Lin Feng picked up the most common pill of all... the Fasting Pill.

It was a pill known to virtually every cultivator.

With a single pill, one could go for long periods without needing food, allowing cultivators to focus entirely on cultivation, studying ancient manuals, comprehending the Dao, or practicing techniques without interruption.

Because of its countless practical uses, almost every cultivator kept a stockpile of Fasting Pills inside their storage rings.

Whether they were entering a dangerous secret realm, going into secluded cultivation, or embarking on a long journey, these pills were considered a necessity.

Better yet, they were among the cheapest pills on the market, making them accessible even to low-level cultivators.

Lin Feng casually picked up one of the pills and held it between his fingers.

Under the countless gazes of the crowd, he slowly extended his hand toward Old Man Zhao.

"Take it."

The simple words felt heavier than a mountain.

Gulp.

Old Man Zhao swallowed nervously.

His hands trembled slightly as he stared at the tiny pill resting in Lin Feng’s palm.

Just moments ago, he had been completely confident in the vendor’s products.

Now, after hearing Lin Feng’s shocking claims, doubt had begun to creep into his heart.

What if this handsome man was right?

What if taking the pill truly shortened one’s lifespan and at worst kill him on the spot?

The thought alone sent a chill down his spine.

The surrounding crowd was equally tense. Countless eyes were fixed on him, waiting to see what he would do.

Old Man Zhao hesitated. Then he remembered the reward.

One million spirit stones.

And a priceless treasure on top of that.

His breathing grew heavier.

Such wealth was enough to change his family’s destiny forever.

Even if there was some risk and even if he died, how could he possibly walk away from such an opportunity?

After struggling internally for several moments, a look of determination appeared on his face.

"I’ll do it."

He stepped forward.

With slightly shaking fingers, he took the Fasting Pill from Lin Feng’s hand.

The entire marketplace fell silent.

One could hear a pin drop.

Even the vendor unconsciously held his breath.

Old Man Zhao stared at the pill for a few seconds before gritting his teeth.

Then, in one swift motion, he tossed it into his mouth.

Gulp.

The pill slid down his throat. After swallowing it, he stood frozen in place.

Everyone held their breath.

Thousands of eyes stared at him without blinking, waiting to see what would happen next.

Nothing happened for the first few breaths.

Old Man Zhao remained standing where he was, his complexion unchanged and his breathing steady.

Seeing this, doubt began to appear on the faces of the spectators.

"Is the pill actually safe to use?"

"Probably. Look at Old Man Zhao. Nothing’s happening to him."

"I can see that too. Perhaps this handsome young man’s claims were wrong after all."

The crowd began whispering among themselves.

Some who had stepped back earlier slowly relaxed.

Others even looked at the pill merchant with apologetic expressions, feeling that they might have judged him too quickly.

Meanwhile, the pill merchant maintained a calm appearance on the surface, but inwardly he was eager to leave as soon as possible.

Unlike everyone else, he possessed a special treasure capable of measuring the lifespan of both mortals and cultivators.

It was because of this treasure that he had managed to operate his scheme for so many years without being exposed.

Whenever someone came to buy his pills, he would secretly inspect their lifespan first.

He never sold his pills to those who were already close to death.

Anyone with less than ten years left to live would be quietly turned away with some excuse.

In that way, even if his pills stole ten years of a person’s lifespan, the victim would still have enough years remaining to avoid immediate suspicion.

Earlier, he had secretly used the treasure on Old Man Zhao.

The result had shocked him.

Old Man Zhao had less than ten years remaining.

Yet despite that discovery, the pill merchant had not been overly worried.

After all, this was Fragrant Mist City. He had powerful backers and numerous connections.

Even if something went wrong, he believed he could escape unscathed especially with a few tricks at hand he could employ.

As these thoughts ran through his mind, another thirty breaths passed.

Then a full minute.

Suddenly, Old Man Zhao’s expression changed.

His face rapidly turned crimson red.

"Hngh..."

His eyes widened.

Both hands instinctively clutched at his chest.

It felt as though an invisible hand was squeezing his heart.

The old man staggered backward several steps.

"W-What’s happening?"

His breathing became ragged and uneven.

The crowd’s discussions immediately stopped.

Everyone stared at him in shock.

Old Man Zhao opened his mouth, desperately trying to inhale air, but it was as if his lungs had stopped functioning.

Fear filled his eyes.

An overwhelming fear.

"No... no..."

He reached out helplessly as if trying to grab onto something.

Then his body suddenly stiffened.

Thud!

Old Man Zhao collapsed heavily onto the stone pavement.

His eyes remained wide open.

His body lay motionless.

Dead.

A deathly silence descended upon the marketplace.

The bustling crowd that had filled the streets moments ago became completely quiet.

One could hear a needle drop.

Everyone stared at the corpse on the ground before slowly turning toward Lin Feng and the pill merchant.

One expression appeared on every face.

Horror.

Because Lin Feng’s prediction had come true.

"So it’s really true! Those pills are poisonous!"

"Old Man Zhao is dead!"

"That old man was perfectly fine just moments ago!"

"You greedy bastard!"

"How many people have you killed already?!"

The crowd erupted into chaos.

Fear, anger, and hatred spread through the marketplace like wildfire.

Many of the cultivators who had purchased pills from the merchant suddenly felt a chill run down their spines.

Others glared at the merchant with bloodshot eyes.

"All for money, you’re willing to kill innocent people?"

"You scum!"

"You deserve death!"

Several hot-blooded cultivators could no longer contain their fury.

The sounds of swords leaving their sheaths echoed throughout the marketplace.

Shing!

Shing!

Shing!

Sharp killing intent filled the air.

Many of them wanted nothing more than to cut the merchant into pieces and avenge Old Man Zhao.

However, to everyone’s surprise, the pill merchant showed no fear whatsoever.

Instead, he remained standing calmly behind his stall.

There was even a faint smirk on his face.

The sight immediately caused many people to frown.

Had this man gone mad?

Faced with the anger of hundreds of cultivators, how could he still be smiling?

The pill merchant slowly raised both hands.

"Everyone, calm yourselves."

His voice was loud and clear.

"The fault is not mine."

The crowd instantly became quieter.

The merchant pointed at the scattered pills on his stall.

"These are my pills. Everyone here saw that."

Then he slowly turned toward Lin Feng.

"But can anyone prove that the pill Old Man Zhao consumed was actually one of mine?"

The crowd froze.

The merchant’s smirk widened.

"From beginning to end, the pill passed through that young master’s hands."

He pointed directly at Lin Feng.

"What if he secretly switched it?"

"What if he replaced my pill with some deadly poison pill prepared beforehand?"

"What if this entire performance was orchestrated by him?"

The crowd exchanged uncertain glances.

The merchant’s voice became even more confident.

"In my eyes, I am not the culprit."

His finger remained pointed at Lin Feng.

"He is."

A few people in the crowd immediately frowned.

The merchant pressed forward while the iron was hot.

"Think about it carefully. I have been selling pills in this city for years. Has anyone ever died on the spot after consuming one of my pills?"

Some people began whispering among themselves.

The merchant’s smile became increasingly smug.

"You all witnessed it yourselves. The pill left my stall, entered his hands, and only afterward was it given to Old Man Zhao."

He folded his arms confidently.

"How can you prove that it was still my pill?"

The merchant then looked at Lin Feng with eyes filled with ridicule and arrogance.

To him, this handsome young man was far too inexperienced.

The cultivation world was not a place where truth alone mattered.

Evidence mattered.

Power mattered.

Connections mattered.

Without proof, even if everyone suspected him, they could do nothing.

The merchant looked at Lin Feng with a mocking smile, as if saying...

You’re too young to play the real games of cultivators.

Lin Feng was not surprised in the slightest by the merchant’s response.

In fact, he had expected it from the very beginning.

People could be intelligent, but those who dealt in crime, deception, and death were often even more cunning.

After all, no one wanted to be caught and face an early grave.

Those who survived in such a line of work for years without being exposed were rarely simple-minded fools.

The pill merchant had dared to sell pills that secretly stole away the lifespans of cultivators.

Such a person would naturally have prepared countless excuses and escape routes long before today.