Chapter 7: Poison in Medicine

Since the night Fang Chenghu returned wounded, three days had slipped by in the blink of an eye.

Fang Chenghu lowered his palms and exhaled a breath of stale air. Feeling the surging power within his body, he could not suppress a joyful smile. In three days of day-and-night training, his internal power had nearly doubled—a speed of progress that would have been unimaginable in the past.

He had expected that the first day of training would place a massive burden on Chen Tiansheng’s body, leaving a lasting mark from the infusion of yin-cold poison. Yet, he had not anticipated that the boy’s body would be like a bottomless pit, constantly absorbing and even plundering nearly half of the yin energy. Still, the efficiency of his training was far higher than ever before, so he felt no anger. As for why this was happening, Fang Chenghu did not know; to him, as long as he profited, it was a good thing.

Looking at Chen Tiansheng, who was slumped against the cave wall, Fang Chenghu wore a mocking smile. He thought to himself that no matter how well a mortal body could neutralize yin energy, it was still just a mortal body; enduring this much was bound to break it. By the looks of things, the boy likely wouldn't live until tomorrow.

Noticing Fang Chenghu’s gaze, Chen Tiansheng’s lips trembled as he said weakly and powerlessly, "This humble one congratulates Master Fang on your great advancement in power. Being able to assist in your cultivation is truly a great fortune."

Hearing this, Fang Chenghu laughed, not bothering to hide his playful, mocking grin. He looked at Chen Tiansheng as if he were trash, stroked his smooth chin, and said with a sarcastic tone, "You really are cut out to be a dog-slave. You should feel honored to be able to help me train."

"To be able to serve you, Master Fang, is this humble one’s greatest honor." Chen Tiansheng did not show anger; he trembled, finishing his sentence as if he were about to draw his last breath.

Seeing him like this, Fang Chenghu’s smile deepened, and he said with a playful, malicious glint in his eyes, "Since you are so honored, you should also be happy if I kill you, right?"

Chen Tiansheng’s face showed shock, followed by a look of resignation. "If Master Fang does not kill me, I doubt I would survive anyway. Before I die, might I beg Master Fang to pass on a final message to my sister-in-law?"

"To think you are so loyal to me; even though I am about to kill you, you show neither anger nor fear." Fang Chenghu seemed genuinely surprised. Heartless as he was, a flicker of pity arose in him for the boy before him. His tone became calm as he said, "If I told you that I deceived you from the very beginning, that I kidnapped you to help me train only to kill you in the end, and that I never even checked on your sister-in-law’s safety, would you be angry?"

Fang Chenghu had originally intended to taunt Chen Tiansheng before killing him cruelly, but the boy’s innocence had softened his heart. He wanted Chen Tiansheng to die with his eyes open; he had never before bothered to explain so much to a dying person.

Upon hearing this, Chen Tiansheng was stunned for a moment, then sighed and said, "I come from a poor background. While others were studying, I could only serve as a lowly errand boy, beaten by customers at the slightest provocation, never knowing when I might lose my life. To me, being able to help someone who might one day enter the Immortal Gate is already a supreme honor. To die not only brings release but also leaves a name behind—I am content."

"As for my sister-in-law, Master Fang, you are a busy man of great importance; you cannot be expected to attend to everything. Tricking me was for my own good, allowing me to focus entirely on helping you train, so I do not blame you."

The voice was weak and frail, but to Fang Chenghu, it struck like a tolling bell. He could hardly imagine a fourteen-year-old boy possessing such a pure heart, which truly moved him. Yet, even so, for the sake of his own life, Fang Chenghu was determined to kill Chen Tiansheng.

Taking a deep breath, Fang Chenghu said in a deep voice, "Although I do not wish to kill you, I have no choice. In any case, you have suffered from such heavy yin poison that you would not live long anyway; killing you is merely granting you release."

As he spoke, he took down the broadsword from his back, unwrapped the black cloth, and gripped the hilt. "This Dragon-Phoenix Treasure Blade and the Myriad Yin Soul-Devouring Technique are treasures I obtained abroad. This blade can devour human souls. Dying by this sword means your soul will become nourishment for the blade, equivalent to staying by my side in the future, witnessing me carve out a path in the martial world and the Immortal Gate!"

The blade was nearly a meter and a half long, straight-bodied, carved with dragons and phoenixes, as wide as a door plank, and half a finger thick. It was covered in chaotic slash marks, and the tip was slightly leveled, as if it had been severed by something sharper—it did not appear to be a complete blade, giving the impression of a weapon that had spent many years on the battlefield.

What shocked Chen Tiansheng was that this blade could devour souls! Though a mortal, he had heard stories of the Immortal Gate; items with soul-devouring effects were rare and highly coveted, often sparking great wars. And now, Fang Chenghu possessed such a thing—two of them! The soul-devouring technique combined with the soul-devouring blade was a perfect match.

Amidst his shock, Chen Tiansheng quickly reined in his thoughts and, with a look of gratitude, said, "Thank you, Master Fang, for telling me. I hope to witness your brilliance from within the blade in the future..." He hesitated, then asked cautiously, "Before I die, could I brew one last pot of medicine for you?"

Fang Chenghu hesitated, glancing at the "Hundred Herb Yin-Boosting Decoction" by the fire, then at Chen Tiansheng’s sincere and pitiful expression. His heart softened, and he nodded. "Very well."

These herbs were bought to assist his training—three doses in total, one per day. The final dose was supposed to be brewed that morning, but because his training had gone so smoothly, he hadn't bothered. Besides, Chen Tiansheng was so exhausted that brewing it would only be a waste of time, if he even had the strength left. But since it was Chen Tiansheng’s dying wish, and it was for his own sake, why not indulge him?

As for the treasure hunters, Fang Chenghu knew Little Jade Mountain well. They could not possibly find this place so quickly, and if they had, the wild beasts in the mountains wouldn't be so quiet. With his current abilities, he could easily leave if he sensed any disturbance from the beasts.

With Fang Chenghu’s consent, Chen Tiansheng sat up with difficulty and slowly moved toward the fire to brew the medicine, while Fang Chenghu sat down to chew on a piece of hard, dry flatbread.

An hour later, Chen Tiansheng sat weakly by the fire, a strained smile on his face, and said in a voice so faint it was barely audible, "Master Fang, the medicine is ready."

Fang Chenghu, having entered the martial arts world, possessed extraordinary hearing and could catch Chen Tiansheng’s words. Without much thought, he went to the fire, picked up the pot, let it cool, and drained it in one gulp.

Checking for poison? There was no need. Chen Tiansheng was in such a state that he couldn't possibly poison him; even if he did, Fang would notice. During the brewing, Chen Tiansheng’s hands were either warming by the fire or handling the soup, with no suspicious movements of retrieving poison from his person. Furthermore, if he were to poison him, he would have done so the previous two times when he was healthier. And, quite uniquely, he had come to trust Chen Tiansheng.

After finishing the decoction, Fang Chenghu wiped his mouth with his sleeve, grabbed the Dragon-Phoenix Treasure Blade, and approached Chen Tiansheng. "I have finished the medicine; now you can die in peace."

Chen Tiansheng watched Fang Chenghu with a calm gaze. As the other man raised the blade, he silently counted down in his heart: 3, 2, 1.

The moment the '1' hit, Fang Chenghu, who had just raised the blade, felt a sudden, sharp twist in his lower abdomen. It felt as if his intestines were being continuously sliced by knives. The intense pain caused his arm to go limp, and the blade he had just raised fell powerlessly. He staggered back against the cave wall, clutching his stomach, wondering what had happened.

Poisoned? He couldn't imagine how. It was likely that something had gone wrong with the Myriad Yin Soul-Devouring Technique; in his haste to speed up his training, he had neglected his body.

Thinking this, Fang Chenghu hurriedly sat cross-legged to circulate his energy and stop the pain. However, to his shock, the more he tried to suppress it, the worse the pain became. Then, his chest felt stifled and incredibly oppressed, a surge of heat rose up, and a sweet taste filled his throat. He vomited a large mouthful of blood, his strength continuously draining away until he was completely exhausted.

"What is going on!"

Fang Chenghu was both furious and terrified, unable to understand what had happened to his body. He dared not continue training and only hoped to wait for his body to recover. Fortunately, this place was hidden and there was no one else around to pose a threat. Of course, Chen Tiansheng was here, but he was a dying man.

*If only this boy were healthier,* he thought, *it is rare to find someone so loyal; perhaps he could have searched the mountains for pain-relieving herbs.* Fang Chenghu sighed inwardly, then looked toward Chen Tiansheng. The sight that met his eyes made his eyes widen in utter disbelief.

Before him, Chen Tiansheng showed no signs of fatigue, looking back at him with a brilliant, radiant smile.

The Eight Schools of Streetcraft included the Guild of Medicine. Chen Tiansheng had not learned how to heal—he had learned how to poison!

[Medicine as Poison]
[Characteristic: Good medicine becomes poison, and poison becomes even more lethal.]