Chapter 983: Curing the Poison
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric
What the heck!
Such a lack of situational awareness, and you still want to take me as your teacher? Dream on!
The Eccentric Old Man clicked his tongue in displeasure.
"..." Zhou Xuan was on the verge of tears.
It was just a moment ago that you looked as if you were going to kill him. How am I to know that you would invite you into your residence as a venerated guest in the next moment?
"What are you dilly-dallying about for?"
As frustrated as Zhou Xuan was, he still turned to his servant and commanded him.
"..." The servant.
"Forget it, I will do it myself!" After a moment of hesitation, Zhou Xuan waved his hand.
It would seem more sincere for him to do it personally.
Thus, he quickly turned around and rush back to his residence.
Paying no heed to Zhou Xuan, Zhang Xuan walked into the room and sat on the main seat.
On the other hand, the Eccentric Old Man sat by the side as he looked at Zhang Xuan respectfully.
A moment of silence drifted in the room.
Eventually, unable to hold himself back anymore, the Eccentric Old Man, with deep anticipation in his eyes, began speaking with a very careful tone, "Elder, regarding my Green Spittle Poison..."
Considering how the other party was able to see through so much of his affliction in a single glance, it was very possible that the other party just might have the remedy to it.
To a person with such sharp eye of discernment, the other party was definitely worthy of being addressed as an elder!
"Green Spittle Poison is a particularly troublesome grade-7 poison. Even a 7-star poison master will find it very difficult to cure it..." Zhang Xuan said.
Hearing those words, the Eccentric Old Man's face paled in despair.
If even a 7-star poison master was unable to cure it, did it mean that there was no hope for his affliction?
"However... I can cure it!" Zhang Xuan said.
"You can cure it?" The Eccentric Old Man's eyes narrowed. Clenching his fists tightly, many emotions flickered across his face, and eventually, he gritted his teeth tightly together and kneeled to the ground, "Elder, I beg you to save me!"
He had been tortured under the tyranny of the poison for far too long, and his mind and body were already reaching their limits. If the other party could really save him, putting aside kneeling down, he would be willing to even become the other party's slave without any hesitation!
Dang lang!
Just as the Eccentric Old Man kneeled down, Zhou Xuan, who had just prepared the tea, entered the room and saw such an incredulous sight.
Overwhelmed with shock, his grip on the tea tray loosened, and the teapot and teacups fell to the ground and shattered.
He was truly on the verge of losing his mind.
He knew very well how proud a person the Eccentric Old Man was. He, the head of the Physician Guild, had paid respect to the other party for so many days, moving at the other party's beck and call as if a servant, and yet, the other party couldn't even be bothered to spare him a second glance.
On the other party, that fellow had knocked down the Eccentric Old Man's door and made his saint beast weird, but not only was the Eccentric Old Man not angry, he ordered him to prepare tea... and even kneeled down to the fellow!
This was way too mind-blowing!
A person who could very well be a 7-star physician and had not the slightest bit of deference towards the city lord's authority was actually kneeling on the floor to another man...
Zhou Xuan felt as if worldly views had collapsed in that instant, and that his mind was really going to blow up.
"There's no need to stand on ceremony, it is only a small matter!" Not expecting the other party to kneel down, Zhang Xuan shook his head and gestured for the other party to get back up.
"Elder, I do happen to have a Sepulture Flower. It has a maturity of two hundred years. If you have a need for it, feel free to take it away with you..." At this moment, the Eccentric Old Man suddenly recalled the request which Zhang Xuan had come with, so he quickly added.
Zhang Xuan nodded.
With this, his aim for paying a visit to the Eccentric Old Man was achieved.
"It is not difficult to resolve the Green Spittle Poison, but due to the long duration of your affliction, exceeding more than twenty years, the poison has already seeped deep into your bones and organs, making the situation even more tricky. The effectiveness of consuming an ordinary antidote will only be minimal at best. Thus, I am afraid that I might have to resort to some extreme means..." After pondering for a moment, Zhang Xuan said.
"As long as my poison can be cured, I am willing to do anything at all!" The Eccentric Old Man nodded resolutely.
"Good!" Seeing that the other party was mentally prepared, Zhang Xuan nodded with an approving smile. After which, he flicked his wrist, took out a piece of paper and brush, and began writing out a prescription. "I need these medicinal herbs. The higher their maturity, the better it will be!"
The Eccentric Old Man took the paper and glanced at the ingredient. A moment later, he nodded and passed the prescription to the nearby Zhou Xuan, "Prepare these medicinal herbs for me, and I can consider taking you in as my student!"
"Yes!" Hearing those words, Zhou Xuan's eyes lit up.
Not daring to waste any time, he hurriedly rushed out of the room to prepare the stated medicinal herbs.
"Prepare a huge pot. I will be putting the medicinal herbs and boil them... along with you." Zhang Xuan continued.
"Boil them along with me?" The Eccentric Old Man's eyebrows shot up.
Given his cultivation, he wouldn't suffer any severe injuries from coming into contact with scalding water. Nevertheless, it still wasn't a pleasant sensation to be boiled alive.
"Indeed. You have been afflicted with the poison for far too long, and the huge amounts of medicinal herbs you have consumed over the years only serve to further complicate your condition. It is imperative to first boil out those worthless medicinal substances within your body before going ahead with the treatment!" Zhang Xuan explained.
The Eccentric Old Man nodded in realization.
As physician, he was well aware of his own physical condition. The antidotes he had tried out over the past few years could easily fill several baskets, if not a cart.
With so many medicinal substances accruing within his body, they could easily render even the real antidote ineffective.
The purpose of the boiling process was to clear his body from the remaining medicinal substances, thus returning his body back to its original state.
"After the medicinal substances have been boiled out of your body, consume this gourd of medicinal wine... With that, you should be cured of the Green Spittle Poison in your body!" Flicking his wrist, Zhang Xuan took out a gourd and passed it over to the Eccentric Old Man.
Ordinary antidotes couldn't hope to seep deeply into the Eccentric Old Man's organs and bones to cleanse him of the Green Spittle Poison. Thus, Zhang Xuan had no choice but to resort to his Heaven's Path zhenqi.
But of course, it was still necessary to condition the other party's body to its best state beforehand, or else he would require a colossal amount of zhenqi.
After all, a lethal poison that was capable of killing a Saint 4-dan expert wasn't something that could be easily resolved with just a surge of two of zhenqi.
"Thank you!" With gratitude gleaming in his eyes, the Eccentric Old Man took the gourd.
An antidote that could cure a grade-7 poison was surely worth far more than a Sepulture Flower, and yet, the other party actually gave it to him without any hesitation.
"Elder, wait here for a moment. I will take the Sepulture Flower over right now..." After learning the treatment method, the Eccentric Old Man immediately rushed out of the room, and not too long later, he returned with a jade box in his hands.
Taking the jade box over, Zhang Xuan pried it open lightly and saw a pure white medicinal herb lying inside, reminiscent of a beautiful jade. It exuded a light fragrance which tickled one's nose.
"Un." With a slight nod, Zhang Xuan passed the Sepulture Flower over to Hu Yunsheng and instructed, "Return to Inkcloud Quarter and prepare for its auctioning. I want the news that this medicinal herb was going to be auctioned to be known by the entire city..."
"Yes!" Hu Yunsheng nodded before leaving with the medicinal herb in hand.
After which, Zhang Xuan closed his eyes and waited patiently.
...
Two hours later.
Zhou Xuan finally returned with the medicinal herbs required. Zhang Xuan swiftly arranged for them to be added into a huge pot to be boiled.
When he gauged that the medicinal properties of the medicinal herbs had finally seeped sufficiently into the boiling water, he gestured for the Eccentric Old Man to go into the pot.
Tzzzzzzzzz!
Before long, countless dark substances started emerging from the Eccentric Old Man's pores, dyeing the clear water in the pot ink-black.
Zhang Xuan stepped forward and tapped his finger on several points of the other party's body. After which, he flicked his wrist and took out a bundle of needles. With a swift jerk of his hand, the needles flew out and pierced precise locations over the other party's body.
Some time later, after when the water in the pot had been switched several times, the Eccentric Old Man's skin was finally rid of its grayish hue, returning to the original white complexion it had. Knowing that the first step of the treatment was done, Zhang Xuan indicated for the Eccentric Old Man to drink the wine in the gourd.
Not too long later, the grayish color in his eyes also began to disappear.
Hong long long!
By the time the crimson line disappeared, the Eccentric Old Man's body finally slackened. In that instant, a powerful aura burst into the sky, and his initial Saint 1-dan cultivation abruptly surged at an inconceivable speed.
"This..." Zhou Xuan widened his eyes in disbelief.
Noticing the incomprehension in Zhou Xuan's eyes, Zhang Xuan explained with a smile, "The lethal poison in his body had suppressed his cultivation previously. Now that the poison is cured, naturally, he will be able to revert back to his true strength!"
The reason why he was able to notice the Eccentric Old Man's poison was naturally due to the latter executing a battle technique, thus compiling a corresponding book in the Library of Heaven's Path.
The book had introduced the problems which the Eccentric Old Man was facing, but at the same time, it had also stated the other party's identity... Qingyuan Empire, 7-star pinnacle physician!
How could a 7-star pinnacle physician possibly only possess a cultivation of Saint 1-dan?
Most likely, the Eccentric Old Man must have been poisoned by someone, but by some stroke of luck, he managed to survive the initial attempt on his life. However, with his body severely weakened by the effects of the poison, he was left with no choice but to lie low in a remote location! As years went by, the relentless assault of the poison gradually suppressed his cultivation, resulting in his current state.
With the lethal poison resolved, his cultivation was no longer suppressed, thus reverting back to its original level.
Boom!
Tremendous energy was building within the Eccentric Old Man, and before long, he surpassed his Saint 1-dan bottleneck and reached Saint 2-dan Spiritual Perception realm!
Shortly after, Saint 3-dan Embryonic Soul realm!
Two hours later, with a huge burst of energy, Saint 4-dan Primordial Spirit realm!
With his poison resolved, his cultivation finally returned back to its peak.
"I..." Standing up, the Eccentric Old Man felt the strength coursing through his veins, and his eyes couldn't help but redden.
How many years had it been?
For how long had he wished that he would be able to rid himself of his affliction and return back to his peak? Too much time had gone by, and his initial hopes were extinguished. He had already resigned himself to living his life quietly in this remote land. Who could have thought that a middle-aged man would abruptly enter his life and resolve his affliction for him?
"Thank you for granting me a new life, elder!" The Eccentric Old Man immediately got to his knees and thanked Zhang Xuan earnestly.
He had kneeled earlier as well, but it was out of his overwhelming desire to be treated. This time, however, it was out of earnest respect and gratitude towards his savior.
"You are welcome." Zhang Xuan nodded.
The Eccentric Old Man was a physician, a man who had spent his life saving others from their anguish and sufferings. If it was within his means to do so, it was only right for him to save the other party.
"The person who has poisoned you must be a poison master, right?" Zhang Xuan asked with a frown.
The Green Spittle Poison was something which even 7-star poison masters would struggle to concoct. It was unlikely that anyone other than a poison master would wield such poison on him.
"It is indeed the doing of a poison master. However... with my cultivation recovered, I will have him pay the price of his actions..." With a cold glint in his eyes, the Eccentric Old Man clenched his fists tightly.
"Un." Seeing that the other party was unwilling to speak any more on the matter, Zhang Xuan chose not to delve deeper into the matter either.
"May I know how I should address elder?" the Eccentric Old Man asked.
A life debt had to be repaid. Yet, he didn't even know the other party's name even at this point in time. It was indeed embarrassing.
"My name is Sun Qiang." Zhang Xuan said.
"I see, so it's Elder Sun..." Nodding, the Eccentric Old Man flicked his wrist, took out a token, and handed it over to Zhang Xuan respectfully. "I happen to have some influence in the Qingyuan Empire Physician Guild, so if you were to face any trouble, do make sure to look for me with this token in hand. As long as it is within my means, I will make sure to accomplish it for you..."
"Alright." Taking the token, Zhang Xuan nodded.
He would eventually have to head to Qingyuan Empire one day, and since the other party was willing to do him this favor, it would be fine to accept it. After all, there was no saying that there could be a day that he might need it.
"Since your poison has been cured, I will take my leave now. Farewell!"
Zhang Xuan felt that there was no reason for him to remain since the other party's poison had been cured, so he made his way out and headed to Inkcloud Quarter.
Not too long later, before he could enter Inkcloud Quarter, he already saw Hu Yunsheng rushing out with a livid face. The latter also saw him and immediately rushed up to him while exclaiming, "Elder, bad news..."