Undying Life

Chapter 566: The Useless

"This pill is called the 'Ten Thousand Poisons Piercing Heart and Bone-Devouring Pill.' If you think you can withstand it, I won't stop you!" Bao'er handed over a pill.

As soon as Bao'er finished speaking, the previously enthusiastic official seemed to have swallowed a bun whole, choking him up and quelling his excitement. Testing a pill? The 'Ten Thousand Poisons Piercing Heart and Bone-Devouring Pill'? Even the name alone sent chills down one's spine—a poison pill? The most toxic of all pills?

Poison pills weren't unheard of, but compared to medicinal or breakthrough pills, they were far less common. After all, pills were meant to aid in breakthroughs and enhance cultivation. What use did a poison pill have? To poison someone?

It wasn't just the official; almost everyone around felt a cold shiver down their spines.

A seventh-grade poison pill must be incredibly potent. Who would dare to try it?

"Wait, the ingredients you used just now were all from pure Yang sources and had no poison at all. The millennium-old Purple Gold Vine, millennium-old Poria, millennium-old Thousand Leaf Grass, thirty-thousand-year-old Spirit Crow—each one is a top-grade tonic. Even if consumed alone, they would be fine. How could they be used to make a poison pill?" One of the onlookers immediately shouted.

As soon as he spoke, the crowd chimed in, agreeing. Indeed, those ingredients were all great supplements. How could they produce a poison pill? Moreover, the higher the grade of poison pills, the rarer they were. No one had ever heard of such a pill as the 'Ten Thousand Poisons Piercing Heart and Bone-Devouring Pill.'

However, some people furrowed their brows and looked at Bao'er with a hint of astonishment.

"If you don't believe me, you can try it!" Bao'er said with a cheerful smile.

Everyone turned to the person who had just contradicted Bao'er. He was bold enough to incite the crowd, but when it came to testing the pill himself, he didn't dare. His face turned beet red as he tried to leave the crowd but found himself blocked by others.

Seeing him remain silent, the crowd looked at him with disdain.

Looking back at the official, he was now mumbling, clearly having given up on the idea of testing the pill.

Bao'er glanced at the crowd and smiled, "There are some master alchemists among you who should know that any medicinal material has two sides. Highly toxic materials can be used to make powerful tonic pills if the method is right. Similarly, these tonic materials can be used to make highly toxic pills. Alchemy isn't just about the materials; it's about the method. Otherwise, if anyone could make good pills with good materials, what would be the use of master alchemists?"

"Hmm!" Some people nodded in agreement. Some alchemy experts suddenly seemed enlightened.

"But this pill has never been heard of before. What should we do?" One onlooker shouted.

"Yes, you made it in just one incense stick's time. How can we believe it? Even if we believe it's a poison pill, we can't be sure of its grade!" Another person said.

Bao'er just smiled and said nothing.

"Master alchemist of the Tai Dan Sect, since I've never seen this pill before, I can't judge it. May I report to my master and ask you to wait a while?" The official had become much more respectful this time.

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Bao'er nodded, naturally having no objections.

"Report? What's there to report! It's obviously a strange pill trying to deceive us. Making a seventh-grade pill in one incense stick's time? What a joke, hahaha!" Suddenly, mocking laughter came from the back of the crowd.

The voice was laced with bitterness and seemed to carry a deep-seated hatred.

Hearing this voice, Zhong Shan, who had been letting Bao'er handle the situation, narrowed his eyes, a cold light flashing in them.

Because the one who spoke wasn't just anyone—it was none other than the Great Li Dynasty's Marquis of Leisure, Nie Kuang, who harbored a deep grudge against him!

As soon as Marquis of Leisure spoke, everyone turned to look. He was elegantly dressed, holding a paper fan, and looking provocatively at Zhong Shan.

Trouble had arrived. The crowd's spirits lifted; indeed, things were getting exciting!

Some sharp-eyed individuals immediately recognized the newcomer—Marquis of Leisure from the Great Li Dynasty, a man of immense power and influence. These people quickly grasped the subtle dynamics at play and became even more attentive. The crowd around grew larger and more curious.

Marquis of Leisure hadn't come alone; the memories of being struck by Zhong Shan twice still fresh, he was accompanied by ten Imperial Extreme Realm experts as bodyguards. This was the grandeur of an empire—bodyguards starting at the Imperial Extreme Realm level.

Of course, this was also due to the special status of the Marquis of Leisure.

Upon arriving, Marquis of Leisure overheard the crowd discussing the claim of producing a seventh-grade pill in the time it takes an incense stick to burn. Ridiculous! Even the top alchemy master of the Great Li Dynasty wouldn't dare boast such a feat. Thus, he immediately concluded that Bao'er's pill was a fake, using a strange pill to deceive everyone.

Old grudges resurfaced, and he was eager to expose Bao'er's pill as a fraud on the spot, using it to humiliate Zhong Shan and Bao'er.

Upon seeing the Marquis of Leisure, Tian Ling'er glared at him with fiery eyes. She already knew what kind of person he was, and now he suddenly appeared to question her sister Bao'er?

Others also glared angrily at the Marquis of Leisure.

As he walked into the center, his eyes roved over Bao'er, Qian You, and Ling'er, flashing a trace of lasciviousness.

"Hmph!" Tian Ling'er snorted coldly.

Qian You, however, displayed a disdainful sneer.

Bao'er remained unafraid, smiling faintly as she said, "Would you like to test the pill yourself?"

Bao'er's words immediately brightened the eyes of all the onlookers, their gazes collectively fixed on the Marquis of Leisure.

Seeing Bao'er deftly counter the Marquis' taunt, Zhong Shan gave her an appreciative smile.

At this moment, more people arrived.

"Ling'er!" someone called out.

The crowd parted, revealing Nie Qingqing, who, led by a servant, had also arrived with Marquis Shao Fei in tow.

"Sister!" Tian Ling'er joyfully leaped over.

Nie Qingqing took Tian Ling'er's hand, whispered something in her ear, and then looked towards Zhong Shan's group.

"Zhong Shan, we meet again!" Nie Qingqing greeted, but for some reason, her voice carried a hint of nervousness, with a slight tremble.

"Princess Qingqing, Marquis Shao Fei, it's an honor to see you here again. How about you both join me at my place after we pass this trial?" Zhong Shan said with a smile.

"Honored to accept!" Marquis Shao Fei nodded and smiled.

"Yes!" Nie Qingqing nodded, her face slightly blushing.

"Hmph, your place? All the serene courtyards in Blue Flame City have been rented out. Only the poor tenements are left. Are you inviting the princess to a poor tenement? Hahaha, but then again, Zhong Shan, you probably only deserve to live in a poor tenement," the Marquis of Leisure sneered.

A poor tenement? Not a serene courtyard, but a poor tenement? Those inns were poor tenements? With that statement, the Marquis of Leisure insulted most of the people present. After all, those undergoing the trial had only recently arrived in Blue Flame City and naturally couldn't rent serene courtyards. Wasn't he implying that most people here lived in poor tenements?

The crowd's favorable impression of the Marquis of Leisure plummeted.

"I'd be happy to! What business is it of yours?" Nie Qingqing retorted angrily.

Zhong Shan raised a hand to stop Nie Qingqing and turned to the Marquis of Leisure, "So, you're saying you've rented a serene courtyard, Marquis?"

"He's not the one who rented it; I did!" Nie Qingqing quickly interjected.

"So, it turns out you can't even afford the so-called 'poor tenements'!" Zhong Shan said with a look of sudden realization.

"Hahaha," a group of people who disliked the Marquis of Leisure burst into laughter.

"Hmph, me rent a poor tenement? The princess merely paid the spirit stones in advance. I have plenty of spirit stones, and no matter how poor the place I rent, it's better than where you, a lowly breed, would live!" the Marquis of Leisure retorted angrily.

Zhong Shan's eyes turned cold. A lowly breed? Did he really think that being a descendant of the empire made him inherently noble?

"Having money doesn't mean you can achieve everything. You have spirit stones? So what? A waste will always be a waste," Zhong Shan said coldly.

"What did you call me?" the Marquis of Leisure roared.

"I called you a waste!" Zhong Shan repeated.

"You...!" The Marquis of Leisure's eyes widened in fury. His subordinates quickly drew their weapons, ready to attack at his command.

"Hah, in the Holy Capital of Lihuo, your home turf, you couldn't do anything to me. Do you think you can challenge me here? Calling you a waste isn't wrong. You, you're just living off your family's legacy, waiting for death," Zhong Shan said icily.

"Zhong Shan, what a venomous tongue you have!" the Marquis of Leisure snarled, glaring at Zhong Shan.

Although most people didn't like the Marquis of Leisure, seeing him provoked to this extent by Zhong Shan's few words, they couldn't help but feel a bit sympathetic.

"It's not that my tongue is venomous; it's that I'm speaking the truth. If it weren't for Princess Qingqing, could you have stayed in a serene courtyard? Do you believe that with your disgraceful behavior just now, you wouldn't be able to rent a room, not even in the 'poor tenements' you mentioned?" Zhong Shan sneered.

When Zhong Shan finished speaking, everyone looked at him in surprise. Wasn't he too arrogant? Even Nie Qingqing felt a bit worried for Zhong Shan—such bold words!

"Hahahaha!" The Marquis of Leisure laughed bitterly, filled with disdain.

"You don't believe me? How about we make a bet? Send your men to rent a serene courtyard. I guarantee that today, they won't be able to rent a single 'poor tenement,' let alone any serene courtyard in an inn," Zhong Shan said confidently.

"What if I manage to rent one?" the Marquis of Leisure asked coldly.

Zhong Shan extended his hand, and suddenly, a person squeezed through the crowd, quickly handing a metal token to Zhong Shan before retreating.

This sudden appearance startled Zhao Suoxiang, Nie Qingqing, and others.

"This is the token for the number one courtyard in Yunlai Inn. If you can rent one, this courtyard is yours," Zhong Shan said with a smile.

"It's true, that really is the token for Yunlai Inn's number one courtyard. I've seen the token for the number two courtyard, and apart from the number, it's exactly the same. It's impossible to fake," one of Blue Flame City's local experts called out.

The crowd's gaze towards Zhong Shan changed. That courtyard had never been rented out before, and now Zhong Shan was giving it away?

"What are you betting on?" the Marquis of Leisure asked coldly, sensing something amiss.

"You don't need to wager anything. If you win, the token is yours. If you lose, you don't have to give me anything," Zhong Shan said generously.

Zhong Shan's companions smiled slightly. Yes, if Zhong Shan lost, he would only lose a courtyard. But if the Marquis of Leisure lost, it would confirm him as a waste.

"Hmph! You five, go rent a serene courtyard, no matter the cost!" the Marquis of Leisure ordered five of his subordinates.

"Yes!" The five immediately flew towards the city.

Zhong Shan smiled coldly. In other cities, he might not be so confident, but in the cities around the Taishou Empire, he had long been plotting. The Dazhong Chamber of Commerce focused on the regions around the Taishou Empire. Competing with Zhong Shan here was a death wish!

"After all this, do you want to test the pill or not?" Bao'er asked the Marquis of Leisure from the side.