Chapter 50: Eat While It's Hot

At this moment, not only had Fang Xu obtained gunpowder, but by a stroke of luck, he had also come into possession of magnesium powder. How could he not show his excitement? Judging by the amount and reaction of the gunpowder that had just burned, the handful of ashes in Fang Xu’s palm was enough to produce dozens of flash grenades.

Imagine the barbarian army charging at you, wielding massive blades, and you, calm and composed, reveal a faint smile of disdain, then ignite a flash grenade and toss it forward. The barbarian soldiers would be stunned on the spot by the blinding explosion—it would be nothing short of spectacular. Fang Xu even thought that the remaining ashes could be used to craft signal flares, which would help avoid being caught off guard by sudden assaults from the barbarians.

Presently, if those ahead needed to relay a message, there were only two methods: manpower or carrier pigeons. But on the battlefield, circumstances shift rapidly, and no one knows what will happen in the next moment. The timely delivery of information is crucial to determining the outcome of a battle. Fang Xu believed that if signal flares could be forged and given to the frontier soldiers, their efficiency would be greatly improved. This thought brought a subtle upward curve to his lips.

“Young master, all these ashes are here,” a guard carefully packed the ashes into a bag and presented it to Fang Xu, who slowly opened his reddened eyes.

“Hiss—! Truly stings the eyes!” Fang Xu couldn’t help but remark, the aftereffects of the flash grenade evident. He was glad he hadn’t ignited all of them at once, otherwise, he might not have been able to keep his eyesight.

After storing the ashes, Qiu Chuji emerged from the alchemy chamber.

But now, Qiu Chuji seemed somewhat different from before—a faint smile played at his lips.

“Come! Brother Fang! Have a taste!” Qiu Chuji, upon seeing Fang Xu, came forward and opened the jade dew bottle in his hand. The instant he did so, not only Fang Xu, but all the guards behind him instinctively stepped back three paces.

This was unavoidable, for the jade dew bottle exuded a soul-stirring aroma. To Fang Xu, it was captivating, though in a rather peculiar way.

“What is this?!” Fang Xu pinched his nose, his expression twisted as he looked at Qiu Chuji.

The scent emanating from the jade bottle was akin to placing a premium durian in a microwave, setting it to high, and leaving it for half an hour—the resulting fragrance would be like a “bioweapon,” suffocating even Fang Xu himself.

Fang Xu even considered that if Qiu Chuji made more of this kind of pill, it could be hurled at the barbarians in battle—the damage might rival that of a flash grenade.

“Brother Fang, why are you acting this way?” Qiu Chuji tugged at Fang Xu’s arm, curious about his reaction.

“Wait! Let’s talk! Let’s talk!” Fang Xu, caught off guard, was forced to release his grip. Just a whiff from the jade bottle made him feel as though he’d glimpsed the divine. He quickly pinched his nose again, his expression grim, as he instructed Qiu Chuji. Seeing this, Qiu Chuji said nothing more and poured out a perfectly round pill from the bottle.

“Brother Fang! Hurry and try it while it’s warm!” Qiu Chuji said enthusiastically, handing the pill to Fang Xu.

The guards, who had originally intended to protect Fang Xu, immediately retreated several meters away, earning a look of disdain from Fang Xu.

“Weren’t you supposed to ensure my safety? Why are you so far away?” Fang Xu complained, glancing at the distant guards, whose eyes were fixed on the pill in Qiu Chuji’s hand.

“Young master, rest assured! If anything goes wrong, we’ll be there in time! We won’t disturb your good fortune!” With that, the guards dashed outside.

In their minds, lingering in the courtyard could be fatal, but they comforted themselves that they’d be able to respond if anything happened.

“Honestly, do you have no shame?” Fang Xu now understood what it meant to be shameless, but what could he say?

“What… what exactly is this?” Fang Xu’s lips twitched involuntarily, but he forced a smile and looked at the expectant Qiu Chuji.

“This pill is quite remarkable! It’s the Poison-Blocking Pill!” Qiu Chuji declared proudly. To him, successfully crafting it was a personal challenge.

“Is there only this one?” Fang Xu asked, his lips still twitching. Qiu Chuji nodded seriously.

“I intended to make several more, as a small gift for everyone, but my first attempt was a bit clumsy, and only this one turned out,” Qiu Chuji admitted, scratching his head somewhat embarrassedly. Hearing this, Fang Xu felt uneasy.

Why? Because sweat was now trickling down his back, and he was even more nervous than when he ignited the gunpowder.

Gulping involuntarily, Fang Xu saw Qiu Chuji’s joy increase.

“Looks like you recognize its value, Brother Fang! You can’t wait! Hurry, eat it while it’s warm!” Qiu Chuji mistakenly believed that Fang Xu was eager to try the pill, unaware that the pill seemed to radiate lethal intent toward him.

Upon hearing this, Fang Xu’s face turned completely pale, for Qiu Chuji was not presenting a delicacy but rather urging him to eat something akin to a bowl of steaming hot, dubious soup.

Yet, faced with Qiu Chuji’s expectant gaze, Fang Xu found himself unable to refuse, his expression contorting. Now, his choice was truly a matter of life and death.