Yang Jin's face was ice-cold, his fists clenched tightly. It seemed he wasn't sure of the Pill Dragon King's true identity, so he dared not act rashly.
Otherwise, how could he have endured so much? He would have pulled out his broadsword long ago and chopped this trash to the ground.
"Looking at you, with your extraordinary demeanor and imposing aura, I thought you were a dragon. Who would've thought you're actually such a coward?" The Pill Dragon King lifted his head, took a couple of puffs from his pipe, and added, "I, Grandpa, look down on you!"
Yang Jin's eyebrows twitched, his anger on the verge of exploding.
This damned old bastard! It's one thing for him to lack any semblance of an elder's dignity, but to act like a thug, calling himself 'Grandpa' with every other breath? Damn you!
The Pill Dragon King slowly took a Lingzhi from a cloth bag, identical to the one before, and bit into it.
CRUNCH.
It was perfectly crisp.
Soon, a pleasant Qingxiang wafted through the air, reaching everyone.
"The texture is a bit astringent, but it's irresistibly fragrant!" the Pill Dragon King munched away, as if eating a pancake.
Yang Jin: "..."
This damned old scoundrel, wasting such a priceless treasure! Is he even human? That's a three-hundred-year-old Lingzhi! For a martial artist, it's an absolute panacea, especially crucial for healing any hidden ailments. And this old bastard is eating it like a snack?
"Want some?" the Pill Dragon King asked a Qin Family Disciple next to him.
This Disciple, already dizzy from the aroma, couldn't help but swallow and nod eagerly.
"Here you go!"
The Pill Dragon King took out another Lingzhi and, without a second thought, tossed it to the Disciple.
"Come on, everyone gets a share."
With a great clamor, the surrounding Qin Family Disciples surged forward, scrambling and shouting, "I want one! I want one!"
The Pill Dragon King wasn't stingy. Reaching both hands into his cloth bag, he grabbed a handful of Lingzhi, ginseng, and other herbs—all premium, three-hundred-year-old medicines.
"Alright, form a line. One at a time."
The crowd, which had been a chaotic mess just a second ago, instantly formed a long, neat queue.
The Pill Dragon King was like a teacher handing out candy.
"Thank you, old sir!"
"Thank you, Senior Pill Dragon King!"
"..."
"Eat it all now, so it's not coveted by some ill-intentioned scoundrels," the Pill Dragon King reminded them as he handed out the herbs.
CRUNCH, CRUNCH...
The disciples didn't stand on ceremony, devouring the priceless herbs right away.
Yang Jin: "..."
His face visibly darkened, veins throbbing on his forehead as he ground his teeth so hard they nearly shattered.
Does this mean everyone gets one but me? Isn't this just a deliberate attempt to humiliate me?
When the distribution was over, the Pill Dragon King had a single stalk of he shou wu left in his hand.
Yang Jin took a deep breath, unable to stop himself from thinking. It has to be my turn now, right? After all, besides myself and Qin Zhuo, everyone else here has gotten a share. Since Qin Zhuo is the host, it can only be for me.
As this thought crossed his mind, Yang Jin's expression eased slightly. At least this way, he wouldn't lose too much face.
"Hmm, there's one extra," the Pill Dragon King muttered to himself. His eyes swept over Yang Jin for a brief moment before skipping past him, finally settling on a large yellow dog nearby.
The Pill Dragon King's eyes lit up.
"Meeting me here today is your good fortune."
He crouched down, puckered his lips, and called out to the big yellow dog.
It just goes to show that dogs have a sense for things. Responding to the Pill Dragon King's call, it darted straight over.
"What's this dog's name?" the Pill Dragon King asked while petting its head.
A nearby Disciple replied, "His name is Dahuang. He's Young Master Qin Yan's pet."
"Hmm, not a bad name, quite fitting," the Pill Dragon King nodded. "This dog has a lot of spirit. One look and you can't help but like it, certainly better than some bastards."
His words were clearly pointed, and everyone present knew exactly who he was referring to. Many of them stole glances at Yang Jin, whose eyes looked about to spit fire.
Just as everyone was wondering why the esteemed Pill Dragon King had called over a dog, he acted.
"Here, eat this." The Pill Dragon King held the he shou wu out to Dahuang's mouth. "Seeing how spirited you are, you're worthy of such a fine gift."
Yang Jin: "..."
Qin Zhuo: "..."
The crowd: "..."
Dahuang wasn't a picky eater. It devoured the he shou wu in two gulps, its crimson tongue licking up every last crumb that had fallen to the ground. Then, it nudged against the Pill Dragon King's side, wagging its head and fawning over him.
Many people clamped their hands over their mouths, desperately trying to stifle their laughter.
No one was a fool. It was obvious to everyone who he was targeting.
Yang Jin's rage exploded, his entire body trembling. A perfectly good he shou wu... fed to a dog?! The point is, he'd rather feed it to a dog than give it to me! What is he trying to say? That I, Yang Jin, am worse than a dog? Even a dog got a share, while I, the great young master of the Golden Summit Family, was completely ignored! This is a clear declaration to everyone here that in the Pill Dragon King's eyes, I'm not even as worthy as a dog! And to think just moments ago, I'd foolishly assumed that final he shou wu was mine...
"Good! Very good!" Yang Jin laughed, his fury twisting his face as his bloodshot eyes stared fixedly at the Pill Dragon King.
"No need to tell me. I know I'm very good." The Pill Dragon King clapped his hands and pointed at Yang Jin. "As for you, I see darkness on your brow and your features are ill-omened. It seems you're headed for a bloody disaster!"
"You old bastard! How dare you insult my Golden Summit Family! You deserve to die!" Yang Jin roared, his fury overwhelming him as he forced the words through clenched teeth.
The Pill Dragon King sneered. "I can do what I want with my own things. What's it to you if I feed them to a dog? If you really wanted it, why didn't you snatch it from the dog's mouth?" he taunted. "Besides, even if your grandfather were here, he wouldn't dare threaten me like this."
Yang Jin: "..."
He expects me to fight a dog for scraps? The nerve of him!
Yet, he didn't dare make a move. The frustration was suffocating.
WOOF! WOOF!
The dog, Dahuang, raised its tail high and barked ferociously at Yang Jin.
Yang Jin nearly coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Even a dog is bullying me?
His eyes were crimson, and he was teetering on the brink of madness. But the old bastard before him was truly not someone he could afford to provoke. Otherwise, even with nine lives, he'd already be dead.
"Pill Dragon King, is that right? I will remember today's humiliation!" Yang Jin lifted a hand, pointed at the Pill Dragon King, and sneered, "When my Yang Family advances, that will be the day you, you old bastard, die!"
With those words, Yang Jin flicked his sleeves and stormed away. After such an affair, how could he possibly have the face to stay any longer?
The Pill Dragon King, completely unbothered, turned to the astonished Qin Qiu and said with a smile, "Tell him that I saved two lives today. He owes me a favor."
No wonder no one dared to provoke the Pill Dragon King. Any debt owed to him was a debt of life.
Seeing that the Pill Dragon King was about to leave, Qin Zhuo hurriedly asked, "Elder, may I ask who invited you here?"
"None of your business."
Qin Zhuo fell silent, his eyes then fixing on Qin Qiu.
...