Chapter 111: Deadly Qi

Pfft!

Expecting him to say something theoretical, upon hearing this, Pill Master Chen Xiao nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood.

I just have poor sleep and no appetite, and you say I'm about to die? You're the one who's about to die, your whole family is about to die...

Not just him, but others also glared angrily.

Pill Master Chen Xiao was highly respected and had always been held in esteem by them. This kid actually cursed him to death right off the bat. Could he be any more reckless?

"I've been a pill master for so many years. Though I haven't advanced further, I've been diligent and never stopped learning! Even if I'm not talented, I know my own physical condition very well. My poor sleep and lack of appetite are due to recent family troubles. As for my body, there's nothing wrong. Why do you say I'm about to die?"

Pill Master Chen Xiao waved his hand and snorted.

Pill masters deal with pills every day; when it comes to diagnosing illnesses, even if they're not as good as physicians, they're not far off.

"You're right. Your body is indeed fine!" Ignoring his questioning, Zhang Xuan said calmly.

"If it's fine, then what are you talking about?"

"How dare you spout nonsense!"

"We're here to debate pills, not for you to curse Pill Master Chen Xiao!"

...

Hearing him admit that Pill Master Chen Xiao's body was fine, everyone angrily rebuked him.

If there were something wrong with his body, you could say that, but since there's nothing, why are you talking nonsense?

Ouyang Cheng and the others also looked over with confusion.

"Heh!"

Unfazed by the rebukes, Zhang Xuan smiled lightly: "Who says that just because the body is fine, one can't die?"

"What do you mean?"

Seeing him so calm and confident, Pill Master Chen Xiao inexplicably felt a chill. Just as he was about to ask further, Zhang Xuan waved his hand: "Since you don't believe me, forget it. Let's look at the pill first!"

With his words, everyone focused on the Tranquil Heart Pill that Pill Master Chen Xiao had just refined.

"Pill Master Chen Xiao has a calm mind, a steady demeanor, and his refining technique is extremely skilled. If I insisted there were flaws, you'd surely disagree, and verifying it would be troublesome," Zhang Xuan smiled. "So, I won't dwell on the technique. Let's just talk about this pill. This Tranquil Heart Pill, like the one refined by Pill Master Meng Yan, will not only be of no benefit to cultivators but will also aggravate inner demons, causing them to die faster!"

"What?"

"I watched Pill Master Chen Xiao's entire refining process. There was not a single mistake, and the pill was perfect. How could it aggravate inner demons?"

"Stop joking around. Don't make such alarmist claims!"

No one believed him.

Meng Yan refined the Tranquil Heart Pill because he had just killed his concubine, and his killing intent was boiling out of control. But Pill Master Chen Xiao was calm and at peace, in harmony with the state required for refining the Tranquil Heart Pill. How could it aggravate inner demons?

Even if you're talking nonsense, at least come up with a better reason, okay?

"If you don't believe me, we can test it! There are test beasts here." Zhang Xuan pointed at the cages.

In the cages, besides the two engaged in mating, there were several others quietly lying on one side.

"Let's test it then!"

A pill master, refusing to accept this, picked up a Tranquil Heart Pill and stuffed it into the mouth of a test beast.

After swallowing the Tranquil Heart Pill, the test beast did not become restless like the previous one, nor did it grab another test beast for mating. Instead, it lay motionless in a corner.

"See? The Tranquil Heart Pill calms the mind. This test beast is not moving, which shows the medicine is working. What else do you have to say?"

The pill master snorted.

The others also looked over in unison.

Zhang Xuan had just said that taking this Heart-Calming Pill would aggravate the inner demon and such nonsense. Now that the medicine had taken effect, there was no abnormality at all. Let's see how he would answer.

"Wait a moment!"

Zhang Xuan didn't say anything either, sitting calmly on the stool.

After waiting about ten minutes, the test beast remained motionless. The alchemist could no longer hold back: "Well? It still hasn't moved, showing that the Heart-Calming Pill's effect is obvious. You're not trying to stall for time by making us wait, are you!"

"It's fine now."

Zhang Xuan said.

"It's fine?"

The alchemist frowned: "What do you mean? This test beast clearly hasn't become restless or run around; it's still very quiet. What are you trying to show us?"

"Not running around and being quiet doesn't necessarily mean it's due to the Heart-Calming Pill. It could also mean... it's already dead!"

Zhang Xuan said calmly.

"Dead?"

The alchemist was startled. He couldn't help but approach, open the cage, and pick up the test beast. Upon looking, his pupils suddenly contracted: "This... this... how is this possible?"

The test beast in his hand had indeed stopped breathing, and its body was starting to grow cold.

How much time had passed?

It turned cold in just over ten minutes, meaning it had stopped breathing shortly after taking the pill!

"Really dead?"

"The Heart-Calming Pill only calms the mind; how could it kill a test beast?"

"Test beasts can try pills; ordinary pills shouldn't be able to kill them. What... is going on?"

...

Everyone erupted.

After taking the Heart-Calming Pill... the test beast died?

If a cultivator ate it, wouldn't they also die?

"This... this..."

Alchemist Chen Xiao's face changed color. He stepped back several times, his eyes full of disbelief: "This is impossible... I strictly followed the sequence and made no mistakes. Even if it didn't form a pill, it shouldn't have become poison. Why did it poison the test beast to death..."

An alchemist's pill causing death was a serious accusation. He had been an alchemist all his life and never encountered this. How could he lose his integrity in his later years?

"Zhang Xuan, what... exactly is going on?"

Ouyang Cheng couldn't help but ask.

Hearing his question, everyone focused their gaze on Zhang Xuan.

He had seen that the Heart-Calming Pill had a problem and knew the test beast might die. If anyone could explain, it had to be him.

"I've already identified the flaw, so I've passed. Do I really have to explain?"

Zhang Xuan didn't answer Ouyang Cheng but looked at Alchemist Chen Xiao.

He had seen the problem with the pill and successfully pointed it out, proving his insight. In this confrontation with Alchemist Chen Xiao, he had won.

"If you can explain clearly, I'm willing to admit defeat!"

Alchemist Chen Xiao gritted his teeth.

Winning the confrontation didn't mean admitting defeat. Without admitting defeat, a second round could still be held.

As the oldest among the ten alchemists, if he admitted defeat, it would greatly impact the confidence of the others.

"In that case, I'll say a few more words!" Zhang Xuan nodded: "Your steps and methods for refining the Heart-Calming Pill were indeed correct, and you even infused your calm state of mind. Logically, the pill should have been of high quality and good effect. Unfortunately... you are about to die, and your body is already filled with deathly aura. The pill naturally absorbed this aura, causing the test beast to die immediately upon ingestion!"