So young!
Whether it was the field of martial arts or the field of alchemy, there has never been a lack of geniuses… but Ling Han was only how old?
Seventeen years old? Eighteen years old?
Even if he had been studying alchemy from the moment he was born, how many years of experience could he have accumulated at such a young age? And what alchemist had not gone through the process of concocting massive amounts of pills to accumulate experience before finally gaining recognition?
“So which aristocratic family specializing in alchemy is Young Friend the heir to?” Zhang Wei Shan asked very politely. He knew Zhu He Xin very well, and knew the it was impossible that the latter would actually make a joke about this kind of thing.
“I’m self-taught,” Ling Han said. He was already the Alchemist Emperor, how could he be the heir to someone else?
Zhang Wei Shan was even more shocked, whereas Duanmu Chang Feng still thought that Zhu He Xin must be joking around. The most important thing in alchemy was inheritance. For example, in the case of pill formulae, without a Master or teachings of one’s clansmen, how else would one have obtained them?
By pondering over it oneself? What a joke, all pill formulae were the accumulated result of multiple generations of alchemists’ work. If one depended on their own efforts to create a completely new pill formula, then one may only be able to invent only one or two types after spending their whole lives hard at work–but there was no guarantee of the effects.
“Old Man Zhang, take out the pill formula for the Reverse Pill first,” Zhu He Xin urged. He believed that as long as Ling Han helped, it would definitely scare these two old men witless.
Zhang Wei Shan was slightly doubtful. Even if the formula for the Reverse Pill was not complete, it was still extremely valuable, and he had sacrificed a lot to obtain it. It was like a book of secret martial arts skills–who would easily show it to others?
“Brother Zhang, you can’t!” Duanmu Chang Feng immediately shook his head. Even such an important man as he had sacrificed a considerable amount just to be able to have a glance at this formula, and that was still while taking into consideration the fact that he was assisting with the patching up work of the Reverse Pill formula. Otherwise, the price he had to pay would be even larger.
‘Who does this brat think he is to be able to easily see the pill formula?’
Zhang Wei Shan looked at Zhu He Xin. It was not that he distrusted this good friend of his. It was just that Ling Han was really too young, making him feel that Ling Han wasn’t very dependable.
“Old Man Zhang, you don’t trust me?” Zhu He Xin was angered. This was a real Grandmaster Alchemist. Even he wanted nothing more than to follow Ling Han and benefit from his teachings. Unfortunately, he lacked the qualifications to be accepted by Ling Han as a disciple.
Yet Duanmu Chang Feng actually dared to doubt Ling Han’s ability and think that the latter was not qualified to see the pill formula–how could this not enrage him?
If it was not for considering Zhang Wei Shan’s face, he’d be picking a fight with Duanmu Chang Feng now.
Zhang Wei Shan frowned lightly. From the bottom of his heart, of course he was willing to trust Zhu He Xin. After all, they have been good friends for dozens of years, how could he not understand what kind of person Zhu He Xin was? However, Ling Han was really much too young, so young that he didn’t even look the slightest bit like a Grandmaster Alchemist.
“Good! Good! Good!” Zhu He Xin saw the doubt in Zhang Wei Shan’s eyes, and was angered to the point that his chest was trembling. He said, “Zhang Wei Shan, since you don’t trust me, then from today onwards, we will no longer be friends!”
“Old Man Zhu!” Zhang Wei Shan turned pale due to shock. Zhu He Xin had even said that he would break off their friendship, proving how furious he was. He hurriedly waved his hands and said, “Don’t be angry, I’ll take it out right now, all right?”
“You don’t have to force yourself!” Zhu He Xin gave a humph. In his eyes, Ling Han was the Alchemy Emperor that stood at the top of the world and Zhang Wei Shan’s attitude was already very disrespectful. As a result, he felt ashamed in front of Ling Han, so how could he still bear to ask Ling Han for help to patch up the pill formula?
“Young Friend Ling, I’m really sorry!” The old man said apprehensively to Ling Han.
Ling Han gave a wave of his hand before looking at Duanmu Chang Feng, and said, “Do you think, that I would consider the formula for the Reverse Pill important? Haha, then let me recite the names of some medicinal ingredients for you.”
“Violet Smoked Leaf, Thousand Blossom Fruit, Windless Grass…” In one breath, he recited out more than ten different medicinal ingredients.
Duanmu Chang Feng was unable to make heads or tails of it… what on earth was he talking about? But Zhang Wei Shan’s expression kept changing, and his hands had also started trembling, his gaze becoming more and more feverish.
How could he not know what Ling Han was saying? These were the ingredients written on the pill formula for the Reverse Pill! However, there were three ingredients which could not be clearly read, and the quantities required for one of the ingredients had also been blurred.
Ling Han did not recite any other medicinal ingredients. All of the ingredients he recited belonged to the formula, and he had even recited an additional three ingredients–what did that mean?
That he had possession of the complete formula for the Reverse Pill!
What a joke, he had actually been so petty, and did not bear to take out a formula that was incomplete. He really felt so embarrassed that he wanted to find a hole to hide in.
“Young Friend, please forgive this Zhang Wei Shan’s ignorance!” Zhang Wei Shan clasped his hands, and bowed so deeply that his head was at Ling Han’s waist level, showing how respectful this apology was.
Ling Han was unmoved. He had come to guide Zhang Wei Shan out of kindness, yet had to suffer the latter’s doubt, so of course he was not pleased.
Duanmu Chang Feng was even more convinced that these two old men had already lost their minds to be so easily bluffed by this little brat. He gave a humph and said, “Brat, I don’t know what trick you’re playing, but it you want to trick me, that’s completely impossible!”
“Brother Duanmu, please leave!” Zhang Wei Shan suddenly straightened from his bow and said coldly.
What!
Duanmu Chang Feng almost leaped up from his seat. Has your head been kicked by a mule? You had still been standing on the same side with me just now, and now you’re actually pointing the spear at me? How can you be so ungrateful?
“Brother Zhang, what is the meaning of this!” His expression also turned cold.
“The things you’ve gifted me, I will have someone send it back later. For now, you are not welcomed here!” Zhang Wei Shan said indifferently. He had almost been deceived by Duanmu Chang Feng, and had almost missed the opportunity to come into contact with a Grandmaster Alchemist, so whatever good feelings he had towards Duanmu Chang Feng had disappeared–he could barely hold himself back from biting his head off now!
For any alchemist, there was no higher honor than restoring an ancient pill formula.
“Good! Good!” Duanmu Chang Feng’s face had turned ashen. For someone who excelled both in the fields of alchemy and sword arts and whose position was so venerable like him, to actually be turned out by someone, and moreover, for the cause of it all to be a little brat, how could he not be furious?
With a swing of his sleeves, he stepped out of the door. Before he left, his eyes swept over Ling Han, and they were filled with coldness.
Apparently, he had blamed everything on Ling Han.
This was really uninvited trouble. Ling Han shook his head. Duanmu Chang Feng was in Gushing Spring Tier, and was not someone he could fight on equal footing yet, so he could not be careless.
“Old Man Zhu, are you satisfied now?” Zhang Wei Shan said with a smile.
“How tactful of you!” Zhu He Xin glared at Zhang Wei Shan for a moment. No matter what, they had been old friends for so many years, so the words he spoke just now had only been out of anger and irritation. He walked over to Ling Han, bowed deeply, and said, “Young Friend, this old and useless man apologizes to you.”
“This old fellow too,” Zhang Wei Shan bowed again.
However, his attitude still was not comparable with Zhu He Xin’s. Zhu He Xin addressed himself as “this old and useless man” whereas he addressed himself as “this old fellow”, so it seemed that he was still putting on some airs.
But Qi Zhan Tai, who had been standing at the side all this while, was dumbfounded. Her Master had actually chased off Duanmu Chang Feng, a man who “excelled both in alchemy and martial arts” because of Ling Han. Furthermore, he had even started a feud with the other. This brat was really too capable. [1]