Chapter 80: He Is the Little Pill King

“Master Li, I was reckless just now. I beg your forgiveness.” The master of the Hundred Herbs Pavilion spoke in a servile tone before Li Jian San.

Witnessing this scene, those around exchanged looks of disbelief. How could anyone not be shocked by what was unfolding before their eyes? After all, the Hundred Herbs Pavilion nearly held a monopoly over the medicinal trade in these parts, making its master the target of eager currying by many powers in Blazing Fire City. Normally, the master presented a haughty face to the world, and even the most prominent noble families and wealthy merchants found it difficult to win his favor.

None could have imagined that the once proud and aloof master of the Hundred Herbs Pavilion could ever bow and scrape before anyone.

Li Jian San regarded Zhao Junshan with a cold gaze and said, "The first time I met him, I offered a modest critique, and he responded with sneers and ridicule—simply because he believed I was weak, someone to be bullied at will? Later, when I challenged him to an alchemy contest in response to his mockery, he lost. Yet, relying on his status, he refused to honor the wager, again because he thought I was weak and unworthy of respect? After I displayed my true skill and forced him to honor his debt, in your eyes it became an act of bullying, and you stormed in seeking revenge, even demanding I kneel to apologize. Is that, too, because you thought I was weak?

“So, if I truly were weak—a mere ordinary person—he would be free to mock me, break his word, seek retribution, and even force me to kneel and beg forgiveness? Is that how things should be?”

“But today, let me tell you: I am not weak, nor am I someone you can trample upon.” Each word from Li Jian San struck home, sharp and unyielding.

“This is indeed my fault.” To everyone’s shock, the master of the Hundred Herbs Pavilion admitted his error to Li Jian San.

Seeing Li Jian San’s aggressive stance, Zhao Junshan protested angrily, “Father, why should we fear him? If it comes to it, we’ll fight him head-on!”

“Oh? And what am I to you?” Li Jian San chuckled coldly. “You dismissed my judgment before, yet now countless people offer fortunes to seek my guidance—so what does that make you? You once mocked me as inferior, yet I defeated you within moments with my alchemy skills—what were you then? You tried to walk away from your bet, relying on your status, yet I forced you to kneel and fulfill it—how did you see yourself then? You came with your father to exact revenge, but at a single glance, he bowed and groveled before me, and now you, too, must kneel—what does that make you now?”

When Li Jian San finished, everyone present was stunned. None had expected his words to be so incisive, each statement leaving no room for rebuttal.

Under his barrage, the master of the Hundred Herbs Pavilion’s expression subtly shifted; for a fleeting moment, a trace of murderous intent flashed across his face. He was, after all, a figure of standing in Blazing Fire City—countless dignitaries and influential people had sought his favor to no avail. Yet here he was, bowing and scraping before a youth who continued to press him mercilessly. It was intolerable. The thought of retaliation flickered within him, but was quickly extinguished.

For Li Jian San’s ability was simply too fearsome.

He could easily produce a fragmentary tier-three alchemy formula and refine it with ease. So young, yet already a third-tier alchemist with such talent—he was surely the scion of some great power. To antagonize such a person carelessly would invite utter ruin.

Like a cowering eunuch, the master of the Hundred Herbs Pavilion pleaded, “Master Li, I beg you, please have mercy on us this once.”

“Damn it, I can’t take this anymore! Why should we grovel before him? If it comes to a fight, let’s see what he can do against the entire Hundred Herbs Pavilion!” Zhao Junshan shot to his feet, glaring darkly at Li Jian San.

“The Hundred Herbs Pavilion?” Li Jian San replied icily. “And what is that to me?”

Zhao Junshan’s face turned ashen. “Boy, enough with your posturing! You have no idea how powerful the Hundred Herbs Pavilion truly is!”

“Powerful?” Li Jian San smiled faintly. “Do you believe I could make you vanish?”

“Make us vanish?” Zhao Junshan burst into laughter. “Do you really think you’re somebody? To make the Hundred Herbs Pavilion disappear—you think you’re some kind of supreme being?”

But the master of the Hundred Herbs Pavilion, upon hearing Li Jian San’s words, was seized by a nameless dread. Disappear? Indeed, the once-prestigious Wang family had mysteriously vanished not long ago, said to have offended someone and been wiped out root and branch. Could it be…?

At the thought, his heart trembled with panic.

“Come now, I’d like to see how you could make the Hundred Herbs Pavilion disappear,” Zhao Junshan sneered.

Li Jian San replied, “I hope you maintain your defiance and refuse to kneel.”

“Haha, you want to make the Hundred Herbs Pavilion vanish, and have me kneel and beg? That’s absurd. If I kneel, I’ll have you kick me aside! Of course, I’ll never kneel—because you simply can’t make the Pavilion disappear.”

At that moment, an aged voice rang out: “What did you just say?”

Zhao Junshan froze, but quickly recovered himself. “Master Xu Fu?”

Hmph, even with Xu Fu present, the Hundred Herbs Pavilion could not be shaken.

“What’s going on here? Who was just cursing my treasured disciple so loudly?” The crowd’s eyes all widened in shock.

“Master Mo!”

“Master Xu!”

“And Master Qi!”

“All three grandmasters are here?”

“What could have happened to bring all three grandmasters at once?”

As the crowd erupted in astonishment, the master of the Hundred Herbs Pavilion felt a chill grip his heart. Could it be that Li Jian San is their disciple? This is a disaster.

Once they’d been apprised of the situation, the three grandmasters spoke coldly, “You two curs—a whelp and his old fool of a father—dared to offend our precious disciple? Outrageous!”

“Since our beloved disciple has spoken, then let the Hundred Herbs Pavilion vanish.”

“From this day forth, the Alchemists’ Guild will no longer conduct any business with the Hundred Herbs Pavilion.”

“And if any other power wishes to deal with them, then the Guild will no longer welcome you either.”

Upon hearing this, the master of the Hundred Herbs Pavilion felt his heart sink into the abyss.

“Can you make such decisions for the Alchemists’ Guild?” he challenged.

“Don’t worry, it’s simple. I’ll mention it to the guildmaster—he listens well,” Master Mo replied with a chuckle.

With the Guild severing ties, most of the Pavilion’s business would evaporate. Coupled with those final words, no one would dare set foot in the Pavilion again.

They were intent on sealing the fate of the Hundred Herbs Pavilion.

The master of the Pavilion said darkly, “You would sever all ties with us—for the sake of a mere boy? Is he worth it?”

Master Mo laughed. “Worth it? How can you still ask such a question? Don’t you know who our precious disciple is?”

“You mean to say you don’t even recognize the most renowned ‘Little Elixir King’ of Blazing Fire City?”

“Hahaha, what a fool.”

At the grandmasters’ words, the crowd first paused in confusion, then erupted in a clamor. Yet in the next instant, the noisy scene fell utterly silent, and all eyes fixed upon Li Jian San, faces full of disbelief.

“He’s the ‘Little Elixir King’?”

“No wonder—I was guessing he must be a genius from some powerful clan, but it turns out he’s the famed ‘Little Elixir King’.”

Hearing the crowd’s whispers, the master of the Hundred Herbs Pavilion shot a venomous glare at Zhao Junshan. If not for his words, they would never have offended Li Jian San; instead, they might have befriended him and taken the Pavilion to new heights.

But now, it was too late for regrets.

Had looks been able to kill, Zhao Junshan would have been sliced to ribbons a thousand times over.

“We’re leaving!” The master of the Hundred Herbs Pavilion spat, casting one last sinister glance at Li Jian San as he departed…