Chu Feng has been wanting to elevate his Nine Yang Strange Fire for some time now, not to mention advancing a few grades; at the very least, it has to meet the basic requirements for killing and alchemy.
"You haven’t yet ruined Minister Wu’s medicinal herbs through your alchemy attempts?"
A slight frown appeared on Qiao Dusi’s forehead, his eyes emitting a snake-like cold gleam.
"Niu Baotian, you really act with such high-and-mightiness! Minister Wu, such a distinguished individual, has placed tremendous trust in you, asking you to concoct elixirs for him. Yet here you are, making excuses and dragging your feet, clearly not taking Minister Wu seriously at all."
"You even bring in these riffraff, the ragtag and bobtail, into the Alchemy Room and let them fiddle with your Pill Furnace and Earth fire, not to mention allowing them to snore away inside. What do you think this Alchemy Room is?"
"Your own house? I will report this truthfully to the guild head, we absolutely cannot condone your continued willfulness."
Qiao Dusi had a thunderous voice, and his loud shout immediately attracted many onlookers seeking entertainment.
Other sitting alchemists, upon discovering Chu Feng, a stranger brazenly staying in Niu Baotian’s Alchemy Room, all began to whisper among themselves, looking at Chu Feng with dissatisfied eyes.
"Alchemy Master Niu, forgive my blunt words, our Alchemy Room is sacred and noble, not just anyone can be casually brought in. Otherwise, it would break the rules!"
"I also agree with Alchemist Tang’s words; who is this kid anyway? He is the well-known waste from the Sword King Mansion, the Third Prince, inept in both literature and martial arts. By letting him in, you are simply defiling our Medicine Guild’s Hall’s Alchemy Room."
The alchemists gathered to watch the commotion, some of whom had harbored dissatisfaction with Niu Baotian for a while.
To put it bluntly, it was jealousy.
Seizing this opportunity, with Qiao Dusi as the second-in-command leading the charge, they all attacked in unison.
This was a perfect illustration of the old saying, when the wall falls, everyone pushes.
"You, you all..." Niu Baotian trembled with rage.
Minister Wu’s anger had already been stirred up, and his gaze towards Niu Baotian turned particularly hostile.
"Quit the nonsense, can you concoct this elixir or not?" Minister Wu asked in a stern voice.
"Well, I think it’s rather doubtful!" Qiao Dusi shook his head with a dismissive tone. "Birds of a feather flock together, look who Alchemy Master Niu associates with, and it all becomes clear."
"Being with a waste from the Sword King Mansion, it’s certain that he himself is nothing but waste."
Provoked by Qiao Dusi in such a manner, everyone looked at Chu Feng with even more scorn.
Chu Feng had been repeatedly insulted by this man, equated with riffraff, and called a waste. Even with his great patience, he was now thoroughly infuriated.
"Firstly, let me formally introduce myself! I am the newly accepted apprentice of Alchemy Master Niu, my name is Chu Feng!"
Chu Feng initially couldn’t be bothered to argue.
But since the other party had pressed the issue, he was not going to submit like a coward.
Niu Baotian’s face changed slightly, fear in his heart, as he truly wasn’t qualified to be Chu Feng’s master. If anything, it was more like the other way around.
"Qiao Dusi, you jump and yell here as if you’re quite the formidable one. Fine, this deal shall be yours to handle, then. If you’ve got the skill, refine it right here in front of everyone!"
Chu Feng sneered, thrusting the medicine box containing two precious medicinal herbs in front of Qiao Dusi.
"Uh... this, this..."
It was beyond Qiao Dusi’s dreams that Chu Feng would play this card; he retreated again and again, a look of fear naturally spreading across his face.
He was very clear about his own capabilities.
He was even less capable of concocting the elixir that even Niu Baotian couldn’t.
"What is this? If you’re so capable, why don’t you do the alchemy?! All talk and no action, who can’t do that?"
Chu Feng’s face was full of mockery, and with each shove of the medicine box forward, Qiao Dusi retreated a step back.
It was as if what Chu Feng held in the medicine box wasn’t some precious Medicinal Herb, but a landmine ready to explode at any moment.
Feeling quite indignant, Niu Baotian couldn’t help but let out a smile.
He silently gave Chu Feng a thumbs up for his quick-witted brain. Indeed, the youngster had a sharp mind.
With just a bit of trickery, he managed to turn the pompous Qiao Dusi into a bumbling bear.
"Cough... A gentleman does not covet what others love! This deal was taken by Alchemy Master Niu; naturally, I cannot snatch it away!" Qiao Dusi’s face turned red with embarrassment, but his pride prevented him from easily admitting defeat.
At least not verbally.
He scraped together a barely acceptable excuse, attempting to sidestep the issue.
Had it been another time, Niu Baotian might have not pursued the matter further. However, he was almost nudged out of his livelihood by Qiao Dusi’s schemes, so why would he hold back now?
Chu Feng had already pushed Qiao Dusi into Niu Baotian’s line of fire, now all that was left was for Niu Baotian to slap Qiao Dusi’s face.
"I have absolutely no objections to giving this deal to Alchemy Master Qiao; in fact, I couldn’t be more delighted!"
"Didn’t Alchemy Master Qiao just now wish to challenge my position as the top alchemist? You must have greatly improved your alchemy skills, full of confidence, which is the perfect opportunity to let everyone witness your ’transcendent’ alchemy ability."
Niu Baotian, as the head instructor of the Alchemy Academy, was absolutely top-notch when it came to verbal sparring.
His words were cunning, leaving Qiao Dusi with no way out and unable to back down.
"I, I... have been unwell lately, and cannot perform alchemy!" Qiao Dusi was sweating profusely from his forehead, with so many eyes on him, he felt incredibly insecure being grilled .
"Alchemy Master Qiao was just preparing an Elixir today! Look, the fire in the furnace hasn’t even been put out!"
As Niu Baotian spoke, he glanced at Qiao Dusi’s Alchemy Room, where the fire was still burning.
"Qiao Dusi, remember to draft your lies next time; with that brain of yours, I’m getting anxious on your behalf! If you can’t concoct, stop pretending; swelling your face won’t make you any fatter!"
Chu Feng joined the fray again; when beating someone, aim for the face; when stepping on someone, aim for the head.
Time and again, Chu Feng and Niu Baotian took turns insulting Qiao Dusi, exposing his lies. Qiao Dusi’s face could no longer hide his shame, showcasing a mix of blue, red, and white colors - a truly amusing sight.
Just like an actor in a temple play.
At that moment, he became nothing more than a clown in the eyes of the onlookers.
"Hmph, I can’t be bothered to talk to you any longer!" Qiao Dusi dared not talk back anymore; otherwise, he might as well be stripped and flogged.
Minister Wu seemed to grasp the situation; he had been played as a pawn.
"F*ck me, I thought you were something special, but you aren’t even as good as Alchemy Master Niu. Damn your mother’s eggs, if you dare to blabber in front of this Chief of Staff again, I’ll slap you to death!"
They say Minister Wu is a military man by training, known for being crude and straightforward.
When Qiao Dusi caught his fierce glare, he shrunk himself, not daring to let even a fart slip, and kept his distance.
His gaze towards Chu Feng and Niu Baotian became even colder.
His mind was filled with thoughts of revenge.
Today, he had been publicly humiliated by Chu Feng and Niu Baotian, from both sides; it was a truly bitter experience.
"Niu Baotian, and that waste from Sword King Mansion, you both have slick tongues. Try doing some alchemy!" After stewing in silence for a while, Qiao Dusi couldn’t help but target Chu Feng and Niu Baotian again. "If none of us can concoct, then you can’t really say who’s weaker or stronger!"