Chapter 23

The sound of the horn announcing the return of the Black Heaven Eight Kings echoed widely, and the martial artists guarding the outer courtyard of the headquarters, who were on strict watch, all shouted in unison.

- We greet the King of the Alliance!

- We greet the King!

Ma Jian and Du Bian, with a casual wave of their hands, dismissed the salutes of the Black Heaven Alliance martial artists and immediately launched into a flying step, heading straight for the Medicine King Hall.

Whoosh.

As soon as Ma Jian arrived at the Medicine King Hall, he called out in a hurry.

"Medicine King! Are you inside?"

Creak.

An old man with white hair and a fine beard poked his head out of the side door and snorted.

"Tsk tsk tsk. Did you stay out all night and get yourself into a mess again? The Blood Treasure Pill isn't ready yet, so come back next time! Didn't I already tell you?"

Ma Jian approached the Medicine King with lightning speed and whispered.

"We have been poisoned by the Intangible Poison."

"Intangible... Intangible Poison?"

Poison of the Poisoned, Intangible Poison.

A poison so terrifying that it was said to have disappeared from the martial world?

"Are you sure you're not mistaken? Intangible Poison hasn't been seen for hundreds of years."

Ma Jian's expression turned grim.

"No! Both of us are experiencing typical symptoms of Intangible Poison! We've already taken the half-month antidote!"

"Such a fool! Your vitality is already depleted!"

"Quick, make the antidote!"

"Are you crazy? Do you think the antidote for Intangible Poison is as common as the medicine sold on the street?"

Despite this, the faces of Ma Jian and Du Bian remained infinitely serious.

For the Black Heaven Alliance, this was no ordinary matter. Two of the Black Heaven Eight Kings were now in a critical condition.

"First, let's check the pulse!"

Ma Jian hurriedly extended his arm.

The Medicine King held his pulse and stared with half-open eyes for a long time before tilting his head slightly.

"Your Eight Extraordinary Meridians and Twelve Regular Meridians are perfectly normal. Your internal energy seems to have even increased, and I can feel an improvement in your vitality. Have you taken any tonics recently?"

Ma Jian clicked his tongue in disbelief.

"Stupid stonehead! What does 'intangible' mean? It's a colorless, odorless poison that causes symptoms without any signs! How can a so-called Medicine King not know this?"

"Well, that's true..."

Of course, it made sense.

However, no poison in the world could be completely symptom-free.

Poison, by nature, is a force that damages the human body.

No matter how subtle the poison, it cannot fail to affect the Eight Extraordinary Meridians.

Such a poison simply couldn't exist.

"Without a doubt, we were poisoned by Intangible Poison and were bedridden like cripples! We couldn't even move our bodies!"

Ma Jian, who had not yet reached the Absolute Realm and thus did not understand the profound world of intent, could only think of it as a poison.

A martial art that can control the essence of all movements within a hundred feet with intent? It was a realm beyond imagination.

Du Bian added.

"It was a terrifying poison. Everyone within a hundred feet collapsed simultaneously. The poisoner was as cruel and ruthless as a demon."

Given that even the cautious Du Bian was acting this way, the Medicine King could not take the matter lightly.

"Did you say you took a half-month antidote?"

"Yes!"

"It might not be an antidote."

"What, what do you mean?"

"If your testimony is accurate, and it is indeed Intangible Poison, and if the poison has no presence in the Eight Extraordinary Meridians or the Twelve Regular Meridians!"

"Then, it doesn't exist?"

The Medicine King's face was extremely cautious.

"The answer is the brain. Intangible Poison is a poison that paralyzes the brain."

The Medicine King seemed to be quite certain.

"Your inexplicable vitality... don't you understand yet?"

"What, what are you saying!"

The Medicine King's diagnosis, which followed, was like a bolt from the blue to Ma Jian and Du Bian.

"The antidote you took is, in fact, a double poison that forcibly causes a false recovery!"

Clang!

For the first time in his life, Ma Jian dropped his sickle!

"False, false, false recovery..."

False recovery, a phenomenon where all latent energy explodes just before death, causing a temporary surge in vitality.

"That, that's ridiculous! I'm feeling so energetic, and you're talking about false recovery!"

With a cry that was almost a scream, Ma Jian's outburst made the Medicine King click his tongue.

"Originally, there is no antidote for poisons that damage the brain. There was a case where a highly skilled yanggang practitioner used the True Qi Guiding Technique to burn the poison out of the bone marrow, but the result was only idiocy. How can one call a soulless person a human being?"

As the Medicine King looked at Ma Jian with a sympathetic gaze, Ma Jian burst out in anger.

"Don't look at me with those eyes! Don't treat me like I'm already dead! Come up with a solution quickly!"

If the poison had seeped into the brain, even the Medicine King would have no proper solution.

"I have only one thing to say. What you took is not an antidote but another poison that temporarily causes a false recovery. If there is any hope, it lies in the mercy of the poisoner."

"Mercy?"

The Medicine King nodded silently.

"The basic principle of a poison master is to always have the antidote for all the poisons they handle. This is to prevent accidental harm to themselves. If it was someone who handled the Intangible Poison, known as the Heaven Destroyer, they would certainly have the antidote. Even if they don't have the antidote, they must know the method to detoxify."

"Damn it..."

In the end, it meant that the unlucky bastard still held the power over their lives.

This was the first time Ma Jian, who had reached the position of one of the Eight Kings, had been so angry with himself.

He never thought his fate would be controlled by a mere poison.

"Who was it? Intangible Poison? It's simply unbelievable. Was it a master from the Tang Family? Or the Poison Valley?"

Ma Jian turned around with a frustrated look.

"I don't know, you stonehead. I won't go around spreading this, will I?"

The Medicine King chuckled.

"If your body isn't broken, who would come to an old man like me?"

"Hmph!"

Ma Jian turned around and disappeared from the Medicine King Hall, and Du Bian followed silently.

* * *

Shen Ji Zhuge.

Central Plains Think Tank.

Zigou Xuanliang.

Words that symbolize the Zhuge family in the martial world.

Their family motto, "Be prepared for the times," is also well-known.

The descendants of Zhuge Liang have been involved in all the calamities of the martial world.

Their outstanding wisdom has saved the martial world many times, and the respect for the Zhuge family in the martial world is profound.

This influence is deeply rooted in the current Martial Alliance, to the extent that it is called the "Martial Alliance of the Shen Ji Zhuge."

Zhuge Mingxian.

The eldest son of the famous Wanbozi Zhuge Youyun and the current head of the Zhuge family.

He was carefully polishing the Phoenix Flag, which symbolizes the Zhuge family.

"Head, the Inner Court Master has arrived."

Zhuge Mingxian carefully put down the Phoenix Flag and composedly closed the window.

"Let him in."

Accompanied by a servant, Zhuge Ying entered the main hall. He was also the master of the Inner Court and the eldest son of the head, Zhuge Mingxian.

"Father."

Zhuge Ying, with the refined etiquette that reflects the Zhuge family's noble scholarly tradition, bowed respectfully.

Despite the excellent demeanor of the eldest son, Zhuge Mingxian only received the bow with a calm expression.

"What is it?"

Zhuge Ying took out a letter from his sleeve.

"It's news about Yun."

"Yun?"

Zhuge Mingxian, who initially looked pleased, soon frowned.

Indeed, his youngest son, Zhuge Yun, had just been appointed as a censor in the Inspection Office and suddenly announced that he would act independently, ignoring the alliance's orders.

This put the Zhuge family in a very difficult position.

The position of a censor in the Inspection Office is a powerful one.

After his youngest son was appointed to this position, various sects sent envoys with lavish gifts.

The censor in the Inspection Office oversees the wealth of all sects in the alliance. If one were to offend them, the survival of the sect could be at risk.

However, with such a significant position, the sudden announcement of acting independently and abandoning his duties was quite absurd.

Zhuge Mingxian began to read the letter.

Zhuge Mingxian, known for his expressionless demeanor and nicknamed Zhiyan, had his face gradually crumple.

His breathing became rough with unease.

His hands trembled.

"What, what is this...!"

At a time when he should have been apologizing and promising to return quickly, Zhuge Yun announced his resignation from the alliance's Inspection Office.

Not only that, but he also requested 20,000 taels of gold.

20,000 taels of gold is equivalent to the Zhuge family's annual income.

Upon reviewing the purpose of the funds, it was revealed that he intended to invest in the Zhaojia Trading Company.

Of course, Zhuge Mingxian knew about the Zhaojia Trading Company.

It was a company closely watched by the alliance, belonging to the Nangong family.

The Zhuge and Nangong families were like water and oil, and they were bitter enemies.

Why would he want to invest in the Nangong family?

"Father, may I also take a look?"

For Zhuge Ying, this was the first time he had seen his father so agitated.

He was desperate to know the contents of the letter.

Zhuge Mingxian, still trembling, handed the letter to his eldest son.

Zhuge Ying's reaction was not much different from Zhuge Mingxian's.

From the mouth of the highly respected Zhuge Ying, known for his outstanding scholarship and strict integrity, coarse profanity emerged.

"What a madman!"

He was almost proud of himself for restraining his foul language.

How could a censor's position be so easily discarded?

If the position of a censor were guaranteed, many would be willing to bring a fortune to the alliance.

Zhuge Ying crumpled the letter and leaped to his feet.

"This son of a bitch! I'll go to Anhui and bring Yun back, Father!"

Trembling.

With his fists clenched, Zhuge Ying shook uncontrollably.

As the eldest son, he was responsible for this generation. His brother's misbehavior was his responsibility.

"Sit down first."

Zhuge Mingxian had already returned to his calm demeanor.

His youngest son, who had shown no interest in anything outside of scholarship, formations, and engineering, had suddenly started talking about investments.

This meant that he had noticed something significant in the Nangong family.

The youngest son, known for his intelligence, had given up his position as a censor in the alliance to focus on the Nangong family's Zhaojia Trading Company.

From what Zhuge Mingxian had experienced, his youngest son was not someone who would easily fail.

"Do you remember what Yun said after returning from the Little Dragon Grand Assembly?"

Zhuge Ying, after a moment's hesitation, nodded.

"Was it about the Nangong guest, Zhao Hui?"

"Yes. The sleeping dragon Yun