Chapter 476: Chapter 120: She Is the Advanced Alchemist!

I don’t know you.

The simplest words, yet they were like a sharp slap, fiercely striking Song Yu’s face, staining his proud eyes with a trace of sharpness.

“Say that again!” Song Yu gritted his teeth, staring fiercely at Mu Qingge.

It seemed that if she dared to say ’don’t know’ again, he would rush over and tear her apart.

Mu Qingge sensed the intense threat, yet she calmly said, “I said, I don’t know you.”

“You!” Song Yu’s proud features were faintly twisted, his tone carrying a chill, “A mere disciple who just entered the Medicine Tower dares to be so arrogant!”

“You yourself said I’m a new disciple of the Tower, so it’s perfectly normal not to know who you are.” Mu Qingge sarcastically curved her lips.

Immediately, covert laughter echoed around them.

This laughter, falling into Song Yu’s ears, was unbearably mocking, making his face turn blue and red in an instant.

“I want to challenge you!” Song Yu, enduring the mocking laughter around him, remembered his purpose and the task given by Diao Yuan, spoke again.

Mu Qingge’s clear eyes turned slightly cold, and her lips curled with mockery, “By what right?”

Song Yu suddenly frowned; his fierce gaze held a hint of murder, “Just because I spoke.”

“Just because you spoke, I have to accept the challenge?” Mu Qingge sneered disdainfully.

Her arrogant attitude made the suppressed laughter around gradually fade, and at the same time, made the crowd watching once again take notice of this newcomer ’popularity king’ of the Medicine Tower!

“Could it be that you don’t dare to accept the challenge?” Song Yu sneered contemptuously.

Mu Qingge laughed, her eyes lightly scanned the curious onlookers around her; her smile gradually froze. “Aren’t you an Intermediate Alchemist, ranked eighth on the popularity list, challenging me, a new disciple and Junior-level Alchemist? Do you want to spar in alchemy or to bully me?”

Song Yu’s pupils shrank; he couldn’t believe Mu Qingge would be so blunt about the meaning behind the challenge!

Around them, there were also hissing sounds.

Indeed! He was sent by Diao Yuan to teach Mu Qingge a lesson, to let her know what kind of people in the Medicine Tower must not be offended, to obediently hand over the items.

Although he did not know what it was that Diao Yuan wanted. However, this did not affect his eagerness to follow Diao Yuan’s lead one bit.

Amid the crowd’s mocking sounds, Song Yu felt a strong urge to flee.

But when he saw Diao Yuan’s cold eyes in the crowd fixed on him, he shivered all over and forced himself to say again, “Hmph, aren’t you the one whose Spiritual Sense Strength is unprecedented and ranked first? Challenging you is not considered bullying.”

“Since when did strong Spiritual Sense Strength necessarily translate to strong alchemy skills?”

Before Mu Qingge could speak, an airy voice like a breeze came from outside.

The onlookers instinctively parted to the sides, revealing a small path for the speaker.

Mu Qingge looked up and saw Mei Zizhong, in his white robe, appearing as if stepping on clouds, elusive and enigmatic.

“Brother Mei!”

“Brother Mei!”

“It’s Brother Mei!”

“Brother Mei actually came?”

“Brother Mei!”

With Mei Zizhong’s appearance, the inherent aura of immortality made everyone around him bow respectfully. The admiration in their brows was not at all feigned.

This scene fell into both Mu Qingge’s and Song Yu’s eyes, and also into Diao Yuan’s eyes.

Mei Zizhong was so well-received, while he, the perpetual second, could only always remain in second place. It seemed that wherever Mei Zizhong existed, no one could see Diao Yuan.

Diao Yuan’s sinister eyes reflected a hint of malice, originally intending just to teach Mu Qingge a lesson, but unexpectedly drew out Mei Zizhong.

’Could it be that Mei Zizhong is also interested in that item!’ This sudden conjecture made Diao Yuan’s aura even colder.

“What I, Diao Yuan, have my eyes on can only be mine!”

“Brother Diao, what did you say?” Diao Yuan’s low murmur fell on the ears of his followers, but they couldn’t hear clearly.

Diao Yuan coldly glanced at him, scaring the latter into silence.

“Brother Mei… Brother Mei.” The sudden arrival of Mei Zizhong made Song Yu’s mouth twitch, cold sweat dripping down his temples. He could only brace himself and clasp his hands in salute.

Mei Zizhong looked at him with an indifferent gaze, emotions unreadable, nodded slightly, then turned his eyes to Mu Qingge: “Didn’t I say, if you have trouble, come to me?”

Mu Qingge’s mouth twitched, she had just been cornered, and Mei Zizhong appeared. Not to mention she never thought of seeking out Mei Zizhong from the start, even if she wanted to, she wouldn’t have had the chance!

Mu Qingge’s speechless look fell into Mei Zizhong’s eyes, bringing a faint, gentle smile to his calm eyes. He turned his gaze to the tense Song Yu and slowly spoke: “If you really want to spar in alchemy with Brother Mu, why not wait until after she has cultivated for a while?”

“This…” Song Yu looked embarrassed. He couldn’t advance, nor could he retreat.

If possible, he wouldn’t inexplicably trouble a newcomer, especially someone favored by the dean. However, with Diao Yuan watching from the side, retreating now could have disastrous consequences.

Song Yu sneaked a glance at Diao Yuan in the crowd, seemingly hoping for new instructions.

But when Diao Yuan’s ruthless, sinister demeanor met his eyes, Song Yu’s heart tightened, and he steeled himself, saying, “Brother Mei, why plead for him? This is a duel challenge between me and Brother Mu. Even if rejected, it should be Brother Mu who refuses, right?”

Mu Qingge was about to say she had clearly refused just moments ago, but Song Yu’s next words made her change her mind.

“Brother Mu might not know, our duel challenge is also a shortcut for you. If you win against me, you’ll take my ranking and become a top ten on the popularity list, gaining recognition for your strength. Moreover, do you know that anyone in the top ten of the ranking has a chance to read on the top floor of the Pill Recipe Hall once a month, regardless of experience?” Song Yu racked his brain to propose various benefits to entice Mu Qingge to agree to the duel, fulfilling Diao Yuan’s command.

Entering the popularity list wasn’t something Mu Qingge coveted.

However, the benefits of being on the list tempted her. Surely there were treasures in the top floor of the Pill Recipe Hall, or why would there be such rewards?

After pondering for a moment, Mu Qingge said, “Okay, I agree to it.”

Her response allowed Song Yu to relax, secretly smug: Kid, you’re only thinking about the benefits if you win, but have you thought about what happens if you lose?

“Brother Mu is straightforward!” Afraid Mu Qingge would regret it, Song Yu quickly said.

Such a turn of events stunned those around them. Even Mei Zizhong looked at Mu Qingge with confusion, frowning slightly.

Upon hearing Mu Qingge’s agreement, Diao Yuan shot a fierce glare at Mei Zizhong before turning away.

“Since Brother Mu agreed, why don’t we set a time?” Song Yu seemed to regain his initial arrogance. He never thought Mu Qingge would win, nor did he think he himself would lose.

“I heard there’s a duel in two days? Also a senior versus a newcomer.” Mu Qingge said playfully.

Song Yu faltered for a moment.

Feng Yugui, rumored to be an advanced alchemist, came to the Medicine Tower but hid his true strength, so Diao Yuan sent someone to test him, intending to confirm the rumors through a duel. Song Yu knew about it, but didn’t understand why Mu Qingge suddenly brought it up.

Unable to figure it out, but Song Yu still nodded.

Mu Qingge smiled, “Alright, let’s arrange our duel right after theirs.”

Song Yu’s eyes brightened, quickly saying haughtily, “In that case, I look forward to your presence in two days, Brother Mu. Farewell!”

After speaking, he nervously bid farewell to Mei Zizhong before quickly leaving.

Song Yu was gone, but the crowd had yet to disperse.

Because beside Mu Qingge still stood Mei Zizhong, who was more eye-catching than Song Yu. Compared to him, Song Yu was like a lesser light rivaling the bright moon.

“Why did you agree to him?” Mei Zizhong frowned, not approving of Mu Qingge’s decision.

Mu Qingge raised an eyebrow, gave him a sidelong glance, and said half-smiling, “Could I have refused?” She owed Mei Zizhong no explanation. Besides, the way Song Yu persistently bothered her today, who could guarantee he wouldn’t come again tomorrow or the day after? She didn’t have time to deal with these things, so she’d better settle it once and for all.

“If you didn’t want to, no one could force you.” Mei Zizhong said seriously.

However, his words surprised not Mu Qingge, but the surrounding onlookers.

A surge of astonished gasps echoed from all around, as if they had heard some monumental secret!

“Heavens! Brother Mei actually said this to him, this kid is too lucky!”

“With Brother Mei watching over him, won’t he have free reign in the Medicine Tower in the future?”

“Heh, that’s a bit much. We all know Brother Mei is indifferent by nature, disliking contention. Being looked after by him is indeed a great blessing, but don’t forget about another person. Offend Brother Mei, and if you sincerely admit your mistake, it’s over. But offend the other, and you don’t even know how you might die. We all know who Song Yu belongs to.”

“Who is Song Yu, we know, and Senior Brother Mei also knows. But he insists on getting involved, could it be that this time he intends to…”

“Shh~! Some things are best kept in your heart.”

The sound of discussion gradually faded, uncertain if it was due to someone’s intimidation.

In a distant, hidden corner, two graceful figures stood side by side.

Zhu Ling spoke with a hint of jealousy, “Why is Senior Brother Mei so good to him? He’s just a new disciple in the tower.”

She had been in the tower for so many years and had never seen Mei Zizhong pay so much attention to anyone. To think he would say such things publicly.

Shang Zisu’s eyes flickered slightly, and she said calmly, “Perhaps, Senior Brother Mei appreciates talent.”

“Appreciating talent?” Zhu Ling recalled the scene in front of the Obsidian Stele during the Spiritual Consciousness Tower’s examination and nodded, “That new Junior Brother Mu is indeed a genius, but that only proves his spiritual sense strength is stronger than ours; it doesn’t mean he will necessarily become an Alchemy Master!”

“Don’t forget, spiritual sense strength is a prerequisite for becoming an advanced, even more formidable Alchemist. Regardless of his current alchemy skill, he has already paved the way to becoming the Supreme Alchemist,” Shang Zisu explained calmly.

Zhu Ling looked at her in surprise, “It’s rare to see you say so much; could it be you also have a special regard for that Junior Brother Mu?”

With that, she covered her mouth with a sly smile, her eyes teasing.

Shang Zisu’s fingers, hidden in her sleeves, trembled almost imperceptibly, yet she said with utmost composure, “Such an unparalleled genius naturally attracts some attention.”

“Speaking of which, I always feel this Junior Brother Mu looks familiar, as if I’ve seen him somewhere! Ah! Right!” Zhu Ling suddenly realized from her confusion, “He’s the one who caused trouble for the Third Prince of Li Country at Cui Lake! That stunning young man in red!”

Shang Zisu remained silent, her gaze fixed on Mei Zizhong and Mu Qingge in the crowd, though it was uncertain whom she was truly watching.

“Thank you for your kindness, Senior Brother Mei, but I don’t need it.” Mu Qingge calmly refused Mei Zizhong’s protection.

Confusion deepened in Mei Zizhong’s eyes; he seemed unable to comprehend why Mu Qingge would reject his goodwill.

Lightly pressing his thin lips together, he spoke again, “You don’t need to worry that I’m using this to coerce you into joining my master’s tutelage.”

“You’re overthinking, Senior Brother Mei,” Mu Qingge smiled and said, “Regardless of today’s matter, I appreciate your kind assistance. However, I have always preferred handling my affairs myself, so there’s no need to trouble you in the future.”

With that, she cupped her fist towards Mei Zizhong and turned away. Originally wanting to find the Wei siblings, but seeing as it was now, it might be better not to.

“Did he actually refuse?”

“Is he out of his mind? Refusing such a tremendous opportunity!”

“This is huge news! First accepted Song Yu’s duel, then refused Senior Brother Mei’s protection. Just who is this new Junior Brother Mu?”

“You missed one thing; this Junior Brother Mu is the one who broke Senior Brother Mei’s record at the Spiritual Consciousness Tower!”

“What! So he’s the one!”

Instantly, the crowd was once again plunged into shock.

Mei Zizhong watched as Mu Qingge walked away, the chatter around him reached his ears, yet he seemed not to hear it.

Only after Mu Qingge had walked far did he turn and leave.

…

Medicine Tower disciples who passed the assessment phase have the right to choose their dwelling place.

If they join a master’s sect, they reside with the master. This cohabitation means being in the same area, but not in the same room. They connect yet do not interfere with each other.

When Mei Zizhong returned to his residence, he saw Zhao Nanxing with arms crossed, leaning against a pillar waiting for him.

He paused slightly, looked at Zhao Nanxing, questions in his eyes.

Zhao Nanxing couldn’t help but smile, uncrossed his arms, walked towards him, and said helplessly, “The master took three disciples: you and Zisu, though one is as calm as water, and light as a cloud; the other is cold as ice, proud as plum. I’m caught in the middle, finding it hard to even talk to you. I’m really looking forward to a little junior brother, at least someone to talk to.”

Mei Zizhong’s serene eyes held a touch of amusement, “It seems you are in the know.”

Zhao Nanxing shrugged, “With someone of your caliber, like an immortal among the Medicine Tower disciples, even stepping out in person, what else do I not know?”

Mei Zizhong slowly lowered his eyes, long eyelashes concealing his emotions, “Looks like I didn’t think this through. Thus, I’ve pushed Junior Brother Mu into the spotlight.”

“Senior Brother, do you know why, despite his astonishing performance in the examination, no one has taken Junior Brother Mu as a disciple?” Zhao Nanxing suddenly became earnest.

Alas, this senior brother of mine is a genius in alchemy, but he’s too naive when it comes to human relations.

Mei Zizhong raised his eyes and looked at him in confusion.

Zhao Nanxing had no choice but to sigh and say, “Because all the Pill Masters have already seen that Junior Brother Mu has been favored by the dean, and will sooner or later be accepted as his disciple. Who dares to contend with the dean? Of course, our master is an exception, but isn’t he not in the tower? The dean is secretly glad that the only one who dares to compete with him is absent, so he can slowly observe Junior Brother Mu for a while. Yet you were so blatant in taking disciples on behalf of the master, publicly snatching people, and openly defending, indeed, as you said, this Junior Brother Mu has been pushed to the forefront, and even put on the grill.”

Mei Zizhong fell silent.

He seemed to be seriously contemplating Zhao Nanxing’s words.

“As for Song Yu’s matter, we don’t know if it was instigated by Diao Yuan or hinted by the dean. With this commotion, it’s like telling the entire Medicine Tower that our sect intends to snatch people from the dean. If we lose, it’s fine, but if we win? Wouldn’t it put the dean in an awkward position? Now that the master is not here, it’s just the three of us, how can we counter the dean’s influence, and how can we protect this Junior Brother Mu?” Zhao Nanxing continued.

The possible chain reactions never crossed Mei Zizhong’s mind.

With Zhao Nanxing’s reminder, he suddenly realized and said with a slightly deep tone, “I will immediately send a letter to master and ask him to return as soon as possible.”

“It’s unnecessary.” Zhao Nanxing rolled his eyes at him, “I already sent a secret message to master before you returned.”

Mei Zizhong breathed a sigh of relief and sincerely bowed to Zhao Nanxing, “Thank you, junior brother, otherwise I would have caused a great disaster.”

“We’re all brothers, no need to be so formal,” Zhao Nanxing waved it off casually, not bothered.

The reason he spoke so much was because he knew his senior brother spent too much energy delving into alchemy and didn’t consider other matters in the Medicine Tower carefully, not wanting him to do something wrong out of good intentions and feel guilty.

“Anyway, senior brother. You’d better not step in for Junior Brother Mu until master returns,” Zhao Nanxing seriously advised Mei Zizhong.

Mei Zizhong nodded.

He wasn’t stubborn, just didn’t care much about these messy things.

Today, Zhao Nanxing’s reminder made him realize what his well-intentioned actions could bring to Mu Qingge, and he immediately expressed, “My recklessness implicated Junior Brother Mu. Now, I won’t intervene casually, but I ask junior brother to secretly look after him a bit.”

“Rest assured, senior brother, I also want an interesting little junior brother. When master returns, we can stage another battle for disciples. Hahaha, don’t forget, Zisu and I were both taken by master from the dean’s hands, we must trust master’s strength,” Zhao Nanxing laughed and reassured Mei Zizhong.

His smile was infectious, causing Mei Zizhong to also slightly curl his lips.

…

Two challenging duels made the people in the Medicine Tower excited.

Previously, Feng Yugui’s duel was still anticipated. But once the news of Mu Qingge and Song Yu’s duel came out, it immediately overshadowed Feng Yugui.

Because Feng Yugui is an Intermediate Alchemist, and the person he duels with is also an Intermediate Alchemist.

Whereas Mu Qingge is just a Junior-level Alchemist, yet she’s dueling with someone ranked eighth on the popularity list.

Moreover, during the duel, the person ranked first on the popularity list came out to support Mu Qingge. And during Mu Qingge’s assessment in the Spiritual Consciousness Tower, she had a remarkable performance!

As Mu Qingge awakened from cultivation and opened the door to step out, she was surrounded by many gazes.

Even five people who had never interacted with her before cast ambiguous glances at her, not to mention the Wei siblings who were close to her.

“Mu Ge, you really agreed to duel with the eighth-ranked person on the popularity list!” Wei Guanguan’s eyes sparkled with stars, full of excitement.

She was confident in Mu Qingge’s strength and never worried that Mu Qingge would lose to someone like Song Yu.

Mu Qingge nodded.

Wei Qi was equally excited and said, “When the time comes, we’ll cheer you on so you can win beautifully.”

“Hmph~! Does he think he can win? Don’t forget he’s just a Low Rank Alchemist, while Brother Song is an Intermediate Alchemist.” One of the five people sneered.

Their gaze towards Mu Qingge was filled with jealousy, mockery, or even schadenfreude.

The three chatting enthusiastically suddenly shifted their eyes towards him, but he defiantly matched their gaze.

“Hey, if you don’t know, don’t talk nonsense. Our Mu Ge is amazing!” Wei Guanguan pointed at the one who spoke.

“Tsk~! What can a Low Level Pill Master achieve? Could it be that he still hides his strength in the Medicine Tower?” Another person interjected.

Wei Guanguan angrily said, “You…”

“Guanguan, no need to argue with them,” Mu Qingge spoke lightly, stopping Wei Guanguan from engaging in a pointless argument with outsiders.

Wei Guanguan nodded vigorously at Mu Qingge’s words but couldn’t help glaring angrily at those five people.

“Hmph, low-rank alchemists are only fit to be with attendants.” One of the five people spoke disdainfully.

Wei Qi was enraged on the spot, pointing at the five and saying, “Hey! You talk as if you’re all that impressive. Show us your registration proof, are you intermediate or advanced? No matter how Mu Ge is, at least top experts on the popularity list challenge him. What about you guys? Nobody would even want you to carry their shoes if you went forward!”

“Well said, brother!” Wei Guanguan rarely called Wei Qi brother willingly, but this time she did because his scolding was so satisfying.

“You two worthless!”

The five people said angrily.

Just as both sides were ready to explode, Mu Qingge suddenly stood in front of the Wei siblings, looking coldly at the five.

With a glance from her, the five immediately fell silent and huddled together.

As if, they feared Mu Qingge might kill them with a strike.

“Mu Ge, you… what are you trying to do?”

Seeing Mu Qingge walking slowly towards them, one of them couldn’t help asking fearfully.

Mu Qingge’s pace didn’t stop, though she walked very slowly, she gave an incredible sense of pressure. “One in the Orange Realm, one low-rank Yellow Realm, three high-rank Yellow Realm.”

“You… what do you want to do? I’m telling you, in the Medicine Tower, you can have Dan fights, but you can’t fight privately, let alone harm fellow disciples with spiritual power. If you dare do anything to us, you’ll definitely be expelled from the Medicine Tower.”

For Mu Qingge to be able to see through their cultivation at a glance, the only possibility was that her cultivation was much higher than theirs.

This realization made the five step back repeatedly, issuing a warning.

Mu Qingge sneered disdainfully: “You think too highly of yourselves. From now on, watch your mouths, don’t let me hear anything unpleasant. If you can’t control yourselves… making a few people disappear doesn’t necessarily require cultivation.”

The thick threat made the five turn pale.

Mu Qingge’s boldness surpassed their imagination, but they were unwilling to swallow this resentment.

One of them, ignoring the warning, shouted: “What right do you have to threaten us? If we tell the Pill Master about this, you’ll have to leave!”

“Yeah! What’s the use of being arrogant with us now? We’ll wait and see how you lose to Senior Brother Song!” Another echoed.

“Reporting to the Pill Master?” Mu Qingge’s disdain grew thicker. Watching them was like looking at children.

Suddenly, she laughed mockingly: “It seems you all think I’m doomed to lose.”

The five exchanged glances, and although they didn’t answer, their eyes and expressions said it all.

“Fine, I’ll make a bet with you.” Mu Qingge said.

The five were stunned, immediately wary: “What kind of bet?”

Mu Qingge folded her hands behind her back, with a bit of arrogance between her brows: “Don’t you all think I’m bound to lose? If I lose, I’ll voluntarily leave the Medicine Tower, but if you lose…”

“What if we lose?” Someone urgently asked.

Mu Qingge’s smile grew even more pronounced: “If you lose, from now on, you’ll listen to the Wei siblings and serve their family for life after you master your skills.”

“That’s unfair! Why do we have to sell ourselves for life just because we lose, while all you do is leave if you lose?”

Someone immediately protested.

“You can choose not to bet. Or is it that deep down you think I won’t lose, so you don’t dare?” Mu Qingge said with a hint of provocation in her tone.

The five discussed among themselves, gritting their teeth: “Alright! We’ll bet!”

Mu Qingge raised her eyebrows and said loudly: “A bet is a bet, now write and sign as proof, so no one can renege later.”

“Don’t worry, none of us claim to be heroes, but we do keep our word.” One of them stepped out and defiantly said to Mu Qingge.

The other four nodded in agreement.

Mu Qingge curled her lips in a smile, turned around, and winked at the Wei siblings: “Alright! Guanguan, go prepare some ink.”

“Okay!” Wei Guanguan responded cheerfully and went to get pen, ink, paper, and inkstone.

Soon, it was all written down in black and white as proof.

Everyone present signed and added their fingerprints.

’Master, you can have them swear by spiritual power so they can’t betray the contract.’ Mengmeng’s voice suddenly sounded.

Mu Qingge’s eyes flashed as she replied in her heart: ’No need, once they’re at the Wei Mansion, Wei Linlang will know how to handle them.’

Seeing Mu Qingge say so, Mengmeng didn’t speak further.

However, the mentioned spiritual power oath piqued her interest.

’I’ll take some time to ask her in detail later.’ After deciding in her heart, Mu Qingge handed the signed contract over to Wei Qi, who gladly accepted it.

Mu Qingge turned to the five and said: “Then, wait for the outcome.”

The five snorted coldly and left in unison.

As soon as the five left, Wei Guanguan giggled. Wei Qi waved the contract in front of Mu Qingge, laughingly saying, “Five more people tricked by you, they sold themselves without knowing.”

“Seeing Mu Ge trick people again, it’s so satisfying.” Wei Guanguan laughed happily.

Mu Qingge just smiled faintly and said: “Your father is stationed in Tu City, if there’s a war needing Pill Masters, there won’t be a shortage. Consider these five a gift for Big Brother Wei.”

Her words curbed the laughter from Wei Qi and Wei Guanguan.

Wei Qi gratefully cupped his fist in salute: “Mu Ge, thank you, on behalf of my father, thank you.”

Mu Qingge waved it off with a faint smile.

Wei Guanguan, however, said somewhat conflictedly: “Mu Ge we don’t know where your family is, only that you’re from Qin Country. Does your family need pill masters?”

Mu Qingge shook her head: “No need.” Of course, the Mu Family Army needed Pill Masters because she couldn’t stay with them, always doing alchemy.

The need might be even more urgent than Wei Linlang’s. But from Yu Country to Qin Country is far, and who knows when those five will leave the Medicine Tower, so whatever the Mu Family needs might be difficult to say, better to offer this favor to Wei Linlang now.

As for the Mu Family’s need for Pill Masters, she’ll find opportunities to send some there.

After all, for now, she’s mass-producing low-rank and intermediate-level pills enough to meet the immediate needs.

“You’re all here!”

As the three talked, Shui Ling and Fu Tianlong also returned together.

After that day’s talk, still ambiguous, Shui Ling had consciously reduced her contact with Mu Qingge to avoid further misunderstandings with Fu Tianlong.

Today, they were originally doing alchemy but hurried back when they heard about Mu Qingge’s challenge.

“Mu Ge, I heard you accepted a challenge from Song Yu, who’s eighth on the popularity list, is that true?” Shui Ling approached and asked with concern.

She didn’t know Mu Qingge as well as the Wei siblings and naturally felt worried.

And as for Fu Tianlong, seeing them talk, he merely walked silently to Shui Ling’s side.

Mu Qingge nodded and smiled: “It seems news travels fast.”

“We heard it from Feng Yugui.” Shui Ling rolled her eyes at her, “You don’t know how jealous he looked when he heard everyone discussing your challenge.”

“What’s it to me?” Mu Qingge raised an eyebrow.

Wei Guanguan approached Shui Ling, excitedly saying: “Shui Ling, you don’t know, just now Mu Ge even made a bet with them, but I won’t say that Mu Ge will definitely not lose.”

“Mu Ge, are you sure? If you lose, what will you do against Song Senior Brother’s defeat?” another person echoed.

“Report to the Pill Master?” Mu Qingge’s sneer deepened. It was as if she was looking at children.

Suddenly, she chuckled playfully: “It seems you all think I’m bound to lose.”m

The five of them looked at each other; though they didn’t answer, their eyes and expressions said it all.

“Fine, I’ll make a bet with you.” Mu Qingge said.

The five of them paused, immediately wary and asked, “What kind of bet?”

Mu Qingge folded her hands behind her back, a mischievous look on her face: “Don’t you all think I’m bound to lose? If I lose, I’ll leave the Medicine Tower voluntarily, but if you lose…”

“What if we lose?” someone asked eagerly.

Mu Qingge’s smile grew wider: “If you lose, from now on you must pledge your allegiance to the Wei sibling, and serve their family for life once you are trained.”

“That’s not fair! Why do you only have to leave, but if we lose, we have to sell ourselves for life?”

Someone immediately objected.

“You can choose not to bet, unless you believe I won’t lose, and that’s why you’re afraid.” Mu Qingge’s tone was slightly provocative.

The five discussed quickly and said through gritted teeth: “Fine! We’ll bet!”

Mu Qingge raised an eyebrow, saying loudly: “A bet is a bet, let’s make a written contract as proof, so no one can back out later.”

“Rest assured, none of us claim to be heroes, but we can still keep our word.” One of the five stepped forward and said to Mu Qingge without backing down.

The other four nodded in agreement.

Mu Qingge curled her lips in a smile, turned to the Wei siblings, and winked: “Good! Guanguan, go and prepare the ink and paper.”

“Okay!” Wei Guanguan replied cleverly and went to get the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

Soon, the agreement was written down in black and white.

Everyone present signed and pressed their fingerprints.

“Master, you can have them swear with Spiritual Power, so they can’t break the pact.” Mengmeng’s voice suddenly rang out.

Mu Qingge’s eyes flashed as she responded in her heart: ’No need, once they’re in the Wei Mansion, Wei Linlang will know how to manage them.’

Seeing Mu Qingge say this, Mengmeng fell silent.

However, the idea that Mengmeng mentioned about swearing with Spiritual Power did pique her interest slightly.

’I’ll find time to ask her about it later.’ Once she made up her mind, Mu Qingge handed the signed and sealed document to Wei Qi, who gladly accepted it.

Mu Qingge turned to the five and said, “Then we’ll wait for the outcome.”

The five snorted coldly and left one by one.

As the five walked away, Wei Guanguan chuckled. Wei Qi waved the document in front of Mu Qingge, laughingly saying, “You’ve tricked them again, Mu Ge. It’s so satisfying.”

Mu Qingge, however, just gave a faint smile and said, “You are all among us.”

Wei Guanguan, however, felt a little conflicted, saying: “But even if we win, wouldn’t it be unfair for them to be sold for life?”

Fu Tianlong didn’t look at them, only fixed his gaze on Mu Qingge and said: “If you lose, leave the Medicine Tower. If you win, I’ll tell you something.”

Mu Qingge met his gaze, and after a moment, replied: “Alright.”

Fu Tianlong nodded, glanced at Shui Ling, and then turned to walk back to his room.

Fu Tianlong’s odd behavior made Wei Guanguan poke Shui Ling and ask quietly: “What’s going on between you two these past couple of days?”

Shui Ling just shook his head, seemingly a bit absent-minded.

…

In another area of the treehouse, Feng Yugui sat gloomily in his room.

The news he received today was really distracting him from focusing on alchemy.

Originally, his duel invitation had already drawn attention in the Medicine Tower. He had someone investigate his opponent, and they seemed to be of similar level to him. If he could win, it would both make him stand out among the newcomers in the Medicine Tower and also dilute the unfavorable rumors about him before.

Yet, just before he could showcase his skills, Mu Qingge suddenly appeared and actually planned to duel Song Yu, who was ranked eighth on the popularity list, right after him.

The timings of these two duels were so close, it was clearly an attempt to steal his thunder!

“Damn that Mu! You made me face rejection at Brother Diao’s door, and now you’re opposing me at every turn! It seems like you’re really against me!” Feng Yugui muttered through clenched teeth.

Knock knock——!

The sound of knocking sounded abruptly.

Suppressing his anger, Feng Yugui asked coldly: “Who is it?”

“It’s us.” A voice softly replied from outside the door.

Feng Yugui’s eyes flickered, and he told the people outside: “Come in.”

Only after receiving permission did the people outside push the door open and enter. Three people came in, all of whom had recently become Feng Yugui’s followers.

Feng Yugui’s identity as a prince naturally held appeal for some people.

“Did you find out anything?” Feng Yugui asked.

One of them replied: “That Mu really is unlucky, offending Brother Diao. That Song Yu is Brother Diao’s person; without Brother Diao’s indication, how would Song Yu proactively trouble Mu?”

“Brother Diao took action?” Feng Yugui’s eyes flashed with calculation. “What exactly did she do to offend Brother Diao?”

The three exchanged a glance and shook their heads.

This made Feng Yugui ponder silently, pressing his lips together.

The person he had agreed to duel with, he found out, was sent by Diao Yuan to test him.

Therefore, he accepted. As long as he won against that person, and without producing any advanced elixirs, he would have a chance to once again rely on Diao Yuan to introduce him to the Dean’s tutelage.

’Now, that Mu has offended Brother Diao, isn’t this a heaven-sent opportunity for me!’ Feng Yugui’s eyes brightened.

Suddenly, Feng Yugui thought of something crucial, making him stand up instantly and stride towards the door.

The three people in the room looked at each other in confusion, about to follow him, when they heard Feng Yugui, who had already reached outside the door, say: “You don’t need to come.”

The three immediately stopped their steps.

Feng Yugui leapt down from the treehouse and headed towards the interior of the Medicine Tower under the cover of night.

He was going to meet Diao Yuan, and he had already inquired about Diao Yuan’s residence.

When Feng Yugui arrived at Diao Yuan’s residence, he was stopped by someone before getting close.

“Who goes there!”

Feng Yugui quickly said: “Two brothers, I am Feng Yugui, a new disciple of the Tower. I have urgent matters and need to see Brother Diao, could you please inform him on my behalf.”

The person blocking Feng Yugui’s path showed no reaction, instead letting out a sneer.

One of them said to Feng Yugui: “Feng Yugui? I’ve heard of you. Do you think meeting Brother Diao is as you wish?”

Feng Yugui’s eyes darkened.

As a prince, when had he ever been so looked down upon?

However, this was the Medicine Tower, not Li Country. Even as a Golden Dragon, he had to endure temporarily.

With a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, he spoke to the two again: “I really have urgent matters and need to see Brother Diao, I’m pleading for your assistance.”

“What urgent matters could you have? Are you afraid to attend the duel and want Brother Diao to handle it for you?” One of them sneered.

The other followed up: “Aren’t you the one who claims to be able to make advanced elixirs? How come you’re afraid now?”

Feng Yugui’s eyes burned with fury, as he cursed Mu Qingge in his heart once more.

After a brief emotional recovery, Feng Yugui spoke more earnestly: “Brothers, I am here because I know some things about Mu Ge and wish to inform Brother Diao.”

Upon mentioning Mu Qingge, the two guards finally stopped their mockery.

This distinct change in their attitude filled Feng Yugui with secret resentment.

It seemed that the attention that should have been his was now snatched away by Mu Qingge.

“Do you really have information about Mu Ge?” one of them confirmed to Feng Yugui.

Feng Yugui nodded firmly.

The two exchanged another glance, finally making a decision.

“Wait here.”

Following that, one of the two slipped away.

Seeing that they finally went to inform, Feng Yugui felt somewhat relieved.

The person who went to inform took a long time. Feng Yugui waited outside, facing cold treatment. Several times, he had the impulse to leave angrily.

But when he thought of this as a good opportunity to ease the tension with Diao Yuan, and considered that if everything went smoothly, he’d soon be able to learn under the Dean, he suppressed his anger once more.

He waited for nearly half an hour before the person who went to inform slowly appeared again.

First exchanging a glance with his companion, he then looked at Feng Yugui and said: “Follow me.”

Upon hearing this, Feng Yugui immediately followed him inside.

Not long after walking, he was brought to an artificial lake’s edge.

The lake wasn’t large, and the shore was decorated with rocks.

In the gazebo by the shore, Diao Yuan was facing away from him, with no one else in sight.

The person who brought Feng Yugui respectfully saluted Diao Yuan in the pavilion and said: “Brother Diao, the person has been brought.”

“You may leave.” Diao Yuan’s sinister voice came.

The man hesitated not at all and retreated.

Feng Yugui took two steps forward and addressed Diao Yuan: “Brother Diao.”

“Do you have information on Mu Ge?” Diao Yuan asked blandly.

His voice concealed both joy and anger.

Feng Yugui cautiously tried to interpret his tone but couldn’t discern its meaning.

Diao Yuan’s inquiry prompted him to answer: “Indeed. Brother Diao, as you know, I had some conflicts with him before joining the Medicine Tower, so I learned a few things.”

“Let’s hear it,” Diao Yuan said.

Silently despising Diao Yuan’s arrogant demeanor, Feng Yugui dared not resist and said: “I only know he caused a conflict in Zhi City in Li Country over an advanced elixir before. It seems that he possesses more than one advanced elixir, and according to him, those advanced elixirs seem to have been concocted by him.”

“What did you say? He can concoct advanced elixirs?” Finally, Diao Yuan turned around, his gloomy face looking at Feng Yugui in the darkness.

Feng Yugui gritted his teeth and said: “Yes! He is the rumored Medicine Tower newcomer who can concoct advanced elixirs!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep