Resplendent – Chapter 403

Chapter 403 – Turning the Tables

Liu Changgui, who had thought he had seen through the truth, glared fiercely at Jiang Zhongtian, his chest heaving violently. His mind raced, calculating how he could leave this pharmacology duel unscathed. He glanced at the Gu family apothecary’s innocent, youthful face, silently praying that she was just an ordinary young lady from the Gu family, here merely to gain experience in medicine…

But when his eyes fell on the last tray, his expression froze, and the last shred of hope vanished — Liuwei Dihuang Wan, Children’s Anti-Inflammatory Medicine, Adult Cold Granules! 

Each medicine seemed to mock his presumptuous overreach, as if laughing at his attempt to challenge forces far beyond him. The gazes of everyone present seemed filled with both pity and ridicule for the loser.

Liu Changgui was dumbstruck. 

As a senior disciple of the Huang Sect, Liu Changgui had always been gifted. He was barely in his twenties, yet already holding the esteemed title of a ninth-level pharmacist. From childhood, he had been his master’s pride and the sect’s shining star. Never before had he suffered such a blow, nor endured such a humiliating defeat!

If this pharmacological duel had been a private contest, it might not have mattered. But he and his fifth junior brother had walked step by step into the enemy’s trap, and in their arrogance, had even wagered the honor of their entire sect! 

After such a loss, how could he face his master? How could he ever hold his head high before his fellow disciples again?

“It was you! You deliberately set this trap, luring us in step by step! You — a grand-level pharmacist — bullying our Huang Sect’s fourth-level pharmacist! Your victory is disgraceful!” he shouted, sweat pouring down his face, his voice trembling with panic and anger.

Gu Ye let out a cold, disdainful laugh. “We set a trap to lure you in? Tell me then. Who first provoked us, showing disrespect to my Senior Brother’s sect? And who was it that jumped out, demanding a duel in the first place? Our victory was disgraceful? You, a ninth-level pharmacist, were the one who proposed a duel against two novices who haven’t even taken their pharmacist exams — and that’s what you call fair? ‘He who insults others will himself be insulted.’ I am returning those very words to you!”

“You—!” Liu Changgui’s face flushed with anger as he turned to glare at the true instigator, the fourth-level pharmacist, Li Yutang. 

Li Yutang shrank his neck, guilt flickering across his face. He had long harbored resentment toward Jiang Zhongtian. When he saw him without any senior brothers accompanying him this time, he’d deliberately picked a fight, hoping to humiliate Jiang Zhongtian: and by extension, disgrace the Jiang family. If his master found out, he would surely be pleased.

After all, Grand Pharmacist Jiang had only earned his grandmaster title because he had the luck to study under a famous teacher, riding on his master’s prestige. Their own master, on the other hand, had clawed his way up through hardship and relentless effort, step by step, to achieve what he had today.

So why should the Jiang family get to take shortcuts and enjoy an unshakable position in the world of pharmacists, while the Huang Sect remains obscure and overlooked, forever lingering in the shadows? He believed that in both talent and effort, he far surpassed Grand Pharmacist Huang, yet in reputation and standing, he was always left behind.

That bitterness naturally seeped into his disciples, and he did nothing to stop them from targeting the Jiang family. As if only when the Jiang family was disgraced could he find some shred of comfort in his heart. 

“I don’t accept this!” Liu Changgui shouted, veins bulging on his forehead, his face twisting with fury. “Everyone knows the pharmacist behind Gu Pharmaceuticals is on par with a grandmaster. This duel was bullying the weak — a dishonorable victory!” His eyes glared at Gu Ye like those of a ravenous beast. 

Gu Ye let out a cold, disdainful laugh. “So this is the most promising disciple of the Huang Sect? How pathetic! A person who doesn’t even have the courage to face failure will forever be trapped in the mire of it. A person’s medicine reflects their character and with a heart as corrupt as yours, you’ll never craft a pure remedy! Xiao Tian, let’s go.”

Jiang Zhongtian cast a fierce glare at the Huang Sect disciples, muttering unwillingly, “They still haven’t admitted the Huang Sect is inferior to the Jiang family!”

“The eyes of the people are clear. Justice lies in the hearts of all. Those who obsess over suppressing others often end up losing the worst! Instead of wasting time comparing yourself to others, use it to improve your craft. Come on, my little Junior Nephew — I’ll teach you how to cultivate a chick-embryo vaccine.” With that, Gu Ye grabbed Jiang Zhongtian by the collar and dragged him out of Jinyuman Pavilion.

Jiang Zhongtian let out a miserable cry: “Aunt Master, you must be short of hands again and want to drag me off to do hard labor! I’ve already been working for Gu Pharmaceuticals for almost a year, and you haven’t paid me a single copper coin!”

Gu Ye replied casually, “Alright, alright! I took you as my disciple, taught you how to make pills and prepare medicinal powders. Did I ever charge you a disciple’s fee? If it weren’t for my devil training, do you think you could’ve beaten that fourth-rank pharmacist in the duel?”

“Aunt Master, if I can independently produce a cowpox vaccine at the Great Pharmacists Convention, what rank do you think the Pharmacists’ Association will give me?” Jiang Zhongtian’s voice, fading into the distance, still carried a tone of excitement and anticipation.

“How should I know? I’ve never taken a pharmacist’s exam myself. Go back and ask your senior brother…” Gu Ye’s voice grew fainter and fainter until it disappeared altogether.

“What… What do we do now?” Inside the jewelry shop, the senior pharmacist judges exchanged uneasy looks. Especially the one still holding the tray that contained the medicines Gu Ye had used in the duel. 

Not to mention the children’s medicine and the cold remedy, even a single Liuwei Dihuang Wan was worth a fortune. A single bottle could sell for several thousand taels of silver, and it was always in high demand, often sold out!

Under the resentful glare of the senior pharmacists, the foreign Grand Pharmacist shamelessly claimed Gu Ye’s medicines for himself. He laughed and patted Grand Pharmacist Baili on the shoulder.

“Baili, that junior sister of yours is truly remarkable! By the way, Baili, didn’t you also live in Yan City for quite some time? Did your junior sister ever share any of her insights about pharmaceutical refining with you?”

Baili Yunjì cast him a sidelong glance, swiftly snatched his little junior sister’s medicine back from the man’s sleeve, and, with a calm and unhurried air, walked out of the jewelry shop through the passage the townsfolk had made for him.

“You… you come back! I didn’t lose! I didn’t lose!” Liu Changgui clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white, his entire body trembling, face flushed scarlet with fury and humiliation. 

The looks from the crowd outside—those mixed expressions of pity and mockery—what did they mean?

 Were they all blind? It was that Miss Gu who deliberately set a trap! He hadn’t lost!

A senior pharmacist who had some friendship with Grand Pharmacist Huang stepped forward, sighing deeply.

“Young man, remember this: There are always people beyond people, and skies beyond skies. Don’t be too obsessed with pride and competition. Losing to the founder of Gu Pharmaceuticals today is no disgrace.” 

Another senior pharmacist who had served as a judge murmured quietly, “Gu Pharmaceuticals only rose to fame in the past couple of years. That Miss Gu didn’t even take the pharmacist’s exam last cycle. She’s technically unranked in the Pharmacists’ Association.”

After speaking, he cast a faint glance at Liu Changgui’s robe, which bore the insignia of a ninth-rank pharmacist, and slowly shook his head.

So this is the ‘chief disciple’ of Huang Sect? 

He forced two unranked junior pharmacists from the Jiang family into a duel, hoping to take advantage of them and ended up flat on his face. And even after losing, he still refused to admit it! 

Such character… Tsk, tsk.