Chapter 114: A Hundred Streams Return to the River

"What? Cheng Jiang, is what he said true? I kindly discussed alchemy with you, and you secretly learned my Ice Silk Hand?"

"Despicable! No wonder on the day of my birthday banquet, you were nowhere to be seen for so long. Tell me, when did you sneak into my study?"

"Cheng Jiang, we are all alchemists. If you truly wanted to learn the technique, you could have spoken kindly and begged sincerely, and I might not have refused. But you tricked my apprentice and fraudulently obtained my Hundred Twining Hand—that's too unscrupulous!"

…

Alchemy techniques, like martial arts techniques, are often unique secrets with strict sect rules and are not easily passed on.

Hearing Zhang Xuan's words, this Cheng Jiang had actually stolen techniques without the consent of other alchemists, using every conceivable means to steal secret manuals, and the room immediately erupted.

Everyone was a member of the Alchemist Guild and often discussed alchemy together. If he truly wanted to learn, he could have presented a formal request, performed a half-teacher ceremony, and the technique could have been taught. Afterward, the teacher-student relationship could be dissolved, and they could still be friends!

But stealing like this, like a martial artist stealing teachings, was a grave taboo.

"Everyone, don't listen to his nonsense..."

Feeling the surrounding anger, Cheng Jiang's face alternated between red and white as he waved his hands repeatedly.

"Nonsense?"

Zhang Xuan stepped forward, a slight smile on his lips: "Just now, Alchemist Cheng used a total of twenty-three herbs to refine this Gathering Breath Pill. Am I wrong?"

"That's right."

The herbs needed to refine the Gathering Breath Pill were known to almost every alchemist; it was no secret, so there was no need to deny it.

"When you fused the White Lotus Grass, Purple Vine Root, and Golden River Flower, your little finger tilted back slightly, the fingertip arched like picking a flower. If I'm not mistaken, this move was borrowed from Alchemist Bai Ming's Thousand Silk Phantom Hand."

"When extracting the Green Sun Juice, you spread your five fingers and brushed lightly, as if drawing out cold from ice, not daring to use too much force. That should be borrowed from Alchemist Lin Mu's Ice Silk Hand."

"When adding the Purple Grass and White Beard Flower to the furnace, to prevent the two herbs' properties from conflicting, you deliberately let them circle half a turn on the furnace wall before dropping them. This not only enhances the medicinal effect but also removes their harshness, preventing conflict. Alchemist Jin Chen's Golden Spring Flowing Cloud Hand seems identical to this move."

…

"When the pill came out, to avoid touching the hot furnace, your palm twisted like silk, and your true qi formed a special net. The movement was subtle but still detectable upon careful observation. Alchemist Du Man, isn't that exactly like your Hundred Twining Hand?"

Zhang Xuan didn't give the other party a chance to refute, speaking in one breath. Pausing here, he smiled slightly, the corners of his mouth lifting: "If... Alchemist Cheng thinks I'm talking nonsense and spouting lies, we have recording crystals here that can be reviewed at any time. Everyone can focus on the parts I mentioned and see if I'm lying."

"You..."

His face turning deathly pale, Cheng Jiang trembled all over.

He knew that the other party had made no mistake!

Alchemists each had their own heritage. To improve faster, he had stolen techniques everywhere, thinking it was very secret... How did this guy know?

And so clearly?

In an instant, he felt as if he were standing naked before everyone, a deep fear rising from the depths of his heart.

"What? Still think I'm talking nonsense?" Ignoring the other's changed expression, Zhang Xuan stepped forward again: "If you think everything I said is wrong, then... this 'self-created technique' of yours, which combines everyone's alchemy methods, is it called 'A Hundred Streams Return to the River'?"

"You're a demon..."

Alchemist Cheng Jiang stumbled and fell to the ground.

He had indeed named this technique of his 'A Hundred Streams Return to the River'!

He had just come up with it a few days ago and had never told anyone, not even his apprentice. How... did the other party say it in one breath?

To be able to observe so meticulously, and even know that he secretly stole others' secret techniques... Is this guy a devil?

How could this be...

Master Cheng Jiang was filled with terror.

"Ten thousand rivers return to the river—all schools return to you, Cheng Jiang. What a bold claim, what a fine technique!"

"Stealing our techniques, fusing them together, and then claiming to have created a new one—Cheng Jiang, you really have skill!"

"I treated you like a brother, regarded you as my best friend, never thought you would do this. Very well!"

"From today on, our friendship is severed!"

...

Seeing Cheng Jiang's expression and recalling his earlier techniques carefully, if the crowd still couldn't figure it out, they would truly be fools.

The many alchemists present were flushed with anger, fury in their eyes.

They weren't particularly brilliant alchemists, and their respective techniques weren't closely guarded secrets, but... this guy, if he wanted to learn, he could learn openly—being refused would be fine—but secretly learning behind their backs was absolutely taboo!

Not only that, but he brazenly claimed to have created his own technique. Create your sister! Taking a hodgepodge of techniques from so many of us and fusing them together—that's creating a technique?

If that were the case, wouldn't everyone in the world be able to create new techniques?

And 'Ten thousand rivers return to the river'...

How can a person be so shameless!

The crowd looked at Cheng Jiang again, no longer with the previous equal treatment, but only with various forms of disgust.

"Everyone, calm down!"

Seeing the crowd indignant, Zhang Xuan smiled and interrupted their words, turning to look at the incredulous Cheng Jiang: "Master Cheng... did I win?"

"You... you..."

Seeing his smile, Master Cheng trembled: "You win... I concede!"

He had no choice but to concede; the other's insight was simply devilish. He feared that if he continued, even more secrets would be exposed, so he had to agree quickly.

At this moment, he somewhat regretted deliberately making things difficult for the other. If not for that, although the other had pointed out the flaws of Meng Yan and Chen Xiao, he had clearly saved face. But for himself, he had directly slapped him in the face, exposing him on the spot...

It was foreseeable that once these matters spread, he would have no place to stand in the Alchemist Guild of Tianxuan Kingdom, becoming a rat crossing the street, beaten by everyone.

Even his status and credibility would be swept away, becoming a liar and a villain in others' eyes.

Hearing his admission, Zhang Xuan smiled slightly.

Originally, he had only been debating alchemy with the crowd, without any excessive conflict. He couldn't be bothered with the other's character flaws, but this guy had been aggressive!

Wanting to embarrass me? What a joke!

As a transmigrator with a golden finger, if I let you slap my face, how could I get by?

Since you've run into my gun, don't blame me for being rude. It's also a good chance to kill the chicken to scare the monkeys, letting others know that I, Zhang Xuan... am not someone to be trifled with!

"Master Cheng has conceded!"

Zhang Xuan looked around: "Anyone else?"

Instantly, there was dead silence.