Chapter 43: You Have a Grudge, So You Involve Others?

“This formation is terrifying…” Long Xiwei spoke slowly, a flicker of tension visible in her eyes.

Lu Jin nodded. “It is indeed terrifying. After all, it took years to construct. The Huangque Pharmacist we seek is likely within the internal space of the formation: a place marked as the Medicine King Secret Realm on the Wandering Spirit Map.”

“It seems we have to take the risk,” Long Xiwei noted.

“Aside from the Gate of Life providing a safe entry, every other location is guarded by an unknown number of great demons. Once the formation is triggered, those demons will swarm and attack. At that point, there will be no retreat.”

Lu Jin agreed. “Then we take the Gate of Life to find the truth.”

At that moment, several figures appeared at the position of the Gate of Life. As they spotted the duo, one of them spurred a massive demonic mount and galloped toward them.

“Who are you? Do you also wish to enter the Medicine King Secret Realm?”

The speaker was quite young, looking no older than fifteen or sixteen. However, he carried a rugged aura. His deep eyes held a maturity and weariness that did not belong to someone his age.

“Correct. I am looking for the Huangque Pharmacist.” Lu Jin did not hide his intent. “Brother, can you lead the way?”

The young man frowned slightly. “I can let you in, but you must promise me one thing.”

“Speak,” Lu Jin replied.

“Help me kill the Huangque Pharmacist.” The youth gave a dark smile. “To put it another way: the only ones allowed to leave that place alive are those carrying the pharmacist’s head. Otherwise, you stay as skeletons.”

Buzz!

As the youth spoke, he waved his arm. A pile of stones nearby exploded, revealing a hidden space behind it. Within that space, bleached white skeletons were piled in a dense, horrifying mound.

“They were all people who went in to find him. But they couldn’t kill him for me, so they could only die here.”

Seeing this shocking sight, Long Xiwei’s expression shifted. Lu Jin’s brow knitted together.

“You have a grudge against the pharmacist, yet you involve others?”

The youth nodded. “Exactly.”

Lu Jin gave a dark laugh. “Fine. Take me to see him.”

The youth frowned at Lu Jin’s indifferent attitude. He eventually spoke. “You can enter through the Gate of Life. I will give you a piece of friendly advice: try to come out alive.”

Lu Jin smiled. “Don’t trouble yourself on my account.”

The youth let out a cold snort and led the way on his beast. Soon, he brought Lu Jin and Long Xiwei to the position of the Gate of Life. At that spot, the terrain opened up around a corner. Within that space, there was a camp of no less than a hundred people; they had been completely invisible from the outside!

“This formation is incredibly strange!” Lu Jin remarked.

Long Xiwei added, “There are many people, but even more demonic beasts. The number of beasts within this formation exceeds a thousand!”

Lu Jin’s gaze darkened. “Miss Long, we are already here. I can go in alone. You should wait outside the formation, or better yet, leave now.”

Hearing this, Long Xiwei’s eyes narrowed with irritation. “What do you mean by that, Young Master Lu? I am willing to give my life for the Holy Tabernacle; how could I just walk away now?”

Her emotional response left Lu Jin momentarily silent. “Very well. In that case, we go together.”

Exchanging a glance, the two stepped through the Gate of Life.

Buzz!

The moment they entered, the power of the formation roared around them. The surrounding scenery transformed instantly into a different landscape. Ten great demons appeared before them, blocking their path. Simultaneously, the voice of the youth reached their ears.

“You two, I need to test your combat power. After all, if you don’t have the means to kill that pharmacist, you should just die now. There is no need to waste our time.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the ten demons charged. Their massive bodies exerted a suffocating pressure: each one possessed a frantic, destructive strength.

“Miss Long, leave this to me.” Lu Jin stepped forward to shield her.

Long Xiwei gave a faint smile. “Do you think the Hall Master sent me here to be a burden? Step aside!”

Swish!

As she spoke, several talismans shot out. In the blink of an eye, they were stuck to the foreheads of the ten demons. With a flick of her hand and a chanted incantation, they burst into ash!

“Roll!”

Long Xiwei gave a sharp shout. The ten demons actually obeyed. They lowered their bodies, turned around, and fled in different directions!

Lu Jin was stunned. He said nothing, but he gave her a thumbs-up with a smile.

Long Xiwei gave a radiant grin. “Before a Monster Hunter, the tricks of a Beast Tamer are not worth mentioning!” She looked quite proud of herself.

“Alright, alright. I’ll let you lead the way, Miss Long!”

“This way!”

Long Xiwei continued to use her specialized methods. Outside, the young man watched the scene through the formation, his brow twitching. “They have some skill. But if they can’t kill the Huangque Pharmacist, they are still destined to become two more sets of white bones in that pile!”

“The youth outside is quite powerful?”

As they moved deeper into the formation, the area grew quiet. The path seemed to lead directly to the Medicine King Secret Realm. Lu Jin was curious about the people outside and spoke to break the silence.

“She is a Beast Tamer. However, the most powerful person is likely someone else,” Long Xiwei said. “That person hasn’t shown their face yet. Otherwise, the number of demons used to test us would have been far more than ten.”

Lu Jin nodded. “Miss Long, the path back might be even more treacherous than coming here.”

Long Xiwei interrupted him. “There is no need for such talk, Young Master Lu. We are both serving the Holy Tabernacle. I once received a life-saving grace from the Hall Master that I can never fully repay. This small task today is of no consequence.”

Hearing this, Lu Jin decided to reveal his true purpose. “Miss Long, to be honest, the reason I am looking for the Huangque Pharmacist is to find a cure for the Hall Master’s Primal Chaos Poison.”

“What?” Her expression changed instantly. “The Hall Master has been poisoned?” Her eyes were full of concern and worry.

“Yes. While the Hall Master killed the Five-Poison Blood Venerable, he was also afflicted by the Primal Chaos Poison. The antidote fell into a volcano’s magma along with the Venerable’s corpse. The only person who might know a cure is the Five-Poison Blood Venerable’s former master, the Huangque Pharmacist. That is why I am here.”

Long Xiwei finally understood. “So that is how it is. In that case, I definitely cannot leave. Young Master Lu, even if it costs me my life, I will help you get that antidote for the Hall Master!”

Lu Jin looked at her resolute expression and gave a slight nod. “According to the map, the Medicine King Secret Realm should be just ahead.”

They moved forward and suddenly stepped out of the range of the grand formation. For some reason, while the formation sealed everything else tightly, it pulled back at the edge of this new space. Ahead was a small-scale secret realm. The area radiated a strange fluctuation that seemed to be counteracting and neutralizing the Beast Tamer’s formation.

“This Medicine King Secret Realm also has a portal…”

Looking at the spiritual Qi surrounding the realm, the two frowned.

Buzz…

Suddenly, the spiritual Qi of the secret realm vibrated. A few yards in front of them, a door of light slowly materialized.