55: Slap in the face casually

Jiang Donghua's earth spirit cauldron trembled slightly, the medicinal power surged within the cauldron, and a wisp of light green pill pattern overflowed from the crack, hovering at the mouth of the cauldron and not dissipating.

"pill pattern overflowing?"

A sharp-eyed Alchemy Department student below the stage cried out in disbelief.

"This... how is this possible? A bone-mending pill is only a first-grade elixir!"

"Even if Elder Mo Xuan personally made it, he might not be able to make a first-grade elixir produce a pill pattern, right?"

"This guy really only studied for half a year?"

The crowd stirred, and the students who had been waiting to see a joke exchanged glances, their eyes full of surprise and doubt.

At this moment, Liu Qingya's green flame cauldron had just entered the pill-forming stage, the medicinal liquid boiling within the cauldron, still needing at least half an incense stick's time to fully form.

"Damn it! How could he be so fast?!"

Cold sweat seeped from Liu Qingya's forehead, his fingers trembled unconsciously, and the furnace fire fluctuated with it.

"Steady! Must be steady!"

He gritted his teeth, forcibly suppressing the panic in his heart, but the corner of his eye couldn't help but glance in Jiang Donghua's direction.

"Bang!"

With a crisp clang of the cauldron, the lid of the earth spirit cauldron slowly opened.

In an instant, a rich medicinal fragrance diffused, and a perfectly round pill lay quietly at the bottom of the cauldron, its surface gleaming with a delicate luster, faintly showing two shallow patterns.

"double-patterned bone mending pill?!"

The entire venue erupted in an uproar!

"Is it real or fake?!"

"A first-grade elixir can produce pill patterns? And two of them?!"

"This... this can't be explained by talent alone, can it?"

Even Li Changhai's eyes widened slightly, his withered fingers unconsciously caressing the pill appraisal ruler, a hint of shock flashing in his eyes.

"Two complete pill patterns, over ninety percent medicinal power stored!"

"It's indeed rare for a first-grade elixir to be refined to this extent."

He looked deeply at Jiang Donghua, sighing inwardly.

"Mo Xuan probably found a treasure this time."

These words were like a heavy hammer, striking Liu Qingya's heart fiercely.

"No... impossible!"

Liu Qingya's pupils suddenly constricted, his breathing became rapid, and an uncontrollable rage and humiliation exploded in his chest.

"How could I lose?!"

"How could I lose to a wild kid?!"

His fingers trembled uncontrollably, his fighting qi became chaotic, and the flames in the green flame cauldron instantly went out of control!

"Boom!"

The flames within the cauldron suddenly surged, and the bone-mending pill, which had barely taken shape, quickly charred under the violent heat, turning into a wisp of black smoke and dissipating!

Alchemy failed!

The entire venue fell silent instantly.

Everyone's eyes widened, watching this scene in disbelief.

Liu Qingya actually destroyed his own pill at the last moment!

Liu Qingya stared blankly at the ashes remaining in the green flame cauldron, feeling as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

"I... I..."

His lips trembled, but he couldn't even utter a complete sentence.

He lost.

Not only did he lose the competition, but he also lost his last shred of dignity!

Li Changhai frowned tightly and said in a deep voice.

"Alchemy places the most importance on one's state of mind. Your impatience and self-destruction of the pill are a grave taboo!"

"In this round, you are utterly defeated!"

Jiang Donghua slowly walked up to Liu Qingya, his gaze calm, yet carrying an irresistible pressure.

"green flame cauldron, hand it over."

Liu Qingya trembled all over, his fists clenched, making cracking sounds, his fingernails digging deep into his palms, blood dripping from between his fingers.

"Jiang Donghua, do you really have to be so ruthless?"

Jiang Donghua looked at Liu Qingya's dispirited appearance, and a mocking arc involuntarily curved at the corner of his mouth.

"Did you think the bet just now was a joke?"

He slowly stepped forward, looking down at Liu Qingya, who was slumped on the ground, without a trace of pity in his eyes.

"Give it to me!"

Before he finished speaking, Jiang Donghua flipped his palm, and a sudden suction force erupted, directly drawing the green flame cauldron from beside Liu Qingya through the air!

"No!!!"

Liu Qingya's eyes were bloodshot, and he struggled to pounce forward, but his fighting qi was chaotic, and he couldn't muster any strength at all, only watching helplessly as his family's inherited treasure fell into someone else's hands!

Jiang Donghua weighed the green flame cauldron in his hand, feeling the warm touch from the cauldron body and the faint green spirit flame aura, and nodded in satisfaction.

"Tsk tsk, a top-grade third-tier Medicine Cauldron. You wouldn't be able to get it for less than seven or eight hundred thousand gold coins."

"So exhilarating!"

He made no secret of his smugness, and this posture stimulated Liu Qingya's blood to surge even more!

"Pfft—"

A mouthful of fresh blood spurted out, Liu Qingya's face instantly turned ashen, and he fell straight backward, actually passing out on the spot!

The entire venue was silent.

Everyone was stunned by this sudden turn of events.

The dignified direct descendant of the Liu family was actually angered to the point of spitting blood and fainting?!

This Jiang Donghua was too ruthless!

Jiang Donghua casually put the green flame cauldron into his storage ring, his gaze sweeping over the crowd below the stage, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears:

"Now, who else doesn't believe I have this strength?"

Wherever his gaze passed, the students who had been waiting to watch the show all lowered their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.

"If anyone is unconvinced, stand up now."

"Otherwise, when I go into seclusion for cultivation, I won't have this free time to play with you all."

These words were extremely arrogant, but at this moment, no one dared to refute them.

The double-patterned bone mending pill was right before their eyes, personally certified by Elder Li Changhai. Who would dare to question it?

Even Liu Qingya was utterly defeated and crushed. Who would dare to provoke this bad luck?

In the crowd, several students who had previously spread rumors with Liu Qingya turned pale, their legs trembling unconsciously.

"It's over, it's over..."

"Will he come after us?"

"Run! Before he notices us!"

The few of them quietly retreated, trying to slip away, but suddenly felt a cold gaze lock onto them.

Jiang Donghua glanced at them with a half-smile. Although he didn't act on the spot, the warning in his eyes was unmistakable.

"I'll settle scores later; not one of you will escape."

On the high platform, Li Changhai took all of this into his eyes, a thoughtful look flashing within them.

"Decisive in action, clear in distinguishing kindness and grievances..."

"If this child doesn't perish prematurely, he will surely achieve great things in the future."

He looked up at the sky and suddenly spoke.

"The competition is over, the outcome is decided."

"Everyone, disperse."

As the Elder spoke, the onlookers finally awoke as if from a dream, scattering in twos and threes, but this duel today was destined to become the hottest topic of conversation at Jia Nan Academy for the next few months.

Inside the Alchemy Department, several students who had once followed behind Liu Qingya were now standing nervously outside Jiang Donghua's alchemy room, fine beads of sweat seeping from their foreheads.

"Senior Brother Jiang... calling us over, it's not to settle accounts, is it?"

"Shut up! Do you want to die?"

One of them glared fiercely at his companion, his voice extremely low, afraid of being overheard by the person inside.

They were originally Liu Qingya's most loyal followers, but later, because Liu Qingya went crazy, they had long since stopped associating with him and cut ties.

But now that Liu Qingya was miserably defeated and unconscious, and even his ancestral green flame cauldron was taken away, how could they dare to show the slightest disrespect?

Creak~

The door of the alchemy room slowly opened, and a faint medicinal fragrance wafted out.

Jiang Donghua leaned against the doorframe, his gaze indifferently sweeping over the few of them, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"Come in."

His tone was very calm, but to these few people, it was like a death knell, making them tremble all over.

The few of them lowered their heads, cautiously stepping into the alchemy room, even deliberately softening their breathing, afraid of angering this ominous figure.

"Senior Brother Jiang..."

One of them bravely spoke, but his voice was as thin as a mosquito's buzz.

Jiang Donghua ignored him, slowly poured himself a cup of tea, took a light sip, and only then looked up at them.

"You few, you followed Liu Qingya before, you put in a lot of effort, didn't you?"

The faces of the few instantly turned ashen, and the cold sweat on their foreheads directly trickled down.

"Senior Brother, please understand! We have long since cut ties with that Liu Qingya!"

"Yes, yes! Ever since we told Senior Brother last time, we haven't met him privately again!"

Jiang Donghua chuckled softly, his fingertips gently tapping the table, each tap striking their hearts.

"Is that so?"

"Then who spread those rumors?"

"Who was the most enthusiastic in the cafeteria?"

"And who added fuel to the fire, saying I 'climbed up' with my body?"

Jiang Donghua's voice was very soft, but every word was like a knife, directly piercing into the hearts of the few!

"Senior Brother, we really didn't say that!"

Jiang Donghua put down his teacup, slowly stood up, walked in front of them, and looked down at them from above.

"Really didn't?"

"Then I'll give you a chance to join me!"

He leaned forward slightly, his voice lowered, carrying a hint of danger.

"Don't miss a single person who spread rumors before."

"I want you all—"

"To give them a 'memorable experience'."

"Understand what I mean?"

The few of them trembled all over, looked up to meet Jiang Donghua's smiling yet not smiling eyes, and immediately understood his meaning.

He wanted them to deal with those rumor-mongers!

And they had to do it ruthlessly enough!

One of them swallowed, and cautiously asked:

"Senior Brother... to what... what extent?"

Jiang Donghua straightened up, his tone casual, yet it sent shivers down one's spine.

"Just make sure they remember the price of gossiping."

The few of them gasped, but they dared not refuse!

Refuse?

Then the next one to be crippled might be themselves!

Jiang Donghua sat back down in his chair, and waved his hand languidly.

"Go."

"Within three days, I want to see results."

"If I find out someone is feigning compliance?"

He smiled slightly, a cold glint appearing in his eyes.

"Then you can lie down with Liu Qingya."

The few of them shivered, quickly bowed, and fled from the alchemy room as if escaping.

It wasn't until they were far away from the Alchemy Department that they dared to stop and catch their breath, their backs already drenched in cold sweat.

"It's over... it's really over now..."

"Jiang Donghua wants us to be his blade!"

"But what can we do? Not doing it means death!"

The few of them exchanged glances, and finally gritted their teeth.

"Do it! Anyway, those rumor-mongers aren't good people either!"

"Blame them for their own loose tongues!"

"Now the most prominent person in the entire Alchemy Department is naturally Senior Brother Jiang, so it's a good thing to join him. Senior Brother Liu is already an outdated old thing!"