Chapter 273: What's Going On?

He hadn't expected the guy to be so straightforward and decisive, fainting without any hesitation. Zhang Xuan was speechless.

"Ahem, what I meant was... I can solve it, but I need more money. Now that you've fainted, who am I supposed to bill?"

Helping this guy resolve the Contract Gu was in exchange for taking him to the Poison Hall. Now that the agreement was fulfilled, the other party wanted him to treat his injured body as well. He couldn't just waste his true energy for nothing, could he?

Before he could finish speaking, the guy fainted. Wasn't that a bit disrespectful to him as a physician?

Hearing his muttering, Steward Lu on the side coughed and quickly stepped forward: "Ahem, our master just wanted you to treat him quickly. If Physician Bai has any requests, just tell me directly, and I'll make sure they're met!"

"That's more like it!"

Zhang Xuan nodded: "Well, aren't you in the medicine business? You should have plenty of this 'Soul-Numbing Powder.' Prepare three portions for me... no, make it ten."

If he had been prepared earlier, he wouldn't have had to knock someone out.

Now that he knew about it, he naturally wanted a few more portions. If he wasn't going to fleece this big spender, who else would he fleece?

"Ten portions of Soul-Numbing Powder?"

Steward Lu was taken aback, blinking his eyes.

"Yes, what, can't the esteemed Great Medicine King's residence produce that?" Zhang Xuan frowned, inwardly uneasy—had he asked for too much at once, and they couldn't provide it?

"This... this..." Steward Lu's face was twisted as if constipated: "It's just that this stuff is too cheap..."

Soul-Numbing Powder was the simplest standard for physicians; one portion cost only a few hundred gold coins, and ten portions together were just a few thousand. Such a small amount could save the master's life...

Was the life of the esteemed Great Medicine King really that cheap?

"Cheap?"

Zhang Xuan was stunned. He looked at Mo Yu, who nodded helplessly, and then gave an awkward smile: "Well... how about this: does your residence have any cultivation manuals for Half-Step Master Teacher and Master Teacher realms? No matter the grade, the more the better. If you can gather a thousand or so, that can serve as payment."

His current cultivation had reached the peak of the Tongxuan realm. To break through, he needed to collect more advanced manuals.

The Tianxuan Kingdom's level was too low; the highest was only Tongxuan realm, and the number of Half-Step Master Teacher manuals was too small. This Honglian City, a city of a first-class kingdom and a medicine trading hub, might have enough high-level techniques.

"Half-Step Master Teacher and Master Teacher manuals? A thousand?"

He hadn't expected Physician Bai Chan to ask for such strange things. Steward Lu thought for a moment and said: "Our Great Medicine King controls all the medicinal herbs of the Tianwu Kingdom and the surrounding twelve kingdoms. Many cultivators can't afford to buy them, so they trade with unique manuals."

"Thus, over the years, we've accumulated several hundred Half-Step Master Teacher manuals. But if we really want them, our Great Medicine King's residence can issue an order and gather over a thousand in a short time. As for Master Teacher manuals... if we don't require a specific grade, we can gather several hundred, but a thousand might be difficult."

"Good, I want these!"

Hearing that Half-Step Master Teacher manuals could be gathered in the thousands and Master Teacher manuals in the hundreds, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up, and he quickly nodded.

As expected of a city in the Tianwu Kingdom; the level was indeed much higher.

Once these manuals were gathered, he could easily break through to Half-Step Master Teacher, and even Master Teacher. Then, even if there was danger in the Poison Hall, he would be capable of handling it.

"Alright, go make arrangements. I'll treat your master now!"

With so many manuals as payment, Zhang Xuan was satisfied. He gave the instruction, pressed his finger on the Great Medicine King's meridian, and infused a stream of Heavenly Dao true energy.

The Great Medicine King's loss of vitality was actually due to blocked meridians and stagnant qi. As long as these blockages were cleared, the profound true energy of the Master Teacher realm would naturally nourish his essence, energy, and spirit, restoring him to health.

Boom!

The pure true energy surged along the blocked meridians, shattering the previous obstacles. The aftereffects of the Contract Gu vanished like snow under the scorching sun, leaving no room to hide.

With the internal隐患 removed, the Great Medicine King's withered and loose skin regained its elasticity and vitality, as if he had suddenly become decades younger.

"This..."

Mo Yu, standing to the side, kept blinking her eyes.

She had thought that Zhang Xuan's treatment would be like other physicians, requiring various herbs and accumulated time. She never imagined that just by grabbing the other's wrist, he would recover directly...

Was this really the method of a physician?

She had never heard of such a thing.

Having spent only a few days with this guy, countless things she had known before were overturned, and her worldview was completely颠覆.

"Done!"

After his true energy had flowed through the other's body once, clearing all blockages, Zhang Xuan stood up and exhaled.

It was even simpler than he had calculated.

With the隐患 resolved, the Great Medicine King also slowly woke up. Seeing his restored soft skin and surging power, though inwardly emotional, he was not as shocked as Mo Yu.

This man had even cured the Contract Gu, which countless physicians and poison masters had found helpless. Treating such a minor injury would be strange if he couldn't.

"Thank you, Physician Bai Chan!"

His face reddening, the Great Medicine King knelt down again.

If not for this man, he would probably be dead by now.

Such kindness could no longer be measured by money.

"It's just a transaction! I'm just curious—with your status, why did you sign this Contract Gu and put yourself under someone's control?"

Zhang Xuan waved his hand and looked over with confusion.

Even Mo Yu couldn't understand.

The Great Medicine King in Honglian City was so formidable that even the Tianwu royal family dared not send troops to attack. For such a person to sign a Contract Gu was unthinkable without seeing it firsthand.

"Ah, it's a long story. If you knew who made me sign the contract, you wouldn't think that way!"

Seeing the confusion in their eyes, the Great Medicine King smiled bitterly.

The other had saved his life, and having experienced life and death, he knew there was nothing unspeakable. He didn't intend to hide it.

"The one who signed the contract with me is... the Poison Hall Master!"

"The Poison Hall Master?"

"Yes!" The Great Medicine King nodded, his expression complex: "The Great Medicine King may seem mighty and powerful, untouchable in Honglian City, but in reality, he's just a puppet of the Poison Hall! Not just me, every generation of Great Medicine King has to sign a contract with the Poison Hall Master, becoming their puppet outside."

"Every generation?"

Zhang Xuan and Mo Yu were astonished, but then they understood.

Honglian City was the only gateway to the Poison Hall. Without the Poison Hall's support behind the scenes, how could one generation after another become the Great Medicine King, controlling such a lucrative medicine market? How could they face the kingdom without fear, even daring to kill princes and princesses?

Only with the support of a mysterious and unpredictable force like the Poison Hall could they have such backing.

Otherwise, a decaying ancient city, even if it controlled the flow of medicine, would not dare to oppose a great kingdom like Tianwu!

The Tianwu Kingdom had two-star masters, and even more than one.

With such masters teaching, though not everyone was a dragon, the overall cultivation was certainly far above the Tianxuan Kingdom. When the army marched, it would shake heaven and earth, overturning mountains and seas. Without the Poison Hall's support, how could a tiny Honglian City become such a lawless place?

It would have been flattened long ago.

"The Contract Gu only activates when the caster dies. Could it be..."

Zhang Xuan thought of something and couldn't help looking over.

"Exactly!" The Great Medicine King nodded: "The current Hall Master is dead!"

"Steward Lu already said that the Poison Hall is in internal strife and dangerous, not receiving outsiders. That's not an exaggeration! The current Poison Hall Master died suddenly, and his three disciples are all vying for the position, causing chaos. Even I dare not go there easily; otherwise, I'd die without knowing how."

The Great Medicine King smiled bitterly: "To them, I'm just a puppet. As long as the Poison Hall exists, they can set up a new one later."

Though unwilling to admit it, Zhang Xuan knew this was the truth.

With the Poison Hall's support, appointing someone as the Great Medicine King was as easy as saying a word.

The Great Medicine King, so majestic in the eyes of outsiders, was merely a dispensable puppet. Without hearing it firsthand, it was hard to believe.

The Great Medicine King looked at Zhang Xuan with gravity: "Physician Bai Chan, you saved my life. As a condition of the exchange, taking you to the Poison Hall is my duty. However... now that the three disciples are contending for the position, the entire Poison Hall is fraught with danger. Anyone who goes there is walking to their death. If you can wait, you might as well stay here with me, and I'll keep you informed. Once a new Hall Master is established, we can go then, avoiding many dangers."

The struggle in the Poison Hall was no different from a prince's fight for the throne, filled with intrigue and murder.

An outsider going in might easily become a pawn and die without knowing how.

It could be said that the Poison Hall right now was at its most turbulent and dangerous.

However, once the Hall Master was confirmed, they would need to win people over and suppress the losers, which would stabilize the situation and make it much safer.

"I can't wait."

Knowing that the other party was correct and had no intention of deceiving him, Zhang Xuan still couldn't wait.

Although the poison in his body was suppressed by the Heavenly Dao true energy, no one could guarantee when it might backfire.

He could wait three days, five days, ten days, or even half a month, but waiting a year or two—he definitely couldn't hold out that long.

"Actually... if Physician Bai is truly anxious, it's not impossible."

Seeing that his lifesaver was somewhat impatient and wanted to go to the Poison Hall as soon as possible, Grand Medicine King pondered for a moment and said, "The old hall master's three senior disciples each control a part of the Poison Hall's support, and they are evenly matched. Under normal circumstances, it would indeed be difficult to reach a verdict in less than a year or two. However, it's not necessarily so!"

"Tell me more!" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

Grand Medicine King said, "Like the Alchemist Guild and the Artifact Refiner Guild, the Poison Hall has a headquarters and many branches. The one in the Red Lotus Mountain Range is just a small branch!"

Zhang Xuan nodded.

From reading various books, he also knew that his current location was but a drop in the ocean of this world, insignificant.

Although the Poison Hall of the Red Lotus Mountain Range was renowned, it was only formidable within the jurisdiction of the Tianwu Kingdom.

In higher kingdoms, there would naturally be more powerful branches.

"As far as I know, the old hall master died suddenly without passing the position to anyone. The many elders in the hall have already sent word of this to the headquarters! If the headquarters is willing to intervene and send a special envoy to quell the internal strife and appoint a hall master, it should be much simpler and the time shortened!"

Grand Medicine King said.

"Oh? Is that so?" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

As long as it was a branch, it had to obey the headquarters' arrangements.

If the branch hall master died and the headquarters sent someone, no matter how chaotic, it could definitely be resolved in a short time.

"In such a situation, how long would it take for the Poison Hall headquarters to send someone? And how long to quell the internal strife? Have there been precedents?"

Zhang Xuan couldn't help asking.

"According to the Poison Hall's past history, there have indeed been precedents, but..."

Grand Medicine King hesitated, a bitter smile on his face: "This time frame really can't be determined. The Red Lotus Mountain Range Poison Hall, though impressive in name, is actually just a corner to the headquarters, an unimportant place. If they truly send a special envoy, it could be completely settled in less than half a month. But... if they think it's not worth it and don't send anyone, they'll let it develop, and it won't be resolved in less than a year or two!"

Although sending a special envoy could solve the problem, for the Poison Hall, a dispensable small place wasn't worth the effort, and it was normal not to send one.

There had been such cases before.

If that happened, it would be really frustrating.

So even he couldn't determine the duration of the internal strife.

"If it can't be determined, I can't just keep waiting!"

After hearing the explanation, Zhang Xuan became even more depressed.

He wanted to find enough poison master books to study and resolve the hidden danger of the poison in his body. He couldn't possibly wait for an uncertain message for a year or two!

"The best way is to keep waiting. However, if Physician Bai truly wants to go, I can take you there now. But... I can't guarantee what might happen!"

Grand Medicine King hesitated and said.

"Let me think it over!"

He was only going to the Poison Hall to read books; as long as he didn't get involved in their struggle for the hall master position, it shouldn't be as dangerous as imagined.

Of course, he didn't know much about poison masters, so it was hard to say if that was the case.

He could only take it one step at a time.

"Once you've gathered the books, we'll set off!"

After hesitating for a moment, Zhang Xuan made up his mind.

Having come to Red Lotus City with great difficulty, he couldn't keep waiting forever. Since that was the case, he might as well go, regardless of the internal strife.

But before that, he would improve his strength as much as possible.

Once he reached the peak of Grandmaster, with the Heavenly Dao Library and pure Heavenly Dao true energy, he could even fight a half-step Supreme. Even if the Poison Hall people wanted to kill him, it would be difficult.

"Gather books?"

Grand Medicine King was a bit puzzled.

When he was negotiating terms with Steward Lu earlier, he had already fallen unconscious and didn't know about it.

"It's like this..." Zhang Xuan explained.

"So Physician Bai wants these books. That's simple. I'll personally go and supervise; it should be faster. In at most three days, I can gather all the books on half-step Grandmaster and Grandmaster levels from all over Red Lotus City!"

Hearing that the formidable Physician Bai Chan's requested reward was this, Grand Medicine King was startled, then smiled, his eyes showing strong confidence.

After years of management, Red Lotus City was as solid as an iron bucket. Although these books were precious, as long as he personally took charge, it would be very simple.

"That's good. I'll leave it to you, Grand Medicine King!"

Hearing it would take three days, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief and nodded.

"Please stay here for now, Physician Bai. I'll go and see to it."

Grand Medicine King stood up, called a guard to arrange accommodation for the two, and hurried out.

He dared not neglect his lifesaver's request.

"Let's settle in first!"

Knowing that worrying was useless, Zhang Xuan led Mo Yu and settled down comfortably.

...

"Do you think that guy diagnosed correctly or not?"

Outside the Grand Medicine King's mansion, the physicians who had left earlier were gathered together, frowning.

After coming out of the mansion, they hadn't left but had stayed here.

As prestigious second- and third-star physicians, renowned in the kingdom, to be upstaged by an unknown first-star physician—anyone would be frustrated.

"A first-star physician making a correct diagnosis? What a joke. He's probably talking nonsense!"

"That's not certain. If a single sentence made Grand Medicine King react so strongly, how could it be possible if he wasn't right?"

"If he really was right, what is that 'Contract Gu'? I've never heard of it before!"

The more they discussed, the more confused they became.

If they said the guy was talking nonsense, it was impossible for him to make Grand Medicine King react like that, even to the point of driving them all away.

If it was true, what was Contract Gu? Why had they never heard of it before?

Was there such an illness in the world?

And... how could a first-star physician be more skilled than them? How did he see it?

"This Bai Chan, I've known him for who knows how many years. When did he get this ability!"

Among the crowd, Physician Cheng Feng was so frustrated he wanted to tear his hair out.

He was most familiar with Physician Bai Chan. He had wanted to mock him and make him look foolish, but never dreamed that the guy had actually seen the problem and slapped him in the face.

"Stop dwelling on it. Whether he's right or not, if we wait here, we should know soon!"

"If he truly diagnosed Grand Medicine King's illness, he can walk out boldly. Otherwise, he'll end up as a corpse!"

Mu Hong and the other two most powerful third-star physicians interrupted the discussion.

"Right!"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

That guy didn't know his place. Punching Grand Medicine King unconscious was already a taboo. If he could cure the illness, fine; if not, he would surely be killed.

Knowing this, they stopped worrying. If the guy walked out upright, it meant he really saw the disease. If he was carried out, it meant he was talking nonsense and asking for death.

"No need to think, he'll definitely be carried out..."

Physician Cheng Feng gritted his teeth, but before he could finish, they heard a "creak!" as the mansion's gate swung open.

"Look, someone's coming out..."

Hearing the sound, all the physicians looked over. They only glanced once before their eyes went wide, almost fainting on the spot.

The person walking out was an old man, with Steward Lu following behind, looking respectful.

"This... is the Great Medicine King?"

Seeing the other's appearance, all the physicians swallowed their saliva at the same time.

Having just treated the Great Medicine King for so long, how could they not recognize him!

Although this one was much younger than the previous one, who else could it be, given how respectfully Steward Lu treated him?

Just a moment ago, he was lying motionless on the recliner, as if about to die... In less than twenty minutes, he walked out boldly, full of vigor, decades younger...

Who can tell me what happened?

Even if he truly diagnosed the illness, wouldn't treatment take some time?

Cured in twenty minutes... letting him walk out on his own.

Damn, am I really not seeing things?

"This..."

Physician Cheng Feng staggered, nearly spitting blood.

He had just said the other would definitely be carried out, but instead... the Great Medicine King walked out standing.

Who can tell me what happened?

"You physicians haven't left yet?"

Walking out of the courtyard and seeing that everyone hadn't left, the Great Medicine King smiled.

"Great Medicine King, you..."

Physician Mu Hong could no longer hold back, stepping forward with a puzzled expression.

"Physician Bai Chan cured my illness. His medical skills are truly superb!"

A look of admiration appeared in the Great Medicine King's eyes. He sighed, clasped his hands, and said, "Well, everyone, I have matters to attend to, so I won't delay you. Farewell!"

With that, he strode away.

"He really cured him?"

"In just twenty minutes, he turned someone who looked over ninety into someone under fifty?"

Though they had suspected it, hearing his own confirmation left them dizzy and bewildered.

With so many of them studying the illness for so long without understanding it, he cured it in such a short time... What level of skill was that?

Was he really a one-star physician?

"It seems... we all misjudged. This Physician Bai Chan is probably no longer a one-star physician!"

After a long silence, a three-star physician couldn't help but say.

The badge doesn't represent ability.

"Indeed, how could a one-star physician easily cure the Great Medicine King... Such skill likely reaches four stars!" said a second three-star physician.

Though reluctant to admit it, Physician Mu Hong also nodded.

"A four-star physician... When he comes out, I must pay my respects and make up for my earlier rudeness!"

"Yes, I too must seek his advice..."

Hearing the three three-star physicians' judgment, the others' expressions tightened.

Earlier in the hall, they had not spared their mockery of Physician Bai.

Now knowing he might be an extremely powerful existence at the level of a four-star physician, they all felt panicked.

"Damn it, don't let me see you, or I'll beat you to death..."

Just as everyone was making their resolutions, they heard an angry roar. Turning to look, they saw a man without even an outer coat, standing not far away with a furious face, waving his arms.

"Physician Bai Chan?"

Recognizing the man, all the physicians were stunned, then their eyes lit up as they rushed over.

Poor Physician Bai, waking from his coma, found not only his physician badge stolen but also his coat stripped off. Furious and shouting, he was about to seek the 'culprit' when he saw a group of two-star and three-star physicians charging toward him like they were meeting an idol.

Frightened, his anus tightened, and his whole body went limp...

These guys, usually when they met, were aloof and dismissive. Why, after I fainted, are they acting like they're meeting a senior?

Who can tell me...

What the hell is going on?