The Martial Doctor

Dongguo Sun is no fool.

With Lin Miao’s reminder, he immediately wondered if this "Jin Jiu" was intentionally leading him towards the "Celestial Fire Furnace".

Did he already know about his identity as a descendant of Huichun Valley?

If so, then Jin Jiu is very likely one of them.

"Sanshui, my little nephew, have you ever heard of an organization called Wuyou Hall?" Dongguo Sun pondered for a moment before solemnly asking.

Wuyou Hall?

Lin Miao frowned slightly. He had never heard of this name before. His understanding of the martial world was limited to the information Si Miaoxue and others had shared with him.

Usually, they would only tell him what he wanted to know, and if he didn’t ask, they wouldn’t say more. Essentially, he wasn’t considered a man of the martial world.

"What about the Wuyou Elixir?"

Lin Miao knew about this. The Wuyou Elixir is an evil elixir created by the Elixir Alliance to control people. It is highly addictive and can dominate one’s mind. In his view, it should be considered a highly addictive and dependency-inducing "D" product.

If there truly were a medicine that could control the mind, the world would not be as it is today.

There’s only one character difference between Wuyou Elixir and Wuyou Hall. Could there be a connection?

"The Wuyou Elixir is made by Wuyou Hall. The hall master of Wuyou Hall is a descendant of the Elixir Alliance’s Ye Chen. However, I don’t know who is in charge now. While many people can make Xiaoyao Powder, the highest quality and most expensive ones are still produced by Wuyou Hall. Only Wuyou Hall knows the secret formula for the Wuyou Elixir."

Lin Miao remained silent. He knew that Xiaoyao Powder could induce addiction and hallucination. He could roughly analyze its components.

It’s nothing more than something similar to Five Stone Powder, but he had only heard of the Wuyou Elixir and had never seen it personally.

"Xiaoyao Powder and Wuyou Elixir..."

"They are not the same. I did a component analysis. They seem to share similar effects, but the Wuyou Elixir is scarier than Xiaoyao Powder. The addiction of Xiaoyao Powder can still be kicked, but once you touch Wuyou Elixir, you’re trapped for life..."

"Furthermore, the Wuyou Elixir also has the effect of boosting cultivation and combat power. Taking it in battle can significantly increase a Martial Artist’s strength and make them fearless. When it first appeared, people marveled at it, but once its horrors were recognized, it was banned. Profiting from it to control people’s hearts has been deemed a sinister path."

"Then isn’t this Wuyou Hall worse than the demonic sect?"

"Even though the demonic sect bears the ’demonic’ name, their actions are just ruthless and bizarre, still considered human. Wuyou Hall’s actions aim to control and enslave, becoming increasingly inhumane, using drugs for profit and to enslave others. They are more disgraceful than the demonic sect, surviving in the shadows like rats and cockroaches," Dongguo Sun said with disdain.

"Why did Wuyou Hall seek you out?"

"Because they want to use the Celestial Fire Furnace to refine Wuyou Elixirs, which makes the elixir more potent," Dongguo Sun replied.

"If they obtain the Celestial Fire Furnace, why specifically trouble you?"

"Because only descendants of Huichun Valley can control the Celestial Fire Furnace."

"Rejuvenation Skill?"

"Exactly, the Rejuvenation Skill. Using the Celestial Fire Furnace for alchemy is similar to using a regular Pill Furnace, but if Rejuvenation True Qi is added during the alchemy process, it stimulates further reactions among the medicinal ingredients in the furnace, catalyzing their potency. Of course, this not only applies to refining the Wuyou Elixir, but other elixirs as well, increasing the success rate. For example, if a regular Pill Furnace can produce ten pills from a batch, the Celestial Fire Furnace can make twelve or more, with superior quality, less impurity, and reduced pill toxicity, making it easier for the user to absorb."

"Rejuvenation Skill, if they want it, just give it. Why bother?" Lin Miao said nonchalantly.

"You know, if the Rejuvenation Skill is given to them, they’ll use the Celestial Fire Furnace to make an even more terrifying Wuyou Elixir. How many people would suffer then?"

"I ask you, if given a Wuyou Elixir, would you take it?"

"No." Dongguo Sun shook his head.

"What is Wuyou Hall’s goal in controlling people? Wealth, power. If it’s for money, the victims shouldn’t be ordinary people; ordinary people can’t afford it nor access it, so they aren’t the target clientele. If it’s for power, they’re already like rats that everyone wants to kill. If they want to step into the light, what happens?"

"The righteous sects of the martial world would band together to attack them," Dongguo Sun replied without hesitation.

"Then what are you worried about? If the sky collapses, taller figures will support it. Do you really need to take the burden of saving the world on yourself? Isn’t that exhausting?"

Lin Miao’s words left Dongguo Sun utterly baffled.

"But even if I don’t save the world, I can’t aid evil!"

"Suppose you never cared about the Celestial Fire Furnace, would there be so much trouble now?" Lin Miao asked, "You’re even being chased, unable to return home, living the rest of your life in unrest. What’s it for?"

"I want to rebuild Huichun Valley..."

"Huichun Valley is gone; there’s no dynasty that lasts a thousand years. If it’s gone, it’s gone. As long as the medical skills of Huichun Valley are passed down, does it matter if Huichun Valley exists?"

"It’s the lifelong wish of my master and me; I have to help him fulfill it!"

"After fulfilling it, what if Huichun Valley is destroyed again? Do you think those righteous sects would help you, or would Wuyou Hall come after you first?"

"I, I..."

A soul-searching interrogation.

This is absolutely a soul-searching question. If it were him, even if he knew that the master had the idea to rebuild Huichun Valley, he wouldn’t be so impulsively enthusiastic about it.

At the very least, one must first build up forces secretly and develop slowly. At his age, he still has such lofty goals without practical actions. He’s been talking about rebuilding Huichun Valley for so many years, but what has he actually done?

And he wants to pass the blame onto him? No way.

"Where’s your disciple?"

"I told him to hide, gave him some silver, at least he won’t starve." Said Dongguo Sun.

"And these years, how many disciples have you taken, and how many have you taught?" Lin Miao asked again, "To rebuild a sect, you can’t do it without people. You have no reputation, no people, who would come to your sect to learn skills? Once the sect is built, how will you maintain it? How will you cover the disciples’ expenses? There’s a saying, ’sitting idle will exhaust wealth’. A hundred thousand taels of silver might seem like a lot, but if you’re only spending and not earning, it won’t last long."

"Say no more, Sanshui, it seems I’ve lived my life like a joke. I’m not even as good as your master. At least he raised two outstanding successors like you, so the Huichun Valley lineage hasn’t completely ended." Dongguo Sun lowered his head in deep shame.

"Young Master, we should get going, or we might have to camp outdoors tonight." Lianxin came to remind.

"Time to leave."

"What about my Celestial Fire Furnace?" Dongguo Sun asked.

The Fire Qilin came waltzing over with a bright red Pill Furnace balanced on its head, followed by its little wife.

"How did it find it?" Dongguo Sun asked in shock, jaw-dropping.

"The place where you hide things, others might not find, but that doesn’t mean it won’t. The Celestial Fire Furnace bears your scent. How hard is it to follow your scent?" Lin Miao smiled slightly.

"Young Master, this furnace is too big, we need to find a box to put it in, it’s too conspicuous as it is." Lianxin suggested.

"Hmm, when we camp, find a box, put the furnace in, and also..." Lin Miao pointed at Dongguo Sun.

"I don’t want to be put in a box!" Dongguo Sun quickly shook his hands.

"Give him a horse to ride behind us." Lin Miao instructed Qiu Ze.

"Got it." Qiu Ze laughed heartily. He was very satisfied with his current life, not having to live on the edge, and his brothers seemed to see a promising future. Some were even thinking about settling down and getting married.

However, Qiu Ze felt he should have bigger ambitions since everyone else is progressing, he shouldn’t just stand still.

At nightfall, they camped.

After the poison had been mostly extracted using fire cupping therapy, Dongguo Sun’s poison wounds were basically no longer an issue.

"Young nephew, you actually have connections with the Snow Mountain Sect, those twin sisters seem to have lost their virginity. Was it you who did it?" Dongguo Sun put on his clothes and came up to Lin Miao with a sleazy look, asking mischievously.

Lin Miao put away the alcohol lamp used for cupping therapy, glancing sideways at him, "Worry more about yourself. Haven’t you spent quite a bit of silver on women over the years?"

"How did you know?"

"You forget, I’m a doctor. You’re a bit weak, did you think I wouldn’t notice?"

"Weak, you say I’m weak, how am I weak!" Dongguo Sun said unconvinced.

"No wonder you named your land ’Pillar’, turns out it’s all bark and no bite!" Lin Miao teased.

"You rascal, I am your uncle, how can you talk like this..."

"My master never mentioned you. Am I supposed to acknowledge you just because you say so?"

"What about the family records? I even taught you the Rejuvenation Skill. You can’t refuse to acknowledge that!" Dongguo Sun got anxious.

"Did I ask you for it?"

"If you don’t acknowledge it, I’ll go find my junior niece."

"If you dare, I’ll tell Mr. Helian that you’re up to no good, and you secretly watched her bathe just now..." Lin Miao laughed mischievously.

"You, you little brat, I never watched Helian Wanwan bathe. What is there to see in an old woman?"

"Oh, so you’re saying Mr. Helian is an old woman!"

Dongguo Sun was furious, giving himself a hard smack, cursing his loose tongue. He had fallen into Lin Miao’s trap.

"That’s more like it. Mr. Helian may be around your age, but she definitely doesn’t fancy your sleazy appearance." Lin Miao said mercilessly.

"You little rascal, is this how you talk to your uncle?"

"I haven’t acknowledged you yet."

"What do you mean? You’ve saved me, yet you don’t consider me your uncle?"

"I was afraid you’d be captured and cause trouble for me with your nonsense."