Chapter 592: Profiteering
The most critical thing was, how dare they continue to slander Jiang Chen and add to his anger? If they enraged him, what if he really possessed the antidote and refused to give it to them? Wouldn’t they all perish here? After all, the heavyweights here were all smart people, and they were very clear on how tyrannical the Miasma in their minds was. Although the poison was currently dormant, its effects would explode once it invaded their consciousness. Upon its activation, those afflicted could only sit back and await death. Seeing Jiang Chen’s calm and leisurely look, everyone felt even more uneasy. Those elders who had previously spoken out to discipline Jiang Chen felt especially regretful.
“Jiang Chen, you sure are ruthless. You didn’t even mention such a significant matter. But, are you callous to the extent that you don’t even care about your own sect?” Zhu Feiyang couldn’t help but say.
Jiang Chen smiled indifferently, “Don’t you worry about my sect.”
He then turned to Elder Yun Nie to say, “Elder Yun Nie, due to some previous circumstances, I couldn’t notify you properly.” He flicked his fingers a few times. Seven antidote pills shot outwards into the hands of his fellow sect members.
“Take the pills immediately, the sooner the better.” Jiang Chen had long since prepared these seven pills for the four elders and three young geniuses. Since he wasn’t poisoned, he naturally did not need an antidote for himself. Fearing that Jiang Chen might change his mind, Elder Yun Nie and the others did not hesitate to quickly swallow the antidotes and sit down to refine the pills.
The surrounding onlookers all felt a surge of adrenaline, some of them even feeling the urge to steal the pills. However, the Regal Pill Palace members had swallowed the antidotes almost immediately, leaving no chance for theft. Not to mention, no one would dare make any trouble at this time. Should they fail to obtain the pills, they would completely enrage Jiang Chen, which would only spell certain death. At the very least, the pills were likely real, seeing that Jiang Chen dared give them out to his fellow sect members. The atmosphere instantly became very awkward, so silent they could have heard a pin drop. After enough time to brew a cup of tea had passed, Elder Yun Nie stood up and laughed, “Jiang Chen, your antidote sure is miraculous. The effects were instant!”
Elder Yun Nie was actually quite stunned, not only at the efficacy of the antidote, but more surprisingly, out of so many here, Jiang Chen had been the sole individual who had discovered the Miasma on the island. Plus, he hadn’t just discovered the Miasma, he had also analyzed the poison and quickly formulated an antidote. Although Elder Yun Nie wasn’t sure how Jiang Chen had created the antidote, there was one thing he could be certain of: Jiang Chen alone had the resources at hand to create the antidotes.
Jiang Chen’s display of incredible insight, prodigious pill talent, heaven-defying perception and extraordinary strategic ability caused Elder Yun Nie to view him in a completely new light. A mere fifth level origin realm cultivator was making a group of sage realm experts dance in the palm of his hands, to whatever tempo he set. Although there were some external factors involved, Jiang Chen had definitely displayed astonishing wisdom and tactics.
Following this, the other members of the Regal Pill Palace also finished digesting the antidote to rid themselves of the Miasma. They rose one after another, taking a place next to Jiang Chen. Each of them had a tacit understanding that they should now present a united front to the others. Even Shen Qinghong was fully willing to stand beside Jiang Chen without awkwardness. When he had accepted Jiang Chen’s pill, he’d been struck by a sense of shame. Nevertheless, he’d been able to clear his mind as he refined the antidote and break through the demons Jiang Chen stirred in his heart. Thus, he was wholeheartedly submissive as he stood next to Jiang Chen. Seeing the Regal Pill Palace’s lively and vigorous looks after refining the antidote, everyone else gained a more serious expression. Any trace of their former doubt regarding Jiang Chen’s antidote had been replaced. If the antidote was fake, then the rest of the Regal Pill Palace would not have acted so happily along with Jiang Chen.
The Dark North Sect elder sighed lightly, “Ai, we were all blind to have offended the true pill genius.”
Despite saying this, he was still somewhat relieved. Instead of adding insult to injury previously, the Dark North Sect had instead spoken up for Jiang Chen and the Regal Pill Palace. “Sage nephew Jiang Chen, why don’t you state a price for the antidote?” The elder smiled ruefully. Their Dark North Sect only needed six antidotes as they had entered with seven members, but one had already perished. Though Elder Yun Nie didn’t speak up for the Dark North Sect, he gave Jiang Chen a meaningful glance. Jiang Chen was naturally aware of the relationship between the Dark North Sect and the Regal Pill Palace.
He smiled faintly. “The Dark North Sect and our Regal Pill Palace have always had a good relationship. If I had not been vexed by the distribution of the earth rank herbs, I had intended to publicly inform everyone of the Miasma. But since you all went ahead and listened to the Sacred Sword Palace’s disparaging words, well, you’ve simply tied my hands in this matter. I’m sure everyone can understand that I’m not the type to try and impress those who can’t be bothered. Relationships are a two-way street after all.”
These words were very reasonable, so the elder nodded slightly, “We can’t blame you for this. It was indeed our mistake to begin with.”
As the other sects heard this, regret twisted in their guts. Why had they listened to the Sacred Sword Palace’s slander and purposely sabotaged the Regal Pill Palace’s gains during the earth rank herb distribution?
Alas, it was too late for regrets now.
Elder Chen saw the unkind looks that the other sects were sending his way and was inwardly incensed. He mentally cursed eighteen generations of their ancestors. These old bastards! No one spoke up when I made that proposal because they would profit from it. But now they all want to blame me for saying too much?
Unfortunately, these thoughts could not be voiced, only bitterly swallowed.
Everyone here had their hearts in their mouths. Previously, they’d all believed Jiang Chen was crazy for wanting to redefine the heaven and earth rank herbs’ distribution.
But now they knew, Jiang Chen wasn’t crazy. They were the ones who were crazy!
Jiang Chen smiled lightly, “The Dark North Sect and the Regal Pill Palace have a good relationship, and you did not kick us while we were down or speak up to lecture me. Thus my price is simple. I’ll take half of your Dark North Sect’s earth rank herbs.”
Among their five participating members, the Dark North Sect had harvested a total of fifty-four earth rank herbs. Everyone was shocked when they heard Jiang Chen’s words. The antidote was this expensive? And this already included a friendship discount?
The Dark North Sect elder thought for a moment before nodding decisively, “Twenty seven earth rank herbs to buy six lives is a very fair price.” Saying this, he turned to the other members who had earth rank herbs, “Everyone, take out half of your earth rank herbs.”
This was a matter of life and death. They might have been reluctant but they had no choice in the matter. After the twenty seven earth rank herbs were delivered into Jiang Chen’s hands, six antidote pills were unhesitatingly passed over to the Dark North Sect members. They didn’t dawdle either, and immediately sat down in place to refine the pills.
Seeing this transaction, the remaining four great sects all considered whether or not they should buy the antidote from Jiang Chen.
The Tristar Sect’s Elder Tan Lang was the first to speak up. He laughed, “Alright, alright. This old man had truly judged wrongly. Honorable nephew Jiang Chen, it was this short-sighted old man who had wrongly given offense. I never expected that such hidden dragons and crouching tigers would be amongst us, more so a genius of your ken. Fortunately we do have you, otherwise I’m afraid everyone would have perished here.”
These words seemed very grand and optimistic, as if the elder was a heroic character.
However, Jiang Chen remained indifferent. He wasn’t clear what sort of person this Elder Tan Lang was, but this elder had been amongst those who had spoken to discipline Jiang Chen. In fact, he’d been the first person to do so.
Elder Tan Lang felt a bit awkward when faced with Jiang Chen’s unresponsive demeanor, but still doggedly pressed on with a look of magnanimity as he smiled, “This old man knows that just now everyone went a bit too far and the previous earth rank herb distribution was indeed unfair. How about this, the Tristar Sect is also willing to purchase the antidote with half of our earth rank herbs.”
Upon hearing this, Mu Gaoqi was inwardly elated. After doing some calculations, flowers of delight bloomed in his heart. Brother Jiang Chen was about to make a fortune, ah!
There were a total of four hundred earth rank herbs. Subtracting the ones the Regal Pill Palace had obtained meant there were still three hundred and sixty seven earth rank herbs. If they took half of that, then Senior Brother Jiang Chen would suddenly obtain nearly two hundred earth rank herbs! This sort of extravagant wealth would immediately transform Jiang Chen into the richest man among the Myriad Domain’s younger generation.
But who expected that Jiang Chen would remain expressionless, before suddenly chuckling indifferently, “When did I say I would sell the antidote to you?”
Jiang Chen’s words immediately caused everyone’s expressions to change.
What? Not selling? Could Jiang Chen be planning on staying put and watching everyone die from the poison?
Elder Chen from the Sacred Sword Palace promptly tried to incite the others, “Does everyone see and hear this? This kid is vicious to the bone. All he wants is to sit back and watch us all die to poison so that his Regal Pill Palace becomes the only one that benefits!”
These words immediately aroused a large number of people to join in opposition.
Wang Han poured more fuel onto the fire by shouting, “This kid is too cruel! I think everyone should combine forces and forcefully take the antidote from him. The Myriad Domain can be without a Regal Pill Palace, but absolutely cannot only contain the Regal Pill Palace!”
Wang Han’s words inflamed the thoughts of everyone present. Everyone turned towards Jiang Chen with grave expressions and unkind eyes, like tigers glaring at prey.
Jiang Chen laughed indifferently as he revealed a pill bottle with its cover removed, slightly shaking it in the palm of his hands. He moved the bottle over the lake waters and tilted it slightly. “This is the only bottle of antidote. With the slightest shake of my hand, these pills will sink into the lake and dissolve. If anyone feels confident they’re faster than me, then they’re free to try and snatch these pills from me. But be warned, you only have one chance. If you can’t steal these pills, then you can only sit tight and wait for death.” Jiang Chen laughed leisurely, “I, on the other hand, can easily run away with an escape talisman. I’ll just have to come back later to help bury your corpses and take care of all the treasures you’re all carrying.”
When they saw Jiang Chen’s relaxed demeanor, bitter expressions crossed the faces of the other four great sects’ members as they suppressed the previous impulses that Wang Han had incited. They did not dare gamble. They could not afford to gamble. If they lost the gamble, the only route for them was death. Who knew if Jiang Chen was a careless person? If he actually threw the antidote pills into the water, then they would be completely out of luck. Pills were all refined under high temperatures, and would instantly dissolve in water. They would have no way to save the pills even if they wanted to.
At this moment, they tragically discovered that their life and death were no longer in their own hands, but rather firmly within Jiang Chen’s grasp.
They couldn’t steal the pills. They couldn’t buy the pills. Just what did this Jiang Chen really want from them?!