Zilin Ling said, and the scalpel in her hand fiercely stabbed towards Lu Zuichang's dantian.
"Ah!"
Lu Zuichang screamed and rolled to the side in embarrassment, narrowly dodging the tip of the scalpel.
But even so, his abdomen was cut open, and a chilling sensation spread.
With a surge of adrenaline, Lu Zuichang scrambled to his feet and quickly put distance between himself and Zilin Ling.
He finally understood that Zilin Ling was a lunatic, truly intending to disembowel him!
Zilin Ling disdainfully picked at her ear and taunted, "Donkey mouth long, I must say, your scream is indeed comparable to a donkey's bray!"
"You! You! You!"
Lu Zuichang was too shocked to speak.
Zilin Ling sneered, "Oh? What is it? Didn't you say I was just scaring you?"
The threatening tone, coupled with a hint of killing intent in her voice, forced Lu Zuichang to back down.
He said with lingering fear, "I believe you! I believe you, alright?"
Lu Zuichang was truly terrified.
He now regretted provoking Zilin Ling, this harbinger of disaster.
He couldn't win an argument against her.
Moreover, this crazy woman could turn hostile in an instant.
Fight?
What a joke!
Although he was already a mid-stage Emperor Realm expert, when Zilin Ling's scalpel was about to descend, he had sensed the aura of death.
It was a primal instinct for danger, so he had no hesitation in rolling away like a tumbleweed.
As for whether it was undignified, he couldn't care less!
At this moment, his anger had long been extinguished by his fear.
"Believe me?"
Zilin Ling smiled slyly, "You believe me? What can be done about it? I don't believe it myself! How about I test it out and see if I can perfectly dissect your wood-fire dual spirit roots, you little turtle?"
Lu Zuichang shivered uncontrollably, his face turning pale.
He finally realized that he had been dancing on the edge of a knife all along.
To describe him as courting death with every action was fitting.
His voice trembling, he asked, "What... what exactly do you want?"
Zilin Ling flipped the scalpel in her hand, tested the blade with her finger, and said casually, "What do I want? What do you think! Time is life, and you've wasted so much of my precious time. What do you think I should do?"
Lu Zuichang quickly said, "I surrender, I surrender, is that okay?"
Zilin Ling dangled the scalpel and said, "Surrender? That's a good idea! As expected of a little turtle, adaptable! But if I stop the competition halfway, people will think I'm bullying you with force!"
Lu Zuichang said with a dejected face, "You are not bullying me! I am voluntarily surrendering!"
"That won't do!"
Zilin Ling shook her head, "A competition should have a beginning and an end!"
Without waiting for Lu Zuichang to reply, she continued, "How about this, I'll give you another chance. Within an hour, refine the remaining medicinal ingredients, otherwise, I won't mind turning you into a turtle pill!"
"Yes, yes, yes!" Lu Zuichang said quickly.
He grudgingly sat back down in front of the Heavenly Fire Furnace and continued refining the medicinal ingredients.
But due to his fear, he could not maintain a calm state of mind, and he failed again.
Time and again, his forehead was covered in dense beads of sweat.
Zilin Ling shook her head and sneered, "With your mental fortitude, you can become a Grandmaster Alchemist? I seriously doubt your Grandmaster Alchemist certificate was obtained legitimately!"
A hint of panic appeared on Lu Zuichang's face.
Because Zilin Ling had hit the nail on the head.
His Grandmaster Alchemist certificate was indeed obtained through cheating, thanks to Lu Bingcheng.
As for why?
It was naturally because Lu Bingcheng had to resort to desperate measures to gain complete control of the Alchemist Guild in Linxian City!
The plan was to first seize absolute power, and then truly improve Lu Zuichang's alchemy skills.
However, neither Lu Zuichang nor Lu Bingcheng expected Zilin Ling to appear midway.
And Lu Zuichang was used to relying on others' influence. Moreover, seeing Zilin Ling's young age, he assumed she, like him, had obtained her Grandmaster Alchemist certificate through cheating.
Of course, another reason was that he had coveted Zilin Ling's beauty the moment he saw her.
Therefore, after being provoked by Zilin Ling a few times, he challenged her.
And Cai Wenjie's instigation was naturally part of it.
Unfortunately, Lu Zuichang did not know that the "sick cat" he saw was actually a tiger that could bite him to death at any moment.
Of course, Lu Bingcheng also underestimated Zilin Ling's alchemy skills and did not stop them.
In his opinion, Zilin Ling, being only thirteen or fourteen years old, would be fortunate to be a Junior Alchemist.
And Lu Zuichang's Grandmaster Alchemist certificate, although obtained through cheating, was equivalent to a genuine Advanced Alchemist.
A Junior Alchemist versus an Advanced Alchemist, there was no suspense.
Therefore, Lu Bingcheng allowed the two of them to step onto the stage.
Of course, to be safe, he had prepared two backup plans for Lu Zuichang.
Zilin Ling saw Lu Zuichang's expression clearly and said, "I must have guessed correctly, didn't I? It was obtained through cheating?"
With his secret exposed, Lu Zuichang's face showed more panic, and the medicinal ingredients in the Heavenly Fire Furnace turned to ash once more.
"Interesting! Very interesting!"
Zilin Ling looked mockingly at Lu Bingcheng, and subtly gave a signal to Nian Youyu and Feng Mo.
"Old turtle, your little turtle is no good! In my opinion, you should come up yourself and complete your previous challenge, how about it?"
Lu Bingcheng glared fiercely at Lu Zuichang, scolding him hatefully, "Useless thing!"
Then, he looked at Zilin Ling with malice and said, "Brat, since you're looking for death, I'll oblige you!"
He said this as he jumped onto the stage.
Previously, he could not interfere with the competition on stage because he was in the position of a judge.
Now that he was participating in the competition himself, he was naturally no longer bound by the rules.
Lu Bingcheng got on the stage, kicked away the exhausted Lu Zuichang, and cursed, "Idiot! I told you to practice alchemy more, but you kept being lazy. Now I have to clean up your mess!"
Zilin Ling smiled, "Old turtle, don't use the little turtle as an excuse. It's not certain who will die!"
Lu Bingcheng snorted, "Brat, I may not be as eloquent as you, but when it comes to alchemy, humph!
Fine, let me see what kind of skill you have to be so boastful!
I won't bully you. We'll continue refining the Purple Sunflower Breaking Tribulation Pill. Whoever refines a pill of higher quality wins!
Of course, to save time, I'll use the powdered medicinal ingredients that this idiot has refined, so as not to waste them!"
Lu Bingcheng's words were extremely arrogant, causing even Feng Mo, a quasi-Emperor level alchemist, to frown.