Chapter 490

Chapter 490: The Master’s Fury

"Your Wood Thunder Pill might only have thirty percent success rate for other Grandmaster alchemists, but my master achieves over fifty percent. Three sets of materials will suffice!" Mi Qing declared with confidence.

Though Mi Qing’s bold claim of surpassing Grandmasters would normally draw skepticism, this situation differed. Fang Lie’s Spirit Nourishing Pills had already proven superior to most Grandmaster-level works.

Immortal Qingning still harbored doubts, yet he found himself compelled to believe. His face lit with excitement as he said gratefully, "If your master truly refines the Wood Thunder Pill for me, it’ll solve my greatest problem!"

"City Lord, there’s no need for formalities," Mi Qing replied courteously. "This benefits us both. We’ll rely on your assistance regarding the materials."

"Consider it done!" Immortal Qingning thumped his chest. "I’ll have everything prepared immediately. When the pills are complete, you’ll receive your promised surprise!"

Mi Qing inwardly scoffed at the Old Fox’s tactics—withholding materials until pill delivery revealed his lingering distrust. Still, she remained unbothered. A few months’ delay meant little if Fang Lie succeeded.

The agreement settled, Immortal Qingning departed after leaving the materials. Mi Qing carried them to Fang Lie.

"Master, the City Lord’s materials are here. When will you begin?" she asked.

"Tomorrow," Fang Lie grimaced. "Today I’ll study normal alchemy procedures. Damn it—I don’t even know the basics! Have to start from scratch… annoying." He pulled out a beginner’s manual titled *Pill Fire Guide*.

Mi Qing muffled a laugh and quietly withdrew.

The next morning, Fang Lie commenced his efforts in the Flying Boat’s alchemy chamber. Igniting the furnace, he followed the manual’s instructions to add herbs.

Without using Nirvana Fire, Fang Lie’s skills fell below apprentice level. By day’s end, he’d ruined batches of herbs. His sole achievement? Avoiding furnace explosions—though not from skill. The herbs simply charred before reaching that stage, filling the air with acrid smoke.

Fang Lie repeatedly expelled the stench with magic, inundating the back garden with burnt odors.

That same day, Great Pill Master Li Wan visited the garden to investigate. One whiff told the seasoned alchemist everything—scorched herbs.

Alchemy demanded precision: flames purged impurities while preserving Spiritual Energy, balancing Five Elements and Yin-Yang harmonies. Burnt herbs meant catastrophic failure, a mistake even Qi Sea-level alchemists avoided.

This stench confirmed Li Wan’s suspicions—the so-called "Master Yuan" was a fraud.

Enraged, Li Wan soared before the Flying Boat and bellowed, "Imposter! Show yourself!"

Though merely a Nascent Soul True Immortal, his roar echoed for miles. The commotion drew Mi Qing, Immortal Qingning, Immortal Wulian, Flower Sword, Wind Tribulation Immortals, and thousands of curious low-level Cultivators—all eyes fixed on the unfolding drama.

"Who are you?" Mi Qing shouted angrily. "Why are you causing such a disturbance here?"

Immortal Qingning was startled. He hadn’t expected Li Wan to act so rashly. What if this offended Master Yuan? Who would refine his pills then?

He immediately spoke with gravity, "Master Li, what’s happening here?"

"City Lord!" Li Wan cried urgently. "We’ve all been tricked! The person inside isn’t any master – he’s clearly a fraud!"

"What? How can you tell?" Immortal Qingning gasped in shock.

"Just smell that burnt stench. Proper fire timing is fundamental in alchemy. Even the lowest alchemist apprentice knows never to scorch spirit herbs. Burning them ruins the entire batch and guarantees failure. Every master hammers this into disciples during training. Any certified alchemist would avoid this basic mistake." Li Wan sneered. "Yet this so-called ‘master’ let herbs burn? It’s laughable!"

The crowd gasped and turned to Mi Qing. Her face remained calm, showing no guilt but clear contempt.

Immortal Qingning’s eyes narrowed. He turned to Li Wan. "Could there be a misunderstanding? Perhaps Master Yuan was instructing his disciple?"

"Impossible! Though burnt, I recognized ingredients for the Wood Thunder Pill. There’s thousand-year Thunderbolt Pine heartwood here. Didn’t you trade a sixth-rank top treasure for that?" Li Wan pressed. "No true master would waste such treasures for practice!"

Immortal Qingning’s face darkened. He glared at Mi Qing. "Explain this!"

"Explanation?" Mi Qing laughed coldly. "Is this ‘Master Li’ an Alchemist Grandmaster?"

"Of course not!" Li Wan retorted.

"Then a Great Pill Master?"

"No! I’m just a regular alchemist!"

"Ha! A mere alchemist dares question my master?" Mi Qing’s voice dripped scorn. "My master stands at the threshold of becoming an Alchemist Grandmaster. What right has a century-old failure like you to accuse him?"

"You…" Li Wan flushed crimson. "Your ‘master’ is pure fraud! In my hundred years of alchemy, I’ve never seen herbs burnt like this!"

"That shows your limited skill!" Mi Qing shot back. "A hundred years and still mediocre, while my master hasn’t seen fifty winters. How dare you bark at his door? Shameless!"

She turned to Immortal Qingning. "City Lord, remove this madman before he disrupts the refining. Should the pill fail because of him, who’ll bear the blame?"

Immortal Qingning hesitated, brow furrowed.

Mi Qing’s expression frosted over. "If this small matter troubles you, we’ll take our leave."

"Wait! I’ll remove him immediately!" Immortal Qingning blurted. Grabbing Li Wan, he flew away with the entourage.

The back garden regained quiet, but Mi Qing noted new surveillance figures lurking beyond the walls – the City Lord’s watchmen.

In the City Lord’s mansion, the four leaders reconvened.

"City Lord, I stake my life on it – he’s a fraud! No proper alchemist burns herbs!" Li Wan insisted.

"Though no alchemist myself, even I know this," Immortal Wulian agreed. "Such errors prove him false."

"We already delivered the materials," Immortal Qingning said coldly. "Backing out now would make us the oath-breakers. We’ll wait these few months. If no Wood Thunder Pill appears… they’ll regret it."

"But they could claim ordinary failure!" Li Wan protested. "The pill’s success rate is notoriously low!"

"No." Immortal Qingning’s smile turned cruel. "Mi Qing swore her master achieves fifty percent success. Three material sets guarantee one pill. With their own vow, why act hastily?"

"Then we wait," Li Wan conceded. "But prevent their escape!"

"Worry not. The back garden’s surrounded – not a fly escapes. Let’s see what tricks remain when time runs out."