Chapter 114: Hand Technique

To discern borrowed elements from already developed pill-refining techniques is akin to identifying the sources of well water mixed in a single pot – it's an utterly impossible task!

Unless one personally witnessed him developing the technique step by step, it would be absolutely impossible to identify three such elements. The difficulty of Cheng Jiang's challenge is at least five times greater than merely pointing out flaws.

Zhang Xuan's eyes narrowed.

As expected of a master alchemist, he wasn't as easy to deal with as Zhang Xuan had imagined.

This man appeared to be all smiles and open-minded, but in reality, he was the most shameless.

Agreeing to discern borrowed elements from his pill-refining technique was almost impossible. However, if he refused, he had set the initial difficulty himself, so why couldn't the other party increase it? A refusal would mean that even if he won the pill debate, he would likely be criticized, and his victory wouldn't be seen as honorable.

"What's wrong?" Cheng Jiang said with a smile. "I know this is difficult, and it's normal if you don't agree. However... if you don't agree, would my question count as a failure for you?"

"Failure?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I happen to want to witness Master Alchemist Cheng's new technique. Let's begin!"

This trick might work on others, making them flustered, but it was useless against Zhang Xuan.

Finding flaws in pill refining wasn't due to Zhang Xuan's exceptional eyesight; it was because of the Library of Heaven's Path. As long as the Library existed, no matter the technique—whether newly created or not—its contents could be clearly displayed without any issue.

"Alright!" Seeing Zhang Xuan agree, Master Alchemist Cheng's eyes flashed, and a slight smile played on his lips. He retrieved the medicinal ingredients and walked a few steps to the pill cauldron.

With a whoosh, the medicinal ingredients began to fly. All his movements were fluid and seamless, exuding a unique aesthetic beauty when viewed from a distance.

"It is indeed a new technique; I've never seen it before!"

"He's refining the Qi Gathering Pill, right?"

"Yes, the Qi Gathering Pill is effective for cultivators below the seventh stage, and especially useful for those in the Qi Gathering Realm. Among official elixirs, it's not considered precious, yet it's the most useful for cultivators. Official alchemist examinations usually use this type of pill as a basis. Precisely because of this, it allows the characteristics of the technique to be better displayed, appearing more fluid and making it difficult for others to discern!"

"Anyway, I can't tell what techniques he's borrowed from..."

"Me neither..."

Many alchemists watched for a while, then shook their heads simultaneously.

"Master Alchemist Cheng is truly ruthless!"

Ouyang Cheng, standing nearby, took a look and couldn't help but shake his head. "With his skill as a one-star alchemist, refining the most basic Qi Gathering Pill means not only fluid movements that are hard to discern, but more importantly, the short time makes it impossible to analyze, even if one wanted to. This time, Zhang Xuan will likely find it very difficult to pass..."

Although Master Alchemist Cheng could refine higher-grade Grade-1 pills, it would certainly be troublesome, and he wouldn't be able to do it with ease. This was like Yang Guo being able to use the Heavy Iron Sword, but unable to perform flashy sword moves with grace.

However, if he refined the most basic Qi Gathering Pill, the effect would be different. It would be as easy as Yang Guo switching to a regular longsword—not to mention one flourish, ten wouldn't be an issue.

This Master Alchemist Cheng, with his smiling face, was actually the most ruthless. When refining the Qi Gathering Pill, not only were his techniques faster, but the refining time was also significantly shorter. A normal Grade-1 pill would take half an hour, but he could succeed in less than fifteen minutes!

In such a short time, to discern three borrowed elements?

How could that be possible?

Clearly, Zhang Xuan had been set up!

"Could it be... he's going to fail?"

Hearing Ouyang Cheng's assessment, Wen Xue's small fists clenched slightly.

"It will probably be very difficult for him to pass..."

Ouyang Cheng sighed.

"Interesting!"

Zhang Xuan had originally held no ill will towards Cheng Jiang, but he hadn't expected this fellow to be so contemptible as to use such a trick. Zhang Xuan's gaze turned cold.

As a new-generation transmigrator with culture, knowledge, dreams, and insight, how could he allow himself to be bullied without fighting back?

Whoosh! The Qi Gathering Pills were successfully refined, and seven or eight of them rolled out from the pill cauldron.

"I'm done refining. Zhang Xuan, please proceed!"

Master Alchemist Cheng looked over, smiled faintly, full of confidence.

His technique had indeed borrowed from more than three pill-refining methods, but he had refined at a fast speed with fluid movements. For the other party to discern them was almost impossible!

Furthermore... most importantly, even if the other party got it right, he could just deny it!

With so many pill-refining techniques, wasn't it up to him to decide which ones he'd borrowed from?

A nobody who appeared out of nowhere, thinking he could step on my shoulders and win the pill debate... Dream on!

"If I name the three techniques you've borrowed, will you concede?"

Zhang Xuan looked at him with a playful glint in his eyes.

"Of course," Master Alchemist Cheng said, flicking his sleeve, his tone full of arrogance. "I am an official alchemist, of esteemed status and noble identity. I wouldn't renege on a debt with an apprentice like you!"

"Very well, since you say so, it's simple then!"

Zhang Xuan nodded, took a step forward, circled the pill cauldron, and then looked down at the Qi Gathering Pill in Master Alchemist Cheng's hand.

He lightly pinched it, took one pill, placed it to his nose, and took a whiff.

"This Qi Gathering Pill has a rich color and bright luster," Zhang Xuan praised. "If judged by pill standards, it has probably reached perfection! However..."

"Limited by Master Alchemist Cheng's pill-refining technique, achieving perfection is already the limit. It's almost impossible for it to develop pill patterns!"

"It's just a Qi Gathering Pill. What use would pill patterns be, even if it had them?"

Master Alchemist Cheng scoffed.

This type of Qi Gathering Pill is merely the most basic elixir, helping cultivators increase the speed at which they gather spiritual energy. Even if one could refine pill patterns, it would be a waste!

"True!"

Zhang Xuan nodded, not lingering on the issue, and smiled lightly. "To answer the technique question, dwelling on this is indeed pointless. Alright, since you demand it, I'll answer. Before discussing which techniques your recent method borrowed from, let's first discuss how many types of techniques you know in total. Knowing this will likely reveal the clues!"

"Three years ago, Master Alchemist Cheng successfully passed his alchemist examination by refining the Grade-1 Energy Recovery Pill using the Ten Thousand Stream Transformation technique. In the same year, he learned the Northern River Confluence technique and refined the Spirit Soothing Pill!

"In the spring of the second year, while celebrating Master Alchemist Bai Ming's birthday, he secretly infiltrated his study and copied his Thousand Silk Illusion Hand. He then used this technique to refine a Grade-1 Body Tempering Pill, which made him famous!

"That winter, while discussing techniques with Master Alchemist Lin Mu, he secretly learned his Ice Silk Condensing Hand!

"The summer before last, he spent fifty thousand gold coins to bribe Gold Master Alchemist Jin Chen's butler, Jin Lu, and successfully copied a version of the Golden Spring Flowing Cloud Hand!

"Last March, he used deceptive means to entice Zhu Huahua, an apprentice under Du Man, and from him, he learned Master Alchemist Du's unique Hundred Entwinement Hand..."

"Now, let me count. The Ten Thousand Stream Transformation, Northern River Confluence... these techniques, all added up, make a total of twelve!"

Zhang Xuan recounted them one by one, as if listing his own treasured possessions. After speaking, he turned to look at the alchemist not far away. "Master Alchemist Cheng," he said, "I haven't said too little or too much, have I?"

"You... you..."

Cheng Jiang's face turned ashen, and he stumbled backward repeatedly. As if he had seen a monster, his pupils continuously contracted.