"Pfft!"
Hong Ni spat out blood.
"You... you're going too far!" Hong Ni said hatefully.
Bai Shengyi sneered, "How can this be called going too far? We're just returning the favor. Alchemist Hong Ni, don't think I'm so easily bullied, do you?"
"Hurry up, either hand it over, or die!"
A sword light flashed, instantly targeting Hong Ni's dantian, as if any hesitation would result in the sharp, killing intent-filled weapon piercing his chest.
"I'll hand it over! I'll hand it over!" Hong Ni roared.
He didn't want to die, and he was afraid of death.
This pair of man and woman were clearly not to be trifled with.
If Alchemist Hong Ni hadn't realized he'd kicked a steel plate by now, he would have truly wasted all these years.
A vicious gleam flashed in his eyes. As if accepting his fate, he took out a piece of paper and handed it to Bai Shengyi. Just as Bai Shengyi was about to take it, he flung a handful of reddish-brown powder and turned to run!
Qin Si immediately gave chase!
Bai Shengyi, however, pulled him back. "A'si, don't chase. He'll come back."
Qin Si turned his head and saw Bai Shengyi smiling like a fox. "What did you do?"
Bai Shengyi waved her hand gently. "Nothing much, just taught him a small lesson."
They were all alchemists, and since they had met, shouldn't they have a good spar?
Hong Ni, unaware of Bai Shengyi's true intentions, ran as if pursued by a demon, not even sparing the two people, Zhang and Wang, he had dragged along.
He ran far into the distance. Only when he reached a crowded area did he breathe a sigh of relief and slump to the ground, his legs giving way.
"Alchemist Hong Ni, why are you here?"
A young cultivator passing by saw Alchemist Hong Ni and exclaimed with great surprise.
"Didn't the alchemist just finish searching for Saint-tier medicinal ingredients? My father was fortunate enough to obtain a Saint-tier Seven-Leaf Resurrection Lotus. With the grand gathering approaching, wouldn't it be good for the alchemist to take a look?"
The cultivator was so excited that he didn't even find it strange that Alchemist Hong Ni was in such a sorry state. He solicitously helped him up.
"It's Xingchen, long time no see. Of course, I'm willing to go and have a look. However, if I recall correctly, Alchemist Qianyang is also looking for Saint-tier medicinal ingredients this time, isn't he? Wouldn't Sect Leader Qi want to give it to Alchemist Qianyang?"
Hong Ni's mind raced.
It was true that he was looking for Saint-tier medicinal ingredients, but that was before he knew the Saint-tier fragment recipe in his hand was fake.
That's right!
The fragment recipe he had just handed to Bai Shengyi was indeed the one he had obtained in the secret realm. Since the fragment recipe exuded an ancient charm, although he wanted to trick Bai Shengyi, he was more concerned about his own life, so he might as well hand over the real one!
However, before that, he had already confirmed that this fragment recipe was fake. He had come to the Shenqi Grand Gathering this time to maximize the value of this fragment recipe and see if he could exchange it for something useful.
Therefore, Alchemist Hong Ni felt he had not lost out.
Although the fragment recipe was fake, Hong Ni was still very tempted by the Saint-tier medicinal ingredients that Qi Xingchen mentioned. It was not easy to obtain a Saint-tier medicinal ingredient in the Shenqi world today.
Qi Xingchen said, "Alchemist Qianyang has been invited to be a judge for the alchemy competition this year, so he probably doesn't need it. Moreover, my father has always favored you more."
Although Qi Xingchen's last sentence made Alchemist Hong Ni extremely happy, thinking of Alchemist Qianyang, who was the same age as him but had already been invited to be a judge, while he was still just a participant, Hong Ni felt stifled and jealous.
He gave a fake, humble smile.
"Sect Leader Qi praises me too highly, but since Sect Leader Qi and Xingchen have so warmly invited me, I will not refuse."
Qi Xingchen smiled, "You're too kind. Why wait for another day? How about today? Alchemist, please this way."
...
In the alley, Bai Shengyi shook the withered yellow paper in her hand, her gaze shifting slightly.
"This fragment recipe is quite interesting."
Qin Si stood beside her. Hearing this, he instinctively reached out to touch the recipe. "What..."
"Don't touch it!"
Bai Shengyi gently stopped him, "Hong Ni has poisoned the paper. Don't touch it. I'll hold it for you to see."
Qin Si frowned, "Are you alright after touching it?"
Bai Shengyi shook her head, "It's fine, don't worry. Don't forget, I also frequently deal with poisons. I just didn't expect that on the outer continent, there would be alchemists who specifically research poisons."
Bai Shengyi wasn't speaking without reason. On the Shenqi Continent, alchemists and medicinal refiners rarely dabbled in anything related to poison, because in the common perception, only evil alchemists would refine poison pills and poisons.
Even she, despite her great interest in poisons, had never revealed it publicly to avoid misunderstandings.
However, it now seemed that the outer continent had a much greater tolerance for this.
Her guess was not wrong. When she returned to the academy, she saw another alchemist who used poison standing at the entrance of her residence.
Alchemist Moni was an alchemist from the Xile Sect. Rong Xuelan was furious upon learning that Zhou An had died.
However, she currently had no one to use. By chance, she encountered Alchemist Moni and had him help her.
This was not the first time Alchemist Moni had done such things for Rong Xuelan. He first drugged and incapacitated four people in the academy courtyard, then issued sinister threats.
"I advise you few to be sensible and quickly reveal the whereabouts of the woman the young lady is looking for, otherwise, don't blame me for making your lives a living hell with my poison."
Rong Xuelan crossed her arms and urged, "Alchemist Moni, don't show them any face. If they don't listen, kill two first as a warning."
She never imagined that after so long, she still couldn't find a single woman!
Not only that, apart from knowing that the woman who killed Zhou An was an abandoned slave, she didn't even know the woman's name or identity yet!
She inadvertently recalled the utter humiliation she suffered at the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, and her anger intensified!
Why was everyone opposing her?
Upon hearing this, Alchemist Moni raised his hand, about to drag out the student in front of him. Just then, the student flinched back and pushed another boy behind him forward.
"Sir, he is Bai Shengyi's friend, he must know Bai Shengyi's whereabouts. Please, spare us!"
Xun Meng was carefully deducing a path to survival when he was unexpectedly pushed out by Wei Menglong. He turned in astonishment, not even realizing that Alchemist Moni had grabbed him by the collar.
Feng Wuya was both shocked and enraged, "Wei Menglong! Are you crazy?"
These people were clearly here for revenge for the previous incident. Shouldn't their academy students unite to resist?
Moreover, Xun Meng was a girl. As a boy, how shameless could one be to push a girl out when facing danger?
Unfortunately, at this time, only he, Xun Meng, Qi Zhouzheng, and Wei Menglong were in the academy. The other party had also scattered poisonous powder, and the four of them were paralyzed and could do nothing against them.
Feng Wuya glared fiercely at Wei Menglong. Wei Menglong shrunk his shoulders, but quickly became indignant.
"Junior Brother Feng, you can't risk all four of us for the whereabouts of one person, can you? Bai Shengyi has always been righteous. I believe even if she were here, she wouldn't be angry."
Feng Wuya was even more angered by Wei Menglong's words, which clearly absolved himself of all responsibility!