Chapter 274: Half-Step Grandmaster

"Physician Chengfeng, what... is going on?"

After finally coming to his senses and seeing an old acquaintance, Physician Baichan hurriedly asked.

"Physician Bai, earlier I failed to recognize your true worth. I didn't know that in just a few years, your medical skills had reached such a level. I was rude, please forgive me!"

The one called Physician Chengfeng blushed and quickly cupped his hands.

"..."

Physician Baichan's head was full of question marks.

Had these guys all taken the wrong medicine or something?

I was just unconscious for a while; how did their attitudes change so much?

After puzzling for a moment, the bewildered Physician Bai finally understood: the guy who had snatched his badge seemed to have impersonated him and cured the Great Alchemy King's illness!

He knocked me out, didn't steal money or valuables, and even bought me tens of thousands of gold coins' worth of herbs... just to help someone else treat an illness?

How could this be so unreliable?

Could there really be such a good thing in the world...

If so, should I consider waiting in a deserted alley again?

Maybe I should pray to the heavens, take pity on me, and send me one or two more robbers...

...

Zhang Xuan was unaware of Physician Baichan's sincere wish outside. For the past three days, he had been staying in the Great Alchemy King's mansion, either flipping through books in the library to learn quickly or instructing Mo Yu.

This was what he had promised her before; now that he had found the Great Alchemy King, it was time to fulfill his promise.

After a few days of study, Mo Yu was utterly impressed by the young man who was even younger than her.

Her alchemy teacher was a renowned figure in the Tianwu Kingdom, but when it came to guiding her in alchemy, he was far less incisive and to the point than this young man.

After three days of learning and correction, her alchemy skills had advanced by leaps and bounds; she could now refine second-grade pills on her own.

Refining second-grade pills qualified her to take the exam for a two-star alchemist. Having only studied for three days and reached this level, even she felt it was like a dream.

Under normal circumstances, advancing from one-star to two-star required at least five or six years of hard work; it was impossible otherwise.

"Physician Bai, we've brought all the books you requested!"

On the morning of the fourth day, as they were still teaching and learning, the Great Alchemy King walked in.

"Let's go take a look!"

Zhang Xuan stood up.

He had been waiting for three days for this, and sure enough, it did not disappoint him.

"This way, please!"

The Great Pill King led the way and soon arrived at a spacious room filled with all kinds of books. Looking at the outermost row, they were indeed cultivation manuals for Half-Step Grandmaster and Grandmaster realms.

"I'll take a look. You two may leave for now."

Knowing that his method of reading books was too astonishing, Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

"Yes!"

The Great Pill King and Steward Lu walked out. As soon as they stepped outside, they heard a rapid sound, as if someone was running inside the room.

Hadn't he specifically sought out these books to read?

Running?

They exchanged glances, both wearing puzzled expressions.

"Physician Bai is a master. It's normal for his actions to be unconventional. Let's... not bother about it for now."

Suppressing the urge to go in and take a look, the Great Pill King shook his head.

Other physicians need to inquire and observe when diagnosing... but this fellow, he has to knock people unconscious before he can make a diagnosis!

For treating illnesses and saving lives, the usual payment is medicinal herbs and gold coins, but what he demands is actually cultivation techniques regardless of their level...

It's common knowledge that one cannot digest too much at once; cultivators usually only need to practice one technique. Why does he need so many?

For three days, this question had been lingering in their minds. The two had come up with dozens of reasons, but none seemed plausible.

They had thought that by finding the books, they could learn something from his actions, but instead they heard the sound of running...

When you find secret manuals, you either read them or study them; at the very least, you should flip through them!

But instead, he's running...

They had long known that the actions of a master would be extraordinary, but... this was just too damn extraordinary!

"Master, what should we do now?"

After standing for a long time, hearing nothing but the sound of running, Steward Lu couldn't help but ask, "Should we... join him for a run?"

"No need, let's wait outside. When he's done running... he'll definitely come out!"

Shaking his head, the Great Pill King was about to continue speaking when he heard the study door creak open, and Physician Bai walked out.

"This... Physician Bai, are these books not right?"

Seeing the other's expression, the Great Pill King was taken aback, somewhat confused.

He had specifically asked for these secret manuals, expecting to spend a day or two reading them inside. How come after just a bit of running... he was out?

In such a short time, he probably hadn't even seen how many books there were, right?

"I've finished reading them all!"

Zhang Xuan nodded.

"If it's not right, I'll think of another way... Huh? What did you say? F-f-finished reading?"

His body swayed, and the Great Pill King and Steward Lu nearly vomited blood and fainted.

We went through untold hardships to gather over a thousand books, and in just a few minutes inside... he's finished reading?

All we heard was running; when did he read?

"Yes, your books have been a great help to me. Thank you!"

Ignoring the other's shock, Zhang Xuan nodded.

There were about a thousand books in total. He had just touched them all while running. To be honest, coming out after a few minutes was delayed because he had to break through to Half-Step Grandmaster; otherwise, he might have 'read' them all before the other even left the door.

The books collected by the Great Pill King were quite comprehensive on Half-Step Grandmaster, forming a complete Heavenly Dao technique, which he cultivated on the spot.

Half-Step Grandmaster was just a transition to Grandmaster. With the correct technique, progress was extremely fast. In just a few minutes, he smoothly broke through and consolidated his cultivation.

As for Grandmaster techniques, only seven or eight hundred books had been collected, still short of forming a complete technique, so he didn't continue cultivating.

With his cultivation reaching Half-Step Grandmaster, his strength surged again, already exceeding a thousand cauldrons, reaching as much as 1,500 cauldrons.

This level of strength could already rival the early stage of Grandmaster.

Early Grandmaster: 1,000 cauldrons; Mid Grandmaster: 2,000 cauldrons; Late Grandmaster: 3,000 cauldrons; Peak Grandmaster: 4,000 cauldrons!

Reaching 1,500 cauldrons at Half-Step Grandmaster was considered mid-tier even among early Grandmasters.

The most crucial part was... others took three to five years, or even over a decade, to break through to Half-Step Grandmaster, but he... just a few minutes!

Fortunately, the Heavenly Dao True Qi was extremely pure, and no one could see his cultivation level. Otherwise, if the Great Pill King found out that his cultivation had increased by a level in just that short time, he would surely burst into tears on the spot.

After all, when he had broken through to Half-Step Grandmaster, he had consumed who knows how many medicinal herbs, enough to buy a city in terms of money.

With so many resources, he barely broke through, but 'Doctor Bai' walked in, ran around for a while, and came out successful...

Even the world's greatest genius would be utterly crushed on the spot.

"It's nothing. It's what I should do!"

Struggling to suppress the urge to go crazy, the Great Pill King couldn't help asking, "Doctor Bai, then... what do we do next? Are we still going to the Poison Hall?"

"Of course we're going!"

Zhang Xuan smiled. "Not only are we going, we're going openly!"

"Openly?"

"That's right!" Zhang Xuan nodded. "Didn't you say earlier that the old Hall Master's death had been reported to headquarters?"

"Yes! But I don't know if headquarters will send a special envoy. If they do, they should be able to quell the rebellion quickly, and we can go safely!" said the Great Pill King. "If they don't... there might be some trouble."

"I've already thought of a way! Instead of waiting here for a special envoy who may or may not come, it's better to... create a special envoy!"

Zhang Xuan said.

"Create a special envoy?" The Great Pill King didn't understand.

"It's simple. Take me to the Poison Hall and say I'm the special envoy! Since no one has ever seen one, they probably won't find out."

Over these three days, he had thought it through. Rather than waiting idly, it was better to take the initiative.

Since the Poison Hall was in internal strife and it was unsafe to enter now, he would create an identity that no one would dare to touch even in conflict.

These people didn't know who the special envoy was or if one would come, right?

Then just pretend to be the special envoy!

After all, his goal was to read the books, and he could leave once he was done. Even if he was found out later, he would have already fled, so it didn't matter.

He had even impersonated a master teacher before. A mere special envoy of the Poison Hall shouldn't be too much of a problem, as long as nothing unexpected happened.

"Impersonate... the special envoy?"

The Great Pill King's face turned deathly pale, and he trembled uncontrollably.

Brother, I'm old and my heart isn't good... Are you sure you're not joking?

Impersonation is no joke. If something goes wrong, we could be beaten to death on the spot!

"Yes! Get ready, and we'll set off. You promised to take me to the Poison Hall; you're not thinking of backing out, are you?"

Zhang Xuan looked at him, frowning. "If you're scared, just take me to the Poison Hall; you don't have to go in!"

"I..."

This isn't about being scared or not, nor about going to the Poison Hall or not...

It's that impersonating a special envoy, if discovered, would mean death ten thousand times over!

He had thought that curing his illness and asking for some books was a modest request, never dreaming that the hardest part was here...

If I had known you had this in mind, I would rather have died than agreed!

Is it too late to back out now?

The Great Pill King's face twitched, and this time he really cried.