192: Chapter 192 Who posted this?

Elder Zhao Zhengyang's Personal Disciple from Xuanguang Peak, the Water Spirit Body, Shen Qing!

He had heard the name before, but having never seen the Immortal Master in person, he naturally hadn't recognized him just now. But this was far too coincidental!

"So it is Senior Brother Shen." Su Cheng's form of address didn't change, but his tone became much more polite. "I have long looked forward to meeting you."

Shen Qing raised an eyebrow, clearly a bit surprised by the words "long looked forward to meeting you."

"Junior Brother knows of me?"

"Elder Zhao's Personal Disciple, a Water Spirit Body—there are quite a few people in the Sect who mention you."

Shen Qing gave a small smile, neither humble nor proud, just very natural.

"Then which peak is Junior Brother from?"

"Qingmu Peak, a Personal Disciple under Elder Qingmu, Su Cheng."

This time, it was Shen Qing's expression that changed.

"Su Cheng?" Shen Qing repeated the name, his brow arching. "So you are Su Cheng."

"Senior Brother knows of me?"

"More than just knowing of you." Shen Qing's tone carried a hint of teasing. "A few days ago, when that Side Branch Elder of the Wu Family asked Elder Lu Yuan to refine a Soul-Returning and Spirit-Condensing Pill, you were the assistant Elder Lu Yuan initially recommended, weren't you?"

Su Cheng smiled but didn't respond.

Shen Qing showed no intention of stopping and continued, "The spot was later given to me, but when Elder Lu Yuan spoke with my Revered Master, he specifically mentioned your skill in processing Spirit Medicine.

For an Early Foundation Establishment Stage Junior Brother to be personally named by a third-rank top-tier alchemist is not something an ordinary person can achieve."

"Senior Brother overpraises me. Elder Lü only felt that I had some use in handling Wood-attribute Spirit Medicine; it's nothing impressive."

"Just 'some use'?" Shen Qing smiled gently and didn't press further.

Su Cheng didn't reply. The more one explained certain things, the easier it was to reveal one's secrets; knowing when to stop was enough.

After a brief silence, the atmosphere was no longer the same as before.

The two had already been chatting well, and the moment they announced their respective lineages, the distance between them suddenly closed significantly. However, an indescribable sense of competition also emerged.

“Speaking of which, that assistant spot for the Soul-Returning and Spirit-Condensing Pill could be considered something you yielded to me, right?” Shen Qing looked at him, speaking very bluntly. “I heard from people in the Sect that you didn't want to compete for it at all back then, and there was no movement from Qingmu Peak's side either.

Regardless, because I filled that vacancy to help Elder Lü with the Alchemy and received the Wu Family's gratitude, I did indeed gain quite a few benefits.”

In fact, during the brief time they spent discussing Alchemy before revealing their lineages, Shen Qing had already realized that this Junior Brother's understanding of the Dao of Alchemy was by no means mediocre.

Some of his insights on details even required Shen Qing to go back and ponder them. Thus, Shen Qing didn't feel the slightest bit of contempt just because Su Cheng had joined the Sect later or had a lower cultivation.

But not feeling contempt was one thing; whether he felt comfortable in his heart was another.

Before meeting Su Cheng, Shen Qing's impression of the name hadn't been very good.

Many in the Sect whispered that the assistant spot had been voluntarily given up by Su Cheng, implying that "he didn't care for it in the first place."

But Shen Qing knew very well that in order to secure this position, his Revered Master, Zhao Zhengyang, had used up several favors and even specifically asked two Managers of the Alchemy Hall to intercede.

Something you didn't care for, yet my Revered Master had to go to such great lengths to fight for?

What did that make it? It meant that what he had obtained was seen by outsiders not as something earned through skill, but as something picked up because someone else didn't want it.

Shen Qing had enough confidence in his own strength. His talent as a Water Spirit Body in the Fusion of medicinal liquids was among the best in the entire Sect; he was certainly not inferior to any of his peers.

But rumors were irrational; as they spread, their meaning began to twist.

Since he had run into Su Cheng himself today, he wanted to see just how capable this legendary Junior Brother from Qingmu Peak really was.

"It's not a matter of yielding or not." Su Cheng didn't dwell on the issue, as saying too much could easily offend someone. "To be honest, I am certainly not as good as you, Senior Brother. The successful refining of the Medicinal Pill is the best proof."

Shen Qing was clearly taken aback. He hadn't expected Su Cheng to answer like this—not taking credit, not making excuses, and even proactively admitting he was inferior, without a single extra word.

This didn't match the image of the young and arrogant "bestower" he had imagined.

"Junior Brother's magnanimity is indeed not small." Shen Qing cupped his hands, and his topic suddenly shifted. "Since Junior Brother is so magnanimous, why don't we have a match?"

Su Cheng was stunned for a moment, not because he was intimidated, but because he hadn't expected the topic to change so abruptly.

"A match? Senior Brother, surely you're joking?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Shen Qing spread his hands, his expression very open.

"I simply want to have a friendly competition, nothing more. After chatting with you for a while, I find myself itching for a match, wanting to see for myself what kind of style your Alchemy techniques follow.

The two of us will each refine a batch of Medicinal Pills of the same grade and compare their quality. It'll just be for exchange and discussion; winning or losing doesn't matter."

Su Cheng smiled and waved his hand.

"Senior Brother thinks too highly of me. If it comes down to refining pills, I certainly can't compete with you. The talent of a Water Spirit Body in the Fusion of medicinal liquids is right there. How can I, at the Early Foundation Establishment Stage, compete with you?"

Shen Qing frowned, not expecting Su Cheng to refuse so decisively, leaving no room even for polite formalities.

"Junior Brother is being too humble, aren't you? Your abilities don't seem lacking either."

"It's not humility, it's the truth." Su Cheng's tone was relaxed, without any hint of affectation. "However, if Senior Brother doesn't mind, we could find a time in the future to sit down and discuss the processing of Spirit Medicine.

I have some insights into soothing Wood-attribute Spirit Medicine. Exchanging ideas would be much more interesting than competing over a furnace."

Shen Qing silence for a while.

He wanted to compete with Su Cheng not to embarrass him.

Ultimately, he just wanted to prove one thing in person: he had earned that assistant spot fair and square, and the favors his Revered Master spent for it weren't necessary.

But since Su Cheng wouldn't even step onto the stage, he couldn't exactly chase him down and force him in front of a Pill Furnace.

And the exchange regarding Spirit Medicine that the other party proposed made sense and wasn't just a casual brush-off.

"Fine then." Shen Qing nodded, temporarily suppressing his competitive urge. "Then we'll find a time another day to sit down and have a good chat."

"You're welcome anytime."

The two cupped their hands in farewell and flew off on their respective tools.

On the way back to Qingmu Peak, Su Cheng replayed the conversation in his mind.

This Shen Qing wasn't dislikeable; he was quite sincere.

At another time and place, sitting down to talk about the Dao of Alchemy and exchange skills would actually be quite interesting.

It just wasn't appropriate right now.

It wasn't a matter of fearing win or loss; it was just unnecessary to cause more trouble at this critical juncture.

The matter of the assistant spot was in the past, and the Medicinal Pill had already been refined. Going to compete in Alchemy with Elder Zhao's Personal Disciple now, regardless of the outcome, would easily lead to criticism that he was trying to compete after the fact.

One fewer conflict meant one more degree of composure.

As for Elder Lu Yuan's side, there was only a chance, but the Alchemy Hall Competition was definitely something he couldn't give up on. That was the best way to obtain a spirit nurturing pill through legitimate means.

When he returned to his Immortal Cave, Su Cheng thought the matter was over, but to his surprise, Chen Yuan came rushing over that evening.

"Junior Brother, I've heard the news." Chen Yuan lowered his voice as soon as he entered, his broad face filled with concern.

"Heard what?"

"You ran into that Shen Qing from Xuanguang Peak?"

"I did. We chatted for a bit."

"It was more than just a few words." Chen Yuan pulled up a stool and sat opposite Su Cheng, slapping his knee. "How did I hear that Shen Qing challenged you to an Alchemy match, and you didn't accept?"

Su Cheng was tidying up some Jade Slips and paused at those words. "Who spread this?"