Zhu Fan pointed at Dai Chengfeng, smiling mischievously at Yang Wushuang with an amused glint in his eyes.
"???"
Hearing this, Yang Wushuang only glanced briefly at Dai Chengfeng before hurriedly shaking his head with a chuckle. "Master, please don't joke around with me…"
As he spoke—
Yang Wushuang presented the white jade gourds as if they were treasures, handing one each to Zhu Fan and Dai Chengfeng. "Master, this is my humble gift to you. It's just a token of my sincerity."
With that, he carefully uncorked the stopper of the white jade gourd. A faint medicinal fragrance instantly wafted out, invigorating everyone nearby.
"This is Bai Hua Dan (Hundred Flower Pill), personally concocted by me."
"It was refined using over a hundred rare medicinal herbs, including thousand-year-old Ice Lotus from the North lands and Yang Flame Grass from volcanic craters. The process took forty-nine days of meticulous refinement."
"This pill can counteract most toxins in the world, even some rare mixed poisons—so long as they aren't too potent—it can suppress and neutralize them effectively."
"Even when applied externally, it has certain restorative effects on bodily functions damaged by toxic erosion!"
Upon hearing this, Dai Chengfeng's eyes lit up. "This is excellent stuff!"
He didn't doubt Yang Wushuang's words for a moment.
After all, Yang Wushuang hailed from the Breaking Clan, whose alchemical prowess was renowned across the continent!
Moreover, Yang Wushuang was among the top alchemists within the Breaking Clan!
In the future, even Dugu Bo, the Poison Douluo, would be stumped by the Seven-Colored Poison created by Yang Wushuang—a poison so deadly it could assassinate Emperor Xue Ye.
(T/N: The wiki calls it 'Gorgeous Seven Colors')
A master poisoner of such caliber presenting him with Bai Hua Dan…
The antidote's efficacy was likely even more powerful than what Yang Wushuang had claimed.
Thinking of this, Dai Chengfeng carefully stored the pill in his ring.
After all, while visible attacks were easy to dodge, hidden ones were much harder to guard against.
Poison was the most insidious weapon, capable of killing silently and without warning.
This Bai Hua Dan might save his life someday.
For a moment, Dai Chengfeng found himself increasingly drawn to Yang Wushuang.
However, it wasn't because he wanted to take Yang Wushuang as his disciple.
The White Tiger Tyrant Spear Technique was one of his trump cards, born from the fusion of the Great Sumeru Hammer, the Chaotic Wind Splitting Hammer Technique, and the Overlord Spear Technique. It held immense potential for the future.
Rather, what intrigued him was the vast "treasure trove" that was the Breaking Clan.
"If I can use Yang Wushuang to establish ties with the Breaking Clan and bring them onto the Star Luo Empire's side in the future…"
Setting aside the endless supply of elixirs that could save countless soldiers' lives—
The mere addition of Yang Wudi, the clan leader of the Breaking Clan, who, despite being only a Soul Ancestor, possessed combat strength comparable to a Title Douluo, already made Dai Chengfeng feel like he'd struck gold!
After all, the Breaking Clan ultimately joined the Tang Sect in the original story, motivated by revenge against the Spirit Hall and lured by the promise of rare treasures like the Aromatic Silk Beauty flower.
It wasn't hard to see that their loyalty to the Tian Dou Empire wasn't particularly strong.
Though, this wasn't surprising.
A sect was a sect, and an empire was an empire.
Although the Breaking Clan's headquarters was located in the Tian Dou Empire, the two weren't subordinate to each other. The Tian Dou Empire was merely a landlord providing space for the sect.
Meanwhile, as Dai Chengfeng was lost in thought, Zhu Fan looked at Yang Wushuang and chuckled again.
"I'm not joking with you."
As he spoke, Zhu Fan flicked his wrist, revealing several sharp cat-like claws that glinted coldly in the sunlight.
"Do you really think…"
"A feline agility-type soul master like me would wield a halberd or specialize in brute strength?"
Upon hearing this, Yang Wushuang's eyes widened in disbelief. He stared at Zhu Fan, then quickly shifted his gaze to Dai Chengfeng, who stood nearby with an amused expression.
"This… this… this…"
He opened his mouth, but no words came out.
His mind was in chaos. He had assumed that the steady and reliable middle-aged man was the spear master he had been searching for.
But now he was being told…
That the true master was actually this young, seemingly inexperienced boy?!
Seeing Yang Wushuang's incredulous expression, Zhu Fan laughed even harder, his tone teasing. "Go on, Chengfeng, show this Soul Sage Yang who his real 'master' is! Save him from bothering us any further."
Hearing this, Dai Chengfeng didn't refuse.
He took a deep breath, his gaze sharpening instantly. With a slight movement of his hand, a pitch-black Heaven-Splitting Halberd appeared in his grip.
In an instant, Dai Chengfeng's entire aura underwent a dramatic transformation.
Previously, he exuded the vitality and agility of youth, but now he resembled a towering mountain, emanating an oppressive presence that sent chills down one's spine.
Soul power surged around him like a tide, accompanied by faint roars of a tiger echoing from within his body, as if he were no longer human but an awakened ancient ferocious beast…
The overwhelming, unstoppable momentum radiating from him seemed capable of obliterating any obstacle with a single strike!
"That's… that's exactly the feeling!"
Yang Wushuang stared at Dai Chengfeng, his pupils contracting violently, his voice trembling involuntarily. "The crack in the blacksmith shop's floor gave me this exact feeling…"
Yang Wushuang gazed at Dai Chengfeng, his eyes filled with shock, muttering softly under his breath.
He simply couldn't believe it…
The young man standing before him, seemingly not even twenty years old, was truly the one who had executed that unimaginably powerful spear technique.
After all,
The innovation and dominance of this spear technique were unprecedented. One could confidently say it was groundbreaking enough to establish its own school of martial arts.
Watching Yang Wushuang's stunned expression, Zhu Fan teased, "Now, do you still want to become a disciple?"
Chuckling, Zhu Fan shook his head, his tone thick with mockery. "How old are you? And how old is our Chengfeng?"
"You should leave. Don't disturb us as we return to the hotel."
Yang Wushuang continued to stare blankly at Dai Chengfeng, his mind in deep turmoil.
After all, as Zhu Fan had said—
How old was he?
He might even be older than this boy's father!
If he were to bow to this teenager as his master, wouldn't people laugh their heads off?
'But…'
Yang Wushuang's inner conflict raged on. 'With the seclusion of the Hao Tian Sect, our BreakingClan has become a target for the Spirit Hall's retaliation. Though we've narrowly escaped their attacks so far…'
'If we don't make some changes soon, the Breaking Clan will be in grave danger!'
'Even if we avoid extinction, we'll suffer irreparable losses!'
'And even setting aside the clan's survival…'
'This unparalleled spear technique alone is enough to captivate me, a soul master with the Soul-Breaking Spear martial soul, body and soul!'
With that thought, Yang Wushuang clenched his teeth and prepared to kneel before Dai Chengfeng, saying, "Wisdom knows no age! If you've surpassed me, Yang Wushuang, in spear techniques, then I…"
However, before he could kneel, Dai Chengfeng quickly stepped forward and stopped him.
"I cannot accept your kneeling. Besides, I have no intention of taking on disciples."
Dai Chengfeng wore a faint smile, but his eyes were deep and unfathomable, leaving Yang Wushuang completely unable to guess his thoughts. "However, if you're willing to agree to one condition of mine…"
------------------------------------------------------
Thank you to our new Patrons: Isaiah, Soren Britt, AbsoluteZero, Oprea Andrei George, Sakuya, HADES, Diogo Frazão, Unknown, Jared Toussaint and zFuriaMz! Your support means the world to me <3 We are up to 'Chapter 100: Nine Nether Dark Wind Wings, Vacuum Flight' on Patreon!
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)
Support my writing journey: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
40+ Chapters Ahead Guaranteed.