Chapter 49 If you don't want to disobey your teacher, then I will…
The shopkeeper wiped the cold sweat from his brow with a handkerchief and it took him a long time to recover.
He actually ran into a living Yama in broad daylight, how strange!
I couldn't tell how profound that man's cultivation was, but the way he stared at people was terrifying.
Moreover, cultivators with profound cultivation would never deign to use auxiliary pills like the Golden Spirit Pill. I don't know what this poor wretch is so arrogant about.
"A bottle of Golden Elixir from the shopkeeper."
The man buying the medicine was poorly dressed. The shopkeeper glanced at him, then turned and took out some pills from the drawer. But when it came time to pay, the man hesitated: "I've already taken three bottles, why hasn't my cultivation improved?"
He had been asked this question many times before, and casually replied, "Your aptitude is already inferior to others. How can you change it in a few days? The people who bought medicine from me a few days ago all broke through from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment."
"If you only consume pills without putting in the effort, how can your cultivation possibly progress?"
The man's gaze grew increasingly uncertain, revealing a struggle and pain within.
Xu Zangyu, who entered the room, saw everything clearly.
The man looked to be in his thirties or forties, but he was only at the Qi Refining stage, so his aptitude was clearly poor. Even if he used the Golden Spirit Pill, it would have little effect.
The shopkeeper's words contained a degree of deception.
Although Xu Zangyu didn't often manage the pharmacy's business, he knew that those who bought the Golden Spirit Pill the most were actually those with poor aptitude.
They see no hope for the future, yet cannot let go of their ambition to be mediocre, grasping at any glimmer of hope as a lifeline.
This kind of person doesn't need others to deceive him; he can deceive himself.
Moreover, it is difficult for someone who is not an expert in pharmacology to distinguish between genuine and fake Jinlingdan.
If he hadn't dealt with these medicinal herbs for several years, he wouldn't have been able to tell them apart at all.
The man was about to pay for his medicine when a disheveled, insane man snatched it away.
"I want this Golden Elixir."
"Where did this beggar come from? Get lost!"
No one knew when this madman barged in. The shopkeeper, who had been threatened earlier and was holding back his anger, immediately kicked him.
But this madman was quite agile, deliberately hiding behind others, and he couldn't even touch a corner of their clothes, which only made him angrier.
"You lunatic, do you think you can take this medicine?"
"Fine, I'll buy it. I bought mine from you last time." Xu Cangyu opened the medicine bottle, popped a pill into his mouth, chewed it a couple of times, and then spat it out.
It really is a fake.
What a swindler Jishetang! What a swindler Qiushui Sect that claims to save the world! They actually managed to fool him!
He just wanted to run a business honestly, but he didn't earn a single penny and was even whipped three times and kicked out of the house.
Xu Zangyu grew angrier the more he thought about it, and kicked the shopkeeper as he tried to grab him.
The man was kicked onto the cabinet, and just as he was about to get up, he was stomped back down.
"Do you think I'm blind? You tried to fool me with fake medicine. I just stepped out the door, changed my clothes, and the medicine was completely different from what was advertised!"
The shopkeeper's expression changed drastically upon hearing this, as he couldn't recall ever seeing the person before.
However, the most important thing right now is to prevent this madman from causing a big commotion!
He shouted, "Why aren't you grabbing him?!"
Suddenly, a flying knife came straight at Xu Zangyu. He retreated and dodged it, knocking it back with his bamboo staff.
There was no sound from the corner until a tall, burly man emerged from the shadows, holding the throwing knife that Xu Cangyu had tossed to him.
"Not bad."
As soon as he finished speaking, four more people approached from all four directions, all of them experts at the Golden Core stage.
Xu Zangyu sneered, "No wonder no one bothers you. It turns out you know how to handle trouble."
The shopkeeper scrambled to his feet, speaking in a low, menacing voice that could be heard only by the two of them:
"You know that's good. If you want to live a good life, then don't cause trouble for yourself."
He then addressed the guests, who were still there with varying expressions, saying, "Our Jishetang originally intended to accumulate good karma by lowering the price of the Golden Spirit Pill at a loss, but unexpectedly, some unscrupulous individuals took the opportunity to extort money from us. We apologize for disturbing you all."
The reputation of Qiushui Sect was widespread, and the crowd was immediately enraged, directly cursing Xu Zangyu:
"How come you're the only one who bought fake medicine? I've taken it several times and it's always been real."
"How could the Qiushui Sect sell fake medicine? They're just desperate to scam people!"
Selling both genuine and counterfeit goods is not uncommon; it's just unscrupulous vendors targeting specific customers.
Even modern online shopping sometimes involves mixing genuine and counterfeit products depending on the region, yet those shops still manage to sell hundreds of thousands of items without any issues.
But he's barefoot and not afraid of those wearing shoes; he's determined to get his revenge today.
"What's fake can't become real, and what's real can't become fake. You're betting I won't dare to confront you head-on? Sorry, I'm not good at reading people's expressions."
The shopkeeper spat out a mouthful of blood and foam, "I've never seen anyone as eager to die as you."
The five Golden Core cultivators pressed forward relentlessly, all brandishing their weapons. Xu Cangyu had no choice but to be on high alert. But before he could make a move, several small paper figures suddenly flew onto their heads.
The five Golden Core cultivators froze, like marionettes frozen in place.
There was indeed a thread connecting them, faint and indistinct, through the little paper figures, extending all the way to the outside of the door.
Who could control five Golden Cores at the same time?!
The shopkeeper looked in astonishment towards the door, and as a figure in a snow-blue robe drifted in, he looked up and saw a face that was unforgettable.
This isn't that poor, stingy guy!
"You even dare to kill my disciples who have no other way to go."
He raised his long, slender fingers together and gently tapped them; the five golden cores knelt down in unison.
With a thud, everyone's hearts stopped.
Who doesn't know there's nowhere to go!
That sect that appears and disappears like a ghost, whose gates are impossible to find, whose methods are so wicked they are comparable to the King of Hell at midnight.
Everyone was curious, but they also prayed that they wouldn't run into someone who had no way to get there.
Few people have ever seen the sect leader of the Wumen Sect, and who knows what kind of demonic face he looks like?
But apart from the sect leader of Wumen, no one could think of anyone else who could control five Golden Core cultivators at will.
The shopkeeper almost forgot to breathe, and his legs went weak. As the man walked over, he involuntarily backed away until his back hit the counter.
The man didn't even look at him, walking past him and heading straight for the disheveled boy.
With a light tap of the fingertip, a messy person is transformed into a delicate and beautiful one.
The boy's familiar face finally reminded him where he had seen him before; it was the little paper doll with a nose and eyes that had been sitting on the man's shoulder earlier.
Wen Qianchu's gaze lingered on the bamboo staff in his hand. "You really intend to use this stick to deal with five Golden Core cultivators?"
Xu Zangyu felt somewhat ashamed: "If I can't beat them, I'll run away."
Wen Qianchu sighed, "Next time, remember to mention your name, 'No Way to Get Here'."
……Um?
Wen Qianchu twitched her finger, and a manipulated golden core split open the medicine cabinet, took out a medicine bottle hidden in the drawer, and handed it to Wen Qianchu.
Wen Qianchu took out a bottle and smelled it, her voice neither cold nor indifferent: "Do you think I don't know what's good? Or do you think the disciples of the Gateless Sect are easy to bully?"
The shopkeeper turned pale with fright and couldn't speak for a long time. Little did he know that the disciple who had no door was a beggar.
What do they need the Golden Spirit Pill for?
He cried and said, "How dare I neglect your sect? These few bottles are probably defective products that were accidentally brought up. It's all our fault."
Wen Qianchu scoffed, "You're not worthy to speak to me, even if you summon your sect leader to see me."
The man was heartbroken and quickly sent someone back to report.
The crowd of onlookers had already formed three or four layers deep, but no one dared to approach. They could only secretly observe the leader of the Go-No-Gate Sect from a distance.
It is said that no one survives in the Wumen Sect, and this sect leader does not look like the rumored blue-faced fanged man. Instead, he is a handsome and refined gentleman.
However, he was far away and unapproachable, unlike the kind-looking disciple beside him.
"Isn't Jishetang part of the Qiushui Sect? Do they really sell fake medicine?"
"Why don't the ones I bought before seem fake?"
A poorly dressed man picked up a half-eaten Golden Elixir and asked the disciples of the immortal sect, "Excuse me, everyone, is this bottle of mine genuine?"
The group smelled them but couldn't tell the difference. Fortunately, a senior disciple who practiced alchemy was among them. He held up the two bottles for comparison and finally said to the man in tattered clothes:
"Your bottle is fake."
This caused a huge uproar.
"You heartless bastard, you actually sell counterfeit goods! I trusted you so much that I've been buying from your Jishetang store all this time!"
"Give me my money back!"
"Give me my money back!"
The shopkeeper felt a chill run down his spine as he endured the insults. The sect leader of Qiushui Sect finally arrived late, followed by his disciple Lu Ming. He was clearly taken aback when he saw Xu Cangyu standing beside him.
"We will definitely compensate Sect Leader Wen for the injustice he suffered today, but I think there must be some misunderstanding. Our Qiushui Sect would never dare to sell fake medicine," Sect Leader Chen greeted him with a smile.
Wen Qianchu remained unmoved. "Don't try to get close to me. Besides, it's not me who's been wronged, it's my little apprentice."
"Little apprentice?"
The master and disciple looked at Xu Zangyu. Wasn't this a discarded disciple of the Tianyi Sect?
When Wen Qianchu took him back before he finished the ten lashes, he thought the kid would be whipped to death, but he ended up with nowhere to go.
"Your Qiushui Sect made a solemn promise and obtained the account book back then, but it turns out you were just fooling me and Sect Leader Chu. Now, one of my disciples has suffered a damaged foundation and another is seriously injured. It seems that I should settle this score with your Qiushui Sect."
Wen Qianchu hooked his finger, and the little paper figure's neck tightened. The five kneeling Golden Core cultivators turned red and their necks twisted into abnormal arcs. Chen Shu panicked and tried to stop them.
"Sect Leader Wen, please show mercy. I rarely manage the affairs of Jishetang, so I have entrusted them all to my disciple. Please allow me to review them."
He kicked the man hiding behind him, yelling, "Aren't you going to explain what's going on?"
Just as the man was thinking of how to fool them, he heard his sect leader transmit his voice:
"Don't try to shirk responsibility. Think it through before you speak and I can save your life. If you say the wrong thing, you might as well not have your life."
The man couldn't believe he had been abandoned like this; his eyes instantly dimmed, and he knelt on the ground.
"I'm sorry, Sect Leader. I was blinded by greed. I thought you wouldn't know, so I mixed in fake medicine to make a profit. Sect Leader, I will never dare to do it again."
"I will return all the profits I made from Jishetang. As for you, I will cripple your greedy hands." Chen Shu looked at Wen Qianchu, "What do you think, Wen Qianchu?"
The pain of losing a hand is not much different from the three lashes Xu Zangyu suffered, and being able to clear his name this time is already the best outcome.
Xu Zangyu knew that Sect Leader Chen was somewhat tolerant of his disciples, but who wouldn't protect their own? Besides, Sect Leader Chen might know that Jishetang was selling fake medicine, which affected the sect's reputation. In any case, Sect Leader Chen would not let the matter escalate further.
In the midst of the stalemate, a sneer rang in my ears.
"Not good."
Wen Qianchu’s tone was calm yet aggressive: “How can a severed hand compare to the Three Whips to Strike the Soul and being expelled from the sect?”
His fingers suddenly loosened, and the five golden cores broke free from their restraints, panting wildly. Their bodies remained stiff for a long time, unable to recover from the fear of their souls being controlled.
Chen Shu's ever-present smile turned ugly. "Then what about the Wen family head?"
A sickly, thin young man walked in from outside the door. It was Zhou Hui, who had arrived at some unknown time. He first glanced at Xu Zangyu, who was unharmed, before saying to Wen Qianchu, "Master."
“You’ve come at the perfect time,” he said, pointing to the man kneeling on the ground. “You’re the culprit behind the sale of counterfeit medicine. Take your men and hand them over to Master Chu. You’ll receive ten lashes as well, not one less.”
Chen Shu: "Sect Leader Wen, this is probably not a good idea..."
Everyone knows that Chu Yang is a man who doesn't tolerate personal feelings. The whips of his Tianyi Sect's Enforcement Hall hurt from the inside out to the very soul; ten lashes wouldn't be enough to cripple a person.
The kneeling man's face changed drastically, and he repeatedly begged for mercy: "Sect Leader, my crime doesn't deserve this. I only made a mistake and have no merit, so..."
Chen Shu used his spiritual power to freeze him in place, his face grim. "This person is at the mercy of Sect Master Wen."
Zhou Hui forced everyone into the Tianyi Sect. After the others left, Chen Shu had no intention of staying any longer, leaving only Lu Ming to deal with the mess.
"We will no longer sell Jinling Pills to avoid trouble for now. We also remind pharmacies in all regions to be careful."
"Yes, Master. I will handle it."
Lu Ming's mood didn't change much. Even losing a disciple was a small matter that wouldn't shake the Autumn Water Sect.
To his surprise, Xu Zangyu managed to get the elusive Wen Qianchu to not punish him, but instead accept him as a disciple.
He was eager to see for himself how exceptional this person was.
On the way back, Xu Zangyu hesitated for a long time before finally asking the question that had been bothering him: "You didn't come to Jishetang specifically to investigate this matter, did you?"
Wen Qianchu asked, "Have you vented your anger?"
Like a gentle breeze, neither too fast nor too fierce, it soothes the restlessness and leaves a lingering tenderness.
Xu Zangyu couldn't understand how cunning and gentleness could coexist in one person, but Wen Qianchu was indeed such a contradictory person.
He hadn't forgotten how Wen Qianchu had secretly plotted against him when she taught him the art of commanding generals.
"You... came here specifically to avenge me? What if Jishetang really did nothing wrong..."
"It's not the fault of the disciples who have no disciples."
This statement is utterly unreasonable and extremely biased; it's unclear whether the disciple in question is referring to Zhou Hui or to him.
"Do you think I'm more suited to be a disciple of Wumen or your ghost general?"
Wen Qianchu paused for a moment, but did not say it directly, "No matter what you choose, you will still be my disciple, Wen Qianchu."
Okay, Master, I might as well take advantage of this freebie.
Xu Zangyu smiled sincerely, "Then I think it's better to be alive, so that I can better serve my master. Otherwise, even if there's a storm or snow, that paper doll body won't be able to hold an umbrella for you."
A faint smile played at the corners of his straight lips. "I'll thank God you don't even think about disobeying your teacher."
"I didn't go that far."
As the conversation faded into the distance, Jishetang was suddenly enveloped by a powerful aura. Lu Ming, who had thought Wen Qianchu had left, turned back and was surprised to see who it was.
"Sect Leader Chu, Third Elder, what's going on... I remember that the disciple from Jishetang who made a mistake has already been taken to Tianyi Sect."
These two weren't the only ones who came; Xiao Mingxin and Chu Shu also arrived.
"I came to ask about Xu Zangyu."
"Oh, so it was for Brother Xu," he suddenly laughed, gloating. "He's already been taken back by Sect Leader Wen."
The Third Elder stammered, "How...is he doing?"
"That Sect Master Wen is protecting like the apple of his eye. He even came here specifically to vent his anger for me. He must be doing quite well."
The Third Elder breathed a sigh of relief, but a look of guilt welled up inside him, his expression as complex as Chu Yang's.
I wonder if he regretted coming all this way, having given away a disciple who had nowhere to go.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
