Reborn Medicine King

"Please, calm down. We'll get on it right away!"    

With that, the trio turned and left.    

Once they were gone, the expert standing by the side furrowed his brow, his eyes filled with concern.    

"What do we do now? We've completely lost the trail."    

The leading man remained silent for a long time, gathering his thoughts only after they exited the courtyard.    

"Two people of that size moving around town can't leave no trace. Since the trail's gone cold, we'll start from scratch and head to the capital of the Heavenly Dynasty. There must be other clues there..."    

...    

At the headquarters of the Medicine Guild.    

Inside the largest medicine hut.    

"Disciple Qin Yu, I lost in the alchemy competition, bringing shame to our school. I'm willing to accept punishment..."    

"Disciple Xiao Heng, I disobeyed the master's orders and am ready to accept punishment..."    

The two young men stood with serious expressions.    

Not far in front of them, two elders appeared calm. These were none other than Qian Qing and Ye Wusheng, the alchemy experts from the guild's main stand.    

Ye Wusheng looked at them and said directly, "What crime have you committed? There are always people better than us, and that alchemist's skills were unexpected. Even we couldn't fully grasp them."    

Qian Qing nodded and continued, "We'll explain the loss to the guild master ourselves. We know your capabilities well, and you both crafted your elixirs perfectly. We won't blame you. Now that you're out in the world, embrace your identities. There's no need to hide anymore. Take opportunities to venture out with other cultivators; it might just accelerate your growth in alchemy."    

The young man named Qin Yu is actually Qin Feng's younger brother, who had previously interacted with Jiang Fann.    

He said directly, "Master, this isn't the first time I've been defeated by someone. Back in the secret realm, I lost to my brother once, and during that time, a young man named Jiang Fann helped him with alchemy. I couldn't see through his skills either. He seemed to be about the same age as the alchemist here in Fire Melt Valley. We both really should get out and see more of the world..."    

Hearing Qin Yu's words, Ye Wusheng was somewhat surprised.    

"Qin Feng, who was guided, actually managed to beat you? Are you sure his helper was just a young man?"    

"Absolutely sure, and that young man had impressive combat skills. He was quite famous at the time, but when I later tried to find out more about him, he seemed to have disappeared. The Heaven Pavilion should know about this."    

Qian Qing, who was listening nearby, furrowed his brows.    

"We're well aware of both your talents. Even if a young person with alchemy skills comparable to yours appeared, we wouldn't be surprised—like that poison master. But for two young alchemists to surpass you, that's a bit odd. Even in a golden age, it wouldn't be so obvious..."    

Ye Wusheng and Qian Qing were clearly concerned about Qin Yu's words. After all, this loss was just to one person, but it was unexpected to learn that Qin Yu had already lost once before to a mysterious alchemist. This was hard for them to accept, given that Qin Yu was someone they and the Alchemy Sect had invested a lot of effort and resources into training.    

Qian Qingdao: "You're talking about that young man named Jiang Fann, right? I'll have someone look into his background. You all should take a break and think about what to do next!"    

"Understood!"    

Qin Yu and his companion responded in unison, then left together, this time without their black robes, stepping out of the Medicine Hut.    

Coming toward them was Qin Feng, who had just returned. The moment he saw Qin Yu, he froze in place.    

Xiao Heng whispered a few words to Qin Yu and then left, clearly already aware of Qin Yu's identity.    

Qin Yu approached, appearing much calmer than Qin Feng. After all, he knew about Qin Feng's existence, while Qin Feng was in the dark.    

"You might not remember me, so let me introduce myself first, brother. My name is Qin Yu."    

Qin Feng was a bit emotional because the aura from the other person was familiar to him. This wasn't their first encounter, though he had never seen Qin Yu's face before.    

"We're... brothers?"    

"We were both taken in by the Dan Sect from a young age and separated, but I've always known about you. It was hard to go against the master's orders, so today I can finally show my true face. Please forgive me, brother..."    

Just as Qin Feng was about to speak, Qian Qing's voice came from inside the Medicine Hut.    

"Qin Feng, come in!"    

Qin Yu handed his Spirit Attached Jade to Qin Feng.    

"We'll have plenty of time to talk later. The master wants to see you..."    

Qin Feng accepted the Spirit Attached Jade, nodded to Qin Yu, and then calmed himself before entering the Medicine Hut. Inside, he saw Ye Wusheng and another person, and he approached them directly.    

"Qin Feng greets you both."    

Ye Wusheng replied, "No need for formalities. Your performance in the recent competition was outstanding, exceeding our expectations. It seems you've been working hard on improving your skills in alchemy."    

Qin Feng responded, "I've indeed received guidance recently, which has helped me enhance my abilities in alchemy."    

Hearing this, Qian Qing got straight to the point. "Tell us about the young man who guided you. That peer alchemist with impressive skills—his name is Jiang Fann, right?"    

Qin Feng was momentarily taken aback by the question, clearly not expecting it. "When I returned from my training, I had already informed my mentor about Jiang Fann. His abilities are unique; his combat prowess is extraordinary, yet his cultivation level isn't high. His alchemy skills far surpass mine. Without his guidance, I wouldn't have obtained the final inheritance from the secret realm."    

Although Qin Feng spoke highly of Jiang Fann, he didn't reveal that Jiang Fann was actually Zhu Fann. He knew the higher-ups would eventually notice Jiang Fann, but he wanted to build a friendship with him. After all, Jiang Fann had helped him, and he couldn't betray a friend.    

"We have plenty of time, so why don't you tell us everything about Jiang Fann from back then..."    

Qin Feng nodded and began recounting the events, starting from the day Jiang Fann blocked the entrance to the secret realm...    

...    

In the small town outside the valley, Zhu Yan had already sent away all the alchemists who wanted to connect with Jiang Fann. For him, this trip had been quite fruitful.    

Back in the inn's dining area, Jiang Fann and Fang Xiang were just finishing their meal. Zhu Yan sat down, picked up a glass, and drank it in one go.    

"Get ready. We're heading out soon, straight to the town and then to Fire Valley with me."    

Fang Xiang, already aware of Jiang Fann's plan, didn't object but offered a reminder.    

"Hey, I've heard your Fire Valley is pretty exclusive. Many who practice fire arts want to explore it, but a lot of them end up getting seriously hurt and tossed out by your people. We're not that strong, so you better have our backs."    

Zhu Yan replied, "Don't worry. I've got a high standing in the clan. Even the older masters have to show me some respect—they even ask me to help them with alchemy. I'll handle any trouble that comes our way."    

The three of them stood up, with Zhu Yan leading them to settle the bill with the innkeeper before leaving.    

Zhu Yan wasn't weak himself, and the cultivators who had traveled with him before had already left. The three planned to head straight for the town's exit, retracing their steps to reach a nearby city where a teleportation array would take them away.    

As he walked, he suppressed his breathing, his face turning pale and lips darkening as if he were gravely ill. He looked incredibly weak. Beside him, Zhu Yan immediately noticed the change in Jiang Fann's condition and his expression shifted.    

"Why has your injury suddenly worsened? Stop for a moment, and let me help you manage it."    

Jiang Fann communicated to the two of them, "Don't worry about it. I just need to handle a little problem."    

Although Zhu Yan didn't understand Jiang Fann's reasoning, he didn't argue. The three of them hadn't yet left the small town when Xiao Yu spoke up again to alert Jiang Fann.    

"Alley on the right."    

Jiang Fann instinctively glanced over and saw a figure quickly vanish from sight. A smile played on his lips, clearly recognizing who it was.    

Fang Xiang and the others seemed unaware of anything unusual. After leaving the town, they continued toward the city, which was quite a distance away. By evening, Zhu Yan suggested they rest where they were and continue at dawn.    

As night fell, the only sounds were the gentle rustling of the wind and the occasional crackle from the fire. Just then, three figures emerged silently from the woods behind them. Their steps were so light they made almost no sound. Without any imposing presence or using any spiritual sense to lock onto the trio, two of the figures sat on either side of Zhu Yan, clearly perceiving him as the strongest among the three.    

Both individuals were at the peak of their abilities, their strength undeniable. Zhu Yan reacted immediately but held back, as Jiang Fann had already warned him that someone would appear and not to get too worked up.    

The poised alchemist sat across from Jiang Fann, her expression calm as she scrutinized him, paying no attention to Fang Xiang beside her.    

Seeing that Jiang Fann hadn't opened his eyes, the cultivator next to Zhu Yan spoke first, "Kid, the taste of my poison isn't pleasant, is it?"    

Jiang Fann finally opened his eyes, meeting the gaze of the alchemist. What puzzled her was Jiang Fann's calm demeanor, with no trace of worry in his eyes.    

She then heard Jiang Fann speak, "Those who trouble me don't end up well. Aren't you afraid of the Dan Sect?"    

The cultivator replied, "We only showed up now because the Dan Sect's people aren't following you anymore. You've already turned down their invitation; you can't expect them to protect you all the way, right? We don't want to make things difficult for you. Hand over that golden treasure, and I'll cure your poison. Otherwise, you won't make it back to Fire Valley; the poison will reach your heart, and you'll die on the spot!"    

The girl spoke up, "Your talent in alchemy is indeed impressive. I don't want you to lose your life over this. It's rare for Fire Valley to have an alchemy genius like you; you wouldn't want to fall just because of a treasure, would you?"    

After she finished speaking, she turned to Zane. "Can't you try to talk some sense into him? You know you're no match for those two."    

Zane remained silent. If it hadn't been for John's earlier warning, he would have already lost his temper by now.