I Have Medicine

Chapter 568 - (The plan of both sides) Let them be unable to turn over for thirty thousand years.

Thinking of this, even though Wu Zhenhuang had been experienced for many years and usually kept his emotions in check, he couldn’t help but slap the table and exclaim loudly, “Good! Couldn’t be better!”

The three foreign tribes in the border wilderness, each of them had a deep blood feud with his Wu family. Unless one side was completely annihilated, the hatred would never end. Now hearing that the Giant Rock Tribe had been halved and their descendants eradicated was a huge blessing. However, this matter was of great importance. Although he wanted the whole city to celebrate, he had to hold back a little and first consult with the guardian and Pill Slaughterer Profound Shadow.

After settling this, Wu Zhenhuang took a deep breath and suppressed the overwhelming joy he felt.

Then, his mind shifted as he considered how to handle the aftermath of this event.

Indeed, the destruction of half of the Giant Rock Tribe was a cause for celebration, but because the Giant Rock Tribe had suffered such a massive blow, they would not easily let this go. They would certainly retaliate in some way.

Once the Giant Rock Tribe counterattacked, it would come fiercely. Even though he didn’t know exactly what kind of measures they would take, they must be prepared for whatever might happen.

With these thoughts, Wu Zhenhuang immediately sent someone to the guardian’s residence to invite the two over for a discussion.

His subordinates quickly obeyed.

At the same time, after a brief contemplation, Wu Zhenhuang also called for his deputy commanders and advisors.

Such a big matter couldn’t be revealed to the citizens of the city just yet, but he could call in his trusted subordinates to relieve the pent-up frustration he had been carrying for many years and let off some steam.

The deputy commanders and advisors were nearby and arrived quickly. Soon, they were all gathered.

One of the advisors noticed Wu Zhenhuang’s beaming smile and couldn’t help but ask, “City Lord, may I ask what good news has come?”

Hearing this, Wu Zhenhuang didn’t hold back. He burst into laughter and said, “Hahaha! You may not know yet, but our greatest enemy, the Giant Rock Tribe, has lost over twenty thousand members, and their bloodline is now severed!”

The crowd was shocked at first, but their surprise quickly turned to joy as they eagerly asked, “City Lord, what happened? Please explain!”

Wu Zhenhuang didn’t keep them in suspense. He immediately recounted the information gathered by his spies, then sighed with admiration, “The might of an All-star Prodigy — the more you learn about it, the more you realize how boundless it is. It’s like seeing only the tip of the iceberg, never reaching the end! A top prodigy from a Silver-ranked force is indeed extraordinary — their methods are beyond our imagination!”

Hearing this, the deputy commanders and advisors couldn’t help but feel amazed.

They had previously believed that the guardian’s role was merely ceremonial. But now that a true powerhouse had arrived, achieving remarkable feats time and time again, they found it hard to adjust — yet they were undeniably grateful.

Then, as they recalled how furious the Giant Rock Tribe’s ancestors must be right now, they couldn’t help but gloat, saying, “Serves them right for preying on our people!”

After indulging in their laughter at the expense of the foreign tribes, Wu Zhenhuang’s expression turned serious. “As satisfying as this is, the retaliation that follows will be swift and fierce — incredibly difficult to handle. We must plan our next steps carefully.”

The others quickly sobered at his words, agreeing wholeheartedly.

—-

Gu Zuo and Gongyi Tianheng were in the midst of their seclusion when suddenly, someone from the city lord’s mansion came to pay a visit.

Guo Zuo was busy at a critical moment in his pill refinement process, so he remained occupied. Since Gongyi Tianheng wasn’t in deep seclusion, he stepped out to meet the visitor first.

Upon seeing the guest, Gongyi Tianheng asked, “What brings the City Lord to seek me?”

The visitor was one of Wu Zhenhuang’s trusted aides. Having overheard the spy’s earlier report, he was feeling quite jubilant and now held great respect for Gongyi Tianheng. With utmost deference, he replied, “Guardian, sir, it concerns the matter of the foreign tribes — there’s an urgent matter to discuss.”

Hearing this, Gongyi Tianheng noticed the barely concealed admiration in the man’s expression and quickly deduced the situation. He smiled and said, “Please wait a moment. Once Ah Zuo finishes his work, we will join you.”

The visitor had no objections and respectfully stood by to wait.

Roughly a quarter of an hour later, Guo Zuo emerged.

He had just finished refining ten furnaces of pills simultaneously. Though all were successful, the effort had clearly drained him, and his expression showed signs of fatigue.

Gongyi Tianheng immediately noticed this and called him over, his gaze showing a hint of concern. “Ah Zuo, why have you pushed yourself so hard?”

Guo Zuo replied, “After what happened, I figured I’d better make extra preparations.”

Gongyi Tianheng understood Gu Zuo’s thoughts, knowing that apart from his anger over the plight of the human race, it was more about his own ability to make a difference here that drove him to such exhaustion. With a soft sigh, Gongyi Tianheng said, “To me, all other matters can be handled slowly, even if we miss some opportunities. With my abilities, I am confident I can find other ways to make up for it. But your safety, Ah Zuo — that is something I can never overlook. Do you understand?”

Feeling the warmth in his words, Guo Zuo’s heart softened. “Don’t worry, brother. I understand.”

Only then did Gongyi Tianheng nod slightly and inform him about the City Lord’s request to meet them.

Guo Zuo had already suspected as much. Together with Gongyi Tianheng, he followed the messenger to the City Lord’s manor.

While Wu Zhenhuang was discussing matters with his advisors, someone arrived to report that the guardian and Pill Slaughterer Profound Shadow had arrived. Wu Zhenhuang immediately stood up and, along with his deputy commanders and advisors, went out to greet them.

It wasn’t just because the two held esteemed statuses. The incredible feat they had accomplished was enough to earn everyone’s respect and a warm welcome.

When Gu Zuo and Gongyi Tianheng entered, they were met with the enthusiastic smiles of the City Lord’s household, which instantly improved their mood. Clearly, these people had heard the news.

Sure enough, Wu Zhenhuang stepped forward, repeatedly expressing his gratitude for what the two had done in the Giant Rock Tribe’s territory. He then invited them to take the seats of honor and personally served them tea.

Gongyi Tianheng smiled and said, “City Lord Wu, there’s no need to be so formal. Standing up for our fellow humans was simply what I ought to do when I came here.”

Wu Zhenhuang chuckled, “Guardian, you could have chosen to let things slide. Yet you boldly took action — my gratitude is not just my own, but on behalf of the entire city’s residents.”

Gongyi Tianheng didn’t dwell on the matter. After taking a sip of tea, he asked, “City Lord, since you’ve summoned us, I assume there’s something you wish to discuss… Could it be about the Giant Rock Tribe’s potential retaliation?”

Wu Zhenhuang replied, “Guardian, your foresight is remarkable.” He nodded. “Indeed, that’s the reason. Now that the Giant Rock Tribe has lost all their offspring, if they wish to preserve their bloodline, they’ll need to focus on reproduction immediately. Until they’ve produced enough offspring, they likely won’t launch a large-scale attack on us. However, once they’ve recovered… I fear they will strike back fiercely. In fact, even during this period of recovery…”

Gongyi Tianheng pondered briefly. “City Lord, your concerns make sense… But judging from your words, you seem to know something specific about the Giant Rock Tribe’s reproduction methods?”

Wu Zhenhuang nodded. “Indeed, the Giant Rock Tribe is a foreign race, carnivorous by nature. Although they possess intelligence, their instincts are no different from those of wild beasts, and so is their reproduction. I wonder if the Guardian has heard of the Shi Yan Beasts?”

Gongyi Tianheng thought for a moment. “That beast is a type of wild creature with an extremely long lifespan. It enjoys devouring rocks and is relatively docile compared to other wild beasts. When it reaches the end of its growth cycle, one in ten thousand may undergo a transformation, becoming a Yan Wu Primordial Beast. At that point, its temperament shifts drastically — it becomes bloodthirsty, violent, and obsessed with devouring flesh… These beasts have a unique breeding trait — each female mates with several males. During this time, the males will hunt countless prey to feed the female. Eventually, each female can give birth to over ten offspring… Moreover, if there aren’t enough females, the males will forcefully mate with the females of other species. Tragically, those forced mothers are often devoured by their offspring shortly after giving birth.”

At this point, Gongyi Tianheng paused, seemingly anticipating what Wu Zhenhuang was about to say.

Sure enough, Wu Zhenhuang continued, “The origins of the Giant Rock Tribe trace back to Yan Wu Primordial Beasts forcing human women to give birth to their offspring. Over generations, this resulted in the evolved Giant Rock Tribe we know today. Although they now possess both beast and human bloodlines, their beastly nature remains dominant. Worse still, because of their partial human bloodline, they have a strong preference for devouring humans — a hatred deeply ingrained in our people.

Under normal circumstances, the Giant Rock Tribe mates within their own kind and follows customs similar to ours. However, when they face a crisis that threatens their survival, their instincts lean heavily toward their beast side. The males will forcibly breed with the females to rapidly expand their numbers. And if there aren’t enough females within their own tribe… I’m afraid they’ll seek out strong human women to breed with instead.”

Gongyi Tianheng frowned. “Choosing human women? Could there be a particular reason behind that?”

Wu Zhenhuang replied, “Due to their mixed bloodline, aside from mating within their own tribe, they can only reproduce successfully with human women. However, offspring born this way inherit the predatory nature of the Primordial Beasts. After birth, they instinctively devour their mother, and their appearance is indistinguishable from other Giant Rock Tribe members.”

Gu Zuo’s expression tightened as well.

So, since their bloodline originates from two sources, they only lack reproductive isolation with these two groups. However, with other tribes, such isolation does exist… But then, how did those Primordial Beasts manage to impregnate human women all those years ago? Shouldn’t there have been reproductive isolation back then as well?

It didn’t make sense.

But in a vast and unpredictable world, strange things abound. Since the Giant Rock Tribe had already emerged as such a formidable foreign race, the only option now was to find a way to deal with them.

Gongyi Tianheng’s expression grew heavy. “The so-called ‘strong human women’ must surely mean female martial artists. If we’re not careful and one of our women falls into the hands of the Giant Rock Tribe, the outcome could be far more tragic than simply being eaten alive. We must be vigilant and ensure no one from our tribe suffers such a fate.”

Wu Zhenhuang sighed. “Exactly. That’s why we must deliberate carefully on how to proceed.”

Everyone in the hall frowned, deep in thought.

In their view, the Giant Rock Tribe would likely force every female within their own ranks to serve their males in their desperate bid to expand their numbers — and given the nature of their race, this was hardly surprising. However, if those female numbers proved insufficient to produce enough offspring in a short time, the tribe would undoubtedly send forces to target female human martial artists instead.

This was something they absolutely could not allow.

Even though this would mean female martial artists would have to be far more cautious in the future, no one present believed this was Gongyi Tianheng and Gu Zuo’s fault.

Striking down the foreign race’s forces and crippling their ability to reproduce was undeniably a great service to humanity. Any resulting problems had already been anticipated — and with sufficient precautions, they might yet prevent a devastating outcome.

Wu Zhenhuang said, “No matter what, until the Giant Rock Tribe’s reproductive efforts are concluded, the women of Eight Desolations City must no longer participate in borderland hunts. My daughter, Wu Yingyuan, will lead the women in training within the city. When the next beast tide comes, they will step forward to fight courageously outside the city. In this way, they will still contribute greatly and will not be underestimated.

“Beyond this, for the sake of their own safety, we must ask the women to be patient and vigilant for now.”

Among Wu Zhenhuang’s deputy commanders, some had daughters of their own. Hearing these instructions, none voiced objections. After all, the women of Eight Desolations City were no less spirited than Wu Yingyuan herself — fierce, determined, and unafraid of hardship. When it came to borderland hunts, they fought just as fiercely as the men. But no matter how brave they were, there was a clear difference between dying in battle and suffering the disgrace that awaited those captured.

If it were merely a regular confrontation, no one feared facing the Giant Rock Tribe. However, with the tribe now desperate to expand their numbers, any man who crossed their path would surely be crushed to pieces — and if a woman appeared… the two elders of the Giant Rock Tribe might even risk exposing themselves to powerful human experts just to capture her.

Such a fate would not only destroy the woman’s life but likely claim her life in the end as well.

Gongyi Tianheng quietly listened to Wu Zhenhuang’s explanation. Once he finished, Gongyi Tianheng finally asked, “So, what course of action should we take against the Giant Rock Tribe?”

Wu Zhenhuang sighed. “If we plan to storm Giant Rock City, we can gather enough forces to make it possible. What concerns me most is that if we become entangled with the Giant Rock Tribe, the other two hostile tribes may seize the opportunity to strike. Should that happen, Eight Desolations City could find itself in grave danger…”

As he spoke, Wu Zhenhuang’s gaze turned to Gongyi Tianheng and Gu Zuo, his eyes filled with a hint of expectation.

Gu Zuo was known as the ‘Pill-Slaughtering Profound Shadow,’ and in both of his recent achievements, the pills he provided had played a crucial role, making Wu Zhenhuang rather envious. Gongyi Tianheng appeared calm, but the lethality he displayed with each move was akin to crushing ants. Not to mention, he could take on ten thousand opponents alone. He could kill those foreign races and wild beasts of various levels in the Immortal Realm, and the flames he unleashed were even more terrifying…. Not to mention that he commanded two thousand subordinates, whose individual combat prowess and teamwork had proven to be remarkably formidable after the recent battle.

Of course, no matter how powerful Gongyi Tianheng was, he could only add strength to Eight Desolations City. But Gu Zuo’s strength lay in the fact that, as long as he was willing, he could even enhance the capabilities of the entire Eight Desolations City!

But what Gu Zuo chose to do, or whether he would do it at all… Wu Zhenhuang knew that depended on Gongyi Tianheng’s approval.

Seeing Wu Zhenhuang’s expectant look, Gongyi Tianheng smiled and turned to Gu Zuo, clearly intending to let him make the decision.

Gu Zuo then said, “I’d like three corpses for research.”

While foreign tribes were indeed difficult to capture, Eight Desolations City’s warriors had undoubtedly slain plenty over the years. Otherwise, given their reproduction rate, their combined strength would have long surpassed Eight Desolations City’s, and they wouldn’t still be locked in this stalemate.

Wu Zhenhuang’s eyes brightened at those words. “Pharmacist Gu, do you mean to say…?”

Gu Zuo replied, “Previously, I attempted to test medicines designed for humans on foreign raced, but they had little effect. So, I’ll need to make adjustments. The more corpses I have, the smoother the research will go. And if I can conduct trials on living subjects, the results will be even more reliable.”

This was actually a request Gu Zuo had brought up before. When he first arrived, he had asked Wu Zhenhuang for a few corpses for research, which had startled Wu Zhenhuang at the time. Wu Zhenhuang had agreed back then, but with all the recent chaos, the matter had been set aside and Gu Zuo hadn’t mentioned it again.

Now that Wu Zhenhuang had come with a request of his own, Gu Zuo naturally seized the opportunity to raise this matter once more. Besides, what had previously been a minor concern now seemed far more urgent — it was time to take action.

After hearing this, Wu Zhenhuang paused thoughtfully before saying, “If it’s the corpses you need, I can provide them from all three tribes, ranging from the Houtian Realm up to the Atomic Realm. But if you require live subjects… that won’t be as easy.”

Gu Zuo’s spirits lifted. “All three tribes?”

Wu Zhenhuang nodded. “Yes, though not every cultivation level is accounted for.” He then added with a hint of regret, “As for those in the Ascendant Realm, I’m afraid we have none.”

After all, Celestial Realm and Noble Realm powerhouses rarely took action since they were locked in a tense stalemate. As for the Ascendant Realm dealing with the Ascendant Realm, it had been extremely difficult to kill the opponent and bring back the corpse during a major battle.

Gu Zuo was not bothered by this at all: “The strong will naturally be dealt with by the strong. What I am currently researching is a medicine that is inherently highly lethal and useful for annihilating their race.”

Upon hearing this, Wu Zhenhuang was overjoyed: “Then many thanks to Pharmacist Gu!”

The harm caused by the foreign tribes had been ongoing for too long. Many years ago, there were indeed suggestions to use medicines to drive them back. However, in a iron-ranked city like Eight Desolations City, it was extremely difficult to find a sufficiently talented pharmacist. After all, if they couldn’t even improve the medicine for their own human race, how could they create something specifically targeted at the foreign tribes? Even if it cost a huge price, the stronger pharmacists, such as those above the Earth-Level, might not have been willing to study such a niche medicine. Even if these three tribes were a great threat to Eight Desolations City, they weren’t a major issue compared to the vast human race. Figures like the Pill King would never waste time on these three tribes. Only Earth-Level pharmacists would be willing to dedicate time to this, and among them, those who had the capability were nearly impossible to find, given their networks.

But now it was different. The Pill Slaughtering Profound Shadow was their new guardian’s exclusive pharmacist! Moreover, when not taking action, his personality was quite easygoing — it was as if a pie had fallen from the sky!

After Wu Zhenhuang humbly inquired, he received a satisfactory answer and couldn’t have been more delighted.

After that, the group discussed their current course of action.

Naturally, Gu Zuo would first focus on researching the necessary medicines. Gongyi Tianheng, on the other hand, would lead his subordinates deep into the outer wilderness to hunt and capture foreign races. In addition, they would send scouts from Eight Desolations City who were extremely familiar with the outer wilderness to guide Gongyi Tianheng’s group. Other warriors would form small teams, primarily harassing the foreign tribes with hunting as a secondary goal, making sure not to let any men or women fall into the hands of the Giant Rock Tribe. Even men weren’t entirely safe, as women would be subjected to humiliation, while the Giant Rock Tribe, needing a large amount of blood food, would likely kill any men on the spot.

Moreover, the guards at the gates of Eight Desolations City would have to be even stricter, though for now, they would only increase surveillance. If Gu Zuo’s research proved successful, certain medicines would be able to detect foreign traces, making it impossible for the Demon Wolf Tribe to infiltrate the city. This would allow Eight Desolations City to become like an iron fortress!

As for those who had no specific tasks, they would focus on training and preparing resources… Once everyone was ready, a counterattack into the outer wilderness to battle the foreign tribes would be very possible.

Gongyi Tianheng also understood that, during the long years of war between the human race and the three foreign tribes, there were times when both sides had breached each other’s territories. The Giant Rock Tribe, relying on their many powerful experts and their strong city defenses, rarely moved, and it was the only tribe whose location was known to the human race. As for the Demon Wolf Tribe and the Blue-Eyed Tribe, they were like crafty rabbits with multiple hiding places. However, when the human race truly invaded the outer wilderness, under the pressure of the army, they had managed to kill many of them. The same could be said when human cities were breached.

The two sides had their share of victories and defeats. Despite both coming close to exterminating each other multiple times, they always managed to recover and had never been completely wiped out or eradicated.

This time, Gongyi Tianheng was not absolutely confident in wiping out the three tribes, because even if only a spark remained, after many years of lurking, it could reignite and spread once more.

Therefore, Wu Zhenhuang also hoped that this time they could deliver a powerful blow to the three tribes, not just one or two of them, making it impossible for them to aid each other, extinguishing their arrogance, and allowing Eight Desolations City to gain the upper hand. This would enable the city to rest and recuperate for a long time.

At the very least… they should be unable to rise again for thirty thousand years.

With this thought in mind, Wu Zhenhuang was fully supportive of Gu Zuo and Gongyi Tianheng.

Gongyi Tianheng already had sufficient resources and was working with the Divine Wind Trading House, so he didn’t need to do much. Gu Zuo, after finalizing the plans with them, went back to focus on research while waiting for the experimental materials to be delivered.

Around half a day later, Wu Zhenhuang brought the materials over.

More than twenty strong men carried ice-like coffins and cages made of precious ores to Gu Zuo and Gongyi Tianheng’s residence.

Outside, many warrior slaves were sparring and training. When Long Yi from the Tianlong Guard saw the arrival of others, he recalled his master’s instructions and quickly rushed over to greet them.

Wu Zhenhuang was humble and polite, not putting on any airs.

After seeing the “ice boxes” and cages, Long Yi hurried to Gu Zuo’s retreat to inform him.

Gu Zuo, who had been eagerly awaiting the experimental subjects, had been focused on research rather than constantly refining pills. Upon hearing Long Yi’s message, he immediately went out to meet Wu Zhenhuang.

As soon as he looked up, he saw a member of the Blue-Eyed Tribe bound at the limbs, trapped inside one of the cages.