Chapter 738 658: Why Won't You Follow the Script, Don't Talk Nonsense

「Spirit Medicine Tower.」

Lu Feng's expression was stormy. The current situation was not what he had expected; in fact, it was completely different.

Under normal circumstances, he would have secured an agreement for a Pill Battle with Yang Chan and set a time. Then, he would have pressured him into using the Nourishing Vein and Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill for the duel. By crushing Yang Chan in the very area where he was strongest—the best Elixir he could currently refine—Lu Feng would have dealt the most devastating blow to his confidence.

After all, before he could refine Elixirs that aided the Cultivation of Bone Marrow Cleansing Grandmasters, he had been stuck for a very long time on the Nourishing Vein and Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill. As a result, he was extremely proficient at refining it and had a very high Pill Formation Success Rate for producing the Top Quality Level version.

When the time came, the difference between Top Quality and ordinary would be a complete and utter rout.

However, the situation now was a little different.

He had originally planned to provoke Yang Chan into choosing the Nourishing Vein and Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill for the Pill Battle, but now, he hadn't even managed to lock down the duel itself. To make matters worse, a large crowd of Pharmacists in front of the Spirit Medicine Tower was staring at him with strange looks.

Even with his thick skin, he felt he could barely take it.

He screamed internally, 'Why won't you follow the script?!'

If Yang Chan could hear Lu Feng's inner scream, he would probably just retort, 'Why should I follow your script?'

"As the Pill Pavilion's newly promoted Genius Pharmacist, surely Pharmacist Yang isn't afraid of a Pill Battle, are you?"

Lu Feng, of course, wouldn't answer Yang Chan's question. To do so would be to fall right into the trap Yang Chan had set.

Any answer, good or bad, would affect the Pill Battle negotiations. Therefore, he stuck to his original question, even resorting to the most obvious form of provocation.

"That's just shameless!"

A Third Level Alchemist waiting in line to pick up medicine remarked slowly upon seeing the scene.

As a fellow Third Level Alchemist, he had no reason to be wary of Lu Feng. Since they didn't work in the same place, the potential repercussions were minimal.

He spoke up simply because he couldn't stand the sight of it.

Many people knew what had happened to Yuwen Ze back then, and they had no favorable impression of the person who initiated that Pill Battle. In fact, when encountering such people, they would proactively keep their guard up. Otherwise, it wouldn't be impossible to get stabbed in the back at any moment.

A person with no bottom line is capable of anything.

"To think the Pill Pavilion has come to this!"

"This kind of atmosphere is terrible!"

Someone else spoke up. Although they didn't name anyone specific, their intention was self-evident, given the timing.

The Pill Pavilion held a transcendent status within the Merak Sacred Land. Consequently, some things made certain people, especially some of the Pill Pavilion's elders, very uncomfortable.

Besides these two, the other Pharmacists were also whispering amongst themselves, their strange gazes fixed on Lu Feng.

Under the weight of their stares, Lu Feng's brow furrowed deeply, but he didn't leave. He simply continued to glare at Yang Chan.

He wouldn't leave so easily without achieving his goal.

Things were already this bad; it seemed they couldn't get any worse.

"I haven't refused. I'm just saying now isn't a good time!"

"If you want a Pill Battle, you'll have to wait until I'm free."

"So, don't twist my words. Things are very busy here at the Spirit Medicine Tower. If you have so much free time for a Pill Battle, does that mean you aren't working hard at Alchemy in the Alchemy Pavilion?"

"I heard Pharmacist Lu's Alchemy Ability hasn't improved in a long time. You should probably look for the reason within yourself. After so many years with no improvement, is it because you're not trying hard enough? Are you not in the Alchemy Pavilion every day, practicing Alchemy to enhance your ability?"

"Instead, you're targeting me, a newly promoted Third Level Alchemist. Are you trying to make an example out of all the young Pharmacists?"

Yang Chan looked at Lu Feng. He still hadn't agreed directly, but he hadn't refused either. After all, he needed a Pill Battle to prove himself and, under 'reasonable' pressure, succeed in refining a Top Quality Nourishing Vein and Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill.

But he continued to stir up animosity toward Lu Feng. Since Lu Feng had come looking for trouble, it was only natural that he should face the consequences.

Facing a strong wind wasn't enough; Lu Feng needed to face a tempest. Only then would Yang Chan be truly satisfied.

"Stop talking nonsense! When will you have time for the Pill Battle?"

Lu Feng fought to suppress the rage in his heart.

He had worked so hard for so many years to achieve what he had today, yet Yang Chan had dismissed all that effort with a single sentence.

Every Pharmacist hits a bottleneck. Was this really a matter of not working hard enough?

How many Pharmacists were stuck at a single bottleneck for their entire lives, never able to improve again?

If Alchemy depended only on hard work, then how many Pharmacists would there be in the world? Top Level Pharmacists wouldn't hold such a transcendent status in the Merak Sacred Land.

Being a Pharmacist was heavily dependent on talent. Without enough talent, no amount of hard work would make a difference.

Even with talent and hard work, success wasn't guaranteed. After all, things like Cultivation Resources and Spiritual Materials were also crucial for improving a Pharmacist's Ability. Without them, talent alone was useless.

It was like the old saying: even a clever housewife can't cook without rice.

It could be said that nurturing a single Advanced Pharmacist consumed a heavenly amount of Spiritual Materials. To obtain these, one needed the backing of a major power. It was nearly impossible to succeed through personal effort alone.

"That will depend on the Spirit Medicine Tower's arrangements!"

"So, Pharmacist Lu will just have to wait. We'll talk when I have time!"

Yang Chan said in a calm, unhurried tone.

The one who held the initiative naturally held the dominant position.