53: Rumors spread

“Senior Brother Liu, calm down!”

A student in a blue robe stepped forward, advising in a low voice.

“Jiang Donghua can refine a bone-mending pill with a pill pattern; that’s genuine skill! Even if Elder Mo Xuan is biased, he couldn’t possibly cheat for him to this extent!”

Another companion also nodded in agreement.

“That’s right, Senior Brother! If he truly has such talent, his future achievements will be limitless. Why make an enemy of him?”

Liu Qingya suddenly turned his head, his eyes bloodshot, staring intently at the companion who spoke, his voice hoarse like sandpaper rubbing.

“Are you… lecturing me?”

The few people, startled by his ferocious expression, took half a step back and quickly waved their hands.

“N-no! We’re just…”

“Just what?!”

Liu Qingya interrupted sharply, his fists clenching with a cracking sound.

“Have you been scared witless by him too? Just a wild boy, flaunting his power with Mo Xuan’s favoritism, and you’ve cowered?!”

His voice was almost a roar, causing several passing students in the distance to turn their heads.

A female student, usually on good terms with Liu Qingya, bit her lip and said softly.

“Senior Brother Liu, we’re not afraid of him… It’s just, if he really has this ability, then his potential…”

“Potential?!”

Liu Qingya sneered, his eyes flickering with almost obsessive madness.

“What a load of crap potential! How can anyone in this world jump from a Dou Practitioner to a Dou Master in half a year, and casually refine a bone-mending pill with a pill pattern?!”

He suddenly grabbed his companion’s collar, his voice extremely low, but every word was like a knife.

“No matter how monstrous Jiang Donghua is, he’s just rootless duckweed!”

“Mo Xuan can protect him for a while, but can he protect him for a lifetime?!”

The companions exchanged glances, a hint of fear flashing in their eyes.

They knew Liu Qingya had completely gone down a rabbit hole.

He was unwilling to believe, and dared not believe, that someone in this world could truly crush his years of effort with pure talent!

Therefore, he had to find an excuse for himself.

Jiang Donghua must have cheated! He must have relied on Mo Xuan’s favoritism!

Only then could he maintain his proud, twisted self-esteem!

“Senior Brother…”

The blue-robed student still wanted to persuade him.

“Enough!”

Liu Qingya flung him away, his gaze sinister like a venomous snake.

“If you’re scared, then scram now!”

He turned and strode away, his back stiff and resolute, leaving only a chilling, biting remark.

“I will make everyone see what kind of person Jiang Donghua truly is!”

As soon as Liu Qingya’s back disappeared around the corner, his companions behind him immediately changed their expressions.

“Damn it, this lunatic is looking for death himself, and he wants to drag us down with him?!”

The blue-robed student spat fiercely, his eyes full of disdain.

“What is his Liu family anyway?”

Another tall, thin student sneered.

“His father is merely a Dou Spirit, only among the top ten strongest in Huanan City! If Elder Mo Xuan truly gets angry, he could crush their entire family with a single finger!”

“Exactly!”

The female student also lowered her voice, her eyes glinting with shrewdness.

“Jiang Donghua is now Elder Mo Xuan’s favorite. If we can curry favor with him early, we might even get some benefits…”

The few exchanged glances, nodding in tacit understanding.

Liu Qingya was no longer useful.

And Jiang Donghua was the future backing!

The few of them furtively snuck to the back door of the Alchemy Department, where they happened to see Jiang Donghua lazily leaning against the wall, basking in the sun, still toying with his earth spirit cauldron.

“Senior Brother Jiang!”

The blue-robed student forced a fawning smile and hurried forward.

“We have important information!”

Jiang Donghua didn’t even lift an eyelid.

“Speak.”

“That madman Liu Qingya wants to deal with you!”

The tall, thin student hastily showed his loyalty.

“He just said he wants to ruin your reputation and has even contacted people from the Liu family!”

“Oh?”

Jiang Donghua finally looked up, a half-smile on his face.

“Aren’t you his followers? What, you’ve switched allegiances?”

The female student quickly waved her hand.

“We’ve long disliked him! He’s arrogant because his family has some influence, unlike Senior Brother Jiang, who has peerless talent and is so… so easygoing!”

Jiang Donghua chuckled, casually tossing the earth spirit cauldron.

“Alright, I’ve received the information.”

He turned to leave, but the few became anxious.

“Senior Brother Jiang! What about us…”

“Don’t worry.”

Jiang Donghua waved his hand without looking back.

“Once I’ve dealt with Liu Qingya, you’ll all be rewarded.”

The few immediately beamed with joy, bowing repeatedly.

“Thank you, Senior Brother Jiang! Thank you, Senior Brother Jiang!”

At the same time, on the top floor of the Alchemy Pavilion.

Elder Mo Xuan stood with his hands behind his back, and in the water mirror before him, Jiang Donghua’s conversation with the few was displayed.

“Hmph, a bunch of opportunists.”

He snorted coldly, yet a playful glint flickered in his eyes.

“However, this boy is quite composed.”

Jiang Donghua sat on a stone stool in the alchemy room, an ancient Pill Formula spread open before him.

Elder Mo Xuan’s handwriting was flowing and vigorous, detailing the refining method for the second-grade medicinal pill, the “qi burst pill.”

He rubbed his temples, carefully reading the contents of the Pill Formula.

qi burst pill · Second-Grade Pill Formula!

Required medicinal ingredients.

crimson flame fruit, a fire-attribute spiritual medicine, with flame patterns on its surface, needs to be refined slowly over a gentle fire.

Furious Bear Gallbladder, taken from a Second-Tier Magical Beast, the Furious Bear, with a strong fishy odor, needs to be purified of impurities with a fierce fire.

wind spirit grass, with blade-like leaves and a mild medicinal property, can harmonize the violent fiery energy of the crimson flame fruit.

Blood Spirit Ganoderma, enhances blood circulation and is key to stimulating potential.

Profound Ice Dew, only three drops needed, used to stabilize the pill’s formation.

Pill efficacy.

Dou Practitioners can temporarily burst with an additional ten percent of Dou Qi upon consumption.

Dou Masters experience a slight reduction in effect but a longer duration.

It also provides a subtle boost to Great Dou Masters.

Jiang Donghua gently put down the Pill Formula, his gaze falling on the medicinal ingredients placed nearby.

These ingredients had all been prepared by Mo Xuan in advance, each emanating a rich spiritual aura.

“The crimson flame fruit and Profound Ice Dew are antagonistic in nature; the control of the heat must be precise…”

He murmured, his fingers gently tapping the stone table.

Rising and approaching the Medicine Cauldron, Jiang Donghua took a deep breath.

The earth spirit cauldron stood steadily on the stone platform, the ancient runes on its body faintly glowing under the light.

He did not rush to act, but instead closed his eyes, repeatedly rehearsing each step in his mind.

The most important thing was to let the afk slowly grind out the proficiency.

The Jia Nan Academy cafeteria was bustling in the evening, students gathered in twos and threes, and their conversations invariably revolved around the shocking alchemy event of the day.

“Did you hear? That Jiang Donghua actually became a First-Grade Alchemist in half a year!”

A thin student whispered, his eyes gleaming with gossip.

“Hmph, who believes that!”

A freckled girl next to him pouted.

“My cousin has been studying in the Alchemy Department for two years, and he can’t even refine the most basic qi burst pill smoothly yet.”

Several boys leaned in closer, one of them said mysteriously.

“I heard… Elder Mo Xuan opened a back door for him!”

“What kind of back door?”

Someone asked curiously.

The thin student who first spoke chuckled lewdly, making an indecent gesture with two fingers.

“What else could it be? Haven’t you noticed that all the Disciples Elder Mo Xuan has taken in these past years are handsome young men?”

A burst of knowing laughter erupted in the corner of the cafeteria.

“No wonder! I was just saying, how could someone in half a year…”

“Shh! Keep it down! But now that you mention it, that Jiang Donghua certainly looks…”

Obscene words slithered through the crowd like venomous snakes, adding fuel to the fire at each table they passed.

In just the span of a meal, the “special relationship” between Jiang Donghua and Elder Mo Xuan had spawned seven or eight salacious versions.

In his room, Liu Qingya listened with satisfaction to his confidant’s report.

“Senior Brother, the rumors have spread.”

A student with a pointed mouth and monkey-like cheeks said fawningly.

“Now the entire academy is discussing their ‘good deeds’.”

Liu Qingya toyed with a first-grade elixir, then casually tossed it to the informant.

“Well done. Starting tomorrow, I want to hear more ‘details’.”

“But…”

Another follower hesitated.

“What if Elder Mo Xuan investigates…”

“What’s there to be afraid of?” Liu Qingya sneered. “The law doesn’t punish the masses. Besides…”

A malicious glint flashed in his eyes.

“Tomorrow, you will spread rumors that Elder Mo Xuan even exchanged medicinal pills for his beloved male Disciple; otherwise, how could someone suddenly go from an ignorant novice to a First-Grade Alchemist in half a year, and even refine pills with circles of pill patterns? It must have been the Elder who swapped them out.”

“Spread these rumors, and tomorrow I’ll give you a hundred thousand gold coins!”

Upon hearing this, the eyes of those who were originally hesitant suddenly lit up with greed.

“Senior Brother Liu is indeed generous! We’ll go do it right away, ensuring it spreads throughout the entire academy!”

The student with the pointed mouth and monkey-like cheeks rubbed his hands with a greedy expression, his eyes full of calculation.

“Remember, make it sound vivid and convincing, the more realistic the better!” Liu Qingya smiled sinisterly, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes.

“It’s best if they both lose their reputations and can never hold their heads up in Jia Nan Academy again!”

“Don’t worry, Senior Brother!”

The followers echoed, rubbing their fists, ready to make a big stir.

“We will definitely blow this matter up and let the whole school know about their scandal!”

Liu Qingya nodded with satisfaction, a sinister curve on his lips, already envisioning the scene where Jiang Donghua and Elder Mo Xuan were reviled by everyone, their reputations ruined.

And he, in the shadows, would reap the benefits, removing this stumbling block that obstructed his progress.

Unless this fellow named Jiang Donghua had real talent and dared to re-refine the bone-mending pill in front of all the students outside Jia Nan Academy.

Otherwise?

They, the old and the young, were bound to lose face.

He was certain that Jiang Donghua was an incompetent good-for-nothing.