Chapter 24: Blind to True Worth

"My goodness! Such an incredibly rich fragrance of pills! This is the first time I have ever smelled anything so potent! It is a hundred times stronger than the third-grade pill from just a moment ago; it feels as if one is standing in the Pure Land of Bliss. Could it be… could this really be a fifth-grade pill?"

Someone exclaimed in astonishment.

At this moment, staring at the pill that shimmered with golden light and radiated an intense medicinal aroma, everyone’s hearts were churning like a stormy sea, utterly shocked. Some even felt an immediate urge to break through their cultivation levels just from inhaling the scent.

Yu Yumeng was also filled with astonishment. She had always firmly believed that Qin Xingchen would not lie to her, and her conviction had been proven right. Qin Xingchen had not deceived her. This was indeed a fifth-grade pill!

Just then, a man in a black robe appeared before Qin Xingchen. He threw back his hood, stared wide-eyed at the pill in Qin Xingchen's hand, and reached out with trembling hands, only to be dodged by Qin Xingchen.

With a face full of excitement, the man said to Qin Xingchen, "Young friend, could you… could you allow this old man to take a closer look? Rest assured, I swear to the heavens that I will absolutely not claim it for myself. I beg of you!"

Hearing this, Qin Xingchen tossed the pill to him.

"Thank you!"

After receiving the pill, his eyes grew wider and wider, and his body began to tremble slightly. "It is… it is a fifth-grade pill. It really is a fifth-grade pill. I did not mistake it; this truly is a fifth-grade pill! I never expected that in my lifetime, I would witness the appearance of another fifth-grade pill! Hahaha..."

He began to laugh manically like a madman.

Someone asked curiously, "Who is this person? Why is his laughter so unsettling? What a lunatic!"

"No! He is not a lunatic!" someone exclaimed. "I have seen this man before; he is Ye Mu, one of the two third-grade alchemists in the Imperial Capital!"

"What!"

The crowd was shocked once again. Many present might not have known the name Ye Mu, but the title "third-grade alchemist" was thunderous and enough to leave them stunned. They had not expected that a third-grade alchemist from the Imperial Capital would come to this small Wangyue Sect. Since even Ye Mu confirmed it was a fifth-grade pill, there could be no doubt.

Yu Tianba stood up in shocked excitement and cupped his hands toward Ye Mu, saying, "Yu Tianba greets Master Ye Mu!"

Ye Mu returned the pill to Qin Xingchen, glanced at Yu Tianba, and gave a slight nod in acknowledgment.

Yu Tianba continued, "Master Ye Mu, is this boy really holding a fifth-grade pill?"

Ye Mu looked displeased. "I have already told you that it is indeed a fifth-grade pill. Are you questioning me?"

Yu Tianba quickly replied, "No, no… how would I dare to question Master Ye Mu? It’s just… can this fifth-grade pill truly restore one’s cultivation and even extend one’s life by a hundred years?"

Ye Mu said, "Naturally. The potency of this medicine alone exceeds that of hundreds, if not thousands, of the third-grade pills I refine! Furthermore, had you consumed this pill earlier, it would not only have completely healed your internal injuries, but once your cultivation was restored, you might have even advanced to the Earth Martial Realm!"

He then looked at Yu Tianba and added, "This young friend kindly offered you such a rare fifth-grade pill, yet you did not appreciate it and even called it a piece of worthless mud. Hmph, you truly have eyes but fail to see, squandering a heavenly treasure!"

"What!"

Everyone was struck with shock. Since a third-grade alchemist like Ye Mu said so, it could not be false. Luo Shan’s expression was incredibly ugly. He had just been mocking it as a worthless mud ball, but now he had been slapped in the face hard.

Yu Tianba stood frozen in place. A moment later, he looked toward Qin Xingchen with burning eyes. "Qin Xingchen, I admit that your pill is a fifth-grade one. Why don't you bring it over and let me have a taste?"

Qin Xingchen snorted coldly, "Let you have a taste? On what grounds?"

"What did you say?" Yu Tianba frowned.

Qin Xingchen looked at him with disdain. "Old man, do you think you are still qualified to consume my pill? Huh?"

Yu Tianba raged, "Qin Xingchen, I am ordering you to bring the pill over; I am giving you a chance to show your filial piety to me. Don't be ungrateful!"

Qin Xingchen laughed. He had never seen such a shameless person. "Show filial piety to you? Ha! Are you my father or my mother? Why would I owe you any filial piety? Besides, when I offered it to you earlier, you dismissed it as trash. Now that you know it's a real fifth-grade pill, you use this high-and-mighty tone to command me to give it to you? Do you think I would still give it to you? Ha! Giving it to you was a favor; not giving it is my right. Don't you dare put on airs with me! Did I give you too much face? You want a taste? Go eat dirt!"

With that, he threw the pill onto the ground.

*Bang!*

He suddenly stomped on it, shattering it. The crushed pill instantly turned into powder and scattered in the wind.

"No!"

Yu Tianba froze, his face turning deathly pale. That was a fifth-grade pill! Consuming it would not only have saved his life but also restored and even improved his cultivation. But now… with Qin Xingchen’s stomp, it had all vanished into thin air. That wasn't just a pill; it was his lifeline!

He glared at Qin Xingchen. "Qin Xingchen, how could you crush the pill? You, you..."

"You what?" Qin Xingchen said dismissively. "It is my own pill; why can't I crush it?"

Facing a shameless person like Yu Tianba, he had no intention of being polite.

"You..."

Yu Tianba was so consumed by rage that he immediately coughed up blood.

"Father..." Yu Xiong hurried forward to support him. He approached Qin Xingchen and sighed softly. "Xingchen, the old man doesn't know how to speak properly; please don't take it to heart..."

Qin Xingchen remained silent.

Seeing that Qin Xingchen did not respond, Yu Xiong felt awkward but continued, "Xingchen, I wonder… do you have any more fifth-grade pills on you?"

Qin Xingchen shook his head slightly. "Sect Master, I know what you want to say, but that fifth-grade pill was something I bought from the Wanjin Chamber of Commerce. I originally intended for Sister Yumeng to present it to your father as a birthday gift, but since he didn't appreciate it, there is nothing I can do. Furthermore, Sister Yumeng and I seem to be an eyesore in this hall, so we will be taking our leave."

With that, he took Yu Yumeng’s hand and started to walk toward the exit of the hall.

"Stop!" The person who spoke was Luo Shan.

Qin Xingchen and Yu Yumeng stopped. Qin Xingchen looked at Luo Shan. "Something the matter?"

Luo Shan cast a grim look at Qin Xingchen before turning to Yu Xiong. "Reporting to the Sect Master, I have something to report regarding Qin Xingchen!"

Yu Xiong was startled. "What is it?"

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Luo Shan said, "I wish to report to the sect that Qin Xingchen is of evil character and has harmed his fellow disciples. He deserves to die!"

"What do you mean?" Yu Xiong asked.

Luo Shan said, "A few days ago, people saw Zhang Kui and Li Yi accompany Qin Xingchen to the Fengyou Valley to gather herbs. The two of them never returned. I suspect that since they have not returned and Qin Xingchen came back without reporting the situation to the sect, it means they met with misfortune and were surely murdered by him!"

Hearing this, Yu Xiong looked at Qin Xingchen. "Is this true?"

Qin Xingchen snorted coldly. "Luo Shan, your methods for framing others are truly endless. On what grounds do you conclude that Zhang Kui and Li Yi didn't return because I killed them?"

Luo Shan said, "Evidence? Hmph, someone saw you go to Fengyou Valley with them. They haven't returned, so surely you must have killed them!"

Qin Xingchen replied, "How do you know I killed them? Did you send someone to follow me?"

"I..." Luo Shan stammered. "I heard it from someone else! It cannot be false!"

Qin Xingchen scoffed, "You just heard it from someone else? Hmph, Luo Shan, I have also heard from others that you sent people to kill me, and you've done it many times. Do you think that is true?"

"You..." Luo Shan was left speechless, as he had indeed secretly sent people to kill Qin Xingchen.

"Enough, both of you, quiet down!" Yu Xiong looked at Luo Shan. "Luo Shan, Xingchen has no cultivation left; how could he possibly kill anyone?"

Luo Shan countered, "No, Sect Master, Qin Xingchen's cultivation has already been restored!"

"What!" Yu Xiong looked at Qin Xingchen in disbelief.

Luo Shan grinned. "If the Sect Master does not believe me, I can prove his cultivation has been restored in another way!"

"What way?" Yu Xiong asked.

Luo Shan looked at Qin Xingchen. "Qin Xingchen, do you dare to fight me?"

The crowd was shocked. Luo Shan, the top genius of the Wangyue Sect, wanted to fight Qin Xingchen, who had no cultivation? Could it be that Qin Xingchen's cultivation really had been restored?

"I can do that." Qin Xingchen looked at Luo Shan and said, "But I would like to change this fight into… a life-and-death duel!"