Chapter 184: Poison Master
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: GaiaNove
"Knock him unconscious without killing him?"
Emperor Shen Zhui, Liu Ling, and Zheng Fei stared at one another as question marks popped above their heads.
Isn't he here to save the Royal Elder?
Why do you need something to knock him unconscious?
Don't people usually infuse zhenqi, feed medicine, or apply acupuncture and such to save others? Does knocking someone out help too?
The corner of Zhuang Xian's mouth twitched. He felt a tightening sensation at his backside and a constipated sensation overwhelmed him.
Even though he had consumed numerous medicine, his face remained swollen. His body was still aching from the beating that he suffered that day. Even though the other party had helped him achieve a breakthrough and he is genuinely grateful to the other party for that... Aren't his methods way too unorthodox?
There are set procedures which typical master teachers follow when helping others to achieve a breakthrough of their current cultivation realm. In fact, it had even a model. Yet, this fellow simply went ahead to blindfold him and beat him up... Even until now, he has yet to recover from the trauma of that incident.
Of course, he understood that his condition is unique and thus, it was within reason that he had to resort to such extreme means. However, why does he have to knock the dying Shen Hong unconscious to save him?
Could it be another inconceivable treatment method...
"There's a type of powder which can knock one unconscious with just a single whiff..."
After hesitating for a moment, Emperor Shen Zhui said.
All kinds of medicine can be found in the royal palace. It isn't difficult to find one that can knock a person unconscious without killing him.
"Good, bring it over!" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up as he instructed.
Soon, a eunuch brought a jade bottle over.
Opening the jade bottle, he saw that it was filled with white-colored powder.
"Good."
Nodding his head in satisfaction, Zhang Xuan took the bottle and walked up to Shen Hong. Under perplexed gazes, Yang shi walked up to the Royal Elder who was gasping for air and said with confidence, "Breathe it in! Come on, breathe it in!"
Putong!
Everyone nearly fainted.
They were puzzled over why he required the medicine, but upon hearing his words, they nearly choked to death on their own saliva.
When saving someone, one usually feeds tonic and spiritual essence... Yet, you feed him sedatives...
Are you sure you aren't here to murder him?!
While everyone had entered a frenzy, the royal family's Royal Elder struggled to shake his head, his face full of fear. If not for the fact that he was immobile, he might have leaped up and fled the scene.
At the peak of his health, breathing this in would place great stress on his body. Now that he is on the verge of death, if he were to take a whiff, he might just fall dead.
Do you think that I am not dying quickly enough? That you want to give me a helping hand?
With his heart full of panic, he turned to look at Emperor Shen Zhui.
Weren't you going to invite master teachers over so that I can achieve a breakthrough and extend my longevity?
Why is the person you brought trying to get me to breathe in sedatives?
What are you doing?
This is way too much!
"Cough cough, Yang shi... The old ancestor's body is extremely frail now. I'm afraid that... if he were to inhale it... his body might be unable to handle it!"
Upon noticing the doubtful gaze his Royal Elder shot him, Emperor Shen Zhui's mouth twitched and he hurried forward to stop him.
When he witnessed Yang shi's bizarre methods the day before, he thought that it would be limited to helping others achieve a breakthrough. To think that even his treatment method would be so incredulous.
The Royal Elder had already expended great willpower to hold on in wait of your arrival. If he were to really breathe it in, even if he doesn’t die, he wouldn't be too far from it.
"Unable to handle it?" Zhang Xuan stopped.
The other party's words made sense. The fellow looks as though he would die at any moment. He had been depending on his will to survive. If he were to really fall unconscious and the drive holding him here disappears, he may just die on the spot.
So now, I can't knock him unconscious, and neither can I have him execute a battle technique.
What should I do?
Zhang Xuan was at a loss.
He thought that by using the Library of Heaven's Path, he would be able to easily see the root of his illness. Even if he couldn't save him, he could discuss it to prove his expertise. But look at the situation, the other party just has to be in such a state, rendering him completely helpless.
"Then... is there anything that can temporarily boost his vitality, such that he will not die even if he were to be knocked unconscious?"
After hesitating for a moment, Zhang Xuan asked.
Since the other party is on the verge of death, using sedative is out of the question. Thus, he can only find a way to temporarily boost the other party's vitality so that he wouldn't die when he is knocked unconscious.
"Wouldn't die even if he were to be knocked unconscious?"
The others stared at one another.
This Yang shi is truly determined to knock Royal Elder Shen Hong unconscious...
"Liu shi, is there anything among the master teacher diagnosis methods that... require a person to be knocked unconscious?" Zhuang Xian secretly sent a telepathic message over.
There are many methods for a master teacher to diagnose a person's condition. Just like how a physician diagnoses a patient, through these methods, a master teacher can understand the exact condition of the person and point out the very core of his issue.
The 'expert' before them has practices simply too bizarre. Even as master teachers, they are unable to comprehend the logic behind his actions.
"This... Usually, the person has to be conscious to be diagnosed. Unconscious... I really have no idea at all!" Liu Ling shook his head.
He is knowledgeable and had toured many different kingdoms. He had seen people using all kinds of means to wake an unconscious person to diagnose him, but he had never come across knocking a person unconscious to diagnose him.
An unconscious person is not much different from a corpse, how can one identify his problem like that?
...
The few master teachers were baffled. Emperor Shen Zhui was also bewildered. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "This... the Royal Elder has already consumed all kinds of tonics that might possibly extend his longevity and boost his vitality. Just that these medicines are mostly ineffective now..."
Shen Hong had the backing of the entire kingdom. In order to extend his longevity, he had ingested all kinds of medicine and his body had already developed an immunity to medicinal effects. Even if he were to be fed with more medicine now, it is unlikely that it would be effective.
Hearing the other party's words, Zhang Xuan felt dismal.
Initially, he thought that once the old ancestor is fed with some medicine, he would regain sufficient vitality to execute a battle technique. Yet, this fellow turned out to be a drug junkie, and medicine is ineffective on him...
The hell, am I really going to fail this time?
"I do know of one item that can boost a person's vitality for a short period of time. It works just like the medicine that Emperor Shen Zhui mentioned; after consumption, it grants a weak person temporary strength and spirit. Furthermore, it has minimal side effects. However..."
Liu Ling had contemplated for some time before speaking. But speaking to this point, he hesitated all of a sudden.
"But what?"
Zhang Xuan turned to take a look.
"However... It isn't a tonic but a... poison!" Liu Ling said.
"Poison?"
Zhang Xuan was confused.
Doesn't poison usually harm others? How would consuming poison boost a person's vitality, and not to mention, cause minimal side effects?
Not just him, even Emperor Shen Zhui was puzzled by his words. He immediately turned to look at Liu Ling with a strange expression.
"Everyone knows that poison masters are of the Lower Nine Paths. They often concoct poison to secretly harm others. Their despicable means brought them despise. Even so, given how the profession had been passed down throughout the ages, it shows that there is value to its existence.”
Zheng Fei said.
All professions that are passed down are surely useful in some ways.
Even though poison masters possess poor reputation, they aren't entirely scourges of the human society. They are also useful in their own ways. For example, if a person wants to get rid of pest or avoid miasma, they would require the help of such a person.
"Indeed, I've heard of the substance as well. From what I know, it is concocted using more than a dozen venomous substances in a specific ratio. Just like pill forging, it is incredibly difficult to concoct. The various ingredients would need to be mixed in a specific manner in a specific ratio such that they would complement one another and form a perfect balance. In that case, not only would it not be detrimental to one's health, it can even stimulate a person's latent potential and induce the recovery of their vitality for a short period of time."
Zhuang Xian seemed to have thought of it as well and he nodded his head in agreement.
After which, he turned over to look at Yang shi with a confused expression. "Even though poison master is an extremely remote profession, this item is extremely common in 1st Tier Kingdoms. Yang shi... You don't know about it?"
Not just him, even Liu Ling and Zheng Fei were extremely puzzled.
A master teacher has to be knowledgeable about the occupations of the Upper, Middle, and Lower Nine Paths, as well as their skills. During the examination to become a 1-star master teacher, one has to answer questions on the topic in detail.
As such, there isn't a single master teacher who doesn’t know of this.
The person before them is able to offer them pointers, revealing that he is obviously an extremely high tier master teacher. Yet, how can he be ignorant of poison masters and the medicine they concoct?
In fact, it seemed as if it is his first time hearing of it?
"I... don't like poison masters as an occupation, so I didn't study much of it..."
Looking at the doubtful gazes the others were shooting him, Zhang Xuan felt slightly awkward.
Possessing the Library of Heaven's Path, it is no problem for him to offer pointers. However, when it comes to common knowledge, it is easy for Zhang Xuan to give himself away.
As a master teacher, one must have an incredible discerning ability to identify the root of a problem. In order for one to possess such perceptive eyes, one has to have a wide range of knowledge.
Without having a wide range of knowledge as a foundation, how can a master teacher recognize the crux of a problem in a single look and offer guidance?
And what Zhang Xuan lacks is this accumulation of knowledge.
He is able to hoodwink people through the use of the library, but his ignorance shows through readily when met with this kind of general knowledge questions.
"You don't like it? Didn't study much of it?"
The frown on Liu Ling and the others’ faces deepened.
As long as one had been to a 1st Tier Kingdom, even the deaf and blind would be aware, needless to say, a high tiered master teacher.
Besides, a master teacher should be open to everything. They had never heard of one refusing to study a subject just because he hated the occupation...
Those are obviously words of an outsider.
If not for the fact that the other party had offered them pointers, and had showcased his incomparably vast knowledge in the field of cultivation, they would have suspected that he is an imposter.
"Do any of you have the medicine?"
Judging from the faces of the crowd, Zhang Xuan realized that he must have mentioned something inappropriate. Fortunately, he was born thick-skinned and this allowed him to remain composed. He changed the topic immediately.
"This medicine has to be concocted by a poison master on the spot as it cannot be stored. Otherwise, changes would occur within the medicine, resulting in the balance between the various venomous substance to be destroyed, causing it to become a deadly poison... How can we possibly have such a thing!"
Liu Ling nodded his head. The doubt in his eyes deepened.
This Yang shi is way too amateur!
It is impossible for a master teacher to ask such a question.
The same thought also sprouted in Zhuang Xian and Zheng Fei's minds. In that instant, they once again began to doubt Yang shi’s identity as a master teacher.
"Is that so..." Knowing that the other party was already suspicious, Zhang Xuan knew that he shouldn't linger further on the topic. He immediately turned to Emperor Shen Zhui and said, "Since that's the case, then I would have to bother Your Majesty to find a poison master to concoct it!"
At this, he paused for a moment. Then, ignoring the gazes that the others cast, he spoke with a majesty unique to master teachers, "I need this medicine to save your Royal Elder!"
"This..."
This time, it wasn’t just the three master teachers, even Emperor Shen Zhui was perplexed by Zhang Xuan's demand. "Our Tianxuan Kingdom is a remote country which doesn't even rank into the tiers... As such, we do not have any poison masters in our lands... Yang shi, it can't be that you are not aware of it?"
"You don't have poison masters here?"
Gedeng, Zhang Xuan's heart skipped a beat.