“Master, that is him… That is the brat who took the Dreamshade Flowers from me,” Annabelle spoke like an overly privileged, arrogant Karen who had too much time on her hands.
The Gate Masters and every disciple turned to Kent, who was standing like he had no care in the world.
“You said you were going to destroy the sect because they disrespected your honor, so why don’t you tell us how they’ve done it?” Kent repeated his question, showing no signs of fear.
The Poison Pill Saint stared at him.
The Gate Masters wore pale expressions.
The disciples all stared, disbelieving.
A mere inner area disciple just questioned the decision of a Pill Saint; that is just too much to handle at the moment.
“You dare question me?” The poison, being conjured, hurled toward Kent, but he just smirked and appeared on the opposite side of where he had stood.
“The last time I met your disciple, she was after a flower I picked and paid for with my own money. I refused to give it to her, not because she wasn’t pretty enough, but because I needed it,” Kent said, taking a step forward.
“I bought the herb because I needed it. She was in the wrong here for trying to force her status as the disciple on me. That is just plain stupid, and you know it,” Kent added.
“Are you calling my disciple stupid?” the woman asked, looking very angry.
She is the Pill Saint, the most respected, yet a mere bug was questioning her. That was just too much.
“All I did was buy something using my hard-earned money. I didn’t steal from her, nor did I take it from her. I bought it like how everyone else buys, so how does that affect the sect, and what gave you the authority to threaten to destroy an entire sect?”
This time, the question was harsh, but everyone who heard it instantly understood what all this was about. Many began raising their eyebrows, now knowing why the sect was in danger to begin with.
“You know what you did, so stop spouting nonsense,” Annabelle said, not even allowing her master to say anything.
“You can shut up, young lady. The adults are talking,” Kent said, not even sparing her a glance.
“Tell me, Pill Saint. What is the first rule of alchemy? I know you are a Pill Saint, so the rules are something you may have forgotten.
But the first rule, that I am sure you never forgot. After all, if you forget that rule, then where is your integrity?” Kent asked, and the Pill Saint froze.
This caused a few elders and the Alchemy Gate Master to look at him in shock.
“The path of alchemy is sacred; it must be cherished and should never be looked down upon,” Kent said the rule, and the Pill Saint couldn’t move her body.
It wasn’t that there was an invisible force preventing it; it was the fact that she understood where Kent was going.
“An alchemist is to be respected. An alchemist is to be cherished… But this cannot be transferred to other people. You may be a saint with a diamond badge, but you don’t have the authority to give that authority to someone else.
Your disciple tried using your badge. If I were some ignorant child, I would have conceded and even offered an apology, but as a fellow alchemist who cherishes the craft at heart, I have to say that I am really disappointed in you, Pill Saint.
You not only violated the first rule of alchemy, but you also allowed your disciple to run rampant and suppress people with your badge of honor.
If anything, it should be you offering an apology to the sect for threatening them when, in fact, you are the one in the wrong here.”
Kent spoke those words with a calm expression, but he was uncertain how it would all pan out. Right now, the Pill Saint was very quiet. She wasn’t making any movement to retort to Kent.
She was listening, and from the look on her face, she seemed to have undergone some self-evaluation.
“All I did was know the rules and follow them. I did not trample on your dignity, nor did I choose to come against you in hopes of angering you.
If anything, you should blame yourself for giving such authority to a mere kid who knows nothing about anything. The path of alchemy is sacred. I may have been gentle today, but there won’t be a next time.”
With his hands clasped behind him, Kent began moving back to the sect like a deity. He had said what needed to be said, and now, he could only leave. The rest would depend on what decision the Pill Saint made.
Kent only took ten steps when a sudden force descended on his body, stopping him in his tracks. His body immediately felt heavy, and he started feeling drowsy.
‘I have been poisoned,’ he thought, feeling the poison move toward his heart.
“The last time I checked, I am the highest authority here. Who are you to think you can lecture me on alchemy? You have disrespected my badge, and as such, you will pay with your life.”
Pill Saint Riva said, causing everyone gathered to take a step back when they noticed Kent’s skin starting to turn red. The poison was lethal and acted very quickly.
Saintess Selene turned pale, and a sword appeared in her hand, but Gate Master Mara held her back, not allowing even her fingers to move.
In her eyes, Kent was as good as dead. It was quite unfortunate, really.
Though he was hateful, he had also made the sect more lively in the few days he had been with them. It would be a shame if he were to die.
The disciples who had come there to watch, though panicking, all seemed to understand something. The Pill Saint, though unreasonable, was actually abusing her status as an Alchemist. They just didn’t know how to voice it.
Kent was the only one who could do that, but even he was currently not in a position to speak.
“How unfortunate. I really wanted this to go well. Too bad it had to result in violence…”
Well, they always say fake it until you can make it
“_”
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