I Have Medicine

Chapter 556 - (Sending off) Shen Yuanbai reappears.

[TN: Got feedback that “Cloud Mist Pills” should be “Prismatic Pills.” I will use this term from now on.]

The first thing Chang Heyue saw upon opening his eyes was Gongyi Tianheng’s smiling face and Gu Zuo standing beside him.

He felt surprised but did not act recklessly. Instead, he quickly recalled the events leading up to this moment… He had been bathing, hadn’t he? Yet, judging by the current situation, it seemed he had been unconscious for some time. Upon waking, he did not see his newlywed wife but instead two men who, while familiar, were essentially strangers with whom he had never conversed.

What was going on?

Even so, Chang Heyue refrained from rashly questioning them. Instead, he propped himself up and stood, addressing them calmly: “May I ask what brings the two of you here? If I’m not mistaken, this isn’t a time when we should be meeting.”

Gu Zuo appreciated Chang Heyue’s composure. As expected, he was as steady as his reputation suggested.

Meanwhile, Gongyi Tianheng spread his fingers slightly, causing a fine needle to rise from the ground and hover before Chang Heyue. “Do you recognize this?”

Chang Heyue’s sharp eyes immediately identified the object. He frowned. “This is…?”

Gu Zuo said, “Check the back of your neck.”

A chill ran down Chang Heyue’s spine as he reached for the spot.

Although the body of a martial artist healed quickly, the puncture from the needle hadn’t fully disappeared. The needle had been specially crafted, and though it was only meant to induce sleep, it carried a lingering energy that slowed the wound’s recovery—just enough for Chang Heyue to notice it.

Suddenly, numerous thoughts raced through his mind, and a faint sense of conspiracy took shape. He looked at the two men before him with a mix of suspicion and understanding. Clearly, they had rescued him, and if he wanted answers, these two were the place to start.

Gu Zuo, appreciating his demeanor, decided not to prolong the suspense. “Come with us.”

Chang Heyue followed them to his bridal chamber.

The moment he entered, his gaze landed on Qing Wan, the maidservant standing lifelessly in the room as if dazed. His eyes immediately searched for his wife, and he quickly spotted Wu Yingyuan lying motionless on the bridal bed.

Alarmed, Chang Heyue rushed over, only to discover that his wife was in a deep sleep. Despite his noisy footsteps, she remained unresponsive—something entirely out of character for his cautious wife.

He immediately turned to the two men and asked, “What’s wrong with my wife?”

Gu Zuo glanced at Gongyi Tianheng.

Gongyi Tianheng smiled faintly. “Lift her up.”

Chang Heyue hurriedly did as instructed. As he moved her, a realization struck him, prompting him to check the back of Wu Yingyuan’s neck. As expected, he found a puncture mark similar to his own, with a thin needle still embedded in it. Without hesitation, he gathered his energy and swiftly extracted the needle.

In an instant, the needle shot out and was tossed aside.

At the same time, Wu Yingyuan woke up.

She was equally confused. “What… is going on?”

Having experienced many battles, the female war goddess Wu Yingyuan quickly noticed the strangeness in Qing Wan’s behavior and the unexpected presence of Gongyi Tianheng and Gu Zuo in her bridal chamber. However, recalling their identities and the odd sensation of having been unconscious earlier, she, like Chang Heyue, chose not to react impulsively.

Gu Zuo, pleased with their composure, exchanged a glance with Gongyi Tianheng before carefully recounting the events to them.

After hearing everything, Wu Yingyuan was shocked. “—Are you saying that Qing Wan was lurking by my side to drain everything from me in order to perfect her evil cultivation technique?”

Yes, Gu Zuo and Gongyi Tianheng’s explanation to Wu Yingyuan and Chang Heyue certainly wouldn’t involve terms like the Cuckoo Body or the mastermind behind the scenes. Instead, they pinned the blame squarely on Qing Wan, making it appear as though she had been cultivating evil techniques and exploiting Wu Yingyuan. They explained that Qing Wan had chosen to act on the couple’s wedding night, when their guard was down, to absorb Wu Yingyuan’s essence before fleeing. Naturally, they also informed them of Qing Wan’s improvised plan to sow discord between the two cities as a distraction to facilitate her escape.

Upon hearing this, Wu Yingyuan was furious. “So that’s how it is!” She suddenly recalled past events. “That explains why Qing Wan progressed so slowly before. When I offered to teach her martial arts, she claimed it was ‘too cruel’ and refused to learn. She deceived me! I thought she was pure and kindhearted, unwilling to kill, which is why she wouldn’t train. But it turns out she didn’t need to train—she was waiting for the right moment to take everything from me!”

Chang Heyue was equally enraged. “Such a despicable person deserves to be cut into pieces!”

Gongyi Tianheng spoke up. “The evil technique she cultivated is quite dangerous, so I have an unreasonable request.”

Wu Yingyuan responded, “Please, Gongyi Gongzi, go ahead.”

Gongyi Tianheng explained, “I intend to take her back to my sect so my master can investigate the origins of her evil technique and determine whether there are others practicing it. If any are found, we will ensure they are eradicated.”

Wu Yingyuan hesitated for a moment.

Her initial inclination was to execute Qing Wan herself, as she had been deceived for so long. Qing Wan had nearly destroyed the alliance and mutual trust between the two cities. However, without the intervention of Gongyi Tianheng and Gu Zuo, she wouldn’t have discovered Qing Wan’s scheme in time, let alone survived Qing Wan’s attack. This made it difficult for her to refuse their request.

Chang Heyue, however, only needed a brief moment of thought before saying, “Since you two captured Qing Wan, if she can be of use to you, feel free to take her.”

Wu Yingyuan paused but did not object to Chang Heyue’s decision.

Gongyi Tianheng smiled. “In that case, thank you both.”

By this time, the first light of dawn appeared on the horizon—morning was approaching.

Gongyi Tianheng suddenly said, “You should probably keep an eye on Ge Shijing.”

For him, someone of Ge Shijing’s level wasn’t worth worrying about. However, Ge Shijing was a disciple of a bronze-ranked force. If he decided to cause trouble for two iron-ranked forces, it could still create some inconveniences.

Upon hearing this, a trace of awkwardness appeared on Wu Yingyuan and Chang Heyue’s faces.

When Gu Zuo and Gongyi Tianheng had explained Qing Wan’s scheme earlier, they naturally had to mention how they had discovered it—after all, why would they have been paying such close attention to a mere maid? In the process, they had inadvertently revealed the scandalous connection between Qing Wan and Ge Shijing. However, they had tactfully omitted the part about eavesdropping.

Even so, having such private matters known by others left Wu Yingyuan and Chang Heyue feeling slightly uncomfortable. They quickly composed themselves and expressed their thanks for Gongyi Tianheng’s reminder.

Wu Yingyuan said, “Ge Shijing recently lost to my husband, which was quite humiliating for him. He likely won’t show his face again for a while. As for how much he values Qing Wan… If he truly comes looking for her, I’ll just claim that she was caught stealing and was expelled by the City Lord’s Manor. With such an excuse, I doubt Ge Shijing would push further—doing so would only damage his reputation more.”

As for any covert schemes Ge Shijing might attempt, they weren’t particularly worried.

Gongyi Tianheng smiled. “In that case, Ah Zuo and I won’t linger here any longer. It wouldn’t be appropriate to be seen by outsiders. Today is your wedding day, so let me wish you both a harmonious marriage and everlasting martial pursuits.”

Wu Yingyuan blushed. Even this battle-hardened war goddess rarely showed such shyness.

Chang Heyue clasped his hands and said cheerfully, “Thank you both for your kind wishes!”

Gu Zuo thought for a moment and tossed over a small vial. “Regardless, we did interrupt your wedding night. Consider this a small compensation.”

Chang Heyue caught the vial and immediately said, “You saved our lives—there’s no need for any compensation…”

But by that time, Gu Zuo had already followed Gongyi Tianheng, vanishing swiftly from sight.

To be honest, it wasn’t so much compensation as it was Gu Zuo finding an excuse to give them something. He had taken a liking to the couple’s calm and composed demeanor and wanted to reward them with a small token.

After the duo left, Chang Heyue opened the vial. The moment he caught a whiff of its contents, his blood surged, heat spread throughout his body, and a wave of indescribable desire washed over him. Alarmed, he quickly sealed the vial.

Wu Yingyuan, standing beside him, had also sensed something unusual and turned bright red.

Meanwhile, Gongyi Tianheng had one arm around Gu Zuo and the other carrying Qing Wan as they swiftly headed back to their temporary residence. Gongyi Tianheng casually asked, “Ah Zuo, what did you give them?”

Gu Zuo blinked innocently. “Oh, nothing much…”

Gongyi Tianheng gave him a meaningful look but didn’t press further, only remarking, “In the future, your big brother won’t need such things. Be sure to remember that.”

Gu Zuo nearly choked, his face turning crimson. He refused to say another word.

Seriously, so his big brother actually knew what it was… It was just something for… a bit of fun…

The matter concerning Qing Wan was quickly reported by the newlywed couple to their respective fathers. Neither of the two city lords could have imagined that their two cities, now so closely allied, had almost become mortal enemies. This realization only deepened their hatred for the vile temptress who had orchestrated such a scheme.

In their fury, the two city lords initially wanted to capture Qing Wan and subject her to a brutal execution to vent their anger. However, upon learning that Qing Wan had already been taken away by Gongyi Tianheng, they fell silent in unison.

While Wu Yingyuan and Chang Heyue, with their limited experience, might have believed the surface-level explanation, the city lords—more seasoned and perceptive—could sense that there were deeper, hidden layers to this matter. However, it was clear that these details were intentionally being kept from them and were not meant for their knowledge.

As such, Wu Zhenhuang and Chang Heyan decided to drop the matter, content to leave it as resolved in this manner.

The day after their wedding, Wu Yingyuan and Chang Heyue finally made up for their interrupted wedding night. This time, no one disturbed them, and the night passed in romantic harmony. With their mutual admiration and shared martial ambitions, their dual cultivation proved highly effective. After that night of communion, both experienced breakthroughs in their cultivation realms—Wu Yingyuan advanced to the small stage of the Immortal Realm, while Chang Heyue reached the peak of the Immortal Realm!

Given their age, such levels of cultivation were already exceptional.

Meanwhile, Gongyi Tianheng decided to have one of his Celestial Realm battle slaves personally escort Qing Wan back to the Ten Ultimates Sect and deliver her directly to the Blood Transformation Palace Master. However, because the matter involved the mysterious Cuckoo Body, Tianheng needed a sound-transmission stone to relay the details himself, sealing the message before sending it along. Unfortunately, the City Lord’s Manor of Eight Desolations City, which frequently depleted resources during its constant battles, didn’t have such an item available.

To procure it, Gongyi Tianheng had no choice but to explore Eight Desolations City himself and purchase one from the most well-stocked trading house. Thus, after returning to the city, he and Gu Zuo headed out to the streets together.

In fact, since their arrival in Eight Desolations City, they hadn’t had a chance to explore the place properly due to being caught up in the martial competition for marriage.

With several battle slaves discreetly protecting them, the two strolled down the bustling streets.

Although Eight Desolations City was only an iron-ranked city, it covered a vast area. Every street was lined with tall, sturdy buildings, likely designed to withstand potential attacks from wild beasts breaching the city’s defenses. In such cases, these buildings would serve as a final line of defense, buying precious time for the warriors inside to fend off the invaders.

The city’s shops were similarly built on a grand scale. Unlike the refined and luxurious wares of more prosperous areas, the goods here emphasized practicality and power. The spiritual weapons on display might lack aesthetic appeal, but their strength was undeniable. The pills sold here were straightforward, with their effects clearly labeled, often stored in bottles containing more than ten pills. The battle armor available was numerous and durable, while extravagant items were few and far between. Most of the items sold were deadly tools of combat. Even rare materials were directly displayed on counters, allowing passersby to see and purchase them at a glance.

In addition, street vendors often spread thick beast skins on the ground, displaying an eclectic mix of goods. These included valuable pelts, beast bones, prime cuts of meat, rare herbs, unique materials harvested from beasts, damaged spiritual weapons, and even mysterious, unnamed items that exuded an air of intrigue.

Gu Zuo glanced at the street stalls and found that although there were plenty of goods, most of them were items he could easily acquire by ordering battle slaves to collect. There wasn’t much worth buying or keeping for himself. He also scanned the items displayed in some of the shops. While they appeared to be of slightly better quality than those from the beast-skin stalls, he didn’t immediately spot anything particularly rare or valuable.

Gongyi Tianheng walked alongside Gu Zuo, keeping him company while also memorizing the layout of the city’s streets and the storefronts along each one. Even if the information wasn’t immediately useful, he gathered it anyway.

As they continued, they suddenly noticed a familiar name.

Divine Wind Trading Company.

Gu Zuo was slightly surprised. “Divine Wind Trading Company? Big brother, is this the one owned by Shen Yuanbai?”

Gongyi Tianheng nodded. “Indeed. I’ve long heard that Shen Yuanbai has developed Divine Wind Trading Company remarkably well, expanding it to numerous cities. I didn’t expect there to be a branch here in Eight Desolations City.”

Gu Zuo grew interested. “If it’s Divine Wind Trading Company, with Shen Yuanbai’s capabilities, they should definitely have sound-transmission stones for sale. Since there’s a branch here, why don’t we buy one from them? Besides, we’ve dealt with Shen Yuanbai a few times, and he’s proven to be fairly trustworthy.”

Gongyi Tianheng raised an eyebrow slightly. “What you said makes sense. Let’s enter Divine Wind Trading Company, then.”

Divine Wind Trading Company was Shen Yuanbai’s domain, and Shen Yuanbai was a disciple of the Heavenly Martial Sect, a gold-ranked faction. With a place like this, backed by someone like him, they were confident they’d find the sound-transmission stone they needed.

As they entered Divine Wind Trading Company, it was immediately evident that this shop was far more organized than most of the others. Inside, several clean and well-dressed young men and women stood by with welcoming smiles, ready to assist customers. Behind a tall counter stood a man in his late thirties or early forties, with an approachable demeanor that gave off the impression of someone who thrived on peaceful business dealings.

Overall, in the warlike atmosphere of Eight Desolations City, stepping into Divine Wind Trading Company provided a stark contrast. It exuded a sense of calm and comfort that made one want to linger longer.

Gu Zuo and Gongyi Tianheng strolled through the trading house, observing its goods. Most of the items here weren’t sourced from local warriors who hunted wild beasts but were instead transported from other cities. The shop specialized in pills and spiritual weapons, particularly single-use, high-damage weapons. Such items were incredibly effective on battlefields, especially during beast surges, where they could wipe out large groups of enemies in an instant.

In simple terms, the trading house focused on providing items that warriors desperately needed. There was nothing flashy, but everything was highly practical.

After looking around, Gu Zuo couldn’t help but admit that Shen Yuanbai’s business was truly impressive.

As they browsed, a young woman approached them with a smile and asked, “Is there anything the customers need? This servant can assist you with your selection.”

Having finished looking through the shop, Gu Zuo nodded and smiled back. “We’re looking for a sound-transmission stone.”

The young woman maintained her polite smile. “We carry sound-transmission stones in three grades. May I ask which grade the customers require?”

Gu Zuo turned to her and asked, “What’s the difference between the grades?”

The young woman replied, “Low-grade sound-transmission stones can transmit sound for a few breaths of time, and the sound can be preserved for three days. Mid-grade sound-transmission stones can transmit sound for the duration of a tea break, and the sound can be preserved for seven days. High-grade sound-transmission stones can transmit sound for an hour, and the sound can be preserved for half a month. We have all three grades available, depending on what the customer needs.”

Gu Zuo understood.

He was indeed familiar with sound-transmission stones, but since he hadn’t used them much before, he didn’t know the specifics of their effects. Now, he understood clearly that if he wanted to explain things properly, he would need a high-grade sound-transmission stone.

So, Gu Zuo asked, “How much is the high-grade sound-transmission stone?”

The young woman was slightly surprised before answering, “The high-grade sound-transmission stone costs 300 mystical crystals (Xuanjing).” She thought for a moment and then continued to list the prices for the other two grades. “The mid-grade sound-transmission stone costs 50 mystical crystals, and the low-grade sound-transmission stone costs 300 spirit crystals.”

Gu Zuo found the prices a bit steep.

After all, this was essentially a consumable item. Once used, the sound would immediately shatter when the duration expired. Most people would settle for the mid-grade stones—after all, a cup of tea’s worth of time; what kind of message couldn’t be finished? The high-grade ones were generally not in demand.

Usually, the reason a shop would have high-grade sound-transmission stones on hand was to show off its wealth and reputation, not because they expected to sell them for profit.

So, Gu Zuo said, “We’ll take the high-grade sound-transmission stone.”

The young woman hadn’t expected that someone would actually buy the high-grade stone.

However, a good businessperson wouldn’t turn away a customer. After Gu Zuo confirmed his choice, she immediately flashed a polite smile. “In that case, please wait a moment while I go fetch the high-grade sound-transmission stone.”

She then gestured for one of her colleagues to continue attending to the two men while she hurried to speak with the manager. Upon hearing her request, the manager paused for a moment.

Then, he personally walked up to Gu Zuo and Gongyi Tianheng. “You two wish to purchase a high-grade sound-transmission stone?”

Gu Zuo nodded. “Exactly.”

A look of hesitation appeared on the manager’s face.

Gu Zuo furrowed his brow. “Is it that you don’t have any?”

The manager quickly replied, “It’s not that we don’t have any, but the high-grade sound-transmission stones are usually not bought, so they’re kept in the main trading house’s vault. They are not on display here. If you want one, I’m afraid it will take a few days for me to have it brought over from the main vault.”

Gu Zuo understood.

That made sense. It wasn’t likely that every branch would keep the same items on hand.

However, if they waited any longer, it might be too late. Qing Wan was the hard-earned clue they had managed to capture, and she needed to be sent back to the Blood Transformation Palace of the Ten Ultimates Sect as quickly as possible. If they delayed even a bit, what if her organization’s people discovered her whereabouts and intercepted her halfway?

With this thought, Gu Zuo couldn’t help but consider checking the other shops in the Eight Desolations City. Even though those shops might not have any in stock either, he couldn’t rest until he had searched everywhere. As for this shop, since it was confirmed to have what they needed, he figured they might as well request them to procure the item first, making preparations on both fronts. At worst, they’d just end up buying an extra sound-transmission stone, which could serve as a backup.

While his thoughts were spinning, someone suddenly descended from the upper floor and spoke, “Brother Gongyi, Pharmacist Gu?” The voice was low and restrained but carried a distinct air of authority.

Gu Zuo looked up and was momentarily stunned. “Brother Shen?”

Gongyi Tianheng smiled faintly. “Brother Shen.”

It turned out that the person coming down was none other than Shen Yuanbai!

This was quite unexpected. Why was Shen Yuanbai suddenly in the Eight Desolations City? Wasn’t he supposed to be overseeing the headquarters while rigorously training?

Even Gongyi Tianheng couldn’t help but feel a faint sense of unease.

Nonetheless, meeting an old acquaintance in a foreign land was always a pleasant surprise. Both of them greeted Shen Yuanbai warmly.

Shen Yuanbai glanced at them and asked, “Since you’ve come to my trading company, if there’s anything you need, feel free to ask.”

The manager quickly leaned in and whispered a few words to him.

Shen Yuanbai responded, “Ah, so you need a high-grade sound-transmission stone. By chance, I’ve been inspecting the branch locations, and I happen to have a few sound-transmission stones with me, including one high-grade stone. I can transfer it to you.”