Wang Muran picked up the body of the old fisherman and placed it on the back of the stag. He urged the stag to catch up with Qin Mu and State Preceptor of Yankang and the others, calling out in a clear voice: "Preceptor, I will avenge my master!"
State Preceptor of Yankang turned back, his expression serious. "Your master's skills are not bad. After you learn them, before you come to seek revenge against me, first pass these techniques on to your own disciples. Don't let his arts die with him."
Wang Muran gave a shout, and the stag's hooves conjured clouds beneath them as it ran into the sky, gradually disappearing from view.
"Someone sent that good-natured old man from Xiaoyujing to test the waters. Truly a death not worth mourning."
State Preceptor of Yankang withdrew his gaze and said to Qin Mu and the others: "Xiaoyujing is a mysterious place, content to remain apart from the world, with an extremely ancient origin. I have only heard rumors about Xiaoyujing and this is the first time I've encountered one of their experts. They do have some skill, but they've fallen behind the times. They rarely venture out, don't witness how other sects' techniques have developed, and by working in isolation, they easily become outdated. Remember this: seclusion does not produce true masters."
Qin Mu and the others nodded in agreement, though they felt a chill in their hearts.
This old fisherman had actually been sent by someone to test the waters?
Could it be they wanted to use this old man's life to gauge just how deep the waters of State Preceptor of Yankang truly were?
"This struggle has already begun," Qin Mu thought, his eyes flickering.
Licheng.
The armies of Yankang had already reached this place, but by the time they arrived, the battle had already ended.
The battle didn't seem to have been particularly fierce. Qin Mu looked around and saw that the city walls were still largely intact. The Yankang army had simply pushed forward, encountered the rebel forces outside the city, and immediately annihilated them.
"The Imperial Academy has a dedicated Formation Hall and Military Strategy Tower, both of which teach formation arrays and military strategy. For the sects of the martial world to face the Yankang army head-on, the outcome is obvious," he thought to himself.
Licheng had not been destroyed by war, and the people here were still relatively safe and sound. Qin Mu went to the pharmacies to purchase medicine, selecting several types from each herb garden in the city.
After visiting over a dozen herb gardens, half the day had passed. By nightfall, Qin Mu and the others took up residence in the Licheng county yamen. The county magistrate had been captured and was being escorted to the capital.
Before long, the scent of medicinal herbs wafted from the yamen. About half an hour later, a maidservant came out carrying a basin and dumped a pile of medicinal residue onto the stone-paved road.
Another half hour passed, and the maidservant came out again with another basin of medicinal residue, also dumping it on the road for people to trample over.
This happened repeatedly—seven basins of medicinal residue were dumped throughout the night.
After dawn, Qin Mu and the others rested for another half day before continuing southward.
In a Licheng pharmacy, a middle-aged scholar dressed in blue robes with a white inner garment stood behind the counter, flipping through over a dozen prescription slips. These prescriptions recorded exactly the medicines Qin Mu had purchased from over a dozen pharmacies.
"No, no, some of these ingredients are completely useless, and some aren't even for treating injuries. This boy is quite cunning..."
The middle-aged scholar looked up and smiled. "As expected of the Little Divine Doctor renowned throughout the capital. You don't want me to see how serious the Preceptor's injuries truly are from your medicine. Quite sly. But you underestimate Daoquan Zhenren."
"Zhenren, the medicinal residue has arrived!"
Several young herbalists walked in from outside, each carrying a basin filled with medicinal residue.
Daoquan Zhenren examined them one by one, sneering coldly. After a moment, he calculated: "This Little Divine Doctor is indeed clever, deliberately mixing in other residues to prevent me from seeing how far his treatment of the Preceptor has progressed. But trying such petty tricks in front of me, you're still too green. Disciples, prepare the ingredients!"
He called out the names of various medicines, and the young herbalists immediately brought forth each spiritual herb. Daoquan Zhenren pondered for a moment, sorted the ingredients by category, swapped them several times, and after confirming there were no errors, ordered his disciples to open the furnace and begin refining.
Several hours later, Daoquan Zhenren examined the medicines he had refined. The first was a medicinal broth, extremely potent in nature. The second was a medicinal paste for external application to draw out toxins. The third was a spiritual pill the size of a fingertip, silver-white and covered in tiny protrusions—if you touched it even slightly, the golden energy emanating from it would prick your finger.
The fourth medicine was a milky-white vapor collected in the condensation furnace. The fifth was a small cup of dark red liquid that evaporated very quickly. The sixth and seventh medicines were also spiritual pills, but each had entirely different properties.
After examining all seven medicines, Daoquan Zhenren's expression shifted slightly, and he praised: "This Little Divine Doctor is remarkable, truly remarkable. With this treatment method, in as little as twenty days, or at most half a year, the State Preceptor of Yankang will recover from whatever injuries he has!"
He took the seven medicines, stamped his foot, and leaped into the air, transforming into a streak of light that shot southward.
This streak of light flew over the Southern Borderlands for half a day, covering two or three thousand li, before descending at Dali City in the Southern Borderlands.
Dali City was the largest city in the Southern Borderlands. In the past, it had been its own kingdom that revered Buddhism. Within its borders, there had been three thousand six hundred temples of all sizes, earning it the reputation as the "Little Western Heaven of the South." It had later been annexed by Yankang.
Daoquan Zhenren landed before the most magnificent temple in the city—Luoguang Temple—and strode inside. Over a dozen Cult Master-level figures within the temple rose to their feet.
"Daoquan Zhenren has arrived!"
A figure wearing a bronze mask stepped forward to greet him, smiling. "Daoquan Zhenren's visit must bring good news!"
"Indeed."
Daoquan Zhenren produced the seven medicines and laid them out in a row. "This time, the State Preceptor of Yankang faced Zhen Sanren of Xiaoyujing. Although he killed Zhen Sanren, he must have sustained injuries. Moreover, the Little Divine Doctor accompanied him on this journey. Therefore, I believe that whatever medicines the Little Divine Doctor used to treat him would reveal the condition of the Preceptor's injuries. These seven medicines are what the Little Divine Doctor refined for him last night. Please take a look."
Grand Marshal Ma Lianshan asked in surprise: "Daoquan Zhenren has always been proud and defiant, believing himself the greatest in medicine, with even the Little Poison King unable to compare. Why do you today call a mere youth a 'Divine Doctor'?"
Daoquan Zhenren replied solemnly: "I used to hold myself in high regard because no one else could match my understanding of medicine—they were merely quacks who knew a few pill formulas. Even the Little Poison King only inherited the skills of Jade-Faced Poison King, with little achievement of his own, nothing impressive. Moreover, I despised his character—betraying even his own master, which I found contemptible. But this Little Divine Doctor truly deserves the title of 'Divine Doctor.'"
He pointed to the first medicine. "This is a medicinal broth the Little Divine Doctor refined from dozens of ingredients, half of which are highly toxic substances. This broth can stimulate the vitality of the soul and treat injuries to the spiritual essence. Was the State Preceptor of Yankang's soul injured?"
An elderly man gasped: "He was indeed injured. I used the Pure Yang Thirty-Six Heavenly Stellar Sha to wound his soul, but he also injured me."
Daoquan Zhenren continued: "This first medicinal broth is specifically for treating his soul injuries—it's perfectly suited. The second medicine is a paste. Does the State Preceptor of Yankang have external wounds with fire toxin?"
Another elderly woman grinned: "The Zhenren sees correctly. My cultivation technique conceals fire toxin. When I ambushed the State Preceptor of Yankang, my strike landed squarely on his back heart."
"The Little Divine Doctor's paste can draw out the fire toxin."
Daoquan Zhenren pointed to the third medicine. "This spiritual pill contains golden energy, extremely sharp. It seems the State Preceptor of Yankang was afflicted with either gu toxin or wood toxin. Who injured him using wood toxin or gu toxin during the ambush?"
Another elder chuckled: "When the three of us ambushed the State Preceptor of Yankang, I used gu toxin."
"That explains it."
Daoquan Zhenren continued: "The fourth medicine uses the steaming method. The State Preceptor of Yankang has injuries in his seven great spirit repositories, where medicinal properties cannot easily penetrate. So this Little Divine Doctor turned the medicinal essence into vapor and steamed him over a brazier."
The Cult Masters in Luoguang Temple all laughed. "Why didn't they steam him thoroughly?"
"Furthermore, there were still some hidden ailments, so the Little Divine Doctor also used acupuncture. The needles were hollow, containing this fifth medicine inside. This medicine evaporates rapidly, and once inside his body, it permeates through his skin and flesh."
Daoquan Zhenren pointed to the sixth medicine. "This medicine serves to consolidate, stabilizing the effects of this treatment. And the seventh medicine is a restorative tonic to nourish the State Preceptor of Yankang's body. After this test, we can be absolutely certain that the State Preceptor of Yankang's injuries have not yet healed."
He sighed admiringly. "However, given this Little Divine Doctor one month, the State Preceptor of Yankang will be restored to peak condition, his injuries fully healed, and not a trace of hidden ailments will remain!"
Palace Master of Liqing furrowed her brow slightly and said softly: "Everyone, the State Preceptor of Yankang's injuries seem more serious than we anticipated."
The bronze-masked figure smiled. "This is because he encountered Zhen Sanren of Xiaoyujing. I was familiar with Zhen Sanren in my early years, and we had frequent dealings, but after he went to Xiaoyujing, our contact dwindled. Zhen Sanren was also at the peak of the Divine Bridge realm, not far from the State Preceptor of Yankang."
Daoquan Zhenren said: "Zhen Sanren of Xiaoyujing is dead. The State Preceptor of Yankang killed him. When I was at Licheng, I sensed the fluctuations of a clash between powerhouses coming from the mountains."
Palace Master of Liqing's gaze fell on the bronze-masked figure, as if trying to see whose face lay beneath the mask. "You used your old friendship to lure Zhen Sanren out of the mountains to his death. Your scheming runs deep. And ever since I met you, you've always worn that mask, never daring to show your true face. Betraying friends and hiding in the shadows—it worries me greatly. If you were to betray me, I fear I wouldn't even know who betrayed me."
"Palace Master Qiu, you can rest assured—he is absolutely trustworthy."
Palace Master of Liqing, Qiu Dieyi, looked toward the speaker and saw it was Che Zhengli, the Grand Master of Three Wonders Fort and father of Consort Che in the capital.
After he rebelled, Consort Che had been implicated by him, and now her fate in the Cold Palace was unknown.
Palace Master of Liqing said calmly: "You say there's no problem, so there really isn't? Fort Master Che, don't forget you're also imperial family."
Che Zhengli's expression shifted slightly. Just as he was about to speak, an elderly woman smiled: "Palace Master, his identity is not in question."
This elderly woman was one of the three old-era powerhouses who had ambushed the State Preceptor of Yankang. Since she said there was no problem, Palace Master of Liqing had to suppress her doubts.
"Since the State Preceptor of Yankang truly has unhealed injuries, should we give him time to recover?"
The bronze-masked figure surveyed the assembly. "He sent He Xiaopeng to deliver his ultimatum, giving us two paths. Now it's time to decide—which path shall we take?"