Chapter 712: Seven hundred and twelve, skills not as good as others
"Hmph, it’s merely the poison from Wuying fruit, nothing to fuss over!"
As all eyes were fixed upon young master Xu Huan, he finally let out a disdainful snort and turned his head slightly to call out, "Mr. Ge, go have a look at him!"
"Yes, young master!"
Following Xu Huan’s command, an elderly figure swiftly took a step forward, and the crowd immediately sensed an overwhelming invisible force emanating from him, which brought them some clarity.
"At least an Earth Rank Low Level Meridian Refining Master!"
There were quite a few Meridian Refining Masters among the crowd, and from this invisible suppression, they all realized one fact: this elder surnamed Ge was a formidable Meridian Refining Master who had at least reached the Earth Rank Low Level.
The crowd’s guess was correct; this elder was named Ge Sheng. His technique in Meridian Refining was probably even stronger than Qiao Guinong, who was once the chief Meridian Master of the Lin Family. Ge Sheng had reached the peak of Earth Rank Low Level Meridian Refining Master, just one step away from ascending to the level of Earth Rank Middle Level Meridian Refining Master.
Ge Sheng was recruited by the Yuyang City branch of the Spirit Fighting Commerce, and over the years, he received exceptional resources and treatment, so of course, he had to work to his utmost capacity. Moreover, he had great confidence in his own Meridian Refining Technique and did not believe he could fail.
In the eyes of Xu Huan and Ge Sheng, a poison from the Wuying fruit that could be resolved by a Spirit-grade Advanced Pulse Refining Master, if treated by a genuine Earth Rank Low Level Peak Meridian Refining Master, wouldn’t it be effortlessly resolved?
"Earth Rank Low Level Meridian Refining Master?"
Different from the others, with Yun Xiao’s Power of Soul, he immediately recognized that this elder named Ge was an Earth Rank Low Level Meridian Refining Master, yet a hint of disdainful sneer flashed across his eyes.
Yun Xiao could identify Wuying fruit as it was a memory inherited from his previous life as the Long Xiao Battle God, and curing the poison from the fruit with his own abilities was still quite a difficult task.
If it weren’t for the help of the Golden Snake Worm, Yun Xiao might not have been able to resolve the Wuying fruit’s poison so quickly. Therefore, he believed that even if this Mr. Ge was an Earth Rank Low Level Meridian Refining Master, he was likely about to embarrass himself.
However, all of this was unknown to Ge Sheng, who was extremely confident in his Meridian Refining Technique, and he also held onto one belief: if this young man in front of him could resolve it, there was no reason he couldn’t.
Seeing Ge Sheng approach him, Wu Lin did not recognize this elder, but he knew that if he was sent by young master Xu Huan, he must be at least an Earth Rank Low Level Meridian Refining Master, and now there might be hope for a cure.
"This Mr. Ge, please be careful, that Wuying fruit is not so easily dealt with!"
For some unknown reason, upon seeing Ge Sheng reaching out to place his finger on Wu Lin’s wrist to feel his pulse, Yun Xiao actually spoke out to give a warning, prompting thoughtful expressions from the onlookers.
"Hmph, does an esteemed Earth Rank Low Level Meridian Master like myself need reminders from a green youngster like you?"
Unexpectedly, Ge Sheng was unappreciative, his right hand not hesitating for a moment as it landed directly on Wu Lin’s wrist. However, after a brief moment, his aged face showed a change.
"Hmm?"
Ge Sheng’s face altered, and in that instant, it was as if he had touched a red-hot iron, hastily retracting his finger in a somewhat embarrassing manner. Pairing this reaction with what Yun Xiao had just said, the onlookers pondered over the situation.
It turned out that upon touching Wu Lin’s wrist, Ge Sheng suddenly felt an immense suction force erupting from the latter’s body, seemingly triggering all the Essence Blood in his body to drain away from him.
Indeed, Yun Xiao had not been speaking carelessly a moment ago; after the earlier devouring by the Golden Snake Worm, the Wuying fruit was enraged, and now back inside Wu Lin’s body, it had grown even more violent.
While the Wuying fruit originally only affected Wu Lin at the Peak of the Spirit Vein Realm, once an external force intervened, its power could cause serious harm to this force as well.
Ge Sheng lacked the Golden Snake Worm in his system, and even though he had reached the Peak of the Qi Seeking Realm as a cultivator, under these circumstances, he was still helpless against the Wuying fruit.
"I refuse to believe this!"
However, Ge Sheng’s heart was not willing to accept defeat just like that. After a low shout, his right hand emitted a robust Meridian Qi, appearing extremely imposing.
The strength of a Peak Qi Seeking Realm cultivator was unquestionable. Unfortunately, the poison within Wu Lin was not something that could be overpowered with mere Meridian Qi and the Power of Soul for an average cultivator.
Certainly, this time Ge Sheng was cautious. The Essence Blood inside his body was not devoured by the Wuying fruit. Although he couldn’t dissolve the fruit’s corruption, he managed to ensure that he himself did not meet any mishaps.
Nonetheless, as time passed, Ge Sheng’s face increasingly soured because no matter how he applied his Meridian Refining Technique, the Wuying fruit inside Wu Lin remained immobile, as if it had taken root.
In such a situation, the Meridian Qi could not affect Ge Sheng, nor could Ge Sheng do anything to the Meridian Qi. This was not the outcome Xu Huan wanted to see. As he watched Ge Sheng’s complexion grow uglier, his own face turned increasingly grim.
"This old fellow, always boasting about how powerful he is, turns out to be nothing but a pillow stuffed with embroidery, a complete fraud!"
At this moment, Xu Huan could not help but vent his anger onto Ge Sheng, the Earth Rank Low Level Meridian Refining Master. Such a predicament was something he had never anticipated.
"Eh? Wu Lin seems to have gained quite a bit of weight again!"
Half an incense stick’s time later, some sharp-eyed individuals suddenly noticed a subtle change: Wu Lin, who had thinned down due to the separation from the Meridian Qi, had inexplicably put on weight once more.
"Oh dear, this doesn’t look good. Mister Ge has truly angered the Meridian Qi!"
As people were hesitating, Yun Xiao’s sudden clamor burst forth, causing everyone to ponder—perhaps all of this was within the calculations of this young man. If that were so, his wits were indeed devilishly cunning.
"Ge... Mister Ge, please stop your actions!"
The cries from Yun Xiao alarmed Wu Lin deeply, although he dared not offend Ge Sheng overly and could only start begging for mercy.
That was because Wu Lin subconsciously believed Yun Xiao’s words. After all, he had personally experienced the young man’s immediate and effective methods. Compared to Ge Sheng, he was in fact more inclined to trust Yun Xiao.
This old fellow had just been making bold claims, but now he was messing around with his own body, causing him to gain weight again, clearly indicating that the Meridian Qi had resumed its mischief.
"What? You don’t believe in my abilities?"
Wu Lin’s words also left Ge Sheng in an awkward position, who coldly retorted, yet his right hand’s fingers did not loosen their grip on the other’s wrist.
As a formidable cultivator of the Douling Commerce in Yuyang City and an Earth Rank Low Level Meridian Refining expert, Ge Sheng had never been doubted like this before. This was a challenge to his authority as a Meridian Master.
"If you are no match, stop trying to show off, lest you harm someone else’s life!"
Amidst Ge Sheng’s anger, a cold voice suddenly emerged. It was clear without looking that the rough-clothed young man had spoken, which immediately unleashed an uncontrollable fury in Ge Sheng.
"Boy, whom are you saying is no match?"
It’s worth mentioning that at the peak of Ge Sheng’s anger, he took the opportunity to release Wu Lin’s wrist, though the deep shout that followed was filled with repressed rage.
"Who exactly is no match will become clear very soon. No need to rush!"
Yun Xiao was entirely unfazed by Ge Sheng’s angry demeanor. After finishing this sentence, he turned his head and said, "Boss Wu, do you now know who you should sell this Ancient Heavenly Phoenix to?"
Each time Yun Xiao uttered the words "Ancient Heavenly Phoenix," he felt a bit awkward—as if "old mother chicken" would have been more apt. However, as soon as his words fell, the place suddenly fell silent.
This was simply a dramatic turnaround nobody could have foreseen; after Xu Huan had revealed himself, no one expected the roughly-dressed young man to turn defeat into victory.
But now, with a simple tactic, the Meridian Qi had returned back into Wu Lin’s body, leaving even Ge Sheng, an Earth Rank Low Level Peak Meridian Refining Master, helpless.
At this point, Wu Lin’s very life was in Yun Xiao’s hands. If he did not want to die, he would likely have to obediently return the Qi Breaking Pill he just received to the young master Xu Huan.
Moreover, Yun Xiao had just mentioned that because of the previous treatment, the Meridian Qi had been provoked, leaving Boss Wu with only half a month to live. If Ge Sheng were to act again, even that half a month might be forfeited.
"Wu Lin, as long as you are sensible, I, Xu Huan, assure you that our commerce will find you a higher-ranked Meridian Master to solve this sudden calamity for you!"
Just when Wu Lin was about to grit his teeth and make a decision, Xu Huan’s stern voice timely came through, his words filled with barely concealed fury.
Perhaps the young master of the Douling Commerce branch in Yuyang City had never felt such frustration before—what was initially a victorious situation had in the blink of an eye turned against him. If he could swallow this grievance, then he wouldn’t be Xu Huan.
Now Xu Huan was even mad at Ge Sheng. He no longer harbored any expectations for the Earth Rank Low Level Meridian Master. The confidence in his words was no act, as within the Douling Commerce branch in Yuyang City, there indeed existed an Earth Rank Middle Level Meridian Master.
At this moment, it was truly uncertain what kind of choice Wu Lin, considering his life, would make. Would he grasp at Yun Xiao, the lifeline before him, or place his hopes on the illusory Earth Rank Middle Level Meridian Master of the Douling Commerce? It was an excruciating dilemma indeed.
At this moment, the Meridian Spirit transaction street was enveloped by an eerie silence, everyone on standby, waiting for Wu Lin to make his final decision.