Chapter 278: The Medicine King's Mansion

Unlike Tianxuan Royal City, this city was built entirely from red rock, blending seamlessly with the Red Lotus Mountain Range and exuding an ancient aura. It was also much smaller, roughly the size of the Beast Hall.

"Red Lotus City is even older than Tianwu Royal City, reportedly established more than three thousand years ago," Miss Mo Yu explained. "It's the largest medicinal herb trading center among the twelve kingdoms surrounding Tianwu. However, due to the influence of the Poison Hall, few people are willing to stay long. Over the years, it has declined and is now worse than some third-tier cities." As the princess of Tianwu Kingdom, she was very familiar with Red Lotus City, which was part of her kingdom.

"Entering the city with the Roaring Heaven Beast and the Green Eagle Beast would draw too much attention," Mo Yu continued, "and likely lead to unnecessary trouble. We should walk in." Although Red Lotus City was merely a small border town of the Tianwu Kingdom, it attracted many experts due to its trade in medicinal herbs and poisons. The Green Eagle Beast and Roaring Heaven Beast were enormous, and bringing them in would immediately make them the focus of everyone's attention. While few beings could overpower a half-step Supreme Roaring Heaven Beast in direct combat, it would be extremely dangerous if a hidden poison master were to launch a sneak attack by poisoning them.

"Alright," Zhang Xuan agreed. He instructed the Roaring Heaven Beast to descend and told the two beasts not to fly far, then set off towards Red Lotus City with Mo Yu.

The city's ancient buildings exuded a sense of history; walking its streets felt like stepping back in time. Despite its small size, the city was bustling with people. The long streets were lined with stalls selling medicinal herbs, arranged in rows and piles, many of which were rare drugs not commonly found on the market.

"Rehmannia, Gossamer Cicada, Five-Poison Silkworm..." Zhang Xuan's eyes swept over them, recognizing many, and his brow furrowed. Many of these herbs were highly poisonous. Although some were occasionally used in alchemy, their widespread sale on this scale was something he had never witnessed before.

"There must be poison masters here!" Only poison masters would acquire such substances in large quantities; it was impossible for ordinary alchemists or physicians to stock so much.

"There are poison masters," Mo Yu affirmed, "but they don't concoct poisons openly, so you wouldn't be able to recognize them." Zhang Xuan nodded. Unlike master teachers, poison masters' status isn't directly tied to their combat strength. Sometimes, a seemingly powerless child or a frail old woman could concoct a deadly poison capable of overwhelming even a grandmaster. For this reason, someone strong buying herbs isn't necessarily a poison master, while an unassuming, fragile woman might surprisingly be a ruthless figure who has poisoned countless lives.

"If you truly wish to find a poison master, you could try reselling herbs here and wait for three to five years; you might just stumble upon one," Mo Yu suggested. "Many who carry deep grudges but cannot improve their own strength wait here, hoping for a chance to become a disciple. However, very few ever succeed."

"Three to five years?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. If he had to wait that long, he'd rather be killed instantly. Although he could discern others' professions, it required them to either use martial techniques or be knocked unconscious. Doing that here would undoubtedly lead to far more trouble. He might even be labeled insane and expelled from the city.

"Let's find the Grand Apothecary first!" Zhang Xuan said, having made up his mind.

"Yes, finding the Grand Apothecary is indeed the best method," Mo Yu replied, "but have you considered that everyone knows he must be familiar with the Poison Hall and its poison masters, yet why does he prefer to sell herbs here rather than seek them out himself?" Mo Yu looked at him intently.

"Well..."

"The Grand Apothecary isn't easily met!" Mo Yu shook her head.

"How will we know unless we try?" Zhang Xuan knew it wouldn't be simple, but since they were already here, he felt they should at least try before concluding the Grand Apothecary wouldn't receive them.

"Alright! But let me warn you beforehand, the Grand Apothecary is not to be trifled with," Mo Yu cautioned. "Even though your strength is considerable, you should keep a low profile here, or you might end up dead without knowing why."

"Don't worry, I'm not reckless!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Very well, follow me!" Seeing his agreement, Mo Yu led the way. She seemed familiar with Red Lotus City's layout, knowing its roads well. After walking for about half an hour, a large mansion appeared before them.

With red bricks, green tiles, lush trees, and flowing water, the mansion had a somewhat modern feel, clashing with the ancient city's aesthetic. Several guards stood proudly at the entrance, exuding formidable auras.

"Tongxuan realm?" Zhang Xuan's expression hardened with a single glance. The guards stationed at the entrance were all early-stage Tongxuan realm experts. In Tianxuan Kingdom, individuals of such power would be influential, high-ranking officials whose every stomp could shake the land. Yet, here, they were merely gate guards.

"This is the Grand Apothecary's residence!" Mo Yu whispered telepathically. Zhang Xuan had already guessed as much, even without her words. Just as he was about to speak again, a young nobleman, accompanied by two retainers, strode up to the gate and presented a formal request for an audience.

"I am Yu Qing, Prince of Baili Second-Tier Kingdom, and I am here to request an audience with the Grand Apothecary." The Baili Second-Tier Kingdom was a realm similar to the Beiwu Kingdom, vastly larger than Tianxuan.

"My apologies, but our master has given instructions not to receive any guests," a guard stated expressionlessly, blocking their path.

"How dare you!" one of the retainers behind the prince bellowed, stepping forward. "Our prince, a dignified prince of a second-tier kingdom, wishes to see your master! How dare you obstruct him? Move aside!"

"Our master's word is law in Red Lotus City," the guard retorted. "Let alone a prince from a second-tier kingdom, even if a king personally came, if our master refuses to see them, they won't. Get out now, or don't blame us for being impolite." The guard's eyes narrowed, his hand twitched, and his weapon slid from its sheath.

"You seek death!" Enraged by the guard's words, the retainer immediately charged forward, making a grasping motion with his palm in the air, causing the wind to howl and whip around.

"Middle-stage Tongxuan realm?" This retainer was, surprisingly, a middle-stage Tongxuan realm expert; no wonder he dared to be so arrogant. A middle-stage Tongxuan realm expert already possessed the strength of two hundred ding. Even before his palm reached the guards, the compressed air around it emitted a sharp, whistling sound.

"You intend to force your way into the Grand Apothecary's mansion?" Prince Yu Qing's retainer scoffed, and his palm strike not only didn't weaken but seemed to gain even more power.

"If that's the case, then... die!" Noticing the increasing power of the attack, the guards simultaneously snorted, and their hands subtly flickered.

*Whoosh!* A puff of white mist shot out towards him.

"You..." Before Prince Yu Qing's retainer could react, the white mist struck his face. His body convulsed, he foamed at the mouth, and then he collapsed to the ground, eyes rolling back, instantly dead.

"What?!" Witnessing this, both Yu Qing and his remaining guard paled and stumbled back repeatedly. The fallen retainer had been stronger than both of them, yet he had died instantly, without even a chance to utter a word. The poison was simply too vicious.

"Scram!" After killing the retainer, the guard dismissively waved his hand. This time, Prince Yu Qing and his remaining retainer dared not utter another word. They turned and departed, taking the corpse with them.

"This..." What took time to describe unfolded in mere moments. Witnessing the scene, Zhang Xuan's expression became solemn. Facing a prince from a second-tier kingdom, they directly poisoned his guard to death, showing no respect whatsoever. Even he found such ruthlessness somewhat unexpected. No wonder Mo Yu had been so cautious; this Grand Apothecary was truly ruthless.

"If we submit a request for an audience, will we be able to get in?" Zhang Xuan asked after a moment's hesitation. After all, Mo Yu was the princess of Tianwu Kingdom. Surely her standing was far greater than that of a prince from a second-tier kingdom, wasn't it?

"No!" Mo Yu shook her head, sensing his thoughts. "Although Red Lotus City is nominally part of Tianwu Kingdom, it's effectively a lawless zone. I'm merely a princess; even if a prince came, it wouldn't make a difference. Didn't you just witness it? A dignified prince had his retainer killed on the spot and didn't even dare to utter another word."

"Then... can we sneak in?"

"Sneak in? That's even more impossible! For the Grand Apothecary to be able to command Red Lotus City as its strongest figure, he must possess extraordinary methods. If just anyone could sneak in, his mansion would have been raided countless times already," Mo Yu stated.

"Indeed..." Zhang Xuan nodded. To establish himself as the most powerful figure in the chaotic Red Lotus City, the Grand Apothecary's mansion would surely have been infiltrated and he would have likely died countless times over if it were so easily breached.

"Another one seeking death!"

"Is the Grand Apothecary's mansion truly that easy to enter?"

"Legend has it that only three types of people can enter," someone remarked. "First, an Apothecary King. Second, a Poison Master. And third, someone with an invitation! Otherwise, it's best not to linger here, or you might be killed without even knowing how!"

"Indeed!" Hushed voices arose from the crowd, seeing even a dignified prince from a second-tier kingdom return defeated.

"An invitation? Old sir, can one enter with an invitation?" Hearing this, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. He couldn't help but approach the speaker, casually handing over a gold note.

"Yes, that's right!" The old man's eyes brightened as he took the gold note, and he nodded.

"How does one obtain an invitation?" Zhang Xuan inquired.

"That, I don't know..." The old man shook his head, but then, halfway through his sentence, he suddenly remembered something. "Oh, right, there's actually another type of person who can enter without an invitation."

"Oh?" Zhang Xuan and Mo Yu both looked at him.

"The Grand Apothecary is quite old and has been in poor health lately," the old man explained. "These days, he's inviting physicians to examine him. Any formal physician holding a physician's emblem can enter, even without an invitation."

"Physician?" Zhang Xuan's gaze shifted. "Is there a Physician Guild here?" Physicians also had their own corresponding organization: the Physician Guild. Tianxuan Kingdom, being a minor realm, lacked such guilds. If one existed here, he could potentially take an examination.

"There's no Physician Guild here," the old man replied. "These are just physicians passing through to buy medicinal herbs." He then pointed forward. "Look, that one over there should be a physician!"

Hearing this, Zhang Xuan looked in the direction indicated and indeed saw a middle-aged man approaching the gate.

"I am Nie Yuan, a two-star physician from Beichen Kingdom, invited to see the Grand Apothecary," the man announced. As he spoke, he took out an emblem and presented it.

"Ah, Physician Nie Yuan! Please, this way!" The guard quickly bowed after a glance at the emblem, making way for him.

"Thank you!" Physician Nie Yuan said, then stepped inside without further ado.