Zhan Zhan refused to believe it. Hearing his talk of such profound matters, he dared not try it lightly, for it was a gamble with his life!
He slowly lowered the hand he had raised.
"If you don't believe me, you can try gently pressing your dantian with your finger," Mo Qi continued to speak unhurriedly.
Zhan Zhan felt himself being controlled, yet he had to do as he was told.
He gently pressed his dantian.
Intense pain shot through him. Zhan Zhan couldn't help but cry out, his legs giving way. He collapsed to the ground, his whole body convulsing.
Everyone around was startled and instinctively retreated a certain distance.
"It's amazing, truly amazing," people began to murmur.
"How did I not know the Dan Bao Pavilion had such a person before?"
"He's an Emperor, can he just appear anywhere?"
"He seems to have no airs at all, so approachable."
"He's so young, I want to marry my daughter to him."
"How, how could this happen?" Zhan Zhan struggled to lift his head from the ground, speaking weakly.
"I already told you, you're dying," Mo Qi said, still nonchalant, without even lifting his eyelids.
At this moment, Zhan Zhan finally believed.
He looked at Mo Qi with a pleading expression: "I have no money, but can I take the elixir first and pay you back later, or serve you, at your command?"
"Do you know your mistake?" Mo Qi looked down at him from above.
"I know my mistake!" Zhan Zhan replied.
"Then you shall follow me from now on."
"So handsome!" a chorus of admiration came from the crowd.
Mo Qi took an elixir from a box (the same box Zhan Zhan had intended to grab the elixir from earlier) and handed it to Zhan Zhan.
Zhan Zhan paused, "This, isn't this a poison pill?"
"It's not a poison pill. You weren't one of us just now, so naturally, I wouldn't tell you the truth."
Zhan Zhan took the elixir, hesitated for a moment, then tilted his head back, adopting a look of tragic resolve, and swallowed it.
At this moment, Hong Dongguan came out of the shop. Seeing Zhan Zhan swallow the elixir, he began to calculate.
If Zhan Zhan's elixir had a very good effect, wouldn't that mean the elixirs from Ye's Dan Bao Pavilion were better than those from Hong's Dan Qi Pavilion? Wouldn't all the customer resources he had painstakingly accumulated over the years be lost in an instant?
Even if the other party's elixir had no effect, he couldn't let him off the hook!
He had been defeated so miserably in front of everyone. If he didn't strike back, how could he establish himself here in the future?
The more Hong Dongguan thought about it, the angrier he became. Suddenly, his body surged upwards, and he lunged at Zhan Zhan.
He believed that the reason he had been so disheveled earlier was that he had been too careless, and secondly, he had not been prepared for defense at all.
At this moment, the opponent was weak, and he could completely take advantage of his illness to end his life.
However, he still dared not relax. He considered all possibilities, made all defensive preparations, and then concentrated all his spiritual energy into one palm.
This palm strike was simple, unadorned, but enough to end a life.
As he got closer to Zhan Zhan, his sense of confidence grew stronger.
Because the aura of death emanating from him had completely enveloped and captured the opponent; he could not escape.
Zhan Zhan was also frightened.
How despicable, this guy is actually taking advantage of my weakness?
I'm so weak, I can only wait for death, right?
However, at this moment, Mo Qi looked at him with encouraging eyes, "Your injuries have healed, you can unleash your full power."
Stimulated, Zhan Zhan's spiritual energy began to circulate uncontrollably. The majestic spiritual energy rose and fell, surging and powerful, rushing endlessly.
Zhan Zhan immediately felt that power and was overjoyed.
Seeing the opponent strike with a palm, Zhan Zhan scornfully curled his lips and pushed his hand forward, meeting the opponent's palm.
"Bang!"
As if heaven and earth were in chaos, and primordial times were beginning, a white light flashed outwards, spreading infinitely like ripples.
The surrounding people retreated.
Mo Qi remained unmoved.
Hong Dongguan's body was sent flying back again, crashing into the Dan Qi Pavilion.
The people rushed into the shop again, trying to help him up, but when they went to help, they discovered he was already cold all over.
A cry erupted from the Dan Qi Pavilion.
Zhan Zhan was still not satisfied. He rushed into the Dan Qi Pavilion again, punching and kicking, fighting fiercely, and shouting as he fought, "You liars, swindlers, you cause so much harm, get out of the imperial capital."
No one inside was his match. Some were beaten black and blue, others were scared out of their wits, and some fled in disarray.
Mo Qi felt that the time was ripe. He slowly walked into the shop, first stopping Zhan Zhan from continuing his assault, and then said loudly, "We encourage everyone to refine pills to benefit the people, but if you are going to play tricks, then our imperial capital does not welcome you. Your future path is up to you to decide. If it's fair competition, I allow you to stay. If you still want to play tricks, don't say I disagree, the people of the imperial capital will not agree."
"I disagree too," Zhan Zhan roared.
Then he turned and cupped his hands towards Mo Qi, "Your Majesty, I was blind and offended you earlier. I beg your forgiveness."
Mo Qi waved his hand, "It's nothing, you're too kind."
At this moment, Xiao Zi walked out from the crowd, saying with a dejected look, "Your Great Emperor's elixirs are indeed miraculous, and we are completely convinced. We no longer have the ability or the face to compete with you here. We will set off tomorrow and return to our own places."
A cheer erupted from the crowd.
But some people were still muttering softly, "It looks like a play to me. You must have colluded."
Sun Qian was about to argue with them, but Mo Qi stopped her, "True gold fears no fire. As long as my elixirs can withstand the test, they will eventually be recognized."
After saying that, Mo Qi led everyone out of Hong's Dan Qi Pavilion and back to his own shop entrance, where he resumed selling elixirs.
Several people bought Spirit Elixirs and Beast Soul Elixirs and broke through on the spot at the entrance.
A few women bought Beauty Elixirs and Youth Preserving Elixirs, and their skin immediately became fair and tender, radiating with vitality.
...
Everyone who used the elixirs was overjoyed and praised them profusely.
The good reviews spread, and people rushed to buy them.
Later, it became impossible to manage. They sold to one person and feared the other would be disappointed, so they had to hold auctions on the spot.
Each elixir was auctioned for the sky-high price of one billion meteorite coins.
Even after they were sold out, many people lingered, unwilling to leave.
Then, Mo Qi took the opportunity to sell out the magical artifacts in the Dan Bao Pavilion as well.
The reputation of the Dan Bao Pavilion spread like wildfire, from ten to a hundred, and the legend of Ye's elixirs quickly began.
After Mo Qi had arranged the relevant matters, he took Zhan Zhan and Sun Qian back to the royal palace.
The trip outside the palace had yielded significant gains. Firstly, he had resolved the urgent crisis of the Red Leaf Empire, and secondly, he had won over Zhan Zhan, a master, which was an unexpected bonus.
Zhan Zhan was already at the Saint King realm. He would be a great asset not only to Mo Qi but also to the entire Red Leaf Empire.
However, as old problems were resolved, new ones emerged.
The Dan Bao Pavilion still relied heavily on the elixirs refined by Mo Qi. But with the demand of a vast empire, how could Mo Qi alone supply it?
He was a bit troubled!
He had originally planned to go to the Chi Domain immediately, but without refining enough elixirs, he felt he couldn't leave!
Yao Shuang and Sun Qian saw his worried and loss of appetite, and they felt great sympathy, but they couldn't help him, and felt guilty.
After blaming themselves, they each returned to their rooms to study elixirs.
Mo Qi refined several batches of elixirs and felt vexed. He walked out of the alchemy room and into the garden, standing with his hands behind his back, lost in thought.
At this moment, a graceful figure appeared behind him and coughed softly.
It was Zi Luo!
Mo Qi turned around abruptly, his face showing a hint of joy, which then turned into anger, "Where did you take Qing Qing?"
Zi Luo paused for a moment, then said indignantly, "You don't even thank me for saving Qing Qing, and you start questioning me right away?"
Mo Qi cleared his throat and adjusted his tone, "Why be so formal among family? I have to get straight to the point, without any hesitation."
Zi Luo wanted to laugh, but couldn't. Instead, a look of worry appeared on her face, "I don't know where she went either. When I saved her, I kept taking her towards my hiding place. But halfway there, we heard a voice: 'Huan Ling, it's time to return to your rightful place.' Then a vortex appeared in the sky and sucked her in..."
Mo Qi stared at her blankly, feeling as though she was making up a story, yet also not.
After all, he had witnessed the scene of Shui Han being taken away, and he had been powerless at that time.
"You don't believe what I'm saying?" Zi Luo looked at Mo Qi cautiously.
"Half-believing, half-doubting."
"You... can you not be so hurtful?"
"No, aren't you being hurtful? The person I care about most, although you say you saved her, she got lost under your care, and her life or death is unknown. Then you tell me she was sucked into a vortex. If it were you, how would you feel?"
"It's not that her life or death is unknown, I can be sure she's still alive," Zi Luo said decisively.
"Let's hope so."
"Moreover, I've done some investigations. Huan Ling is an envoy from the Light World. So, she is a person from the Light World."
"That's nonsense. She's clearly my sister, how could she be an envoy from the Light World?"
"You're just deceiving yourself. People in the cultivation world travel between worlds. It's not strange for them to have multiple identities. Take yourself, for example, you are Feng Jiu, Mo Qi, and Ye Yun. Take me, for example, I am Yuwen Yan, the Saintess of the Wu Clan, and Zi Luo. How do you explain this?"
Mo Qi had also considered this problem, but he simply refused to believe that the people around him were suddenly transforming and leaving one by one. This was too incredible!
Mo Qi fell into deep thought!
Zi Luo coughed lightly, "I came here for another reason."
"This is your home, you can come back whenever you want, don't say you only come back when you have something to do."
"...Don't say such mushy things, we are enemies. I came here to bring someone to you." Zi Luo looked behind her, "Come in."
An old man hesitantly walked in, stopping every step, looking extremely cautious and comical.
It was Grand Tutor Mao!
"You destroyed our Liang Kingdom, so Grand Tutor Mao returned to his hometown. I specifically went to his hometown to invite him this time. I know your Dan Bao Pavilion needs talent," Zi Luo said.