Chapter 24: Whether It Is a Beauty-Preserving Pill or Not, I Shall Vouch for Brother Lu!

In this society, alchemists are an extremely rare profession, and medicinal pills are even more precious. For ordinary people, who might only visit a doctor for a common cold or headache, seeing even a low-grade pill in their entire lifetime is unlikely. Such high-end goods circulate only among the wealthy, and any alchemist capable of refining low-grade pills is a highly sought-after prize for whom major sects would fight tooth and nail. Therefore, even Master Qin the Third had never seen a high-grade Beauty-Preserving Pill.

"It's hard to say. Judging by the scent and color, it does resemble a Heart-Clearing Pill, but..." He did not believe Lu Fan would try to pass off a Heart-Clearing Pill as a high-grade one. Yet, a high-grade Beauty-Preserving Pill was, to them, a god-tier item; how could Lu Fan possibly possess one?

Beside him, Lin Ziyu toyed with a lock of her hair, thinking that her little junior brother was truly generous to give a high-grade Beauty-Preserving Pill to the Jiang family. She knew better than anyone; she had pestered her master for a month years ago, and only then had he begrudgingly given her one. She hadn't even been able to bring herself to consume it yet, only occasionally taking a sniff. She planned to eat it when she reached forty or fifty, to return to her eighteen-year-old self in an instant and dazzle her peers. Lu Fan had given it to Old Madam Jiang so casually, yet these fools were ungrateful, questioning him instead!

Lin Ziyu’s eyes darted, and an idea formed instantly. "Master Qin, are you unable to make a judgment?"

Master Qin nodded. "I can offer opinions on tea appreciation or paintings, but as for high-grade pills, I have seen very few in my life. And as for things like Beauty-Preserving Pills, which women fancy, I have never encountered them at all. It is truly difficult to judge."

Hearing this, Shen Qianye became even more smug. "Lu Fan, you have quite the nerve, daring to pass off fish eyes as pearls to deceive Grandma."

"Lu Fan is truly calculating, substituting quality with trash."

"Following that logic, could I use a candy to pass off as a high-grade Hunyuan Pill? Everyone here has never seen one, so I could just say whatever I want, right?"

"Exactly. And people said he was a coward? I think he’s quite clever—just not in the right way, only making a fool of himself."

Listening to the gossip, Jiang Rusue’s face turned crimson with anger. She didn't understand; she had given him her card, so why hadn't he bought a proper gift? Even a piece of calligraphy or a set of jewelry would have been better than letting them be mocked like this today! "Lu Fan, you have disappointed me so much. I thought you were honest, but I never realized you were this kind of person!"

Shen Qianye took the opportunity to pour more oil on the fire: "Xue'er, you see it clearly now. This kid has been putting on an act the whole time; don't be fooled by him!"

Lu Fan sighed softly, feeling a sense of helplessness for the first time. It was like trying to explain the principles of ballistics to someone who only wanted to talk about how fresh the radishes were that evening. They weren't even on the same level; how was he supposed to explain?

Lu Fan stood with his hands behind his back, his expression indifferent. "Since none of you believe me, I have nothing more to say. Facts speak louder than words. Old Madam, just take this pill now. High-grade spiritual medicine has a much more direct effect than low-grade ones. Soon, everyone will know whether or not I have been lying."

Old Madam Jiang looked at the pill. Her intuition told her that Lu Fan was a good boy; even if it wasn't a high-grade Beauty-Preserving Pill, it wouldn't be poison meant to harm her. "Very well..."

Before she could reach for it, Shen Qianye stopped her. "Grandma, you cannot eat medicine of unknown origin! Aren't you afraid of something going wrong?"

Mother Jiang also urged, "What Beauty-Preserving Pill? If he really had such a top-tier pill, wouldn't he have sold it for money long ago instead of dressing like this? Mom, don't listen to him."

Jiang Rushan added, "That's right, Grandma. He's just spouting nonsense; don't fall for his trap and become a lab rat."

With the obstruction of the Jiang family and Shen Qianye, the Old Madam couldn't take the pill. Lin Ziyu suddenly spoke up: "Since none of you dare, why don't I be the lab rat? I’d be quite happy to."

Lu Fan looked at her, and she gave him a playful wink, clearly saying: *Little Junior Brother, I'm helping you out here.*

Their interaction looked like flirtation to Jiang Rusue. She subconsciously wanted to speak up for Lu Fan, but then she thought: even Master Qin couldn't judge the pill, what if it was fake? Could she bear the consequences? Holding the attitude that it was better to avoid trouble, she did not step forward.

Lin Ziyu took the box from Lu Fan's hand, while the Jiang family continued to look on as if watching a joke. "Miss Lin, let's be clear: this is something you chose to eat yourself. If anything goes wrong, it has nothing to do with us, and your Lin family shouldn't try to make a scene."

Lin Ziyu smiled brightly. "Don't worry. Not only will I not blame you, I will be eternally grateful. This is a high-grade Beauty-Preserving Pill, the dream of every woman's life!"

Someone nearby scoffed, "Miss Lin, you're so beautiful, don't take the wrong medicine and turn into a monster. Our Jiang family won't be held responsible!"

"Don't worry, I'm just afraid you'll regret it later and come crying, begging me to spit it back out."

Lin Ziyu’s confident smile made Jiang Rusue feel uneasy. She had already witnessed Lu Fan using acupuncture, and a single pill bringing Master Qin back from the brink of death. What if this really was a high-grade Beauty-Preserving Pill? She quickly dismissed the thought. How could Lu Fan possibly possess something that even Master Qin couldn't get his hands on? It must be that Lin Ziyu was saying this on purpose.

But in the next second, Lin Ziyu did something that shocked everyone. She walked over to Old Madam Qin with the box. "I’m already young and beautiful, so the effects won't be as obvious on me. It’s more effective the older you are. Old Madam, do you trust me?" she asked ingratiatingly. Old Madam Qin had grown quite fond of this eccentric little girl lately. If it were anyone else, she wouldn't have dared to believe it, but this medicine belonged to Lu Fan, and she had seen his medical skills firsthand.

"I trust you."

"Then, Old Madam, would you like to take it?"

The Jiang family’s expressions changed. "This is absurd! The Old Madam’s status is so noble, how could she consume something of such unknown origin?"

Old Madam Qin stepped forward and glared at them. "I believe in young Master Lu. Whether it is a Beauty-Preserving Pill or not, I will stake my reputation to vouch for him!"

With that, she took the pill. The people nearby felt their hearts tighten. "Old Madam, you mustn't!"

"Don't eat it!"

"It's over, it's over. The Jiang family is headed for disaster."

Old Madam Qin popped the pill into her mouth, feeling a bit nervous herself. To her surprise, the pill melted the moment it touched her tongue. Soon, several floral scents she couldn't name spread through her mouth, traveling down her throat and into her stomach.

Everyone looked at her anxiously. "Old Madam, do you feel any discomfort?"

"No, it just feels a bit cool."

As her voice trailed off, her body suddenly stiffened, and then she collapsed heavily.

"Quick, catch her!"