Ancient One

Chapter 3.2: Arcane Master’s Association

“Hmph! Kid, where are you from?” Said Jia Rong arrogantly. “I broke through the Fifth Rank Warrior five days ago. Everyone knows this.”

“Have you really advanced through the Fifth Rank Warrior?” Yunxiao’s expression was profound.

Jia Rong’s body shook lightly. A trace of shock glinted across his eyes. He asked with a deep voice, “What do you mean?”

Yunxiao looked at Jia Rong’s right hand exposed under the black robe and a smile appeared in his eyes.

He then began explaining.

“Your five fingers are a dark gray color and it’s beginning to show signs of peeling. It’s obvious you’ve come into contact with the Yin Wind Stone. Also, your body is emitting a faint smell of the Blood Flame Orchid. It should be to counteract the future troubles the Yin Wind Stone will bring, but although the Yin Wind Stone has several large fusing properties, the side effects caused by it cannot be ignored. Ordinary alchemists would never dare use this.

“Judging from the degree of damage brought through your five fingers from the Blood Flame Orchid, this should have occurred about seven days ago. Moreover, you also have a faint fishy smell. This smell is unique to the Tiger Sulphur Stone. It’s apparent that you’ve exposed yourself to a large copious amount of Tiger Sulfur Stone lately. Very clearly, the content of your Arcane Master assessment should be to forge a Profound Weapon with the Tiger Sulphur Stone as it’s main raw material.”

Jia Rong was stunned. Cold sweat the size of beans trickled down his temples.

“What nonsense!” He shouted angrily.

Yunxiao smiled lightly and leisurely sighed. “Sigh… if the Yin Wind Stone was so easy to use, then everyone would be able to become an alchemist. Furthermore, the side effects brought about by the Blood Flame Orchid aren’t any less than that of the Yin Wind Stone.

“Right now, at noon every day, how comfortable does your main three acupoints feel?”

Jia Rong’s body spasmed as if he was electrocuted. His legs felt like they were tens of thousands of tons of cement. He could not even take half a step forward.

Yunxiao shook his head with a look of lamentation. “It’s a pity for a talented personage such as yourself… to keep your life, you’ll have to cut off your right hand and cripple your dantian.”

Jia Rong’s body trembled violently! “Don’t even think of speaking such words!”

Yunxiao shrugged and helplessly spread out his hands. He turned around intent on leaving. “Then forget it. I was going to teach you a way to get rid of the harmful effects.”

“You have a way to get rid of it?!”Jia Rong jumped up like thousands of needles poked his bottoms and instantly rushed over. He blocked Yunxiao’s means of exit and cried out, “Hurry up and tell me!”

Over the past few days, he fell into the pits of pain Yunxiao described. On that day, in order to become an alchemist, he could not help but use the forbidden Yin Wind Stone. He never thought the side effects began spreading from his fingers that night. He gradually lost feeling from his right hand and it’s scared him out of his wits.

Anxious, he flipped through a large number of ancient books, but he could not find the means to break the damned curse. Only one ancient book recorded the method of neutralizing the poison of Yin Wind Stone with the Blood Flame Orchid.

Who knew that after using the Blood Flame Orchid, the poison of the Yin Wind Stone only relieved him slightly. His right hand was still gradually losing its life.

Right after, the Blood Flame Orchid’s poison began acting up. Every day at noon, his three major acupoints burned like fire, a horrifically intense pain! If he continued like this, the result would end with crippling his dantian, destroying his cultivation and life away!

If he crippled his dantian, fine. So be it. At most, he no longer had the rights to walk towards the martial path.

He could accept this.

However, if one were to lose their right hand, walking towards the path of alchemy was as good as dead. This was something Jia Rong could not accept no matter what. Especially after advancing to the next rank, the status, respect, and gazes of envy caused him to envy his current status as an Arcane Master even more!

“Please tell me the method to resolve my ailments! I beg of you!” Jia Rong used his left hand to grab onto Yunxiao’s shoulder while trembling from head to toe.

At this moment, there were a few people walking around in the hall on the first floor. They looked at the two figures, one young and one old astonishingly from a far distance. Unfortunately, they could not hear what the two were saying. Jia Rong’s exaggerated cries caused them to cast a sidelong glance as they attempted to guess the identity of the youth.

Yunxiao spread out his hands. “Hey, where is my list of materials that I need? Where did it go? Did you see my list anywhere?”

Stunned, Jia Rong immediately turned his head and saw a piece of paper crumbled to a ball. He understood what Yunxiao meant. Quickly, he said, “Ah, that’s right! Where are my manners? Coughs… please wait for a moment, I’ll pick it up for you!”

Jia Rong cared not for the crowds’ shocked eyes as he trotted over and bent down to pick up the crumpled paper. A sort of surprising discussion rang in his ears. His face then immediately turned a tomato red from embarrassment, wishing there was a hole in the ground he could hide in.

“First, I have to get rid of my ailments before I avenge the humiliation I’ve suffered!”

Jia Rong gnashed his teeth, a venomous look glinting in his darkened eyes. He wore a mask and pretended to be calm while he carefully unfolded the list before handing it to Yunxiao.

Yunxiao carelessly brought the list close to his face—even sneezed on the paper too. After that, he crumpled it back to a ball and threw it out. “I want ten copies of each item on the list. When you have everything put together, come and find me at Jia Lan Academy. My name is Li Yunxiao.”

“You…!” Jia Rong looked at the crumpled paper on the ground in the distance covered with sticky mucus. His stomach churned and rolled. His anger erupted like a volcano that he began trembling.

Yunxiao’s gaze became serious as he stared at Jia Rong with a cold smile. “It’s not that others are giving me face, it’s just that I have to return the embarrassment myself. I hope you don’t mind.”