Chapter 4: You Have Lost

Poison? Who dares claim that Master Wu’s elixirs are poison? Are they tired of living?

The crowd, shocked and incensed, turned toward the sound, eager to see which reckless fool had dared question Master Wu’s pill.

In the next instant, every gaze converged on Jun Wushuang. He was the one who had spoken.

“Jun Wushuang? And what are you supposed to be, to dare challenge Master Wu’s medicine?”

“Do you still fancy yourself the top prodigy of Jiangning City? Now you’re nothing but a cripple, yet you haven’t bothered to take a good look at yourself. You dare question Master Wu?”

“He must be twisted inside, unable to bear seeing others succeed—this is nothing more than a pathetic attempt at attention, a clown act that brings shame to the Jun family.”

Taunts and derision came in a steady stream.

Jun Wushuang had once been the brightest star of Jiangning City, admired by all. But now, he was no better than a rat on the street—everyone wanted him gone.

What’s more, this time he had dared challenge Master Wu, fueling everyone’s outrage.

Between Master Wu and Jun Wushuang, one soared in the heavens, the other crawled in the dirt; it was obvious whose side the people would take.

“Jun Wushuang, I’ll let this go for the sake of your youth. If you apologize, I won’t make things difficult for you.”

Master Wu naturally recognized Jun Wushuang. But even before the latter’s fall, with his own status and strength, there was little need to show deference.

Yet Jun Wushuang’s public challenge had humiliated him, and his expression chilled.

“Jun Wushuang, didn’t you hear? Master Wu is generous and won’t hold it against you. Get on your knees and apologize at once! Offend him, and not even the Jun family can save you.”

The crowd, blindly worshipful, raised their voices in rebuke.

Jun Wushuang, however, remained calm and unruffled.

“Master Wu, since you are so confident, why don’t we make a wager?”

“If this Heavenly Fragrant Jade Dew Pill can cure the elder, I’ll not only kneel and apologize, but submit myself to your mercy.”

“But if it fails, I ask for nothing but three stalks of Sun Spirit Grass.”

Jun Wushuang spoke up, revealing his intent.

He had come to the Hall of Treasures for the Sun Spirit Grass. Now, with a chance to win it without spending a single coin, how could he let it slip by?

Who knew—he might even walk away with a million spirit stones for free!

“How despicable—so he’s after the Sun Spirit Grass!”

“Jun Wushuang, trying to get something for nothing!”

“Is he mad, staking his life on three stalks of Sun Spirit Grass? Pricey as it may be, is it worth gambling your life?”

As Jun Wushuang’s intent became clear, the crowd was left dumbfounded.

No one had imagined he would go to such extremes—putting his life on the line for a few stalks of grass. Was this not madness?

“Jun Wushuang, I’ve already given you a chance, but you know neither heaven nor earth. Since you wish for death, I’ll oblige you.”

“I accept your wager!”

Rage smoldered in Master Wu’s eyes.

He had been ready to let Jun Wushuang go, but the latter had dared press his luck. There was no place for forgiveness now.

Want to die? Offending me, even that will be hard.

The wager was struck, the crowd all witnesses.

“Young lady, if you trust me, give your grandfather this Heavenly Fragrant Jade Dew Pill. If not, consider my intervention meddling.”

Master Wu offered the choice to the young woman.

“You are a third-grade alchemist—I trust you, please save my grandfather! Nothing must happen to him!”

She did not hesitate; she chose Master Wu at once.

Though not an alchemist herself, she had encountered many elixirs and could recognize the extraordinary nature of this pill.

It was indeed a supreme tonic for healing and restoration; the notion of it being poison was laughable.

Besides, between Jun Wushuang—the fallen youth at the Body Forging stage—and Master Wu—a third-grade alchemist at the Divine Sea realm—the latter was naturally far more convincing.

With this in mind, she wasted no time, carefully feeding the pill to her grandfather.

Every eye in the hall was glued to the scene.

Now, the elder’s recovery was more than just a matter of life and death; it was the key to the wager between Jun Wushuang and Master Wu.

All who had championed Master Wu now hoped to see Jun Wushuang put in his place.

The elixir was swallowed.

Master Wu, composed and supremely confident, stood at ease.

As a third-grade alchemist, his skills were unmatched in Jiangning City.

Though the elder’s illness was severe, it was nothing beyond his abilities—one dose would surely cure him.

He was already pondering how best to punish Jun Wushuang.

Though a son of the Jun family, even Jun Zhantian had to show him respect.

And now that Jun Wushuang’s Dragon King body had been destroyed, he was nothing but a cripple.

If he did not teach Jun Wushuang a lesson today, would every stray dog and cat presume to climb over his head?

He must make an example of him!

Suddenly—

Just as Master Wu stood with unwavering confidence, a shocking change occurred.

Not only did the elder’s black spots fail to vanish, they erupted like a storm, spreading across his entire body.

In an instant, the elder’s skin turned pitch black, and a putrid, poisonous stench filled the air like a miasma of plague.

“What’s happening?”

A gasp swept the crowd as they recoiled, fearful of contagion.

How could Master Wu’s personally crafted premium spirit pill have no effect?

Doubt rippled through the onlookers.

The ground beneath the elder was already blackened and rotting from the virulent poison—a sight that inspired terror.

“Th-this...”

Master Wu’s face changed dramatically, disbelief written in every line.

He could feel it—the elder’s illness had not eased but grown drastically worse. Judging by his appearance, the man would soon die from the poison.

How could this be?

The Heavenly Fragrant Jade Dew Pill was an antidote he had crafted with great care, investing much of his energy and rarest herbs.

By all rights, it should have neutralized any poison.

Moreover, his earlier examination had shown the elder’s poisoning was not especially severe.

What was going on? What had happened?

Master Wu felt himself plunge into an abyss, unable to accept the result.

At that moment, Jun Wushuang’s voice sounded softly at his ear.

“The poison that afflicts the elder is highly unusual. Ordinary antidotes cannot resolve it.”

“Your Jade Dew Pill is excellent and easily dispels common toxins, but for this elder, it is more lethal than poison.”

“Now, your pill has triggered the poison within him. Not even a god could save him now.”

“In other words, you have lost.”

The words “you have lost” were like three razor-edged daggers, stabbing into Master Wu’s heart, leaving him cold and disbelieving.

How could I, a third-grade alchemist, possibly lose?