Chapter 220: Mana Recovering Pill

"Hmph, you called me a young maiden yet you dared to slap me so stop being a hypocrite already," Daphne Camellia snorted as she retrieved her own cauldron.

BANG!

The cauldron was massive and based on the craftsmanship of the cauldron where it's golden with many tiny symbols carved into it was enough to bring Zen's cauldron into shame.

"I-Isn't that a bit too overboard on a cauldron?" Zen asked nervously since he could easily lose this alchemist face-off because of the quality of the cauldron.

His cauldron was extremely basic and was provided to him by Cecilia. Hence, he was already at a disadvantage before the match even began.

"Shouldn't you swap to a cauldron of similar quality like mine to guarantee fairness," Zen said as he wished to balance the match.

However, Daphne Camellia merely stuck her tongue out at Zen and replied, "A good cauldron is also a duty of an alchemist so why should I swap to another cauldron to match your incapability."

Zen twitched his mouth slightly and his eyes soon brimmed with determination to bring down her haughty tone and behavior.

'Just wait till I spank your butt when I demolished your alchemy completely with a beginner cauldron,' Zen exclaimed inwardly to use his utmost effort into refining a better pill than Daphne Camellia.

Before the match could begin, Daphne Camellia glanced at Zen and asked, "What kind of pill are we refining? Don't say I'm bullying you too much because I'm going to let you decide on the pill."

Zen sneered at her so-called generosity because he could guess her intention for letting him choose the pill.

If he chose an easy pill then Daphne Camellia would definitely make fun of him and if he chose a difficult pill then Daphne Camellia would have an excuse to say he chose one that is best for himself.

Either scenario would result in him losing in the argument whether he wins the face-off or not.

'Such insidious scheming tactics.' Zen cursed inwardly as he knew his inference was on the mark when he saw the evil grin on her face.

'Heh, you must really think I'm just an impulsive lady without any brain cells. That is what I would prove you wrong and make you bow down to me when I win,' Daphne Camellia exclaimed inwardly as she gazed at Zen.

Zen could only clench his fist tightly as he pondered on what type of pill to refine.

Although he has barely practiced any alchemy ever since coming to the Jade Kingdom, he was experienced enough to refine at least 20 pills by himself.

Zen felt like crying when he remembered the torturous road of alchemy when his face kept being blasted by black smoke during the time his cauldron exploded. 

Not to mention the constant teasing from Cecilia at his failure as she flaunted her skills in refining the pills he failed.

"Have you decided on the pill already? Why are you taking your time like a woman now?" Daphne Camellia complained as she rushed Zen to decide on a pill.

Zen ignored her remark and continued to recall which pill he had the most successful rate on.

After a full minute of thinking, Zen decided to go for the most basic pill ever. 

"For the pill we must refine… I've decided on the Mana Recovering pill," Zen said slowly and Daphne Camellia almost fell down for the pill they must refine.

"You're joking, right? The Mana Recovering pill is the most basic pill an alchemist must learn to refine before moving on to a more difficult pill." Daphne Camellia uttered as she wanted to confirm if Zen was just teasing again.

However, Zen shook his head and grinned, "So what if the Mana Recovering pill is the most basic. Are you scared of refining it and want to back off now?"

Zen's provocation was effective as Daphne Camellia snorted in response.

"Since you wanted to dig a hole for your grave then I mind as well bury you completely," Daphne Camellia shouted as she began to take out the herb ingredient for the Mana Recovering pill.

Since the pill was the most basic, any alchemist with a little bit of achievement would have the ingredients for it already.

After all, it doesn't require any high-end ingredient and the component for the pill could be found everywhere in nature.

Thus, the pill was extremely common and not expensive at all where any family could afford to purchase one.

However, to her surprise, Zen opened his hand and glanced at her. 

"Why are you opening your hand?" 

Daphne Camellia asked since she had already begun arranging the ingredients whereas Zen was still standing there without any movement.

"Obviously, I'm asking you to provide me with some ingredients since I don't have any for the Mana Recovering pill," Zen replied with a nonchalant expression.

Daphne Camellia almost vomited blood from his reply as he was asking her for the ingredient without any shame.

"A-Are you freaking serious? You decided on a pill but you don't even have the ingredient for it." Daphne Camellia shouted in anger as he was getting more and more unbelievable.

Zen shrugged his shoulders as he didn't want to explain how he wasted all of the ingredients and was too stingy to stock up more.

'Alchemist is too costly and it's not worth buying more ingredients when I don't even need the pill.' Zen exclaimed inwardly and stood still.

If Daphne Camellia refused to provide him with ingredients then by default, she would have won but given her personality, Daphne Camellia would never accept such a result.

Hence, Zen knew she would definitely provide him with free ingredients no matter what.

"Hmph, you better pay me back for the ingredient afterward," Daphne Camella yelled as she retrieved some more ingredients in her spatial ring before throwing them toward Zen.

Zen smiled happily as he grabbed the ingredient with his hand. 'Heh, you can expect to receive my money in another 10,000 years.'