I Have Medicine

Chapter 576 - (Successful Refinement) Thirty Thousand Magical Weapons.

After entering the merchant company, the manager saw that it was Gongyi Tianheng and immediately beamed with a welcoming smile, enthusiastically coming forward. “Ah, it’s Young Master Gongyi! What an honor to have you grace our humble establishment!”

Gongyi Tianheng smiled. “I’m here today because I have a matter to entrust.”

The manager said, “Please, this way to the second floor.” As he spoke, he lowered his voice, “The company master happens to be here today. If he sees you, he’ll surely be very pleased.”

Gongyi Tianheng raised an eyebrow.

Shen Yuanbai is here again today? He really seems to have a lot of free time.

Then, he gave a slight nod. “Since Brother Shen is here, of course I must meet him. As it happens, this particular business is something I’d like to discuss with him personally.”

The manager said no more, simply growing even more cordial as he led Gongyi Tianheng upstairs. Once Gongyi Tianheng followed his guidance and entered a certain room, the manager gently closed the door behind him and respectfully left.

At this moment, Gongyi Tianheng saw Shen Yuanbai seated in the room, now rising to greet him.

Gongyi Tianheng smiled. “Brother Shen.”

Shen Yuanbai responded, “Please, Brother Gongyi. What business brings you here today?”

Gongyi Tianheng lifted his robes and took a seat. With a flip of his hand, he pushed forward a large wooden chest, about three feet long and two feet wide. “Brother Shen, please take a look at this first.”

Noticing Gongyi Tianheng’s somewhat solemn demeanor, Shen Yuanbai was intrigued. He reached out and opened the wooden chest. Instantly, the contents became clear before his eyes.

It was… several thick layers of fur stacked together. The hide was extremely supple, the fur smooth to the touch. But if one stroked it against the grain, the fine hairs felt like steel needles. Even with Shen Yuanbai’s current level of cultivation, he felt as though his palm might be pierced—just from a light touch.

Shen Yuanbai couldn’t help but praise, “What a precious hide!”

With his sharp eye, he could naturally sense the immense power contained within the fur, though it had suffered some wear and tear. One could easily imagine how terrifyingly strong the creature must have been in its prime. Even so, the material was still excellent for crafting spirit weapons—more than sufficient even for weapons used by martial artists at the Royal Realm.

This quality of material filled the entire chest, a full ten zhang square. If used to forge magical weapons, the number of weapons produced could easily reach the hundreds.

Gongyi Tianheng asked with a smile, “Do you think your company can handle this, Brother Shen?”

Shen Yuanbai replied calmly, “Rest assured, Brother Gongyi. No matter what it is, our Divine Wind Trading Company can handle it.”

Gongyi Tianheng’s brow twitched slightly.

Such bold words! Could it be that Shen Yuanbai has some hidden cards to play?

Given Gongyi Tianheng’s temperament, he naturally wouldn’t ask outright and risk offending the other party. Instead, he simply smiled. “Since Brother Shen is so confident, then we have a deal.”

Shen Yuanbai said, “I’m all ears.”

Gongyi Tianheng spoke directly. “I require a type of magical weapon—preferably in the form of an eye mask. Its function… aside from allowing the wearer to still see while wearing it, it must also be able to block the soul-capturing power of the Blue-Eyed Tribe’s gaze. And I’ll need quite a large quantity.”

Shen Yuanbai understood upon hearing this. “That won’t be too difficult. However, if you’re expecting complete and unlimited resistance against the Blue-Eyed Tribe’s soul-capturing ability, that might not be possible. If these magical weapons are meant to fully resist such power—and in large numbers—then I’m afraid even this hide you brought won’t be enough.”

Gongyi Tianheng understood this well.

Though the taotie hide was indeed valuable, what he had brought was still of a lower grade. It could be used to forge many powerful magical weapons, and its worth was undeniably high—but it wasn’t limitless.

To achieve total immunity against the Blue-Eyed Tribe’s soul-capturing power, the materials needed would be extraordinarily rare. A small quantity might be manageable, but for a large batch, the value would far exceed that of the taotie hide.

So Gongyi Tianheng said, “That’s fine. These eye-mask magical weapons only need to withstand three attacks from a Blue-Eyed tribesman’s gaze. The quantity required must not be fewer than thirty thousand.”

Shen Yuanbai was unsurprised. “Thirty thousand… It seems Brother Gongyi intends to wipe out the entire Blue-Eyed Tribe.”

Gongyi Tianheng laughed freely. “Since I’ve taken on the role of a guardian, I cannot return empty-handed.”

As for the Blue-Eyed Tribe’s connection to his dear Ah Zuo, that was something he wouldn’t mention lightly.

Shen Yuanbai replied calmly, “Thirty thousand mental-focus eye masks, each capable of blocking at least three attacks from Blue-Eyed Tribe’s gazes, with 20% psychic infusion. Over twenty top-tier weapon forgers will be assigned to the task, and the refining materials will include powdered Qingxin Stone. Junior Brother Gongyi, would this arrangement satisfy you?”

Gongyi Tianheng smiled. “Many thanks for your help, Brother Shen. I only ask—how long will it take to complete the forging?”

Shen Yuanbai answered, “The masks are not difficult to craft. With low complexity and limited usage, each forgemaster can work on several at once… So, here’s what I’ll do: I’ll bring in more weapon forgers. At the earliest, three days; at the latest, five. They’ll be ready.”

Gongyi Tianheng marveled, “Brother Shen, your influence is truly vast. I am grateful for your support.”

With just a few short exchanges, the deal was struck.

Shen Yuanbai didn’t ask what kind of hide Gongyi Tianheng had brought—because if Gongyi hadn’t volunteered the information, it clearly meant he didn’t want it known. Shen Yuanbai respected that. Besides, the hide was clearly of high quality. Once he returned, the forgemasters would naturally be able to determine its nature. As far as he was concerned, it was a very worthwhile business transaction.

Gongyi Tianheng left the taotie hide behind and took his leave.

Had it been any other company, he might have hesitated. But Shen Yuanbai was a man of broad vision and had something to gain from this as well. There was no reason to sour relations over a single hide, so Gongyi Tianheng felt no concern.

Now, he simply had to wait three to five days for the Divine Wind Trading Company to deliver the goods.

And as for those few days… he could wait.

—-

Gu Zuo sat cross-legged in the room. When he extended his psychic power into the Blue Eye, he immediately sensed a strange force continually nourishing his spirit, allowing it to grow stronger and stronger.

A thought stirred in his mind—Is this how the Blue-Eyed Tribe absorbs power to nourish themselves through their connection with the Blue Eye? But he isn’t of the Blue-Eyed Tribe, so why… Then, it suddenly occurred to him—the cultivation method he was currently using.

Soul Capture – First Scroll.

This technique was meant to cultivate soul-capturing power, and the Blue-Eyed Tribe’s signature blue pupils were, in essence, soul-capturing eyes as well. That had to be the reason.

Regardless of the cause, the rapid growth of his psychic power was certainly a good thing. Gu Zuo didn’t hesitate—he drew even more psychic energy into the Blue Eye and began refining the mysterious force within it!

Sure enough, no matter how much psychic power he channeled into the Blue Eye, it was rapidly nourished in return. In just a few moments, Gu Zuo could feel his psychic strength growing significantly. That strange power even fused with his existing soul-capturing force, making it more bizarre, more elusive—and much more irresistibly potent.

His brow began to ache with pressure.

He could sense that within his Dantian, layers of psychic power were forming around the Divine Core, and even the nascent consciousness within the core had begun to grow more active.

Huh?

That was unexpected.

Originally, Gu Zuo had only intended to refine a pair of divine eyes, but he hadn’t anticipated that this enhanced psychic energy would also stimulate the Divine Core, greatly increasing its sentience and bringing it closer to completion.

If someone else had been present, they would have noticed the glow in the massive Blue Eye slowly dimming—evidence that the power within was being continuously drained.

In the past, with so many members of the Blue-Eyed Tribe drawing on the Blue Eye each day, the amount of energy lost was minimal. They only needed to perform blood sacrifices at long intervals to replenish it. But now, Gu Zuo had only been absorbing energy for less than an hour, and the Blue Eye’s light had already noticeably faded. Such refining ability was truly extraordinary!

Bit by bit, the blue glow grew dimmer. Countless streams of power surged into Gu Zuo’s Dantian, fortifying his spirit and steadily increasing his strength.

Once all the blue light had been absorbed, a strange force seemed to condense into a solid mass, quietly floating among his psychic energy.

At the same time, the giant eye—whose iris had already turned a pale gray—began to undergo a dramatic transformation!

It was as though something had suddenly melted it from within. The entire structure actually shrank slightly. And at this very moment, Gu Zuo sensed something new entering his Dantian. His pupils also began to sting faintly, as if something were irritating them.

His heart skipped a beat.

He knew this sensation well—it was what one would feel when their Divine Eyes began to truly undergo refinement. The Soul Capture Scroll described the process clearly, so he wasn’t surprised.

Soon, as the giant eye was completely refined, the pain in his eyes intensified with every passing moment.

At the same time, that strange force suspended among Gu Zuo’s psychic power suddenly split into two—left and right—and entered his two pupils!

Once that strange force fused with the source of the pain, the agony that had nearly driven Gu Zuo to the brink of collapse suddenly lessened a little. The deeper the fusion of that power, the lighter the pain became.

Then, the Blue Eye began to melt even faster!

In no time, it shrank from several zhang tall to just one or two, then down to mere chi, then mere inches… until finally, it became the size of an egg, then a pigeon egg, then a luminous pearl—before vanishing entirely.

Gu Zuo could feel his perception growing sharper.

The excruciating pain gave way to a dull ache, then to a tickling itch that was hard to bear. If he could see his own eyes, he would’ve noticed that his pupils were gradually tinged with a faint blue hue—not like the beastly pupils of the Duo Mu Tribe, but something clear and fluid, like a still spring or a tranquil jade pool. If one looked closely, they might feel their soul being drawn in—entranced and unable to escape.

After a long while, Gu Zuo finally let out a deep breath, and the focus in his eyes returned to normal.

At this moment, his pupils were no longer blue but once again black and white as before. However, if someone stared into them, they might catch a faint, flickering gleam deep in his gaze.

Divine Eyes—formed!

Gu Zuo opened his eyes and looked around, feeling as though everything before him was now clearer by countless degrees. With his current mastery of the Soul Capture, once activated, his pupils would transform into twin pools of jade-blue water, forming small whirlpools within. Anyone who made eye contact with him would find themselves entrapped in that whirlpool—lost in it.

Moreover, with his current cultivation, even a martial artist at the Royal Realm would likely falter for a moment if they locked eyes with him. And in a battle of life and death, a moment’s hesitation… could mean everything.

Feeling the power of his Divine Eyes, Gu Zuo nodded with satisfaction.

Excellent. With this pair of eyes, using the Soul Capture technique would no longer drain his psychic strength as heavily as before.

And… he felt that these eyes might even serve as a deterrent against the Blue-Eyed tribesmen who had awakened their own blue pupils.

It was just a hunch. A gut feeling.

Shaking his head and regaining his composure, Gu Zuo stood up with a leap and walked out the door.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed while refining the Blue Eye—he might as well go see for himself.

His big brother had gone to the Divine Wind Trading Company to discuss a deal. By now, he might have returned.

Sure enough, as soon as Gu Zuo stepped outside, he saw his big brother.

Gongyi Tianheng was currently instructing the Tianlong Guards in the Six Dao technique. In the distance, the battle slaves and the disciples following their family were sparring in pairs, their shouts echoing in the air. The scene was vibrant and intense.

As if sensing Gu Zuo’s presence, Gongyi Tianheng turned his head, smiled gently, and said, “Ah Zuo, you’ve come out of seclusion? Was it a complete success?”

Gu Zuo beamed as he walked over to share his excitement with his brother:

“I’ve already finished refining the Blue Eye. The Divine Eyes have taken form. But if I want to enhance their power further, I’ll still need to fuse in them with more Divine Eyes.”

Upon hearing this, Gongyi Tianheng pondered aloud:

“There was a pair of Taotie Eyes from before. I wonder if Ah Zuo can refine them now?”

In fact, ever since they realized Gu Zuo needed Divine Eyes for refinement, both of them had considered the Taotie’s eyes. However, those eyes contained destructive divine powers—extremely violent and unstable. During the refining process, accidents could easily occur. So, after some thought, they had both dismissed the idea.

But now that Gu Zuo had successfully refined the Blue Eye—whose former owner was surely weaker than the Taotie, though perhaps not by much—it seemed far more feasible. Moreover, the Blue Eye’s power was also rooted in soul-capturing force, sharing a natural resonance with Gu Zuo’s own technique.

Now that the refinement had succeeded and the Divine Eyes were formed, refining the more advanced Taotie Eyes would be significantly less dangerous. He might not even have to worry too much about subduing the destructive divine power within them.

Gu Zuo was stirred after hearing that.

Truthfully, he also had some interest in refining the Taotie’s eyes. He wanted to know… if he did refine them, would the Divine Eyes he’d developed gain some sort of special power? For instance, could they inherit the destructive power from the Taotie’s divine abilities?

If he could even refine that divine power into them, then his psychic strength wouldn’t just be able to capture souls—it could also become significantly more offensive. At high levels of cultivation, it might even allow him to “determine life and death with a single glance.” The mere thought sparked a deep greed within him!

So, Gu Zuo nodded. “I can refine them—but just one is enough. As for the other, big brother can use it to forge your own life-bound magical weapon.”

Gongyi Tianheng curved his lips in a smile. “Ah Zuo doesn’t need to worry for me. Since this Taotie Eyes can bring you such great benefits, naturally they should go to you. Or do you still insist on being polite with your own brother?”

Gu Zuo quickly shook his head. “No, not at all.”

Gongyi Tianheng smiled faintly. “Then Ah Zuo should follow your brother’s advice.”

Gu Zuo immediately nodded in agreement.

In truth, he wasn’t trying to be polite or anything—it was just that he was used to giving the best things to his big brother. That’s why he had spoken like that earlier. But he also knew that his brother felt the same way toward him. So what he’d said just now… wasn’t quite right. He needed to be obedient and warmhearted now, to make his brother feel at ease.

Gongyi Tianheng understood what was going on in Gu Zuo’s mind and didn’t dwell on the matter. Instead, he simply said, “When Ah Zuo decides to refine the Taotie Eyes, let me know. I’ll guard the door for you.”

Gu Zuo felt a surge of warmth in his heart and agreed once more. Then, something occurred to him, and he asked, “Big brother, how long was I in seclusion?”

Gongyi Tianheng replied, “Ah Zuo has been in seclusion for four days.”

Gu Zuo was surprised. “That long?”

Gongyi Tianheng nodded with a smile.

Gu Zuo calmed himself, then realized it wasn’t so strange after all. After all, he had refined an entire Blue Eye, and its level wasn’t low. It made sense that it would take more time. But this also told him something important: when he refined the Taotie Eyes later, he needed to be prepared for a much longer period of seclusion. If it suddenly turned into a months-long or even year-long endeavor and he hadn’t arranged his affairs ahead of time, things could get very troublesome!

While his mind ran wild, Gongyi Tianheng spoke again: “I just heard that the Divine Wind Trading Company sent word—they said their master will personally deliver the goods this afternoon. And now that Ah Zuo is out of seclusion, you’ll need to join me in receiving them.”

The master of Divine Wind Trading Company was, of course, Shen Yuanbai—Gu Zuo immediately nodded. “No problem.”

Once everything was settled, Gongyi Tianheng gave orders to have a fine meal prepared right away to reward Gu Zuo, who hadn’t eaten in days. Gu Zuo, touched by his brother’s thoughtfulness, ate heartily and with great joy.

After finishing his meal, Gu Zuo accompanied Gongyi Tianheng to the reception hall to await Shen Yuanbai’s arrival.

Shen Yuanbai, showing great respect, arrived not long after noon and was extremely courteous in his manner.

Gu Zuo offered Shen Yuanbai a warm smile, while Gongyi Tianheng, clasping his hands, inquired, “Brother Shen, have you brought us some good news today?”

Shen Yuanbai was straightforward and forthright. He reached out and handed over a silvery-white item. “Thirty thousand mind-shielding eyemasks—all are here. Please have a look, Brother Gongyi.”

Gongyi Tianheng accepted the item and looked down—it was a wristband.

He owned one himself. Thanks to its excellent material, even during that major crisis he once faced, it hadn’t been damaged. And now the one Shen Yuanbai was giving him clearly matched it in quality. Judging by its glow, it was no less than his own.

One could see a glimpse of Shen Yuanbai’s financial strength just from this.

Gongyi Tianheng didn’t stand on ceremony. With a thought, he examined the contents of the wristband.

As expected, though the wristband contained only a single compartment, its internal space was vast—no smaller than his own wristband. Inside was what looked like a “mountain of eyemasks.” At a glance, the pile of densely packed silver eyemasks shimmered brilliantly with radiant light—quite a beautiful sight.

Next, Gongyi Tianheng took one out and put it over his eyes.

Just as he had requested earlier, though it covered both eyes, it didn’t obscure his vision in the slightest. His line of sight remained crystal clear. The eyemask also fit comfortably—it seemed to possess a degree of sentience, automatically adjusting to the proper size. Once worn, it caused no discomfort at all—on the contrary, it felt cool and refreshing, quite pleasant to wear.

Now it was time to test its functionality.

Gongyi Tianheng gestured toward the shadows. “Bring the double-eyed one forward.”

Seeing his big brother’s demeanor, Gu Zuo could tell the item Shen Yuanbai had delivered was no shoddy product. He grew even more curious and leaned in closer.

A battle slave of the Shadowcat Clan moved swiftly. In just a few breaths, he had already brought over an iron cage. Inside, the double-eyed Blue-Eye tribesman remained bound in miserable condition. The cage’s unique construction deepened his despair—escape was utterly impossible.

But in the next moment, at Gu Zuo’s command, the Shadowcat warrior removed the Taotie-hide blindfold that had been covering the eyes of the Blue-Eyed tribesmen.

The Blue-Eyed tribesman was momentarily stunned. Then, he suddenly realized that a tall, jade-like young man was standing right in front of him. His appearance was exceptionally handsome by human standards—but in the eyes of the Blue-Eyed clan, he was nothing more than an enemy. Instinctively, he activated his blue pupils, attempting to capture the soul of this person and use the opportunity to escape!

However, what the Blue-Eyed tribesman didn’t expect was that, even as he exerted himself to unleash his soul-capturing power, the man’s expression didn’t change in the slightest.

Only then did he notice that this man was wearing a pair of gleaming silver eyemasks over his eyes. And the moment his blue-pupil power came into contact with the eyemask, it wasbounced back by an invisible force!

The Blue-Eyed tribesman froze on the spot.

Humans had tried in the past to use various tools to block their eyes and resist soul-capturing power, but none had ever succeeded—the blue-pupil power was far too aggressive. Even with eyemasks, as long as there was eye contact, it would still take effect!

But unexpectedly, this time, it had failed…

Next, the Shadowcat expert once again covered the Blue-Eyed tribesman’s eyes, forcing him to settle down.

At this moment, Gu Zuo walked over and noticed that the edges of the once flawless eyemask now bore many fine cracks, as if the mask had sustained damage.

Shen Yuanbai also came forward and said, “If it’s attacked a second time by a dual-pupil user, the mask may suffer half damage. By the third time, it will shatter completely. But if the attacker only has a single pupil, then a single eyemask can be used more than nine times—ten times might even be possible.”

Gu Zuo secretly praised this.

Gongyi Tianheng slowly nodded. “It’s quite excellent. Thank you, Brother Shen, for the effort.”

Shen Yuanbai smiled. “As long as you’re both satisfied, that’s what matters most.”

Gu Zuo truly felt it was remarkable. When the double-eyed enemy had used his power just now, Gu Zuo could clearly feel how potent the soul-capturing force had been—it could easily affect others. Upon discovering that the eyemask was this effective, he was naturally delighted. With this item, their warriors would have a significant advantage when fighting the Blue-Eyed Tribe.