Chapter 162: Chapter 162 - Association Takeover
Everyone stood stunned by the massive cloud formation filling the sky above!
I watched as Lucian River and Morgan Barry stared upward, their eyes wide with disbelief.
"It’s actually... actually a Pill Cloud..." Lucian murmured softly. I could tell from his expression that despite his long life, he’d never witnessed a true Pill Cloud before.
Across from me, Morgan’s face showed a dawning sense of powerlessness. I could see the moment he realized we weren’t even remotely on the same level.
"Pill Cloud, the legendary Pill Cloud!" Excited voices rose from the crowd surrounding us.
"I never thought it would be true!"
"Who exactly is this Mason Raymond, who can not only defeat seasoned Grandmasters but also possesses such incredible alchemy skills..."
"Mason Raymond’s future is limitless!"
I watched as the gathered Pill Cloud slowly began to dissipate until it completely vanished. The sky returned to its calm state as if nothing extraordinary had occurred.
Looking directly at Morgan Barry, I spoke calmly, "Do you still think you can win now?"
Morgan’s expression betrayed his bitter internal smile, all his pride visibly crumbling in that instant.
Just as he opened his mouth to respond, Lucian River shouted from beneath the stage, "Hold on!"
The crowd immediately shifted their attention toward him.
Lucian gritted his teeth and declared, "Even if you can muster a Pill Cloud, so what? Who knows if this Pill has any actual effect!"
His words sparked quiet murmurs throughout the audience.
"That’s right, if it doesn’t have any real effect, even the top-grade elixir would be worthless."
"Mr. Raymond, could you please explain the effects of this Pill?"
"Yes, Mr. Raymond, forgive our rudeness, but we truly want to know the actual effects of this Pill."
I noticed how everyone’s way of addressing me had subtly shifted without anyone acknowledging it. From initially calling me "this kid" to "Mason Raymond," and now evolving to "Mr. Raymond." This transformation alone proved how their perception of me had changed.
I glanced at Lucian standing not far away and sneered, "Still refusing to give up, huh? Fine, I’ll tell you all the efficacy of this Pill."
"This medicine is called the Curing Pill, and its effect is simple and straightforward - it can cure any illness, even terminal diseases."
"Of course, this medicine has a shortcoming, which is that it cannot heal external injuries, and it can only be taken once in a lifetime."
My words triggered an explosion of excitement throughout the crowd!
"Such a Pill exists in the world!"
"Mr. Raymond, could you sell this medicine to me? I’m willing to pay a high price!"
"Yes, Mr. Raymond, no matter the cost, I’m willing to pay!"
Hearing their enthusiastic shouts, I couldn’t help but reveal a faint smile.
"I’ll find an opportunity to publicly auction this Pill," I announced.
Lucian’s face turned exceptionally sour at this development.
I wasn’t concerned in the slightest. The medicine was crafted with the purest spiritual energy from within me - curing illnesses was no big deal. Moreover, this Curing Pill was merely considered Divine Medicine of the mundane world and still represented a lower-tier formula in my legacy.
I had two reasons for crafting the Curing Pill. First, because the medicine provided by Lucian had no effect, forcing me to rely on my spiritual energy. This made it impossible to craft a Pill beneficial to martial artists. Second, I didn’t want to invite unnecessary trouble. If I had crafted something that made martial artists go crazy, countless eyes would certainly fix upon me, likely attracting top-tier experts to move against me.
"Can we announce the result now?" I glanced at the host with calm authority.
"Ah, well..." The host appeared suddenly uncomfortable, subconsciously looking toward Lucian River.
Lucian’s face had gone pale, but he seemed unsure what to do. The judging authority rested in his hands, but now the entire audience clearly favored me. Even if he wanted to support Morgan, he needed a convincing excuse.
The venue fell into brief silence, countless pairs of eyes staring at Lucian.
Finally, Lucian gritted his teeth and declared, "I think the champion should be Morgan Barry."
His words shocked everyone present!
I watched as the crowd sneered at Lucian’s blatant shamelessness.
"Mason Raymond’s Curing Pill hasn’t been proven effective by anyone. How would we know if it’s real or not, based on his word alone?" Lucian snorted coldly.
"Ha ha, President River, isn’t that going a bit too far?" someone nearby protested.
"Yes, you are being unreasonable and unfair."
Lucian remained unmoved, coldly replying, "I’m the president of the Traditional Medicine Association, and the decision is in my hands. Whoever I say wins, wins!"
"Master, just let it go," Morgan suddenly spoke up from the stage, shaking his head. "I am no match for Mason Raymond. Just because of the Pill Cloud, he has already outshone me."
"A loss is a loss, no need to persist," Morgan added firmly.
Hearing his words, I couldn’t help but smile coldly. "Lucian River, your disciple is more sensible than you."
Lucian gritted his teeth and loudly rebuked, "Spineless fool! I said the decision is in my hands. If anyone doesn’t like it, they can hold it in!"
I frowned slightly, not expecting Lucian to be quite so shameless.
The onlookers silently cursed in their hearts, but appeared powerless to intervene.
Lucian let out a light snort, looking at me with calculated calm. "See, this is called power. Sometimes having power is more important than ability."
"Is that so, Lucian River, do you really think no one can control you?" a voice suddenly called from the entrance.
I turned to see two men in official attire entering the hall.
Lucian raised an eyebrow and demanded, "Who are you?"
The men presented their identification cards and announced, "We are from the Association Administration. After upper-level review, your position as head of the Traditional Medicine Association has been revoked, with Mason Raymond acting as your replacement."
I watched Lucian’s face turn extraordinarily ugly at this news.
"Ho... how is this possible? He’s just a mere kid, what qualifies him to be the president!" Lucian sputtered through gritted teeth.
"This is the decision from above. If you disagree, take it up with the director!" one official replied coldly.
At that moment, several more people entered through the doorway.
These newcomers approached Lucian directly, producing official documents. "Lucian River, you are suspected of multiple crimes. I hereby announce, you are under arrest!"
