Heretic Apothecary Genius - Chapter 47

Chapter 47: Time to Witness a Miracle

Why is Ren Tianxing’s son so abnormal? What’s inside his brain?

The smiling face elder recalled Ren Jie’s performance previously and concluded that Ren Jie was never normal. He decided to remain silent and simply grabbed Ren Jie.

Ren Jie was not unfamiliar with that. He let the smiling face elder capture him and bring him away from his house. Ren Jie felt that he was once again in the semi-conscious state. The next time he regained his consciousness, he discovered that they were already in a natural forest.

Forest. When Ren Jie saw the forest, he was immediately reminded of the natural forest that his sixth uncle was staying in. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the forest that he was currently in was different from his sixth uncle’s. The forest that his sixth uncle was in was easily recognizable. He was evidently in a forest outside of the Jade Capital.

Ren Jie used his divine sense to detect his surroundings. The area covered by his divine sense could now reach a radius of fifty meters. Ren Jie immediately discovered a problem based on his observations of the fifty meters radius around him. There were many trees in the huge forest which affected his divine sense. That was…

An array formation!

The array formation was not man-made. Its effect on people’s divine sense was very unique. It seemed like…

Ren Jie immediately recalled something that he read about in the library pavilion—Soul Bewitching Demonic Monkeys. Soul Bewitching Demonic Monkeys were level three early-stage demonic beasts. Their powers were equivalent to humans who were at the seventh to the eighth level of the Body Refinement Realm. They were the size of a palm and were not threatening individually. However, they lived in clusters and had an innate divine power to alter the surroundings where they lived to create a unique soul bewitching array formation. Furthermore, they could affect one’s divine sense. Most importantly, the more demonic monkeys there were, the stronger the array formation that they created would become, and the same went for its impact on one’s divine sense.

There was a myth that if there were more than a thousand Soul Bewitching Demonic Monkeys living together, even level six late-stage demonic beasts or people who had perfected the True Qi Realm and were knowledgeable about array formations would not be able to survive inside the array formation.

“Leave this place before daylight. Or else, I will punish you by slapping you on the buttocks ten times. Okay, now scram…” The smiling face elder put Ren Jie down. He then lifted his leg and kicked Ren Jie’s butt into the array formation.

“Wait!” Ren Jie turned around suddenly and stopped what the smiling face elder was doing.

“What’s there to wait for? I call the shots here.” The smiling face elder was stunned for a while. He remembered the fortunate thing that happened previously. When he saw Ren Jie looking at the forest in a daze, he thought, Surely he won’t be that fortunate this time. How is it possible that he saw through this as well?

Although the Soul Bewitching Demonic Monkeys were not very powerful, they lived in clusters and were not that easily found. He had spent a lot of effort catching them. Moreover, he had specially confined the monkeys for a few days, allowing them to transform the place such that it was suitable for that rascal’s use.

“Nothing. Didn’t you say that this is a failed spiritual artifact just now? I just wanted to show you what I could do. It’s time to witness a miracle.” Ren Jie suddenly recalled the catchphrase of a famous magician in his previous life and used that as his ending sentence.

“Time to witness a miracle?” The smiling face elder was a little confused by what Ren Jie said.

“I have a way to repair this and turn it back into a superior-grade spiritual artifact. All I need is a little help from you.” Ren Jie pinched his thumb and index finger together to show that he merely needed a little help.

“What are you talking about? Go inside. I am not going to compensate you for the time that you have wasted…” The smiling face elder almost burst out laughing. Repairing that failed superior-grade spiritual artifact was even harder than creating an ultimate-grade spiritual artifact. Even top spiritual artifact creators who could create ultimate-grade spiritual artifacts would find it hard to repair that failed spiritual artifact. Repairing it was ten times harder than creating a new spiritual artifact.

Therefore, the smiling face elder was prepared to throw Ren Jie into the forest. He did not want to continue the conversation with Ren Jie.

Ren Jie turned and took a look at the forest that the smiling face elder had painstakingly constructed and said in disdain, “This is way too simple. Even three-year-olds could leave that place within fifteen minutes. Let us first…”

There was no way Soul Bewitching Demonic Monkeys would appear near the Jade Capital. That meant that they were captured by the smiling face elder himself. He had to confine the monkeys and let them feel that they were in danger so that the monkeys would create a temporary habitat to protect themselves. That explained why such a place would exist.

Anyone would be furious if something that they had spent so much effort creating was belittled. With the smiling face elder’s temper, there was no way that he would not be mad about that.

“What did you say?” Expectedly, the smiling face elder exploded with rage upon hearing Ren Jie’s words. He closed in on Ren Jie with a smile on his face and said, “How dare you say that what I have constructed was easy even to three-year-olds? Who are you to have the guts to say that what I have constructed is easy even to three-year-olds?”

“Umm…” Seeing how he had successfully angered the smiling face elder, Ren Jie shrugged his shoulders and said helplessly, “Why don’t we have a bet? If I can leave the forest within fifteen minutes, you will have to do as I say for the rest of the night and facilitate me in repairing this superior-grade spiritual artifact.”

Fifteen minutes?

Although the smiling face elder was wearing a mask with a smile drawn on it, his disdain and rage could be sensed from underneath the mask.

He had originally planned to get three to five Soul Bewitching Demonic Monkeys. However, after he recalled what happened when Ren Jie had learned the All-Kill Array, he felt that there was something weird with the kid. He did not want him to remain that egoistic in front of a noble duke like him. He was furious whenever he thought of how Ren Jie commented on the name of the All-Kill Array and the scenario the night when he mastered it. He thought that as long as he kept a close eye on him and ensured that he remained alive, he could do anything to him. Therefore, the smiling face elder decided to transform the environment using fifty Soul Bewitching Demonic Monkeys.

The soul bewitching array formation could trap an ordinary middle-rank array formation creator. Even if that rascal had knowledge of array formations, he would still not be able to escape the forest. The new soul bewitching array formation would leave middle-rank array formation creators in despair and could trap anyone below level three of the True Qi Realm. That rascal thought that he could get out within fifteen minutes. Who did he think he was?

Furthermore, even if he successfully escaped, how could he repair a superior-grade spiritual artifact? What a joke. Even though Ren Jie’s performance the other day surprised and shocked him, the smiling face elder thought that he had Ren Jie completely within his control and had seen through Ren Jie thoroughly. He did not believe that Ren Jie could achieve that.

“I can tell from your expression that you will not tolerate me provoking you. If you do not say anything, I will take it that you have agreed to the bet. I am entering now.” As Ren Jie spoke, he pointed at the forest behind him. He was urging the smiling face elder to make his stand clear as he was about to the forest.

“Do not try to provoke me using your words. Scram in…” The smiling face elder lifted his leg and was about to kick Ren Jie. However, before the elder finished his sentence, Ren Jie had already rushed in.

The video in Ren Jie’s mind required spiritual energy in nearly three million jade coins worth of spiritual jades. In the process, Ren Jie’s body had been continuously practicing the Jade Emperor Chant, resulting in some of the spiritual energy to be absorbed by his body. The effect was similar to that of five days of normal cultivation. If not for that, Ren Jie would not have dared to attempt to enter the soul bewitching forest. If three million jade coins worth of spiritual jades could only speed up the cultivation process of those in the Body Refinement Realm by only five days, this method to speed up cultivation could even land the imperial family into bankruptcy. Thankfully, Ren Jie did not rely on that to speed up his cultivation. He was merely using the spiritual energy for other purposes. The effects on his body were merely additional benefits that accompanied by using the spiritual jades.

Therefore, that cultivation method merely existed in the legends. Although Ren Jie was currently only at the fourth level of the Body Refinement Realm, practicing the Jade Emperor Chant brought changes to his body. The strength of the Qi in Ren Jie’s body and the toughness of his body was equivalent to that of those in the ninth level of the Body Refinement Realm. Although most of the Qi in his body had condensed into vigor rings and were used to create array formations to strengthen his body, Ren Jie was full of confidence as he rushed into the forest.

If that happened a few days ago, or during the first meeting with the smiling face elder, Ren Jie would not have such confidence. During that time, Ren Jie’s ability to see through array formations was only at the level of middle-rank array formation creators. However, he was now very confident in seeing through array formations created by high-rank array formation creators. He could see through the soul bewitching array formation created by the fifty Soul Bewitching Demonic Monkeys with just a glance.

In his mind, he could clearly tell where the Soul Bewitching Demonic Monkeys were hiding.

“Whoosh!” Without any cries or sounds, the branches trembled and a black shadow secretly clawed towards the back of Ren Jie’s head the moment he entered the forest.

“Bang!” Ren Jie turned suddenly and threw his fist out. A Soul Bewitching Demonic Monkey was immediately sent flying through the air, similar to that of how a ball that was approaching at high speed was knocked into the air. The Soul Bewitching Demonic Monkeys loved to trap their prey and dig their brains out to eat. Although they may appear small and adorable, you would not adore them knowing that all they wanted was to dig your brain out to eat.

Ren Jie was quick and accurate with his punch, killing the Soul Bewitching Demonic Monkey immediately.

“Cheep… Cheep…” Suddenly, continuous “cheeps” sounded. All the other Soul Bewitching Demonic Monkeys were on the alert knowing that the monkey that was sent to test Ren Jie out had been killed. The array formations in his surroundings changed rapidly. Ren Jie felt a unique divine sense affecting and blocking his divine sense.

Even if those at the fifth level of the True Qi Realm entered, their divine sense would still be obstructed and lose its direction. However, as Ren Jie’s cultivation realm had improved, the array formations did not affect him at all. He had successfully sprung inside in no time.

The smiling face elder had a smug expression in his eyes when he saw the changes to the Soul Bewitching Demonic Monkeys after the monkey that was sent to test Ren Jie out had been killed. He was anticipating the kid being bullied. The Soul Bewitching Demonic Monkeys were the smartest among other low-rank demonic beasts. The larger the pack, the smarter they would become. The Soul Bewitching Demonic Monkeys now were truly…

How was that possible?

The smile in the smiling face elder’s eyes disappeared just seconds after it had formed. He widened his eyes and looked forward. Given his cultivation realm, those array formations were nonexistent to him. He could see everything that was happening in the forest easily.

Therefore, he was very shocked. Ren Jie was actually sneak-attacking the Soul Bewitching Demonic Monkeys. How could he be more familiar with the array formations than the Soul Bewitching Demonic Monkeys themselves?

What did he do? The soul bewitching array formations created by the Soul Bewitching Demonic Monkeys had been altered. How was that possible? Was he an array formation creator?

That was impossible! Even high-rank array formation creators would not be able to alter the array formation that easily. They would not be able to cause chaos amongst the Soul Bewitching Demonic Monkeys by altering the array formations.

The smiling face elder grabbed his hair forcefully. He felt that he had made a wrong move. If he had known that Ren Jie could alter array formations that easily, he would have gotten hundreds of Soul Bewitching Demonic Monkeys instead. However, how could that kid be so knowledgeable about array formations?

“Bang…” As the last Soul Bewitching Demonic Monkey was slaughtered, Ren Jie walked out of the forest full of smiles. He had spent less than five minutes in total.

A three-year-old. A three-year-old. Ren Jie’s words kept resonating in the smiling face elder’s mind. He wanted to bash Ren Jie up personally when he saw his smile.

“Game time is over. It is now time to witness a miracle…” Ren Jie was very smug when he saw how shocked and exasperated the smiling face elder was. He wanted to laugh internally. However, what he was anticipating more was the repair of the Black Nether Sword. He was about to accept disciples. His disciple had offered him a teacher acknowledgment gift and had prepared spiritual jades for him. How could he, being the teacher, not give anything in return? Moreover, the more extravagant the ceremony tomorrow was, the more satisfying it would be. Hence, Ren Jie decided to repair the Black Nether Sword immediately after he had found the method to do so. He wanted to gift it to his disciple Chang Laosi.

Therefore, Ren Jie took out the jade container that the Black Nether Sword was sealed in the moment he exited the forest.