He pushed the stopper back in and returned the porcelain bottle to Qian Zhendong.
Qian Zhendong took the bottle and asked, "Brother Xu, do you think there's anything wrong with the quality of this medicine?"
Xu Dian suspected that human blood essence had been mixed into the making of Qi and Blood Powder. The thought was too horrifying to voice directly, so he put it tactfully. "Some of my academy's disciples have bought it in private, too. They all reported that after taking it, their qi and blood surged, and their strength increased much faster and more noticeably than with ordinary Qi and Blood Powder."
"But the quality may be unstable, and taking it long-term could lead to trouble." Xu Dian then changed tack. "We also have to consider that private medicines aren't recognized by the authorities. As an academy master, I have to keep my distance from them."
Private medicine was like illicit salt. If someone occasionally refined a small amount for personal use, or circulated it on a very limited scale, the powers above would most likely turn a blind eye.
But to sell it so brazenly and on such a scale, disrupting legitimate channels and driving out the good with the bad—the person pulling the strings behind this had to be extraordinarily bold!
In Qingyuan City, who had the courage, power, and motive to do such a thing...? Under the dim yellow lamplight, Xu Dian, Qian Zhendong, and He Fulin exchanged brief glances. Each saw the gravity and understanding in the others' eyes.
The answer was practically laid bare before them.
It had to be one of the three great clans that had occupied Qingyuan City for years and sunk down roots—or even all three acting together!
But none of them would say it aloud.
Over the