Several hours passed.

In the refining pavilion, the furnace fire roared, dancing like an elf.

Looking at the dark, viscous liquid in the furnace, Wu Wang’s expression was rather relaxed. The troupe leader standing to the side, however, was completely bewildered.

He strode forward with a frown.

“Are you sure you’re going to give this thing to the Prince?”

“Of course. Why else would I refine it?”

Wu Wang rolled his eyes and took out a semi-finished wax pill from a cabinet. He poured the liquid into it with a simple, crude motion, then waited for it to cool and solidify.

Fortunately, his medical studies had covered the traditional methods for decocting medicines.

Aside from a few rare herbs and insects he had never seen before, he could recognize most of the ingredients in the refining pavilion. His proficiency in selecting, weighing, grinding, and preparing them convinced the troupe leader that he truly knew how to make medicine.

There was just one problem.

Why were all the herbs he chose related to strengthening yang and nourishing the kidneys?

Even without tasting it, the troupe leader could imagine the concoction was potent enough to make one’s scalp tingle. Wouldn’t an ordinary person suffer a nosebleed after just one mouthful?

“By the way, could you tell me more about the items in that wall of cabinets?”

Wu Wang asked with a curious look on his face.

The refining process was extremely tedious. Or rather, Wu Wang had deliberately made it more complicated to give himself more time here.

During the process, he would occasionally ask the troupe leader about the effects of the refined medicines and the properties of the herbs he had never seen before.

“Oh, the cabinet in the sixth row from the left, fourth column, contains the 【Heart-Gouging Mantis】. It enjoys eating the hearts of small animals, and its two scythes can sever a stick as thick as a finger. If ground into powder, it can invigorate the heart’s blood.”

“Next to it is its companion, the 【Dreadheart Grass】. Its sap is incredibly sweet but has strong hallucinogenic effects, causing the consumer to fall into a state of panic, making it easier for the Heart-Gouging Mantis to hunt. Its medicinal effect is to weaken the sensation of pain.”

Every time the troupe leader finished introducing an item, the moment the man turned his head, Wu Wang’s fingers would twitch.

A bizarrely shaped plant would appear in his hand for just an instant before vanishing into his inventory.

These weren’t some crucial, un-storable clues.

He was on a massive looting spree!

【Soaring Dragon’s Cloud-Probing Hand】!

【Allows the user to randomly steal an item or piece of equipment from a target upon contact. The success rate is related to the duration of contact, the placement of the object, and the user’s luck. The success rate can be increased through repeated thieving.】

For medicinal herbs simply placed in unlocked cabinets, Wu Wang stole them with practiced ease.

If he didn’t succeed on the first try, he would just try a few more times.

With every theft, a notification would pop up on his panel.

【Thieving success rate has increased by 0.25%】

【Thieving success rate has increased by 0.19%】

【…】

He was finally starting to understand why The Collector had been so fond of stealing. It was truly addictive.

The thrill was strangely intimate, like a wife playing a secret game of cards with a friend while her hungover husband slept beside her.

Acting so wantonly in someone else’s home… he felt like some strange fetish was about to awaken!

Holy shit! This is so thrilling! So exciting!

A moment later, the wax pill finished cooling. The troupe leader immediately led him out of the refining pavilion.

On the way, they happened upon the scrawny old man.

The troupe leader casually inquired and learned that the other players were at the opera house, rehearsing for the play.

He nodded indifferently and continued leading Wu Wang toward the Prince. In his eyes, the other actors were now no different from the medicinal herbs and poisonous insects locked away in the refining pavilion.

Right now, he was mainly interested in seeing how this fellow would present the aphrodisiac.

As for whether the Prince would be angered, or if he might even kill the Chou in a fit of rage and prevent the rest of the play from unfolding…

The troupe leader hadn’t considered it. Or rather, he was confident he could protect Wu Wang in the Prince’s presence.

They once again arrived outside the room for honored guests. Under the baleful gazes of the four guards, Wu Wang and the troupe leader walked inside.

The Prince sat in the enormous, wide chair at the head of the room, holding a cup of steaming tea.

Unlike before, a great broadsword now rested on the table. If stood upright, it would be taller than Wu Wang himself.

Wu Wang couldn’t comprehend the runes inscribed on the blade. In a daze, he felt as if they were throbbing like a living heart.

Just staring at the blade for too long made his neck feel cold.

“Prince, sharpening your blade so early?” the troupe leader said casually as he walked to the man’s side.

He even reached out and touched the giant blade.

The Jiangshi Prince drained the hot tea in one gulp and motioned for the troupe leader to sit in the seat beside him.

He spoke in a helpless tone.

“Brother Ji, I’ve told you before.”

“When we meet in private, there’s no need to call me Prince. Just call me Xiang Yu.”

At these words, Wu Wang’s expression became slightly unnatural.

This Jiangshi Prince’s surname was Xiang? And his given name was Yu?

Crap, now I’m getting confused. A Prince… could he also be a Hegemon-King? The relationship between him and the troupe leader was truly difficult to fathom.

“Isn’t there an outsider present, Brother Xiang?”

The troupe leader smiled faintly as he sat down, showing no sign of stage fright or lower status.

Just then, Wu Wang felt a searing heat on his left wrist.

That location…

It was the remnant soul of the Peking opera performer attached to Second Sister.

Was it reacting to the name Xiang Yu?

“An outsider? I can smell the Corpse-dissolving Demon in this actor’s belly. After eating that, can he still be considered an outsider?” the Prince said with a laugh.

The two looked at each other and shared a smile.

They said in unison, “He’s not a person.”

“Hahahahaha!”

Listening to two instance-boss-level beings talk trash about him to his face, Wu Wang just shrugged.

He was a reasonable person, but right now, they held all the cards.

“Alright, Bai Sha, present the medicine to the Prince.”

Hearing the troupe leader’s words, Wu Wang took out the aphrodisiac he had just refined. After handing it to the Prince, he said with a smile.

“Troupe Leader, my name is Jue Ke.”

“This humble one truly can’t remember how to refine the original medicine. However, this is a companion to the one Your Highness took last night. Freshly made, it’s as au-au-au-au-thentic as it gets!”

The Prince took the pill and swallowed it without the slightest hesitation.

From his actions, Wu Wang could basically determine one thing. This Jiangshi Prince was most likely immune to all forms of deadly poison. Otherwise, he wouldn’t dare to thoughtlessly consume every pill he was given.

In the next second, a sharp glint flashed in the Prince’s eyes.

He smiled. “You’ve been thoughtful. What is this companion medicine called? And did you truly forget the formula?”

The Prince’s reaction was well within Wu Wang’s expectations.

The reason he had refined a potent aphrodisiac was because of the side effect of the 【Six-Flavor Sweet Potato Pill】.

【24 hours after consumption, the user will suffer from kidney deficiency and back pain for half a day.】

This wasn’t a poison, just a simple side effect. Therefore, Wu Wang was certain the Prince would be affected. The aphrodisiac would counteract the deficiency and restore what had been taken away.

“In answer to the Prince, this is called Shen Bao.”

A smirk lifted the corner of Wu Wang’s mouth. He had been waiting for this question.

What he was about to say next was the crucial part.

“This humble one truly can’t remember the formula. After all, what I’m skilled at refining isn’t pills, but something else.”

At these words, both the Prince and the troupe leader were taken aback.

They subconsciously asked, “What else are you skilled at refining?”

A flash of madness appeared in Wu Wang’s eyes. Combined with his purple clown costume and face, his entire aura instantly transformed from that of a humble Chou to that of the maniacal Joker who looked down upon Gotham.

Slowly, he spoke, one word at a time.

“Human Refining.”