Chapter 625 - 619: I Meant to Hit You

Chen Chen had originally planned to enjoy the ugly look on Feng Li’s face, but his mood soured the moment he heard Shen Haoran speak. The words he hated most were "thankless traitor." Even though he had abandoned Burning Flame City and Feng Li, the man who had raised him, for his own benefit, he couldn’t stand hearing anyone call him that.

"Brat, who the hell do you think you are? You think you’re worthy of judging me?" Chen Chen said coldly, glaring at Shen Haoran who stood before Feng Li.

"Who am I? I’m a human. You’re a beast. Isn’t it only natural for a human to discipline a beast?" Shen Haoran shrugged and said casually, completely disregarding Chen Chen.

"You bastard, you dare call me a beast!" Hearing Shen Haoran’s curse, Chen Chen’s face instantly darkened. He then took a fierce step forward, about to attack Shen Haoran.

But before Chen Chen could make a move, a black shadow flashed by abruptly. A crisp, loud slap echoed, spinning Chen Chen right where he stood. Shen Haoran clapped his hands together and said nonchalantly, "So what if I called you a beast? I didn’t just curse you, I hit you. What are you going to do about it?"

"You... you actually dared to hit me!" The fiery sting on his face left Chen Chen stunned. From birth until now, no one had ever dared to strike him. He had never been so wronged!

"I’ll kill you!" Chen Chen roared and lunged at Shen Haoran. However, before he could even get close, another afterimage flickered past, and Shen Haoran’s palm once again connected with Chen Chen’s face.

SLAP! Another crisp smack rang out. Chen Chen, still in mid-air, was sent flying by Shen Haoran’s strike. Chen Chen was merely an Alchemist who focused solely on Alchemy; his own strength was only at the level of a Tier One Spirit Aspect. Shen Haoran had never met his match among those of an Equal Tier, so sending Chen Chen flying with a single slap was a simple matter.

"The first slap was for everyone in the Burning Flame City Medicine Hall, because you made them bear a stained reputation for five whole years. The last slap was for Hall Master Feng, because you betrayed his twenty-plus years of kindness in raising you. A vile, ungrateful person like you—if you aren’t a beast, what are you?" Shen Haoran said coldly, looking down at Chen Chen on the ground with an indifferent expression.

Facing Shen Haoran’s icy gaze, even with the Spiritual Thought of a Sixth Grade Alchemist, Chen Chen felt a tremor run through his body as if he had been plunged into an ice cellar. It seemed as if Shen Haoran could kill him at any moment.

"What’s all this noise? Don’t you know this is an important area of the Medicine Hall?" Just then, an aged voice called out, and an old woman walked out from the Testing Hall.

Seeing the old woman emerge, Chen Chen’s expression lit up with joy, as if he had seen his savior. Shen Haoran, however, stared at her with a strange, playful look on his face.

"Vice Hall Master Ji, you’ve come at the perfect time! This brat is the contestant from the Burning Flame City branch hall. He publicly assaulted me in the Medicine Hall! Someone like him should have his eligibility to compete revoked!" Chen Chen immediately scrambled up from the ground, rushed to the old woman’s side, and pointed at his swollen face as he spoke furiously.

That’s right, the old woman who came out of the Testing Hall was none other than Ji Wuqing, whom Shen Haoran had encountered during his Seventh Grade Alchemist assessment yesterday. Hearing Chen Chen’s accusation, Ji Wuqing looked toward Shen Haoran. But when she saw him, her pupils contracted as if she had laid eyes on a jinx, and she wanted nothing more than to turn around and walk away.

"Vice Hall Master Ji, long time no see. I hope you’ve been well!" Shen Haoran’s lips curved into a harmless-looking smile. ’Ji Wuqing was still weak from the Sea of Consciousness backlash yesterday, but she’s already fully recovered today,’ he mused. ’The Medicine Hall is truly worthy of its name. They might not have much else, but when it comes to healing Elixirs, they have anything and everything.’

Seeing that harmless smile on Shen Haoran’s face, goosebumps erupted all over Ji Wuqing’s body. The memory of Shen Haoran extorting her yesterday made her want to slice him into a thousand pieces. However, given his current status, she didn’t dare do anything out of line.

"Come inside to talk!" Ji Wuqing said coldly, then turned and went back into the Testing Hall, not even sparing Chen Chen a single glance throughout the entire process.

Hearing Ji Wuqing’s words, Shen Haoran gave a helpless shrug and followed Feng Li into the Testing Hall with large strides. However, as he passed Chen Chen, Shen Haoran paused and whispered in his ear, "It’s best you don’t mess with me or Hall Master Feng. Otherwise, your death will be a very ugly one!"

Shen Haoran’s icy voice sent a shiver through Chen Chen’s body. ’Even Vice Hall Master Ji of the Medicine Hall is afraid of Shen Haoran. Just what is this brat’s background?’

Gazing at Shen Haoran’s back, Chen Chen clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his flesh. He had come today wanting to see Feng Li humiliated, but Shen Haoran had appeared out of nowhere and humiliated him instead. How could he possibly swallow this shame?

’Shen Haoran, is it? Sooner or later, I’ll settle this score with you!’ Chen Chen roared internally, a venomous glint flashing in his eyes. He then headed into the Testing Hall as well.

Shen Haoran followed Feng Li into the Testing Hall. Though it was called the Testing Hall, it looked more like a martial arts arena. In the center of the hall was a raised platform, surrounded by high tiers of steps with stone benches, which appeared to be seating for an audience.

Shen Haoran and Feng Li leaped onto the platform. A number of people were already standing in the center. These were likely the Hall Masters and contestants from the twenty major branch halls.

The arrival of Shen Haoran and Feng Li drew the attention of people from the other branch halls, and all eyes turned toward them. However, when they saw it was Feng Li from Burning Flame City, their interest vanished instantly. They shot a single, indifferent glance their way before looking away. But in those glances, Shen Haoran detected a hint of disdain.

’Looks like Burning Flame City’s standing among these twenty branch halls is truly rock bottom,’ Shen Haoran couldn’t help but think with a bitter smile. Not a single person present paid him or Feng Li any mind; the two of them were completely ignored.

In response, Feng Li could only manage an awkward smile. After all, in recent competitions, Burning Flame City had ranked dead last among the twenty branch halls. Their overall standard had fallen far behind the others, so this kind of treatment was not surprising.

"Don’t worry, Hall Master Feng. After this contest for the title of Pill Emperor, they will all realize how foolish they’ve been. They look down on us now, but in the future, they won’t even be worthy of looking up to us!" Shen Haoran said to Feng Li, a wildly arrogant smile playing on his lips.

"I have never doubted you!" Hearing Shen Haoran’s words, Feng Li’s chest swelled with pride, and a confident smile appeared on his face. From this day forward, Burning Flame City would truly rise...