Chapter 184: The Poison Master

“Quickly rendered unconscious, but not dead?”

Emperor Shen Zhui exchanged glances with Liu Ling and Zheng Fei, question marks appearing above their heads.

Weren't they here to save someone?

What did they need something that could make people unconscious for?

When saving people, one only heard of methods like infusing true qi, administering medicine, or acupuncture—was there such a method?

Unlike the others' bewilderment, Zhuang Xian, standing to one side, twitched at the corner of his mouth, feeling a tightening in his rear, a sensation of constipation rising up.

Although he had used many medicines, his face was still swollen today, and moving his body still caused some pain. Although the other party had helped him successfully break through, and he was grateful, the methods were far too unorthodox.

Normal renowned masters, when helping someone break through, followed a certain procedure, even forming standards. But this guy—blindly hitting with a club... even now, thinking about it made his heart race.

Of course, his situation was special and excusable, but to save the dying Shen Hong, what did he need something that could make people unconscious for?

He wasn't going to use some incomprehensible treatment method again, was he...

“There is a kind of medicinal powder here; one sniff can make a person unconscious...”

After a moment's hesitation, Emperor Shen Zhui said.

In the royal palace, all kinds of medicines were basically available; finding something that could make someone unconscious without killing them was not difficult.

“Good, bring it here!” Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up, and he instructed.

Before long, a eunuch handed over a jade bottle.

Pulling out the stopper, he indeed saw white powder piled inside.

“Not bad.”

Nodding with satisfaction, Zhang Xuan picked up the jade bottle and went again to Shen Hong's side. Under the crowd's puzzled gazes, he aimed the bottle mouth at the royal ancestor, who had more breath out than in, full of confidence and grandeur: “Sniff! Come on, take a sniff!”

Thud!

The crowd nearly fainted.

They had thought this medicine would have some use, but hearing this, the three renowned masters and Emperor Shen Zhui were almost choked by their own saliva.

When others saved people, they gave tonics, drank spiritual fluids, absorbed spiritual energy... but he made people sniff knockout drugs...

This wasn't saving people; it was killing them!

The crowd was exasperated, and the royal ancestor struggled and shook his head in terror. If his body could move, he would have jumped up and fled long ago.

When healthy, sniffing this would burden the body; now that he was about to die, he was still made to sniff it. Did he think he wasn't dying fast enough and wanted to help?

Anxious, he quickly looked at Emperor Shen Zhui not far away.

Weren't you going to invite a renowned master to treat me, to help me break through and extend my life?

Why did you come and make me sniff knockout drugs?

What kind of person did you find?

This is too much of a scam!

“Ahem, Master Yang... the ancestor's body is already extremely weak. I'm afraid... if he really sniffs it, he might... not be able to bear it!”

Seeing the ancestor's questioning gaze, Emperor Shen Zhui's mouth twitched, and he quickly stepped forward.

Having witnessed Master Yang's peculiar methods yesterday, he thought they were limited to breakthroughs. He never dreamed that treating illnesses would also be so damn bizarre.

Looking at the ancestor's state, it was already a great perseverance that he had held on until you came. If he really sniffed it, he would probably be as good as dead even if he wasn't already.

“Can't bear it?” Zhang Xuan stopped.

True, looking at this guy's condition, he could die at any moment, holding on purely by a thread of will. If he fell unconscious and lost that will, he might indeed die on the spot.

He couldn't make him unconscious, and he couldn't make him practice boxing?

What to do?

Zhang Xuan was troubled.

He had thought that upon arrival, with the library, he could easily see the crux of the problem. Even if he couldn't find a cure, he could say something about it. But now, half-dead, unable to use any method, he was at a loss.

“Then... is there anything that can temporarily enhance his vitality, so that even if he falls unconscious, he won't die?”

After a moment's hesitation, Zhang Xuan continued.

Since he could die at any moment, using knockout drugs to make him unconscious was certainly not possible. He had to find a way to temporarily enhance his vitality to ensure he wouldn't die when unconscious.

“Unconscious but not dead?”

The crowd looked at each other.

This Master Yang seemed determined to make Ancestor Shen Hong unconscious...

“Master Liu, in the diagnostic methods of renowned masters, is there any... theory of diagnosing only after making someone unconscious?” Zhuang Xian couldn't help but secretly transmit his voice.

Renowned masters had many diagnostic methods when examining people, just like doctors treating illnesses. Through these methods, they could understand the other party's condition and pinpoint the crux.

This 'expert' before them was acting too strangely, even for a renowned master to understand.

“This... diagnosis is done when the other party is awake. Unconscious... I don't know either!” Liu Ling shook his head.

He was well-traveled and had visited many kingdoms, having seen people specifically wake up unconscious people for diagnosis, but he had never heard of making awake people unconscious on purpose.

An unconscious person has no consciousness, almost like a corpse. How can you find the problem?

...

The several renowned masters were completely baffled, and Emperor Shen Zhui was also utterly confused. After a moment's hesitation: “This... the ancestor has basically used all the tonics he can take. Medicines that enhance vitality have little effect on him now...”

Shen Hong had the support of a kingdom behind him. To prolong his life, he had consumed countless medicines, and his body had developed strong resistance. Now, even if more medicines were given, they would have little effect.

Hearing this, Zhang Xuan became even more frustrated.

He had thought there might be some medicine to give him, to restore some spirit, and then have him practice a set of boxing to see. But this guy was a medicine jar, and medicines were ineffective...

Damn, was he really going to fail this time?

“I do know of something that can temporarily boost one's essence, energy, and spirit, similar to what Emperor Shen Zhui just mentioned. After taking it, it can increase strength and restore spirit in the weak, with very few side effects. However...”

Liu Ling spoke after some thought, but hesitated at this point.

“However what?”

Zhang Xuan looked over.

“However... it's not a tonic, but... a poison!” Liu Ling said.

“A poison?”

Zhang Xuan was puzzled.

Wasn't poison meant to kill people? How could taking poison increase one's essence, energy, and spirit, and have few side effects?

Not only him, but even Emperor Shen Zhui didn't understand and looked over with a strange expression.

“Everyone knows that poison masters are a lowly profession, concocting medicines, doing underhanded things like stabbing in the back, and are despised. But this profession has been fully passed down, which is enough to show that it must have value in existence.”

Zheng Fei, standing to one side, spoke up.

Any profession that can be passed down must have its merits; it can't be completely dismissed.

Although poison masters have a bad reputation, they actually have their uses. For example, ordinary people need their help to eliminate pests and avoid miasma.

“Yes, I've heard of this too. It's said to be made from a dozen or so potent poisons mixed in special proportions, extremely complex, like alchemy. The resulting concoction, due to the mutual suppression of many toxins, forms a perfect balance. Not only is it harmless to life, but it can also activate potential, allowing one to temporarily restore essence, energy, and spirit. It's quite miraculous.”

Zhuang Xian seemed to recall as well and nodded.

Then he looked over with a strange expression: “Although the poison master profession is obscure and rare, this kind of concoction is very common in first-class kingdoms. Master Yang... doesn't know?”

Not only he, but even Liu Ling and Zheng Fei were full of doubt at this moment.

A renowned master must first be erudite and knowledgeable. The three major and nine minor professions, along with some of their special abilities, are required to be answered in detail when assessing a one-star renowned master, just like when assessing alchemy apprentices.

As long as one is a renowned master, they basically know this.

This person before them, who could give them guidance, was clearly of a high level. How could he not have even heard of poison masters and the medicines they concoct?

Instead, he looked as if he was hearing about it for the first time?

“I... I don't like the poison master profession; I haven't studied it much...”

Seeing the crowd's doubtful expressions, Zhang Xuan felt a bit embarrassed.

With the Heavenly Dao Library, it was easy to guide others, but when encountering such common knowledge, it was easy to slip up.

As a renowned master, one must first have insight to see problems, and the main reason for sharp insight is erudition, possessing an astonishing amount of knowledge.

Without knowledge as a basis, how could one see the crux at a glance and give guidance?

And Zhang Xuan lacked this kind of accumulation.

Relying on the library to bluff a couple of sentences was fine, but when encountering such common knowledge, it was easy to slip up.

“Don't like? Haven't studied much?”

Liu Ling, Zhuang Xian, and the others looked at each other, their expressions even more peculiar.

As long as one had been to a first-class kingdom, even a deaf or blind person would know some of this, let alone a high-level renowned master.

Moreover, renowned masters teach without discrimination; it had never been heard that one wouldn't study a profession just because they didn't like it...

This was clearly the talk of an outsider.

If it weren't for the guidance he had given them earlier, knowing his insights into cultivation were incomparable, they would have suspected he was pretending and wasn't actually a renowned master.

“Does any of you have this kind of medicine?”

Seeing the expressions of the crowd, Zhang Xuan knew he must have slipped up somewhere, but he had a thick skin and kept his composure, immediately changing the subject.

“This kind of medicine must be prepared on the spot by a poison master; it cannot be stored. Otherwise, once one ingredient changes, it could mutate, breaking the balance and turning into a potent poison... How could we possibly have such a thing!”

Liu Ling shook his head, his doubt growing stronger.

This Master Yang's words were too novice-like!

Any renowned master wouldn't ask such a question.

Zhuang Xian and Zheng Fei had the same thought. At this moment, they once again began to doubt whether this Master Yang was genuine.

“I see...” Knowing they were suspicious, Zhang Xuan realized the more he said, the more troublesome it would be. He stopped dwelling on it and looked at Emperor Shen Zhui not far away: “Since a poison master is needed to prepare it, I'll trouble Your Majesty to arrange for it to be prepared!”

Having said this, he paused, completely unbothered by the crowd's gazes, carrying the unique authority and demeanor of a renowned master: “I need this medicinal liquid to treat your ancestor!”

“This...”

This time, not only the three masters were puzzled, but even Emperor Shen Zhui looked over with a strange expression: “Our Tianxuan Kingdom is just a low-ranking kingdom, without any rank... There is no poison master profession here... Master Yang, you wouldn't not know this, would you?”

“There isn't?”

Zhang Xuan's heart went “thump!”