A Strange Kind of Poison

Ghostfeared suddenly turned around and lunged forward, black claws reaching for Fengyun Wuji. But Helian Nanshan, standing nearby, slapped his hands away with visible disgust."That's my master. Keep your filthy hands off him."

Ghostfeared shot him a glance but ignored the warning. Instead, he stared intently at Fengyun Wuji, rubbing his hands together with greed gleaming in his eyes."Could it be... you possess the legendary Longevity Pill?"

"I do not," Fengyun Wuji replied flatly.

"You dare mock me?" Ghostfeared's face darkened with anger—but Fengyun Wuji's next words rekindled his interest.

"I don't have a Longevity Pill," he said calmly, "but I do have a way to prolong your life. And not just to make it longer—healthier too. Want to try?"

Before Ghostfeared could react, Fengyun Wuji flicked his finger, sealing his acupoints in an instant.

"You dare—!" Ghostfeared gasped in terror, watching Fengyun Wuji approach with an unreadable expression.

"Hah! Serves you right, old fool," Helian Nanshan jeered, clearly misunderstanding Wuji's intentions. "Now my master is taking action—whether you want the treatment or not, you're getting it!"

Fengyun Wuji glanced at him and said coldly, "When did I ever agree to be your master?" With that, he struck Ghostfeared's shoulder with his palm.

Helian Nanshan mumbled awkwardly, clearly flustered. In his mind, though, he added, Once I serve you well enough, you'll have no choice but to become my master... Heh.

Before his ascension, any martial art capable of cleansing the marrow and refining the body was revered as a sacred technique. But after ascending, Fengyun Wuji came to understand a simple truth: once one's cultivation reached a certain level, there was no need for specialized techniques. One could cleanse another's body and marrow at will. That was exactly what he was doing now.

Ghostfeared felt a warm surge of energy flowing through him. It circled his heart, strengthening it, then expanded through his entire body. Everywhere it passed, comfort and vitality followed. The sensation was so overwhelming that he nearly moaned aloud in pleasure.

Crack—pop—

To Helian Nanshan's astonishment, the old hunchback Ghostfeared began to straighten. His joints popped and his crooked frame expanded. In moments, the frail, perverse little man transformed into a robust elder. His silver hair turned a pale gray, with hints of black returning. Deep wrinkles smoothed out, and his once-ugly skin regained a healthy luster.

Helian Nanshan could hardly believe his eyes. Is that really Ghostfeared? The transformation was so complete that anyone seeing him now would never believe this imposing man had once been a feeble, twisted figure.

Fengyun Wuji casually released the acupoint seal."Consider that an advance payment. Once you cure You Shuang, I'll give you the rest."

"T-thank you, senior..." Ghostfeared said, stunned by his own voice—clear, powerful, full of vigor. He clutched his throat in disbelief. The gift Fengyun Wuji had given him far exceeded his wildest expectations.

"Hahahaha—Ghostfeared! Ghost—" Helian Nanshan burst into laughter, only to fall silent as Wuji cast him a sharp look. He covered his mouth at once and dared not make another sound.

Following Helian Nanshan's gaze, Ghostfeared finally noticed his own transformation. His ill-fitting clothes looked ridiculous now on his renewed body. Face flushing, he muttered a quick excuse and hurried into the back room.

He felt like a young man again—twenty, perhaps. So strong, so full of life. As he closed the door, he couldn't help letting out a long, elated laugh.

Moments later, Ghostfeared returned wearing a simple gray robe. He now looked the part of a true master physician—dignified, serene, with an air of immortal grace.

"Let me examine him first," he said. "Now that I've accepted half the payment, I'll give it my all."

Though his martial prowess was limited, Ghostfeared had the knowledge to recognize power when he saw it. Cleansing someone's body and marrow so easily—it was something even those who had ascended rarely achieved. He had lived deep in the mountains for years but had his own ways of gathering information. Word of what happened in the martial world rarely escaped his notice.

Guessing Wuji's true background and marveling at his abilities, Ghostfeared didn't dare posture any longer—especially not with the rest of the payment on the line. He immediately called over a few young attendants and had them take the unconscious Leng Ruoshuang from Helian Nanshan, laying him carefully on a plain wooden bed.

"This isn't a test," Fengyun Wuji said quietly, but the authority in his tone was unmistakable. "You must cure him. Understood?"

Ghostfeared trembled slightly but steadied himself. "Understood."

He reached out with one hand and placed it on Leng Ruoshuang's wrist, closing his eyes to focus. Both Fengyun Wuji and Helian Nanshan held their breath, not daring to interrupt.

Moments passed. Ghostfeared's brow furrowed, growing tighter and more troubled with each second, confusion spreading across his face.

After a quarter of an hour, he finally opened his eyes, looking deeply unsettled and disheartened.

"You... you can't heal him either?" Helian Nanshan asked anxiously. This was about his future—he couldn't stay calm.

Ghostfeared didn't respond right away. Instead, he clasped his hands behind his back and stared out the cracked window."I've spent over sixty years perfecting my craft. I know every meridian, every organ. I could dismember a man into thousands of pieces and still put him back together perfectly. Even those ancient conditions—like the rare Nine Yin and Nine Yang congenital pulses—I could treat without hesitation. There's not a single known illness I can't at least attempt to cure."

"But this case..." He shook his head. "It's baffling. His internal organs were clearly pierced, but someone with incredible skill saved him. Combined with his own immense inner strength, he should be fine. And yet, he remains unconscious. I fear the true issue lies in the poison still within him."

"I figured as much," Helian Nanshan said. "But poison? That's considered a minor branch of medicine. Don't tell me that someone with your reputation—Ghostfeared, the divine physician—can't handle a bit of toxic residue?"

Ghostfeared shot him a cold glance, then turned to Fengyun Wuji. The insult stung, but he dared not lash out.

"Senior," he said respectfully, having already guessed that this youthful-looking man was far older and far more powerful than he seemed, "the belief that poison is a lesser art is common among street doctors. But in skilled hands, it can heal as well as harm. And what afflicts this young man... I fear it's not merely poison."

"What?!" Fengyun Wuji and Helian Nanshan cried out in unison.