"Play? You guys are thinking too much! "
Seeing that the other party's face had turned green, Zhang Xuan remained calm and composed. Instead, he chuckled softly and said, "What I said earlier was' Since you want to forge a Verdant Crystalline Pill, I'll say that you bought a fake '. I didn't mean that this isn't Verdant Bamboo!"
Hearing his tongue-twisting words, the elder and Liu Chang looked at each other. The latter could not help but ask, "What do you mean?"
The attendant, Zhao Feiwu, and the others were confused as well. They had no idea what this fellow was up to.
"It's simple. This is indeed a Verdant Bamboo, but if one were to use its leaves to concoct a Verdant Crystalline Pill, not only would it be ineffective, one would even die from it!"
Zhang Xuan.
"Death? What a joke. At Transcendent Mortal realm, one would be able to communicate with the heavens and the earth, allowing one to comprehend the nature with one's soul. As such, it was extremely easy for one to develop inner demons. The Jadeite Crystalline Pill could grant one the Heart of Exquisiteness. Even if one were to develop inner demons, it would still be able to alleviate the effects of the inner demons. If there are only benefits, how can it kill people? "
Liu Chang waved his hand in disbelief.
Even the old man could not help but shake his head.
At the Transcendent Mortal realm, one would be able to communicate with the world, allowing one's Soul Depth to expand limitlessly. At this stage, it was very easy for inner demons to form. The Emerald Jewel Pill was the best medicine to eliminate inner demons. He had even taken one before, and its effects were indescribable. How could it kill someone?
If this wasn't nonsense, then what was?
On top of that, as a skilled appraiser, not only had Zhang Xuan eaten the Linglong Pill, he had even appraised it for someone else and consumed it before him.
Death from consumption … was practically unheard of.
"Can you prove it?"
The elder harrumphed coldly.
If he couldn't prove it, then he was just talking nonsense.
"If it were anyone else, other than concocting a pill for others to consume, there would be no other way. However … I really do have a way!"
As if knowing that the other party would ask such a question, Zhang Xuan's lips curled up into a smile. Turning to Liu Chang, he said, "I'll have to trouble you to pluck the next leaf!"
Liu Chang glanced at the old man. Seeing the latter nod, he walked over and plucked a tender leaf.
"Burn it and see!" Zhang Xuan didn't interfere and continued.
"Teacher …"
"Do as he says!" The old man waved his hand.
Even though he didn't really believe this fellow's words, the other party was simply too calm.
If it was really Hu Shuo, facing his strength and prestige, he would have panicked long ago. However, not only was this fellow not panicking, he was even brimming with confidence. Even he felt a little puzzled.
Could it be … that this Jadeite Bamboo was fake?
Impossible!
Zhang Xuan had specially examined it several times, and regardless of whether it was the branches, the leaves, the aura it emanated, or the degree of toughness … there was nothing wrong with it.
"Yes!"
Hearing his teacher's reply, Liu Chang nodded. He took out a flint and glanced at the young man not too far away. Harrumphing coldly, he said, "This bamboo leaf is worth at least several dozen spirit stones. If you dare to lie to me, you'll have to pay for your losses..."
There were only a dozen leaves on this Verdant Bamboo, which were worth 300 Spirit Stones. Each leaf was worth a lot of money.
A single leaf was more than sufficient to buy a city in Tianwu Kingdom.
It was not an exaggeration to say that it was priceless.
Yet, just because this fellow said that it was a fake, he was going to have to burn a huge portion of it. Even as a 2-star appraiser, he couldn't help but feel his heart ache.
"Don't worry. If there's a problem, I won't mind compensating you. However … I'm afraid that you won't be able to say such words in a moment's time … "
Zhang Xuan.
"I would like to see what you're up to!"
Seeing the other party's confidence, Liu Chang harrumphed coldly as he continued to burn the bamboo leaf.
Weng!
After burning for around two minutes, just as Liu Chang was about to say that nothing had happened, he suddenly felt a jolt in his palm. The lush verdant leaf suddenly turned black, and the jade-like veins on it reeked of an incomparably foul odor. As though a malevolent demon, an eerie aura emanated from it.
"Ah …"
Shocked, Liu Chang lost his grip on the torch and the bamboo leaf, causing it to fall to the ground.
"This …"
By the side, Jin Conghai and Gu Mu stared at one another in astonishment.
"Hmm?"
The expressionless elder had been staring at Zhang Xuan the entire time, but at this moment, his face warped in astonishment. He hurriedly grabbed the fallen bamboo leaf in his hands, and his eyes flickered with disbelief. "What a formidable poison. If this is forged into a Verdant Crystalline Pill, not only will it not be able to expel one's inner demons, it will even seep into one's zhenqi and invade one's heart and lungs, causing one's death on the spot …"
As he spoke, cold sweat was already dripping down his forehead.
If the other party didn't say anything and brought the bamboo leaf back to forge a pill, it would surely cause the death of many. His reputation would be ruined as well!
This was especially so for himself. He was intending to consume a pill after he had forged the Verdant Crystalline Pill as well …
If he were to really consume it … Putting aside his reputation and standing, he might even lose his life.
"What's going on?"
With an awful complexion, the elder lost his composure. He turned to look at the attendant who was selling the bamboo leaf not too far away.
Dang lang!
Liu Chang's face darkened as well. With a flick of his wrist, he drew his sword and pointed it at the attendant, as though he would immediately kill the other party if he were to spout any nonsense.
It was one thing if the bamboo leaf was a fake, but that only meant that their eye of discernment was lacking. Clearly, someone had poisoned the leaf. The young man before them had only spoken, not touching it at all. From the start to the end, only the attendant had come into contact with it. Who else could it be other than him?
"Ah … Master Sai, spare me! I am just a receptionist, I don't know what's going on. Besides, even an elder like you is unable to discern the poison. I don't have the ability to do so …"
The attendant was so frightened that his knees caved in. He kneeled onto the floor and kowtowed profusely.
Others might not know the identity and strength of this elder, but he was well aware of it!
If the other party were to kill him out of anger, he would die in vain.
Under such circumstances, how could he dare to hesitate? He immediately kneeled down and admitted his mistake.
"Alright, he really doesn't know!"
Recovering from his shock, the elder realized that he had blamed the other party wrongly. Thus, he waved his hands and gestured for Liu Chang to keep his weapon.
Such a lethal poison was hidden within the leaves of the Verdant Bamboo, making it impossible to discern it. Most likely, it was at least grade-4.
In other words, the person who poisoned the Verdant Bamboo was at least a 4-star poison master. How could such a person be willing to work as a mere attendant in the First Class Pavilion? Furthermore, if such a person wanted to harm him, he wouldn't have made things so complicated.
After all, he might not have bought the Verdant Bamboo. To poison it in advance was to harm him, so it was inexcusable.
"Hmph!"
Even as he kept his weapon, Liu Chang was still fuming.
The medicinal herb that his teacher bought contained lethal poison. If news of this were to spread, he could imagine how much trouble he would be in.
To think that such a thing would exist in the First Class Pavilion. Who in the world could it be?
What was he up to?
"Little brother, thank you for your help!"
Recovering from his shock, the elder looked at Zhang Xuan once more. Instead of disdain and judgment, his gaze was filled with praise and admiration.
Even he wasn't able to see anything wrong with the Verdant Bamboo. Yet, with just a glance, the other party was able to determine it without even approaching it. His eye of discernment was way too fearsome!
Most probably, the other party's appraising ability was even higher than his.
Fearsome!
"Are you sure that it's fake now?" Zhang Xuan lifted his eyelids.
"It's … fake!" The elder hesitated for a moment before nodding his head.
Verdant Bamboo could be used to forge pills that could calm one's mind and raise one's cultivation. Yet, this Verdant Bamboo could kill a person. Thus, it was understandable that it was fake.
"Actually, you don't have to blame him or the First Class Pavilion. They didn't poison this Verdant Bamboo. In fact, no one poisoned it!" With his hands behind his back, Zhang Xuan raised his head slightly and said calmly.
"No one poisoned it?"
The elder was perplexed. Even Jin Conghai and Gu Mu couldn't help but look over.
Others might not know much about poison, but the two of them were true poison masters. Having come into contact with poison since young, they were well-versed in it.
The poison that Zhang Xuan had just used was extremely bizarre. Even when it seeped into one's meridians, it was difficult to detect it. The poison was so potent that it could even kill a Transcendent Mortal 3-dan cultivator easily. If not for a 4-star poison master concocting it, there was no way that it could be explained.
If no one poisoned the Verdant Bamboo, then … where did the poison come from?
"Bring me the information on where the Verdant Bamboo is produced!"
Instead of answering the doubts of the crowd, Zhang Xuan turned to the attendant.
"Yes …"
Hearing the young man speak up for him and the First Class Pavilion, the attendant looked at him in gratitude before hurriedly backing out. Not too long later, he returned with a book in hand.
Most large shopping malls would record the history of the purchase of a treasure into a book to prevent the buyer from inquiring about it.
Firstly, it would highlight the value of the treasure, and secondly, it would be convenient for the buyer to look into the matter if there were any problems.
"Read it out!" Zhang Xuan instructed.
"Un!" The attendant nodded his head and flipped through the book. "The Verdant Bamboo is produced in the Hongxu Marsh. It was discovered by a merchant group, and four months ago, they plucked it using a unique method and sent it here …"
The records on the Verdant Bamboo in the First Class Pavilion were extremely detailed, including who dug it out, who sent it here, where it was traded, and what method was used to maintain its freshness …
The introduction alone was several hundred words long.
However, after hearing the introduction, not only did the crowd not find it clear, they were even more perplexed.
That was because, just like what the young man had said, these records were all handled by humans. There was no chance of meeting a poison master, so naturally, no one poisoned the Verdant Bamboo.
But if it wasn't poisoned, then what was it?
"That lethal poison seeped into the leaves, but it didn't harm the plant at all. In fact, it was impossible to tell from the surface at all. Even a 4-star poison master would have to spend a significant amount of time to accomplish such a feat!"
Jin Conghai's expression turned grim. At the same time, he was perplexed.
If these records were real, then there was indeed no chance of poisoning the Verdant Bamboo.
After all, even for a 4-star master teacher, it wasn't an easy task to poison the Verdant Bamboo so discreetly.
Poison wasn't just lethal. Potent poison could even poison a plant to death easily.
"What in the world is going on?"
The more he listened, the more perplexed he became. Unable to make sense of the situation, Appraiser Liu Chang turned to look at Zhang Xuan.
"You don't understand?"
Zhang Xuan chuckled lightly. "Alright, I'll explain it to you then! I believe everyone here should be well aware of what the Hongxu Marsh produces! "
"Produces? This place produces the [Withered Leaf Tea] … Could it be related to that? "
The elder couldn't help but ask.
(Please give me a recommendation vote!)
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
