"Absurd! Simply absurd!"
Inside the residence of the Third Elder, Zhuge Lie, a furious roar, like a sudden clap of thunder, shook the dust from the rafters. The elder, with his more than 70 years of age, slammed his palm on the mahogany table before him. The table, made from a single piece of hundred-year-old ironwood, actually developed a clear crack under his blow.
His white beard trembled incessantly with anger, and his tiger-like eyes were wide and round, burning with a blazing fire of fury and grief.
"The Meridian Tempering Pill? He actually wants to use that heretical and unorthodox thing, the Meridian Tempering Pill, to reshape his meridians? Who gave him the guts! Who!"
Standing before him was his most trusted steward. At this moment, the steward was bowing his head tremblingly, not even daring to breathe loudly. Just a moment ago, he had "accidentally" heard this shocking news from a friend he knew who worked in the Fifth Elder's residence and had rushed to report it to the Third Elder at the first opportunity.
"Re... replying to the Third Elder, the news came from the medicine pantry... It is said that Steward Quan personally went to get the medicine."
"Uncle Quan?" Zhuge Lie turned his head sharply, his gaze as sharp as an eagle's. "What about the Clan Head? Does the Clan Head know about this? Is he just going to watch Xuan'er go to his death?!"
"This... this servant does not know," the steward stammered. "I heard that Steward Quan acted very secretively. Perhaps... the Clan Head is unaware."
"Bastards! A bunch of bastards!" Zhuge Lie paced back and forth in the room in a fit of rage, like a fierce tiger trapped in a cage. "Xuan'er is young and impetuous, he doesn't know any better. Has Uncle Quan also become muddled along with him? What is the Meridian Tempering Pill? It's a medicine of tigers and wolves! A hundred years ago, it's not like there weren't seniors in the clan with exceptional talent who tried it. But what was the result? Nine deaths and one life! The only one who survived was also left with a lifelong disability, living a life worse than death! On what grounds does he, Zhuge Xuan, think he can succeed?"
The more he spoke, the more agitated he became. The expression on his face gradually changed from anger to a deep worry and fear.
In his heart, Zhuge Xuan was not only the hope of the clan, but also a grandnephew he had watched grow up. He could tolerate the clan's temporary forbearance for the sake of the bigger picture, but he could absolutely not accept that this child, in whom he had placed such high hopes, would use such a self-destructive method to gamble on an illusory future!
No, he must stop this tragedy!
"Prepare the horses!" Zhuge Lie suddenly stopped in his tracks and shouted to the outside.
The steward was shocked to hear this and quickly advised, "Third Elder, it's late. Where are you going...?"
"Where am I going? Of course I'm going to find the Clan Head and ask him clearly!" Zhuge Lie's voice was sonorous and forceful, carrying an unquestionable decisiveness. "If he won't handle it, then I, this old man, will handle it myself! I absolutely cannot watch as the qilin-child of my Zhuge Clan is buried by his own hands for nothing!"
As he spoke, he strode out the door with great strides. His swift and decisive manner was not at all like that of an old man in his seventies.
...
At the same time, inside Zhuge Xuan's courtyard, in a quiet room specially used for pill refining.
Uncle Quan was guarding the entrance with a solemn expression, like the most loyal guard, isolating all external disturbances. His perception was fully spread out. Within a radius of a hundred zhang, not a single rustle of leaves could escape his ears.
Inside the quiet room, a heat wave was rolling.
A half-man-high bronze pill furnace stood quietly in the center of the room, its body carved with intricate spirit-gathering runes. At this moment, the flames at the bottom of the furnace were burning fiercely, turning the entire furnace red.
Zhuge Xuan sat cross-legged in front of the pill furnace. His face appeared somewhat pale in the reflection of the firelight, but his eyes were surprisingly bright, like the most brilliant stars in the night sky.
In front of him were three medicinal ingredients — Verdant Jade Grass, Crimson Sun Pollen, and a Hundred-Year Ironwood Heart.
However, he did not start refining the pill immediately.
He just quietly looked at the pill furnace before him, at the flames dancing in the fire, as if he was waiting for something.
Time passed, minute by minute, second by second.
The temperature in the quiet room grew higher and higher, and the air was slightly distorted by the high temperature. Beads of sweat the size of beans seeped from Zhuge Xuan's forehead and slid down his cheeks, but he seemed not to have noticed, still maintaining that posture, motionless.
He was waiting.
Waiting for a... "guest" who was bound to arrive.
The news that he was going to refine the "Meridian Tempering Pill" tonight was deliberately "accidentally" leaked by him through Uncle Quan. With the number of spies Fifth Elder Zhuge Ming had in the residence, this news would definitely reach his ears within an hour.
And with Zhuge Ming's suspicious and ruthless character, what would he do when he learned that this "cripple" actually wanted to make a comeback?
He would absolutely not sit by and watch.
But he wouldn't do it himself either. That would be too stupid and too risky.
He would choose to... borrow a knife to kill someone.
And in the entire Zhuge Clan, what knife was sharper and more useful than the Third Elder, Zhuge Lie?
The Third Elder was upright and straightforward, his love and hate were clear, and he doted on him, his grandnephew, the most. When he heard that he was going to take such a dangerous risk, his first reaction would surely be to come and stop him.
All of this was within Zhuge Xuan's calculations.
What he wanted to do was to concentrate all potential threats on this night and resolve them all at once. He wanted this "pill refining" to become a stage. A stage for him to see clearly who was a friend, who was an enemy, and who were the pawns that could be used.
Dong! Dong! Dong!
Heavy and hurried footsteps, from far to near, broke the tranquility of the courtyard.
Uncle Quan, who was guarding the door, frowned. He recognized the identity of the visitor, and a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes.
"Third Elder? Why have you come?" Uncle Quan went forward to greet him and bowed.
Zhuge Lie was burning with anxiety at this moment. How could he have the mood for these formalities? He pushed Uncle Quan aside, pointed angrily at the closed door of the quiet room, and shouted, "Is Xuan'er inside? Tell him to get the hell out here for this old man!"
His angry shout was full of vigor. The sound penetrated the thick stone door and was clearly transmitted into the quiet room.
A difficult expression appeared on Uncle Quan's face. "Third Elder, the Young Master is in the process of refining an extremely important pill. At this moment... it is not convenient to be disturbed."
"Nonsense!" Zhuge Lie's beard bristled and his eyes widened. "What pill is more important than his life! This old man is here today to stop him from doing something stupid! Get out of the way! If you don't, don't blame this old man for being impolite to you!"
As he spoke, the powerful aura of the late stage of the "Spirit Condensation Realm" was released from his body without reservation, pressing down on Uncle Quan.
Uncle Quan's face turned slightly pale, but he still did not yield an inch. He said in a deep voice, "Third Elder, please forgive this subordinate for not being able to obey. Protecting the Young Master is a direct order from the Clan Head!"
"Good! What a loyal Steward Quan who protects his master!" Zhuge Lie laughed in extreme anger. "In that case, this old man will have to offend you!"
Before his voice had fallen, his withered palm turned into an afterimage and grabbed towards Uncle Quan's shoulder. Although he was angry, he still retained a trace of reason and did not use a killing move, only wanting to restrain Uncle Quan.
However, just as his palm was about to touch Uncle Quan, a calm voice came leisurely from within the quiet room.
"Uncle Quan, let Third Grandfather in."
The voice was not loud, but it was clearly transmitted into the ears of the two.
Hearing this, Uncle Quan immediately restrained his aura and stepped aside to make way.
Zhuge Lie, on the other hand, snorted coldly, pushed open the stone door, and strode in.
A scorching heat wave hit him in the face, making him subconsciously narrow his eyes. When he saw the scene in the room clearly, his pupils couldn't help but shrink violently.
Zhuge Xuan was sitting cross-legged in front of the pill furnace, his face as pale as paper, and there was even a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth. On his left wrist, there was a deep wound that showed the bone. Bright red blood was continuously dripping into the pill furnace!
And in the pill furnace, the three medicinal ingredients had long since melted into a mass of multicolored medicinal liquid, which was churning violently under the catalysis of Zhuge Xuan's blood essence, emitting a violent and dangerous aura!
The Meridian Tempering Pill... had already begun refining!
"You... you rebellious son!" Zhuge Lie felt a rush of blood to his head, and he trembled with anger. Without thinking, he rushed forward in a single step, wanting to pull Zhuge Xuan away from the pill furnace.
However, just as his hand was about to touch Zhuge Xuan, a sudden change occurred!
The medicinal liquid in the pill furnace, as if stimulated by something, suddenly burst out with a dazzling blood-red light! An energy dozens of times more violent than before exploded out!
"Not good!"
Zhuge Lie's face changed drastically. He wanted to pull back, but it was already too late.
That violent energy, like an invisible heavy hammer, slammed viciously into his chest!
Pfft!
A mouthful of blood spurted wildly from Zhuge Lie's mouth. His entire body, like a kite with a broken string, was sent flying backwards. He slammed heavily against the hard wall of the quiet room, then fell to the ground. His aura instantly weakened, and his face turned deathly pale.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye!
Uncle Quan, who was guarding the door, didn't even have time to react!
And the instigator, Zhuge Xuan, slowly raised his head, looked at the Third Elder who was on the ground, unable to get up, a look of disbelief on his face. On that pale face, a strange and cold smile slowly appeared.
He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said softly in a light, ethereal voice that seemed to come from the depths of hell:
"Third Grandfather, you've arrived... at just the right time."
"This play, if it didn't have a 'highly respected' witness like you, how could it... be performed to perfection?"