Jiang Chen had torn off Wang Teng's hypocritical mask twice in a row, and this sent Wang Teng into a towering rage. He never could have imagined that a mere alchemist from the lowly Wei clan would dare to publicly offend the dignity of a great clan — not once, but twice.
Since when did alchemists from minor families have such gall? Ordinary guest alchemists, even Alchemy Kings, typically stuck to matters of alchemy and rarely involved themselves in disputes between families. Everyone liked to keep a fallback option — if the family they served happened to fall, an Alchemy King could always move on to another establishment and make a living.
After all, a guest Alchemy King was still just a guest. Very few would follow a clan to its doom.
Yet this inexplicable alchemist from the Wei clan had repeatedly provoked him. Beyond fury, Wang Teng also found it utterly incredible.
His gaze turned cold as he fixed his eyes on Jiang Chen and said icily, "When great clans converse, do you, a petty alchemist, not stop to consider your station? Do you even have the right to interject?"
With that, Wang Teng shot a piercing glare toward the Wei father and son. "Your Wei clan is at least a Ninth-Rank Family — do you not even understand the most basic etiquette? It seems your Wei family truly needs someone to teach you how to behave!"
Third Young Master Ji heard this and immediately took offense. "Wang Teng, cut the crap! The Wei clan is a force under my Panlong Great Clan. How they conduct themselves is our Panlong Great Clan's business to handle. This Zhen Alchemy King — I've always admired him greatly and have consulted him privately on many occasions about medicinal pills. What he said may have been blunt, but the reasoning was sound. Is your Wang family not putting on an act of mystery? Are you not the ones pulling strings behind the scenes? Wang Teng, it's not that Ji looks down on you — you simply wouldn't dare swear a heavenly oath. Your Wang family will never have the guts to stand openly and honestly in the light."
This was a provocation — not particularly elegant, but aimed squarely at Wang Teng, leaving him no room to maneuver.
Admit it, and the Wang family's lack of integrity would be on full display.
Deny it, and he'd come across as guilty. After all, this Taiyuan Tower really was a Wang family enterprise. The Tong family was merely doing legwork and standing at the forefront to drum up business.
Wang Teng clearly didn't want to continue down this path. He let out a cold, haughty laugh. "Ji Lao San, no matter how much you say, it won't cover up the guilt on your side. When it comes to a pill shop's business, people care about the pills, not about watching you clowns put on a show. If you've got the skill, then bring out supreme-grade pills to compete. If you don't, then just watch my Taiyuan Tower rake in the profits while you choke on the wind."
Third Young Master Ji burst out laughing. "So you're admitting that Taiyuan Tower belongs to your Wang family?"
"And what if it does? Ji Lao San, let me tell you — the scion of a great clan stooping to squabble over petty details like some street rascal. I'm truly embarrassed for you."
Before Third Young Master Ji could respond, Jiang Chen spoke up. "Now that's a fine thing to say — 'people care about the pills.' Since you, young Master Wang, are so confident, and we have a full house of guests today, why don't we settle this right here on the street with a pill competition? Words are cheap!"
A pill competition?
Third Young Master Ji and the Wei father and son all froze for a moment upon hearing this, then turned to look at Jiang Chen in unison.
Jiang Chen nodded at them with calm confidence.
Things had reached this point — there was no more room for Jiang Chen to keep a low profile. If Taiyuan Tower was allowed to open successfully today, the Taiyuan Pavilion would inevitably be suppressed going forward, and any ambition to grow would face enormous resistance.
Since the masks had already been torn off, rather than letting the other side strangle them later, it was better to go all in today.
Wang Teng heard this and let out a string of cold laughs. "A pill competition? Ji Lao San, can this underling of yours speak on your behalf?"
"Wang Teng, I'm not like you. The Taiyuan Pavilion is the Wei family's enterprise. I can't make decisions for them."
Wang Teng then cast a mocking look toward the Wei father and son. "What does your Wei clan say?"
Wei Tianxiao knew that things had come to this — there was no more room to retreat. If they backed down today, the Taiyuan Pavilion would never recover.
"Fine, we'll compete," Wei Jie was the first to speak. "Do you think our Taiyuan Pavilion is afraid of some copycat upstart?"
Wang Teng sneered, clapped his hands, and turned to Tong Xianwei. "Patriarch Tong, go invite all the guests outside. We'll lay everything bare right here on Shennong Grand Street and have a proper showdown. Let's see whether Taiyuan Tower or Taiyuan Pavilion is the real deal!"
It wasn't blind confidence on Wang Teng's part — he genuinely had the goods to back it up.
Taiyuan Tower's grand opening today wasn't just about the Longevity Pill as its star product. There were several other pills developed over recent years, all refined essentials that they planned to launch alongside the Longevity Pill's momentum, riding the wave straight into the market and establishing Taiyuan Tower's reputation in one decisive push.
This strategy hadn't been dreamed up on a whim by Wang Teng. It was a scheme devised by the Wang Royal Clan's think tank — meticulously planned and calculated through rigorous simulation from top to bottom, a plan forged by the power of the entire team.
So Wang Teng had every reason to be confident.
The Longevity Pill, in particular — a pill that would almost overturn the entire alchemy world's order. Once it was widely released, the frenzy it would cause was beyond imagining.
Tong Xianwei knew full well where the Wang Royal Clan's confidence lay. Seeing the Wei clan — courting death, no less — actually trying to challenge the Wang Royal Clan in alchemy, he secretly sneered with contempt.
"Very well, I'll go invite them right away," Tong Xianwei said with a broad smile, casting a glance at the Wei side as if looking at a bunch of fools.
He thought to himself: You Wei people want to humiliate yourselves? Don't blame anyone else. Enjoy your smugness now — in a little while, you'll be crying without tears!
And you, Third Young Master Ji — you want to wade into this mess? We'll slap your face right along with theirs!
Word spread that Taiyuan Tower and Taiyuan Pavilion would be holding a public pill competition on the street, and the guests were filled with interest. They filed out of Taiyuan Tower one after another.
Jiang Chen caught Wei Jie's eye with a meaningful look. Wei Jie understood and went inside to summon the guests who had entered the Taiyuan Pavilion.
Before long, the entire street was packed with people — inside and out, at least two or three thousand had gathered, and curious onlookers who'd heard the news kept arriving in growing numbers.
They hadn't been invited, of course. They'd simply shown up on their own.