Chapter 269: Divine Physician Showdown

“Junior brother, you seem quite guarded against me!” Little Poison King chuckled. “Though we are senior and junior brothers, we've never met before. We should be closer.”

Qin Mu lowered his arm. He had heard whispers about this Little Poison King. Empress Dowager had mentioned that Apothecary, his grandfather, had mutilated his own face and retreated to the Great Ruins, and that this incident was linked to this very person.

Little Poison King was said to be Apothecary’s most favored disciple, yet he had betrayed his master, exposing the truth that Jade Face Gentleman was none other than Poison King.

Jade Face Gentleman and Poison King were two prominent figures in the *jianghu*. One was a suave and unrestrained paragon of handsomeness, tall, striking, possessing divine martial prowess, and treating others with the gentleness of a spring breeze. He left a trail of admiration and affection wherever he went, though he never actively sought it. Flowers and grass seemed to bloom in his presence. Everyone admired him, respected him; even men often envied him but found it hard to truly despise him.

Poison King, on the other hand, was depicted as having a green face with fangs, merciless and notorious. He had poisoned countless experts and even annihilated a renowned righteous sect, poisoning every soul, leaving no creature alive. Even Dao Gate and Great Thunderclap Temple had lost numerous enlightened Daoists and high monks to his venom.

Poison King’s cultivation was not high, but his skills were unparalleled. In both poison and Gu insects, he had reached the pinnacle. Both righteous and demonic factions had attempted to encircle and suppress him repeatedly, even deploying several Cult Leader level figures, yet they failed to apprehend him, suffering deaths and injuries instead.

Poison King always wore a green, fanged mask, his true face unknown to the world. It wasn’t until his own disciple, Little Poison King, revealed his identity that people knew Poison King was the romantic Jade Face Gentleman.

The exposure of his identity led to complex consequences. Some sought to kill him, while others, particularly women, vied for his attention. Powerful women like Empress Dowager joined the fray, forcing Apothecary to disfigure his own face, abandon all emotional attachments, and hide within the Great Ruins, never daring to step out for the rest of his life.

However, Little Poison King’s life was no picnic either. Empress Dowager and other women vented their fury upon him, hunting him relentlessly. He was nearly forced to seek refuge in the Great Ruins himself, saved only by being taken in by the National Teacher.

Regarding Apothecary’s experiences, Qin Mu had only heard tales and didn't know the full truth, but he did know that Little Poison King had inherited Apothecary's poison techniques, reaching a level of attainment that rivaled his master's.

Emperor Yanfeng chuckled, “Cult Leader, I’ve summoned you and Little Poison King this time because both of you are disciples of the Jade Face Poison King. One excels in poison, the other in healing. Perhaps working together, you can cure the ailments afflicting both myself and the National Teacher.”

Qin Mu offered a smile. “Your Majesty's wish is my command. I also wish to witness senior brother’s craftsmanship.”

Little Poison King examined the Emperor’s wounds, observing the effects of Qin Mu’s treatment during this period. The bumps on the Emperor’s face were becoming increasingly alarming. Squinting his eyes, he smiled and said, “Your craftsmanship is not bad at all. You managed to undo the Thousand Mechanism Poison in a single night.”

Qin Mu then examined National Teacher Yan Kang. After returning to the capital, it was Little Poison King who had been treating the National Teacher's injuries. He said indifferently, “You are also quite skilled. The Thousand Mechanism Poison was used with great cunning.”

Suddenly, the bumps on Little Poison King’s wrist burst open with a popping sound. Transparent little spiders crawled out from within. They spun silk, which swished and stuck to Emperor Yanfeng's brow. Then, along the silken threads, they actually crawled into the Emperor’s brow, burrowing into his Spirit Embryo Divine Treasure.

“I didn’t intend to poison her to death. With my methods, poisoning a Cult Leader is not a difficult task.” Little Poison King said leisurely, “No matter what sect the Cult Leader belongs to, poisoning them would not be troublesome for me.”

Qin Mu didn’t even raise an eyebrow. Adding two layers of heaven to his eyes, he used his Azure Firmament Heavenly Eye to examine National Teacher Yan Kang’s wounds. “Even if you poison her physical body to death, I can preserve her soul. After detoxification, I can restore her to life. Moreover, Cult Leaders are not so easily poisoned to death as you claim. As a Cult Leader, there’s no need to face you directly to end your life. Especially in the Demonic Religion, there are a thousand ways to make you die inexplicably and naturally. Wait until you die horizontally in a stinking ditch someday, then you will understand.”

“Is that so?” Little Poison King's face contorted into a ferocious expression, laughing in a way that was uglier than crying.

“It is,” Qin Mu said, his smile as bright as a flower.

The two exchanged a look, and both Emperor Yanfeng and National Teacher Yan Kang felt a sense of dread. These two, meeting for the first time, engaged in a battle of words, their killing intent growing stronger by the moment!

Ling Yuxiu blinked, her gaze flitting between them, sensing the scene teetering on the edge of chaos. She laughed, “Little Poison King, Qin Cult Leader, treating the wounds is important.”

National Teacher Yan Kang cleared his throat, and Emperor Yanfeng also coughed, saying, “Yuxiu, you may withdraw for now.”

Ling Yuxiu acknowledged the order and exited the grand hall.

The bumps on Little Poison King’s face exploded open, and insects, like fish, flew out, drilling into the Emperor Yanfeng's other Divine Treasures to inspect their wounds. He said, “You’ve done well. You’ve removed the hidden ailments in His Majesty’s Divine Treasures, and the wounds on His Majesty’s physical body and soul have completely healed. It is only a pity that your medical skills are limited and cannot heal the Divine Treasures themselves.”

Qin Mu observed the remnants of the gods’ divine abilities within National Teacher Yan Kang's body. He saw Little Poison King using poisonous substances transformed into spirit silk to wrap around these remnants, attempting to wear them away clean with the poison silk. These poison silks had the effect of transforming *qi* and vital energy, but they had only a slight effect on the divine abilities of gods.

“Your poison skills have reached the pinnacle, a realm encompassing both form and spirit. The use of this transforming spirit silk is quite ingenious. But you can still go up one level,” Qin Mu micro-smiled.

Their gazes met once more.

Emperor Yanfeng and National Teacher Yan Kang felt their scalps prickle. If these two were to engage in a contest, they would likely use poison and medicine on *their* bodies!

National Teacher Yan Kang said, “Both of you are divine doctors, from the same master. Do you have a solution?”

Little Poison King hastily said, “I have a good grasp on His Majesty’s wounds. Since His Majesty's Divine Treasures are broken, your minister can take the Divine Treasures from a living person and graft them onto His Majesty's body.”

Emperor Yanfeng frowned. “How great is your grasp?”

“This…” Little Poison King hesitated, glancing at Qin Mu. “How great my grasp is is hard to say, as your minister is skilled in using poison.”

Qin Mu said, “National Teacher’s wounds cannot be solved merely by using transforming spirit silk. The main reason is that the remnants of the gods’ divine abilities are too strong. I suggest we seek out several dozen Cult Leader level powerhouses and have them jointly suppress these divine ability remnants, allowing the National Teacher to mobilize his own cultivation and refine the remnants.”

National Teacher Yan Kang shook his head. “Within the borders of Yan Kang, there are indeed several dozen Cult Leader level powerhouses, but it would be difficult to have every single one of them serve me. Two divine doctors, one using poison, one using medicine, perhaps you can complement each other.”

Qin Mu looked at Little Poison King, who was also looking at him.

“My master, Jade Face Poison King, is excellent in both medicine and poison. He can use medical techniques to strengthen poison techniques and poison techniques to strengthen medical techniques.” Little Poison King said, “How many times can you strengthen my poison?”

Qin Mu said coldly, “That depends on how potent senior brother’s poison is. I can use medicine to greatly supplement His Majesty’s vital energy, elevate His Majesty’s vitality, and allow His Majesty’s vitality and vital energy to self-treat the Divine Treasures’ wounds. How potent is your poison? Can it elevate the vital energy and vitality in my medicine by thirty to fifty times?”

“As potent as you want it to be!” Little Poison King said coldly, “I fear your supplementary medicine cannot withstand my potent poison! To refine the divine ability remnants for the National Teacher, I need to elevate the poison of the transforming spirit silk by thirty to fifty times to wear away the gods’ divine ability remnants. Poison this potent can poison gods to death, turning them into skeletons. Do you have this ability?”

Qin Mu gritted his teeth. “I can try!”

One by one, poisonous insects crawled out from Emperor Yanfeng’s body and burrowed back into the bumps on Little Poison King’s face and hands.

“You cannot refine such medicine. I will poison you to death,” he chuckled menacingly.

Qin Mu’s face was indifferent. “If you use the wrong poison, I will protect the Emperor's life and take you back to the Great Ruins.”

Little Poison King’s expression changed dramatically. He let out a cold snort, then lifted his pen and wrote down a series of poison medicine names.

Qin Mu also wrote a prescription.

“Your Majesty, please have the medicine prepared!” Both men threw down their pens and sat down in silence.

Emperor Yanfeng and National Teacher Yan Kang exchanged glances. These two had quite tempers, and their appearance was not at all like those who intended to treat their illnesses, but rather like those who wanted their lives.

Emperor Yanfeng coughed, calling in several imperial physicians who were waiting outside the hall. He said, “Quickly prepare the medicine.”

The imperial physicians hastily took the prescriptions and left.

“Your medicine is quite potent,” Little Poison King laughed ferociously.

Qin Mu ignored him. After a long while, the imperial physicians finally brought all the necessary poison medicine and supplementary medicine. Qin Mu immediately began to work, refining the medicinal power. He activated the Overlord Body Three Elixir Skill, sometimes transforming into the bull-headed human form of the Yinghuo Star Monarch, sometimes into the tiger-headed human form of the Taibai Star Monarch, and then into the Chen Star Monarch, Sui Star Monarch, and Zhen Star Monarch. His physical form changed, his vital energy changed, as he cultivated out the various medicinal powers.

Meanwhile, Little Poison King used poison medicine to raise insects, letting them consume potent poisonous substances. He then used these poisonous insects to refine poison pills, and used the poison pills to feed the poisonous insects. This process was repeated three times, finally raising one black-red eyed large spider. The poison gas surrounding its body was so concentrated it did not dissipate.

Qin Mu, on the other hand, took out several seeds and actually planted flowers within the hall. He planted the seeds on refined spirit pills and used the Good Fortune Earth Yuan Skill to allow the flowers and grass to absorb the medicinal power of the spirit pills. In no time, the flowers and grass bloomed and bore fruit.

He then selected the necessary spirit fruits or roots and stems and cultivated them again, repeating the process three times. Finally, he refined the mountain of medicinal materials into seven spirit pills and one red pill.

Qin Mu collected the pills and looked towards Little Poison King.

Little Poison King then refined the large spider to death, turning it into a nearly invisible spirit silk and a small bottle of poison liquid.

The two exchanged a glance. Qin Mu threw the red pill to Little Poison King, and Little Poison King threw the poison liquid to Qin Mu.

Qin Mu squeezed a trace of a smile onto his face and softly said, “Your Majesty, it is time to take the medicine.”

Emperor Yanfeng’s heart pounded. Looking at the seven spirit pills and the bottle of poison liquid, he said, “My beloved minister, this poison…”

“The poison is significant,” Qin Mu said, glancing at Little Poison King. “If Your Majesty should pass away, your minister will avenge you!”

National Teacher Yan Kang also looked at the red pill and the spider silk before him with some hesitation. Little Poison King said, “National Teacher, rest assured. It will be well-wrapped, well-wrapped.”

Qin Mu’s form flickered, turning into a shadow that drilled into Emperor Yanfeng’s Divine Treasures. He placed the seven medicine pills into the Emperor’s seven Divine Treasures, dropping several drops of poison liquid onto each pill. Then, he withdrew and stepped back.

Little Poison King inserted the spirit silk into National Teacher Yan Kang’s body. Using his hand to pull, he drew a spider silk out from the National Teacher’s mouth. He then planted the spider silk into the red pill and stuffed the red pill into the National Teacher’s mouth.

A earth-shattering roar transmitted from Emperor Yanfeng’s body. Suddenly, his entire body hair grew wildly, and his bones also grew madly. In an instant, his legs grew by a significant amount, his pants could no longer cover them, his head also became large, his full face of beard growing outwards like weeds with a rustling sound, and his entire head of hair extended in all directions.

His leg hair, chest hair, and body hair were all thick and incomparably strong, tearing his dragon robe to pieces.

Not long after, Emperor Yanfeng grew into a giant more than ten *zhang* tall, lying on the ground unable to move. Half of the grand hall was filled with hair, submerging the Emperor in a dense jungle.

“Your poison is a bit fierce, senior brother,” Qin Mu’s eye twitched.

On the other side, transparent spider silk suddenly surged out of National Teacher Yan Kang’s entire body, emerging from his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose. Even from his skin pores, numerous spider silks emerged, wrapping him up like a giant zongzi, wrapping him solid.

Little Poison King’s face was solemn. “Your medicine is inevitably too supplementary.”

The two looked at each other, then each lifted their pens and wrote a new prescription. They threw down their pens, intending to wait for the Emperor to call for someone to fetch the medicine, only to realize that the Emperor was buried in hair.

The two could only clear their throats and call the imperial physicians waiting outside the hall, handing them the two prescriptions.

The imperial physicians waiting outside the hall felt their hearts tremble. They saw thick hairs spreading outwards from inside the hall, already covering the steps.

Not long after, the imperial physicians returned with the medicine. Qin Mu immediately began cultivating again, and Little Poison King also hastily began raising insects.

Qin Mu drew out two pig-slaughtering knives and chopped off countless hairs, finally reaching the Emperor after great difficulty and hardship to deliver the medicine. On the other side, the bumps on Little Poison King’s face broke open, and one by one, poisonous insects carrying the refined medicine burrowed into the silkworm cocoon, delivering the medicine into the National Teacher’s body.

“Bad!”

The two observed their results, their faces turning somewhat ashen. “It seems there’s some imbalance between the monarch and minister…”

Although the Emperor’s hair no longer grew, poison surged out again, while the National Teacher began to grow hair.

The two hurriedly picked up their pens and wrote prescriptions again.