Chapter 639: Unlucky Wu Zhen (Part 2)

"Drink?" Wu Zhen was taken aback. "Isn't this medicine for external application?"

Yesterday, that Master Bi had his arm pierced by a dagger, and external application worked. How come it's for internal use now?

"This medicine is used differently depending on the injury—either internally or externally. If used incorrectly, not only will it be ineffective, but it may even worsen the injury!" Zhang Xuan said casually.

Anyway, there wasn't much of this 'medicinal wine' left in the gourd. He'd just bluff his way through for now. By the time Wu Zhen actually wanted to check, the wine would be gone, and he wouldn't be able to find out.

"Is that so?" Wu Zhen was skeptical.

"You saw how effective it was when I used it yesterday... If it didn't work, it must have been used incorrectly!"

Zhang Xuan didn't even blush. "You just said it wasn't you who used it. The person who used it must have confused external and internal application, which is why it didn't work!"

"Really?" Wu Zhen still hesitated.

"Take a sip, just one sip!" Zhang Xuan urged with a smile.

"Fine, but if it doesn't work, I'll deal with you!"

With a snort, Wu Zhen raised the gourd and took a sip.

As the wine went down his throat, he felt a warm current flow from his abdomen through his entire body. Moments later, the pain and bruises from before were completely gone, leaving no trace of injury.

"This..."

Wu Zhen's eyes widened in disbelief.

Experiencing it firsthand, he realized how miraculous this healing elixir was.

Yesterday, he had been beaten black and blue. He had used both internal and external medicines, but none had worked. He had come today with red-rimmed eyes, thinking Master Zhang's elixir was fake. He never expected it to be so potent.

He was fully recovered in an instant, all injuries healed... This was too incredible!

"See, I told you!"

Seeing his injuries healed, Zhang Xuan nodded. "The person who treated you must have used it incorrectly. Why don't you go ask her where she was injured, whether she applied it externally or took it internally? I'll help you analyze it."

"Alright!" After a moment's hesitation, Wu Zhen nodded.

This concerned his reputation. No matter what, he had to get to the bottom of it, or he'd be stuck with the label of a fraud.

Picking up the gourd, he turned and walked toward the Sixth Princess, clasping his hands.

"Sixth Princess, you wronged me. This medicinal wine isn't useless—you just used it incorrectly!"

With Master Zhang's guidance, Wu Zhen was full of confidence, every move exuding poise.

"Used it incorrectly?" The Sixth Princess frowned as she saw this guy brimming with confidence after chatting with Master Zhang.

"That's right. Just tell me where you were injured. Rest assured, I only need one look to determine the root cause, and then I'll know whether to apply it externally or take it internally. I guarantee you'll be fine immediately!"

Raising his head, Wu Zhen felt he had regained his credibility.

"Where I was injured? One look?"

The Sixth Princess's face flushed crimson.

Are you doing this on purpose?

My injury was inflicted by Master Zhang. You chatted with him for a long time, then came over to ask and even want to take a look...

Meaning, you want to see my... butt?

"That's right. Once I confirm the location and condition of the injury, I can determine whether to apply it externally or take it internally. You must have used it incorrectly yesterday, which is why it didn't work..."

Smiling, Wu Zhen was about to continue his explanation to let her know she had wronged him, when he saw a palm flying straight toward his face.

Slap!

The resounding slap spun him around twice, leaving him dazed.

"You want to see? I'll beat you to death today!"

Her face livid, the Sixth Princess kicked him.

Thud!

Before he could react, Wu Zhen was sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground.

"Sixth Princess, why are you hitting me? What did I do?" Wu Zhen cried.

He had kindly offered the medicinal wine he couldn't bear to use himself to the princess, hoping to win her favor. Instead, he got beaten yesterday. Today, after finally figuring out the reason and testing it himself, he got beaten again...

What was going on?

He really meant well. Why was he so unlucky!

"Luo Qiqi, please plead for me..."

Struggling to his feet, seeing the Sixth Princess still charging at him furiously, Wu Zhen was terrified and quickly sought help.

"Serves you right for daring to flirt with the Sixth Princess!" Luo Qiqi snorted.

She had heard the conversation. This guy actually wanted to see the Sixth Princess's butt. Getting beaten was the least of it; being killed on the spot would be lenient.

"Flirting with the Sixth Princess? Wu Zhen, you're asking for death!"

Xing Yuan, who was nearby, finally realized what this guy had done. He roared and cracked his knuckles, ready to strike.

He was the Sixth Princess's loyal follower, always by her side. How dare this guy flirt with her? Was he not taking him seriously?

"..." Wu Zhen cried.

I... I really just wanted to do a good deed...

"This..."

Watching Wu Zhen get pummeled after walking over, Zhang Xuan was baffled and confused.

As expected of a genius from the Master Teacher Academy, truly capricious and beyond ordinary reasoning.

...

"Ahem, since everyone is here, let's head to the Purification Pool."

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Emperor Ye Wentian interrupted the geniuses.

"Let's go!"

Knowing it was getting late, the others said no more and followed closely.

The Purification Pool was not in the imperial palace, nor even within the Phantom Feather Imperial Capital, but at the junction of Mount Qingji and Dragon Scale River, not far from the capital, heavily guarded by the Phantom Feather royal family.

Everyone mounted the flying spirit beasts prepared in advance. After flying for several tens of minutes, they saw a place where spiritual energy converged appear before them.

Mount Qingji coiled like a giant dragon on the ground, while Dragon Scale River was embedded in the earth like a Milky Way.

A dragon drinks from the long river, stars scattered across the world.

A single glance told them this was a natural spirit-gathering array. Moreover, the dragon possessed the power to summon clouds and rain, ready to soar into the sky at any moment. Thus, the spiritual energy here was softer and more beneficial to the soul.

"Impressive!"

After watching for a while, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

No wonder this place could become the seat of a second-rank empire's capital. This Purification Pool was truly extraordinary.

It was far more powerful than the spirit-gathering array he had set up.

They slowly descended.

"Ahead is the Purification Pool. Before entering, I will distribute the Pure Spirit Incense to you all according to the previously determined quotas and times."

Ye Wentian explained.

As he spoke, a guard approached, carrying a full thirty sticks of Pure Spirit Incense.

This substance was different from ordinary incense; from a distance, it looked more like a metal, able to float in water and burn on its own, determining the amount of spiritual energy in the pool eyes.

The Hongfeng Empire had obtained three pool eyes, with a total of nine sticks of Pure Spirit Incense. Zhang Xuan took three.

One pool eye could only be used for three days. For him, three sticks were enough.

After distributing the Pure Spirit Incense, it was nearly noon.

"Master Zhang, I need to talk to you about something!"

Just as the Purification Pool was about to open and Zhang Xuan was about to follow Ye Qian and the others, he heard a faint voice transmission in his ear. Turning his head, he saw Xing Yuan approaching him.

First Wu Zhen came looking for him, and now this guy was coming over. What did he want?

Still, since the other party had something to discuss, it wouldn't be good to refuse.

The two went to a corner out of sight of the others.

As soon as they stopped, Xing Yuan got straight to the point: "I know you made a bet with the Sixth Princess!"

"Yes," Zhang Xuan saw no reason to deny it.

The first time they bet, this guy was right there, watching his beloved Sixth Princess become his maidservant.

"Admit defeat! Don't let the Sixth Princess see through it!"

Xing Yuan looked at him.

"Admit defeat?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

He had thought the other party had come for something else, but it turned out he wanted him to concede.

"That's right. If you admit defeat, name your terms!"

Waving his hand grandly, Xing Yuan snorted.

"Name my terms?" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

"Indeed."

Xing Yuan nodded.

"Alright. My bet with the Sixth Princess was for ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones, as you surely know. This bet is the same... How about this: if you can give me one high-grade spirit stone, I'll concede without issue."

Zhang Xuan said calmly.

For him, he could control the speed of absorbing spiritual energy in the Purification Pool. If he could also get a high-grade spirit stone out of this, he would truly profit.

Although one high-grade spirit stone was also worth ten thousand mid-grade ones, in reality, it was not available on the market; even if you wanted to buy one, you couldn't.

"One high-grade spirit stone?"

Xing Yuan's mouth twitched.

This item was too precious. Even for his family, it was not easy to produce one.

"If you don't agree, that's fine... Anyway, if the Sixth Princess loses, she'll still compensate me with ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones..."

Zhang Xuan said.

Although ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones were not comparable to one high-grade, at least it guaranteed he wouldn't lose. If the other party couldn't produce it, it didn't matter.

"Fine, I agree!"

Xing Yuan gritted his teeth: "After this trial, once we complete the mission and return to the academy, I will receive a high-grade spirit stone as a reward. I can give you that stone, but... you must keep this secret and not tell anyone!"

"Deal!"

Zhang Xuan nodded.

At worst, he would waste three days. Getting a high-grade spirit stone was an absolute steal.

Moreover, doing so would not offend Xing Yuan and would also appease the Sixth Princess.

Just as the two finished discussing, a violent rumble sounded, followed by a dense surge of spiritual energy spreading out straight, as if a massive spirit-gathering array had suddenly activated.

"Look!"

Someone in the crowd shouted.

They hurriedly looked ahead and saw a dense pillar of spiritual energy shooting straight into the sky. A refreshing aura rushed toward them; a single breath made the soul tremble uncontrollably, as if on the verge of a breakthrough.

In the open space ahead, a huge pool slowly appeared, its spiritual energy boiling as if forming giant dragons that roared mightily, seemingly ready to burst into the sky at any moment.

Around the pool, ten identical whirlpools emerged, each about two meters in diameter, quietly embedded around the pool like gems set in a crown.

"The Purification Pool... has opened!"

Seeing this, everyone clenched their fists simultaneously.