21: Chapter 21 He Yunqi

The Blood Fortifying Secret Record is a Cultivation Technique that stimulates the bone marrow to produce blood.

Among the five Cultivation Techniques given by Shen Hongxiu, this one was the most useful for Jiang Hanzhou.

【host: Jiang Hanzhou】

【fate: Late Bloomer (Third Rank)】

【Cultivation Technique: Tidal Breathing Technique (Perfection), Layered Wave Bone Tempering Strength (Major Achievement)】

【Martial Arts: Tidal Shadow Thousand Hands (Major Achievement), Wind Chasing Blade (Minor Achievement), Rock Shattering Fist (Minor Achievement), Spirit Cat Steps (Minor Achievement), Layered Wave Palm (Perfection), Breath Concealment Method (Perfection)...】

Jiang Hanzhou glanced at the panel, then held his breath and concentrated his Qi, consuming the Medicinal Pill he had purchased in Flying Fish City.

Medicinal Pills are three parts poison; the power of a Medicinal Pill is often swift and violent, not as gentle and comprehensive as medicinal diets, and relies more on the Martial Artist's own Qi and blood Foundation to neutralize the pill poison and absorb the essence.

However, Medicinal Pills have the advantage of convenience; they are easy to carry, and the medicinal power is concentrated, making them a Sharp Weapon in critical moments for Martial Artists who urgently need a Breakthrough or to replenish their Qi and blood.

He poured out a Medicinal Pill as red as blood and the size of a dragon's eye, swallowing it without hesitation.

This was a Blood-Red Pill, which had a good effect on Qi and blood.

The Medicinal Pill dissolved upon entering his mouth, turning into a scorching torrent that roared into his abdomen!

In an instant, Jiang Hanzhou felt as if his internal organs had been thrown into a furnace; the intense burning sensation was accompanied by the explosive medicinal power, rushing wildly toward his limbs and bones.

His skin surface instantly turned flushed red, his veins slightly bulged, and there were even wisps of white steam rising from the top of his head.

He dared not be negligent and immediately began operating the Mind-Cultivation Technique of the Blood Fortifying Secret Record.

As he operated the Mind-Cultivation Technique, his consciousness was like a needle, guiding the violent heat of the Medicinal Pill, no longer allowing it to dissipate into his skin, flesh, and bones, but instead, like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, it converged toward the core marrow cavity of his entire body's bones.

"Hum..."

From deep within his body came a low resonance that only he could perceive.

His bones, which had already reached the "Gold Bone" level, were now as if being injected with molten steel; within the marrow cavity, his vitality was stimulated as never before.

Excruciating pain!

It was as if ten thousand steel needles were piercing his bone marrow simultaneously!

Jiang Hanzhou's forehead instantly beaded with sweat the size of beans, his complexion turned from red to white, his teeth were clenched tightly, yet he remained motionless.

He had been mentally prepared; the opening of the Blood Fortifying Secret Record clearly stated that cultivating this technique would initially bring the pain of "scraping the marrow and washing the blood," and it should not be attempted by those without a tenacious Heart-Nature and vigorous Qi and blood.

His Foundation was solid, his Gold Bone was already formed, and he had the strong endurance and recovery ability brought by the "Late Bloomer" fate; at this moment, he was just right to withstand the dual impact of this overbearing Cultivation Technique and the Medicinal Pill.

The heat accumulated and compressed in the marrow cavity, as if brewing a storm.

I do not know how long it had been, when the pain reached a certain critical point—

"Whoosh..."

As if spring ice had cracked, or a river had opened its floodgates.

A warm current full of vitality gushed out from the deep marrow cavity of every bone!

This warm current was different from the dry heat of ordinary Qi and blood; it was purer and thicker, carrying the aura of the Origin of life, and it quickly merged into the existing Qi and blood circulation.

Jiang Hanzhou's entire body's Qi and blood were invigorated; his body, which had been slightly fatigued from the day's rushing about, was like a long-parched land meeting sweet rain, every part of him rejoicing and greedily absorbing this newly born "Blood Essence."

On the panel, the 【Cultivation Technique】 column changed quietly:

【Cultivation Technique: Tidal Breathing Technique (Perfection), Layered Wave Bone Tempering Strength (Major Achievement), Blood Fortifying Secret Record (Entry)】

It worked!

Jiang Hanzhou slowly exhaled a turbid breath with a faint bloody smell; the red light around his body gradually faded, leaving only a layer of luster as warm as jade.

He could clearly feel that his total Qi and blood and recovery speed had increased by at least thirty percent compared to before!

Deep in his bone marrow, there was a warm feeling, as if an inexhaustible spring was continuously gushing.

"The Blood Fortifying Secret Record combined with the Blood-Red Pill has such a significant effect. It is indeed worthy of being one of the Cultivation Techniques treasured by Shen Hongxiu."

Jiang Hanzhou was secretly happy; this added another point of confidence for him to quickly accumulate the heritage of the Iron Bone Realm and even charge toward a higher Realm.

...

However, the epidemic in Shahe Stockade did not improve in the slightest due to his personal Breakthrough.

For the next three consecutive days, the atmosphere in the temporary camp became heavier day by day.

Several physicians and doctors led by Old Mr. Sun tried several different prescriptions, acupuncture, medicinal baths, fumigation...

Every method was exhausted, yet the symptoms of the patients behind the curtains remained bizarre.

What was even more unsettling was that the number of patients was slowly increasing.

From the initial three or five people, it had become over a dozen. The entire Shahe Stockade was in a panic, and rumors were flying everywhere.

On the afternoon of the third day, in the largest tent, the atmosphere dropped to freezing point.

"Three days! Three whole days!"

Chief Administrator Chen of Linjiang Prefecture could no longer maintain his superficial gentleness, pacing back and forth anxiously, his official boots rustling on the muddy ground.

"You are all famous medical experts within a hundred miles. Can you really do nothing about this strange disease? Old Sun, can you not even see the root cause from your pulse reading?"

Old Mr. Sun frowned tightly and shook his head slowly:

"The pulse remains floating and chaotic, as if there is external evil, and also as if there is internal deficiency, full of contradictions. I have practiced medicine for sixty years and have never seen such a bizarre disease. The medicines used, whether they are for clearing heat, supplementing Qi, or detoxifying, are all like mud oxen entering the sea, with very little effect."

The wealthy-looking physician also sighed and said:

"Chief Administrator Chen, it is not that we are not trying our best. This disease... is truly beyond reason. The high fever and black spots are like a heat-toxic epidemic, the weak and deficient pulse is like a terminal disease of consumption, and sometimes they are manic and powerful... This, this is simply like... being possessed by evil!"

"Shut up!" Chief Administrator Chen interrupted sternly, "The Master does not speak of strange forces and chaotic spirits! The government is managing the epidemic, how can you speak recklessly of evil spirits!"

But the fear hidden deep in his eyes betrayed his inner wavering.

He stopped abruptly, looked around at the people in the tent, including the silent Pharmacist Qu Fengchun and the quietly listening Jiang Hanzhou, his voice suddenly becoming cold and resolute:

"The epidemic is unclear, the transmission route is not cut off, and the patients are increasing day by day. To prevent the plague from spreading and endangering Linjiang Prefecture and even the entire Three Rivers Estuary... I propose that before dawn tomorrow, we completely seal off all waterways and land routes from Shahe Stockade to the outside world! Supplies within the stockade can be dropped by the government at regular intervals outside the stockade walls, but entry is allowed, and exit is forbidden! Until... until the epidemic dissipates on its own, or there are no living people left in the stockade!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the tent was shocked!

"Encircle the stockade?!" Second Master He's face instantly turned as pale as paper, he staggered a step, and hissed: "Chief Administrator Chen! You cannot! There are still thousands of elderly, weak, women, and children in the stockade who have not been infected! You are... you are trapping them all to death inside! How is this different from slaughtering the stockade?!"

Pharmacist Qu Fengchun also said in a deep voice: "Chief Administrator Chen, this move is too cruel and will also hurt the harmony of heaven. Although the epidemic is strange, there may not be no way to break it; we still need to deliberate from the long term."

The other physicians also spoke up to dissuade him. They certainly wanted to control the epidemic, but using thousands of human lives as a gamble was a burden of Karma and conscience that no one could bear.

Chief Administrator Chen's face was as heavy as water, his hands in his sleeves trembling slightly, but he forced himself to be hard-hearted and said:

"I am the Chief Administrator of epidemic prevention for a prefecture, and I shoulder the safety of hundreds of thousands of people in Linjiang Prefecture! Shahe Stockade has become a ghost Realm on earth. If this unknown epidemic is allowed to run loose, who can bear the consequences? Kindness does not command troops, righteousness does not command wealth! For the sake of the big picture, some sacrifices... are inevitable!"

The tent fell into a quarrel. Second Master He was so anxious that his eyes were red, and he was almost kneeling down.

Just in this chaotic and desperate moment, a burst of rapid footsteps suddenly came from outside the tent, followed by a clear but weakly panting voice that penetrated the noise in the tent:

"Wait! Who said... Shahe Stockade has become a dead land?"

Everyone went quiet and looked in the direction of the sound.

They saw the tent curtain being lifted, and a young man was standing there, leaning against the door frame, panting slightly.

He was about twenty years old, his face should have been handsome, but now it revealed a sickly paleness, his figure was thin, he was wearing a half-old cyan scholar's robe, and he was carrying a heavy rattan medicine box on his shoulder.

What was most striking were his eyes, clear and bright, carrying a calmness that saw through the world, as well as an undisguised urgency and anger at this moment.

"Yunqi?!" Second Master He exclaimed, rushing over to support him, "You, why are you back? Your body..."

The person who came was the second son of the Shahe Stockade leader, He Yunqi.

The older physicians and Chief Administrator Chen in the tent clearly had heard his name, and their faces showed complex expressions.

"Is that the second Young Master of the He family?"

"I heard he was a famous Martial Arts Genius in our Three Rivers Estuary in his early years, having reached Qi Condensation Perfection at eighteen, with hopes for Iron Bone..."

"What a pity, he was ambushed and plotted against while traveling a few years ago, his Dantian Qi Sea was broken, his Meridians were all damaged, and he became a cripple..."

"Unexpectedly, he did not become decadent, but instead went everywhere to seek teachers to learn medicine. Over these years, he has traveled through the countryside and cured many difficult and miscellaneous diseases, earning the title of 'Benevolent Heart and Kind Hands'..."

"Why did he come back at this time? I'm afraid he heard about the trouble in the stockade and rushed back..."

The low discussion reached Jiang Hanzhou's ears, and he couldn't help but look at He Yunqi a few more times.

Falling from a Martial Arts Genius to a cripple who could not practice martial arts, yet being able to turn to the medical Dao and achieve such a reputation, the tenacity of this person's Heart-Nature was extraordinary.

He Yunqi gently pushed away Second Master He's hand and bowed to everyone in the tent with difficulty. Although his breath was weak, his voice was clear and firm:

"Chief Administrator Chen, gentlemen, Yunqi has just returned to the stockade and already knows about the epidemic. The matter of encircling the stockade must never happen! Although this epidemic is strange, it is by no means an incurable terminal disease!"

Chief Administrator Chen frowned:

"Young Master He, although you have a reputation for medicine, even Old Mr. Sun and others are helpless against this disease. What evidence do you have to assert that it is curable? Could it be that you are concerned about the friendship of fellow villagers and ignoring the big picture?"

A flush appeared on He Yunqi's pale face, not knowing whether it was from excitement or weakness. He took a deep breath, his eyes swept over everyone in the tent, and finally landed in the direction behind the curtain, saying word by word:

"Evidence? It is based on the fact that these past few days, I was not traveling outside, but was on the edge of the Black Swamp upstream, investigating similar cases!"

"It is also based on my observation of the complexion of these patients, smelling their scent, and examining their environment; I already have five points of conjecture in my heart. This is not a plague of natural disaster, but truly... man-made poison! And it is a kind of extremely sinister thing that fuses evil poison with some kind of bizarre object that absorbs the essence of human blood and Qi!"

"Man-made? Poison?" Old Mr. Sun's pupils shrank, "Young Master He, is this true? Do you have evidence?"

He Yunqi coughed heavily a few times and took out a cloth package carefully wrapped in oil paper from his bosom.

After opening it, inside were a few fragments of plant tubers with dark colors and attached silt, as well as a small pinch of grayish-white powder.

"This is a remnant of the Rotten Blood Vine I found near an abandoned altar on the edge of the Black Swamp, as well as... traces of evil spices mixed with some kind of beast bone ash and minerals."

He Yunqi's eyes were sharp.

"The Rotten Blood Vine itself is highly toxic and can cause Qi and blood to fail and skin to ulcerate and spot. But pure Rotten Blood Vine would never cause symptoms of manic power, let alone explain the bizarre sense of emptiness in the pulse. Unless... someone refined it with evil methods!"

He looked at Chief Administrator Chen, his tone filled with earnestness and determination:

"Chief Administrator Chen, if it is man-made poisoning, there must be an antidote or a way to break it! Encircling the stockade will only let the mastermind behind the scenes go unpunished and let the innocent people in the stockade die unjustly! Please, sir, grant a few more days of grace. Yunqi is willing to risk his life to go deep among the patients, thoroughly investigate the source of the poison, and prepare an antidote!"

The tent was silent.

Everyone's eyes were focused on this pale, thin, but straight-backed young man.

From a Martial Arts Genius to a benevolent medical heart, now that his hometown was in trouble, he dragged his broken body to stand out again, pointing to a completely different, dangerous, but potentially viable path.

Jiang Hanzhou stood in the corner, watching the unquestionable light in He Yunqi's eyes, his heart moved slightly.

Man-made poison? Absorbing blood and Qi?

The "plague" in Shahe Stockade seemed to be deeper than he had imagined.

Chief Administrator Chen's face changed uncertainly, looking at the "evidence" in He Yunqi's hand, and then looking at the direction of Shahe Stockade in the anxiety of the twilight outside the tent. Finally, he slowly loosened his clenched fists and sighed long.

"Young Master He... since you say so, I will believe you once, and I will also believe that Shahe Stockade is not destined to die. The matter of encircling the stockade is temporarily postponed. However," his tone turned severe, "I will only give you five days! Within five days, if you cannot find conclusive evidence, prepare an effective prescription, and control the epidemic... for the sake of Linjiang Prefecture, I will have no choice but to do that unavoidable thing!"

He Yunqi bowed deeply: "Thank you, sir! Five days... is enough."