Chapter 3823 — A Bit Pathetic Indeed

At these words from Kang Jingming, everyone present exchanged knowing smiles, yet none dared chime in with details, fearing that too much talk would set Wei Zhao to thinking. After all, however much of a fool Wei Zhao might be, saying such things to his face would still make it far too easy for him to see through the trick.

Wei Zhao and the others exchanged glances and smiled. As for the rumor that Wei Zhao had been swindled with worthless jade, Miserable Senior Brother and Xiao Che had naturally heard it long ago, and Wei Zhao had already explained it all to them using the very same story he had told Miserable Senior Brother in the first place.

Kang Jingming's crowd rejoiced in another's misfortune, each one still convinced that the leader Wei Zhao really was the sort of fool who could not tell good jade from worthless jade—never suspecting that they themselves, who believed such an absurd tale, were the true idiots, sold out and still counting the money for their betrayers.

Seeing that Wei Zhao could not even be bothered to answer, Kang Jingming changed tack and said, "The reason I came over this time was actually to have a word with you, alchemist to alchemist. For my first batch I tested six spirit herb seeds, and in the end three of them grew—a survival rate of only fifty percent. I am not quite satisfied with that result. What do you think, Top Newcomer Lin?"

At these words, the Qingyun Pavilion newcomers all around could not help drawing a collective sharp breath. Three out of six surviving, a fifty-percent survival rate—that result simply crushed the combined efforts of every Qingyun Pavilion newcomer put together!

One had to understand that apart from Wei Zhao's little gang, the other eleven Qingyun Pavilion newcomers put together had only barely managed to grow two spirit herb seeds to maturity. They were simply not in the same league as Kang Jingming.

And according to what that effeminate steward in the spirit herb garden had said back then, for newcomers like them, getting three out of ten spirit herb seeds to survive was already cause for burning incense in gratitude. Kang Jingming's fifty-percent survival rate had plainly pushed things to the absolute limit—outrageously, absurdly good!

If even a result like that left him dissatisfied, then the rest of them might as well stop living—go buy a block of tofu and dash their brains out against it.

After a round of gasps, everyone's gaze fell back on Wei Zhao. He gave a faint smile, then said with a grave and earnest air, "A survival rate of only fifty percent—that really is a bit pathetic. Zhaoming, you must work harder and push on. You cannot go losing face for us alchemists."

Wei Zhao's expression—the solicitous concern of an elder for a junior—nearly had the whole crowd doubled over laughing. Shinning right up the pole like that, this fellow Wei Zhao was just too damn vicious!

"Gah!" Kang Jingming's face went black on the spot. My fifty-percent survival rate has already blinded everyone in the spirit herb garden with its brilliance, all right? You worthless fool who hasn't grown a single one in all this time—what right do you have to say such a thing to me!

Off to the side, Zhong Yongliang could not help secretly snickering again. Kang Jingming had wanted to put on airs before Leader Wei Zhao, and now not only had he failed to show off—he had walked right up and gotten himself stomped on by Leader Wei Zhao for his trouble. The man's insides must be about to explode with rage by now!

"Is that so? Then I'd like to ask—after all these days, Top Newcomer Lin, just how many have you managed to grow? Surely you wouldn't go smearing mud on the faces of us alchemists?" Kang Jingming said with a forced cold laugh, his face as black as the bottom of a pot.

"Heh heh... Didn't you just say that the newcomer steward's duties include keeping watch at the spirit herb garden? Then just keep your eyes wide open and watch—won't that settle it? Or is it that your math was taught by a PE teacher, and you've no confidence in yourself?" Wei Zhao looked at Kang Jingming with a strange expression, his face saying plainly that he feared for the man's intelligence.

To be stared at by so many people with looks that said "what a fool," Kang Jingming dearly wished he could slap every last one of them into idiots. Unfortunately, that was hardly realistic—and even if he could raise a hand, he still could not beat Wei Zhao.

"Hmph. Silver tongue, sharp teeth. I'll be waiting to watch you cry!" Kang Jingming snorted coldly. Seeing that the newcomer challenge tournament was about to begin, he had no choice but to exchange a glance with Zhong Yongliang and turn to leave.

Zhong Yongliang sneered inwardly. You fool, you truly haven't been stomped on enough, have you? Leader Wei Zhao has been stomping on you all the way from the mortal world to Cloud Terrace Island, and you only grow braver with each setback! That psychological fortitude of yours really isn't something ordinary people possess!

Good thing I threw in my lot with Leader Wei Zhao long ago—otherwise who knows when I'd have been stomped into a sorry pulp again!

Watching the departing backs of Kang Jingming and Zhong Yongliang, Miserable Senior Brother and Xiao Che exchanged a look. Though they had relied on their sharp tongues to leave the strutting pair with a bloody nose, the eyes they now turned on Wei Zhao could not quite hide their worry.

"Junior Brother Lin, those spirit herb seeds—are you sure you can handle them all by yourself...?" Miserable Senior Brother held it in for a moment, but in the end could not resist asking.

Wei Zhao had not only claimed forty seeds for himself, but had also taken Xiao Che's and Qiao Hongcai's on top of that. Even though Miserable Senior Brother still had no idea that Wei Zhao was even holding on to Li Zhengming's and Zhong Yongliang's seeds as well, he knew at least one thing: if something went wrong on Wei Zhao's end, then in the spirit herb trial at the very least, their whole gang would be wiped out.

Given the circumstances of Qingyun Pavilion newcomers, a total wipeout was hardly anything unusual—but what worried Miserable Senior Brother now was that, after being provoked like this by Kang Jingming, Wei Zhao might well spare no effort in pouring his true qi into that enormous pile of spirit herb seeds.

Once too much true qi was spent, it would not only damage his strength—it might very likely leave openings for him to exploit during the challenge tournament. Even the strongest of experts could not avoid that, and Wei Zhao, Qingyun Pavilion's number one newcomer, was naturally no exception.

Even Miserable Senior Brother, always so honest and kindhearted, could not help beginning to suspect at this point: could this be a trap Meng Jueming and his people had set specifically for Wei Zhao?

Based on earlier speculation, after the appearance of that young master Xu Lingchong in the previous round, Meng Jueming was bound to make a big move—and that big move need not be aimed at Xiao Che and Qiao Hongcai, those two underlings. It was quite likely that he would seize the chance to strike at Wei Zhao himself.

After all, with a young master Xu mixed up in it, if the result were merely to deal with Xiao Che and Qiao Hongcai, that would be far too petty. To catch the bandits, one must first catch their king!

This worry was not Miserable Senior Brother's alone—even Xiao Che and Qiao Hongcai had little trouble thinking of it. After all, Kang Jingming and Meng Jueming and the rest were all retainers under Young Master Xu, all one and the same gang; that they shared such tacit schemes among themselves was only natural!