Chapter 154 Elixir

"Don't meddle in other people's business, young man. This man in black is warning you not to interfere in the feud between the Ming Cult and the Sun Moon Cult."

Qu Feiyan thought about the words the man in black had said from afar and said to Shi Potian.

"I didn't interfere; I just saved one person," Shi Potian said.

"Besides, I don't know what grudges exist between the Ming Cult and the Sun Moon Cult."

"Don't tell me you don't know. Even I, a disciple of the Sun Moon Sect, don't know. All I know is that the two sides are locked in a life-or-death struggle, and the conflict is even greater than that between the righteous sects and the Sun Moon Sect," Qu Feiyan said.

"Feifei, this person is very skilled in martial arts. If he is also a member of the Ming Cult, then your Sun Moon Divine Cult should be careful."

Qu Feiyan asked nervously, "How skilled is this person in martial arts?"

Shi Potian thought for a moment and said seriously, "This person's martial arts are similar to those of the Great Wheel King and Yang Yinglong. Also, this person's internal energy is particularly strange and should have many unexpected uses."

Qu Feiyan gasped. She had witnessed the strength of Yang Yinglong and the Great Wheel King, but this masked man's martial arts were truly unfathomable.

In the entire Sun Moon Cult, perhaps only Dongfang Bubai could rival her. However, she was merely an insignificant disciple of the Sun Moon Cult and had no right to concern herself with such matters.

"Little brother, everything's alright here. Let's go back. Sister Long must be getting anxious waiting for us."

Shi Potian nodded in agreement and handed the Life-Sustaining Eight Pills to the old man.

The old man, holding the eight life-saving pills, wept with joy and kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "Thank you so much, Young Master Lin! Thank you so much, Young Master Lin! My daughter's life was saved by you, Young Master Lin!"

Zu Qianqiu clasped his hands and said, "Young Master Lin, I am deeply grateful. I will do anything for you in the future, even go through fire and water."

Shi Potian said, "You lost the Life-Sustaining Pill because of me. I should thank you. Go back and save your daughter. Be careful on the way."

The Yellow River Ancestor expressed his gratitude profusely and turned to leave. Zu Qianqiu took a few steps, then turned back and said, "Young Master Lin, Doctor Ping will definitely be back tomorrow. The two of us will go and invite him again tomorrow, and we will certainly bring him to your residence."

Shi Potian said, "Thank you."

Qu Feiyan took Shi Potian's hand and said, "Little brother, let's go back too. We've been out for half a day and haven't eaten. I'm getting thinner from hunger."

The two walked towards the city under the moonlight. Along the way, Qu Feiyan chattered incessantly, while Shi Potian occasionally responded, but his mind was always on the masked man.

Who is that person? His martial arts are so high. If Miss Yingying leads a group to hunt down the two Dharma Kings and runs into this person, it will be troublesome.

It was late at night when they returned to Kaifeng Prefecture. The backyard of the prefectural government office was brightly lit. Long Kui, Lin Zhennan, Madam Wang, and Yuan Fei Riyue were still awake, drinking tea and chatting in the hall. Seeing Shi Potian return, Madam Wang came forward to greet him, looking him up and down: "Ping'er, you're finally back! Why were you gone for so long? Did something happen?"

Qu Feiyan laughed and said, "Aunt Lin, a lot happened to us today. We didn't find Ping Yizhi, but we ran into two Ming Cult swindlers and got into a fight."

Madam Wang was startled: "A fight? Are you hurt?"

Shi Potian said, "No, Mother, I'm fine."

Upon hearing the name Ming Cult, Long Kui immediately became wary and asked, "Who are the swindlers in the Ming Cult?"

Qu Feiyan readily agreed and immediately recounted how she went out to find Ping Yizhi, encountered the Yellow River Ancestor, and was eventually taken to the Starry Sky Immortal King Temple.

Everyone was shocked to hear this. They never expected that so many things would happen after Shi Potian had only been gone for half a day. It turned out that a fairy maiden from Kaifeng City was actually the leader of the four great Dharma Kings of the Ming Cult.

Longkui inquired carefully about the appearances of the two Dharma Kings and the characteristics of the masked master's martial arts. Shi Potian explained in detail and even demonstrated the two palm techniques on the spot. The palm techniques were exquisite and unparalleled, leaving Longkui in awe. However, despite her extensive knowledge, she did not recognize this peerless martial art.

"His palm contains the energy of six yangs, and he moves with ease and agility. What kind of martial art is this? Why is it not recorded in any of the family's records? Is there such a master besides Piao Ranzi of the Ming Cult? Or is this person not from the Ming Cult?" Long Kui was completely puzzled.

Longkui turned around and exchanged a glance with the maid behind her. The maid understood and hurriedly went out.

"The two great Dharma Kings of the Ming Cult have come to Kaifeng and captured someone. Then a masked master came to their rescue. These traitors are getting bolder and bolder," Long Kui said.

Qu Feiyan said, "The person we arrested seems to be no ordinary person."

Long Kui laughed and said, "They might be arresting people from your Sun Moon Cult. The Sun Moon Cult and the Ming Cult are locked in a 'it's either you or me' situation."

Qu Feiyan laughed and said, "With you here, little brother, their efforts were in vain. Now that they've been discovered, they're probably busy running for their lives."

Shi Potian did not reveal anything about Ren Yingying, but thought to himself that Sister Long was indeed clever and guessed it right away.

Long Kui said to Shi Potian, "Young Master Escort, while you were away, someone came looking for you and waited for most of the day, and they didn't leave even when it got dark."

Shi Potian was taken aback: "Who?"

Longkui nodded slightly toward the side room.

The curtain was slightly lifted, and a short, stout old man strode out. He had an extremely large head, a sparse mustache on his face, and a short, stocky build, making him look somewhat comical. However, his eyes had a shrewd, restrained glint, revealing an indescribable cold arrogance and wickedness. He wore an ordinary blue cloth robe and carried an old medicine box in his hand. As soon as he entered, he stared straight at Shi Potian.

Qu Feiyan's eyes lit up: "Dr. Ping!"

The newcomer was none other than Ping Yizhi, the most notorious killer doctor in the martial arts world.

Ping Yizhi walked up to Shi Potian, looked him up and down, then glanced at Qu Feiyan and said with a smile, "Little girl, long time no see. How is your grandfather?"

Qu Feiyan said, "Grandpa is fine. Doctor Ping, why did you come here by yourself? My brother and I have been looking for you outside for ages."

Ping Yi pointed and said, "I heard that Young Master Lin was coming to Kaifeng, so I went up the mountain to gather herbs." He looked at Shi Potian and said, "This is Young Master Lin? No wonder."

Qu Feiyan said, "No wonder what? Aren't you supposed to heal one person and kill another? Why are you coming here all of a sudden? Don't you care about being a renowned doctor who kills people?"

Ping Yizhi said awkwardly, "Young Master Escort has killed hundreds of Japanese pirates; saving him a hundred times would be enough."

Qu Feiyan chuckled, becoming even more convinced that the Holy Maiden had sent him. Why would a renowned doctor who killed people care about Japanese pirates? Killing a pirate for him to research strange illnesses was more plausible.

Ping Yizhi waved his hand, not wanting to get entangled with Qu Feiyan, and said to Shi Potian, "Young Master Escort, come here, let this old man take your pulse."

He reached out and placed his hand on Shi Potian's pulse, closing his eyes and concentrating. After a moment, he opened his eyes, his brows furrowing slightly, and then switched hands. After another moment, he released his hand, lost in thought and remaining silent.

Madam Wang said anxiously, "Mr. Ping, my son's illness..."

Ping Yizhi sighed and said, "Young Master Lin's pulse shows vigorous blood and energy, profound internal strength, clear mind and bright eyes, strong consciousness, and no abnormalities in his internal organs. Let alone losing his soul, even if someone wanted to transfer his soul, it would be impossible."

"Young Master, this is not amnesia at all. The resurrection herb I picked was a waste of time. I am powerless to help you with this amnesia."

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the door. Zhou Wenbin, the prefect of Kaifeng, rushed in, covered in sweat, and bowed, saying, "Your Excellency, Young Master Lin, the highly respected disciple of Master Hong, who is a court official, has arrived. He says he has been sent by his master to treat Young Master Lin's illness."

Long Kui frowned slightly: "Master Hong's disciple?"

Zhou Wenbin said, "That's right. Master Hong originally intended to come in person, but something came up and he was delayed, so he sent his disciple ahead. This young master is already waiting outside the door."

Longkui nodded: "Please come in."

A moment later, a young Taoist priest entered, followed by Physician Wang. Upon seeing him, everyone recognized the young man as Hong Antong.

The boy was about fourteen or fifteen years old, with a handsome face, red lips and white teeth. He wore a moon-white Taoist robe, his hair was tied in two buns, and he held a whisk in his hand, giving him a somewhat otherworldly air. However, his eyes held a composure that was not commensurate with his age. His gaze swept across the hall and landed on Long Kui and Shi Potian, lingering for a moment.

"I am Hong Antong, and I have come here on the orders of my master, True Man Hong, to treat Young Master Lin." The young Taoist bowed and greeted him, his voice clear and neither humble nor arrogant.

Physician Wang smiled and said, "Your Excellency, Young Master Lin, although this young master is still young, he has already mastered the true teachings of Master Hong and his medical skills are profound. The other day in the capital, the young master saved a general who had fallen off his horse and become mentally impaired and unrecognizable to his family. The general's family searched for famous doctors everywhere without success, and even the imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital were helpless. In the end, it was I who recommended the young master."

"The young master's diagnosis was so swift that the general regained his senses and was able to mount his horse and fight again in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. Such skill is truly unheard of."

As he spoke, he glanced at Ping Yizhi with a hint of disdain in his tone, "Some quack doctors only know how to say 'I'm powerless,' you have to rely on the real person's divine skills."

Ping Yizhi's face darkened, and he snorted coldly, but did not reply.

Hong Antong smiled slightly, walked up to Shi Potian, looked him up and down, and nodded secretly, saying, "Young Master Lin, you certainly have a fine appearance. May I take a look at your pulse?"

Shi Potian extended his wrist. Hong Antong placed three fingers on his pulse point, closed his eyes, and concentrated.

As soon as they made contact, he was shocked. He thought to himself, "This young镖头 (bodyguard/escort) isn't much older than me, yet his skill has already reached such a level. How did he cultivate it? Judging from his pulse, it doesn't seem like he absorbed it with the Star Absorbing Technique."

A moment later, he opened his eyes, counted on his fingers as if he were calculating something, muttered incantations, then held up his whisk and circled around Shi Potian, just like he was performing a ritual.

After circling around three times, Hong Antong stopped.

"Young Master's illness is indeed strange," Hong Antong pondered. "His pulse is normal, and he is lucid, yet he cannot remember anything from the past. In my opinion, this is not a loss of soul, but a loss of spirit; one of his three souls and seven spirits has been sealed by some kind of evil spirit."

Ping Yizhi sneered, "Sealed off? Tell me, what kind of evil spirit is it?"

"Dr. Ping, please calm down."

Hong Antong remained calm and took out a small porcelain bottle from his bosom. He poured out a golden pill, which had a fragrant aroma that refreshed the mind and body.

"This is the 'Rejuvenation Pill' refined by my master using the marrow of a divine dragon. It has the effect of breaking through barriers and achieving divine connection. Once the young镖头 (bodyguard/escort) takes this pill, his sealed memories will naturally be unlocked."

Lady Wang was overjoyed: "Really? Then quickly give it to Ping'er!"

"Wait!" Ping Yizhi shouted, stopping him. "The tales of immortals are nothing but empty rhetoric, and the marrow of the divine dragon is even more absurd. Little Taoist, you might fool some ignorant women, but you're still too green to try and play tricks on me."

Having said that, Ping Yizhi took the pill, sniffed it, examined it carefully for a moment, stared at Hong Antong, and frowned, saying, "Your pill is indeed made from precious medicinal herbs, including ginseng, lingzhi, deer antler, leopard fetus... but where is the marrow of the divine dragon? However, it's not a poison, just a highly nourishing medicine. How dare you boast about it being a celestial elixir?"

Hong Antong said calmly, "How could an ordinary doctor possibly discern the secrets of my master's elixir?"

Imperial Physician Wang scoffed, "A quack doctor from the streets, what kind of master have I ever met? He can't even understand the ingredients of the medicine, yet he dares to comment on elixirs of immortality."

Ping Yizhi's face flushed red, and the whiskers on his big head stood on end in anger. Just as he was about to retort, Shi Potian said, "I'll eat it."

Lin Zhennan said, "Ping'er, let Doctor Ping take another look..."

Shi Potian laughed and said, "Father, Doctor Ping said it's a very potent tonic. Even if it's poison, I'm not afraid. Since it won't cure me anyway, there's no harm in giving it a try."

He took the pill, popped it into his mouth, chewed it, and swallowed it.

After swallowing the pill, there was no immediate reaction. A moment later, Shi Potian's expression suddenly changed, his whole body trembled, his eyes widened, and veins bulged on his forehead.

His hands were clenched into fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and his body trembled slightly, as if he were enduring great pain.

"Ping'er!" Madam Wang exclaimed in shock and rushed forward.

Long Kui abruptly stood up, her gaze sharp as knives, shooting towards Hong Antong, and shouted, "You audacious fiend, what kind of poison pill is this?!"

Hong Antong burst into laughter, his voice tinged with smugness: "It's done! It's done, Daoist Master has succeeded!"

His laughter was so loud that it shook the entire prefectural government office. Everyone was astonished, not expecting that this young Taoist priest had such remarkable internal strength.

At the same time, a hearty laugh came from afar, the sound soaring into the sky and spreading far and wide, probably heard by everyone in Kaifeng. This showed how profound the person's inner strength was and how arrogant their attitude was.

After the laughter subsided, a deep voice rang out from outside the door: "Young Master Lin, how does this Divine Pill taste?"

He was still outside the prefectural government office when he laughed, but he was already at the entrance of the main hall when he spoke, which shows how fast he was.

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw a tall, middle-aged Taoist priest in an apricot-yellow robe stride in. He had a handsome face, a long, flowing beard, and a pair of bright, piercing eyes.

Qu Feiyan was taken aback and exclaimed, "It's you!"

The newcomer laughed loudly, "Little girl, we meet again."

He walked up to Shi Potian, looked down at him, and said with a smile, "Young Chief Escort, how about my elixir? I went to great lengths to keep you from meddling in other people's business."

"Young Master Escort, I'm sorry, you are a genius, but it's a pity. However, I have no choice. Who told you to be so nosy and have such high martial arts skills at such a young age? I absolutely cannot let you ruin my plans tonight."

Shi Potian looked at the person in front of him. This person was none other than the masked man who had rescued the two Dharma Kings.

Longkui looked at the newcomer and said coldly, "You are Master Hong!"

"It is indeed me. I must thank Physician Wang. Without him, how could I have dealt with Young Master Lin and gotten close to you?"

"The Great Ming Dynasty's National Protector General, Princess Yongle."