Chapter 276: Unforeseen Situation

　　“Junior Sister Xiaoning is going to win!”

　　“Yes, this will count towards improving Azure Frost Elixir Workshop’s reputation as well.”

　　Within the crowd, a couple of disciples from Azure Frost Elixir Workshop discussed softly with excited expressions.

　　“It’s just a Grade 2 Elixir. Even if she wins this, what does this have to do with our reputation? The reputation of Azure Frost Elixir Workshop has been built up over thousands of years. What has it got to do with her!”

　　The person who spoke was a female cultivator in a long, yellow dress. She had a voluptuous figure and her chin was slightly raised, revealing her neck that was slender and fair as a swan’s with a haughty expression.

　　It was obvious that the yellow-dressed woman held a high position in Azure Frost Elixir Workshop as the few cultivators who were discussing earlier shut up immediately in fear after hearing her speak.

　　“Senior Sister Yang is absolutely right.”

　　A disciple from Azure Frost Elixir Workshop replied with a smile.

　　On the other side, a group of disciples from True Fire Elixir Workshop were also watching the situation unfold with grave expressions.

　　“The situation’s not good. Senior Brother He’s going to lose.”

　　“Don’t worry, there’s no way that woman from Azure Frost Sect is going to win today. Wait for Senior Brother He’s gaze to act.”

　　The person who spoke wore a faint red rob and his lips were slightly curled with a cold expression. His name was Pang Ming and he was a perfected Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

　　Beside him was a ferocious-looking spirit lion. Digging into the ground with its feet, the beast’s mouth was opened slightly, revealing its sharp fangs within!

　　In the empty space, the Elixir Furnace in front of Su Xiaoning exuded a fragrant medicinal aroma that grew richer by the moment, spreading through the crowd.

　　White smoke wafted through the holes of the Elixir Furnace, changing the mist of the surroundings while shrouding Su Xiaoning within. The vague concealment of her body made her seem like a fairy that had descended on the mortal realm.

　　A white-haired elderly man sniffed the fragrance that drifted over and closed his eyes in an intoxicated manner. “Based on my experience, this girl from Azure Frost Sect should have refined a perfect Spirit Regeneration Elixir!”

　　Upon hearing that, everyone’s hearts skipped a beat.

　　That elderly man was the most famous Advanced Elixir Refinement Master in Yongxing City – the result wouldn’t be much different from his claim.

　　He Xing could also tell that if this continued, he would definitely lose.

　　A glint flashed in his eyes as he looked at Pang Ming who was in the crowd while condensing his elixir.

　　Pang Ming understood and nodded the head of the spirit lion beside him.

　　With a swift motion, the spirit lion growled deeply and leaped forward, waving its paw while slapping towards Su Xiaoning’s Elixir Furnace.

　　The change was way too sudden such that even the onlookers did not expect it, let alone Su Xiaoning who was focused on her elixir refinement.

　　This was the capital of Great Zhou after all where fighting was prohibited.

　　Now that they were close to the sect competition, the atmosphere was even more tense. Not far away, a guard from one of the three great guard squads, Scarlet Vulture, rode on his Scarlet Vulture and patrolled in midair while wielding a dagger-axe in his hands with a stern expression.

　　However, no one expected that this spirit lion from True Fire Elixir Workshop would leap out at a moment like this!

　　Piak!

　　With ease, the spirit lion sent Su Xiaoning’s Elixir Furnace flying with a single slap.

　　It fell to the ground with a bang and the elixir within the Elixir Furnace erupted, causing black smoke to billow out – it was clear now that the elixir formation had failed.

　　The greatest taboo of the elixir formation process was for one to be disturbed. A slight fluctuation in one’s mental state could cause elixir formation to fail, let alone having their Elixir Furnace knocked away!

　　“Ah!”

　　Su Xiaoning shrieked and blood flashed on her arm.

　　When the spirit lion knocked the Elixir Furnace flying, Su Xiaoning sustained a scratch from the spirit lion on her arm because she had reacted slower. While it was not a serious injury, her shirt was stained red.

　　After knocking the Elixir Furnace and injuring her, the spirit lion ran back under Pang Ming’s reprimand.

　　Coughing gently, Pang Ming gave a fake smile, “Fellow Daoist from Azure Frost Elixir Workshop, how sorry. I have failed to control my beast properly, to think that it would have ran out and shocked you. I’ll punish it right away!”

　　With that said, Pang Ming tapped the spirit lion on the head lightly.

　　It shrugged its head indifferently before rubbing against Pang Ming’s body.

　　“Haha!”

　　A burst of laughter broke out from the crowd of True Fire Elixir Workshop.

　　Everyone could naturally tell that Pang Ming had ordered the spirit lion to hurt the girl and knock the Elixir Furnace over!

　　Looking at the Elixir Furnace that had fallen not far away on the ground, Su Xiaoning pursed her lips. She had forgotten about the pain on her arm and her eyes were reddened, slightly teary.

　　At that moment, the first emotion that gushed into Su Xiaoning’s was not anger, but sadness.

　　Right from the beginning, she had not been distracted at all and was wholeheartedly focused on refining her Spirit Regeneration Elixir.

　　She was not wrong.

　　She was extremely focused.

　　However, it was destroyed by others and her efforts were in vain.

　　She was just a little short.

　　“Sigh!”

　　A perfect Spirit Regeneration Elixir was just about to be born but it was gone just like that… everyone shook their heads and sighed in unison.

　　Su Zimo’s gaze turned cold. Because the spirit lion was not targeting him, his spirit perception had no reaction.

　　Furthermore, he had not expected that cultivators of True Fire Elixir Workshop would dare command their spirit lion to attack someone in front of everyone in the capital!

　　Looking at Xiaoning who was standing on the spot tearfully, the killing intent in Su Zimo’s heart surged and it was almost impossible to contain!

　　Nian Qi, who was standing beside him, was the first to notice it.

　　She felt an unprecedented sense of trepidation coming from Su Zimo.

　　Glancing askance, Nian Qi’s heart skipped a beat when she caught sight of Su Zimo’s gaze.

　　She had witnessed that terrifying gaze one other time.

　　That was the same gaze that Su Zimo had during that night half a year ago when he was faced against two Golden Cores.

　　It was cold, indifferent and calm like a sea of extermination!

　　Nian Qi pondered for a moment before leaving the crowd silently. She looked around and sped off to somewhere nearby.

　　…

　　When faced with such an unforeseen situation, Su Zimo did not appear right away. Instead, he was calm and looked on coldly.

　　He was waiting…

　　Waiting for the reaction from both factions.

　　At this moment, the ones who should have the biggest reaction should be the Scarlet Vulture guards who were patrolling and Azure Frost Elixir Workshop that Xiaoning was from.

　　However, Su Zimo was disappointed.

　　He personally witnessed the gazes of two Scarlet Vulture guards staring at this place. Lingering shortly, they chose to turn their heads away and pretend as though they did not see anything!

　　“True Fire Elixir Workshop is really too much!”

　　“That’s right! It’s obvious that the spirit lion was deliberately causing trouble but they’re pretending to be innocent?”

　　Among the crowd, a cultivator frowned and asked, “The Scarlet Vulture guards are nearby. They seem to have witnessed everything, why aren’t they rushing here yet?”

　　“I think you don’t know, right?”

　　An elderly man said, “It’s said that the commander of the Scarlet Vulture guards, the Golden Core with the nickname of Bald Vulture, once stayed for a period of time in True Fire Sect and as such is considered as half a disciple of theirs. Since these Scarlet Vulture guards are his underlings, they’ll usually give True Fire Sect some face.”

　　“Furthermore, this matter is not a big deal. Even if anyone chooses to pursue it further, it’ll most likely go unresolved.”

　　“Why do you say that?”

　　“The spirit lion came out to create trouble by knocking the Elixir Furnace away. If He Xing and the others insist that they failed to control it properly and the spirit lion did it on its own accord, what can anyone do to them?”