Chapter 248: Which Pill Is the One

Chapter 248: Which Pill Is the One

The Golden-Furred Hou was smacked in the face. It looked pitifully at Chu Liang, hoping he would seek justice for it.

Chu Liang simply blinked in response.

Di Nufeng's morning temper was always fierce, and he wouldn't dare provoke her.

However, since he was the one who had asked the Golden-Furred Hou to perform, if he hid away at this moment, it would show his irresponsibility. If that were the case, how could he expect the Big Head to toil away for him in the future?

So he stepped forward, cleared his throat, and addressed, "Esteemed teacher, it's already late in the day. Now that you're awake, it's just in time for lunch."

He subtly hinted that it was broad daylight, implying that if someone was disturbed by the Golden-Furred Hou's noise, it might not entirely be the Hou's fault.

Di Nufeng rubbed her sleepy eyes and grumbled, "What do you know? I was working hard for our Silver Sword Peak all night and only went to sleep at dawn."

"Oh?" Chu Liang asked curiously. "But esteemed teacher, weren't you drinking all night last night?"

"Of course not!" Di Nufeng replied. "There's a new event at the Mount Shu Summit this time and I was preparing for it!"

"What event?" Chu Liang asked.

This was probably something discussed at the assembly of peak masters the other day, and the news hadn't yet reached the regular disciples. Moreover, since the peak masters could participate, it was likely some kind of recreational event, not the main competition.

Sure enough, Di Nufeng raised her head proudly and announced, "The Wine-God Contest!"

Great. Perfect for what you have been training for your entire life.

Chu Liang found himself staring at the smirk on Di Nufeng's face, a smirk that seemed to convey the message, "I have fulfilled my lifelong ambition." It left Chu Liang feeling puzzled.

Why would the Mount Shu Summit host such an event? He wondered.

If the event were a Mahjong Tournament, it could be rationalized as a mental exercise.

But regardless, this was good news. When it came to alcohol consumption on Mount Shu, if Di Nufeng claimed second place, no one would dare to claim first.

Even if this was purely entertainment, the reward was likely to be substantial.

He even wondered if his teacher had offered fruits or used various methods to convince the higher-ups of Mount Shu to include this event.

"But isn't a Wine-God Contest just about drinking?" Chu Liang said to himself.

It was unknown whether the Golden-Furred Hou could understand human language. At this moment, it was pouting. Even as its expression was filled with suppressed anger, it did not dare to emit a single roar.

...

During lunchtime, the team for the Mountain God Memorial Ceremony gathered together.

On the table were several simple dishes, mainly consisting of delicious and affordable home-cooked meals, as Chu Liang was treating them[1].

He said to Lin Bei, "Have you spread the news that the answer to the third puzzle is available for sale?"

Lin Bei nodded. "Yes, I've spread the word. I told them I went against my team leader's decision and decided to sell the answer to the final puzzle."

Shang Ziliang looked a little worried. "Big Bro, are you sure this is alright? If we sell the answer to the third puzzle, wouldn't we lose our advantage..."

"Don't worry. I'll head out and claim the White-Jade Porcelain Cup first," responded Chu Liang.

"Ah? We're finally getting it!" Lackey A exclaimed, excitement evident in his voice. He continued, "I haven't heard of anyone claiming the prize. If we get it now, we'll be in first place!"

Yet, Chu Liang did not share the details with them, and they were unaware of Chu Liang's conflict with the higher-ups.

They simply thought that Chu Liang had unsolved questions.

Liu Qin looked at him, pursed his lips, and remained silent.

Previously, Chu Liang had gained an advantage, so he could act as if nothing had happened.

However, for Liu Qin, it wasn't the same. Having been beaten up and suffered some losses, he obviously still harbored some resentment.

"This is the high-grade Green Pill he submitted. Take a look," Daoist Yan instructed, handing over the pill that Chu Liang had submitted to Liu Qin.

"Yes," Liu Qin said as he respectfully took the pill box from Daoist Yan's hand.

As he turned around, a faint smirk appeared on his face. It seemed he didn't believe Chu Liang could obtain the high-grade Green Pill, and he was contemplating how to expose Chu Liang's deception.

But soon, his expression turned grim, and he scrutinized the pill closely, as if he wouldn't let even a speck of dust on the pill escape his gaze.

After a while, his eyes were full of suspicion.

Liu Qin looked at Chu Liang, seeming to realize something, and exclaimed, "This must be the pill we gave to Jiang Yuebai!"

"What?" Daoist Yan, upon hearing her beloved disciple's name, inquired softly.

Liu Qin explained, "Recently, the Hall of Alchemy only gave out one high-grade Green Pill, and we gave it to Junior Sister Jiang Yuebai. It's obvious where he got his pill from!"

Daoist Yan looked at Chu Liang and asked, "Did Jiang Yuebai give you this pill?"

"No," Chu Liang immediately said as he shook his head.

"Obviously, she didn't give it to you. Junior Sister Jiang would never relinquish first place to someone else," Liu Qin said. "You must have obtained it using shady methods. You either stole it or used some cheating method!"

Daoist Yan remained composed as she stared at Chu Liang. While the Mountain God Memorial Ceremony had no rule against stealing or taking by force, if Chu Liang had indeed stolen the pill from her beloved disciple, she wouldn't be pleased.

Chu Liang regarded Liu Qin with a strange expression as he asked, "How many high-grade Green Pills did Senior Sister Jiang get from the Hall of Alchemy?"

"Of course, there's only one," Liu Qin replied. "You took it, and Junior Sister Jiang now has none!"

In front of Daoist Yan, Liu Qin tried to quietly create tension between Chu Liang and Azure Falling Peak.

But Chu Liang did not defend himself.

With a flick of his wrist, he took out another shimmering high-grade Green Pill and asked, "If you want me to return this high-grade Green Pill to Senior Sister Jiang, you'll need to tell me which of these two is the one you gave her."

"Eh?"

Upon seeing the second high-grade Green Pill, Liu Qin and Daoist Yan were stunned.

The Hall of Alchemy chose this as the final challenge because they were confident that no Green Pill was circulating outside. Obtaining even one was already difficult, so where did Chu Liang get a second pill?

What happened next exceeded their expectations even more. With a flick of his wrist, Chu Liang took out another high-grade Green Pill and asked, "Is this the one the Hall of Alchemy gave to her?

"What about this one?

"Or is it this one?"

He seemed almost like a magician. Each time he turned his wrist, another high-grade Green Pill appeared in his palm. In just moments, he was holding five or six pills in his hand.

In the days leading up to this, Chu Liang had been immersing himself in the art of alchemy. In actuality, he had already concocted pills that were nearly up to the standard of a high-grade Green Pill. Though the effects of these pills were on par with high-grade ones, there were some imperfections. To avoid any potential criticism, he kept refining his technique until he finally produced a few perfect Green Pills.

And now, all the high-grade Green Pills he had refined were here. The surprise on Liu Qin's face grew more and more intense. Finally, Chu Liang grabbed a jade gourd and tossed it to him without any second thoughts.

"Senior Brother Liu, please search carefully and tell me which pill is the one you gave to Senior Sister Jiang?"

1. He says this because home-cooked meals are cheaper. ☜