Chapter 118: Retrieving Everything
Chapter 118: Retrieving Everything
Lu Chuxue's expression was grim as she stared at Mu Feng in astonishment.
How could a mere seventeen-year-old boy possess such mastery over the art of alchemy? Who exactly was he?
Lu Chuxue stepped forward, her tone measured but firm:
"This match is ours to lose. But young man, shouldn't mercy prevail over wrath? We're willing to pay your family 100,000 gold coins. Let's put an end to this talk of severed hands, shall we?"
Her words were calculated. The sum of 100,000 gold coins was trivial to the Northern King's faction, especially when compared to the potential of Zhang Quandan, who could ascend to the rank of a third-tier alchemist. Losing his hands would render him useless.
Mu Chen laughed coldly, his voice dripping with sarcasm:
"Mercy? From the Northern King's faction? How ironic. Where was this mercy when you orchestrated the deaths of 200,000 Mu family warriors? Or when you sent my second brother to his grave? Spare me your sanctimony, Lu Chuxue."
Lu Chuxue's smile tightened. "100,000 gold coins would be a boon to your struggling household, would it not?"
Mu Chen's icy gaze bore into her.
"You overestimate the value of your coins. Even if the Mu family faced ruin, I would never trade our dignity for your pity. Today, let it be known: betrayal of the Mu family comes at a steep price."
Standing beside him, Mu Feng added, his voice as sharp as a blade:
"The Mu family doesn't need your gold. We need our honor. Zhang Quandan's fate will serve as a warning."
"Off with his hands! Off with his hands!"
The unified roar of the Mu family members echoed through the chamber, their voices brimming with righteous fury.
Zhang Quandan trembled, his legs giving out beneath him as he collapsed to the ground in terror.
"Seize him!" Mu Feng commanded.
Two Mu family enforcers stepped forward, their movements swift and precise. They pressed Zhang Quandan to the ground, his hands stretched out in front of him.
"Master Lu! Please, help me! Don't abandon me now!" Zhang Quandan screamed, his face pale with desperation.
Lu Chuxue hesitated, her expression conflicted. Yet, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, she remained still, unwilling to escalate the situation further.
Realizing he had no other hope, Zhang Quandan turned to Mu Chen, pleading:
"Patriarch! I was wrong! Spare me! I'll return to the Mu family! I'll serve you loyally for the rest of my life!"
Mu Chen's face was like stone, his eyes devoid of mercy.
"You betrayed us. You made your choice. Now face the consequences."
Mu Feng approached Zhang Quandan, a sharp blade in hand. Zhang's terror-stricken face glistened with sweat as he shrieked:
"Young Master! Please! Spare me! I'll do anything!"
Mu Feng's gaze was as cold as frost.
"The Mu family nurtured you, trusted you, and gave you everything. You squandered it all. What we give, we can take back."
With that, he raised the blade and brought it down in a swift arc.
"Slash!"
A spray of blood accompanied the sound of steel meeting flesh. Zhang Quandan howled in agony, writhing as his severed hand fell to the ground.
"Slash!"
A second strike followed, leaving him handless. Blood pooled around him as his screams echoed through the hall.
The sight was both ghastly and awe-inspiring.
The Mu family members erupted in cheers:
"Mu Feng! Mu Feng! Mu Feng!"
Their voices resonated with pride and defiance, rekindling the family's honor.
Lu Chuxue's expression turned sour. With these two strikes, not only had Zhang Quandan's life been ruined, but the Northern King's reputation had taken a hit. The already strained relationship between the Mu family and the Northern King's faction had reached a breaking point.
"You'll pay for this, Mu family," Lu Chuxue hissed, her voice seething with barely concealed rage.
Turning to leave, she cast one final glance at the now-crippled Zhang Quandan, who crawled pathetically toward her.
"Master Lu! Don't leave me! Please, save me!"
Lu Chuxue's gaze hardened. She kicked him away, sneering:
"Useless fool. You've embarrassed us enough."
Desperation overtook Zhang as he screamed:
"Master Lu, you can't do this! You promised—"
Before he could finish, Lu Chuxue's palm ignited with crimson energy. A flame-wreathed blade materialized in her hand and shot forward, piercing Zhang Quandan's chest.
"Whoosh!"
The fiery blade consumed him from the inside out. His screams faded into the crackle of fire as his body was reduced to ashes.
The Mu family members watched, their faces devoid of pity. Zhang Quandan's fate was one of his own making—a stark reminder of the price of betrayal.
Lu Chuxue turned to Mu Feng, her eyes narrowing. She remained silent, clearly contemplating the identity of this enigmatic boy, before departing with a huff.
Recognition
The atmosphere shifted as Master Sun approached Mu Feng, a smile of admiration on his face. He held out a crimson badge.
"Congratulations, Mu Feng—no, Master Feng. From today onward, you are officially recognized as a second-tier Alchemy Engraver by the Rune Master Guild."
Mu Feng accepted the badge, a glimmer of pride in his eyes.
"Master Feng," Master Sun continued, "we've granted you second-tier certification based on your extraordinary skill. Your achievement in crafting a pseudo-third-tier pill leaves no doubt about your qualifications."
The crowd murmured in awe.
"Seventeen years old and already a second-tier alchemist? Unbelievable!"
Even within the prestigious Rune Master Guild, such talent was rare.
Among the onlookers, Xiao Ziyu's face was a mixture of frustration and envy. She clenched her fists, her voice barely audible:
"How can he be this good?"
Just then, a deep, commanding voice echoed from the upper level:
"Truly remarkable. Such talent deserves recognition."
A man descended the stairs, his presence commanding the room. He was clad in a grand robe adorned with the intricate designs of a Rune Master, his demeanor exuding authority.
"Greetings, Master Xiao!" the crowd murmured in reverence.
This was Xiao Zhen, the head of the Alchemy Hall and a fourth-tier Rune Master—a towering figure in the world of alchemy.