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Chapter 49: Chapter 48: Oh No, I’ve Become a Coward

The Xingyu Pill Association’s unnervingly fast pace had completely captured everyone’s attention. One by one, they held their breath, their eyes wide, ready to witness a moment destined to be recorded in the annals of alchemy.

Meanwhile, Zhu Li, who was strolling around the Alchemy Platform supervising the work, became the absolute center of attention.

Throughout the entire Vermilion Bird Gate, aside from the roar of the blazing furnaces, the loudest sound was Zhu Li’s voice.

Everyone was a bit stunned.

Zhuge Xiao’s mouth fell open. ”Aunt, Lingge is terrifying!”

Zhuge Wei Yue was also a bit dazed, but she quickly understood the implications and waved her hand dismissively. ”Don’t worry about it. As long as it benefits us, it’s fine. If we can win effortlessly, there’s no need for so much pointless talk!”

This time, the Zhuge Family’s seven Hundred Refinements Furnaces were truly going to benefit immensely.

Zhuge Xiao gave a helpless smile. ”Aunt, have you forgotten that I’m a Mansion Official for the Ninth Prince’s Mansion?”

Zhuge Wei Yue’s eyebrows shot up. ”That’s your own business. Don’t you dare ruin my good mood.”

Zhuge Xiao: ”...”

Zhuge Wei Yue said, ”Wipe that bitter smile off your face. The men of our Zhuge Family must remain poised and unruffled no matter what happens, like Mount Tai collapsing before them without a change in expression! And don’t let your hands be idle. Start waving that feather fan!”

Zhuge Xiao: ”...”

Seeing the smile on Zhuge Xiao’s face gradually become natural and his fan-waving grow elegant,

Zhuge Wei Yue finally revealed a satisfied smile. Her gaze shifted to Zhu Li on the platform. ”Speaking of which, that Tenth Prince is certainly arrogant. Knowing his production is secure, he sends a girl from the Zhu Family right up on stage. Is he trying to make a statement to the Zhu Family?”

Zhuge Xiao waved his feather fan, smiling without a word.

’He didn’t know why, either.’

’All that mattered was being elegant!’

Not far away,

Kan Luotang simply shook her head with a smile. She just watched Zhu Li quietly, her eyes filled with anticipation, eager to see the girl who was once a doormat shine with dazzling brilliance.

「On the other side.」

”Whoa!”

Feng Kucha was astonished. ”Uncle Xiang Jiu, did you see that? Zhao Ci actually managed to turn this whole situation around!”

Xiang Yunzhan was just as stunned, his eyes as wide as saucers. ”I thought the kid was just spouting nonsense, but it turns out he’s really got something up his sleeve.”

Feng Kucha counted on his fingers. ”Production has at least tripled. Even if they’re all Low-Grade Qi Cultivation Pills, they should be able to snatch up orders worth several hundred thousand taels of silver. Over three years, he’s sure to earn some merit. Heh! As expected of a brother who hangs with me. He didn’t embarrass me.”

Xiang Yunzhan shot him a sidelong glance. ”Then why aren’t you considering joining his mansion?”

”Join his mansion?”

Feng Kucha shook his head repeatedly. ”Get outta here. They can’t afford me.”

In contrast to their relaxed mood,

Zhao Yong and his companions were feeling anything but lighthearted. Zhao Ci’s sudden expression of gratitude was like a ghostly claw, frantically tearing at his insides.

’Is there really a Secret Technique that can cause one’s alchemy skill to skyrocket in such a short time?’

’Could there really be?’

’Could it be...’

Seeing his distraught state, Zhu He lowered his voice. ”Don’t worry too much. Our Zhu Family is the number one Alchemy Family, and even we have never heard of such a Secret Technique. It’s not like Zhu Li can defy the heavens and change her own fate all by herself, can she?

That little brat Zhu Li just isn’t cut out to be an Alchemist.

Let’s just say she had a stroke of dumb luck and suddenly became an exceptionally strong Alchemist. She’s still just one person.

Don’t let the Tenth Prince bluff you.”

Zhao Yong collected himself, also coming to believe that Zhao Ci might just be bluffing.

He turned his gaze back to the Xingyu Pill Association’s Alchemy Platform, carefully watching their every move. He saw that they were merely following the standard steps for Melting Pills.

Although their technique was deft, their flames were still as ordinary as could be.

If they continued like this, there wasn’t much hope for them.

’It seems that medicinal liquid only shortens the alchemy cycle.’

”CLANG!”

”CLANG!”

”CLANG!”

While others were still painstakingly Quenching Medicine, the furnace windows of the Xingyu Pill Association closed one after another. They were about to enter the Closed Furnace Quenching Pill stage.

This bizarre scene gave the crowd of Pill Workshop Stewards a throbbing headache.

This speed was truly unsettling.

However,

they stopped their actions in perfect unison, showing no intention of increasing their flames.

And Zhu Li, who had been supervising all this time, suddenly stopped in her tracks. With a WHOOSH, a wisp of incredibly explosive flame ignited in her palm.

Then, with a BOOM, it exploded like a firework, transforming into clusters of tiny flames that fell precisely into the fire of every single member of the Xingyu Pill Association.

In just an instant, everyone’s flames were assimilated, now filled with an explosive aura. They also hastened their infusion of True Qi, and clusters of fire suddenly blazed to life, making the temperature of the entire venue seem to rise by several degrees.

And with that, their Closed Furnace Quenching Pill stage officially began.

At that moment, everyone’s eyes went wide.

Zhao Huan’s eyes were shining with a frightening light; he looked as if he wanted to leap to his feet.

As for the several Pill Workshop Chief Stewards, the color had completely drained from their faces.

One by one, they slumped back in their chairs, with beads of sweat the size of beans trickling down their faces.

If what happened before was just a problem,

then this was a full-blown disaster!

Everyone knew how important the flame temperature was during the Closed Furnace Quenching Pill process, which was why they had been so at ease just moments ago.

But who could have imagined...

that Zhu Li could actually execute such a bizarre Fire Control Technique? And that volatile flame of hers, originally seen as a liability by all Alchemists, was now displaying a heaven-defying value under her control.

’It’s over!’

’It’s all over!’

Clusters of flames shot out like Fire Dragons, their scorching heat palpable even from a great distance.

But the hearts of those few men felt as if they had been plunged into an icy abyss.

A short while later,

under everyone’s watchful gaze,

the lids of the Pill Furnaces were opened one by one.

With a series of POPS, pills leaped out of the Pill Furnaces, landing precisely in the prepared gourds.

Zhao Yong shot up in his seat as if jolted from his deathbed.

’Something’s wrong!’

’The quantity is wrong!’

’Why are there so many pills from a single furnace?’

’It’s at least double the normal yield, isn’t it?’

’Triple the speed, double the yield per furnace...’

’That comes out to... six times the output?’

’And this pill fragrance... more than half of them are Middle-Grade Qi Cultivation Pills, and I can even smell a good number of Top-Grade Qi Cultivation Pills.’

’This!’

’This... this... this...’

He sank back into his chair, his eyes becoming vacant.

At that moment, only two words echoed in his mind: ’We’re screwed!’

The Vermilion Bird Gate had fallen into absolute silence. No one dared to breathe too loudly, their gazes, full of life-doubting disbelief, glued to the Xingyu Pill Association’s Alchemy Platform.

People were dumbfounded.

Truly and utterly dumbfounded.

The world had been turned upside down!

Even if they were only producing Qi Cultivation Pills, it was enough to change the entire landscape of the Gongdan Conference.

Zhu Li rubbed her slightly reddened eyes, smiled at Kan Luotang down below, then arrogantly turned toward the Yonghe Pill Workshop’s Alchemy Platform and made a throat-slitting gesture.

There were already quite a few young Alchemists over there with wavering resolves looking in their direction, and Zhu Mei happened to be one of them.

Seeing this,

Zhu Mei’s composure nearly shattered. She lost control of her True Qi for a split second, and the flame’s temperature spiked. The Qi Nourishing Grass inside her furnace was instantly scorched to ash.

That batch was ruined!

For such a rookie mistake to be made by an Alchemist of the Zhu Family...

She was completely dazed. Watching the alchemists on the opposing platform quickly pop pills to replenish their stamina and prepare for the next batch, her mind was buzzing.

The words Zhao Ci had spoken earlier echoed in her mind: she had achieved nothing on her own, but had perfectly mastered the art of being a coward who rides on another’s coattails.

’Oh no!’

’I’ve become the coward!’

「Offstage.」

The Zhuge aunt and nephew were completely floored. The aunt was stupefied with joy; this Gongdan Conference would surely create plenty of heartbroken people, and those people would definitely need a large order of Pill Furnaces to console themselves.

’So satisfying!’

Zhuge Xiao was so frightened he dropped his fan. He looked at Zhuge Wei Yue in despair. ”Aunt, didn’t you say the Ninth Prince’s Mansion was the strongest? Am I really going to end up being a Mansion Official in debt?”

Zhuge Wei Yue retorted, ”I merely gave you some advice. The final decision was your own. Don’t you go blaming me!”

Zhuge Xiao: ”???”

「On another side.」

Xiang Yunzhan’s eyes were wide as bronze bells. ”Kucha Zi, about that Mansion Official position... you still not interested?”

Feng Kucha’s eyes were red with excitement. ”Uncle Xiang Jiu, get a grip! This isn’t a question of whether I want the job anymore. It’s a question of whether damn Zhao Ci still wants me! No, I have to go back. A top-quality Snake Woman arrived at my estate today. I haven’t even touched her yet. I’m going to send her straight to Zhao Ci’s bed.”

With that, he broke into a trot and left the Vermilion Bird Gate.

Xiang Yunzhan: ”...”

...

”Tch, a bunch of country bumpkins,” Zhao Ci scoffed, then settled back down comfortably.

’Does a battle involving my Xingyu Pill Association even need to be watched?’

’I’ll just wake up from a nap to another victory.’

He never expected, however, that just as he lay down, a voice would suddenly explode in his mind.

”Ci, you’ve done well!”

Zhao Ci shot upright and looked in Zhao Huan’s direction.

’Old Deng, you’re finally here!’