As the voice fell, a man dressed in alchemist's robes walked in.
The man carried himself with an air of arrogance, his nostrils flaring with every word.
Behind him, Cai Wenjie stood with a fawning deference, his eyes filled with schadenfreude.
Upon seeing the newcomer, Nian Youyu's expression darkened.
"Lü Zuichang, what do you mean by this?"
"Donkey's mouth long?"
Zi Linling chuckled, "I know donkey face long, but when did a donkey's mouth become long too?"
Cai Wenjie's fawning smile froze.
His expression grew peculiar, and the look of enjoyment in his eyes became even more apparent.
Nian Youyu wanted to laugh but couldn't, forcing himself to hold it back.
However, he did not forget to send a telepathic message to Zi Linling: "Miss Zi, this is the Guild Master's direct grandson. His alchemy talent is terrifyingly high. He's twenty-three years old and already a Grandmaster Alchemist. He's the designated successor for the Alchemist Guild Master in Linxian City."
Zi Linling was surprised, not expecting Lü Zuichang to have such a distinguished background.
But if she were to swallow her pride because of this, it wouldn't be her style.
Lü Zuichang's face immediately darkened, and he angrily demanded, "Brat, say that again?"
"Hah!"
Zi Linling laughed again and said, "I've seen people looking for trouble, looking for money, and looking for death, but never looking for scolding! You're truly a freak, not just in your name but in your peculiar way of seeking a tongue-lashing!
Since you insist, I'll indulge you. Listen carefully: a donkey's face is long, a donkey's ears are long, that's common knowledge. But a donkey's mouth that stretches out of the manger, that's the first I've ever seen! Thank you! You've broadened my horizons!"
Zi Linling spoke with utmost seriousness, but Nian Youyu beside her suffered greatly.
His face contorted from the effort of suppressing his laughter.
Although Cai Wenjie wanted to watch the drama unfold, he now had to lower his head, his shoulders trembling slightly.
Lü Zuichang's eyes blazed with fury, "Brat, you're seeking death!"
Zi Linling sneered, "Seeking excrement?"
She scrutinized Lü Zuichang from head to toe and said, "Indeed, such a large lump is quite disgusting!"
This time, not only Nian Youyu couldn't hold back his laughter, but even Cai Wenjie, who had been watching, couldn't help but laugh.
Lü Zuichang was enraged beyond measure, "Brat, I challenge you to a duel!"
Zi Linling scoffed, "Tsk! A duel? Forget it! Dealing with a disgusting lump like you, I fear I'll dirty my hands!"
"Pfft!"
Lü Zuichang was so incensed that he spat out a mouthful of blood.
"You're disgusting, and you even spew dung everywhere!" Zi Linling said contemptuously.
"Pfft!"
Lü Zuichang spat out another mouthful of blood.
In a battle of wits, how could he possibly be Zi Linling's opponent?
Nian Youyu had to step in to mediate, "Zi girl, show some mercy with your words. This is our designated next Guild Master!"
"Next Guild Master?"
Zi Linling feigned surprise, then lightly patted her chest, "Oh, I'm so scared!"
She looked Lü Zuichang up and down again, and said with mock seriousness, "Guild Master Donkey's Mouth Long, this humble girl was blind and didn't recognize your greatness. You are magnanimous, so please don't hold it against this humble girl. However, your mouth as a Guild Master is indeed longer than a donkey's!"
"Pfft!"
Lü Zuichang once again spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.
Zi Linling's abrupt shift was too vicious. Ostensibly apologizing, she had insulted him even more severely!
"Brat, I challenge you to a duel!"
Lü Zuichang angrily wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and roared.
Zi Linling rolled her eyes, "Some people play music for cows, and I today am talking to a donkey. Alas, it's a pity this foolish donkey can't understand human speech!
I clearly stated that dueling with a disgusting lump like you would dirty my hands, yet you still insist on challenging me. Isn't this repeatedly being disgusting?
Do you feel guilty? Do you have any self-awareness? Don't you know how disgusting you are?
Oh, right, with your disgusting self, you should just disgust yourself at home. Why come out and disgust others?"
"Pfft pfft pfft!"
Lü Zuichang spat out three mouthfuls of blood this time.
Nian Youyu felt a secret thrill.
Lü Zuichang, usually relying on his status and talent, disdained everyone. The people in the guild could only endure it in silence.
Now, Zi Linling's scolding was so satisfying to hear, and he felt his own thoughts become much clearer.
Cai Wenjie, suppressing his laughter, stepped forward and said, "Miss Zi, isn't this going too far? Brother Lü will be the true Guild Master of the Alchemist Guild in the future. Insulting him like this, are you trying to oppose the entire Alchemist Guild?"
He would never admit that he had instigated Lü Zuichang to come here.
Zi Linling sneered, "Going too far? Steward Cai, your words are unfair. I was speaking with Elder Nian, and someone insisted on sticking his donkey's mouth out to verbally assault me. Is that not going too far? And yet, when I retaliated with a few words, it's considered excessive?
As for opposing the Alchemist Guild, Steward Cai is quite adept at pinning blame, isn't he?
Setting aside the fact that a certain person is not yet the Guild Master and therefore cannot represent the entire Alchemist Guild, just his arrogant demeanor with his nostrils reaching the sky would, even if he became the Guild Master, only lead to the decline of the Alchemist Guild, or even its destruction.
I am earnestly trying to scold this person into waking up, so he doesn't constantly act as if he's the best in the world and cannot tolerate others. Isn't this for the future of the Alchemist Guild?
So, how could I be opposing the Alchemist Guild?"
"You!"
Cai Wenjie was speechless.
He took a deep breath, calming his surging anger, "Whether Brother Lü can represent the Alchemist Guild is not for you to decide!"
Zi Linling was amused, "It's not for me to decide, but is it for you to decide?"
"Yes..."
Cai Wenjie was about to blurt out a "yes" but quickly corrected himself, "It's not for me to decide either! But Brother Lü is, after all, the Vice Guild Master. Insulting him is insulting the Alchemist Guild!"
In his haste, he almost fell into Zi Linling's verbal trap.
"Is that so?"
Zi Linling feigned sudden realization, "Since insulting the Vice Guild Master is insulting the Alchemist Guild, then it's easy to handle!"
"What do you mean?" Cai Wenjie suddenly had a bad feeling.
He had not yet received news that Zi Linling had passed the Grandmaster Alchemist assessment, so he naturally did not know that Zi Linling was already one of the Vice Guild Masters of the Alchemist Guild.
"What do I mean?"
Zi Linling sneered, "I mean nothing. I just want to ask Steward Cai, how should someone who insults the Alchemist Guild be dealt with?"
Cai Wenjie replied, "Besides being blacklisted by the Alchemist Guild and being forbidden from using the guild's elixirs for life, they will also be handed over to the guild's enforcement team for judgment!"