Death… and me

Chapter 1112: Lin Zhongri

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Holding the notice in his hand, Chu Yang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Chu Le’er’s injury had already healed, and the primary purpose of Chu Yang’s participation in the Medicine Banquet was to treat Chu Le’er’s injury. Now that he didn’t need to do that anymore, he also couldn’t withdraw. He actually felt conflicted.

“The Heaven Nourishing Jade, it’s a good thing,” Bu Liuqing noticed his hesitation and said, “You must get the Heaven Nourishing Jade for yourself. Having that thing with you is equal to having one more life!”

“Having one more life?” asked Chu Yang.

“Even if someone’s soul and spirit dissipate, he can be brought back to life using the power of Heaven Nourishing Jade! This is the fortune of all pharmacists in Nine Heavens in one thousand years!”

Bu Liuqing said lightly, “It can fix the heaven, what is a human to it?”

Chu Yang’s eyes brightened. He clenched his fists tight and said, “There’s actually such an amazing object, then I’ll have to get this Heaven Nourishing Jade! I’m determined to win!”

Yue Lingxue’s eyebrows lifted slightly. He wanted to say something, but forced himself to hold back and not say it.

Only the best pharmacist in the whole world was eligible to get the remnants of Heaven Nourishing Jade. You are just a kid of not even twenty years old, and you can actually be determined to win?

Just bullshitting.

“Then, during the second round, who’s going to support me?!” asked Chu Yang, rubbing his fists.

“You really need support for something you are completely confident in?” Zi Xieqing was dismissive.

“Not interesting. Qingwu can’t go either, too many bad fellows there.” Bu Liuqing shook his head.

“Not free,” the Moon Breeze couple shook their heads together, saying, “Got to guide my disciple’s cultivation.”

“I have to practice my knife.” Dong Wushang appreciated his ink knife, not even looking up.

“Cough, I have to sleep.” Rui Butong let out a yawn and rubbed his eyes. “I’ve been sleepy to death these days.”

“I’ll stay with Wushang.” Mo Lei’er smiled.

…

“Can’t it be!” Chu Yang screamed, “For such a huge thing, I am actually going alone?”

The rest were silent. They busied themselves and pretended not to hear.

Mo Qingwu felt bad and said, “Big Brother Chu Yang, I want to accompany you, but that’s the day when Le’er will finish her close-door training and have a decisive battle with me…”

Chu Yang laughed out loud.

On the third day, Chu Yang got up early and went all the way to Han Xiaoran’s place. The two started off together. On the way, Han Xiaoran had a lot on his mind.

After Chu Yang asked about it multiple times, Han Xiaoran finally let out a long sigh. “Brother, last night the Dharma Supreme summoned me overnight and asked about your situation…”

Chu Yang was shocked. “What did you say?”

Han Xiaoran spread his hands and said, “What else could I say? The truth, of course. But… something wasn’t right.”

Chu Yang smiled and asked, “What wasn’t?”

Han Xiaoran stopped walking, looked at him deeply and sighed low. He said, “Brother Chu, I know you’ve been hiding things, and you have enough practical strength. The strong appearance this time was also indeed very influential. But… let your old brother give you a piece of advice.”

Chu Yang said seriously, “Do say it, Big Brother Han, your little brother is listening respectfully.”

“A backer is just a backer, after all. To really gain your own standing in the Nine Heavens, you still have to rely on yourself.” Han Xiaoran said heavily, “Even with a backer, it was too public for you to do it like this. It wasn’t a coincidence that the Dharma Supreme asked about you, I vaguely feel that…”

He looked up at Chu Yang. “You have to be careful, there is a murder plot inside here!”

Chu Yang was moved. He said gratefully, “Thank you so much, Big brother, I will remember.”

Han Xiaoran said, conflicted, “As a law-enforcement officer, it is undoubtedly treacherous for me to pass on secret information to you like this. But, you didn’t do anything wrong, and have been of great help to us law-enforcement officers. I can’t bear to see people be ungrateful! Sigh…”

Chu Yang nodded. He could feel the conflicts inside Han Xiaoran.

As the law-enforcement master, he was the most trusted subordinate of the Dharma Supreme. Whatever the reason, what Han Xiaoran just said to him would seem like treason to Han Xiaoran himself.

This was indeed valuable, and even incredible, for Han Xiaoran who had always been just, stern and upright!

But, the Dharma Supreme having the intention to murder him…

Chu Yang remembered this in his heart carefully.

The two arrived at the venue of registration, and saw that it was already crowded. Most were people from the various clans, coming to support. There were as many as thousands crowded at the door: the pharmacists went in one by one, but the supporting people were not allowed to enter, so they could only wait outside.

Han Xiaoran sent in the identity card that Chu Yang received on the day itself.

In a short while, someone started calling names.

“The last pharmacist to enter the second round – Lin Zhongri!”

Everyone was amazed

Lin Zhongri, there was actually someone with that name?

Chu Yang was also stunned: What happened? Why wasn’t his name called, and it was actually already the last one?

That person was heard to yell at the top of his voice. “Lin Zhongri! Lin Zhongri! Is Lin Zhongri here?”

Both Chu Yang and Han Xiaoran were stupefied. They squeezed inside to ask about it. How come Chu Yang, the first one to pass, did not have a place now?

In the next moment, both were at a loss of what to do.

The card held up by that pharmacist was just Chu Yang’s card. He still continued screaming at the top of his lungs, “Lin Zhongri! Lin Zhongri! Where did you go?”

Han Xiaoran walked over with a black face and scolded him with a low voice, “Bastard! Do you know how to read? Those are two characters – “Chu Yang”! What “Lin Zhongri”!”

That pharmacist was stunned. He flipped the card over and held it in front of his face, his expression surprised. “It’s correct, it’s “Lin Zhongri”.”

“Bastard!” Han Xiaoran grabbed the card over, and took a look. He was also stunned.

The handwriting on the back was scribbled, such that the “Chu” character in “Chu Yang” was severely separated, and only the “Lin” character on top could be discerned. The bottom part was just a curve. The “Yang” of “Chu Yang” was also separated into two characters, and because of the scribbling, one side of it looked exactly like a “Zhong”.

At one look, that was absolutely just the words “Lin Zhongri”!”

It was actually because the fifth elder was too excited that he casually, sloppily scribbled out Chu Yang’s name.

They finally clarified it after a long explanation.

There were chatters all around.

“Holy shit. This person’s name is really Lin Zhongri… Hey, what a good name.” Someone was amazed. [1. “Lin Zhongri” in Chinese can also be interpreted as “performing sexual acts in the woods” in vulgar language]

‘Lin Zhongri… Hahahaha… Someone else should get a name called “F*cking in the water”…’ Another had a nasty expression.

“Isn’t this Chu Yang… Since when did he change his name to Lin Zhongri…” This was someone who knew Chu Yang.

“Pfft… Hahaha… Such a good name… Too obscene…” Another laughed, holding his stomach.

Chu Yang’s face was black as he walked into the venue of the second round. Behind him was a wave of whispering and countless weird looks…

Chu Yang gritted his teeth.

Lin Zhongri… What the heck. When he saw that old thing, the fifth elder, he had to question him about it! He was severely embarrassed.

In front of him was a long row of platforms.

Within a few hundred square meters, there were only platforms, pharmacists, and the judges of Medicine Valley. There wasn’t any person from the Nine Super Clans or any law-enforcement officers present.

Right here, Medicine Valley was in charge. Any other powers, including the Dharma Supreme who was number one in the world wasn’t qualified to watch the game here!

Only 63 pharmacists entered the second round. Every one of them faced a platform, on which a lonely medicine stove was placed. Every medicine stove also looked identical.

Yet, Chu Yang vaguely felt that the aura on several pharmacists seemed a bit strange.

There was apparently a sense of deadly depression, as if the spirit was oppressed.

Besides, it was precisely these few people who were paying attention to him, either intentionally or unintentionally. Their looks were resentful, with a creepy murderous aura… As though they had immense hatred of him.

Just when Chu Yang wanted to observe them quietly, he found that all of them turned their heads back unnoticeably, facing right at their medicine stoves. Not even the corners of their eyes looked at Chu Yang anymore.

Chu Yang only saw several dead faces.

These faces reminded Chu Yang of that Young Valley Master who hosted the auction at the Medicine Valley.

Chu Yang was stunned. All of these people had faces familiar to him. He remembered that when he saw them a few days ago, they were all pretty active… How come…

Immediately, at the doorway, the people of the Medicine Valley started chasing the crowds away.

They actually chased all who came to support to more than one kilometer away. At such a distance, not to mention cheering, people with lower cultivation wouldn’t be able to see anything, let alone recognizing their pharmacists…

Immediately, some professionals of the Medicine Valley surrounded the place in all directions.

The Medicine Valley actually imposed such strict guarding codes for this Medicine Banquet.

Next, white shadows swayed in front of Chu Yang and others, and three men in white appeared. One of the men held that stack of cards. It was actually the Zombie-faced Young Valley Master.

He said, in a rigid voice, “Pharmacists, I am the owner of the prescription of Medicine Valley; the two beside me are the high priest and second priest of our Medicine Valley. The three of us will be judges of your second round of the competition.”

All the pharmacists started talking.

High priest. Second priest.

These two were both figures who once won the title of “Best pharmacist in the World” in the past! For such two people to be judges themselves, it made everyone feel flattered.

Chu Yang’s eyes also brightened up, but immediately, he realized that the Zombie-faced one who was one seat from him showed no change in either his facial expression or in his eyes, as though he had been long prepared…

“Now, we are starting the roll call!” the Zombie-faced Young Valley Master looked at the card in front of him, picked up the one on top and read, “Lin Zhongri!”

Chu Yang’s card was the last to be handed up, so naturally it was on top.

So the Young Valley Master called his name first.

Chu Yang was extremely embarrassed. He said, “It’s not “Lin Zhongri”, Young Valley Master. This is my card, the fifth elder wrote in scribbles… He distorted the name…”

Even the Young Valley Master’s Zombie face couldn’t help but show a moment of surprise. After tilting his head to identify for a long time, he finally recognized the very abstractly written words of “Chu Yang”. The corner of his mouth twitched, and he said, “Chu Yang!”

Chu Yang answered loudly, “Present.”

The Young Valley Master held the card in front of his eyes for another look, and mumbled, “… really looks like Lin Zhongri.”

Chu Yang felt speechless…