Zhou Xuan's heart jolted, and he abruptly opened his eyes.
"Clatter~"
The lid of the cauldron slid off.
"Hum~"
The Medicine King Cauldron began to hum.
Immediately, the Medicine King Cauldron started absorbing the essence of those medicinal ingredients.
After a moment, the Medicine King Cauldron grew larger, and a rich medicinal fragrance emanated from within.
"As expected of a pill refined with the Nine Yang Divine Skill, it truly lives up to its reputation!" Zhou Xuan marveled inwardly.
The medicinal ingredients within the Medicine King Cauldron could be said to be precious ancient relics, yet they were all of mortal grade.
Zhou Xuan's goal was not merely mortal grade!
And to surpass mortal grade!
Zhou Xuan's alchemical furnace had previously contained immortal-grade pills.
Many of them were refined according to the teachings of the ancestor.
Of course, he wasn't a fool and wouldn't use them indiscriminately.
Otherwise, even if he could save someone, the gain would not outweigh the loss.
After an unknown amount of time.
The lid of the Medicine King Cauldron was opened.
A detoxification pill appeared in Zhou Xuan's hand.
Zhou Xuan opened his eyes.
A ray of sharp light shot out from his eyes.
Zhou Xuan felt as if he had undergone a complete transformation, his body filled with immense power!
"This is the Nine Yang Divine Skill, truly a heaven-defying existence!" Zhou Xuan's face broke into a smile, "I've really struck it rich this time!"
"Hahahahahaha~"
Just then, he heard unrestrained laughter from outside the door!
Zhou Xuan walked out of the room.
Standing outside the door were two masked women in black.
Their figures were extremely slender and graceful, with captivating curves.
In front of them stood an old man.
"Patriarch Zhuge, you don't mean to tell me you were fooled by a wandering physician? How could such a young fellow know how to treat illnesses?"
"This looks like an earthquake, could it be a thief?"
Zhou Xuan ignored these people.
"Didn't you say you wouldn't disturb me while I was saving someone?"
"Master Zhou, how is it?"
Zhuge Qing ignored the mockery from the old man and his subordinates, after all, if they couldn't cure the patient, was it forbidden for someone else to succeed?
He had been too polite to drive them away, but he hadn't expected someone to be so inconsiderate.
This old man was also one of the divine physicians he had invited.
Although he was also helpless regarding his father's illness.
However, out of kindness, he hadn't sent the man away.
Zhou Xuan directly placed the pill into Zhuge Changfeng's mouth.
"Hey, you young man!"
Before he could finish speaking to stop him, Zhuge Changfeng suddenly spat out a large amount of blood, instantly staining the bedsheet red.
Zhou Xuan flicked out all the remaining silver needles, embedding them into his body.
"You're being reckless! Blocking the Heavenly Gate like this and then administering potent medicinal substances to detoxify, this is simply outrageous!"
"Old man, do you think I'm a plague if I don't get angry?"
Zhou Xuan clapped his hands and glanced up at him.
"How dare you speak to an elder like this?"
The two delicate women immediately shouted, intending to step forward and rebuke Zhou Xuan.
"What kind of elder are you?"
Zhou Xuan scoffed.
"You've made the patient vomit blood."
"I, the esteemed King of Physicians, have never seen such a treatment method."
"That's because you are ignorant and lack skill. You should learn from me more in the future."
"What an impertinent brat!"
"If you can save him, I'll kneel down and call you master!"
The old man, filled with disappointment in his protégé, spoke of the decline of societal morals, with ordinary people now seeking to profit from wealthy families.
But the very next second, he was proven wrong.
After Zhuge Changfeng vomited the black blood, his complexion changed faster than the weather in June.
From a sallow black, it turned as pale as paper, and then flushed with a healthy red.
If not for the principles of biology, the old man would have thought Zhuge Changfeng was regenerating!
"Thump!"
The old man immediately knelt down, prostrating himself before Zhou Xuan.
"Senior, great master, please take me as your disciple!"
Seeing their elder behave this way, the two beauties were astonished into silence.
But the old man had already knelt, and before they could even consider kneeling, Zhou Xuan impatiently said, "Get lost, don't delay me."
"Master, please accept me. Today, I, Daoist Hulu, have finally met a true master."
What a statement...
Master?
Master?
The two women were utterly shocked!
Even Zhuge Qing was stunned.
The arrogance and difficulty in inviting this old man were legendary.
Yet, this seemingly unmanageable individual, after witnessing Zhou Xuan's skill, immediately prostrated himself at Zhou Xuan's feet.
It was conceivable how terrifying Zhou Xuan's strength was.
"Do you truly wish to follow me?" Zhou Xuan asked.
The old man readily agreed without any hesitation, "In that case, Master, please accept my bow."
Saying that, Daoist Hulu was about to kowtow.
"No need, no need."
Zhou Xuan quickly stopped him, not wanting any further harm or to lose years from his life.
Daoist Hulu then stood up.
"Senior, what is your name?"
Zhou Xuan asked curiously.
The old man smiled and said, "My surname is Wang, my given name is Daolu. My nickname is Daoist Hulu."
"Wang Daolu..."
Zhou Xuan repeated the name, a peculiar expression appearing on his face, but he quickly regained his composure.
"You are much older than me, so calling me 'Master' is out of the question."
"No, no, no..."
The old man, with a thick skin, trotted along behind Zhou Xuan, making it impossible for his two beautiful disciples to look directly at him.
He even personally took Zhuge Changfeng's pulse and found that the patient showed no signs of poisoning.
"Master Zhou, how did you save Elder Zhuge?"
Zhou Xuan smiled and said, "Do you want to know?"
"Yes, yes, yes!"
The old man nodded repeatedly.
Seeing this medical enthusiast, Zhou Xuan couldn't help but chuckle.
"I used a pure Yin and Yang body to break his evil Yang energy."
Wang Daolu suddenly understood, "What about the medicinal ingredients?"
"Haha, that is my secret technique."
Zhuge Qing and the others were overjoyed.
Zhou Xuan extended his hand, "Patriarch Zhuge, you promised. Now is the time to fulfill it."
Zhuge Qing hadn't expected Zhou Xuan to be so direct and straightforward.
He had never met someone like this before.
So, he respectfully said, "What does Master desire? I, Zhuge Qing, will certainly provide it!"
"Your Zhuge family's heirloom, the Azure Phoenix Sword!"
Zhou Xuan's voice was neither loud nor soft, just enough for everyone around to hear clearly.
Zhuge Qing was startled. He never imagined that Zhou Xuan would ask for their Zhuge family's Azure Phoenix Sword.
Zhuge Qing hesitated. If he really gave it to him, the Zhuge family would truly be finished.
However, he couldn't refuse, as Zhou Xuan's strength was simply too formidable.
Their Zhuge family could not possibly resist him.
After much deliberation, Zhuge Qing finally had to agree, "The Azure Phoenix Sword is indeed the treasure of our Zhuge family, but... but our Zhuge family already possesses two heirloom magical artifacts, one of which is in my possession and was passed down from our ancestors. I wonder if Master is interested?"
Zhou Xuan smiled, "Of course I'm interested."
Zhuge Qing was overjoyed.
He thought Zhou Xuan had compromised.
"As long as I get the Azure Phoenix Sword, I don't want any of the Zhuge family's treasures or secret manuals. Moreover, I don't have any interest in those things."
Zhuge Qing was shocked, "This... how can this be! How can I, Zhuge Qing, disappoint my ancestors?"
"Can I exchange it for something else?"