Chapter 791: The Price

"It's not a matter of price, but these medicinal herbs, my teacher does not sell them. I hope you'll understand," Sun Yuan said, waving his hand.

Wei Changfeng gritted his teeth.

If the other party were willing to sell, he would buy even if it meant losing everything. But... since they wouldn't sell, he couldn very well rob them, could he?

Not to mention that he might not be a match for them, the fact that this was the Master Teacher Academy kept him from having any other ideas.

"I need it to save my daughter. She urgently needs this sacred medicine to soothe her soul. Please, Dean You, do me this favor..."

Taking a deep breath, Wei Changfeng knelt to the ground.

"Alas!"

Seeing his action, Zhang Xuan sighed.

For his daughter, he had already knelt twice.

A mighty Saint Domain expert, willing to abandon all dignity for the sake of saving someone, willing to give up everything... This was what it meant to be a parent!

Pitiful are the hearts of parents everywhere!

For their children, they would do anything, give up anything. This kind of love was pure and selfless, great and profound.

"I said I won't sell. Even if you kneel here until you die, it won't change. You'd better leave!"

His expression unchanged, Vice Dean You waved his hand.

"Dean You..."

His face flushed red, Wei Changfeng's nails dug into his flesh.

Both were Saint Domain experts, and they often crossed paths. He never expected that even after kneeling and begging, the other party would remain unmoved.

Seeing the other party show no mercy, Zhang Xuan shook his head and was about to step forward to help persuade, when he heard knocking at the courtyard gate again.

Dong dong dong dong!

Sun Yuan glanced over doubtfully and walked to the gate. After a while, a middle-aged man followed him in.

"Dean You, my master needs a Saint-level Han Yuan Grass for alchemy."

The middle-aged man clasped his fists.

"Han Yuan Grass?"

Vice Dean You nodded: "Sun Yuan, go dig one up for Master Zhuo."

"Yes!" Nodding, Sun Yuan walked into the herb garden and soon returned with a light green plant.

"Thank you!" The middle-aged man nodded, and with a flick of his wrist, several high-grade spirit stones appeared before him: "This is the payment."

Light shimmered; exactly ten stones, neither more nor less.

Dean You put away the spirit stones, while the middle-aged man took the herb and left.

The whole transaction took only a few minutes.

"Dean You, didn't you say you wouldn't sell? Why did you sell directly when this Master Zhuo came?"

Seeing the other party buy so easily while he himself was refused even after kneeling, Wei Changfeng clenched his fists, veins bulging on his forehead.

Zhang Xuan also furrowed his brows.

If it were the other party's principle not to sell at all, even he wouldn't have much to say. But... this Master Zhuo came and bought directly, while for Wei Changfeng, he absolutely refused to sell...

Treating them differently was going too far!

"Master Zhuo's teacher is Dean Lu Feng of the Alchemy Academy. He buys it to refine sixth-grade pills, so of course I sell. As for you... it seems we don't have that kind of relationship, so why must I sell to you?"

Lifting his eyelids, Dean You snorted.

"I..." Wei Changfeng gritted his teeth.

Indeed, he had only met the other party for the first time, with no friendship to speak of. Selling to him would be a favor, not selling was fair. He had no right to demand.

"That's not how it should be said. The greatest function of medicine is to save lives. A healer has a parent's heart; one cannot let personal likes or dislikes delay treatment and cause a patient to die! Pavilion Master Wei's daughter is critically ill and awaits the Ten-Leaf Flower to survive. I beg Dean You to grant this favor!"

Unable to watch any longer, Zhang Xuan stepped forward and clasped his fists.

"Who are you to interrupt our conversation?"

Vice Dean You's brows sank.

As a six-star master teacher of high status and vice dean of the Physician Academy, when had he ever been lectured, especially by a youth of about twenty?

"I am Zhang Xuan, a new student who just arrived at the academy this year," Zhang Xuan said.

"So that's who you are. So you're that Zhang Xuan?"

Pausing for a moment, Vice Dean You then sneered: "I've heard of you. Although you are valued by Dean Mi, Dean Zhao, and others, before me, you are merely a junior, unqualified to speak!"

"A new student, upon arriving at the academy, instead of studying hard, relies on a bit of talent to show off everywhere, causing resentment among all. This is a disgrace to the reputation of a master teacher. If you were my student, I would have expelled you from the sect long ago!"

With that, he looked at Zhang Xuan with a hint of contempt and waved his hand: "Alright, while I'm not yet in a thoroughly bad mood, leave immediately. Otherwise, don't blame me for being rude."

"Rude?"

"Exactly! A new student must act like a new student, must follow the rules of a new student. Not knowing what's good for you, lacking a sense of propriety, disrespecting elders, failing to observe etiquette... If you keep blabbering here, I don't mind teaching you a lesson on behalf of your teacher!"

Hands behind his back, Vice Dean You flicked his sleeves.

"Teach me a lesson on behalf of my teacher? First of all, you are not qualified. And even if you were... it's not your place!"

Seeing the other party's hostile tone and obvious prejudice against him, Zhang Xuan shook his head and stepped forward: "Whether I disgrace the reputation of a master teacher is not for you to decide, but for the Master Teacher Hall and the academy to judge! Besides, although this is your private residence, it is also public property of the academy. To drive me away... do you have the authority? I recall..."

With a light smile, Zhang Xuan looked at him calmly: "You... are not the dean yet, are you?"

He respected those who respected him.

To be accused of disgracing the reputation of a master teacher and being expelled from the sect right from the start... even with his good temper, he couldn't hold back.

A master teacher values reputation above all.

That was why, even knowing that saving Wei Ruyan would damage his soul and harm his spirit, he did it without hesitation.

The other party's words about showing off and being expelled were outright insults, crossing his bottom line.

"How dare you! Do you know who you're speaking to?"

Not expecting a new student to dare talk back, Vice Dean You's face darkened with anger.

"I naturally know who I'm speaking to: six-star master teacher You Xu, 'Vice' Dean of the Physician Academy! I know who I'm speaking to, but do you know who you're speaking to?"

Standing straight as a spear, Zhang Xuan exuded a sharp, proud aura.

"I am a distinguished guest of Hall Master Mo, and Deans Mi, Zhao, and Wei, holding three Elder Tokens; I am a six-star artificer and a six-star xunshi master! To insult me wantonly and threaten me... I think it's not me who is being presumptuous, but you!"

A master teacher's dignity must not be insulted.

Especially for someone like him, a Heaven-acknowledged master teacher!

"You..."

Vice Dean You's eyes narrowed.

He had heard about this Zhang Xuan. Ever since arriving at the academy, he had stirred up a storm, causing an uproar among both old and new students, and even among the teachers, word had spread.

He disliked such rule-breakers and had wanted to teach him a lesson to put him in his place. He never expected to be openly contradicted.

What the other party said was true: holding the Elder Tokens of three deans was equivalent to the deans themselves being present. To actually drive him away would be disrespectful to them, which was indeed inappropriate.

Although he was also a six-star top-grade master teacher, he was still far inferior to the deans.

"I came with my subordinate just to buy a sacred medicine. If you have any conditions, just name them. But as a dignified six-star master teacher, to target me personally and insult me wantonly—if I report this to the academy, do you think they will investigate?"

Ignoring the other party's anger, Zhang Xuan snorted coldly.

"You... you're good!"

Not expecting his angry words to be seized upon as leverage, Vice Dean You's face turned ashen.

Master teachers value status. As a dignified six-star master teacher, if he didn't want to sell, he didn't have to. But to openly insult a six-star artificer was indeed against the demeanor and dignity of a master teacher.

If it were reported to the academy, there would certainly be no major punishment, but a demerit would be unavoidable. Word would spread, and it might become even more embarrassing.

He had long heard that this fellow was extraordinarily cunning, but he didn't expect his words to be so sharp.

Knowing that continuing to argue would only lead to more losses, Vice Dean You stopped dwelling on the issue: "The Ten-Leaf Flower is something I painstakingly cultivated. If you really want it, it's not that I won't sell."

Seeing him suddenly change his tune, Zhang Xuan and Wei Changfeng exchanged glances, both puzzled.

"However, the price might be a bit high."

Vice Dean You said.

"Please speak," Wei Changfeng clasped his fists.

Although he didn't know why the other party suddenly changed his mind, being able to buy it was better than not buying it and arguing here.

"I need a Cloud Mist Flower. If you can bring me one within two days, I will give you the Ten-Leaf Flower directly."

Vice Dean You said.

"Cloud Mist Flower?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

Although he was a four-star physician and knew many herbs, he had never heard of this one.

Just as he was about to ask what it was, he saw Wei Changfeng beside him turn pale and tremble slightly.

"Do you know what it is?" he couldn't help asking.

"The Cloud Mist Flower is a unique plant found on Cloud Mist Ridge in the Hongyuan Mountain Range. It's not a medicinal herb... When dried and roasted, then boiled in water, it produces thick, misty vapor like clouds, very beautiful. It's a rare tea."

Wei Changfeng said.

"Tea? Trade a tea for the Ten-Leaf Flower?"

Zhang Xuan was startled.

The Ten-Leaf Flower was a Saint-level herb, worth at least ten high-grade spirit stones. To exchange it for a tea plant... that was too cheap!

"Yes."

Wei Changfeng nodded, seemed about to say something, but stopped. Instead, he looked up at Vice Dean You: "Alright, I agree."

"Good, then I'll wait for your good news!"

Vice Dean You smiled lightly and waved his hand.

"Rest assured! I only hope you will keep your promise and give me the Ten-Leaf Flower then."

Taking a deep breath, Wei Changfeng clenched his fists, then turned to Zhang Xuan: "Young master, let's go."

Seeing they had finished their discussion, Zhang Xuan said nothing more, and the two left the courtyard.

As soon as they left, Sun Yuan couldn't help but look at the old man: "Teacher, Cloud Mist Ridge is teeming with sacred beasts. Even Dean Mi, who is skilled in taming and powerful, finds it hard to return. Asking Pavilion Master Wei to pick Cloud Mist Flowers... isn't that too dangerous?"

"Dangerous? Of course I know it's dangerous. But you've heard what Wei Changfeng has done... It would be best if such a scourge died. As for that Zhang Xuan, he has no respect for elders and doesn't know his place. It would be best if he went too. If he doesn't go, at least he'll learn that a six-star master teacher... is not to be trifled with!"

Vice Dean You sneered.