Chapter 110: You Are About to Die

Just as Zhang Xuan had said, Meng Yan indeed harbored resentment and murderous intent.

He had also been genuinely betrayed by someone he trusted.

But this had all happened this morning. He thought his anger had subsided, but never in his dreams did he expect to bring such emotions into alchemy!

And... how did he see that?

Just from refining a pill?

How is that possible?

Really?

This...

Seeing Meng Yan's expression, everyone, no matter how dense, knew Zhang Xuan must be right!

They looked at each other in disbelief.

From watching someone refine a pill, you can not only see murderous intent but also betrayal by a trusted person... Are you an alchemy apprentice or a fortune-telling apprentice?

"If everyone thinks my words are problematic, it's simple. The guild should have [Pill Testing Beasts], right? We can give this Heart-Calming Pill to one and see if it calms down or becomes agitated!"

Seeing that Meng Yan did not answer, Zhang Xuan smiled lightly.

To ensure the authenticity and efficacy of pills, the Alchemist Guild usually prepared some pill testing beasts.

These beasts were very sensitive to pills. After being fed, their reactions could be used to test the pill's effects.

In Zhang Xuan's previous life, they were like lab mice used for drug testing. Only after passing the test could the pill be given to humans, ensuring human safety.

"Mm!" Ouyang Cheng nodded. An alchemy apprentice walked out and soon brought back a beast similar to a lab mouse. He pried open its mouth and fed it a Heart-Calming Pill.

After a moment, the testing beast grew restless, running and scratching wildly in its cage, showing no sign of calming down.

"A normal Heart-Calming Pill would make the testing beast lie quietly to one side, but this one, after ingestion, is clearly agitated..."

As Zhang Xuan was speaking, he saw the testing beast that had taken the Heart-Calming Pill suddenly run to another testing beast, climb onto it, and forcibly engage in piston-like motions.

"Ahem, not only that, but there is also strong desire, indicating that it not only fails to calm the heart but also carries anger and lust! Therefore, if I'm not mistaken, the person Alchemist Meng Yan killed today was a woman, and he had shared a bed with her, and she betrayed him! That's why he is so enraged that even the pill he refined carries strong possessiveness and madness!"

"This..."

Seeing the testing beast in the cage forcibly mounting another, leaving no room for resistance, a forceful act, the alchemists looked at each other.

Is this really a Heart-Calming Pill?

Could it be an aphrodisiac!

Good thing it wasn't given to anyone else; otherwise, not only would their hearts not calm down, but they'd turn into...

Ahem, it would definitely cause a disaster!

Everyone shuddered.

"This morning I discovered that my most beloved concubine was having an affair with the steward. In a rage, I struck both of them dead on the spot!"

Seeing everyone's gaze focused on him, Meng Yan shook his head and said.

Since the other party had already described it in such detail, there was nothing left for him to hide.

This incident made him angry, and his mood was bad all day. That's why he was the first to step forward, wanting to make Zhang Xuan look bad.

"Is it true?"

"Just from refining a pill, you can see all that?"

...

Seeing Meng Yan admit it, everyone looked at Zhang Xuan as if he were a monster. If before there was still contempt, now it was all solemnity.

Alchemy can reflect a person's state of mind, but... from alchemy to deduce that the alchemist had just killed someone this morning, and his own concubine...

Damn, are you a constable?

Otherwise... how could you tell?

"Alright, I've pointed out the flaws. Alchemist Meng Yan, do I need to continue?" Ignoring everyone's shock, Zhang Xuan smiled.

The Library of Heaven's Path could see all flaws. Seeing that the other party's concubine had betrayed him and that the pill carried murderous intent and resentment was a piece of cake.

"No need, I concede!"

Meng Yan admitted.

None of the alchemists present had noticed anything wrong with the pill he refined, not even he himself had sensed it. But the other party saw it at a glance and knew so much... He had no choice but to accept defeat.

"So... you're conceding?"

Wen Xue on the side widened her eyes.

A dignified alchemist conceding to an apprentice?

If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn't have believed it.

But thinking about it, she understood—being able to see through that, this guy's eyesight was too sharp; he had no choice but to concede!

"Good, next!"

With the first concession as a good start, Zhang Xuan smiled and looked at the remaining nine.

"Let me do it."

An old man stood up.

If before everyone thought Zhang Xuan was here to cause trouble, after Meng Yan's incident, they realized this guy was a master, a master among masters!

No wonder he was so confident, daring to debate alchemy and even increase the difficulty.

"It's Alchemist Chen Xiao!"

"Alchemist Chen may not be the highest-ranked alchemist among us, but he's the oldest!"

"He's steady, not hot-tempered like Meng Yan. I respect that!"

...

Seeing the old man stand up, everyone nodded inwardly.

This Alchemist Chen Xiao, the oldest and most steady among the ten, would surely handle it well.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

The furnace roared, and before long, several pills were taken out.

Like the ones Meng Yan had just refined, they were also Tranquility Pills, equally full and round, shimmering with luster, but clearly of a higher grade, reaching perfection.

"Alright, I've finished refining the pills. You don't need to explain the technique; I can tell you myself—same as Alchemist Meng Yan's, the Ten Forms of Still Water. If you can point out a flaw that convinces me, I'll concede."

Holding the pills, Alchemist Chen Xiao said calmly.

"Impressive!"

"That's a ruthless move!"

"Using the same technique to refine the same pill, earlier you could say Meng Yan had murderous intent, a flaw in alchemy, but Alchemist Chen is calm and steady—no such flaw can be found!"

"Let's see how he handles this..."

...

Seeing Alchemist Chen Xiao's move, everyone inwardly exclaimed that the older, the wiser.

Even Zhang Xuan couldn't help nodding.

The other party was indeed clever.

Though he openly told you he used the same technique, saving you the guesswork, it actually made it harder.

But for the Library of Heaven's Path... it was nothing!

Zhang Xuan looked over calmly, expressionless: "If I'm not mistaken, Alchemist Chen Xiao hasn't been sleeping well lately, and you can't eat either, right?"

"Ah?"

Alchemist Chen Xiao was startled: "I have indeed been sleeping poorly and have no appetite, but... what does that have to do with alchemy?"

Even if I don't eat or sleep, so what?

You just need to critique the flaws in my alchemy—why mention my physical condition?

Besides...

How did you know I haven't been sleeping well and can't eat?

"No relation? Wrong! Not only is there a relation, it's a big one!"

Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"A big one? Do tell?"

Alchemist Chen Xiao looked over, restraining himself.

"Heh, if I'm not mistaken... you're about to die!"

Zhang Xuan said.