Win Over! Killing Intent!

Chen Rui saw Master Kamp walking toward the balcony with two glasses of wine and intentionally smiled at Alice, saying, "Your Highness, this is naturally Master Aldas's secret. How could an apprentice like me possibly know?"

Alice also saw Master Kamp and, knowing that neither the time nor the place was suitable for such a discussion, immediately coerced him into signing an unequal treaty regarding storytelling before taking Athena's arm and walking away.

Master Kamp walked up to Chen Rui and handed him a glass of wine.

"Thank you, Master. I am unworthy of such an honor." Chen Rui immediately realized the man must have an ulterior motive. He accepted the glass with a look of flattered surprise, and only after seeing Kamp take a sip himself did he drink it.

Kamp was satisfied with Chen Rui's attitude and praised, "Chen Rui, your courage today was quite impressive. If it had been my apprentice, they certainly wouldn't have had the guts to drink Sandru's poison."

Chen Rui offered a few humble remarks, waiting for Kamp's follow-up. As expected, the master began to "casually" inquire about information regarding Aldas, such as his daily habits, hobbies, and the like, slowly steering the conversation toward the day's challenge.

"That 'Ten-Mile Fragrance' was truly remarkable. I clearly saw it was made from some common medicinal herbs, so why was it able to exert such powerful toxicity? We are both experts; let's not use that... fart as an excuse. That was purely Aldas's retaliatory strike to humiliate Sandru."

Chen Rui took another sip of wine. Kamp was indeed fishing for information. To say it was a Lala Potato would be impossible; even the little princess wouldn't fall for that.

"Master Kamp truly has eyes like a god. Because Sandru's words and actions angered Master Aldas, he used that method to strike back. In fact, what poisoned Sandru was that bottle of potion; besides the materials for the foul-smelling liquid, it contained some additives Master Aldas had prepared in advance."

Kamp's eyes lit up instantly. "Additives! Do you remember the ingredients?"

Chen Rui looked at Kamp with vigilance. "Master Aldas said these things must never be told to anyone. I am still only a probationary apprentice; the Master doesn't even allow me to call him 'Teacher' yet, and I don't want to be kicked out of the laboratory."

"How could that be?" Kamp's eyes rolled. "Your aptitude is extremely excellent; all my apprentices combined don't compare to you. Master Aldas couldn't possibly give up such an outstanding disciple. It's a pity you aren't my apprentice..."

Chen Rui revealed a look of surprise. "Is my aptitude really that good? Why does the Master always say I'm stupid?"

Not stupid, but incredibly stupid! Kamp thought he had succeeded and pulled him aside, whispering, "If you are willing, you can return to the Imperial Capital with me. Within ten years, you could become the most outstanding potion master."

If he had just been trying to toy with Kamp earlier, this proposal actually piqued Chen Rui's interest. What he valued wasn't becoming a potion master, but considering another matter.

Judging from this challenge incident with Sandru, Prince Heiyao had begun to openly suppress Princess Shea. The situation in Darkmoon City was very dire, and no one knew when war might break out. If he could go to the Imperial Capital, the danger would likely be reduced significantly.

However, that poison formula was pure fabrication, as was the identity of being a grandmaster's successor; it certainly wouldn't stand the test of time. Moreover, he had now signed a Symbiotic Contract with the Poison Dragon; unless he could help the dragon break the seal, going anywhere would be useless.

After thinking it through, Chen Rui replied casually, "The Master uses additives he concocted himself. It seems to contain Melamine and Sudan Red; I only know a few of the materials. However, I cannot leave Master Aldas, even though I haven't saved up enough tuition yet and haven't been granted permission to call him 'Teacher'."

The names of those two strange additives perked Kamp up. His heart stirred, and he smiled. "I can sponsor your tuition, but in return, you must help me obtain the complete formula for these additives."

"Really?" Chen Rui's surprise was evident.

The Servant Demon master continued to tempt the apprentice. "I am a potion master; I only want to study Melamine and Sudan Red from an academic perspective. The fees for a potion apprentice are quite high. For you, this is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity that will never appear again."

Are you planning to make food after studying them? Chen Rui hesitated on the surface, then finally nodded.

Kamp looked around to ensure no one was watching, took out a small leather pouch, handed it to Chen Rui, and whispered, "There are fifty Purple Crystal Coins in here. Take them first. There is also a Magic Communication Stone inside that can be used ten times. I may have to return to the Imperial Capital immediately. Once you get the complete formula, contact me at any time, and I will provide a reward that satisfies you."

Magic Crystal Coins are divided into Black Crystal, Purple Crystal, and White Crystal by value, with a 1:100 exchange rate between each. The price to rent a Triangle Rhino for a day is twenty White Crystal coins. He was truly worthy of being from the Imperial Capital—generous. Fifty Purple Crystal Coins... at least for the next while, even if Athena wasn't around, his bus fare and barbecue money for Blue Wave Lake were covered.

Chen Rui felt that the Servant Demon's wrinkled face looked as lovable as a charitable philanthropist. He pretended to be nervous as he took the small leather pouch, tucked it into his chest, and recited several rare, highly toxic materials he had seen in books. Kamp recorded them as if they were treasures and warned him not to tell anyone about this before turning to leave.

Chen Rui naturally didn't take it to heart; he was just thinking about his next move. Carrying Kamp's glass of wine, he drank as he walked back to the hall, searching for Athena and the others.

Seeing Athena and Alice next to Princess Shea, Chen Rui hesitated about whether to walk over, just as he met two icy gazes coming from the beautiful Princess Shea in the distance.

Shea's cold gaze swept over him, and the biting chill made Chen Rui almost shiver. Fortunately, Shea only glanced at him casually before looking away. This royal lady was beautiful to the extreme, but also cold to the extreme. Forget it, better not go over.

After the banquet ended, the guests from the Imperial Capital had no intention of lingering and immediately bid farewell to depart. Chen Rui was just about to return to the laboratory when he was stopped by Kagulon at the entrance of the inner courtyard, who said the Grand Princess wanted to see him alone.

Could it be a reward? Chen Rui's eyes lit up. Shea was privy to the plan, and now that he had performed a miraculous feat, with her style of clear rewards and punishments, benefits were surely guaranteed.

The place where Shea summoned him was not the council hall, but the garden in the inner courtyard. Chen Rui followed Kagulon into the inner courtyard; it was his first time entering the residential area, where security was much tighter than in the outer courtyard. However, the "Royal Garden" was just a simple small pond plus a small patch of flowers and grass, incomparable to the leisure spots for emperors and nobles he had imagined.

Princess Shea stood by the pond, quietly gazing at the water. A light breeze brushed her long white dress; even just looking at that slender, tall back, there was a sense of grace and charm.

Under the deep, dark purple moonlight of the Demon Realm, it was like a beautiful painting, radiating a faint sense of desolation amidst the tranquility.

Kagulon bowed. "Your Highness, Chen Rui has been brought here."

Chen Rui felt conflicted about Kagulon's wording—"has been brought here." I'm a hero now, not a prisoner, okay?

"Kagulon, you may leave."

After Kagulon left, Shea slowly turned around. It was the first time Chen Rui had been alone with this royal lady at close range, and his heart couldn't help but race. He felt that her beauty was piercing, but the icy aura was equally piercing. He hurriedly bowed. "I wonder what the Grand Princess requires."

"Today at the arena... although you were a bit reckless, that wit and ability to adapt surprised me," Shea said, a hint of appreciation in her cold tone. "I want to know, why was Sandru poisoned to death in the end? As far as I know, Aldas has not developed a poison of that level. Did you obtain new knowledge from the grandmaster's inheritance?"

The Monkey King story was a fabrication, and Chen Rui didn't want to get too involved lest he reveal flaws. He explained, "Actually, Sandru was poisoned by the potion he prepared himself. When I drank the last bottle of poison, I used a special method to temporarily keep some in my mouth, and then when I prepared that bottle of foul-smelling liquid, I intentionally spat a mouthful into it. As it turned out, the toxin was indeed terrifying, and Sandru was poisoned into green smoke. This is called 'using their own methods to treat them'."

In fact, Chen Rui was still lying. What truly killed Sandru was the venom he had obtained from the Poison Dragon Pagliu yesterday, which he had kept in an inconspicuous bottle. It was originally just a precaution, but Sandru's viciousness had incited his killing intent, leading him to use his trump card. All the previous posturing was just to cover up the existence of this venom.

Except for Chen Rui, who possessed the Super System, even a dragon with a super-strong constitution could not withstand Pagliu's venom, let alone Sandru.

"Using their own methods to treat them? Well said. You are very clever." Shea nodded.

Chen Rui added, "Actually, this was all thought up by the Master; I just added a few small ideas on the fly. How could I compare to the Grand Princess's wisdom?"

"No need to be humble. I know Aldas's abilities best," Shea sighed softly. "How long have you been in the Demon Realm? After this duel, you have completely won Aldas's gratitude and trust. Athena has always had high standards, yet she already treats you as a true friend, and even my eccentric sister has said many good things about you in front of me... I admit, I have always overlooked your intelligence."

The little loli says good things behind my back? Chen Rui was greatly surprised. She has a conscience after all.

"At the banquet today, was Master Kamp trying to win you over?" Shea asked indifferently, her gaze falling on Chen Rui's surprised face. "With your scheming, you should have already probed the dire situation of the Darkmoon Territory from Athena or others. Isn't Master Kamp's proposal the best opportunity?"

Chen Rui felt as if he had been seen through completely. Shea was not only not carried away by this victory but had accurately analyzed so many things. She was a woman who was terrifyingly calm!

"I value talent. If you were just a talent focused on research like Aldas, that would be fine," Shea shook her head and said regretfully. "Unfortunately, just the intelligence and scheming you have shown now make me feel a sense of being unable to control you."

The calm water of the pond began to churn, and fallen petals and leaves slowly rose and rotated under the influence of some force field. The center of the force field was Shea. In an instant, Chen Rui felt the moonlight in the entire garden dim, and a bone-chilling cold surrounded him from all sides, making it difficult for him to move. Clearly, this Grand Princess's strength was far above Athena's!

Chen Rui was shocked and hurriedly shouted, "Grand Princess, please trust me!"

The coldness in Shea's voice became even more bone-chilling. "You are a human with no foundation or attachments in Darkmoon City. I truly cannot think of a reason for you to remain loyal! I am sorry, but I would rather have a truly loyal apprentice than a future grandmaster who might defect to Heiyao at any time!"

Chen Rui was anxious: Damn it, don't be this unlucky! The Super System hasn't even started yet!