Chapter 40
Blood slowly drips down after the knife went through the skin and a long gash of a wound can be seen from near the elbow towards near the wrist. Although he presented a smile in front of all the people looking at him, deep in his mind he is cursing the fool whom he considered as his disciple. Although they have discussed that he would receive a wound in his arm, he didn't expect it to be that long. The pain and the blood flowing almost made him faint, but he need to hold on and endure.
Master Kong didn't think twice and immediately took the pill so that he could immediately heal the wound in his arm. Then as expected when the outer skin of the pill melted a warm feeling bombarded his senses making him feel really good that a moan almost escaped his throat.
People began to gasp in amazement as they are seeing a very miraculous thing in front of their eyes. The long wound gash on the outstretched arm of the chief alchemist began to close by itself visible in the naked eye an in a matter of about 20 seconds the wound is gone and not ever a scar exists. This made everyone, especially the elders' drop their jaws, almost everyone was stunned at the thing that they are seeing. Healing pill is not a new thing in the cultivation world, and almost everyone carries it in their person. But it does not have that kind of absurd healing effect, at most if the chief alchemist took a high-grade healing pill that kind of long wound would close within 10 to 20 minutes tops. And only those top tier healing pills can at most heal a wound in a matter of minutes. But it is their first time to see a low tier healing pill to have this kind of effect and everyone is now thinking of the future prospect of this kind of medicine.
While everyone silently contemplates of the thing they are seeing in front of their eyes. The school head had a little confusion as this is not what the report says. She already receives a report from Elder Ao that there was a formula that was stolen from the inter-school tournament. And the culprit is Xing Meng, but she didn't have any evidence of this crime and she wasn't that alarmed as Elder Ao said that the formula might be incomplete. But now what she is seeing in her eyes is very potent medicine and it seems that Master Kong was able to finish the formula on his own.
"No wonder he was called as the chief alchemist even though his personality is a little despicable." The school head said to herself.
"As you can see my fellow alchemist, this is the healing prowess of the pill that I created." Master Kong said with a smug face.
"Master Kong is truly the chief alchemist."
"He truly lives to his name and position."
"Yeah, he should be the one to be called the Saintly Alchemist, not Elder Duang. Hehe…"
"Haha, truly great! No matter whom it is as long as it comes from our Floating Lotus Alchemy School it's just the same. Our school's name would once again soar in great heights."
The people close to him in the tribunal hall began to sing praises to Master Kong and his accomplishment, which is like music to his ears. With his talent and contribution to the alchemy world whether he did it honestly or by cheating, he didn't care, as long as he can hear those praises from everyone it's all worth it.
Xing Meng on the side also had a smug look in his face as he glances around. Then a thought suddenly enters his mind.
"Wait a minute… I was the one who acquired the formula why is this old master of mine taking all the glory? This is too unfair, right? I should be the one standing there."
Then he began to imagine himself standing in front of the crowd of people while they are cheering after his accomplishments. And he started to bask in that glory, he also imagined tons of girls kneeling at his feet. He especially wants the heiress of the Roc's Eye merchant group, Susu Ling to be one of those women. With her family background and money, he would be able to live a good life.
Unknowingly Xing Meng began to develop a deep hatred in his heart towards his master, as his mind began to sway towards the dark side. As he looks at his master he clenched his fist, he would like to have this glory too. It's not only his master who concocted the pill he had his hands in it too, so he decided to speak up.
Master Kong suddenly felt that something is wrong with his disciple as Xing Meng walks towards him. Then he saw in Xing Meng's eyes the greed and ambition that is a very familiar thing to him.
"What are you doing?" Master Kong asked in a low voice to the approaching Xing Meng.
"Master, you would not be thinking of hugging the entire glory do you?" Xing Meng answered in a normal voice.
"Shhh… Keep your voice down. We can talk about this later you brat!" Master Kong in a low voice scolded Xing Meng.
Everyone in the hall had a questioning look at both master and disciple. And some with a knack for gossip had a glint of craftiness appear in their eyes. Then all of a sudden before everyone could react a woman's voice from the top middle seat sounded.
"What is this junior trying to say?"
All the people turn their heads towards the school head and saw that a smile is in her beautiful face while looking inquisitively at the pair of master and disciple, and her gaze is more focused on Xing Meng. Then everyone also began to look at the two in the middle.
"School head, please pardon this disciple of mine. He is just too unruly and disturbed this alchemy tribunal. I promise to discipline him thoroughly later." Master Kong said throwing a glare in Xing Meng's direction.
He didn't expect that the brat would be too impetuous and greedy for fame that he would defy his own master. So he thought of giving him a hard lesson and would throw him out of the school. He thought to even silence the little brat so that he would stop wagging his tongue to who knows whom. But before he could feel assured the school head stood up and an angry look appears in her face.
"Student Xing Meng… What do you mean by what you have said? Do you also have a hand in making this pill?" The school head asked with authority.
"School Head… This…" Master Kong quickly responds.
"Shut it! I am not asking the chief alchemist!" with a domineering tone the school head shouted.
All the elders nod their heads and had a mocking look in their eyes towards Master Kong. They are sure that there is something wrong with the disciple and master duo.
"Replying to the school head and the esteemed elders. The truth is…" Xing Meng said as he took a glance at his master on his side.
"You better not screw this up or I'll have your head." Master Kong whispered with a threat.
Upon hearing this, Xing Meng had a smirk on his face. He knows that their master and disciple relationship would end today as he would take the center stage himself and claim all the glory. So he sneered at his master's words and just nods his head.
"Everyone, you all know who I am. Though I'm just a student and is not as good as my master, I was able to discover something from my research." Xing Meng said which made master Kong wide-eyed.
Master Kong was not able to react immediately as he didn't really expect that his disciple to be truly thick skinned like him. And so he was stunned for a while but before he could recover he felt something is wrong.
"The truth is I was the one who discovered the formula. And then showed it to Master Kong, but I never thought that he would shamelessly claim it to be his." Xing Meng explained as he shook his head and his face had an aggrieved expression.
Everyone was stupefied at what he said and some who are at odds with Master Kong immediately expressed their contempt. They throw gazes of disdain towards the chief alchemist, who now have his head lowered.
"Student Xing Meng, what do you mean by this? Master Kong stole your work?"
"That is too shameless; he must be punished for this."
"I didn't know that master Kong is a thick-skinned man. Haha…"
"My eyes are truly opened today; Master Kong is truly a great master... a master of manipulating people. Hahaha…"
"Yeah… Almost all of us nearly believed you there… What a nice and deplorable move… Tsk… Tsk…"
Hearing the comments of the people all around the hall, Xing Meng felt that he gained something for himself. He knows that his master would get angry at him but he is confident that the secret won't be exposed. So he just kept his mouth shut, but the thing that bugs Xing Meng at this time is that his master is not moving. It was as if he was too shocked at what is happening that he was too stunned to even breathe.
Then not only him but everyone slowly noticed that something is wrong with Master Kong. It couldn't be he was too shocked at what his disciple has done that it stunned him to silence right?
"Master Kong is something wrong?" the school head suddenly asked with worry in her eyes.
"Roar!!!"
Then all of a sudden they heard a loud roar coming from Master Kong, which startled everyone in the hall, almost all of them can't believe that the dignified chief alchemist would act like a beast. The guards in the area quickly move to a position to stop anything that might happen that could injure anyone.
"Arrrggghh!!! It's… too… hot! My body… felt like its burning! Hot… very… hot…" Master Kong words come out from being loud to slowly getting soft.
Then they saw that his body became soft and he slump to the floor like jelly. Then with his last strength, his head turns to Xing Meng and throw an angry glare. But this was his last strength as all the muscles in his body began to weaken. No one knows what's going on as they watch the once proud chief alchemist who bullies those under him turn into a useless person. His body even began to thin as his skin began to stick to his bones as if the muscles that once filled them were gone.
Seeing this the horror in everyone's eyes is evident especially Xing Meng as he was the one who provided the formula. He now thought to himself that his uncertainty was right the rapid healing property of the pill turns into something else. Then it didn't take long as everyone saw the flesh in master Kong's body began to disappear and what's left on the floor was his bones and his chief alchemist robe which he would always proudly wear.
From the time he screams to the time when all his flesh disappears only took around a minute. And everyone was truly dumbfounded by the event that none was able to react for a while. Then as if by reflex all of them turn their gaze to Xing Meng. Who started to tremble and felt his knees became soft like jelly.
…
On the other hand, Shin Jiao and the two women assembled with the group of students as they prepare to embark on the journey home. Shin Jiao felt truly excited as he would, at last, come to a cultivation city or town because ever since he stepped in this world he didn't have a chance to enter one.
"Hey, mortal boy…" a female voice called him from behind.
Hearing this he already knows who it was, Susu Ling. She would always call him this whenever she would like to ask something to Shin Jiao. It seems that she would do this to protect her dignity as a cultivator and an alchemist. As a proud woman she always views herself as someone superior, but this attitude of her is only for mortals. It could not be helped as it is a norm in this world.
"Yes, Madame… How may I help you?" Shin Jiao replied while he bowed lowering his head and putting one hand on his chest.
This made Susu Ling stunned and had a blush appear on her face. As the bow that Shin Jiao made looks like he is asking her for a dance or something.
"You… I just… Grrr… Come here." Susu Ling didn't know what to say as she stuttered and then just grab Shin Jiao towards a corner.
"I want to ask you something… about… about the thing that Qin Lou lost..." Susu Ling asks while looking straight in Shin Jiao's eyes.
"Why ask me this? My master is the one who made it." Shin Jiao replied innocently.
This made Susu Ling roll her eyes as she didn't believe Shin Jiao. Because for the last two to three days that she spent with them, it is clear that Shin Jiao also had a hand in that recipe. Plus although everyone was looking at Qin Lou at that time, Shin Jiao actually caught her attention. Those small and simple things he did made her curious about him, and this was confirmed when she spent her time with them, and like the nosy woman that she is, has discovered this fact.
"Sigh, I…" Shin Jiao was about to deny everything.
"Please don't deny it. Although I know that you are good at a lot of things, I still admire Senior Sister Qin Lou for her talent and abilities. I'm just worried that someone would steal this from her." Susu Ling said with a sad expression.
"Okay, don't worry the formula is actually incomplete, although all the ingredients are there still only those at the realm of nascent immortal can fuse them successfully, hehe…"
"What? Then how come that sister Qin Lou at that time was about to fuse them successfully before the furnace explode." Susu Ling exclaimed.
"Hmm… How did you know that?" Shin Jiao looked at her with suspicion.
"Hey, I'm not the one who made the pill furnace explode…" Susu Ling said with exasperation as she didn't want that Shin Jiao would have a bad impression of her.
"The reason why I know is that I always kept my spiritual sense of what Senior sister is doing. I was truly amazed at her skills, she is really amazing."
"Jeez… a fangirl. Anyway, if they would try to recreate that pill, it would have a severe effect. Instead of healing medicine, it will turn into a very deadly poison that would consume all the flesh of the one who takes it and only his bones will be left." Shin Jiao explained.
"What!? That's a very dangerous pill… What if someone takes that kind of pill, then they would die immediately. Susu Ling gasped in horror.
"Haha… If they forcefully fuse it, they would suffer the consequence, that's not our problem." Shin Jiao shrugged.
"I guess sister Qin Lou knows this right? That's why she is not worried about it." Susu Ling said feeling relieved.
"Hehe… that's the thing, she doesn't." Shin Jiao replied with a smirk.