382: Chapter 382 The Poison of the Child Swapping

He pondered for a moment and said in a deep voice, "The damage caused by the Child-Swapping Poison to the body is irreversible. However, if I force out all the toxins, you will certainly feel your body become relaxed and comfortable, and your energy will recover significantly. When I was examining the poison just now, I noticed that your Lifespan is currently less than three months."

"But if the Child-Swapping Poison is completely cleared, you will be able to live peacefully for at least half a year. Such a change is enough to prove the truth about this poison!"

King Xibei's gaze narrowed. "Then why didn't you remove all the toxins at once just now?"

Feng Ming shook his head, his tone solemn. "Because before detoxifying, you must think clearly for me, for yourself, and for everyone in Xun Prefecture!"

"Removing the poison is not difficult, but once the person who poisoned you notices that the toxins in your body have disappeared, the consequences will be unimaginable! You are currently at the end of your tether; he might still remain idle, waiting for you to pass away naturally."

"But if he finds out that you have recovered after detoxification, he will certainly strike early to pull up the weeds by the roots. The Commandery Princess and I are only here for the wedding; our assistance is entirely out of sincerity. You cannot let us draw fire upon ourselves. If you have not properly arranged your affairs, I would never dare to rashly detoxify you!"

King Xibei gave Feng Ming a deep look, waves of shock surging in his heart.

This young man before him was only around twenty years old, yet his thoughtfulness, steady conduct, and meticulous Heart-Nature far exceeded those of ordinary people. Compared to himself, who was caught in the situation with chaotic thoughts, Feng Ming saw things much more clearly and calmly.

He nodded slowly. "Tell me, how should this King arrange my affairs?"

Feng Ming spoke bluntly, every word clear. "First, you must absolutely not touch the Master Gu! I suspect he is the spy planted by the poisoner by your side! To speak plainly, the most likely suspect is King Haoyue!"

"The events of those years were full of suspicious points, and he has the greatest possibility of being the poisoner. Furthermore, the Master Gu was personally sent to your side by him. Once you move against the Master Gu, it would be equivalent to announcing that his conspiracy has been exposed!"

"Of course, I am not yet certain if King Haoyue knows that the Master Gu is already an evil cultivator, but given his Heart-Nature, since he could cruelly poison you, he most likely knows the truth about this matter."

"Second, after I detoxify you, even if your health improves, you must maintain your previous state and show weakness as usual. You must not reveal a single thing, and even more so, you must not raise troops to revolt! Otherwise, not only will you be unable to protect yourself, but the Commandery Princess, I, and everyone in Xun Prefecture will be caught in the crossfire."

"Third, you must hide it from the Master Gu and not let him notice any improvement in your health. You are a Ninth-Grade powerhouse; restraining your Qi and feigning illness is easy for you. The Master Gu cannot detect the existence of the Child-Swapping Poison at all and can only judge by your external state. As long as you disguise yourself properly, he will never become suspicious."

King Xibei said in a deep voice, "This King agrees to these three points."

"No." Feng Ming shook his head and looked at Xun Yu and Fang Zhao. "I trust you, but I need the two of them to also swear a heavy oath, especially General Fang Zhao."

King Xibei understood immediately and looked at Xun Yu. "You have followed this King since childhood and are steady and calm. This King trusts you."

Then, his gaze fell on Fang Zhao, his tone serious. "You are reckless by nature, impulsive and easily angered. Today, you must swear a Blood Oath that you will never take unauthorized action against the Master Gu. Otherwise, do not blame this King for being merciless!"

Fang Zhao looked aggrieved, but knowing the gravity of the matter, he could only grit his teeth and swear a Blood Oath on the spot, using his Dao Heart as a guarantee that he would not act rashly.

Only then was Feng Ming completely at ease. "Now, I will detoxify you, and you can feel the changes in your body for yourself."

As he finished speaking, Feng Ming no longer hesitated. He fully activated the Ten Thousand Poisons Scripture, and a strange suction emanated from his fingertips. The Child-Swapping Poison that had lurked in King Xibei's body for hundreds of years was slowly sucked out, strand by strand.

Streams of nearly pure white liquid poison drifted from his fingertips and fell into a jade bottle. In less than the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, a jade bottle was already full!

Feng Ming did not immediately refine the toxin; keeping this item would have its own uses.

As the last trace of the Child-Swapping Poison left his body, King Xibei's frame shuddered violently. His originally dim and decaying aura instantly cleared up significantly. He slowly stood up and stretched his limbs; the aura of aging Death Qi surrounding him had mostly dissipated, and his eyes grew bright.

"Master! Your aura..." Xun Yu was both surprised and delighted.

However, the relief on King Xibei's face lasted only a moment before being replaced by endless sorrow and rage. Two lines of clear tears rolled down from the eyes of this king, who had fought all his life and never bowed his head. His voice was hoarse, sounding as if he were weeping blood.

"My lady... I have failed you... King Haoyue... he deceived me! He deceived me for hundreds of years! He actually made it so that you and I couldn't even leave behind a single trace of our Bloodline..."

A roar of grief and indignation shook the entire sky corridor slightly. Hearing it, Feng Ming couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. Although he had never met King Xibei's wife, from the obsession within this covered walkway, the hundreds of years of mourning, and this heart-wrenching roar, he could feel that the two had shared a love as deep as the sea, staying together through life and death.

Such a person of deep feeling and integrity had been secretly poisoned by his most trusted brother, causing him to be childless his whole life and grow old in yearning. This sorrow would make anyone who heard it grieve and anyone who saw it weep.

"Master!" Xun Yu hurried forward to support the staggering King Xibei.

Fang Zhao slammed a fist onto the ground, cracking the stone slabs. He knelt on one knee, his eyes nearly bursting from their sockets. "My Lord! This enmity is irreconcilable! Just give the order, and I, Fang Zhao, am willing to lead the army into the capital to crusade against that ungrateful old emperor!"

"Hey, hey! Don't be impulsive!" Feng Ming quickly held him back. "We agreed on no revolt! Besides, with your current strength, can you truly contend with King Haoyue?"

Fang Zhao choked up, his rage having nowhere to go, so he could only punch the ground heavily again.

King Xibei wiped away his tears, took a deep breath to suppress his surging emotions, and said in a deep voice, "There's no need. Feng Ming is right. Even if this King is detoxified, I only have half a year of Lifespan left. In these final moments, this King will not act on impulse."

"The priority now is to plan a stable future for Luo Yuan, for Xun Yu, for Fang Zhao, and for the thousands of soldiers and people of Xun Prefecture."

Fang Zhao's eyes suddenly lit up, and he snapped his head up, shouting, "My Lord! Your subordinate has suddenly thought of a plan!"

Everyone looked at Fang Zhao in unison, and heard him say:

"You've been detoxified now and still have half a year of Lifespan! Why not take this opportunity to take a few more wives? Let Brother Feng concoct some secret medicine to nourish and strengthen your foundation. Maybe... maybe you can still leave behind a Bloodline and an heir for the King Xibei Estate!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire place fell into a dead silence.

King Xibei, Xun Yu, Xun Luoyuan, and Feng Ming—all four of them, with eight eyes in total, stared fixedly at Fang Zhao.

Feng Ming was silent for a long time, with only one shocking thought left in his heart: This guy... is truly a genius!