Chapter 195: One Tiny Clue Reveals The Situation
Translator: Ninetales Editor: Fish_Creek
Wang Muran carried the fishing elder’s corpse and placed it on the back of the buck. He rode the buck and caught up with Qin Mu, Imperial Preceptor and the rest while shouting, “Imperial Preceptor, I’ll take revenge for my master!”
Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor turned his head back and looked very serious, “Your master’s skill ain’t bad. After you have mastered them, pass down the abilities to your own disciples and don’t let his abilities die away.”
Wang Muran gave a shout and clouds formed below the buck’s feet as it sprinted into the sky, gradually disappearing.
“Someone invited this old softy from Little Jade Capital to test the waters, therefore he certainly deserves his death.”
Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor retracted his gaze and said to Qin Mu and the rest, “Little Jade Capital is a mysterious place that stands aloof from worldly affairs. They have an extremely ancient background. Even I only heard rumors about Little Jade Capital before and it was my first time meeting an expert of Little Jade Capital. They indeed have some means but they are behind times. They do not come out frequently and couldn’t witness the advancement in the techniques of other sects. It’s easy to fall behind times by limiting themselves in a closed environment. Bear in mind, you can never be an expert if you only concentrate on cultivating without having regard for what is happening in the outside world.”
Qin Mu and the rest nodded their heads in acknowledgment and felt respect in their hearts.
This fishing elder was actually invited by others to test the waters?
Are they using this elder’s life to test how deep the water of Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor was?
“This struggle has already begun,” Qin Mu’s gaze wavered as he thought to himself.
Li City.
Eternal Peace Empire’s army had already invaded this place and when they came, the battle had already ended.
The battle shouldn’t be too intense. Qin Mu looked around and saw the city walls were still considered complete. The army of Eternal Peace had directly pushed forward and met the rebel army outside the city, eradicating them straight away.
“There are Hall of Array Element, Floor of Military Secrets in Imperial College where they taught formation skills and the art of war. With the sects facing the army of Eternal Peace directly, their end is evident,” he thought secretly to himself.
Li City wasn’t destroyed by the battles, therefore, the people here were still considered safe. Qin Mu came to the herb shop and grabbed a few herbs from each and every herb shop.
After visiting about a dozen herb shops, almost half a day had passed by and night fell. Qin Mu and the rest stayed at the yamen of Li City. The magistrate of Li City had been captured and sent under escort to the imperial court.
Not long after, a fragrant medicinal smell came out from the yamen and about an hour later, a maid carried a basin out and poured the basin of medicinal dregs on the stone pavement.
Another hour later, that maid carried out another basin of medicinal dregs and poured it on the pavement, letting people to trample on them.
That happened a third time and seven basins of medicinal dregs were poured in one night.
After daybreak, Qin Mu and the rest didn’t start out to the south until half a day had passed.
In the herb shop of Li City, there was a middle-aged scholar in green clothing and white inner shirt standing behind the counter. He flipped through dozens of prescriptions and these prescriptions recorded the few herbs Qin Mu had grabbed from the dozen of herb shops.
“That’s not right. These herbs are completely useless. These herbs aren’t for healing injuries. This brat is shrewd…”
The middle-aged scholar raised his head and smiled, “As expected of the little divine physician that’s well known in the capital city. You don’t want me to know from the herbs how serious Imperial Preceptor’s injury is. How sly. However, you’re underestimating me, Spiritual Master Dao Quan.”
“Spiritual Master, here are the medicinal dregs!”
A few young apothecaries came from outside and each of them carried a basin which was filled with medicinal dregs.
Spiritual Master Dao Quan checked them one by one. After a moment, he calculated to himself, “This little divine physician is indeed shrewd. He purposely mixed other medicinal dregs in so that I can’t see how Imperial Preceptor was treated. However, to play this kind of tricks in front of me, you’re still too inexperienced. Disciples, grab the herbs!”
He said the names of the herbs and the young apothecaries immediately fetched the spirit herbs over. Spiritual Master Dao Quan muttered to himself and organized them into categories. He changed the arrangement a few more times and ordered his disciples to start the furnace to refine the herbs when he felt that there was no mistake.
After a few hours, Spiritual Master Dao Quan looked at the medicine he had refined. The first medicine was a herbal soup which was incomparably intense. The second one was a medicinal ointment for applying externally to dispel poison. The third one was a spirit pill that was the size of the tip of a pinky finger. The pill was silver in color and filled with spikes. With just a gentle touch, one would be pricked by the gold qi coming out from the spirit pill.
The fourth medicine was a milky white gas that had settled down on the bottom of the furnace. The fifth medicine was a cup of dark red liquid which evaporated very fast. The sixth and seventh medicines were also spirit pills but their medicinal properties were different.
Spiritual Master Dao Quan checked the seven medicines and his expression changed slightly as he exclaimed in admiration, “This little divine physician is remarkable, truly remarkable. With his method of healing, all injuries of Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor would be completely healed over in the shortest time of twenty days, or no more than half a year!”
He brought seven medicines and instantly leaped into the air, turning into a trail of light in the sky.
This trail of light flew for half a day towards the southern borders and landed in Dali City of the southern borders after a thousand miles.
Dali City was the biggest city in the southern borders. This place was a country back then which advocated the Buddhist doctrine. There were at least three thousand and six hundred temples within the county, having the reputation of the Western Paradise in the south. It was later annexed by Eternal Peace.
Spiritual Master Dao Quan landed in the most glorious Luoguang Temple and walked quickly into the temple. There were about a dozen existences of the cult master level in the temple. They all rose up.
“Spiritual Master Dao Quan is here!”
The man who wore a bronze mask welcomed him and smiled, “Spiritual Master Dao Quan must have brought us good news this time!”
“You’re right.”
Spiritual Master Dao Quan took out seven kinds of medicines and placed them in a line, “This time Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor had competed with Wanderer Zhen of Little Jade Capital. Even though he had killed Wanderer Zhen, he must have gotten injured as well. Having little divine physician beside him on this journey, I had thought the little divine physician would help treat him, therefore, the medicine used would reveal the state of Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor’s injuries. These seven medicines were the medicine little divine physician had refined last night. May everyone have a look?”
High Official Ma Lianshan asked in astonishment, “Spiritual Master Dao Quan normally doesn’t give in to heaven nor earth and believes he is the number one in the art of healing, and even Little Poison King has to flatter you. How come you’re calling a little brat divine physician today?”
Spiritual Master Dao Quan said solemnly, “In the past, I viewed highly of myself because no one could be compared to me in terms of medical knowledge. They were just quacks that knew some prescriptions, that’s all. Even Little Poison King had merely inherited Jade Face Poison King’s abilities and didn’t have any contributions on his own. Furthermore, I despise his character, someone who would even betray his master makes me hold him in contempt. However, this little divine physician is indeed worthy of his title.”
He pointed at the first medicine and said, “This is the herbal soup the little divine physician brewed using dozens of herbs. Just the poisonous herbs alone take up more than half of the soup. This herbal soup help in stimulating the soul and cure the injuries on the soul. Is Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor’s soul injured?”
An old man panted, “He’s indeed injured. I had used my Pure Yang Thirty Six Heavenly Spirits Star Fiends to injure his soul but he had also injured me.”
Spiritual Master Dao Quan said, “This herbal soup is to treat the injury of his soul which exactly what he needed. The second medicine is an ointment. Does Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor has an external injury which carries fire poison?”
Another old woman grinned, “Spiritual Master is very accurate, there is fire poison hidden in my technique. When we ambushed Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor then, I had managed to land a hit on the back of his heart.”
“Little divine physician’s ointment helps in getting rid of the fire poison.”
Spiritual Master Dao Quan pointed at the third medicine, “There is gold qi hidden in this spirit pill which is extremely sharp. Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor should have suffered from some venomous insect or wood poison. Who used wood poison or venomous insect when injuring Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor that day?”
Another elder chuckled, “When we three ambushed Imperial Preceptor then, I used venomous insects.”
“Then that’s it.”
Spiritual Master Dao Quan continued, “The fourth medicine is for steaming technique. Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor has injuries in his seven great divine treasures thus it’s hard for the medicinal properties to infiltrate, therefore this little divine physician turned the medicinal energy into gas, steaming Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor in the steamer.”
The cult masters in Luoguang Temple smiled, “Why didn’t he get cooked by steaming?”
“Other than that, there are still some hidden dangers not ridden off, therefore, this little divine physician then used acupuncture and moxibustion. Those needles are hollow and the fifth medicine is hidden in the needles. This medicine evaporates very fast and will seep into his skin after entering his body.”
Spiritual Master Dao Quan pointed to the sixth medicine and said, “This medicine is used to strengthen the body, to strengthen the effect of this treatment. The seventh medicine is a supplement which is used to nourish Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor’s body. After this test, I can already confirm without a doubt that Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor has yet recovered.”
He gave an exclaim of admiration and continued, “However, giving this little divine physician a month’s time, Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor would be nursed back to his peak performance and all his injuries would be healed without any hidden danger left behind!”
The palace master of Passion Parting Palace frowned as she said softly, “Everyone, Imperial Preceptor’s injuries seem to be more serious than we expected.”
That man wearing the bronze mask smiled, “That’s because he met Wanderer Zhen of Little Jade Capital. I had known Wanderer Zhen back in the days and had close connections with him. It’s just that after he had gone to Little Jade Capital, we had lesser dealings with each other. Wanderer Zhen is also at the peak of Divine Bridge Realm and not much inferior compared to Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor.”
Spiritual Master Dao Quan said, “Wanderer Zhen of Little Jade Capital has already died. Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor killed him. I felt the pulses coming from the mountain when I was at Li City.”
Passion Parting Palace Master’s gaze landed on the man with the bronze mask, seemingly wanting to know whose face it was underneath the mask, “You made use of your friendship with Wanderer Zhen from the early days to send him to his death, aren’t you too scheming? Ever since I met you, you have been always wearing a mask and don’t dare to show your face. You betrayed your friend and hide your identity, this makes me very worried. If I’m betrayed by you, I’m afraid I won’t even know who betrayed me.”
“Palace Master Qiu, you can be at ease, there is definitely nothing going wrong with him.”
Passion Parting Palace Master Qiu Dieyi looked towards the source of the sound and saw the person speaking was one of the three wonders of Three Wonders Castle, Big Castle Lord Che Zhengli, the father of Imperial Consort Che in the capital city.
After he had rebelled, Imperial Consort Che was implicated by him and now it wasn’t known if she was dead or alive in the cold palace.
Passion Parting Palace Master said indifferently, “Really no problem? Just because you said so? Castle Lord Che, don’t forget you’re also a relative of the royal family.”
Che Zhengli’s expression changed slightly and was about to say something when an old woman laughed, “Palace master, there is no problem with this person’s identity.”
The old woman who spoke this was one of the three strong practitioners of the old generation that had ambushed Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor. Since that she had said no problem, Passion Parting Palace Master could only restrain herself.
“Since Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor is still suffering from his serious injuries, should we give him time to recuperate?”
The bronze mask man looked around and asked, “He ordered He Xiaopeng to come over and gave us two choices. It’s time for us to make a decision. Which choice should we choose?”