Zhao Ding

Small Shadow gritted his teeth. Why was he was always the one bringing people to the research area?

Eyes twitching, he said, "Youngest Master, decided the best way to obscure our research area was to secretly build it behind an unusually large latrine. Therefore, if you're working in the area, you'll have to pass this way everyday."

Yueng He-ping and Alchemist Liu shot looks at each other.

Did Ling Fan know about this?

Whoosh!

Before they could contemplate further, Small Shadow opened the door and the

foulest putrid smell rushed into their eyes and noses.

"Aiya this smells worse then when Two-Ax farts!!" blurted Yueng He-ping.

Alchemist Liu stumbled and groaned. "This defeats my perfume batch #1072d! Never has this Alchemist thought something could be more vile!"

Tears were streaming out Yueng He-ping eyes. Was such suffering worth finding a cure? Of course he already knew the answer. Wouldn't he pay any price to cure that?

Alchemist Liu hacked as she quickly pulled out a cloth to cover her nose and mouth. Was such a thing worth begging Zhao Ding to be her master? Thinking of her innumerable failed potions....absolutely!!

Unaware of the pairs thoughts, Small Shadow said, "Follow me, the research area is just beyond."

Coughing and steeling themselves, the pair ventured forward. After about five breaths, Small Shadow opened another door and a gust of fresh air gushed out.

The clean air was like a glorious dream for the pair. However, as they entered the next room, they found themselves in a completely black area.

"Beware, this is the first chamber of many as part of our security mechanism."

"Junior, just how many of these chambers are there?" asked Yueng He-ping.

Small Shadow replied, "We need to cross nine chambers in order to reach the research area."

Suddenly, in the darkness numerous soft swishes and clacking echoed all about."

"Eh..This isn't correct?" exclaimed Small Shadows

Nervously, Alchemist Liu asked, "There's something wrong?"

"The battle puppets have been activated...my token should've automatically deactivated them. I'll manually disable...Eh!"

Yueng He-ping and Alchemist Liu stiffened. Things got worse?

"The token its-its not working!!"

In a secret room, Gray Shadow was smirking gleefully. In her hands was the control disc that Mu Psycho had created to control the various traps and rooms. Conveniently, she had just disabled Small Shadow's token.

Let's see how little brother finds his way out of the security area.

"Hahaaaahaa! Haahaahahaaaa!" chortled Gray Shadow. Placing the disc down, she turned about and left.

Hours later, a disheveled trio finally managed to leave the security area and were now standing in a reception room.

Everyone breathed hard and their faces were rifled with dejection.

Alchemist Gu stepped in.

"Junior there you are. Weren't you supposed to have arrived hours ago?" he asked.

"My token it failed to deactivate the security mechanisms. Just now, we were barely able to escape," huffed Small Shadow.

This?

Face pale, Alchemist Gu gasped, "You three could have died."

Yueng He-ping and Alchemist Liu nodded furiously.

"Eh!" pointed Alchemist Gu. Just now he recognized Alchemist Liu. "You-Your the Failed Alchemist!"

Astounded, Small Shadow, "She's the one that failed the alchemist exam 20 times?"

Alchemist Gu shook violently.

Eyes twitching, Alchemist Liu put on a smile. Cupping her hands, she said "Senior Gu, it's been too long. Just the other day, Junior was thinking of inviting you over to the Heavenly Tea Pavilion for some delicious tea and snacks."

Alchemist Gu hissed, "Child, you know how along it took my skin to return to normal? Ten days!!" he roared. "My skin was pink for ten days!!"

Unconsciously, the three men took a step back from Alchemist Liu.

Small Shadow hissed, "Is it true? Didn't you poison everybody in the last exam?"

"Boy, this Gu was this close to supervising that exam. However, as soon as I heard she was a participant. Humph! This Alchemist faked sickness to escape that duty."

Yueng He-ping was sweating bullets. If Fierce Leader hadn't intervened, wouldn't he be dead twice already? Unconsciously, he scratched the back of his head and a clump of hair fell off.

Small Shadow and Alchemist Gu jolted. The two jumped further back from both Yueng He-ping and Alchemist Liu.

Freaks! The both of them!

Yueng He-ping stared in horror at the mass of hair in his hand. Wasn't it down to 50 percent now?

"Fool!" said Alchemist Liu. "You're scaring them away. Didn't us Sisters say not to scratch your head. Perhaps, we should tie your hands together?"

"You...You..Aren't you the one whose beauty products melt faces off? MHM!!" said Yueng He-ping.

Small Shadow and Alchemist Gu shot looks as each other.

This woman's dangerous! What if the man is contagious?

"Humph! It takes time to perfect a product. You don't understand alchemy," retorted Alchemist Liu

Deciding it was too dangerous to bring them people before his Little Brother, Small Shadow was getting ready to unleash his Sun Shadow Eclipse and kill them quickly.

Alchemist Gu just concluded Alchemist Liu was the bane of all his brethren and that strange man had a bizarre disease. It was safer to end them now. Thus he started marshaling is inner power.

The two were about to attack the two oddballs when Gray Shadow swooshed over. Huffing hard, she exclaimed, "Finally found you! We have to hurry them over to Master Zhao. If not, he says he'll invite Mu Psycho over to start cleaning things."

Small Shadow shuddered briefly then moved like lightening sparking his butt. "Go! Everybody let's go now!!"

A few breaths later, everybody entered a room divided by large bamboo screen. Far on the other side of the room was a window. An indistinct man stood at the window.

Gray Shadow cupped her hands, "Master Zhao, we brought the guests over as request."

Small Shadow eyebrows curled in curiosity? "Master Zhao?"

An a youthful yet mature voice spoke. "Alchemist Gu, this man is Yueng He-ping. He's a new test subject who was recommend by my friend Ling Hua."

Alchemist Gu asked, "He's a test subject? This?"

"Yes, we'll designate him as Fish 2. Make sure he drinks Super Yang Blend three times a day. If you examine him..trust me he's uniquely qualified as a test subject."

Yueng He-ping fell to his knees. "Master Zhao, is it true...you-you can cure me?"*1

"If you're willing to suffer all our tests. Not only will you be cured, you'll be an entirely new man," said Master Zhao."

Yueng He-ping started sobbing, "Lord, please let me know the name of my savior."

"Isn't Sister Ling Hua your savior? Wasn't she the one to point you in my direction?

Clearing his throat, Alchemist Gu said, "He's our Zhao Clan's top secret expert, Zhao Ding."

"Lord Zhao Ding, this Yueng He-ping will owe you all his life!"

Alchemist Liu fell to her knees. "Master Zhao this one begs to be your disciple!"

Alchemist Gu jumped. Disciple!?

Zhao Ding said, "Alchemist Gu, we'll leave Sir Yueng He-ping in your hands. Now please ,I have other matters to discuss with Alchemist Liu."

Alchemist Gu was about to suggest Alchemist Liu was beyond dangerous, when Zhao Ding interrupted. "Please hurry. Our Zhao Clan victory banquet will be starting soon."

"Yes-Yes of course. Sir Yueng, please follow me."

Standing up, Yueng He-ping whispered to Alchemist Liu. "Please don't bring out any of your potions....Don't kill anyone...This man desperately needs a cure."

Alchemist Liu's face blackened.

As the two men left, Zhao Ding motioned to Gray Shadow. Running over, she accepted a pouch and brought it over to Alchemist Liu.

"Alchemist Liu, Ling Hua says you are a tree growing expert. Is this true?"

Accepting the pouch, Alchemist Liu said, "Master Zhao, this one is hard working and dedicated to the art of alchemy. Should you accept me as your Disciple, this Liu Qianlian will follow you until death."

"I believe there's a misunderstanding. I'm not an alchemist."

"You-You aren't?"

"Why don't you tell me whether not you can grow trees well. If you can provide this service to me, we can discuss your situation. From there, we can decide how our Zhao Clan can repay your effort. Trust me, if you really can grow trees, and my endeavor is a success...I'll be owning you a favor for life. You should know, soon this Master will be filthy rich. At minimum, I'll be your financial backer in your pursuit of alchemy."

Alchemist Liu trembled visibility. Wasn't the one thing she always needed was money? Wasn't she always buying materials and herbs? Wasn't she always woefully broke?

"Master Zhao, if there's one thing this Liu knows how to do, it's cultivating and and growing a garden. You can count on me!"

From behind the screen, Zhao Ding clapped. "Fantastic! Wait a bit while I send Little Tian Cai to show you things."

Opening the pouch, Alchemist Liu saw innumerable seeds. "Master Zhao what sort of seeds are these?"

"Ah those-those are coffee tree seeds. Each and everyone of them is invaluable. Take care of them well. Gray Shadow you wait with her. Small Shadow, follow me!"

Small Shadow frowned. Who was this Zhao Ding to order him around? He was about to rush forward and jump on the man when Gray Shadow whispered, "He's really Youngest Master."

Small Shadow jolted with a questioning look. Gray Shadow nodded an affirmative and pushed him forward. As Zhao Ding left the room, Small Shadow quickly followed.

In another room Tian Cai pulled off a hooded heavy cloak. Small Shadow stood astonished, "You're Master Zhao Ding? Little Brother, this addles my brain."

"Mhm. You need to be careful and not to reveal my identity. You have to understand, if Alchemist Gu succeeds with developing our anti-aging products our Zhao Clan will be targeted. Thus we have to obscure as much information as we can."

"Then who is this Ling Hua? Little Brother this needs to be said. She may be targeting you. For her to be sending the Failed Alchemist over, that's like her sending over an assassin."

Tian Cai frowned, "Elder Brother please explain."

Small Shadow sighed. That Liu Qianlian is known as the Failed Alchemist. There's warning signs about her all over the city. Every single one of them says not to seek her services as an alchemist."

This?

Tian Cai hissed, "Why-Why is she called the Failed Alchemist?"

"Because she's failed the Alchemist Exams twenty times in a row. During the last one, her potion exploded into a noxious cloud and poisoned everybody on the chamber."

Tian Cai's face paled. "What kind of potion was it?"

Small Shadow scratched his head and squished his eyes and attempted to recall.

Snapping his fingers he said, "Perfume!....It was supposed be an Instant Love perfume?

"She was making an ero perfume and it exploded into a poisonous cloud?"

"Mhm."

Tian Cai scratched his head. Just what kind of people was Ling Hua sending over?