“This pill….”
Meng Hao’s face looked the same as it always did. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking. His voice echoed out as if from unfathomably deep waters, immediately attracting the attention of all the onlookers.
Everyone, even Zhou Dekun, seemed to have assumed that Meng Hao had already lost. He didn’t appear to have even the slightest hope of achieving victory. Even a Violet Furnace Lord wouldn’t be able to identify the pill formula of an ancient pill.
“What of this pill?” interrupted Chen Jiaxi. “Fang Mu, why be wordy about it? Losing is losing! There’s no need to struggle against it!” He gave a cold laugh.
Meng Hao looked calmly at Chen Jiaxi.
When he spoke, his words were neither hasty nor halting. “The outer layer of this pill bears evidence of having been buried in the ground for at least one thousand years. Its death aura is dense, infecting even the jade box. However, the pill has not been harmed at all.
“The strange thing is that the middle layer of the pill is different. It contains only seven hundred years of time. Furthermore, although some of the plant and vegetation variations appear at first to have been refined with the ancient non-smelting technique, in fact, there are actually traces of smelting fire on them.” As Meng Hao spoke, Chen Jiaxi’s cold smile grew wider.
“The inner layer of the pill,” continued Meng Hao, “is very strange. There are seventeen various plant and vegetation variations there, none of which exceed two hundred years in age! That is why it took me a bit longer to inspect it. I’m not sure why this supposed Primordial Heavenly Replenishing Pill, which can extend one’s lifespan by one thousand years, would have an exterior, a middle, and a center, that are so vastly different!” As soon as he finished speaking, a buzz rose up from the audience.
“What does that mean? Don’t tell me the pill is a fake?”
“How could it be fake? There was obviously celestial music just now, and the dancing child. Those things couldn’t be fake!”
“Don’t tell me Fang Mu is just babbling nonsense?”
As the Cultivators discussed the matter, Chen Jiaxi began to laugh uproariously. His grim, cold laughter echoed out in all directions.
He flicked his sleeve, and once again spoke, his voice dripping with ridicule: “Fang Mu, by simply admitting defeat, then I, Chen Jiaxi, could show respect to your status as a Furnace Lord of the East Pill Division. But instead, you use low-down, underhanded means to attempt to achieve victory! You try to besmirch this ancient medicinal pill by saying that it’s a forgery!? Competing with you has truly brought me great loss of face! What a waste!
“I can’t believe the East Pill Division has produced an alchemist such as you. Such an utter disgrace! No wonder you had to finagle your way into being a Furnace Lord. Now I, Chen Jiaxi, thoroughly understand the entire situation.”
Li Yiming’s expression also filled with derision. Zhou Dekun’s face was bright red. As an alchemist, defeat should be recognized, and respect for the Dao of alchemy should never be forgotten.
He sighed inwardly, and was just about to open his mouth in an attempt to smooth the situation over, when Meng Hao’s calm voice once again rang out.
“When did I ever say the pill was a forgery?” he asked, his expression the same as ever. He appeared to be completely oblivious to the gazes of the onlookers, as well as to Chen Jiaxi’s complacency.
“You sharp-tongued punk!” cried Chen Jiaxi, throwing any thoughts of mercy to the wind. “Are you still trying to argue? Just now you obviously implied that the pill was fake, didn’t you? Do you have an explanation for that? Fang Mu, do you have even the slightest scrap of face left?