Chapter 2736, Renege on a Debt
Translator: Silavin & Raikov
Translation Checker: PewPewLazerGun
Editor and Proofreader: Leo of Zion Mountain & Dhael Ligerkeys
Both Li Jiao and Mi Qi’s hearts jumped. Even though they were reluctant to accept ending things as a tie, they could still barely accept it since they weren’t losing anything anyway, but now that Yang Kai had taken the initiative to propose determining the winner by quality, they couldn’t help feeling some tightness in their chests.
[Could it be that… he really had the confidence to win? Otherwise, why would he propose such a thing?]
As soon as that thought came up, both of them instantly began to panic and Mi Qi quickly said, “Let’s just call it a tie. There’s no need to judge the quality.”
Yang Kai grunted, “Since it’s a bet, then we naturally have to determine who the winner is. Why? What is Sect Master Mi scared of?”
Mi Qi answered nervously, “What? This King, scared? What nonsense, Palace Master Yang.”
Li Jiao’s forehead also couldn’t help becoming a bit damp with sweat as that bad feeling in his heart became more apparent.
“Let me trouble Brother Ji to check once more!” Yang Kai turned towards Ji Ying.
“A trivial matter.” Ji Ying nodded.
At this point, winning or losing in this duel with Yang Kai didn’t matter that much to him anymore. He could tell at a glance that Yang Kai was able to perceive the true essence of the Alchemic Dao, so in the future, he may even be able to stand side by side with his Honoured Master. Therefore, Ji Ying didn’t think it would be shameful even if he were to lose here.
This Alchemy competition had also been quite rewarding for him, so Ji Ying felt that after returning and entering retreat for a time, he would definitely be able to make a breakthrough in his pursuit of the Alchemic Dao. When that time came, he may even be able to improve his skills to be no less than his Senior Brothers and Senior Sister.
At once, he focused his heart on examining the pills. He was holding both his and Yang Kai’s Emperor Yuan Pills on each hand, inspecting their colour, size, purity, and emitted aura. He even scraped off a layer of powder from each of the pills and tasted it.
The hall was silent as everyone looked on nervously, especially Mi Qi and Li Jiao. This bet related to fifty years of earnings for both of their respective Sects, so they were both eyeing Ji Ying intently like leeches on their prey, observing his expressions, fearing that he would say something that would mean bad news for them.
Yang Kai was the only calm and collected one, even walking back to his seat to pick up his cup of tea.
After a long time, Ji Ying finally exhaled. It seemed from the look on his face that he had come to a conclusion.
“Grand… Grandmaster Ji, what are the results?” Mi Qi asked nervously as even his voice slightly cracked.
Li Jiao was also watching Ji Ying intently, not even realizing that he had sweat running down his cheek.
“This Ji… is lacking. Brother Yang’s aptitude in the Alchemic Dao is superior, this Ji admires his skill greatly!” Ji Ying did not respond to them, but instead turned to Yang Kai and cupped his fists in respect.
“This Yang is unworthy of Brother Ji’s praise. This Yang was only able to win this time due to luck. I will still have to trouble Brother Ji to give me pointers in the future,” Yang Kai smiled and cupped his fists in return.
Ji Ying waved his hand with a bitter smile.
While the two of them talked, Li Jiao and Mi Qi stood there like fools, faces turning blue as the blood in their veins seemed to freeze solid.
Even though Ji Ying did not explicitly declare the winner, the meaning of his words were clear enough.
“Grand… Grandmaster Ji, are you sure? Are the Spirit Pills that he refined truly of higher quality?” Mi Qi asked in a trembling voice.
Li Jiao also hurried to add, “Why don’t you look at it again?”
Ji Ying’s expression turned to anger this time as he spat in a cold voice, “Are the two of you questioning this Ji’s character and competence?”
His character and skill had never been questioned by the two of them before, so Ji Ying also did not want to fuss over the matter with them out of the years of friendship they had together, but for them to repeatedly question his judgement angered Ji Ying very much.
Once was enough, but what did they mean by questioning him twice? Was his word really worth so little?
Seeing that Ji Ying was truly angered this time, both Mi Qi and Li Jiao’s hearts jumped as they belatedly realized how rude they had been.
Mi Qi wiped the cold sweat off his forehead, “No, no, no, Grandmaster Ji has misunderstood. Neither Brother Li nor I mean anything of the sort, please believe us, Grandmaster Ji.”
They could offend whoever else they wanted, but they could not afford to offend Ji Ying.
Ji Ying grunted, “Let me tell you. A real Alchemist will never make jokes with the pills they refine. If this Ji says he lost, then this Ji lost! There is no need for me to slander my own name to put Brother Yang on a pedestal.” After a pause, he extended both hands towards them, “If the two of you do not trust this Ji, then try the medicinal efficacies of these two Spirit Pills yourselves. Since the two of you are both Third-Order Emperor Realm Masters, then it should be easy for you to tell which is the stronger by taking them and refining them.”
Li Jiao and Mi Qi both exchanged glances and saw the intent in each other’s eyes as this was indeed a good idea.
This was an important matter, so they couldn’t help but be overcautious. However, if they were to do this, then they would completely offend Ji Ying because once they took those Spirit Pills to refine, it would mean they really did not believe in Ji Ying’s words.
These two choices troubled Li Jiao and Mi Qi greatly.
Yang Kai on the other hand was cheerful and fanned the flames, “I think it’s best if the two of you try them for yourselves, that way you can uphold Brother Ji’s name as well!”
Ji Ying stood there with a cold face, hands still outstretched.
Gritting his teeth, Li Jiao stepped forward and said with shame, “My apologies.”
He picked out a single Emperor Yuan Pill from each of Ji Ying’s hands at random.
Seeing this, Mi Qi also took two Emperor Yuan Pills.
Once they finished, Ji Ying declared bluntly, “Since the two of you do not trust this Ji, then this Ji’s cooperation with you two will end here. There is no need for you to come to Medicine Pill Valley to ask this Ji to refine Spirit Pills in the future either.”
Upon hearing this, Li Jiao and Mi Qi were both shaken. Pale-faced, they spoke in unison, “Grandmaster Ji…”
“It’s needless to say more!” Ji Ying coldly snorted, not even bothering to say another word to them.
Li Jiao and Mi Qi both heaved heavy sighs. Looking at the two Spirit Pills in their hands, they suddenly felt as if these small Spirit Pills weighed tens of thousands of kilograms.
Since things had come to this though, the two of them could only grit their teeth and refine these Emperor Yuan Pills.
Since they have already offended Ji Ying, they couldn’t lose those five billion Source Crystals either, could they? Once they refined the two Emperor Yuan Pills and proved that the one that Ji Ying refined was better than Yang Kai’s, then they would still gain something in the end.
Even though Emperor Alchemists were rare, there were still a few in the Northern Territory that did not belong to Medicine Pill Valley.
Circulating their Emperor Qi and refining the Emperor Yuan Pills, they managed to completely refine its medical efficacies in just a short moment. Then, the two of them took the second Emperor Yuan Pill and continued refining.