The outside world remained calm for a few days, while Rong Zhi and Chu Qingze dedicated themselves to creating the antidote. Xia Yunting often left for extended periods, returning with the scent of blood, and his absences grew longer. On his last outing, he hadn't returned for two days.
During this time, Rong Zhi and Chu Qingze successfully produced the pills.
Seeing a large pot of broth condensed into merely three or five pills, Chu Qingze was astonished and couldn't help but sigh, "It takes so long to concentrate. If I had persevered a little longer, I might have developed the antidote long ago!" He had tried many methods, all of which had failed. One of them was similar to Rong Zhi's approach, differing only in heat and time.
"This is the antidote for the Seven-Day Death Poison!" He carefully collected the few pills into a bottle and sealed it with a stopper.
"Let's go to the Zhang Manor now!" Chu Qingze was already impatient.
Rong Zhi looked at his excited expression and suddenly thought of her disciples in Medicine King Valley. Upon closer inspection, Chu Qingze indeed bore some resemblance to her eldest disciple, Chu Yuheng.
"Wait, one more person is missing." Xia Yunting hadn't returned yet. Rong Zhi looked at the empty doorway, her heart filled with worry. Although Xia Yunting always seemed confident when he left and never suffered losses, this time he had been gone for too long. Had something happened to him?
As if on cue, the door was pushed open, and a blood-stained, disheveled figure entered. It was Xia Yunting, looking more exhausted than before and with several new wounds.
"You're injured?" Rong Zhi rushed forward to examine him, finding knife wounds on Xia Yunting's ribs and chest, which were not shallow. "Quick, come inside, I'll tend to them." She busily led Xia Yunting back to a room.
"I'll get the medicine." Chu Qingze ran to the pharmacy for wound powder and bandages. When he returned, Rong Zhi had already removed Xia Yunting's upper garment, revealing two long, ghastly wounds. He handed the medicine and bandages to Rong Zhi and was about to ask what had happened when Xia Yunting suddenly said, "Please, could you fetch me paper and a pen?"
"Oh." Chu Qingze, unsure of his intention, nodded and went to retrieve them.
Rong Zhi poured the medicine onto the wounds, and the white powder immediately turned a dark red. She frowned, "Were there many people this time?"
"I went to Yanzi Mountain," Xia Yunting replied calmly, causing Rong Zhi's movements to pause.
"You went inside the main house?" she asked, looking up with disapproval.
"Yes, I've confirmed the number of people inside." At this moment, Chu Qingze entered with paper and a pen. Xia Yunting took them, and began to sketch a map of the compound deep within Yanzi Mountain. "The 'Five Ghosts' were only guarding the perimeter. Inside, besides the main house, there are two rooms on each side. Each of those rooms has five hidden experts, far superior to the 'Five Ghosts'."
"And what's in the main house?" Xia Yunting's expression darkened as he recalled.
"Ten doctors experimenting with the poison and twelve guards." Those doctors and guards were all disguised as Xia Manor guards, and their behavior was deliberately mimicked to resemble his own guards. It was clear they intended to frame him. He clenched his fists. Without eliminating them, his hatred would not subside.
After bandaging him, Rong Zhi recalled the intelligence Xia Yunting had brought back over the past two days, gradually piecing it together in her mind. "So, Tang Yuanjiang's White Rat Hall is mainly responsible for Changping County, the hall master surnamed Zhu is in charge of the area around Yanzi Mountain, and inside Yanzi Mountain, there are dozens of other men and over twenty top experts."
"Yes," Xia Yunting added, remembering something else. "Some of the Silver Snake Hall's subordinates have joined the Black Face Hall, so that Zhu Hall Master has more than a hundred men under him."
"As the saying goes, it's easier to fight ten generals than to deal with one petty officer. We'd best not deal with the Black Face Hall and White Rat Hall directly, or it will be endless. It's better to make them fight amongst themselves. We'll cut off the Zhang family's financial route and focus on dealing with the people at Yanzi Mountain."
"Precisely," Xia Yunting agreed, their understanding growing with each passing moment.
Chu Qingze, who had been listening the entire time, was amazed by their capabilities. He had cooperated with Li Hao for so long but had never managed to uncover the full extent of the Blood Drinking Pavilion. Yet these two, having arrived less than two months ago, had already gathered such detailed information. He suddenly wondered if he was too useless.
Chu Qingze cleared his throat and said to them, "We're about to go to the Zhang Manor to deliver the antidote. You're injured, so it's not convenient for you to show your face. It's best if you don't go."
"Alright," Xia Yunting thought for a moment and agreed. "Since Mr. Zhang's condition has improved slightly in the past couple of days, you can stay here and protect him." Rong Zhi handed Xia Yunting his clothes. Afterward, Xia Yunting went into the cellar, and Rong Zhi and Chu Qingze set off for the Zhang Manor with the antidote.
Yun Heng and the others at the Zhang Manor had still not found Mr. Zhang's body. Yun Heng had been nervous at first, but Li Hao's condition fluctuated, leaving him no time to scold her. Over time, Yun Heng reassured herself, and finding no further incidents, she finally put her mind at ease.
Upon hearing that the antidote had been made, Yun Heng was overjoyed and personally came to the entrance to welcome them. "You really made the antidote?" As she spoke, Yun Heng searched both of them. Chu Qingze took out the small bottle containing the antidote and handed it to Yun Heng.
"You'll know if you try it." Yun Heng eagerly opened it and saw a few black pills lying quietly in the small bottle, emitting a peculiar medicinal fragrance. "I wonder if this thing is poisonous, but it doesn't matter, it's not me who's eating it anyway." She had no fear that Li Hao would be poisoned to death; there were plenty of people for testing poisons, and if one died, another would suffice. Moreover, if Li Hao died, she could take over the Zhang family sooner.
"Li Hao, take your medicine." Yun Heng kicked open the door. Li Hao was in a quiet state, sleeping with his eyes closed. Yun Heng went to the bedside, poured out a pill, and forced it into his mouth. Then, with her right hand, she pressed his throat downwards, helping him swallow the pill. The man on the bed's complexion changed, and he instantly broke out in a cold sweat, his brows furrowing as if in great pain.
Seeing this, Yun Heng turned back and looked at Rong Zhi with a questioning gaze.
"This is just the normal process of detoxification. It's even mild." Rong Zhi's response was calm, leaving Yun Heng's doubts nowhere to go. She remained silent, turning back to watch Li Hao's movements. Li Hao felt as if he were being submerged in ice water one moment, and then thrown into a volcano the next. His face turned blue, then red, then white, then green, and cold sweat poured down like a waterfall. Gradually, crisscrossing lines appeared on his body, one blue, one brown, as if fighting within him. This scene truly terrified Yun Heng.
"This is using poison to fight poison. He'll be fine when the colors disappear."
"How long will that take?"
"Seven days," Rong Zhi replied. "Within seven days, he needs to take one pill every day. The pills we have now are not enough, but they can significantly alleviate the toxicity. Taking them continuously for five days will keep him alive for about a month." From only seven days to live, to potentially a month, this was an unbelievable prospect.
Yun Heng stared intently at Li Hao, watching as his multicolored complexion gradually returned to normal. Although still somewhat sallow, he looked much better than before. "This actually works!" she exclaimed in surprise, followed by waves of excitement. The antidote was her discovery, a major contribution!
"Remember, take one pill every day, or the effect will be interrupted," Rong Zhi cautioned.
"Got it," Yun Heng readily agreed. The next moment, she seemed to feel that her response was not solemn enough, and she slightly restrained her smile. "It seems you do have some genuine skill."
"Then, is my 'genuine skill' enough for us to cooperate?"
"Of course. If Li Hao can be completely cured, you will not be shortchanged." Yun Heng called a servant, "Go fetch 100 taels of silver for this young lady." The servant didn't move. He glanced at Li Hao on the bed and, seeing that Li Hao was still unconscious, said with some difficulty, "Young lady, the steward keeps all the money. We don't know where it is." The atmosphere immediately became awkward.
Yun Heng's face stiffened, and she glared at him, "In such a large Zhang Manor, can't you even find 100 taels of silver?"
"It's not that we can't find it, it's that there isn't much money left in the manor, and there are many people waiting to eat. If the steward doesn't wake up soon, we'll have to beg on the streets." As he spoke, the servant leaned in and whispered, "The last time the hall master came to demand money, it was us who pooled it together." Yun Heng's face grew even more awkward.
Seeing this situation, Rong Zhi chuckled inwardly, but on the surface, she feigned understanding. "It's alright, we're not in a hurry. Since you can't decide, let's wait until Li Hao wakes up. Chu Qingze, let's go."
It must be said, Rong Zhi was excellent at fanning the flames. After they left, the servant received a loud slap. "Useless! Can't even get a bit of money!" The servant also felt wronged, "The steward is strict. If he dies, we won't even know where to find the money."
"Really?" Yun Heng looked at the person on the bed. Although still unconscious, his face seemed to bear a new inscription: cunning old fox. It seemed she couldn't kill him yet. However, even if he lived, the credit for discovering the antidote would still be hers.
"Hurry and report to the hall master, tell him I've found the antidote for the Seven-Day Death Poison... Forget it, I'll go myself!" Without waiting for the servant's reply, Yun Heng impatiently left.
The mass grave, a dark room. Mr. Zhang opened his eyes and saw a stranger sitting on a chair in front of him. He opened his mouth, emitting a hoarse sound. "Water..."
Xia Yunting turned around and, seeing that he had woken up, poured him a cup of tea from a nearby table. Mr. Zhang's complexion eased, and he asked, "Who are you?"
"A friend of Divine Doctor Chu. I'm here to save you." Upon hearing the words "Divine Doctor Chu," Mr. Zhang's expression became complex. The muscles around his eyes twitched, and he finally closed his eyes and cursed, "What a sin."
Xia Yunting put down the teacup. Seeing that he seemed to have some reservations about Chu Qingze, he said, "Mr. Zhang, Li Hao is embezzling your family fortune. We can help you get it back. We can also help you save your son. If you know anything, I hope you will tell us." Mr. Zhang coughed a couple of times, seemingly out of strength, but he managed to open his eyes. It was clear that Xia Yunting's words had struck a chord with him.
"My son... Zhang Feng, was taken to Yanzi Mountain. Whether he's alive or dead... I don't know."