Chapter 29: The Last Set of Ingredients

"Sure!" Chu Feng immediately nodded in agreement upon hearing this.

Since Chu Feng had been unable to break through to the extreme realm, rescuing Shen Wanbao at the Shen Clan's estate might give him a chance to find resources in their treasury to achieve his Breakthrough!

One hour later, Shen Qianning brought Chu Feng to the Shen Clan.

At that moment, the courtyard of the Shen Clan was packed with people.

Among them were members of the Shen Clan, as well as Shen Wanbao's friends — all of whom, having heard that Shen Wanbao was on the verge of death, had come to see him one last time.

Shen Wanbao had a wide circle of acquaintances. Those who came included high-ranking figures from the Cangfeng Empire, as well as representatives from numerous powerful factions.

There were also some healers who had come to treat Shen Wanbao. Though they could not cure him, they could help sustain his life force and keep him from dying too quickly.

Some people from the Qinglan Sect had also arrived, and among them, surprisingly, was Yun Qingying.

"Why is this bastard here?"

The moment Yun Qingying spotted Chu Feng, she immediately ground her teeth in fury!

Last time, Chu Feng had called her a slut and told her to get lost!

Now, seeing Chu Feng again, Yun Qingying wished she could poke a few holes in him!

Chu Feng also caught sight of Yun Qingying in the crowd at a glance!

Yun Qingying was far too beautiful — she stood out brilliantly among the crowd.

Chu Feng flashed her a charming smile, but Yun Qingying completely ignored him.

"Qianning, is this the fifth-grade Alchemist you mentioned?"

The members of the Shen Clan looked at Chu Feng, whom Shen Qianning had brought along, with faces full of doubt!

Chu Feng was far too young — there was simply no way he could be a fifth-grade Alchemist!

"That's right. Young Master Chu is indeed a fifth-grade Alchemist!" Shen Qianning said with certainty.

After being turned away from the Shen Clan the last time, Shen Qianning had asked Chu Feng again, and he had confirmed to her that he was indeed a fifth-grade Alchemist.

Shen Qianning felt that Chu Feng had no motive to deceive her, and so she firmly believed that he was a fifth-grade Alchemist!

"How is that possible?"

"There's no way someone this young could be a fifth-grade Alchemist!"

"Miss Shen, have you been deceived by him?"

"Exactly — this person is definitely a fraud. He's probably trying to swindle Miss Shen out of her money and her virtue!"

......

The people around them erupted into heated discussion upon hearing Shen Qianning's words, all convinced that Chu Feng was a con artist and could not possibly be a fifth-grade Alchemist!

Yun Qingying also stared at Chu Feng with a face full of suspicion — she didn't believe he was a fifth-grade Alchemist either.

When Chu Feng had been at their Qinglan Sect before, he had never shown any sign of being an Alchemist.

And Chu Feng was far too young. If someone said he was a first or second-grade Alchemist, she might have believed it!

But claiming he was a fifth-grade Alchemist? She absolutely refused to believe that!

"Thirteenth Sister, you're too naive — you've been swindled out of your money and your virtue without even knowing it!"

Shen Qianluo, hearing the people around him doubt Chu Feng, immediately joined in to kick him while he was down.

"What nonsense are you talking about? Young Master Chu has not deceived me at all!" Shen Qianning, seeing everyone around her doubting Chu Feng, immediately snapped back in anger!

"Whether I'm a fraud or not — why not just put it to the test?"

"Bring me the ingredients for the Snow Ginseng Creation Pill, and I'll refine it right here on the spot!" Chu Feng suddenly spoke up.

Rather than arguing endlessly, it would be far more convincing to simply refine the Snow Ginseng Creation Pill right then and there!

"The ingredients for the Snow Ginseng Creation Pill are priceless. Do you think we'll just hand them over whenever you ask? If you ruin them, will you compensate us?" Shen Qianluo said with a face full of contempt.

"If I ruin them, I'll compensate you," Chu Feng said calmly.

"Hmph! Can you even afford to?" Shen Qianluo sneered.

"Shen Qianluo, what do you mean by this? Are you trying to inherit Father's position? Do you not want to save Father?" Shen Qianning glared furiously at Shen Qianluo.

"Nonsense! Who said I don't want to save Father? I personally went to invite Master Hua Rong to come and save Father!" Shen Qianluo retorted loudly.

At that moment, an elderly man in purple robes among the crowd suddenly spoke up:

"Enough! Stop arguing, all of you!"

"Just give him one set of ingredients for the Snow Ginseng Creation Pill. If he can't refine it, then let him get out of the Shen Clan!"

Shen Qianluo, upon hearing the purple-robed elder's words, hurriedly tried to stop him: "Great-great-grandfather, this person may not even be an Alchemist at all — giving him the ingredients would just be a waste!"

The purple-robed elder was named Shen Yan. He was Shen Wanbao's great-uncle and held the highest seniority within the Shen Clan.

It was he whom Shen Qianning had sought out for help earlier, which was what had allowed the Shen Clan to agree to let Chu Feng come and refine the pill.

"Say no more! Lin De, go and fetch one set of ingredients for him!" Shen Yan said in a tone that brooked no argument.

"Yes!" Lin De, upon hearing Shen Yan's words, immediately went to retrieve the ingredients for the Snow Ginseng Creation Pill.

"Young Master Chu, I presume? Our Shen Clan is giving you one chance — make the most of it!"

"If you can refine the Snow Ginseng Creation Pill, our Shen Clan will reward you handsomely." Shen Yan said in a calm tone.

"Understood." Chu Feng gave a light nod.

Shortly after, Lin De returned with the ingredients — and behind him followed Master Hua Rong!

"You cannot take those ingredients away. I've already found the key to it — this time, I will definitely succeed in refining it!" Master Hua Rong said anxiously.

"What is going on?" Shen Yan frowned upon seeing Master Hua Rong's agitated state.

"Great-grandfather! There is only one set of ingredients for the Snow Ginseng Creation Pill left!" Lin De said.

"What? Only one set left?" Shen Yan exclaimed in shock.

"Yes! We pooled the full resources of the merchant guild to gather twenty sets of Snow Ginseng Creation Pill ingredients. Over the past few days, Master Hua Rong has wasted nineteen of them, and only this last one remains!" Lin De's voice carried a note of anger.

After Shen Wanbao had been ambushed and poisoned, the Shen Clan had mobilized the full reach of the Wanbao Merchant Guild across all regions, and only then managed to gather twenty sets of Snow Ginseng Creation Pill ingredients.

Each set of ingredients was extraordinarily precious, requiring enormous quantities of Spirit Stones.

Over the past seven days, Master Hua Rong had wasted a full nineteen sets of ingredients, yet had still failed to refine the Snow Ginseng Creation Pill even once!

"Give me one more chance — I will definitely refine the Snow Ginseng Creation Pill for you!" Master Hua Rong said urgently.

Master Hua Rong had long aspired to refine a fifth-grade pill and become a fifth-grade Alchemist.

However, the ingredients for fifth-grade pills were rare and precious, and his previous attempts had all ended in failure.

This time, with the Shen Clan providing so many sets of Snow Ginseng Creation Pill ingredients, Master Hua Rong had hoped to use them to refine a fifth-grade pill and become a fifth-grade Alchemist revered by all.

But to his dismay, after nineteen attempts, he had not succeeded even once!

Upon hearing Master Hua Rong's words, Shen Yan hesitated, unsure whether to give the ingredients to Chu Feng or to Master Hua Rong!

"This man is already flustered and anxious. Even if you gave him ten thousand sets of ingredients right now, he would never be able to refine the Snow Ginseng Creation Pill!" Chu Feng, seeing Shen Yan's hesitation, immediately spoke up to warn him.

"Nonsense — just give me one more chance, and I will definitely refine the Snow Ginseng Creation Pill!" Master Hua Rong glared furiously at Chu Feng.

"Great-great-grandfather, I think we should give the ingredients to Master Hua Rong. He has refined it so many times that he already has experience — since he says he can succeed this time, he surely will!" Shen Qianluo urged.

"Master Hua Rong has already tried so many times — if he were going to succeed, he would have done so long ago!"

"Great-great-grandfather, this last set of ingredients must be given to Chu Feng. Otherwise, Father is surely beyond saving!" Shen Qianning quickly pleaded.

Shen Yan looked at Chu Feng for a moment, then looked at Master Hua Rong for a moment, and finally made his decision:

"I already promised to give one set of ingredients to Young Master Chu. This last set of ingredients shall go to Young Master Chu!"