Free Web NovelChapter 57: Chapter 56: Prepare for a Fate Worse Than Death
Xia Heng’s expression changed. He knew the middle-aged man before him was Lei Wu, the Fourth-Grade Alchemist the Yue Family had hired. His background was said to be extraordinary.
Lei Wu sneered at Elder Yuh, who stood behind Xia Heng. "Let me tell you, no matter how much you improve it, it’s ultimately just a Second-Grade Pill Formula. Its effects are limited. And if I were to produce other, more valuable pill formulas, your Xia Family would still be crushed."
Hearing this, the members of the Xia Family couldn’t help but frown.
Indeed, Lei Wu was right. If he were to produce a more valuable pill formula, what would the Xia Family do?
Seeing the Xia Family fall silent, Yue Shan spoke with even more smugness, "Did you hear that? Master Lei still has several pill formulas he hasn’t revealed. If he brings them out, your Xia Family will have no place left in Feiyun City. I’ll give you one last chance. Are you going to annul this marriage or not?"
"Hmph! It doesn’t matter if you have ten or a hundred pill formulas. My master definitely has more! What ’Master Lei’? He’s nothing compared to my master! I’m telling you, Yue Peng, I’d rather die than marry you!" Xiaxia said furiously.
Lei Wu had noticed Xiaxia’s lovely face the moment he walked in, and his heart had skipped a beat. Now, hearing her words, he couldn’t help but laugh out loud. "If you don’t like Yue Peng, how about marrying me instead?"
The hall fell silent in an instant. No one had expected Lei Wu to say such a thing. Even the members of the Yue Family were stunned.
Yue Peng stared at Lei Wu in disbelief. "M-Master Lei, what are you saying?"
Lei Wu chuckled. "Don’t worry. Even if I marry the young lady of the Xia Family, I won’t treat your Yue Family unfairly."
"But..."
"Peng!" Yue Shan quickly cut Yue Peng off. Then, he turned to Lei Wu with a smile. "Since Master Lei has spoken, then of course, there’s no problem."
Hearing this, Lei Wu laughed with pleasure. He gave Yue Shan a satisfied look, then turned his head toward Xia Heng. "What do you say, Patriarch of the Xia Family? My master is the famous Alchemy Master from the Imperial City, Zhang Ya. If your daughter marries me, I will help your Xia Family become a major family in Lianshan County. How about it?"
Zhang Ya!? The crowd was stunned. *The* Zhang Ya, the Sixth-Grade Alchemist?
While Zhang Ya wasn’t the absolute top alchemist in the Celestial Martial Country, he was still a renowned Alchemy Master. Which of the prominent families wouldn’t give him some face?
When Xia Heng heard Lei Wu’s words—a major family in Lianshan County—his long-held dream struck him with the force of several heavy blows, and for a moment, he was too stunned to recover.
Xiaxia sneered, "In your dreams. With that sickly look of yours, it’s obvious you’ve overindulged in debauchery. Go home and marry a sow."
Hearing Xiaxia’s words, Lei Wu didn’t get angry. Instead, his appreciation for her grew. "Feisty. I like it. I’ll give you some time to think it over."
At this moment, Elder Yuh whispered from the side, "Patriarch, although I’ve never met Zhang Ya, I know that Master Wen’s skill in the Alchemy Dao is in no way inferior to Zhang Ya’s, and may even be superior. You must think carefully."
Xia Heng’s eyes widened as he stared at Elder Yuh in astonishment. ’Wen Qingye’s Alchemy Dao is even greater than Zhang Ya’s? Heavens, how old is he?’ Xia Heng trusted Elder Yuh from the bottom of his heart. After all, the elder was a long-serving member of the Xia Family, practically one of their own.
Hearing Elder Yuh’s words, Xia Heng seemed to make a decision. ’Wen Qingye is so young... who knows what his future holds?’ With this in mind, Xia Heng immediately declared righteously, "I will respect my daughter’s wishes. If she does not wish to marry, I will not force her."
Seeing that her father had only made his decision after talking with Elder Yuh, Xiaxia felt a wave of sorrow. ’If my master hadn’t been here this time, what would have happened to me? Would I have been traded back and forth like a piece of merchandise?’
At that thought, a sudden desire to control her own fate surged within Xiaxia. She desperately wanted to be the master of her own destiny. Suddenly, she wanted to learn alchemy. She truly, seriously wanted to learn.
When Lei Wu heard this, a cold smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Good. Very good. I hope your Xia Family doesn’t regret this."
"I don’t think they will."
A cool, clear voice came from the doorway. Xia Dong could be seen walking in slowly behind Wen Qingye.
"Master!" Xiaxia’s heart leaped with joy when she saw Wen Qingye.
Yue Shan frowned at Wen Qingye and said, "You’re Xiaxia’s master?"
"That’s right," Wen Qingye said with a nod.
Lei Wu looked at Wen Qingye arrogantly. "Judging by your age, you probably don’t know much about the Alchemy Dao, do you? I’ll give you a chance. Kowtow to me three times, and I’ll teach you the way of alchemy. How about it?"
The members of the Xia Family who were listening were stunned at first, then they exchanged glances and couldn’t help but start laughing. They had personally witnessed Wen Qingye use the materials for a Third-Grade Pill to refine a Fourth-Grade pill. And now Lei Wu wanted to teach Wen Qingye alchemy?
"Oh? This is the first time I’ve heard someone offer to teach me alchemy, much less demand I kneel for it," Wen Qingye said with a smile.
Lei Wu said proudly, "I studied under Zhang Ya. I am my master’s seventh disciple. It is your honor to be taught alchemy by me."
At this, Elder Yuh couldn’t help but step forward and snort coldly. "Master Wen used the materials for a Third-Grade Purple Cloud Pill to refine a Fourth-Grade Purple Cloud Pill, and you think you can teach him alchemy? Even your master, Zhang Ya, wouldn’t dare claim he could teach Master Wen alchemy, yet you have the audacity to make such a boast. It’s laughable! Pathetic!"
When Lei Wu heard this, he glanced at Wen Qingye, his eyes filled with ridicule. ’Impossible. Using Third-Grade materials to refine a Fourth-Grade pill? He, Lei Wu, had never even heard of such a thing.’
Lei Wu burst into exaggerated laughter. "Hahaha! Impossible! Using the materials for a Third-Grade Pill to refine a Fourth-Grade pill? How is that possible? Besides, I’ve never even seen a Fourth-Grade Purple Cloud Pill. If you’re going to make something up, at least make it believable. This is just amateurish."
Xiaxia took a pill from her Pill Bottle and tossed it directly to Lei Wu.
Xiaxia snorted coldly. "Useless trash. Just because you can’t do it, you think no one else can."
Lei Wu caught the pill, and his expression changed instantly. He stared at the pill in his hand and said in shock, "How can this be? This... this really is a Fourth-Grade Purple Cloud Pill."
Before anyone could react, Lei Wu’s face turned ashen as he continued, "It must have been a mutation during the alchemy process! That caused the pill to mutate and advance in grade. There’s no way this brat could have refined it himself! I don’t believe it!"
A mutation? Not refined by Wen Qingye?
The members of the Xia Family just looked at Lei Wu, shook their heads, and smiled. They had personally seen Wen Qingye casually perform the alchemy while explaining the process to Xiaxia. Seeing Lei Wu’s reaction now, Xia Heng felt even more certain of his decision.
"No matter what you say today, my daughter will not marry. If there’s nothing else, please see yourselves out," Xia Heng said, showing them the door.
Lei Wu was furious. He had always gotten his way by relying on his status and his master’s reputation. But now, he had been slapped in the face by the tiny Xia Family. How could he possibly endure this?
"Fine. The Xia Family, is it? I’ll make you regret this. The day will come when I’ll have all of you on your knees, begging me to marry your precious young lady," Lei Wu said, his cold, venomous gaze sweeping over the Xia Family.
Yue Shan looked at Xia Heng, a trace of mockery in his eyes. He gloated inwardly, ’You’ve offended Master Lei. The Xia Family can just wait to be erased from Feiyun City.’
Wen Qingye looked at the appallingly arrogant Lei Wu, Yue Shan, and the others, and a cold glint suddenly appeared in his eyes. That frigid light struck Lei Wu’s heart, making him feel as if he had been plunged from the scorching summer into the dead of winter.
’Is... is that a human gaze?’ Lei Wu screamed helplessly in his heart.
Lei Wu’s face paled, and his body began to tremble. Even Yue Shan and the others, whose martial strength was far greater than Wen Qingye’s, felt a shiver in their hearts.
"You’d best prepare for a fate worse than death."
Wen Qingye’s words weren’t icy, but they carried an immense penetrating force, striking the hearts of Lei Wu, Yue Shan, and the others like a heavy blow.
Hearing Wen Qingye’s words, Yue Shan glanced at Lei Wu for some reason. After a long moment, he walked over, helped Lei Wu up, and quickly headed for the door.
Xia Heng looked at Wen Qingye with some concern. "Young Master Wen, just now Yue Shan said that Lei Wu still has several pill formulas..."
Wen Qingye nodded. "I understand. Don’t worry about it." freewebnøvel.coɱ
Wen Qingye was completely unconcerned. A mere Fourth-Grade Alchemist was not even worth his notice.
Hearing Wen Qingye’s assurance, Xia Heng finally let out a sigh of relief.
