the 1-star apothecaries? This Apothecary Meng Yan might not be the most capable apothecary among the group, but his skills were not the worst of the bunch. They would be able to see the capabilities of that arrogant fellow through him.

“Lad, I will start forging now. If you are unable to tell the forging method later on and point out the flaws in it, prepare to be punished!”

With a cold sneer, Meng Yan walked over to the cauldron.

He casually grabbed a few medicinal herbs from the shelves by the side, and by controlling his zhenqi, he induced the flame beneath the cauldron to become even more vigorous.

Xiong xiong!

The flames burned furiously off its fuel and a slight chiming sound resounded from the cauldron, as though it was a giant bell.

Huhuhu!

Stalks after stalks of medicinal herbs were thrown into the cauldron and under the high temperature, a unique scent of medicine floated into the air.

“This is pill forging?”

Zhang Xuan might have read quite a few books in the basic tier book collection vault, but this was the first time he was seeing someone forge a pill.

“Incredible!”

He couldn’t help but be impressed by it.

In terms of cultivation realm, he was in no way inferior to the other party. However, the way how the other party threw the medicinal herbs into the cauldron so casually without the slightest hesitation or pause, and how every single stalk of medicinal herb was placed under optimal conditions for it to best unleash its medicinal properties, it was something he could not hope to match.

This required continuous practice over time.

He might excel in theories, but this didn’t mean that he was capable of materializing it into physical actions.

After a moment of looking at it, after integrating the knowledge from the basic tier book collection vault and the analysis on them by the Library of Heaven’s Path, Zhang Xuan soon realized that…

He was unable to discern anything at all!

He wasn’t even able to see what forging method the other party is utilizing, much less see through the flaws in his actions.

No wonder everyone stared at him as though he had gone mad upon hearing his request. If even Guild Leader Ouyang, who wielded the greatest ability among the group here, was unable to see through his forging method and had a perplexed expression at this very moment, how could an apprentice apothecary possibly see through it?

“Flaws!”

After confirming that he was unable to see through it through the sea of knowledge he had accumulated, Zhang Xuan didn’t hesitate any longer and he willed for a book to be compiled.

Weng!

With a loud explosion, the Library of Heaven’s Path jolted and a book suddenly appeared in his mind.

Written inside were this Apothecary Meng Yan’s pill forging method and the flaws in them.

“This…”

After taking a look, a bizarre expression appeared on Zhang Xuan’s face.

Chapter 109: Tranquil Heart Pill

“Not bad!”

“Meng Yan is getting more and more adept in his pill forging technique!”

“Indeed! If he is able to identify a flaw in his pill forging method, I will twist my head off!”

Zhang Xuan noticed that the gazes of the other apothecaries were fixated on Meng Yan and they nodded their head in approval in response to the display of his skills.

They were able to tell what the other party’s pill forging method before and they had once used it as well, so they weren’t too unfamiliar with it.

This was also precisely the reason why it was harder to find flaws in it. Even they were unable to see the slightest mistake in the other party’s forging. Every movement of his strictly adhered to the forging method without a single error in it.

“Guild Leader Ouyang, do you think that he will be able to see through the forging method and the flaws in it?”

After bringing Zhang Xuan over, Wen Xue didn’t leave immediately. At this instance, she was standing behind Ouyang Cheng and she couldn’t help but ask him the question.

She wasn’t even an apprentice and thus, she was unable to see through the various intricacies of pill forging. So, she could only place her expectation on this guild leader before her to explain the situation to her.

“Flaws?” Ouyang Cheng shook his head, “To tell you the truth, Meng Yan’s pill forging method had been passed down for more than 300 years. It went through the hands of countless individuals and even if there is an error in it, it would have long been corrected. Anyway, given my level of standard, I am unable to see any errors in it!”

“Not even you are able to discern any flaws?”

Wen Xue covered her mouth in shock.

Ouyang Cheng was the most capable apothecary in Tianxuan Kingdom, reaching the astounding level of the 1-star intermediate stage. If he was unable to discern anything, how could Zhang Xuan, who had just become an apothecary apprentice, possibly tell anything from it?

Hu!

After a moment, the flames weakened. Meng Yan opened the lid and the fragrance of medicine gushed out from the cauldron.

The pill had been formed!

Meng Yan pinched lightly and grabbed three pills from the cauldron. Each of them was round with a smooth surface. They were roughly the size of a longan and radiated a unique glow.

“Alright, as expected of Apothecary Meng Yan. Not only was the pill formed, it even reached the level of Satiation. Incredible!”

Looking at the pill in his palm, everyone couldn’t help but be impressed.

Upon being forged successfully, the pills would assume different appearances depending on the efficacy of its medicinal property. It could be classified into four tiers, namely Formation, Satiation, Perfection, and Inscribed Pill.

It was already incredible for typical 1-star primary stage apothecaries to reach the level of Formation when forging grade-1 pills. To reach the level of Satiation was already something beyond what those of his level was capable of.

“Hmph, lad, I am already done forging my pills. So, what method did I just use and what flaws are there in it!”

Meng Yan returned to his seat and looked at Zhang Xuan coldly.

Upon hearing his words, the gaze of the others focused on Zhang Xuan. They wanted to see what kind of shocking words this arrogant lad would speak of.

Initially, they thought this lad would speak immediately. However, his eyes simply stared forty-five degrees upward with a sorrowful expression on his face. He shook his head slowly and sighed.

“Hurry up if you have something to say!”

Seeing this fellow still persisting on keeping up the act, Meng Yan clenched his fist and smashed it on the table.

Peng!

Given his formidable strength and the current fury he had accumulated, a crack appeared on the table, putting it in a state of near collapse.

“Since you aren’t embarrassed by it, then I will begin speaking!”

Seeing that the atmosphere was sufficiently heated up, Zhang Xuan looked over calmly with a lowered head and said, “If I’m not wrong, the pill you forged should be the Tranquil Heart Pill which fighters often consume!”

“That’s right!”

Meng Yan nodded his head.

It was easy for an apothecary to see what a kind of pill it was, so it couldn’t be considered a formidable feat.

“The method you used is Ten Formulas of Tranquil Water!” Zhang Xuan continued.

“That’s right! This is Ten Formulas of Tranquil Water. This is the most suitable method to forging Tranquil Heart Pill. It doesn’t mean much for you to see through this!”

Not expecting for the other party to be able to able to discern it, Meng Yan was slightly shocked. However, he didn’t pay the matter much heed.

Ten Formulas of Tranquil Water was a unique method to forge Tranquil Heart Pills. It was said that an apothecary created this method while looking at the surface of the water of a mountainous stream. The entire technique emphasized greatly on delicacy and quietness. There weren’t too many intense movements in it, as though it was a quiet stream, flowing slowly and steadily down the mountains. As it fulfilled the concept of Tranquil Heart Pill, it was easy for a pill to form using this method to forge it.

Given that he was able to tell that the pill forged was Tranquil Heart Pill, it wasn’t that difficult to infer that the method used was Ten Formulas of Tranquil Water.

“True, it doesn’t mean much. However, it is a pity that you have warped the Ten Formulas of Tranquil Water beyond recognition, causing it to lose the fundamental meaning behind it!” Zhang Xuan flung his hand and said with a stern voice.

“Warped beyond recognition? Nonsense! If it is truly warped beyond recognition, how can I possibly successfully forge the Tranquil Heart Pill, even reaching the level of Satiation at that?”

Meng Yan retorted furiously.

“Since you don’t believe my words, then I shall point it out clearly to you!” Zhang Xuan stepped forward and pinched the pill lightly to place it on his palm. His gaze swept through the room as he asked, “Who can tell me what effects should this pill possess?”

“Tranquil Heart Pill is a grade-1 pill. It helps cultivators to calm their mind so that their thoughts will not wander. This kind of pill is effective even on Fighter 8-dan Zongshi realm experts and as such, it is one of the best sellers of the Apothecary Guild!”

Wen Xue said.

As a receptionist, she had sold all kinds of pills. It was natural that she would have a deep understanding of the effects of this Tranquil Heart Pill.

“Indeed, this pill can help cultivators to calm their minds!” Zhang Xuan nodded his head in satisfaction. “However, it’s a pity that this pill which Apothecary Meng Yan doesn’t have such effects! On the contrary, it might even cause a person’s cultivation to go berserk if consumed!”

“Nonsense!”

Meng Yan’s expression darkened.

The other party’s action of doubting the efficacy of his pill in public was equivalent to humiliating him.

“You need not be so quick to refute my words. Let me finish my words first!” Ignoring the other party’s burst of outrage, Zhang Xuan chuckled and continued, “If this pill was created by Apothecary Meng Yan yesterday, I wouldn’t say such words. However, it is a pity that it isn’t yesterday now and this pill is destined to be a failure!”

“Yesterday?”

“Is there any difference to it?”

“Lad, clarify your words! Don’t try to mystify us!”

Upon hearing Zhang Xuan’s words, the crowd had no idea what Zhang Xuan was driving at. As such, they couldn’t help but raise their doubts.

“I will explain to you all right now! Forging pills aren’t just about technique and skills, one’s mental state plays a huge part in it as well! Only by infusing one’s mental state into the pill will the efficacy of the medicine be heightened! Tranquil Heart Pill requires the mental state of the apothecary forging it to be serene and only through such can the pill be forged perfectly! I believe all of you should have seen the bad temper of Apothecary Meng Yan. He can be set off easily with a single word. With rage in his heart, how can he possibly forge the Tranquil Heart Pill which calms others?”

At which, Zhang Xuan slightly knocked on the table before Meng Yan.

A crack had appeared in the table after the latter’s previous punch. At this moment, unable to take the pressure any longer, it fell apart.

Upon the sight, everyone came to a realization.

His words were true. Pill forging was intricately linked to one’s state of mind. It was inappropriate and unsuitable for one to forge a Tranquil Heart Pill when under such rampaging emotions.

“Of course, his fiery temper isn’t sufficient to ruin the pill. The crux of the problem is that there is killing intent within Apothecary Meng Yan right now. If I’m not wrong, you probably killed someone this morning and you still bear resentment toward the person. Most probably, you were betrayed by someone you trust. This resentment and killing intent have been infused into the Tranquil Heart Pill when you were forging it. Even though only a sliver of it had slipped in, to the cultivators who consume it, it could have disastrous aftereffects. It increases the possibility of their cultivation going berserk exponentially. If so, it will result in fatal damage onto their fundamentals!”

Zhang Xuan said.

“You… You…”

Meng Yan’s body swayed. He looked at Zhang Xuan as though he was looking at a ghost and his face immediately turned ghastly white.

Chapter 110: You Are About to Die

Just like what Zhang Xuan said, Meng Yan was hiding resentment and killing intent within his heart.

He was also betrayed by someone he deeply trusted in.

Just that, it was something that happened this morning. He thought that his rage had already ceased and never would he have thought that he would infuse these emotions into his pill.

But… How was he able to tell?

Through the pill he forged?

How was that possible?

“It’s true?”

“This…”

Upon seeing Meng Yan’s expression, even the most dull-witted of the lot could tell that what Zhang Xuan said was the truth.

They stared at one another in disbelief.

[Not only was he able to discern the killing intent in him through his pill forging, he is even able to deduce that he was betrayed by a trusted person. You… Are you an apprentice apothecary or a fortune teller?]

“If you all think that there’s something wrong with my words, there is an easy way to ascertain it. The guild should have Pill Sample Beasts, right? We can feed this Tranquil Heart Pill to it and see whether it will calm down or rampage!”

Upon seeing Meng Yan at a loss for words, Zhang Xuan chuckled lightly.

Usually, in order to ascertain the authenticity and effects of a pill, the Apothecary Guild would prepare some Pill Sample Beasts to test them.

This savage beast was extremely sensitive towards pills. Upon consumption of the pills, one could determine the effects of the pills through its response.

It corresponded to the lab rats used in clinical trials in the world of Zhang Xuan’s previous life. Only after passing the tests could the medicine be fed to humans. This was to ensure the safety of those consuming it.

“Un!” Ouyang Cheng nodded his head and an apprentice apothecary walked out of the room. In a moment, a cage of savage beasts that resembled white mice was brought over. Opening the mouth of one, the Tranquil Heart Pill was fed to it.

A short moment later, the Pill Sample Beast started to get agitated, running around the cage and clawing everything in sight. It didn’t seem to be calming down in the least.

“Normally, after consuming a Tranquil Heart Pill, the Pill Sample Beast would lie quietly by the side. Yet, after consuming this pill, the Pill Sample Beast becomes visibly agitated.”

In the midst through Zhang Xuan’s words, the Pill Sample Beast who consumed the Tranquil Heart Pill ran toward another of its kind, climbed on top of it and started to conduct insertion exercises forcibly onto the other party.

“Cough cough, the strong sexual drive experienced by the one who consumes the pill shows that not only does the pill not calms one, it even induces anger in them! If I’m not wrong, the person whom Apothecary Meng Yan killed today is a woman, one whom he had a sexual relationship with! Her eventual betrayal resulted in his outrage, causing the pill to contain strong emotions of possessiveness and frenzy!”

“This…”

Upon seeing the drugged Pill Sample Beast in the cage crushing on another Pill Sample Beast and forcing itself on the other, not giving the other party a chance to retaliate at all, the other apothecaries stared at one another in astonishment.

[Is this really Tranquil Heart Pill?

Are you sure that it isn’t an aphrodisiac!

It is fortunate that it isn’t fed to a human. Otherwise, not only will their heart no calm down, they will even turn into a…

Cough cough, it will cause disastrous effects!]

Everyone shuddered upon thinking about the possibility.

“This morning, I saw the concubine that I dote on the most conducting adultery on me with the butler. In that instant, rage filled me and I killed both of them on the spot!”

Upon seeing everyone’s gaze focusing on him, Meng Yan shook his head as he explained.

Since the other party had already said so much, there was nothing for him to hide.

This incident had made him furious. For the entire day, he had been in bad mood. The reason why he stepped out was to embarrass Zhang Xuan so as to vent his frustration.

“Is that for real?”

“Seeing through so much through looking at another forge pill?”

…

Seeing Meng Yan admit to it, the others stared at Zhang Xuan as though he was a monster. If their gazes were contemptuous before, they had a grave expression on at this very moment.

One’s pill reflected one’s state of mind, but… to see that an apothecary had killed someone earlier this morning, even inferring that the person was his concubine, through watching him forge pills…

[The heck, you must be a constable, right!]

Otherwise… How could he possibly tell that much?

“Alright, I have already pointed out the flaws in it. Apothecary Meng Yan, do you need me to go on?” Ignoring the shocked expression on the others, Zhang Xuan said with a smile.

The Library of Heaven’s Path could see through all flaws. It was a simple task for him to tell that he had been betrayed by his concubine and that his pill carried killing intent and resentment.

“There’s no need. I admit defeat!”

Meng Yan surrendered.

The numerous apothecaries on the field, including himself, weren’t able to see through the problem in the pill he forged. Yet, the other party was able to see through it directly, even telling so much about it… It was a clear loss, even if he didn’t wish to accept it!

“Just like that… he surrendered?”

Wen Xue’s eyes widened.

An apothecary admitted defeat to an apprentice?

If she didn’t see this for herself, she wouldn’t dare to believe it.

However, it made sense when she thought about it. To be able to see that far, that fellow’s eye for discernment was too incredible. He had no choice but to admit defeat!

“Alright, next!”

Now that the first person had admitted defeat, Zhang Xuan had achieved first blood. He turned to look at the remaining nine people with a smile.

“I shall face him!”

An elderly stood up.

If they thought that Zhang Xuan was here to cause trouble previously, after Meng Yan’s incident, they finally understood that this fellow was an expert, expert among experts.

No wonder he was so confident as to dare to challenge the Pill Debate, even raising the difficulty at that.

“It is Apothecary Chen Xiao!”

“Apothecary Chen may not be the best among us in terms of pill forging, but he is the oldest!”

“He is an extremely rational and calm person, unlike Meng Yan and his fiery temper. I believe that he will be able to defeat that lad!”

…

Seeing the elder stand up, everyone secretly nodded their heads in approval.

This Apothecary Chen Xiao was the oldest among the ten of them, as well as the most level-headed one. Surely there wouldn’t be any problems if he was the one to make a move.

Huhuhu!

The flame beneath the cauldron crackled. In a moment’s time, he extracted a few pills from it.

It was the same pill as the one Meng Yan forged previously, Tranquil Heart Pill. It was also perfectly round and smooth with radiance glowing off its surface. However, it was clearly of higher quality, reaching Perfection.

“Alright, I am done forging the pills. You don’t need to identify the forging method, it’s the same as the one Apothecary Meng Yan used previously, Ten Formulas of Tranquil Water. If you’re able to point out the flaws in it, I will concede and admit defeat!”

Apothecary Chen Xiao said calmly as he grasped the pills he just forged in his hands.

“Incredible!”

“This is truly a wise move!”

“To use the same forging method to forge the exact same pills. Previously, he was able to point out the killing intent in Apothecary Meng Yan’s heart as the flaw in his pill forging, but Apothecary Chen Xiao’s state of mind is serene and he is a level-headed person. He should be unable to find another one of this kind of flaw on him!”

“Let’s see how he will fare this time…”

…

Upon seeing Apothecary Chen Xiao’s actions, everyone couldn’t help but exclaim internally that it was indeed the older ones who were more cunning.

Even Zhang Xuan couldn’t help but nod his head.

The other party was indeed extremely wise.

Even though the other party had clearly told him that he used the same forging method so that he doesn’t have to guess it, his actions were, in fact, making it more difficult for him to answer.

However, to the Library of Heaven’s Path… this was nothing at all!

Zhang Xuan looked at him, seemingly nonchalant to his actions, “If I’m not wrong, Apothecary Chen Xiao should have trouble sleeping and eating recently!”

“Ah?”

Apothecary Chen Xiao was taken aback, “It’s true that I have been having problems sleeping, and my appetite isn’t good recently. However… this should have nothing to do with pill forging though?”

[So what if I don’t eat or sleep?

You just have to tell me about the flaws in my pill forging. Why are you telling me about my body condition?

Besides…

About me not sleeping well and having no appetite… How did you know about it?]

“Nothing to do with it? You’re wrong! It is related to it in every way!”

Zhang Xuan shook his head.

“Related to it in every way? Enlighten me.”

Apothecary Chen Xiao couldn’t help but look over.

“Hehe, if I’m not wrong… You are about to die!”

Zhang Xuan said.

Chapter 111: Death Aura

Pu!

He thought that the other party would speak of some theory to convince him of it. Hearing his words, however, Apothecary Chen Xiao almost puked blood.

[Just because I’m not eating or sleeping well, you say that I’m going to die? You’re the one who is going to die, your family is the one who is going to die…]

Not just him, the other examiners also glared at him furiously.

Apothecary Chen Xiao was an esteemed figure in the circle of apothecaries and they had always respected him. Yet, this fellow dared to curse him straight to his face. [Do you dare to spout any more nonsense?]

“I have been an apothecary for many years. Even though I have been stuck at this level for very long, I have been working diligently and studying hard to improve myself! I might not be a talented genius, but I am well aware of my body’s condition. The reason why I haven’t been sleeping well and eating well is because of the numerous miscellaneous affairs in my household I tend recently. There hasn’t been anything off about my physical condition other than that. So, why do you say that I’m about to die?”

Apothecary Chen Xiao harrumphed.

Apothecaries often came into contact with medicinal pills and even though they were inferior to physicians in terms of diagnosing, they were still slightly learned in the aspect.

“You aren’t wrong. There isn’t anything wrong with your body!” Zhang Xuan calmly replied to the suspicions he rose.

“Nothing wrong? Then, what are you talking about?”

“How spiteful, how can you take these words as a joke!”

“This is a Pill Debate, not a session for you to curse Apothecary Chen Xiao!”

…

Upon hearing him admit that there was nothing wrong with Apothecary Chen Xiao’s body, everyone started to bellow at him angrily.

If there was something wrong with his body, they could let this matter slip. However, since there was nothing wrong with his body, how could such nonsense be acceptable?

Feeling baffled, Ouyang Cheng and the others stared at him.

“Hehe!”

Zhang Xuan was completely nonchalant to the rebuke of the crowd. He simply smiled lightly and said, “Who says that one cannot die if there’s nothing wrong with their body?”

“What do you mean?”

Upon seeing his calmness and confidence, Apothecary Chen Xiao felt goosebumps rising all over him. Just as he was about to continue questioning him, Zhang Xuan waved his hands and said, “Since you don’t believe me, let’s first take a look at the pill!”

At which, the eyes of the crowd fixated on the Tranquil Heart Pill Apothecary Chen Xiao had just forged.

“Apothecary Chen Xiao is a level-headed and calm person. He has reached a high level of mastery in his skills in forging pills and if I were to forcibly speak of a flaw of his, none of you will believe me. It would be troublesome to verify my claims as well!” Zhang Xuan smiled, “Since that’s the case, I won’t talk about the flaws in his forging method. I shall just talk about this pill here. Just like the one Apothecary Meng Yan forged, if this Tranquil Heart Pill is consumed by a cultivator, it would aggravate his anxiety and even cause his death!”

“What?”

“I have been examining Apothecary Chen Xiao’s method in forging the pills closely and there isn’t the slightest mistake in his actions. Furthermore, his pill has reached the level of Perfection, so how can it worsen one’s anxiety?”

“This isn’t a place for you to spout nonsense!”

No one believed Zhang Xuan’s words at all.

The reason why there was a problem with the Tranquil Heart Pill that Meng Yan forged was because he killed his concubine, resulting in the killing intent in his body to billow such that even he was unable to curb it. On the other hand, Apothecary Chen Xiao had a calm nature, which was compatible with the state of mind one required to forge Tranquil Heart Pill. If so, how could it worsen one’s anxiety?

[Even if you wish to spout nonsense, you should’ve had something better to say!]

“If you don’t believe me, we can try it out! There are Pill Sample Beasts here!” Zhang Xuan pointed to the cage.

Other than the two that were exercising together, there were still other Pill Sample Beasts in the cage which were lying calmly by the side.

“Let’s give it a try then!’

An apothecary who didn’t believe his words casually picked up a Tranquil Heart Pill and placed it into the mouth of a Pill Sample Beast.

After consuming the Tranquil Heart Beast, the Pill Sample Beast didn’t get agitated as the previous one did. It also didn’t grab another one of its kind to exercise on it. Instead, it laid by a corner, not moving at all.

“How is it? A Tranquil Heart Pill can calm a person’s mental state. The lack of movement in this Pill Sample Beast means that the pill is taking effect. What else do you have to say?”

The apothecary harrumphed.

The others also looked toward Zhang Xuan.

Previously, Zhang Xuan said that consuming this Heart Pill Beast would worsen one’s anxiety. Now, it was clear that the pill was working as it should and there wasn’t anything queer about it. They were curious to see how he would answer.

“Give it a moment!”

Zhang Xuan didn’t say anything else and simply sat quietly on his chair.

After ten minutes, the Pill Sample Beast still didn’t move at all. At this point, the apothecary who fed the Pill Sample Beast the pill couldn’t hold it in any longer, “See, it hasn’t moved at all. This clearly shows that the Tranquil Heart Pill is working as it should. Are you trying to waste our time by having us wait?”

“It’s okay now!”

Zhang Xuan said.

“It’s okay?”

The apothecary frowned, “What do you mean? It is clear that this Pill Sample Beast isn’t anxious in the least given how it is still lying quietly by the corner. How do you want us to see?”

“The reason why it is lying quietly by the corner doesn’t necessarily mean that the Tranquil Heart Pill has taken effect. It can also mean that… it is dead!”

Zhang Xuan said.

“Dead?”

The apothecary was taken aback. He immediately rushed forward, opened the cage and grabbed the Pill Sample Beast out. With a single glance, his eyes narrowed abruptly “This… This… How is this possible?”

The Pill Sample Beast in his hand had already breathed its last. Its body was already starting to turn cold.

How long had it been?

To turn cold within ten minutes, it meant that it had died a short moment after consuming the pill!

“It’s really dead?”

“The Tranquil Heart Pill should only calm a person’s spirits, so why would it kill a Pill Sample Beast?”

“A Pill Sample Beast’s constitution is suited for testing pills, it is impossible for ordinary pills to kill it. What… is going on?”

…

A commotion broke out.

After eating a Tranquil Heart Pill… the Pill Sample Beast died?

If a cultivator were to consume it, wouldn’t it mean his demise as well?

“This… This…”

Apothecary Chen Xiao’s complexion darkened. He retreated several steps consecutively and disbelief could be seen in his eyes, “This is impossible… I followed the forging method strictly, there isn’t the slightest error in it. Even if I fail to form a pill, it shouldn’t turn into poison. Why was the Pill Sample Beast poisoned to death…”

It was a huge crime for an apothecary to poison someone to death through the pills he forged. He had never met with such an incident throughout his entire life, so why was all of these occurring now?

“Zhang Xuan, this… What’s going on?”

With a bewildered expression, Ouyang Cheng sought clarification.

At this point, everyone’s gazes also focused on Zhang Xuan.

He was able to tell the problem in this Tranquil Heart Pill and he knew that the Pill Sample Beast would die. Who else was more appropriate to explain the situation other than him?

“I have already revealed the flaw in his forging method, so I should have already passed this test. Do I really have to explain it?”

Zhang Xuan didn’t reply Ouyang Cheng. Instead, he turned to look at Apothecary Chen Xiao.

He was able to identify the problem in the pill and he successfully pointed it out. This bore testimony to his abilities and in this clash between him and Apothecary Chen Xiao, he could be considered to be the victor.

“If you explain the situation, I am willing to admit defeat!”

Apothecary Chen Xiao gritted his teeth.

Even if Zhang Xuan were to win in this clash, as long as Chen Xiao didn’t admit defeat, he would be able to conduct a round of examination.

As the oldest one of the ten apothecaries, his surrender would cause the confidence of the others to waver. As such, this matter was of utmost importance.

“If that’s the case, then allow me to speak more on the matter!” Zhang Xuan nodded his head, “There are no problems with the sequence and technique you forged the Tranquil Heart Pill with. In fact, you even infused your own tranquility into the pill. Rationally speaking, the pill should be of extremely high quality with high effectiveness. However, it’s a pity that… you are about to die. Your body is already filled with death aura and naturally, the pill you forge will come into contact with this aura as well. This is the reason why the Pill Sample Beast died upon consuming the pill you forged!”

Chapter 112: Cheng Jiang

“Could it be that… I am really going to die?”

Apothecary Chen Xiao’s mouth quivered and his entire body shivered slightly.

The first time Zhang Xuan said these words, he thought that the other party was cursing him, so he didn’t pay it any heed. However, upon seeing the Pill Sample Beast die upon consuming the pills he forged, he was rattled. Even more so, he felt fear.

“This…”

Seeing him in such a state, everyone felt bad for him. They wanted to console him, but they couldn’t find the right words to say.

If he weren’t on the verge of death, how could a Pill Sample Beast die just like that from eating the pill he forged? It was clear that what the other party said was true!

“I have explained what I should. Who wants to challenge me next!”

Zhang Xuan scanned the surroundings.

“No… Brother Zhang Xuan, don’t be in such a hurry!” Apothecary Chen Xiao couldn’t hold it in any longer and looked to him in panic.

Instead of addressing him as a “lad,” he addressed him as “brother” now.

“Why? Is Apothecary Chen Xiao unable to accept the results and would like to experiment once more?” Zhang Xuan looked over.

“No, I… want to learn: how will I die? If you can tell me the truth, I am willing to have my body smashed to smithereens to repay this favor to you!” Apothecary Chen Xiao pleaded.

There weren’t any problems with his body. Even if his appetite dwindled and his quality of sleep decreased, it shouldn’t cause his death!

As the person in question, how could he know nothing when he was already on the verge of death?

“I will tell you honestly then. Even though there were no mistakes in your skill and movements when you were forging the pill, your body is slightly stiff. It is clear that your vitality and strength aren’t what they used to be. Most important of all, parts of your skin have started to turn gray, similar to the livor mortis that appears on corpses! If I’m not wrong, you have applied a special kind of medicine on your skin to conceal it from sight. In actuality, your entire body is already speckled with gray spots!”

Zhang Xuan looked over with piercing eyes.

Looking as though he had been struck by lightning, Apothecary Chen Xiao’s eyes narrowed as he retreated backward in fear.

Just like what the other party said, there were spots on his body. He thought that it was a kind of rare disease and he intended to find time to seek out Master Yuanyu and have him take a look. After all, it didn’t hurt or itch, so he didn’t pay much attention to it. To think that it would be livor mortis!

“Sir, please save me!”

Suppressing his gasps of shock and fear, Apothecary Chen Xiao no longer held any doubt for the other party’s words. He clasped his hands together and pleaded.

His address also changed from “brother” to “sir.”

Regardless of who it was and how long he has lived, no one wished to die, especially when death appeared before them.

Everyone would seek any means to live on!

“Have you obtained some treasure recently? If I’m not wrong, you probably took it from a corpse. I shall not explain any further. If you wish to live longer, it is best that you not touch it anymore!” Zhang Xuan waved his hand. “I will end my advice here. Good luck!”

“You—you…”

Hearing his words, Apothecary Chen Xiao froze once more.

What the other party said was true. He had obtained a cauldron recently and it was much better than the one he had been using. He had been treating it as a precious treasure, stroking it daily. If he could, he would even sleep beside it every day.

This cauldron was taken from the hands of a corpse, one that had departed not too long ago.

This person gave him the cauldron in hopes that he would take revenge for him. However, his enemy was way too powerful, so he only agreed to do so casually back then. He did not intend to exact vengeance in his stead.

After which, the person died and he no longer bothered about the matter. Could he mean… this cauldron?

He obtained his cauldron clandestinely, not even his family members knew of it. He… How did he know of it?

Apothecary Chen Xiao took a good look at the young man before him once more. This time, agitation could be seen on his face, as though staring at a specter.

“Alright, who’s the next one?”

Ignoring the elder, Zhang Xuan turned to look at the other eight remaining examiners.

Actually, Chen Xiao was inflicted with not an illness but a curse.

He agreed to seek vengeance in another’s stead, and in exchange, the other party gave him his most precious treasure. However, he went against his words and the other party predicted that he would do so. As such, he imprinted the curse on the cauldron. If he got close to it, his life would be gnawed away. Even though it wouldn’t cause any illness or side effects, his lifespan would reduce tremendously.

Unless he made up his mind to exact vengeance for the other party!

Of course, Zhang Xuan wouldn’t say these words out loud.

Putting aside the fact that he had barely met Apothecary Chen Xiao and wasn’t indebted to him, more importantly, the other party was an ungrateful person. He made promises but didn’t fulfill them. Zhang Xuan despised these kinds of people.

After consecutively getting two apothecaries to admit defeat, none of the other examiners volunteered to take him on. No matter how foolish the other eight were, it was clear at this point that Zhang Xuan was someone with true ability. For a long time, the entire hall was silent and no one dared to step forward.

“If none of you wish to continue the Pill Debate, please admit defeat and declare me the victor!”

Zhang Xuan smiled.

“Tranquil Heart Pill requires your heart to be calm to forge. Under usual circumstances, you need to adjust your state of mind for three days through consuming vegetarian meals and cleansing yourself with water. Given how they had to forge the pill out of a sudden without making the necessary adjustments in their state of mind, it is natural that the pills they forged would be affected by their emotions. As long as we avoid forging such pills, he should be unable to point out any flaws!”

“Indeed! Only the forging of Tranquil Heart Pill is affected by your emotions and state of mind. The effects of such for other pills are minimal so it will do as long as we do not forge Tranquil Heart Pills!”

Muttering broke out among the crowd and soon a voice rang out.

“I will face him!”

An apothecary stood up.

It was a middle-aged man about the same age as Du Man. He had a square-shaped face and his eyes shone with determination and calm.

“It’s Apothecary Cheng Jiang!”

“He is the apothecary who possesses the greatest potential among us all. Just within three years of becoming an apothecary, he was already able to forge more than a dozen kinds of pills. With sufficient time, there is a high possibility of him surpassing Guild Leader Ouyang!”

“Nothing will go wrong since he’s the one making the move!”

……

…

The eyes of the crowd lit up.

Initially, everyone was resolute to pulling this Zhang Xuan lad off his high horse. Yet two apothecaries, Meng Yan and Chen Xiao, who challenged him had fallen to him. This struck a blow at their confidence and they urgently needed someone to boost their morale.

“Zhang Xuan, you were able to notice the slightest details in the previous two clashes, to the point of even discerning an apothecary’s vitality, emotional state, and mental state. I am impressed!”

Walking out, Apothecary Cheng Jiang nodded his head in approval with a smile.

“I am unworthy of your praise!” Zhang Xuan replied.

“You were even able to discern the killing intent from Apothecary Meng Yan. If I were to forge a Tranquil Heart Pill, my flaws would surely be unable to escape from your notice. Thus, if I may propose presumptuously, I would like to increase the difficulty of the challenge. I wonder if you’re brave enough to accept!” Apothecary Cheng Jiang said.

“I am willing to listen to the details!”

Upon hearing that the other party wanted to increase the difficulty of the challenge, Zhang Xuan looked interested.

“I have just created a new pill forging technique and come up with a name for it a few days ago. I have not displayed it to anyone before. If I gave this problem to you, even if you are learned in all methods that have existed since immemorial times, you will surely find it hard to answer!” Apothecary Cheng Jiang said. “Thus, I contemplated and decided against having you give the name of my technique. As long as you can name three pill forging techniques I referenced from, I am willing to admit defeat!”

“Creating a new pill forging technique? Incredible!”

Pill forging techniques were similar to the battle techniques of a fighter. Those who could create one of their own were definitely talented individuals, people who left their mark on history.

As long as they did not burn out before their time was up, it was just a matter of time before they made a name for themselves.

Upon hearing his words, the other apothecaries looked at him, full of admiration.

“Apothecary Cheng sure is remarkable. This question is truly difficult!”

“Indeed. Since it is a brand new pill forging technique, it is bound to be different from the originals. Compared to pointing out the flaws in pill forging techniques, to identify the references in a newly-created pill forging technique, three at that, the difficulty is much greater!”

“This time, Zhang Xuan will most probably be defeated!”

“Of course, this is such a difficult question. Even a 3-star apothecary would be stumped by it, much less an apprentice apothecary!”

The crowd couldn’t help but lament Zhang Xuan’s predicament.

In some Chinese religions and culture, eating meat can be considered to be a sin due to the bloodshed resulted in its production. Sometimes it’s associated with state of mind—those who consume meat tend to be more short-tempered whereas those who consume vegetarian meals tend to be calmer.

Chapter 113: Forging Technique

Telling the references from a complete pill forging technique—using an analogy—was like creating a solution of water from numerous wells and demanding for another to identify the origin of the water. It was an impossible task!

Unless one witnessed him creating the pill forging technique step by step, it would be impossible to identify three references. The difficulty of the task Cheng Jiang proposed, compared to simply finding the flaws in a pill forging technique, was at least five times harder!

Zhang Xuan’s eyes narrowed.

As expected of the apothecaries, they weren’t as easy to deal with as he expected.

This fellow might be a bundle of smiles and look magnanimous. However, he was truly the most shameless of the group.

Even if Zhang Xuan agreed… identifying the references in a pill forging technique was basically an impossible task! Given how Zhang Xuan raised the difficulty earlier, the privilege should be extended to the other party as well. If he disagreed with it, other people might criticize him because of that in the future, thus leaving a stain on his reputation.

“Why? I know that this is a difficult matter to ask, and it is normal that you will reject me. However… if you reject my offer, can I consider it your loss?” Cheng Jiang grinned widely.

“Loss?” Zhang Xuan shook his head. “It just happens that I would like to see Apothecary Cheng’s new forging technique. Let’s begin!”

This method of his would normally be effective against other people, making them fly into a panic. However, it was ineffective against Zhang Xuan.

The reason why Zhang Xuan could identify flaws in the pill forging techniques of others wasn’t because of his discernment ability. Rather, it was because he possessed the Library of Heaven’s Path. As long as the library remained with him, regardless of whatever forging technique—whether it was just created or yet to be created—they would all be clearly displayed in the form of a book. This was no problem for him at all.

“Alright!” Seeing him agree to it, a gleam flashed across Apothecary Cheng Jiang’s eyes. The corners of his lips crept upwards as he gathered the necessary medicinal herbs and headed to the cauldron.

Hualala!

The medicinal herbs flew in the air. His every action was fluid and elegant. Looking it from afar, there was a unique sense of aesthetics to it.

“It is indeed a new forging technique. I have never seen it before!”

“If I’m not mistaken, he is forging Juxi Pill!”

“Yes. Juxi Pill is useful to people of cultivation realms below Fighter 7-dan. It is exceptionally useful for those in the Juxi realm. It isn’t a valuable pill in comparison to the others, but it is one of the most useful ones to the fighters. Usually, this is the pill apprentice apothecaries will practice for the Pill Forging examination. As such, most apothecaries are extremely familiar with the method to forging it. This is also the reason why Apothecary Cheng Jiang is able to better showcase the uniqueness of his forging technique. Furthermore, his motions are more fluid, making it difficult for others to discern the references!”

“In any case, I am unable to tell the pill forging techniques he referenced from…”

“Me neither…”

……

…

The apothecaries watched Cheng Jiang for a moment before shaking their heads.

“Apothecary Cheng sure is vicious!”

Standing by the side, Ouyang Cheng shook his head. “Given his standard as a 1-star apothecary, he is able to forge the most basic Juxi Pill easily with fluid motions, making it difficult for others to discern the forging method easily. Furthermore, given the short time required to forge it, you couldn’t analyze it even if you wanted to. Looks like Zhang Xuan will probably fail here…”

Apothecary Cheng Jiang could forge more difficult grade-1 pills, but it would be troublesome for him. He couldn’t forge them as easily as he could the Juxi Pill. This was just like how Yang Guo could wield the Heavy Iron Sword, but he was unable to control it as freely as he wished.

On the other hand, if he forged the most basic Juxi Pill, it was like Yang Guo wielding an ordinary sword instead—effortless.

This Apothecary Cheng Jiang may have had a wide smile on his face, but he was actually the most scheming of them all. Not only were his movements fast in forging Juxi Pill, the time required to forge it was also short. A normal grade-1 pill would take at least half an hour to forge. On the other hand, Juxi Pill could be forged in less than fifteen minutes.

Seeing three references in such a short period of time?

How was that possible?

It was clear that he is intent intended to do in Zhang Xuan!

“Is he… going to fail?”

Upon hearing Ouyang Cheng’s judgement, Wen Xue clenches her fists tightly.

“It should be difficult for him to pass this test…”

Ouyang Cheng sighed.

“Interesting!”

Initially, he didn’t bear any ill intent for this Cheng Jiang. However, he didn’t expect this fellow to be so despicable and use such low-handed methods. Zhang Xuan’s gaze turned icy.

As a cultured, knowledgeable, ambitious, and worldly transcender, how could he allow others to bully him without trying to retaliate?

Hu!

Finally, the Juxi Pill was successfully forged. A total of seven or eight pills rolled out from the cauldron.

“I am done forging. Zhang Xuan, please!”

Apothecary Cheng Jiang looked at him and chuckled with confidence.

It was true that his forging technique had more than three references to other forging techniques. However, his movements just now were extremely fast and fluid. It was almost an impossible task for the other party to see through any of them!

Besides… even if the other party was right, he could deny it!

There are so many forging techniques, and naturally, given how no one here could see through the references behind his forging technique, it was up to him to say whatever he wanted!

[For a brat who came from some remote corner to use me as a stepping stone to achieve victory in the Pill Debate…. Dream on!]

“If I can point out three references in your forging technique, will you admit defeat?”

Zhang Xuan looked at him with a hint of amusement in his eyes.

“Of course. I am an official apothecary. Given my standing, there is no reason I would go back on my words just to deal with an apprentice apothecary!” Apothecary Cheng Jiang flung his sleeves haughtily. Arrogance exuded from his tone.

“Great. Since you have put it like that, then this matter is simple!”

Zhang Xuan nodded his head and walked forward. He circled around the cauldron once before lowering his head to look at the Juxi Pill in his hand.

He pinched one and held it up, placed it before his nose, and took a whiff of its scent.

“This Juxi Pill has vibrant colors and a radiant outer appearance. Going by conventional standards, it should have already reached Perfection!” Zhang Xuan complimented. However, his tone abruptly changed. “However…”

“Due to the limitations of Apothecary Cheng’s forging technique, Perfection is already the limit. It is impossible for him to forge an Inscribed Pill!”

“It is just a Juxi Pill, what’s the use of forging an Inscribed Pill?” Apothecary Cheng Jiang scoffed.

This Juxi Pill was the most basic pill an apothecary could forge. It increased the rate at which a fighter could gather spiritual energy from the surroundings. It was a waste of an Inscribed Pill to occur in this kind of fundamental pill!

“That’s true!”

Zhang Xuan nodded his head, reluctant to tug with him on this matter. Instead, he smiled and continued, “The question I should answer is with regards to your forging technique. There is no point debating this topic. Alright, since it’s a request on your part, I will answer your question. Putting aside the forging techniques you have referenced previously, let’s first talk about how many forging techniques you know. With this, it should be easier to conclude which are the few forging techniques you referenced from!

“Three years ago, Apothecary Cheng Jiang used 【Rain of Ten Thousand Streams】 to forge a grade-1 【Vitality Rejuvenation Pill】 to pass the apothecary examinations. In the same year, you learned 【Convergence of the North River】 and successfully forged 【Soul Soothing Pill】.

“The spring of the second year, during Apothecary Bai Ming’s birthday celebration, you sneaked into his study and coped his 【Illusory Silk Hands】 with which you forged 【Body Nourishment Pill】. From then on, your reputation spread far and wide!

“That winter, when you asked Apothecary Lin Mu to demonstrate his 【Frost Threaded Hands】, you secretly took it for yourself!

“In the summer last year, you spent 50,000 gold coins to bribe Apothecary Jin Chen’s butler to duplicate a copy of 【Golden Spring Fleeting Cloud Dexterity】!

……

…

“In the third month of last year, you enticed Du Man’s apothecary apprentice Zhu Huahua and obtained Apothecary Du’s personal forging technique 【Hundred Intertwining Method】…

……

…

“Now, if I added them up, Rain of Ten Thousand Streams, Convergence of the North River… Summing together all of these forging techniques, there are a total of twelve of them!”

Zhang Xuan counted slowly as though counting his own precious treasures. After that, he turned around to look at the apothecary whose face had paled at some point. “Apothecary Cheng Jiang, are there any mistakes with what I said?”

“You—you…”

Cheng Jiang stumbled backward. His eyes narrowed, as though he had seen a freak.

Yang Guo is a character from Return of the Condor Heroes by Jin Yong.

In the novel, after his hand was chopped off by Guo Fu, he was saved by a condor and chances upon the grave of a great swordsman, Dugu Qiubai. There are four swords there, one of them being the Heavy Iron Sword. The sword is known for being extremely heavy and difficult to utilize in battle. Yang Guo took a long time before he managed to gain control of it.

Chapter 114: Convergence of Ten Thousand Tributaries

“What? Cheng Jiang, is what he said true? I demonstrated the skill to you out of kindness, and you secretly picked up my Frost Threaded Hands?”

“Dammit, no wonder I wasn’t able to find you for a long time after the banquet started. Confess, when did you sneak into my study?”

“Cheng Jiang, we are fellow apothecaries. If you wish to learn my forging technique, you could have asked me sincerely for it and I might have taught it to you. Yet you chose to entice my apprentice with benefits to obtain my Hundred Intertwining Method. Aren’t you being too underhanded!”

……

…

A pill forging technique was similar to a fighter’s battle techniques. Most of them were exclusive to a certain clan or sect and mustn’t be taught to outsiders lightly.

This Cheng Jiang actually secretly learned the forging techniques of other apothecaries without their permission, even resorting to stealing to obtain them. Upon hearing Zhang Xuan’s words, the entire room burst into outrage.

Everyone here was a member of the Apothecary Guild and they often exchanged knowledge on the art of pill forging. If he was truly interested in learning their pill forging method, he could indicate his interest, conduct a ceremony to acknowledge the other party as his mentor, and learn their skills. Then their relationship could be annulled and they would still be friends!

However, secretly learning in this manner was akin to a fighter stealing the battle techniques of other experts. It was a huge taboo that one should never commit.

“Everyone, don’t listen to his nonsense…”

Sensing the heated atmosphere, anger and fear flashed across Cheng Jiang’s face as he hurriedly tried to absolve himself from the accusations.

“I’m spouting nonsense?”

Zhang Xuan walked forward. The corners of his lips crept upwards. “Just now, to forge Juxi Pill, Apothecary Cheng took a total of 23 medicinal herbs. I shouldn’t be mistaken on this aspect!”

“You’re right!”

All certified apothecaries were aware of the medicinal herbs required to forge Juxi Pill. This wasn’t a secret, thus there was no need to deny it.

“When you mixed White Lotus Grass, Wisteria Root, and Golden River Flower together, your pinky was angled backward whereas the tip was bent forward, as though picking a flower. If I’m not wrong, this method is referenced from Apothecary Bai Ming’s 【Illusory Silk Hands】!”

“Afterwards, when you extracted the Green Sun Essence, your five fingers opened wide with which you gently stroked the herb, as though extracting frigid air from ice, not daring to exert too much strength. This should be referenced from Apothecary Lin Mu’s 【Frost Threaded Hands】!”

“Then, when you added Purple Osmund Grass and White Mane Flower in, to prevent the properties of the two from clashing with one another, you specially circled them twice around the cauldron before throwing them in. Through doing so, not only would the medicinal properties of both be better utilized, they would only lose their violent nature. As such, their properties would not clash with one another. Apothecary Jin Chen’s 【Golden Spring Fleeting Cloud Dexterity】 seems identical to this move of yours!”

……

…

“After that, when the pill was forged, in order to prevent it from coming into contact with the searing cauldron, you used zhenqi to produce a unique air net with your hands. Even though your movements are inconspicuous, if someone watches closely, they are still recognizable. Apothecary Du Man, isn’t that similar to your 【Hundred Intertwining Method】?”

Zhang Xuan didn’t allow the other party to refute his words at all, dumping it all out en masse. At this point, he paused for a moment as he smiled brightly. “If… Apothecary Cheng thinks what that I just said is nonsense and that I made it all up, the Record Crystal has been recording the entire procedure and we can look through it anytime. Everyone can bear testimony to whether the words I’ve been saying are nonsense!”

“You…”

Cheng Jiang face paled and his entire body trembled uncontrollably.

He knew that what the other party said was completely true!

Apothecaries had their own schools and inheritances. In order to improve swiftly, he went around stealing other people’s techniques. He thought that he had done it very secretly… How did this fellow know?

Furthermore, down to the very details?

In an instant, he felt like he was standing nude before everyone else. A deep feeling of fear rose from the depths of his heart.

“What? Do you still think I’m spouting nonsense?” Ignoring the other party whose face had paled to the extreme at this moment, Zhang Xuan stepped forward. “If you think there’s any mistake in what I’ve said… is this forging technique that you ‘self-created’ through merging everyone’s forging techniques called 【Convergence of Ten Thousand Tributaries】?”

“You’re a demon…”

Apothecary Cheng Jiang staggered and fell to the floor.

The name he had come up with for this forging technique was indeed 【Convergence of Ten Thousand Tributaries】!

It was a name he had come up with a few days ago and he had yet to tell anyone about it. In fact, not even his apprentices knew of it, so why… does the other party know the name?

To be able to see through everything down to the very details such that him stealing the other people’s forging technique was unable to escape his eyes…. Was this fellow a demon?

‘How can this be…’

Apothecary Cheng Jiang was terrified.

“Convergence of Ten Thousand Tributaries—you utilized all of the different techniques to forge that river of yours. How arrogant! It sure is an incredible forging technique!”

“To steal our forging techniques, integrate them together as one and claim that you have created a new forging technique. Cheng Jiang, you sure are capable!”

“To think that I’ve regarded you as my brother and my best buddy, yet you chose to do this to me. Fine!”

“From now on, our relationship is severed!”

……

…

Upon seeing the expression on Cheng Jiang’s face and recalling the movements he made while forging the pill recently, they would truly be fools if they were still unable to understand the situation.

The faces of the apothecaries here turned red in fury. Their wrathful eyes fixated on Cheng Jiang.

They weren’t exceptionally skilled apothecaries and their forging techniques were not really secrets that must not be leaked to the outside. But… this fellow, if he had expressed his desire to learn their techniques, getting rejected wasn’t really a big deal. However, his actions of learning their techniques behind their back was definitely something an apothecary should never do!

Not only that, he had even arrogantly bragged that he had created a new technique by himself. Created, your head! You simply took all of our techniques to form a hodgepodge. You call that creating a new technique?

If that’s so, everyone would be creating new techniques every day!

Not to mention, naming it Convergence of Ten Thousand Tributaries…

How can anyone be that shameless!

At this point, they no longer viewed Cheng Jiang as their equal. Disgust was the only thing that could be seen on their faces.

“Please calm down!”

Upon seeing the indignation of the crowd, Zhang Xuan smiled. He interjected into their commotion and turned to look at Cheng Jiang, who was still in a state of disbelief. “Apothecary Cheng Jiang… is this considered my victory?”

“You—you…”

Seeing his smile, Apothecary Cheng Jiang shuddered. “You win…. I admit defeat!”

He has no choice but to admit defeat. The other party’s ability to discern had already reached the level of demons. He feared that if he continued competing with him, more of his secrets would be revealed. As such, he could only hurriedly nod his head.

At this moment, he regretted his action of intentionally making things difficult for the other party. Even though the other party had pointed out the flaws in Meng Yan and Chen Xiao’s pill forging, he had clearly spared their dignity. Yet he sent a slap directly at his face, exposing his darkest secret in public….

It was foreseeable that once news of these matters spread, he would lose his standing within Tianxuan Kingdom’s Apothecary Guild. He would be shunned and viewed with contempt by all.

All credibility and reputation he had built up throughout the years would be completely destroyed and others would just think of him as a fraud and villain.

Upon his surrender, Zhang Xuan smiled.

Initially, he didn’t have any serious conflict with any of them so he couldn’t be bothered with the other party’s personality flaws. Yet, this fellow tried to take advantage of the situation to force him into a corner!

‘You want to humiliate me? Try it then!

‘As a transcender with a golden ring, how can I allow myself to be humiliated by you like this?

‘Since you decided to charge straight at me, don’t blame me for not going easy on you. It just happens that I can use you to warn the others that I, Zhang Xuan… am not an easy target!’

“Apothecary Cheng has admitted defeat!”

Zhang Xuan surveyed the surroundings. “Anyone else?”

In that instant, the room fell utterly silent.

Chapter 115: Acupoint Soothing Pill

Even though the person in front of them had only pointed out the flaws in the pill forging techniques of three apothecaries, the abilities he had revealed in doing so induced fear and terror in the remaining few.

Not just them, even Chen Jiang’s swift and fluid actions—factoring in the short duration he took to forge the pill—were clearly seen through by Zhang Xuan, who had also analyzed the origin of his movements, and deduced that he had stolen the forging techniques of others….

That ability of discernment and knowledge of his was something none of the people here could match up to.

“Three apothecaries have admitted defeat, seven more to go. Who will go first?”

Seeing all of them silence, Zhang Xuan continued to stare at them.

Pill Debate required ten apothecaries to admit their defeat before Zhang Xuan could be declared victorious.

“This…”

Silence continued to linger about the remaining seven apothecaries.

It was one thing if the other party’s ability to discern matters was impressive, but of the three apothecaries he faced previously, one was exposed for being cuckolded, one turned out to be on the verge of death, and the last one had his reputation tarnished….

They were only here for the Pill Debate. They didn’t want their secrets exposed because of this!

The other party’s ability to discern was so incredible that he could immediately tell a difference if their state of mind was in the slightest bit off. Given such circumstances, who would still dare to challenge him?

Furthermore… they couldn’t admit defeat without competing in Pill Debate!

If they did so, it was equivalent to going easy on the other party, which was considered as an act of cheating. Once revealed, they would be stripped of their apothecary qualification.

As such, the awkward silence continued to linger in the atmosphere as no one dared to step forward.

“Please hurry up, we can’t possibly continue to drag this matter on like this!”

Sensing the awkward atmosphere lingering about, Ouyang Cheng couldn’t help saying, “I’ll go!”

After a momentary silence, Apothecary Du Man stood up.

He was acquainted with Zhang Xuan and had even bet over him. What he thought to be an arrogant fellow turned out to be a figure with incredible capability and outstanding discernment ability.

Even he himself was far from a match for him in this aspect.

However, he didn’t have a choice either way. After all, they couldn’t continue stalling time here like this.

“Apothecary Du Man, allow me to go instead!”

Just as Du Man was about to start forging so that Zhang Xuan could point out the flaws in the process, an elder stood up.

“It’s Apothecary Bai Ming!”

“Just now, Zhang Xuan exposed that Cheng Jiang had secretly learned his Illusory Silk Hands. He was extremely furious. Why would he make a move now?”

“I have no idea. Let’s watch!”

……

Upon seeing this elder, the others shuddered.

Even though Apothecary Bai Ming wasn’t the oldest of the group, he was the most qualified and respected one.

That was because he wasn’t just a mere apothecary; he was also the de facto head of one of the Four Great Clans in Tianxuan City, the Bai clan.

He was a person who held great authority and strength in his hands.

“Since Apothecary Bai is going to make a move, I’ll back down first!”

Apothecary Du Man returned to his seat.

He was unable to match up to Bai Ming in terms of qualifications and standing.

“Zhang Xuan, you possess incredible ability of discernment and analysis. However… you just happened to be lucky. In actuality, you don’t really possess much knowledge on pill forging!” After the examiner had been confirmed, Bai Ming glanced at Zhang Xuan, his tone hostile.

It was no wonder that he was so angry. While he was angry at Cheng Jiang for stealing the secret manual passed down within his family, being exposed in public also made him feel humiliated.

After all, it was shameful for the powerful Bai clan to be unable to prevent a lone apothecary from stealing from them. If word spread, the Bai clan would become a laughingstock.

“Lucky? Why would Apothecary Bai say that?”

Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

“Simple. Regardless of whether it was Meng Yan, Chen Xiao, or Cheng Jiang, the flaws you said may seem to make sense. However, if we think deeper into things, it was also possible for you to have investigated their personality flaws and the recent happenings around them beforehand, and worked backward to infer the flaws in their forging techniques!”

Bai Ming harrumphed.

“Worked backward?”

“Now that Apothecary Bai said so, it does make sense!”

“Indeed! For example, in Meng Yan’s case, if you knew he killed his concubine in the morning in advance and that he had killing intent and rage within him, you could safely deduce that the Tranquil Heart Pill he forged would be ineffective!”

“The same for Apothecary Chen Xiao as well! If you knew he was sick and didn’t have much time to live, you could infer that there would be a problem with the pills. After all, the Tranquil Heart Pill reflects the forger’s state of mind. Even a pig could tell that something would be wrong with those pills if it had heard of that information beforehand!”

“Now that you all have put it in such a way, it truly explains a lot of things. If he had made preparations beforehand and dug up the matter of Cheng Jiang stealing our forging techniques, it would be a simple matter to guess the references in his forging technique!”

……

Bai Ming’s words were like a rock thrown in water, generating countless ripples on the surface. Everyone “came to a realization,” seemingly understanding what had just happened.

It was because they were unable to understand how the other party was able to see through those flaws that they felt fear. Now that they understood the “reason,” the fear they felt vanished.

In fact, if they they of this information beforehand, they could also make the same judgement that Zhang Xuan did on the flaws of the forging techniques of the previous three.

“Oh? Working backward? What an interesting thought!” He didn’t expect Apothecary Bai Ming’s imagination to be so vivid. Smirking, Zhang Xuan continued, “Regardless of what methods I used, I can pass as long as I can identify the flaws in your forging techniques!”

“Indeed. It will be your win if you manage to see through the flaws in my forging technique. However, I want to change the rules as well!” Apothecary Bai Ming said.

“Oh?”

“The gist of it will still be the same, I will forge a pill while you identify a mistake in my forging technique. However… I want you to point out true mistakes in my forging process, such as in my skills, ability to control flames, and the way I mixed the medicinal herbs together rather than involving emotions and other miscellaneous stuff. This way, you can’t use the knowledge you know of beforehand to work backward to identify the flaws in my forging technique!”

Bai Ming harrumphed.

“That’s right!”

“This way, he won’t be able to talk about emotions and the sort!”

“With these rules, he can’t work backward to deduce the flaws even if he wants to!”

“This is what I call pointing out flaws…”

……

The apothecaries nodded their heads in agreement.

To speak the truth, everyone had been frightened by Zhang Xuan’s ability to point out the flaws in them. As a cultivator, charging forward and emerging victorious among millions of people, who hadn’t done anything against their conscience before? It would be embarrassing if this lad were to reveal their darkest secrets.

Thus, the new rule that Apothecary Bai Ming came up with immediately received everyone’s approval.

He was only allowed to point out flaws in pill forging. Bringing in external matters such as murder or being on the verge of death was prohibited.

Even if they were apothecaries… such scares weren’t what humans could handle!

“Are you certain?”

Upon hearing the rules set by the other party, how could Zhang Xuan possibly remain oblivious to what they were thinking? One corner of Zhang Xuan’s mouth curved upwards.

“Of course!” Apothecary Bai Ming flung his sleeves. “Now, it is a question of whether you’re brave enough to accept the challenge!”

Zhang Xuan could not be bothered to argue with him over the matter.

“Great!”

Seeing him agree to it, Apothecary Bai Ming heaved a sigh of relief. After pondering for a moment, he grabbed a few ingredients and walked to the cauldron.

Fwoosh boosh!

The fire started burning furiously and Apothecary Bai Ming began his pill forging.

Not too long after, the fire weakened and three round pills were extracted from the cauldron.

Grade-1 pill, Acupoint Soothing Pill! It was specially prepared for Fighter 6-dan experts to soothe their acupoints, allowing them to travel further in the Pixue realm.

Back then, Elder Shang Chen spent a huge price to purchase one for Shang Bin. The latter gave it to the Sky Shattering Lion as the cost of teaching Zhang Xuan a lesson.

Even so, the Sky Shattering Lion eventually betrayed him, filling Shang Bin with resentment against it.

No matter what, the Acupoint Soothing Acupoint was considered one of the superior grade-1 pills, something that Tranquil Heart Pill was far from matching up to.

Chapter 116: Apothecary Bai Ming’s Breakdown (First Half)

“Amazing!”

“Only Apothecary Bai Ming possesses such capabilities, to think that he could successfully forge a Acupoint Soothing Pill under such circumstances!”

“It is extremely difficult to forge an Acupoint Soothing Pill. Even more so, Apothecary Bai Ming’s forging technique is so complex that I have never seen it before. Now I am curious to see what Zhang Xuan will say!”

“Hehe, let’s wait for the show then!”

Upon seeing Apothecary Bai Ming forging an Acupoint Soothing Pill, most of the apothecaries present laughed.

The higher grade a pill was, the more complex the method required to forge it. Acupoint Soothing Pill could be considered one of the higher grade pills among the grade-1 tier and its forging method was incomparably complex. Even the rest of them were unable to perceive any mistakes in his forging technique, so how could an apprentice possibly see anything?

“Alright, I’m done forging the pill. Tell me, what’s the name of the forging technique and the flaws in it!”

Sneering, Apothecary Bai Ming brought his breathing back to normal and gestured grandly.

‘Even though I don’t know where you got the information on us, but if you wish to successfully pass a Pill Debate depending solely on that, dream on!

‘Without true capability to point out the flaws in a forging technique, you will never earn my respect!’

“Are you sure you want me to say?” A peculiar expression appeared on Zhang Xuan’s face as he said those words.

“Quit trying to mystify things here. If you can’t find the words, just admit defeat!” Apothecary Bai Ming harrumphed.

“Alright then!”

Zhang Xuan shook his head. With his hands behind his back, he slowly walked to the center of the room.

“The forging technique you used is called【Thousand Mountain Hands】and is said to have been created by a 2-star apothecary named Feng Xuan. You must put the medicinal herb into the cauldron based on a special sequence, similar to the mountainous regions, one mountain after another like you’re traversing the lands. Similarly, you throw the medicinal herbs in wave after wave. The way you control the fire is also based on such a sequence, strong at one moment, weak at the other. By forging pills in such a method, it is easier for the medicinal properties to fuse together and thus makes it likelier that a pill is formed! However, its flaws are also clear to see. It’s difficult to raise the quality of the pill itself!

“Therefore, even though you managed to forge three Acupoint Soothing Pills successfully, they are of the lowest level. It is nearly impossible for you to reach Satiation. Such forging techniques are only suitable for the mass production of pills by low-skilled apothecaries. Put bluntly, none of the slightly better apothecaries would learn such a skill, because it means putting a barrier in front of their future path. No matter how many times you practice the skill, it is impossible to raise the quality of the pill in the slightest. As a result, there is no reason for them to learn it.

“Unless… you don’t think that you have any potential left in you, that’s why you are giving up on yourself!” Zhang Xuan smiled and shot a meaningful glance at him. “Apothecary Bai Ming, may I know if what I said is true?”

“Hmph!”

Upon hearing the words of the other party, Bai Ming gritted his teeth, embarrassed and angry.

As the de facto head of the Bai clan, as well as a 1-star apothecary, he possessed exceptional standing in the capital. Yet, by the words of the other party, he became an… apothecary with low standards… no more potential left….

However, he was unable to refute his words.

The flaw of the Thousand Mountain Hands was exactly as the other party said. Even though he was able to produce the Acupoint Soothing Pill easily, it was difficult for him to further refine its quality.

“You don’t need to feel gleeful over this. So what if you can point out these? You need to point out the errors in my movements previously before it can be considered your victory!” Taking a deep breath, Bai Ming suppressed his anger.

“Alright!”

Instead of arguing with him, Zhang Xuan stepped forward and walked toward the cauldron. “Then allow me to start from the very basics!

“As long as you are an apothecary, you know that you require incredible control over the flame and the cauldron to produce high-quality pills. Earlier, Apothecary Bai Ming started forging his pills right after picking up the medicine. How much do you know about this cauldron? What about the flames?

“You don’t need to refute my words by saying that the specifications of these cauldrons are roughly the same. I can clearly tell you that even with the same medicinal herb, flames, and cauldron, the medicine you forge can be different. This is due to a miniscule difference or a tiny mistake made by the apothecary that the pills forged will be a quality lower than what it should be!”

His hands stroking the cauldron, Zhang Xuan continued, “If you don’t believe me, I can show you now.

“This cauldron has a height of 7 chi and 3 cun and width of 3 cun and 2 chi. It was created by a 3-mo craftsman in the Stone Well Workshop seven years and three months ago. A total of 147 pills have been forged using and of it, of which 88 were grade-1 pills and 59 were pills lower than grade-1! During the transportation of the cauldron, it suffered three impacts. There are a total of thirteen slight scratches throughout the entire cauldron. It won’t cause too much trouble when forging ordinary pills, but it will scatter the medicinal effects and spiritual energy within the pill. As such, due to the insufficient medicinal effects harnessed within the pill, the quality of the pill will drop!

1 chi -> 30.3cm, 1 cun -> 3.03cm

“This cauldron is slightly thicker than a cun and it requires an incense’s time and thirty-four breaths for the heat to completely permeate the cauldron. Also, the thickness of the cauldron walls on the left and right are slightly different, around three hair strands off. Don’t underestimate the difference in this thickness! With the same flames, there will be a five percent difference in the temperature between both sides. The medicinal effects of Scattered Floral Grass and Lone-eyed Dragon Grass of the Acupoint Soothing Pill will be completely different when placed on either side!”

“Are you for real?”

“There is even such a thing for a cauldron?”

……

Upon listening to Zhang Xuan’s casual explanations, the jaws of the apothecaries fell to the floor and they felt like they were going insane.

Even though they knew that a difference in the cauldron could result in the formation of different pills, never did they imagine that there was such wisdom behind a cauldron.

Furthermore…

This was a cauldron that the Apothecary Guild brought in specially for this Pill Debate. How did he know so much about it? To even know where it was made, how thick the walls were, its size and how many pills it had forged?

The heck, you are about to bash through the heavens!

To see all these with a single glance, are you… a monster?

“Alright, I will continue to talk about the flames then!”

Ignoring the astonished expression on everyone’s faces, Zhang Xuan pointed to the flames burning beneath the cauldron and continued, “This is where the heat of the 【Heavenly Coal】 originates from, as well as the hottest part. With the heat here, even metal could be easily melted. By propelling it with a fighter’s zhenqi, you can easily control the strength of the flames and thus the temperature of the cauldron.”

“However… the flames do not come into direct contact with the medicinal herbs. They are placed in the cauldron, and in there, they form pills. How much heat from the flames permeates through the cauldron walls and how much of it is left in the cauldron is what we need to grasp clearly in our minds.”

“Heavenly Coal is a coal exceptionally suited for forging pills. Not only is it capable of reaching high temperatures, the permeability of its heat is also incredible. For normal coal, after permeating through a cun of cauldron walls or so, only thirty-seven percent of the heat will be retained. On the other hand, the Heavenly Coal retains forty-six percent! Only by knowing this much can you ascertain the temperature the medicinal herbs inside are under, how long it will take for the medicinal properties of the herbs to be best unleashed, and how you can forge the highest quality pill!”

“Of course, these are only the bare basics that an apothecary needs to know, so they can’t be considered as flaws. I am just casually introducing them!”

Zhang Xuan smiled and glanced at Bai Ming standing off to the side. “However, I would like to ask Apothecary Bai Ming: before forging the pills… did you notice these?”

Apothecary Bai Ming felt his hair standing on end and he almost fainted on the spot.

‘Notice? Notice your head!

‘I am just forging a normal pill! Given how complicated these things are, how the heck would I know?

‘Besides, even if I had been concerned with them, there was nothing I could do. You can’t expect me to find a ruler and start measuring the entire cauldron before testing the temperature of the coal bit by bit!

‘If I started doing so, it would be two days before I could start forging!’