C5 Disloyalty

"Keep it down, this is no time to let our guard down. The higher-ups have made it clear that the plan is going into effect in the next few days. They've instructed us to switch the ingredients to Ghost Leaf Flower and Black Cinnabar Grass tomorrow."

The other three gasped in shock, exclaiming in unison, "Damn, that stuff is lethal!"

"Deviously clever, I love it, hahaha."

Their lewd laughter was cut short by the sound of approaching footsteps. The four fell silent and busied themselves with their tasks, acting as if their earlier conversation had never occurred.

Patriarch Chen Tong led the way, moving smoothly and unhindered. The doors to the Pill Refining Room swung open, and four alchemists emerged, stretching and yawning.

The lead alchemist's face brightened upon seeing the Patriarch, and he greeted him with reverence, "Good day, Patriarch." The others quickly echoed the sentiment, their demeanor so genuine that no one could suspect their earlier duplicity.

Just then, the Second Elder approached, presenting a batch of freshly refined pills. With a heavy heart, he implored, "Patriarch, please examine these carefully. I must be vindicated today. I've served the Chen Family for decades. Even if I haven't earned great accolades, I've certainly put in the hard work..."

Chen Tong ignored the Second Elder's plea, picking up a nearby jade bottle. A plump pill tumbled out, thumb-sized and a deep, blood-red hue. Known as Blood Enhancement Powder, this low-tier second-grade pill was prized for its blood-replenishing and wound-healing properties, and it consistently sold well. Chen Tong held the pill to his nose, inhaling the aromatic scent that invigorated his spirit.

The onlookers struggled to contain their amusement as the Patriarch scrutinized the pill. To the untrained eye, the pill's composition was a mystery, and their silent laughter was merely an inside joke.

With a furrowed brow, the Patriarch returned the pill to its bottle and pushed open the doors to the Pill Refining Room, ready to inspect the medicinal herbs within.

Several alchemists watched the Patriarch with ease, and sure enough, within minutes, his face took on a graver cast.

The Patriarch was on his guard, suspecting something amiss in a realm not meant for the uninitiated. Sadly, the craft of alchemy was beyond the reach of common folk. It seemed likely that the Chen Family would soon see a change in leadership.

The lead alchemist internally lamented the situation. He was about to question the Patriarch when his gaze was caught by a youth in the crowd, staring at him with a piercing chill. That look made him squirm, feeling as if he'd been thoroughly exposed.

The Second Elder, spotting this, couldn't hide his delight. With feigned concern, he said, "Patriarch, don't you know me by now? We're all brothers, raised by the old Patriarch. Let's not let outsiders drive a wedge between us."

He laid heavy stress on the word 'outsiders,' the implication crystal clear. As he prepared to command the expulsion of Chen Chu from the family, the young man approached swiftly.

"Old dog, you really won't cry until you see the coffin, will you?"

Chen Chu strode forward, picking up a Blood Strengthening Pill and instantly spotting the deceit. Such petty tricks might fool the average person, but stood no chance before him, an Alchemy Saint Master.

Holding the pill in his left hand, he lightly scratched its surface with his right fingernail, peeling away the delicate outer layer to reveal a stream of red liquid.

The crowd winced at the sight. Crafting this second-grade pill took over forty minutes, involving a dozen herbs and costing upwards of a hundred gold coins, only to be casually ruined—its market value of 300 gold coins notwithstanding.

Without blinking, Chen Chu gently parted the pill's halves, pinching and flipping it deftly. The liquid poured out with his motion, leaving behind a single drop of milky-white, murky fluid suspended atop the red.

Though the onlookers had limited knowledge of pills, they recognized the anomaly, their understanding a testament to the reverence held for the alchemist's art.

Chen Chu dabbed a drop of white liquid onto his fingertip and said icily, "There are scarcely any herbs capable of producing such a white medicinal liquid. A bit of scholarly research and you'd know that."

The crowd buzzed with surprise, yet a young man voiced his skepticism, "True, most herbs yielding a white liquid are toxic, but they can also act as neutralizers. The Bone Replenishing Grass does the same, so this hardly counts as proof."

Hearing the question, Chen Chu inwardly lamented their ignorance but remained patient in his explanation.

"Pills requiring neutralization are typically fourth grade or higher. This Blood Revival Powder is merely a lower-tier, second-grade pill. And determining whether it's Bone Replenishing Grass is quite straightforward—just taste it, and you'll know."

With that, Chen Chu lifted the droplet high and countered loudly. When someone stepped forward to try it, Chen Chu recognized him and relaxed—it was his trusty Sixth Uncle.

The four alchemists watched with pallid faces, astonished by the young man's deep pill knowledge. They had thought to sneak away, but the Genuine Qi warriors nearby watched them intently, like predators eyeing their prey.

If a pill laced with laxatives were to be ingested, it would take at least six hours to work. However, the pure Ice Vine liquid would act in under three minutes.

Under the intense scrutiny of the crowd, the four grew even paler, their legs shaking. Their once seamless plan was a day away from perfection, but fate had other ideas.

Soon, Sixth Uncle Chen Hong's face contorted with pain as the diarrhea's severe cramps weakened his legs. Patriarch Chen Tong fixed the Second Elder with a piercing look, his Genuine Qi erupting forth, his sixth-level Genuine Qi Realm strength causing everyone's breath to catch.

Seeing no way to conceal his actions, the Second Elder internally cursed and quickly retreated to the far exit of the Alchemy Hall.

Chen Tong was resolved to apprehend Chen Yan. With a flick of his right hand, a long saber materialized, its hilt as sharp as a sword, its blade exceedingly keen—a ring blade formed entirely of Genuine Qi.

"Where do you think you're going?!"

Chen Yan's shout pierced the air as he realized Chen Tong was intent on killing. His temples pounded with the rush of adrenaline, and he immediately executed his martial skills to make his escape. As a mere fourth-level Genuine Qi Realm cultivator, he knew a direct confrontation would spell certain defeat.

Streams of Genuine Qi burst forth from his sleeves, coalescing into a spectral image in the sky. A massive wolf head materialized, its roar thunderous as it lunged forward.

Chen Tong, undeterred, enveloped his blade in Genuine Qi and met the wolf head's phantom with a ferocious strike. A blade shadow, three meters in length, flashed into existence. The wolf head, formed of Genuine Qi, shifted and morphed as the two forces eroded each other, only to be cleaved apart by the robust blade shadow.

The blade shadow, thick and unyielding, continued its relentless advance, racing towards the Second Elder Chen Yan's back with incredible speed. Sensing the whoosh of air behind him, Chen Yan's pupils contracted sharply, and he instinctively dodged. Still, the blade's edge grazed his shoulder, the formidable force sending him staggering back several steps.

With a resounding crash, the Second Elder, gritting through the pain, smashed through the roof with a single punch. Genuine Qi swirled at his feet, a mist of green clouds enveloping him as he swiftly ascended, employing the Chen Family's revered technique, the Yellow Rank's high-level martial skill, Cloud Stepping.

"Chen Tong, I won't forget this day's vendetta. The day your Chen Family falls will be the day I return for vengeance," he bellowed, his voice booming through the Alchemy Hall, amplified by Genuine Qi. The crowd remained silent, and though Chen Tong's face darkened with anger, he refrained from lashing out. Instead, he instructed his followers to bind the four alchemists.

"Come see me tonight," Chen Tong murmured to Chen Chu before departing with his entourage. Chen Chu nodded reluctantly, aware that the power he had revealed today had exceeded all expectations, leaving him to wonder how he would handle his father's probing questions later that evening.