Chapter 177: Possession?

The Jia Ma Empire and the Chu Yun Empire have long been adversaries, often engaging in battles against one another. Adding to the tension, the Chu Yun Empire has a strong disregard for alchemists and holds in high esteem the most despised profession among alchemists—poison masters. 

After all, poison masters and alchemists are natural enemies: one dedicates their skills to healing while the other uses them to harm. Despite this, alchemists in the Chu Yun Empire align themselves with these poison masters. To be more precise, the Chu Yun Empire doesn't have legitimate alchemists; their practices blend poison and medicine indistinguishably. They engage in both alchemy and poison-crafting.

This has led to genuine alchemists in the Jia Ma Empire holding a low opinion of them, refusing to acknowledge the status of alchemists from the Chu Yun Empire. They regard these individuals, who have essentially betrayed the principles of the alchemy world, with anger and disdain. Consequently, upon learning that someone is from the Chu Yun Empire, people's expressions turn sour.

In every war between the two nations, those 'poison masters' employ the most despicable methods, poisoning various places with powders, liquids, gases, etc., resorting to any means possible. As a result, the death toll among the Jia Ma Empire's warriors due to these tactics is shockingly high every time. 

War inevitably brings death, and soldiers should be prepared to face it on the battlefield. However, they shouldn't perish due to such despicable and cruel methods. This is why the world has such hatred for poison masters, except for the anomaly that is the Chu Yun Empire.

...

"This dossier says he's a second-tier alchemist at seventeen years old? Impossible, given his soul's strength, he's at least at the peak of fourth tier!" Fa Ma handed the document to Jia Xing Tian, frowning.

"A sixteen or seventeen-year-old peak fourth-tier alchemist? President, do you think that's possible? No matter how talented, alchemy requires time and experience to master," Chemil said with a bitter smile.

Hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Indeed, no matter how strong or mysterious the opponent's soul is, enhancing one's alchemy requires time.

"Second-tier alchemist?" Fa Ma sneered, pointing at the towering, brilliant emerald pillar. "Do you think that's possible?"

"Uh," everyone was at a loss for words, smiling bitterly.

How could they have forgotten?

This person managed to refine a top-second-tier pill with just a simple formula, a feat that was terrifying indeed.

Fa Ma frowned, his eyes firmly fixed on the overly youthful face, muttering, "For some reason, I always feel there's something strange about that face."

"Could it be he's using a disguise? Thinking back, the technique he used to refine pills was so skillful that it doesn't seem like something a teenager could possess," Fa Ma said in a low voice.

"It's not a disguise. If it were, it wouldn't have escaped our collective notice," Jia Xing Tian said with a faint smile.

Everyone nodded. 

No matter how perfect a disguise, it remains a disguise, always leaving subtle flaws. No matter how perfect the mask, there will always be a minor difference from one's real skin.

The average person may not notice this slight discrepancy, but it was easily discernible for those present.

Fa Ma looked at Wei Yang with a questioning gaze.

Wei Yang slightly closed his eyes and secretly communicated with Yao Lao, "Master, what do you think of that 'youth'?"

Yao Lao seemed to have anticipated Wei Yang's question and quickly replied, "You already guessed the answer, haven't you? There's only one possibility in this situation."

"Possession!" Wei Yang laughed.

That's why Fa Ma felt that sense of eeriness when looking at the 'youth's' face. It was because that body was taken by force.

Perhaps because it had only been recently seized, it hadn't fully adapted, or due to other reasons, there was still a subtle rejection between the soul and the body, failing to perfectly merge, which made keen observers perceive a sense of strangeness.

And it makes sense: forcing such a powerful soul into a teenage body wouldn't be normal.

"That's right, possession!" Yao Lao sighed, his tone carrying a hint of disgust and anger. "Such actions go against the natural order, utterly shameless!"

Yao Lao has the right to feel anger and disdain. Could he not possess a body? Of course, he could. If he wanted to, what kind of body couldn't he find?

If nothing else, if Yao Lao were willing to offer Wei Yang the tenth-ranked purifying flame, saying, "Fetch me an eighth or ninth-tier bloodline from the Yao Clan and this rare flame is yours," Wei Yang wouldn't refuse. He might even immediately embark on a mission to ambush in Zhongzhou.

But why does Yao Lao insist on painstakingly training Xiao Yan to find three types of rare flames to craft a body?

Firstly, possession affects one's Dou Qi power, requiring one to start cultivating anew. Secondly, the compatibility between the soul and body is another factor. Of course, for a master alchemist, this issue is minor and solvable.

For instance, the reward of the current tournament, the Soul Fusion Pill formula.

Finally, Yao Lao also has his ethical boundaries. Possessing a body is unnatural.

...

The eyes of several prominent figures were on Wei Yang. Wei Yang opened his eyes and softly spoke, "Possession."

"..." The group was suddenly enlightened, though not entirely surprised. They had already speculated a bit themselves.

"So, what now?" Chemil asked quietly.

The opponent clearly came to cause trouble. Resorting to possession to create chaos is despicable!

If they let him win the championship in front of everyone and return to the Chu Yun Empire, it would become a huge joke.

Jia Xing Tian sneered, "Let me be clear: since he dared to come, no matter the final result, whether or not he wins the championship, he won't leave alive. Afterward, my imperial family will take responsibility for this matter, having nothing to do with your Alchemist Association."

Here to cause trouble? Did they think Jia Xing Tian would take it lying down?

"Hmm." Seeing the murderous intent emanating from Jia Xing Tian, everyone nodded, showing no objections.

If they participated according to the rules, no one would complain, even if he won and took the championship. They would begrudgingly accept it.

However, the opponent was clearly undermining the rules, employing despicable methods.

"So should we let him continue the competition?" Chemil asked.

Everyone looked toward Fa Ma.

"Let him continue. During competition, under everyone's watch, we can't just refuse him participation, can we? It would make our Jia Ma Empire's Alchemist Association seem too domineering and rude."

Fa Ma took a deep breath, frowning, "If word gets out, those unaware might think we're sore losers, refusing his participation."

"Hmph, he's getting off easy," Jia Xing Tian said discontentedly, "Sneaky devil."

"If he wants to keep himself well-hidden and not show his true face, perhaps I should give him a little help." Hai Bodong rotated his neck, laughing softly.

"Won't that be noticed?" Fa Ma's face lit up with interest but then hesitated, "We can't afford negative publicity."

"Hehe, don't worry. Although my strength has waned a bit, I can still manipulate the cold unobtrusively to shatter his fragile headgear. I can handle such a trivial matter," Hai Bodong chuckled confidently.

Hai Bodong, being from the Jia Ma Empire, naturally didn't want to see a Chu Yun Empire alchemist win the championship at the Jia Ma Empire's tournament. Such an event would be laughable to neighboring empires.

Therefore, even the usually cautious Hai Bodong felt irked at this moment.

"For such delicate operations, Hai Lao's ice-related Dou Qi is indeed the most suitable. My Dou Qi is more forceful, suited for breaking rocks, not for doing such tasks," Jia Xing Tian nodded in agreement.

"Very well. Old Hai, you go ahead. Reveal his real face to the public, so we won't be so passive later. Even if it comes to that... we'll have a reason," after a moment of contemplation, Fa Ma nodded in agreement.

"Then here I go." Hai Bodong smiled, squinting slightly, extending his dry fingers from his robe, subtly twitching them.

As his fingers moved, faint, strange ripples quietly radiated outward.

Wei Yang watched with a smile.

Within this strange ripple, he could sense the terrifying cold contained within.

As Hai Bodong acted in secret, Jia Xing Tian and Fa Ma leaned slightly forward, appearing to discuss something but actually shielding the vicinity from external gazes.

(The chapter ends here.)