Kent didn’t mind the arrogant remark. He just sat down, poured himself a cup of tea from the teapot on his table, and began sipping, looking rather chill considering the fact that some people were fuming all around.
Naturally, he wasn’t like that, but after spending a whole year with the Goddess of Hatred and Resentment, he had taken on that arrogant aura and developed a rather arrogant personality.
Under normal circumstances, he would have at least responded to the man and glanced at him, but Kent didn’t even bother to give him that satisfaction. This made the man’s blood boil.
Suddenly, Kent felt an aura locking onto him. From the pressure, he sensed the person was a Peak Root Master—two realms above him. But just as the weight of the aura began to bear down on him, it vanished.
Kent snorted, turning toward the person who had just tried to intimidate him with their aura.
The shocked look on the man’s face spoke volumes. He hadn’t expected his Root Master aura to have so little effect.
“You should respect yourself, old man,” Kent said calmly, his tone gentle, yet his words cutting. “Not everyone takes kindly to having some filthy aura try to probe them.”
The face of the old man turns green hearing him call his aura filthy. That was a huge disrespect.
“By the way, I am the one and only disciple of the late Master James Hogan,” Kent added.
“Wait, you’re a disciple of that shameful alchemist who lived in the mountains?” Another figure spoke up. It was Master Yuan, a somewhat respected alchemist, but his words didn’t sit well with Kent.
“It would be wise to address my late master with all due respect,” Kent said, his gaze cold as he glanced sideways at Master Yuan. “Just because he had his shortcomings doesn’t mean he was shameful.”
“Tsk…” Master Yuan clicked his tongue.
“I think we all know that good-for-nothing got what was coming to him. I only hope he died screaming.” The alchemist who had tried to intimidate Kent earlier said, his face twisted with disdain.
“The good thing is he is dead, and it seems his legacy is rather arrogant. Clearly, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” another alchemist named Master Dan said wearing a disdainful expression on his face.
Almost all of them had that expression, clearly, they all hated the late James Hogan. Kent, who had his memories, knew hate was just them being generous. The bastard, the late master of his, was an unruly one.
He had scammed every one of them to the point where, instead of staying in the city, he ran off to the mountains and remained there for a couple of years.
Kent wanted to defend him, but doing so would infuriate them to the point where they wouldn’t mind killing him. After all, his master’s legacy was living on in him now.
“I can see you all hated my master, which is normal considering he was better than all of you. That being said, I plan on paying his debt, so after I help the Alderford family, I will come look for you all and pay back what he owed you,” Kent boldly stated.
“Hahahah… Indeed, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. To think a disciple of a no-good-name alchemist thinks he has a chance at helping a whole merchant family… I wonder where this confidence of yours is coming from.”
Kent smirked, his eyes narrowing as he spoke again. “You think I’m just like him, don’t you? Maybe you’re right. Maybe I am just as arrogant. But at least I have the power to back it up.”
“Unlike him, I don’t run away. I’ll face all of you, and I’ll win. You’re all too weak to stop me.”
Kent paused, then continued a few seconds later, “So keep laughing. It won’t matter when I’m standing on top, and you’re all forgotten.”
At this, the faces of all fifteen alchemists gathered contorted with anger, ready to explode. Kent, however, just kept a smug smile as he calmly sipped his tea.
The Tower had already given him their data. From what he knew, the best among them was Master Yuan, who could concoct an 80% pure Tier 1 pill. The rest were somewhere between 45% and 75%.
According to the Tower, none of them had the strength to take him on in a fight—unless, of course, they chose a different type of battle. But even if it came down to concocting a Tier 0 pill, he would still wipe the floor with them.
After all, his purity level was about 90%, something none of them could boast.
“Everyone, welcome to my Alderford Family.” Just when their anger was about to burst open, John Alderford entered the room, immediately drawing everyone’s attention. The spotlight shifted from Kent to him.
“I know you’ve all traveled from far and wide, so I won’t waste your time. The reason I summoned you here is because of my daughter, Lilian.
“Some of you may know of her—she’s one of the rising stars in this kingdom, having already become an Inner Disciple at the Divine Palace Sect and possessing a Platinum grade spirit root. However, five months ago, while visiting, she fell asleep and never woke up.
“We’ve had the best healers examine her, but none could diagnose the problem. We’ve tried everything, but nothing has worked.
“So, I’ve called you all here in the hope that one of you can help. And if you do, rest assured, you will be generously rewarded.”
The alchemists looked at each other as if trying to wonder many things. In the end, Master Yuan decided to speak for them.
“Fear not, Lord Alderford. We are some of the best rogue alchemists out there. We will do our best to see that your beloved daughter is cured.”
“Thank you, Master Yuan.” John Alderford was about to add something, but before he could, Master Yuan continued.
“Lord Alderford, if it’s not too much to ask, could you please tell us exactly how long it’s been since she fell asleep?”
“Five months as of last week,” he replied. The alchemists frowned, their expressions shifting. They’d been considering common illnesses, but after hearing this, they all set that idea aside, deep in thought again.
“Tsk.” Suddenly, Kent chuckled, drawing everyone’s attention. “You guys won’t be able to cure her. The looks on your faces say it all.”
“And you would be able to?” Master Dan asked, clearly angered by Kent’s remark.
“Of course. I’m not an idiot like you bunch, who immediately assumed she had sleep paralysis,” Kent replied, his words making their expressions darken.
“That being said, I won’t steal the spotlight. I’ll let you fools pretend to diagnose her. After all, even if she were to sleep for ten years, nothing would happen. In fact, the poison running through her system won’t kill her for another hundred years—if her lifespan lasts that long,” Kent said calmly.
“What?” John Alderford shouted. “What did you just say?” He moved toward Kent, who, despite John’s imposing presence, sat calmly with his teacup in hand.
“No need for the dramatics, Lord Alderford.”
Kent took a slow sip of his tea, savoring the moment before finally continuing.
“Your daughter has been poisoned with Black Serpent’s Dream—a rare toxin designed to keep its victim in a deep, dreamless sleep. It’s subtle and potent, crafted to go undetected by typical diagnostic methods. Only an alchemist with skill and knowledge beyond the average could have done this.”
The room fell silent.
Kent smiled in his head and said inwardly, ‘Who needed a close-up diagnosis when they have a Tower’