Chapter 296: Red Flame Lotus Seed

Silence.

A complete silence descended around them.

Gu Mu’s face flushed and paled by turns. He had carefully observed the speed the “Martial Uncle-Grandmaster” had just displayed. If that speed were used in a real fight, he probably wouldn’t last even a single breath!

In other words… if he truly wanted to kill him, it would indeed be no more difficult than killing a chicken!

The thought of having just moved to attack such a person sent cold sweat soaking through his clothes. Fortunately, the other party recognized him and they had some prior acquaintance. Otherwise, even as a so-called special envoy, he would likely have instantly turned into a corpse, beyond any hope of recovery. A powerhouse of this caliber, who didn’t even make a move just now, would never deliberately trick him into unconsciousness to then kill him, thereby lowering their own status.

“It was my petty thinking; I ask for your Martial Uncle-Grandmaster’s forgiveness!”

Understanding this, Gu Mu bowed.

*It’s easier to kill you than a chicken; if I truly wanted to act, I wouldn’t bother playing mind games with a chicken.*

“I am a free spirit, wandering like a cloud. Passing through Honglian City, I saw that the Grand Apothecary was afflicted by a contract蠱, which prompted me to help him. From there, I learned that this esteemed Poison Hall branch was embroiled in a life-and-death struggle over a mere hall master position, even resorting to infighting among brothers. Unable to bear the thought of my fellow poison masters harming each other, I came here hoping to resolve the conflict!”

Gazing at the sky, a look of profound compassion filled Zhang Xuan’s eyes.

“This…”

Hearing that the other party had come here for this reason, Liao Xun and the others felt a pang of shame. So, this senior’s purpose was this! They had thought he was a swindler, coveting treasures… Looking back now, it seemed truly ridiculous. No wonder he immediately proposed an assessment upon arrival, stating that the strongest would become the hall master. Doing so precisely avoided trouble and conflict.

Gu Mu also realized this with a jolt. He had been wondering why this person, being his Martial Uncle-Grandmaster with undoubtedly high status, would impersonate a special envoy. It turned out he couldn't bear to see poison master disciples harmed. Understanding this, he was filled with immense admiration. Only a true poison master, one who loved the profession to its core, could possess such breadth of mind.

“Alright, since you, the true special envoy, have arrived, there’s no point in me staying here any longer. I’ll take my leave now!”

Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan said no more. His body swayed, and he began to walk away. Relying on the deterrent power of his Heaven's Path movement technique just now, no one dared to dwell too much on his words. Given more time, they would surely discover numerous flaws. However, for him, the purpose of coming to the Poison Hall was to read books. Now that he had finished reading and the true special envoy had arrived, it was better to leave immediately than to stay and risk being exposed. As soon as he was outside the range of the poisonous gas, he could summon the Howling Celestial Beast. At that point, the sky would be vast for the birds to soar, and the ocean wide for fish to leap freely.

“Please, Martial Uncle-Grandmaster, save me…”

Seeing him turn to leave, no longer mentioning the matter of saving his life, Gu Mu’s face turned pale. He knew his earlier doubts had offended the other party. He immediately took two steps forward and knelt on the ground once more. All powerful individuals possess dignity. He had moved to attack him immediately upon arrival, and when the other party offered help, he still didn't believe him, his face filled with doubt. It would be strange if the other party were pleased. Not taking action to teach him a lesson already showed good temper.

“For me to act, the person being saved needs to be unconscious. It’s normal for you to be concerned about your own safety and not believe me!” Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Seeing that the other party’s tone was clearly angry and he had no intention of acting, Gu Mu hesitated, then gritted his teeth and sent a telepathic message: “Martial Uncle-Grandmaster, please wait! This time, headquarters sent me here ostensibly to support the new hall master and stabilize the branch, but in reality, it’s because the Scarlet Flame Lotus Seeds in this branch have matured!”

“Scarlet Flame Lotus Seeds?”

“Yes, the Scarlet Flame Lotus Seeds grow deep within volcanoes, absorbing the power of earth veins. When consumed by cultivators, they can increase the chance of breaking through the Supremacy realm’s shackles and reaching a higher realm by twenty percent! I am currently stuck at a bottleneck, unable to break through, which is why I specifically applied to come here.”

Speaking, Gu Mu held nothing back: “I know that with Martial Uncle-Grandmaster’s strength, this item would be useless to you. However, if obtained, giving it to disciples or students to consume would be a great act of kindness.”

“Can increase the chance of breaking through the Supremacy realm’s shackles by twenty percent?” Zhang Xuan clicked his tongue in amazement.

Cultivation breakthroughs rely on will, confidence, accumulation, and cultivation techniques... Pills and elixirs offer only secondary assistance, essentially serving as supplements. Thus, ordinary medicines typically don't have a significant effect on cultivators. That something could offer a twenty percent increase was unbelievable unless heard firsthand. While twenty percent might not seem very high, having such a probability in cultivation was absolutely heaven-defying.

The Supremacy realm was the highest realm for martial artists, but it wasn't the end of cultivation. The continent was vast and boundless, and there were certainly countless super-powerhouses whose strength surpassed the Supremacy realm. A single Scarlet Flame Lotus Seed, capable of increasing the chance of breakthrough by so much, could absolutely be called a priceless treasure. Zhang Xuan was even a little surprised that this Poison Master branch possessed such a valuable item.

“Alright, tell me your conditions!”

Knowing that the other party had revealed this item with a specific purpose in mind, Zhang Xuan looked over.

“I only ask that Martial Uncle-Grandmaster resolve the hidden dangers within me. As for the lotus seeds, I only need one that can help me break through my current realm! I dare not ask for more; the rest can all be offered to Martial Uncle-Grandmaster.” Gu Mu said.

Hearing the other party’s words, he knew that with his current physical condition, even if he found the lotus seeds, he wouldn't be able to break through. Rather than that, it would be better to exchange them for the other party’s treatment. Furthermore, while Scarlet Flame Lotus Seeds were valuable, they weren't easy to obtain. Otherwise, the old hall master wouldn't have died so suddenly. Others didn't know the reason for the old hall master’s death, but he knew it very clearly. This branch had specifically documented the cause of his death and submitted it, and he had happened to see the contents. It wasn't a disease as rumored by outsiders, but rather that the Scarlet Flame Lotus Seeds had matured. When he tried to harvest them, he was instantly burned to ashes by the earth-core fire. Even a formidable Supremacy realm expert couldn't withstand it. Without a doubt, they would likely still need to rely on the person before them to obtain the so-called lotus seeds. Therefore, after careful consideration, it was better to reveal this information and exchange it for help. He also knew that such a powerhouse, upholding their status, would certainly not treat him poorly after learning the news.

“Good!” Zhang Xuan nodded. He had originally intended to help with the treatment, and now, seeing that there was something to gain, why wouldn't he be delighted?

“Then… when shall we begin?”

Seeing his agreement, Gu Mu’s face lit up with joy. “Do I need to prepare anything?”

“No preparation needed; let’s start now!” Zhang Xuan waved his hand. The longer they delayed, the more complications could arise. It was better to act quickly.

“Alright!” Hearing that treatment could begin immediately, Gu Mu’s face brightened with delight. “I’ll entrust myself to Martial Uncle-Grandmaster’s hands!”

With that, he raised his wrist. Thwack! He slapped himself on the head, his body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

“Uh?”

Seeing him knock himself out directly, Zhang Xuan looked down at the Soul Numbing Powder he had just taken out, then helplessly put it back into his storage ring.

*I was still planning to use this on you, but I didn't expect you to be even more reckless than the Grand Apothecary…*

Soul Numbing Powder could induce unconsciousness and was very useful for his ‘special medical techniques.’ Before setting out, he had specifically acquired a good amount of it. Anyway, the item wasn't valuable, and the Grand Apothecary was happy to oblige, giving him no fewer than twenty packets. He had thought this time he could try out its effects, but he had barely taken the item out when this fellow knocked himself unconscious. That was too fast! However, this was also good; since he was unconscious anyway, it saved him the extra effort.

He took a step forward, approaching the unconscious Gu Mu. With a flick of his wrist, several silver needles appeared in his palm. The library had already generated a detailed description of the other party previously, so there was no need for another diagnosis. With a flick of his finger, a silver needle flew out. His hands moved swiftly and gracefully, like a dancing butterfly.

Gu Mu’s body condition was different from that of the Grand Apothecary before him. The latter had his foundation damaged by a contract蛊, leading to his weakening. This individual, however, had used poisons to stimulate his acupuncture points and forcibly enhance his strength, causing toxic gas to enter his body and destroy his internal vitality. The former required nourishment with Heaven’s Path zhenqi, while the latter only needed the concentrated areas of poison to be located, and then expelled from the body using Heaven’s Path zhenqi, which would completely resolve the issue. In fact, it was considerably easier to treat than the Grand Apothecary’s condition.

Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!

With the silver needles, combined with Heaven's Path zhenqi, inserted into the areas where the toxic gas had gathered, a gurgling sound soon emanated from Gu Mu’s body, and black liquid began to seep from his fingers and toes.

“This is… the toxic gas hidden inside his body?”

“It’s just being forced out like that?”

Witnessing this scene, Liao Xun and the others simultaneously widened their eyes, each finding it hard to believe. Having dealt with potent poisons daily, they knew how difficult it was to expel them. Some toxic gases, once they entered the body, could not be neutralized even with countless medicines and a lifetime of effort. Precisely for this reason, while poison masters sounded formidable, their lifespans were generally not long; fifty or sixty years old was often a critical threshold. While these individuals didn't show major symptoms outwardly, they all had more or less various internal issues due to constant exposure to poisons, resulting in significant damage. They had thought their conditions were untreatable, but unexpectedly, this senior could resolve them with ease. If even the special envoy’s severe internal poison could be expelled, could theirs also be easily resolved?

Everyone looked at Zhang Xuan again, their eyes filled with fervent hope.

Ignoring the expressions of the crowd, Zhang Xuan concentrated. One by one, silver needles were accurately inserted into the deepest hidden pockets of toxic gas within Gu Mu’s body. A moment later, with a flick of his wrist, all the silver needles were retrieved. He waved his hand. Gu Mu slowly regained consciousness.

“This…”

Opening his eyes, Gu Mu immediately sensed the change in his body. Before, toxic gas had encircled his body, making him feel as if he carried a massive yoke, hindering his movements and demeanor. Now, he could clearly feel the yoke removed, and his entire body felt light and unburdened. Even without using zhenqi to test, he knew that the shadow of imminent death that had constantly loomed over him had been resolved by the other party.

“Many thanks to Martial Uncle-Grandmaster for saving my life!”

He knelt on the ground once more, this time filled with genuine sincerity and heartfelt admiration, unlike before, when it was merely out of fear of the other party’s strength.

Zhang Xuan waved his hand. “Your internal condition is more severe than what I initially perceived. It might require three consecutive treatments to be completely resolved. So, there’s no need for thanks; it won’t be too late to express gratitude once you’re fully healed!”

He hadn't seen the Scarlet Flame Lotus Seeds yet, and it wasn't completely safe here. Naturally, he needed to keep some leverage, so it was impossible to heal the other party in one go.