Chapter 184: Conflict

"Uh..." Seeing his appearance, President Ouyang and the others wanted to laugh but suppressed it.

To them, Alchemist Hongyun was a highly esteemed and powerful alchemist. Even Emperor Shen Zhui treated him with the utmost respect, never daring to offend him. Now, however, he looked like a piece of charcoal, with his hair standing on end. Were it not for his constantly blinking eyes, they would have wondered if he was still alive.

Realizing it was no time for laughter, they all turned their attention to Zhang Xuan. They wanted to hear what he had to say. Giving advice to a two-star alchemist... it was something none of them would even dare to conceive of. They were eager to see if the spirited young man, who had shone so brightly during the alchemy debate, could replicate his past glory.

As their gazes converged, the young man nearby looked at him with a peculiar expression. "Are you sure you're truly a two-star alchemist?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" Alchemist Hongyun asked, flicking his sleeve in displeasure.

"What are the properties of Cyan Blossom Grass?" Zhang Xuan asked, disregarding Hongyun's annoyance.

"Cyan Blossom Grass is dark blue all over and warm in nature," Alchemist Hongyun replied.

"And Money Flower?"

"Money Flower has gold and silver colors, and is also known as Golden Flower Silver Leaf. It's a neutralizing herb."

"While both of these herbs are neutral, when combined, they undergo a transformation and become highly volatile," Zhang Xuan explained.

"I am aware of that," Alchemist Hongyun said, shaking his head. "The formula for the Essence Pill has been passed down for a long time, and these two herbs are always included. If their combination truly caused the cauldron to explode, then everyone else would also experience explosions. Besides, I made no error in the sequence of placing the herbs; I even inserted a stalk of Purple Aromatic Grass between them for neutralization. I followed every step meticulously, with not a single mistake in timing!"

He had specifically consulted others on the refining process of the Essence Pill, ensuring every herb and step was identical to theirs. Yet, his results were vastly different, leaving him completely puzzled. He was aware that these two neutral herbs would become volatile upon combining and had taken precautions, so he was certain that was not the cause.

"I didn't say your sequence was wrong, nor did I say there was an issue with those two herbs!" Zhang Xuan stated calmly.

"Then what do you mean?"

Not only Alchemist Hongyun but everyone else present was baffled. If that wasn't the issue, there had to be an explanation. Otherwise, how could a perfectly good refining process suddenly result in an explosion? And... if those two herbs weren't the problem, why did he ask about them in the first place?

With his hands clasped behind his back, Zhang Xuan ignored their confusion and took a few steps towards the exploded cauldron. Nearby on the ground, there were still two unused stalks of Cyan Blossom Grass and Money Flowers.

"Both Cyan Blossom Grass and Money Flower are warm in nature, and they become volatile when combined. Adding Purple Aromatic Grass to neutralize them is believed by all alchemists to solve this hidden danger, and truthfully, there's nothing wrong with that approach. However... while it works for everyone else, it doesn't work for you!"

"It doesn't work for me? Am I somehow special?" Alchemist Hongyun frowned, puzzled. I am a legitimate two-star alchemist who passed the examination fairly, and my skill within this group is not low. Why would it not work for me?

"Indeed, you are special. If I'm not mistaken, you've never consumed any medicine where Purple Aromatic Grass was the primary ingredient, have you?" Zhang Xuan asked, looking at him.

"Uh... I have a slight allergy to Purple Aromatic Grass, so I can't consume it..." Alchemist Hongyun nodded.

"It's not an allergy, but rather a conflict with your true qi attribute," Zhang Xuan explained, clasping his hands behind his back. "The Hongyan Art you cultivate is inherently fire-attributed. Purple Aromatic Grass, however, grows in water and is a water-attributed herb. When your true qi merges with it, it easily neutralizes the herb's water properties, rendering it ineffective. So, when others refine Essence Pills, the Purple Aromatic Grass retains its efficacy, but for you, it doesn't. Without that neutralizing effect, the two herbs naturally react, causing your cauldron to explode!"

"You... how did you know I cultivate the Hongyan Art?" Alchemist Hongyun's face paled.

The Hongyan Art was a cultivation method passed down through his family, one he had practiced since childhood for decades. It was indeed fire-attributed, causing his true qi to blaze fiercely when circulated. This was his personal secret, never shared with outsiders, not even many of his closest friends. How could this man know it and reveal it so easily?

"You don't need to concern yourself with how I know," Zhang Xuan said, offering no further explanation. "If you don't believe me, try adding your refined Purple Aromatic Grass to Cyan Blossom Grass and Money Flower. If it doesn't explode, then my explanation is incorrect."

Alchemist Hongyun, though initially doubtful, decided to try. He took out Cyan Blossom Grass, Money Flower, and Purple Aromatic Grass, refining them simultaneously into liquid extracts. As the three liquids merged... Sure enough, just as Zhang Xuan had predicted, it immediately exploded.

"This..." Alchemist Hongyun's body trembled.

He had been studying the Essence Pill for years without success, always assuming the issue lay with the refining steps or herb compatibility. He had never in his wildest dreams imagined that his own true qi was neutralizing the medicinal properties of the Purple Aromatic Grass. If he hadn't witnessed it firsthand, he wouldn't have dared to believe it was true.

"Is there a solution?" After this personal demonstration, Alchemist Hongyun couldn't help but look at the young man nearby. At this moment, he was thoroughly convinced. He had originally intended to disqualify Zhang Xuan, but now that thought was completely gone. Merely through alchemy, he had discerned Hongyun's cultivation method and its conflict with the herbs. Regardless of his actual alchemy technique, his insight alone was surely more than sufficient to pass a two-star alchemist assessment.

"You're a two-star alchemist; having identified the cause, can you not find such a simple solution yourself?" Zhang Xuan asked, a hint of displeasure on his face.

"I've learned a valuable lesson..." Hearing the rebuke, Alchemist Hongyun's face flushed. He realized Zhang Xuan was right. As a two-star alchemist, he should be able to figure out a solution to such a matter himself. Purple Aromatic Grass merely served to neutralize properties. He simply needed to find an alternative herb that wouldn't conflict with his true qi to replace it.

"This..." Witnessing the once-arrogant and domineering Alchemist Hongyun now acting like a scolded schoolchild, unable to retort, President Ouyang and the others were in disbelief, practically tearing their hair out. Even the most naive among them knew that Zhang Xuan's words had to be entirely correct, without fault, otherwise, Hongyun would not have been so thoroughly convinced. A newly promoted one-star alchemist was lecturing a two-star alchemist, leaving him speechless... Everyone swallowed hard.

"President Ouyang, you must have heard what Alchemist Hongyun just said," Zhang Xuan stated, openly approaching President Ouyang. "Please give me that money, along with the one million deposit I paid in advance..."

Ignoring their stunned expressions, Zhang Xuan brazenly approached President Ouyang and took the gold notes previously handed over. The crowd was speechless. "You're such an incredible alchemist," they thought. "You could just sell a few pills and rake in money. Is it really worth being so petty over such a small sum?"

Disregarding their odd looks, Zhang Xuan neatly tucked away the money and nodded with satisfaction. He had originally gone to great lengths to earn money for these two items, even disguising himself as a master teacher and giving advice everywhere. But now, the herbs were acquired, and the money wasn't even spent... If he had known this, why bother pretending to be a master teacher? He had exhausted himself for nothing. Zhang Xuan was utterly frustrated.

After his test, Alchemist Hongyun acknowledged the young man's genuine talent and no longer stood in his way. Leaving the Alchemist Guild, Zhang Xuan headed towards the academy.

Upon hearing the news of the "Master Teacher Yang Xuan," Lu Xun and Wang Chao could no longer sit still. They hurried out of the academy, and just as they reached the entrance, they saw a young man listlessly walking towards them. The man's eyes were bloodshot, and his hair was disheveled, clearly indicating he hadn't slept in days.

"Lu Xun, it's Zhang Xuan..." Wang Chao whispered.

"Him?" Lu Xun glanced up, shaking his head with a hint of disdain. "A respectable academy teacher, so unkempt and careless about his appearance. I truly can't understand why the academy recruited such an individual!"

"I think this guy must have been terrified by your challenge," Wang Chao chuckled. "He's probably been trying to devise a countermeasure these past few days, which is why he's so sleep-deprived and disheveled."

Who was Teacher Lu Xun? He was the most famous and popular teacher in Hongtian Academy, with aspiring students lining up to become his disciples. A challenge from him would make even elders break out in a sweat. A minor teacher who had only arrived last year must have been terrified out of his wits. Why else would he look so disheveled?

"Thinking of countermeasures?" Teacher Lu Xun shook his head, his eyes gleaming with strong confidence. "At Hongtian Academy, anyone who dreams of surpassing me in teaching is simply deluding themselves!"

"Indeed," Wang Chao chuckled. "Honestly, it's just his bad luck. You were looking for an opportunity to make a grand rise and attract the attention of master teachers, and he just happened to show up. He deserves to be put in his place."

Although Emperor Shen Zhui's invitation to Teacher Liu and others was kept secret, publicly declared as a hunting trip, many well-informed individuals already knew the truth. Lu Xun had long been prepared to attract the attention of master teachers and secure an apprenticeship. Even if Wang Tao and Wang Yan hadn't dropped out of Zhang Xuan's class, Lu Xun would have found another reason to make a strong rise. With Zhang Xuan practically offering himself up for public humiliation, Lu Xun naturally intended to seize the opportunity.

"Come on! Let's hurry and find Master Yang," Lu Xun said, waving his hand. "Otherwise, it'll be too late, and we might have to wait indefinitely." To him, Zhang Xuan was merely an insignificant side note on his path to becoming a master teacher, not worth any genuine hatred or anger.

"Indeed," Wang Chao agreed, "Master Yang is the one we should be striving for. This Zhang Xuan is just a minor figure from a small academy..." Wang Chao nodded in agreement and dismissed Zhang Xuan from his mind. The two then strode past Zhang Xuan with an air of superiority, not even sparing him a glance.

Zhang Xuan watched the two approaching teachers deliberately hold their heads high, exuding an air of aloof superiority and indifference, and felt utterly puzzled. *Who are these two dimwits?* Although he had agreed to a challenge with Teacher Lu Xun, he had never actually met the man and had no idea this was him. Hongtian Academy had hundreds of teachers. As he had only arrived the previous year and wasn't well-known, it was perfectly normal for him not to recognize the famous teacher.