Sovereign Of The Three Realms Chapter 46-50

 

Sovereign Of The Three Realms
(SOTR)

Chapter 46: A Gloating Pill King Garden

The Pill King Garden’s exhibition stage had been prepared within the luxurious main hall of the Myriad Treasures Palace. All of the various guest seating had been arranged appropriately.

As Jiang Chen walked into the Myriad Treasures Palace and trod on the noble carpet, he was enjoying himself hugely.

In contrast to the Pill King Garden’s high profile, the Hall of Healing kept an incredibly low profile. They hadn’t started preparing their exhibition stage, even up until now.

Many actually hadn’t known that the Hall of Healing was also hosting a pill exhibition, including even the Pill King Garden.

A saying was in vogue in the capital at the moment, that the Pill King Garden had developed a new type of healing pill, and was about to challenge the Hall of Healing’s position.

To put things bluntly, the pill exhibition today held the Hall of Healing in its crosshairs. It was to provoke and to slap the Hall of Healing in the face.

“Wait, you there, halt! This is a distinguished gathering for the pill exhibition. Do you have an invitation?”

Two practitioners with fiercely aggressive postures barred Jiang Chen’s way.

Jiang Zheng, who was at Jiang Chen’s side, gave a cold snort and directly flung the Pill King Garden’s invitation into their faces.

They glanced at the invitation after receiving it and smiled spuriously. “This is the lowest leveled invitation, and provides standing room with no assigned seating only. Walk over to that corner over there by yourself. Remember not to talk loudly, and not to give offense to other honored guests.”

A slap to the face. The Pill King Garden had indeed prepared this face denying move from the very beginning. They had already designed this slap in the face trap from the day that they had sent the invitation to Jiang Chen.

Yet Jiang Zheng laughed in contempt, “Don’t get the wrong idea. Our household’s young duke has no interest in your so-called pill exhibition, and has absolutely no interest in attending. We’re just passing by and returning your paltry invitation.”

The other party was stunned. Why had they come if not to attend the pill exhibition?

“Not here for the pill exhibition? Then you’re just loitering. Someone come and throw them out.” A Pill King Garden administrator walked over with an aggressive posture.

Jiang Zheng smiled coldly. “Has the Myriad Treasures Palace been rented out by you, the Pill King Garden, today? My household’s young duke is an honored guest here. Are the bones of you lowly slaves itching for a beating?”

The four brothers from the Sheng battalion stepped forward in unison, and the killing aura that they had cultured in the army flared out powerfully, causing the administrator’s face to go white and repeatedly back up.

Jiang Chen said faintly, “Get out of my way.”

At this moment, a figure took a turn out from the interior hallways of the Myriad Treasures Palace. It was the Third Hallmaster, Qiao Baishi, of the Hall of Healing.

Qiao Baishi was wreathed in smiles as he walked up in greeting, smiling hugely. “Young duke Jiang, I have been awaiting your arrival. Please come inside, come inside.”

“Hallmaster Qiao, what is with your Hall of Healing? Didn’t you say you were holding a pill exhibition today? Why so low key?” Jiang Chen complained purposefully.

Qiao Baishi smiled, “The style of our Hall of Healing has always been to keep a low profile. We will set up our exhibition stage soon. It actually won’t take too much time.”

“That makes sense. There is reality beneath the Hall of Healing’s surface. It’s quite normal for you to keep a low profile and not to create such a large scale ruckus like the nouveau riche.” Jiang Chen nodded with a smile.

“Qiao Baishi, what do you mean by this?” On the Pill King Garden side, Courtmaster Wang, the man holding down the fort, walked over in a huff. “It’s our Pill King Garden that’s holding a pill exhibition today, and you are guests. Do you intend to ruin custom and create trouble?”

Courtmaster Wang had struck a strong pose of righteousness.

“Courtmaster Wang, surely you’ve gotten something wrong? You’re putting on a pill exhibition, yes, but does that mean our Hall of Healing cannot do the same? You’ve sent an invitation to us, but does that mean we have to give you face and attend?” Qiao Baishi’s tone was diffident.

“You… you’re not here to attend the pill exhibition?” An expression of incredulity bubbled up in Courtmaster Wang’s eyes.

“We’re here to attend a pill exhibition, but one by our Hall of Healing.” Qiao Baishi smiled faintly.

“What do you mean?” Courtmaster Wang’s eyes grew cold. “Qiao Baishi, are you here to purposely cause trouble?”

“Cause trouble?” Qiao Baishi laughed coldly. “Courtmaster Wang, you think too highly of yourself. Is the status of your Pill King Garden worthy of the Hall of Healing causing trouble for you?”

Courtmaster Wang was speechless and glared at Jiang Chen. “Jiang Chen, you’ve even returned the invitation to us. What are you doing here then?”

“You dunce, I’m here to attend a pill exhibition. The Hall of Healing has a close business relationship with my Jiang family. How can I not do them the favor of attending when they hold a pill exhibition?” Jiang Chen looked at Courtmaster Wang like he was looking at an idiot.

Courtmaster Wang’s face was ashen, he felt that he’d been played by someone. But he immediately thought of the setup for the day - wasn’t it to slap the Hall of Healing in the face?

Since the Hall of Healing was so foolhardy as to overextend themselves with a pill exhibition, it was perfect timing to beat down the Hall’s arrogance with one stroke.

A trace of a sinister smile floated onto Courtmaster Wang’s face when his thoughts travelled down this path. “Qiao Baishi, looks like your Hall of Healing didn’t want to sit passively and await your doom. Since you came knocking, let’s compete and see who’s better at pill medicine.”

Courtmaster Wang was in high spirits and ready for action. Since the Hall of Healing was so overconfident at competing on the basis of pill medicine, then let the “Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood” harshly slap the Hall’s face.

The Hall of Healing was still highly efficient when it came to execution.

An exhibition stage had been erected directly opposite the Pill King Garden in just a short time. Apart from Qiao Baishi, Second Hallmaster Yue Qun as well as six or seven elders were there from the senior executives of the Hall of Healing.

In addition, the Hall of Healing’s large amount of administrators had also started their nervous preparations.

The Hall of Healing was playing to an extreme this time. Apart from people like Jiang Chen and Princess Gouyu, all the other guests hadn’t received invitations beforehand.

Instead, they waited on the side. Whenever a guest of the Pill King Garden handed over their invitation, the Hall of Healing would smoothly and simultaneously hand them an invitation.

This way, the Hall’s purpose of challenging the Garden in the immediate vicinity was more than readily apparent.

Basically, anyone with power or influence in the capital had received an invite from the Pill King Garden this time. When these guests also received the Hall of Healing’s invitation after arriving, they all felt that it was odd.

However, the majority of these people were all neutral. Not only were they not against it when they saw that the Hall of Healing was actually commencing in head to head combat with the Pill King Garden, but their interest was also quite piqued.

Their interest levels had truly been lacking when they’d originally thought that they were attending a pill exhibition. But unanticipated gains might be made if they were able to witness the competition between the spirit medicine heavyweights!

The Pill King Garden’s senior executives huddled together and held a discussion for a while. They all felt that the Hall of Healing hadn’t come with good intentions.

But Master Violet was quite confident. The “Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood” was his proud work, and a pill recipe that had come from a hidden sect. He was absolutely confident that it would storm the market in such a common kingdom.

The Hall of Healing? Master Violet shook his head, his eyes quite contemptuous.

The senior executives of the Pill King Garden had been a bit worried, but quickly returned to a status brimming with confidence upon seeing that Master Violet was so confident.

It was said that Master Violet came from a reclusive sect. Would such a superior person be unsuccessful in a mere kingdom capital? The Hall of Healing had come knocking at the door today, and was destined to be beaten into the shape of a pig’s head by the Pill King Garden.

With this consideration, the Pill King Garden neither barred the way nor protested against the Hall of Healing’s actions, allowing the Hall to give out invitations at their leisure.

Of course, they wouldn’t be able to bar the Hall if they wanted to.

After all, sure the Pill King Garden was hosting a pill exhibition, but the Hall of Healing also had the right to hold their own.

However, these guests were still particular about courtesy and first sat in the Pill King Garden section according to custom, since they had received the Pill King Garden’s invitation first.

Apart from a group of diehard Hall of Healing supporters, the neutral guests all held the mentality of not wanting to offend either, and found a seat in the Pill King Garden first.

They also knew that the Hall of Healing would naturally not mind that they had gone first to the Pill King Garden section because the Hall had given an invitation without forewarning. This was the custom of the order of arrival.

Courtmaster Wang was quite satisfied when he saw that the majority of the guests still sat on the Pill King Garden side. He looked in Qiao Baishi’s direction with a few hints of provocation.

The senior executives of the Hall of Healing sat on the chairs behind the exhibition stage, more than a bit ill at ease. This whole matter had been under Qiao Baishi’s organization.

They were also here today by Qiao Baishi’s invitation, and weren’t too sure as to what tricks he had up his sleeve.

They saw that a great commotion and gathering of people were present on the Pill King Garden side, whereas, apart from its few staunch allies, the Hall of Healing section had only a sprinkling of people.

“Number three, just what are you doing? If you want to do something, you should’ve sent invitations beforehand, no? How can our Hall of Healing bear this kind of result this way?” Second Hallmaster Yue Qun was finding it difficult keeping an affable expression on his face.

“The Second Hallmaster speaks sense. If I had known this was the case, I wouldn’t have come today.” The Blue surnamed elder who’d had some friction with Jiang Chen last time also complained.

“Heh heh. The Third Hallmaster most likely has a secret master plan.” This was an elder who ardently supported Qiao Baishi.

“Let’s reserve our judgement, we’re here already. I won’t believe that the Third Hallmaster has arranged for us to be here for the purposes of losing face. Our Third Hallmaster isn’t such a brainless person.” This was Qiao Baishi’s confidante.

On the Pill King Garden’s side, Courtmaster Wang was in high and vigorous spirits as he strode up the high exhibition booth. His voice was loud and charged, full of heroism. “Everyone, our Pill King Garden is introducing the “Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood” on this time’s pill exhibition. It’s a healing panacea, and its effects are double those of similar products on the market, and even higher!”

What?

Healing panacea? Effects double those of similar products on the market, and even higher?

Many had originally been whispering in hushed conversations, but all quieted down in coincidental unison when they heard Courtmaster Wang’s words.

The scene had become so quiet that even a pin drop could be heard.

“This ‘Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood” dissipates bruises, strengthens connections between muscles and bones, and has enormously wonderful effects. Particularly with regards to external injuries - it can fully heal wounds from various knives and swords in three days, without even leaving a scar.”

Fully healing wounds from various knives and swords in three days, without leaving a scar!

“For internal injuries, even if you’re beaten so badly that you cannot get up from the bed, taking this pill will enable you to recover within ten days back to your conditions before the injury.”

Courtmaster Wang grew more excited as he talked, spittle flying wildly as he lauded the “Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood” so superlatively that it was like flowers were raining down from the sky.

One had to say, if the “Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood” was as miraculous as he said, then the pill was sure to triumph over all similar products on the market as soon as it was introduced.

The Pill King Garden had raised such a high profile and gone to such great efforts in advertising this time’s pill exhibition -- it did indeed have the basis to be so high key. The Pill King Garden was definitely trying to amaze the world with this single, brilliant feat on the basis of this pill!

Who didn’t know that these types of healing panacea were currently one of the most popular pill medicines in pill medicine market? After all, no practitioner could avoid being injured. Once injured, they would be unable to avoid using this type of healing panacea.

Whoever occupied the market of healing panaceas would gain the first mover’s advantage. Whoever could corner this market would herald in the market trend.

In the span of a moment, most of the guests had surmised the reason being the Pill King Garden’s high profile. This was a declaration of war on the Hall of Healing, and a challenge to their position!

Chapter 47: Accidental Repeat Occurrence

On the Pill King Garden’s side, the senior executives were all wearing cocky smiles. They had long anticipated the ruckus that the “Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood” would cause when it was announced.

This was why it was said that “those who undertake civil pursuits are poor, and those who undertake martial pursuits are rich”. Those who cultivated were most amenable to spending money. If you had no money, then opt out of the road of martial dao while it was early.

Healing panaceas were the area that practitioners were most willing to spend money. After all, a good healing panacea oftentimes meant a safeguard for life!

The Pill King Garden had seized upon this point, eyed the supreme secret of this market, and chosen the right breakthrough point. As long as they were able to beat the Hall of Healing into the ground in this area, given enough time, what would be so impossible about them replacing the Hall of Healing’s position?

After all, the Pill King Garden already had a great advantage in the areas of qi replenishing and heart calming pills.

If the Pill King Garden was able to obtain a lead in three areas using a three pronged approach, it would undoubtedly be a frightening challenge to the Hall of Healing!

Courtmaster Wang said, “Honored guests, we will place six “Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood” on six display tables beneath the stage. Please line up in front of the display tables and take turns in inspection and discussion. It’s said that what the ear hears may be false, but what the eye sees is true. Everyone can personally appraise whether the Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood is truly that miraculous, and if this courtmaster has any elements of bluster. When the appraisal is over, we will find ‘Pill Trial Warriors’ to conduct an on site experiment.”

The so-called “Pill Trial Warrior” was a type of high risk profession. Most who undertook it were those low level practitioners who had no hope on the path of martial dao, yet wanted to earn fast money. Whenever a new pill was introduced, they would test a pill on themselves.

Any type of pill, before it was checked by the extensive marketplace, held risk.

Pill Trial Warriors personally tried pills, undertaking risk with their own bodies, before the pill was fully trusted by widespread consumers.

This was a high risk, high reward profession.

After all, if something was wrong with the pill - or if there were side effects - the first unlucky ones were the Pill Trial Warriors.

The guests presents all got up and walked towards the display tables. Everyone wanted to obtain a place near the front of the line to catch a glimpse first.

It was a good thing that there were six display tables with six lines. The wait wasn’t too long in that regard.

Roughly an hour later, almost all the guests had had their look.

“Tsk tsk, I can tell that this Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood is uncommon just from its scent. The healing panaceas on the market truly are trash when compared to this!”

“I wonder how much the price will be per pill? I plan to buy and hold ten or more of them - the prices might inflate hugely then!”

“This ‘Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood’ will surely become the most wanted healing panacea in the capital after this!”

“Mm. Other similar products truly are not competitive when compared to it. Us practitioners can be thrifty everywhere except on healing panaceas.”

“That’s the theory! We’re not afraid of high prices, just that it’s not good enough!”

At this moment, Courtmaster Wang was wreathed in smiles and his heart was bursting with joy. He had kept his ears open and listened just now - the comments of all the guests were almost all positive to a fault. Apart from those who worried that the price would be out of their reach, almost all were waxing eloquent with praise.

What did this mean? This meant that before the Pill Trial Warriors had tested the pill, the “Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood” had already received widespread acceptance.

What could almost certainly be anticipated was that once this Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood was introduced into the market, it would kickoff a purchasing trend and would be extremely popular and sell quite well!

“Grand Courtmaster, I’ve been listening and everyone is ceaselessly praising the pill. It looks like the effects are better than we’ve anticipated!”

“Heh heh, I took a look at the Hall of Healing side just now. The second hallmaster Yue Qun’s old face was almost purple with anger. I’d like to see what face the Hall of Healing has left to compete with us this time!”

The senior executives of the Pill King Garden were all extremely excited, and felt the exaltation from fulfillment. To be able to stomp on a mammoth competitor, this type of accomplishment naturally made them feel beyond excited.

Courtmaster Wang was still relatively calm and said, “Prepare to call upon the Pill Trial Warriors. Any pill introduced must first be tested by a Pill Trial Warrior. This way, we can dispel the last of the market’s worries and reservations.”

This part of the process could not be omitted.

The Pill Trial Warriors were invited out. There were four in total.

The process of testing the Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood was certainly going to be very cruel. One had to first injure the Pill Trial Warriors and then have them take the pill for on site proof of its healing properties!

All of the guests’ eyes had focused on the Pill Trial Warriors.

At the moment, a golden mallet suddenly sounded from the Hall of Healing side as it crashed into a bronze gong.

The third hallmaster, Qiao Baishi, of the Hall of Healing was already on the exhibition stage with a smile on his face. “Sirs, it’s rare to have so many guests present, truly many exalted guests have filled the seats. The Hall of Healing would like to make use of this opportunity to also introduce a healing panacea!”

“What?” The scene was in an uproar.

The Pill King Garden had introduced the healing panacea of Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood.

The Hall of Healing was also introducing a healing panacea - wasn’t this an open challenge and call for combat?

There was quite a bit of surprise on the Pill King Garden side. Courtmaster Wang’s features were hostile as he stared at Qiao Baishi, inwardly cursing, “Is this Qiao Baishi purposely causing trouble? What healing panacea could the Hall of Healing produce to rival my Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood in their flurry of haste? He is interrupting the rhythm of my Pill King Garden and attempting to impact the smooth introduction of the Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood.”

In Courtmaster Wang’s eyes, Qiao Baishi’s move to introduce pill medicine was fake, but his attempt to disrupt the introduction of the Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood was real. To put it frankly, this was jealousy, causing trouble!

Except, Qiao Baishi didn’t even look in the Pill King Garden’s direction. He wore a faint smile and his tone rang out powerfully. “The Hall of Healing has always endeavoured to research and develop pills in order to benefit all practitioners under heaven. We have had great achievements in the past few years. The first type of pill we’re introducing today - which is also a healing panacea - is called the ‘Heavenly Karma Pill’. Coincidentally, the Heavenly Karma Pill was an ancient lost pill recipe. The pill’s effects are as its name, almost to the realm of perfection.

Everyone, I am very delighted to tell you that this Heavenly Karma Pill is a shuffling of the cards, a revolution, a historical breakthrough, that we are bringing to the healing panacea market! Its effects are three times, five times, and even ten times those of similar products!”

Three times, five times, and even ten times!

Qiao Baishi’s powerful voice was like large bell, bearing down on the chest of everyone present, resonating so that it caused everyone’s eardrums to ring.

How.. how was this possible?

A sudden increase in healing properties to three, fives times and even ten times!

This was practically the healing panacea of legends.

Was the Hall of Healing serious? Was it purposefully causing trouble?

But with the Hall of Healing’s large brand, how could it crack a joke that would destroy its own brand on such an occasion?

“In addition, if applied externally, this pill can cause wounds to immediately stop bleeding, and heal at a rate visible to the naked eye. If taken internally, it can strengthen connections between muscles and bones within an hour.

For internal injuries, even if the patient is someone who had been so severely beaten that they find it hard to move from bed, taking this pill will guarantee the vigor of dragons and ferocity of tigers, and allow recovery to one’s initial condition from the least amount of one day to at most three days!”

Qiao Baishi’s every word was like a cavernous bell or large drum, shaking every single person present.

With his descriptions, this Heavenly Karma Pill was absolutely outside the realm of everyone’s imagination. If this pill was introduced, then what would that make all similar products on the market, including the Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood?

Your Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood only doubled the healing properties, whereas the other person’s pill had increased three, five times, and even ten times!

You could thoroughly heal external injuries in three days, whereas the other’s healed external hurts immediately and recovered immediately - it was absolutely a stroke of perfection.

As for internal injuries, your Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood needed ten days before the patient could recover, but the other’s Heavenly Karma Pill would guarantee the vigor of dragons and ferocity of tigers and recovery to their initial condition from the least amount of one day to at most three days!

No matter from what aspect this was approached, the Heavenly Karma Pill was an absolute instant kill!

Yes, instant kill!

Instant kill without mercy!

Courtmaster Wang couldn’t hold it in and called out loudly, “Qiao Baishi, beware of popping from your own bluster! When did your Hall of Healing operate at such a level? Forgive me for being out of touch with the outside world.”

“Indeed, who doesn’t know how to bluster? Whether it’s a donkey or a horse, haul it out for a walk.”

“Such a great healing panacea, bring it out for a look. Only what the eye can see is the truth!”

The senior executives from the Pill King Garden started attacking verbally, jeering at Qiao Baishi. They obviously thought that Qiao Baishi was bluffing.

Qiao Baishi’s facial expression was composed, and his face was as if it embraced the wind in the face of the jeers raining down like wind and rain from the Pill King Garden.

“Courtmaster Wang, one of your sentences was true just now. You are indeed out of touch and ignorant of the outside world, like a frog at the bottom of a well. You couldn’t contain yourself and impatiently hopped out as soon as you’d received a so called Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood, creating high profile media play. The Hall of Healing has always been practical. If it wasn’t for your Pill King Garden’s malicious provocation this time, our Hall of Healing originally made no plans to respond.”

When his words finished, Qiao Baishi waved his hands and a few trusted administrators walked out from the back. Everyone held a jade box, and the boxes numbered eight in total.

“Sirs, it is said that what the eye sees is true. These eight jade boxes contain eight Heavenly Karma Pills. One of them is an inferior rank and at three times effectiveness of similar pills. Four of them are middle rank, reaching five times effectives. Three of them are upper rank, reaching ten times effectiveness. If one day we are able to develop the supreme rank Heavenly Karma Pill, its healing properties are conservatively estimated at twenty times that of current similar products!”

Qiao Baishi strongly held in his internal agitation and introduced the Heavenly Karma Pill. When he had finished the introduction, he naturally walked off stage.

“Sirs, eight display tables. Please take turns in inspection and discussion!”

Whether it’s a donkey or a horse, haul it out for a walk.

By now, the Hall of Healing was a sharp, unsheathed sword that was displaying its towering loftiness.

The guests present were all incredibly excited. If this Heavenly Karma Pill was truly as miraculous as Qiao Baishi’s words, then who would care about the Pill King Garden’s previous marketing?

One was not afraid of not recognizing value, but was rather afraid of a side by side comparison!

The senior executives over at the Pill King Garden side who were still caught up in their anger also set aside their face and their modesty, and actually wormed their way into the lines, wishing to personally see this so called Heavenly Karma Pill that the Hall of Healing had brought.

In the entire process, Jiang Chen was as steady as Mt. Tai, a small smile on his face as he watched this theatrical scene.

He also rather admired Qiao Baishi’s move. He’d waited until the Pill King Garden had jumped to its highest before smacking it down with one slap. The higher you were, the harder you fell!

The Pill King Garden fools wants to give a slap to the face? In the end, they’ll tragically discover that their laboriously planned face denying gesture had landed soundly on their own faces!

 

Chapter 48: Upgraded Face Slapping

Another hour had passed, but the area before the display tables was still full of guests. Each guest had a great attachment, and were reluctant to part with the contents on the tables.

“Incredible, it truly is ‘one who’s not afraid of not recognizing value, but rather is afraid of a side by side comparison’. This Heavenly Karma Pill, whether in terms of potency, spiritual aura, or outward appearances, are all an instant kill towards the Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood.”

“The Hall of Healing is truly worthy to be called such. The first heavyweight in spirit medicine in the kingdom absolutely doesn’t hold an unearned reputation.”

“The Pill King Garden wanted to make use of this opportunity to suppress the Hall of Healing. Who would’ve thought that after creating such a large hubbub, the Hall of Healing still had superior tactics. Looks like the Pill King Garden has failed in face slapping, and rather slapped their own instead.”

“Such exquisite perfection, absolutely exquisite perfection. I’ve decided to choose this Heavenly Karma Pill in the future. To be honest, after seeing the Heaven Karma Pill, I feel all other healing panaceas are complete trash.”

“Hallmaster Qiao, when can this Heavenly Karma Pill be purchased?”

Some senior executive from the Pill King Garden left the Hall’s display tables with a darkened face, returning to the Pill King Garden’s side.

“Grand Courtmaster, it’s too abnormal!”

“What’s going on? Is that Heavenly Karma Pill really that good?” Courtmaster Wang’s breathing became hurried.

“Grand Courtmaster, that pill is likely even a bit better than what Qiao Baishi described it as. Grand Courtmaster, we were played by the Hall of Healing!”

“What?!” It was as if Courtmaster Wang’s chest had suffered a heavy impact, his face abruptly becoming ashen white.

Master Violet had been sitting there without the slightest stir when those fey eyes also suddenly opened, shooting out blue light.

“What did you say? The Hall of Healing’s pill is better than my Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood?” Master Violet absolutely didn’t believe that such a pill could exist in a common kingdom like the Eastern Kingdom.

But the truth, irrefutable like metal, had fully answered this question.

In the span of a moment, the guests and stores that the Pill King Garden had invited had all surged towards the Hall of Healing’s side. There were no exceptions.

They were all planning on ordering from the Hall of Healing, and in fact, were striving to be first and feared to lag behind.

This was in stark contrast to the Pill King Garden’s side. Apart from a few staunch supporters, it was cold and cheerless - a deserted house that was possible to catch sparrows on its doorstep.

“How can this be?” Courtmaster Wang found it difficult to accept the situation in front of him.

He had planned so much for today, and prepared so long for this day of glory.

Finally, the historical moment had arrived today. He thought that the Pill King Garden being disadvantaged towards the Hall of Healing would become a thing of the past starting today.

Starting today, the Pill King Garden would advance triumphantly, and rebuff the Hall of Healing every step of the way!

Yet, harsh reality had dealt him a severe slap, causing him to suddenly fall down when he had climbed to the highest peak.

The Hall of Healing had used a way that they took the most pride in, to severely fling a slap at the Pill King Garden!

The Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood?

Dominate the healing panacea market?

Their hopes and dreams were quite full, but their reality was quite shallow!

The Hall of Healing’s “Heavenly Karma Pill” had easy demolished all of their previous preparations. Their long fermented attack had been easily dispelled.

How was this a battle between equals? This was practically knocking on their door and asking to be tortured.

Courtmaster Wang suddenly understood why Qiao Baishi looked completely at ease. It turned out that he had long prepared a severe counterattack, and was only waiting for the Pill King Garden to hop in with both feet.

Failure, a complete and utter failure!

“Courtmaster Wang, we must not be dejected. The Hall of Healing had an advantage in the healing panacea market to begin with. It doesn’t mean much that the advantage is in their hands right now. We still have the Qi Replenishing Pill and the Crane Heart Pill. We still lead the Hall of Healing in these two areas!”

“Right, let them strut for a while this time. Our Pill King Garden still has our advantages!”

The senior executives of the Pill King Garden started comforting themselves.

However, their self comforting didn’t last too long. Qiao Baishi suddenly stood up again on the hall exhibition stage, and spread his hands downwards. “Sirs, we will not be accepting preorders for the Heavenly Karma Pill today. If everyone is still interested, you can apply to preorder it at the Hall of Healing starting tomorrow. Moreover, I have another piece of good news to tell everyone here.”

More good news?

The fervent guests present had calmed down somewhat. The “Heavenly Karma Pill” that the Hall of Healing had introduced was simply too shocking. Therefore, they wished to see what other surprises the Hall of Healing would have for everyone?

Qiao Baishi smiled, “This time, the Hall of Healing is prepared to introduce en masse the pill medicines that we have been researching the past couple of years. Apart from the Heavenly Karma Pill, we will also be introducing two more pill medicines. One of them is the qi replenishing Vast Ocean Pill, the other is the heart calming One Buddha Powder.”

Qi replenishing arena, heart calming arena.

Those present were all smart people and immediately understood that the pill medicines the Hall of Healing was introducing were very targeted. It was patently obvious that they were targeting the Pill King Garden.

Those two arenas were the two that the Pill King Garden were originally most adept in.

Could it be that the Hall of Healing was also planning on intervening in these two arenas this time? Was this the tempo of thoroughly beating down the Pill King Garden?

The faces of the senior executives of the Pill King Garden changed drastically. Their confidence had already been crushed to pieces by the Heavenly Karma Pill earlier. They immediately had a sense of danger that the wolf was coming when they heard Qiao Baishi’s words.

Courtmater Wang only felt a cold draft on the back of his head as cold sweat suddenly poured out. A bad premonition started rising uncontrollably from his heart.

He had a bad feeling. Not only had the setup that he’d prepared painstakingly, been completely dissolved by the Hall of Healing, but the Hall had also prepared a quick and forceful retaliation and was about to lure the Pill King Garden into a fatal trap by random blows!

Courtmaster Wang was well aware that if the two areas of the Qi Replenishing Pill and the Crane Heart Pill were defeated by the Hall of Healing, then armageddon undoubtedly awaited the Pill King Garden.

After all, a large part of why the Pill King Garden could find its footing in the capital and become the third heavyweight in the spirit medicine field in the Eastern Kingdom was due to the Qi Replenishing Pill and the Crane Heart Pill.

More than sixty to seventy percent of their revenue was derived from these two pill medicines.

If they lost their advantages in these two pill medicines, then the Pill King Garden would have utterly lost all of its advantages, and be no different from those small stores.

Except, the workings of this world was that whatever you were afraid of would be what came your way.

Under the gazes of all present. Qiao Baishi wore a smile that exuded confidence, and had a measured tone that was neither too hurried nor too slow. “Sirs, everyone knows that the pill medicines currently on the market can at most only recover thirty percent of true qi. The Vast Ocean Pill that the Hall is about to introduce can, in the worst case scenario, recover forty percent true qi, and fifty percent under normal conditions. If it’s an upper rank Vast Ocean Pill, then it can even recover sixty percent! And dosage can be repeated after just an hour, while repeated dosages will not impact effects in the slightest.”

“What, recover at least forty percent?”

“Recover fifty percent true qi under normal conditions? Is… is this a joke?”

“An upper rank Vast Ocean Pill can recover sixty percent? My gosh, if this is in battle, a few upper rank Vast Ocean Pills will greatly increase battle strength!”

Everyone know that the technical requirements of a qi recovery pill were high. The most expensive pill medicine on the market was the Pill King Garden’s Qi Replenishing Pill. It could recover thirty percent, with its effects being slightly adversely impacted with repeated dosage after an hour.

But the Vast Ocean Pill that Qiao Baishi spoke of could recover forty percent under the worst conditions, fifty percent under normal conditions,and even sixty percent with an upper rank pill. This was basically a disruptive breakthrough.

One had to know that the Qi Replenishing Pill had occupied the advantage for more than two hundred years in the arena of qi recovery. That was to say, no technical advancement had occurred in this arena for a full two hundred years.

One could see how incredibly difficult it was to obtain a breakthrough in the qi recovery arena.

But the Hall of Healing’s breakthrough had come too quickly and was too frightening! It was absolutely a disruptive innovation.

“Hallmaster Qiao, since this Vast Ocean Pill is so amazing, will it come with a whoppingly high price?”

“Indeed, ordinary folk will be unable to use it if it’s too expensive.”

Qiao Baishi smiled. “According to the calculations of our cost of goods sold, the Vast Ocean Pill that recovers forty percent of true qi will be priced the same as the current best product on the market - the Qi Replenishing Pill. Prices will double for pills that recover fifty percent, and double yet again for those that recover sixty percent.”

Every ten percent increase in effectiveness would lead to a doubling of price.

This price was quite reasonable. To recover an additional ten percent of true qi in battle was incredibly meaningful to a practitioner in battle.

“Hallmaster Qiao, you’re not joking are you?”

“Indeed, a pill that recovers forty percent true qi is priced the same as one that recovers thirty percent? Then we only recognize the Vast Ocean Pill!”

“Hallmaster Qiao, I want to preorder a hundred pills!

“I want two hundred pills!”

“And me…”

It was a scene of chaos as everyone realized a new era had arrived in the qi recovery arena! With such fabulous effects, why would one wait for its price to rise after it had cornered the market, instead of fighting for it now?

Everyone thought that the reason the Hall of Healing had set such a low price for the Vast Ocean Pill was surely because of them suppressing the Pill King Garden.

Such low prices would definitely not continue for long. Prices for the Vast Ocean Pill were sure to inflate after it had thoroughly beaten its competitors on the market.

Everyone was smart, and so were desperately fighting to preorder early!

Qiao Baishi pressed down with his hands and smiled. “Sirs, the same sentence holds. We will not accept preorders today. And, I can also promise that we will not inflate prices without rhyme or reason. Unless the price for the spirit medicine ingredients inflate, we will never increase prices!”

Qiao Baishi was well aware that the Vast Ocean Pill was the result of a superior pill recipe. When it came to the spirit medicine ingredients for the Vast Ocean Pill, its costs were possibly even lower than the Qi Replenishing Pill.

The Hall of Healing’s advantage were actually the advantages that the young duke Jiang Chen had brought.

Never increase prices!

This promise prompted a series of cheers from the gathering and applause sounded like thunder in the span of a moment. One had to say, Qiao Baishi’s bearing had conquered all the guests present.

When the Pill King Garden had exhibited that so called Pill of Dragon and Tiger Blood, it had been quite arrogant. The Qi Replenishing Pill had also often opportunistically changed prices, skyrocketing in times of need.

The Hall of Healing was the first heavyweight of the spirit medicine world after all. With these manners, this bearing wasn’t something that the Pill King Garden could match!

“Faugh! When I get home, I’m throwing that Qi Replenishing Pill into the latrines!”

“Right? Randomly increasing prices for no reason, as if they’re the only ones who know how to refine a qi recovery pill!”

“Standing up well to comparison. Looks like the pill medicine market truly needs the Hall of Healing at the helm. And only the Hall of Healing has this kind of right and bearing.”

“I’ve decided. I’m going to apply for a premier membership card at the Hall of Healing tomorrow and be a customer for life!”

The previously neutral guests all naturally stood on the side of the Hall of Healing after receiving Qiao Baishi’s promise.

Even a lot of the Pill King Garden’s old clients couldn’t resist temptation after seeing such enormous profits. They could also fully see that the Garden’s Qi Replenishing Pill was done for!

Chapter 49: Complete Knock Down

Some more meddlesome folks continued asking, “Hallmaster Qiao, I remember that you mentioned introducing three types of pill medicine just now. What else is there apart from the Heavenly Karma Pill and the Vast Ocean Pill?”

“Yes, we trust the products of the Hall of Healing. Out with it, so everyone can rejoice!”

“Hallmaster Qiao, don’t keep us in suspense, speak!”

The crowd of people were all raising an uproar and on their tiptoes in expectation.

Qiao Baishi nodded, smiling with ease. “We have decided to discreetly introduce the third pill medicine after careful consideration. The Hall of Healing will be giving up a great share of profits with the third pill medicine. Our goal is to give back to those who have greatly supported the Hall of Healing over the years.

The third pill medicine is called One Buddha Powder, a type of refreshing, mind calming pill medicine. When compared to the best similar products on the current market, the effects of One Buddha Powder are possibly twice as effective. And yet the price we’re setting for it will be half of the best pill medicine currently on the market!”

Twice as effective at half the price!

Dead silence actually reigned supreme for a moment after Qiao Baishi had spoken. They almost suspected that something was wrong with their ears.

Had they heard incorrectly?

It was already exceedingly odd, and really didn’t make much sense, that a pill medicine twice as effective hadn’t undergone a price increase, but now its price was actually being halved?

This…

Finally, someone couldn’t hold it in. “Hallmaster Qiao, this… you’re not joking, are you?”

“The sign of the Hall of Healing is here, how dare I speak nonsense? Each bit of spittle from the Hall of Healing is as if a nail, please be at ease everyone. To be candid, we hadn’t planned on earning much from the One Buddha Powder.”

This last sentence however, was a bit watered down. In actuality, since the One Buddha Powder didn’t need to be refined, waste of materials didn’t exist and so its cost of goods sold were only a tenth of the Pill King Garden’s Crane Heart Pill.

With such low costs, even reducing the price by one half still raked in money.

To be honest, even if it were sold at the same price as the Crane Heart Pill, that was still absolutely enough to ignite the market, but Qiao Baishi had purposefully slashed the price in half.

The purpose of this was to beat the Pill King Garden down so hard that they had no chance at all in coming back.

In addition, they could make use of this opportunity to craft the image of a virtuous and sincere Hall of Healing, solidifying the Hall’s position as the first heavyweight of the spirit medicine.

Qiao Baishi had deployed three successive moves and introduced three kinds of pill medicine. And each was more stunning than the last.

But to the Pill King Garden, Qiao Baishi’s three successive moves were the equivalent of three successive heavy punches. Each was more debilitating than the last!

Courtmaster Wang could barely stay on his feet. The skies spun and the ground turned, he was about to faint right then and there as his teeth chattered, betraying his weakness.

He knew that this wasn’t a joke. This was a kind of bloodless slaughter in the marketplace. With these three moves, the Hall of Healing had utterly destroyed the foundations of the PIll King Garden.

“Grand Courtmater, what… what should we do?”

“Master Violet, say something. Surely you won’t watch the Pill King Garden go bankrupt?”

“Yes Master Violet, we all work for the Duke of Soaring Dragon, you…”

Master Violet snorted coldly and looked at the senior executives of the Pill King Garden with eyes full of disdain. He swept his sleeves up and left.

“Truly unable to accomplish anything, but good at spoiling things!”

The last bit of faith held by the senior executives of the Pill King Garden collapsed with the flourish of his departure.

The senior executives of the Hall of Healing also felt like they were in a dreamscape at the moment. They too hadn’t anticipated Qiao Baishi’s successive actions.

After all, in an effort to avoid leaks, Qiao Baishi had continuously concealed and not spoken of his intentions with regards to this matter. Even many of the senior executives present hadn’t been in the know.

Apart from a few elders absolutely loyal to Qiao Baishi, who had received hints from Qiao Baishi before the matter, many senior executives had had no foreknowledge, including the second hallmaster Yue Qun.

But at the moment, what did Yue Qun care about that. Seeing the faces that had been thwarted on the Pill King Garden side, his old face was smiling so hard that it was about to blossom into a flower.

“Number three, you’ve played this hand beautifully!” Yue Qun patted Qiao Baishi’s shoulder. “I had previously thought it a bit odd that the Lord Hallmaster had trusted you so and cultivated you. In this my regard, my insight is truly inferior to the Lord Hallmaster’s.”

“Second hallmaster is experienced and steady, there is much more that I must learn from you.” Qiao Baishi also responded humbly.

The next step was a showing by the Pill Trial Warriors.

The profession of a Pill Trial Warrior was first and foremost to be impartial and speak the truth.

Of course, the spirit medicines from the Hall of Healing could withstand trials. After the repeated tests by the Pill Trial Warriors, these pill medicines had gained complete certification!

Heavenly Karma Pill, Vast Ocean Pill, One Buddha Powder… they were all genuine goods at a fair price!

Under the guarantee of the Pill Trial Warriors, the last bit of reservations and suspicions held by anyone present were dispelled. All the guests boiled with fervor and surged to the front of the display tables.

“Hallmaster Qiao, I am the son of the Minister of War, Minister Fan. I will be over early tomorrow morning to place my order, remember to reserve a place for me.”

“Old Yue, my brother is Vice Minister Zhang in the Ministry of Revenue. Your relationship with him goes back more than ten years, right? Save a place for a brother tomorrow, I want to place an order!”

All sorts of favor currying and cottoning up to someone came rushing in during the span of a moment.

Although the Hall of Healing had many hands on their side, they too couldn’t fend off the press of people for a bit.

As for Princess Gouyu, who had been invited by the Hall of Healing, her charming face was incredibly grave as she looked at the situation that had taken a complete turn for the opposite. She would occasionally throw a rushed glance at Jiang Chen, her heart filled with questions.

She took another look at Jiang Chen. He had been smiling slightly all along, as if the hubbub in front of his eyes had nothing to do with him.

The more he was this way, the more Princess Gouyu resolutely believed that the Hall of Healing’s mindblowing comeback had some elements of this person’s influence in it.

Just as Princess Gouyu was sifting through complicated feelings, an elder from the Hall of Healing walked over respectfully, holding a luxurious jade box in his hands.

“Your Highness, this is a dry share agreement(1). According to young duke Jiang, the Princess was involved in the One Buddha Powder. Here are dry shares of twenty percent, we hope the princess kindly accepts.”

Twenty percent dry share, this was basically receiving money without lifting a single finger in effort!

Gouyu was dumbfounded, what involvement? What was the brat Jiang Chen playing at? But she immediately thought of the prescription that Jiang Chen had written for her and suddenly thought of what he had said - if she didn’t believe him, she could take that prescription and exchange it for several million silver at the Hall of Healing.

Indeed, the kid’s hands could be found behind this matter!

Princess Gouyu further affirmed her internal speculation. She was a royal princess and didn’t put on airs. She nodded her head slightly, and one of her servants accepted the agreement for twenty percent dry shares.

She was well aware that the worth of this twenty percent dry share was much more than several million. When this One Buddha Powder was introduced, it was sure to storm the market and, without a doubt, corner the sector.

In terms of long term calculations, the profits of this twenty percent dry share would absolutely be denoted in hundreds of millions.

The Pill King Garden’s furious build up had ended up benefiting the Hall of Healing in the end. It had also incidentally pushed itself into the abyss of destruction.

This was basically digging a hole and burying themselves!

The guests present finally left reluctantly, after repeated promises from the senior executives of the Hall of Healing.

The Hall of Healing had emerged victorious on all fronts in this campaign, and had returned home laden with spoils of war.

As the mastermind behind the scenes, Jiang Chen had watched the show that he’d come to watch, and was about to leave with his underlings when he suddenly halted as he passed by the Pill King Garden’s display tables.

“Oh right, Courtmaster Wang, I gave you a warning out of the goodness of my heart last time that your days were numbered. You treated my goodwill as ill intent. Ai, I don’t even know how to comfort you.”

Jiang Chen planned on stomping this Courtmaster Wang dead with one foot.

This man had publicly suppressed his Jiang family, and had humiliated Jiang Feng at the Soaring Dragon manor. In Jiang Chen’s eyes, this man was destined to be rotten bones in a graveyard, and he didn’t have much time left.

Cold killing intent shot out of Courtmaster Wang’s eyes as his bloodshot eyes were filled with wildness. He was like a starving wolf driven into an impasse, ready to risk his life at any time.

When he walked out of the Myriad Treasures Palace, Jiang Chen’s tone was frosty. “One will fall victim in return if a snake isn’t beaten to death. If we’re to do something to this Pill King Garden, then we must destroy and pull them down!”

The four Sheng battalion brothers all nodded and felt that Jiang Chen’s words made a lot of sense.

“Jiang Chen, wait a moment.”

At the entrance to the Myriad Treasures Palace, Princess Gouyu, wearing light green leather body armor embedded with a natural body scent, rushed in front of Jiang Chen.

She pushed the box forward, “I’m giving this twenty percent dry shares back to you.”

“What are you giving them back to me for?” Jiang Chen smiled. “Wasn’t this a red envelope for you?”

“Humph. Don’t think I don’t know that you were certainly involved in the Hall of Healing’s turnaround. Do you think I don’t know the origins of this One Buddha Powder?” Princess Gouyu’s face was flushed faintly red.

“If they gave it to you then just accept it, what’s with all the extraneous words?” Jiang Chen rolled his eyes. “Besides, you were the first to take this One Buddha Powder. You were a Pill Trial Warrior, receiving a red envelope would be quite normal, no?”

“What? Jiang Chen you brat. How dare you treat this princess as a Pill Trial Warrior!” Princess Gouyu couldn’t hold in her inexplicable anger.

“Look at you, you’re fine!” Jiang Chen chuckled. Please, he - Jiang Chen - was the most renowned alchemy master beneath the heavens. The pill recipes he took out were advanced recipes from even more lofty realms. They had undergone forging by hundreds and thousands of truths. What need was there for a Pill Trial Warrior?

“Don’t be so hot tempered, I know you’re internally grateful to me. If you want to pay me back, then send the set of flying daggers to me earlier.”

Jiang Chen squeezed his legs after he’d finished speaking and left on a galloping horse.

The four Sheng battalion brothers were under orders to protect Jiang Chen. They could only look with resignation at the princess, before rushing off in hot pursuit.

Only Princess Gouyu was left, staring off in the distance as she clutched the jade box. After the events of today, Gouyu could definitely be certain that Jiang Chen was not as simple as he appeared on the surface.

“Jiang Chen…” Princess Gouyu lightly mouthed this name and sank into bafflingly deep thought in that moment.

Back at the Jiang Han manor, Jiang Chen was not overly excited due to the events of the day. To speak frankly, the events of today were just an interlude for him

Endless martial dao was Jiang Chen’s ultimate goal.

“Jiang Zheng, make a trip to the Hall of Healing and tell Qiao Baishi to come here.” Jiang Chen thought momentarily and had an idea in his mind.

He didn’t want to split a portion of his mental energy to think of the affairs of the Hall of Healing. He needed to concentrate more on the path of martial dao.

One had to give it to him, Qiao Baishi was nearing blind worship now when it came to Jiang Chen. Although a multitude of affairs awaited him in the Hall of Healing, he immediately set off without hesitation when he heard Jiang Chen’s summons.

Jiang Chen was quite satisfied with Qiao Baishi’s attitude.

“Third hallmaster, I only have one sentence. What I’ve given to your Hall of Healing today, I can take back tenfold tomorrow. Do you believe me?”

1. Dry shares are shares of ownership awarded to someone who was pivotal to the founding of a company, but when that person wasn’t an investor

Chapter 50: Qiao Baishi Acknowledges a Master

Qiao Baishi was aghast and hurriedly stood up. “Young duke, has someone from the Hall of Healing given offense? I will immediately go back and investigate. Whoever has offended the young duke, I will throw them out on the streets immediately!”

Jiang Chen spread his hands downward and smiled, “Don’t be agitated, I was just saying. I’ve asked you to come today because I wish to speak a few words from my heart.”

“Baishi listens most devoutly and respectfully to any instructions that the young duke will give.” Qiao Baishi had humbled himself greatly in front of Jiang Chen. He knew, better than anyone, that the glories and honor of the Hall of Healing which belonged to him today, were all courtesy of Jiang Chen.

It was just as Jiang Chen had said: What he could give the Hall of Healing today, he could take back tenfold tomorrow.

Jiang Chen nodded. “I’ll speak frankly. I have no time to visit your Hall of Healing once, twice, or even thrice a month. I need a confidante, a follower. Or to put it in better sounding terms, a disciple-in-name who will listen to what I say.”

Qiao Baishi’s thoughts raced. How could he be an idiot if he was a Hallmaster? He naturally understood the meaning behind Jiang Chen’s words.

This was a desire for Qiao Baishi to prove his loyalty and announce his allegiance!

“Third Hallmaster, you’re a smart man. I’ll only say this: If there comes a day when someone who’s a hundred times greater than you kneels in front of me and licks my toes, I might not even accept him as a disciple then. What I can give you is ten times, a hundred times beyond the limits of your imagination!”

Qiao Baishi’s breathing become rushed. How would he not believe him? Jiang Chen had changed the entire landscape of the Eastern Kingdom’s spirit medicine market with just three random pill recipes.

Given enough time, the pill medicines of the Hall of Healing making their way to the neighboring sixteen countries and making staggering profits was absolutely not out of the question.

And all of this had been bestowed by Jiang Chen.

When his thoughts traveled here, how could Qiao Baishi hesitate? His two knees immediately hit the floor, “Honored master, Baishi kowtows in greeting. Baishi is willing to spend his life following master, and learn of the boundless dao of alchemy.”

Following his words, he kowtowed as respectfully as possible, and fully fulfilled the courtesies of formally becoming a disciple. (1)

Jiang Chen didn’t put on any airs, and fully accepted Qiao Baishi’s ritual.

“Baishi, there will come a day in which you discover that you made a wise and brilliant decision today. If you had hesitated a moment longer just now, you would’ve lost my trust. The aid I’ve rendered you would’ve also halted today.”

Qiao Baishi was exceedingly fearful.

“Since you’ve acknowledged me as your master, I will thus pass to you the core secrets of the three pill recipes. This way, it saves me the trouble of visiting your Hall of Healing every month.”

What?

Qiao Baishi was utterly dumfounded. He hadn’t thought that such amazing benefits would befall him after acknowledging a master. He was directly receiving the core techniques of these three types of pill recipes!

This was an extravagant hope that he hadn’t even dared dream of!

“Don’t be astonished. These three pill recipes are strokes of great fortune in your eyes. In my eyes though, they’re not much better than trash.”

Jiang Chen wasn’t blustering. With his attainments in the dao of alchemy in his past life, these pill recipes were street vendor goods that were ordinary beyond belief.

These words weren’t meant as an empty bluster, but to take Qiao Baishi down a notch and prevent him from overweening pride after receiving the core secrets of these three pill recipes.

Qiao Baishi was even more fearful. “Master, your disciple is afraid that he is unlikely to master these three pill recipes. In the Hall of Healing…”

“Since I am passing them onto you, then I am unafraid of you being unable to master them. Remember, you’re different from before. You have me as your backer. If anyone dares raise a hue and cry at you in the world of spirit medicine, then you have the right to pulverize them to dust. If you are unable to do so, then you have no qualifications towards being my disciple.

You must be quite aware that if I was willing, the line of those who would beg on both knees to be my disciple would stretch from my Jiang Han territory all the way to the capital.”

Qiao Baishi hurriedly said, “Your disciple is a believer. Master possesses marvelous resources, and must be the reincarnation of a great and ancient alchemy master. How could your disciple not believe? Being able to attract the favorable attention of my master is the result of the karma from my hundreds of years of training.”

Jiang Chen laughed lightly. Reincarnation of a great, ancient alchemy master? Qiao Baishi had guessed quite daringly! But he had been too conservative even with such a daring guess!

Of course, Jiang Chen would naturally not reveal his own secrets and only smiled mysteriously. “Great and ancient alchemy master? Baishi, if you have enough good fortune, the longer you follow me, the more you will learn about how high the heavens are, and how big the world is.”

For Qiao Baishi, this was destined to be a sleepless night.

This evening, he had made a decision that would change the trajectory of his life.

Jiang Chen bore no suspicions about his people, and had fully passed on the mysteries and secrets of the three pill recipes to Qiao Baishi. This made Qiao Baishi commit himself even more fully to Jiang Chen.

After sending off Qiao Baishi, Jiang Chen entered the Jiang Han secret training room, and continued training.

Although Jiang Chen had been quite busy during this time, he had never neglected his nightly homework of training.

After these last few days of familiar practice, he had fully entered the training state of the “Secret of the Nine Laughing Oceans”. Under the aid of this strong method, his vast waves true qi had improved with marvelous speed.

His six meridians true qi were like six hungry tigers - full of hunger towards the next acupoint. They itched for action, and wished to attempt to fight towards seven meridians true qi.

“Who would’ve thought that the power of the “Secret of the Nine Laughing Oceans” would be this much greater than I’d imagined. I thought ascending to seven meridians true qi wouldn’t be that easy. Yet, the “Secret of the Nine Laughing Oceans” has enabled the quality of my vast waves true qi to greatly increase. With such a supreme method, breaking through to seven meridians true qi can be a matter achieved without any extra effort or the need for additional buildup.”

Jiang Chen discovered that he had underestimated the quality of the “Secret of the Nine Laughing Oceans”. In the days that he’d practiced the “Secret of the Nine Laughing Oceans”, his vast waves true qi had noticeably improved by quite a bit.

“Alright, since this vast waves true qi is so hungry, it indicates that there’s no need for me to linger in the intermediate realm of true qi. Let’s give it a go!”

Jiang Chen was a man of action, and immediately manipulated his six meridians true qi. His six currents of concentrated vast waves true qi were like six rivers converging into the great seas.

It was easier than Jiang Chen had imagined. When the six hungry wolves of vast waves true qi rushed towards the seventh acupoint, a warm current circled the acupoint.

True qi surged forward like electricity in an unstoppable onslaught at that moment, instantaneously clearing the seventh meridian without a hint of hesitation, or the slightest feeling of an obstacle.

“Hoo!”

Jiang Chen slowly exhaled a breath of murky air. Who would’ve thought that breaking through to seven meridians true qi was so much easier than he’d imagined.

“It looks like it’s not that the practitioners of this common world possess inferior potential, but that they truly lack decent training methods. With this Jiang Chen as an example, if he’d been willing to train studiously, then he would’ve been at least at six meridians true qi. Even seven meridians true qi wouldn’t have been a farfetched thought!”

Jiang Chen knew that he had broken through so easily and had entered the advanced realm of true qi at least partially because the potential of this body was quite good, but that the main reason was because of an advanced training method.

If one looked throughout the entire Eastern Kingdom, it would be impossible to find another method superior to the “Secret of the Nine Laughing Oceans”.

Even the royal family’s entire founding method of “Eastern Amethyst Qi” would still pale far in comparison to the “Secret of the Nine Laughing Oceans”.

A breakthrough in the area of true qi greatly increased Jiang Chen’s confidence.

With the aid of his vast waves of true qi, Jiang Chen began to combine his martial art technique training. With his current true qi foundation, Jiang Chen didn’t choose the techniques that were overly deep.

The set of “Vast Ocean Current Splitter” was the upgraded version of “Wave Breaker”.

And the set of “Divine Aeons Fist” was the upgraded version of “Sea God Fist”.

The original owner of Jiang Chen’s body had previously practiced “Wave Breaker” and “Sea God Fist”. But he’d counted as someone who’d just set foot in the halls of training, and hadn’t fully gotten a handle on the core components.

Therefore, Jiang Chen was basically starting from the beginning, now that he was practicing these two upgraded versions of the martial arts techniques.

There were seven forms in total to the “Vast Ocean Current Splitter”. Once the seven forms had all been successfully practiced, the sword form would be like the currents of the vast ocean, and fully display the true colors of a hero.

It was said that once the seven forms had been successfully practiced and were well versed through a comprehensive study of the subject, that one in the true qi realm would have a fighting chance with an ordinary spirit dao practitioner.

The true qi realm being able to counter the legendary spirit dao... it could be seen from such rumors what a dominant technique the “Vast Ocean Current Splitter” was.

Within the Jiang Han manor training field, Jiang Chen used his hand as a blade beneath the moonlight. His steps were as if stepping upon the backs of waves. Each motion encompassed the concept of roaring waves.

One had to say, equipped with the memories of his past life, Jiang Chen possessed an extremely strong grasp and understanding of martial arts techniques.

At this moment, his palm became a blade, and it was as if there truly was a blade in his hand with each step he took. The concepts layered upon each other, causing his entire body to be filled with the light of brilliant dominance.

“First form of ‘Vast Ocean Current Splitter’ -- Wave Slash!”

Jiang Chen stepped out and his arm slashed downwards. It was a clean and neat cut without any embellishments, utterly lacking extraneous movements. Simple and fast, charging towards the main subject!

True qi like frost filled the air with frigid light.

Accompanied by a strong metallic sense, true qi flowed straight through where the hand-blade pointed and landed on a stone lock.

After the crisp sound of rock shattering, the stone lock broke neatly down the center. The two sides were as smooth and shiny as a mirror - as if a knife had cut through it like tofu.

It was as if a real blade had cut through it with this move.

Jiang Chen’s interest was greatly piqued as he repeatedly moved his feet. His arm continued to slash downwards, like layers upon layers of waves.

Klang, klang…

Jiang Chen slashed downwards nine times in one go.

Nine neat currents of true qi flowed through him, as the row of stone locks successively broke apart down the middle, following a neat rhythm. The sides of each broken stone lock were as neat as mirrors.

“‘Vast Ocean Current Splitter really is something alright!” Jiang Chen retracted his steps and gazed upon the row of neatly split stone locks. He was very satisfied as he gazed at the surface of the stone locks broken.

“Such power in the first form, and this is still only the first form. If I were to slash seven times in one go, it’s unlikely that there would be many who could take my seven slashes within the realm of advanced true qi.”

Jiang Chen was quite satisfied as he looked upon the amazing destruction brought upon by the first form of the “Vast Ocean Current Splitter”.

“An upgraded method accompanied by upgraded martial arts techniques. In such a small kingdom of a common status, one would definitely have the basis to look upon peers on the same level with disdain!”

“The final exams of the Hidden Dragon Trials are about to arrive. The easy and comfortable days of the capital are likely to be gone without a trace.” Jiang Chen very calmly perceived that, along with the start of the final exams of the Hidden Dragon Trials, great upheaval was sure to occur for the bigger picture of the capital.

The situation of a raging storm had already been formed, and Jiang Chen didn’t dare slacken the slightest bit!