C2687
C2687
Zhang Qianren realized there was no way to retreat now. Without Jiang Tianhai as leverage, he had lost any bargaining power with Jiang Fann. Each of Jiang Fann's attacks landed dangerously close, and if it weren't for Zhao Lei and the Venerable Person guarding him, he might have already met the same fate as Chen Yuan and the others.
From a distance, Xian Hu watched the battle unfold, utterly astonished. Within the vast arena, flames blazed and lightning crackled. Every appearance of Jiang Fann brought a series of explosions. Wielding a long blade, Jiang Fann left the cultivators unable to counterattack, forcing them into a defensive stance.
Even the cultivators at the eighth level of the reincarnation stage couldn't get close; their power and speed were no match for Jiang Fann's current state. Only another cultivator at the peak of the reincarnation stage could seize opportunities to strike at Jiang Fann, but Jiang always managed to evade skillfully. In this domain, Jiang Fann was clearly superior.
Jiang Tianhai was overwhelmed with excitement. He was fully aware of how powerful Jiang Fann had become, standing against the absolute top-tier masters. Unbeknownst to him, his son had grown so formidable.
After several intense attempts, Jiang Fann still couldn't break through the Venerable's tough defense, leaving him somewhat frustrated. This time, he had a few high-quality pills ready in his hand. As the pills were activated by his Medicine Arts, a mist appeared in Jiang Fann's domain. He was eager to see how the Venerable would help Zhang Qianren fend off his attack.
"Medicine King Realm!"
Facing his enemies, Jiang Fann showed no mercy. If he didn't need to focus on taking down Zhang Qianren, he might have dealt with the others as well. Within the domain, the cultivators' movements were already hindered, and with the Medicine King Realm's influence, their reactions became even slower. Zhang Qianren's face turned ashen, his lips a dark purple, clearly poisoned.
The Venerable's defense was surprisingly ineffective against the Medicine Arts. Realizing their bodies were becoming sluggish, they chose to stay put and maintain their defense, wary of Jiang Fann getting too close. However, the effects of the Medicine Arts caught them off guard. Zhang Qianren took several antidote pills in succession, but they offered no relief.
Another cultivator at the peak of the cycle quickly stepped forward, channeling his spiritual strength into Zhang Qianren in an attempt to expel the toxins. Yet, the poison was colorless and tasteless, making it impossible for him to detect any changes, leaving him helpless.
As Zhang Qianren's expression grew increasingly grim, a figure dashed into the domain. Despite only possessing the power of the Mortal Separating Stage, the mist parted wherever he went, unable to hinder him. The newcomer was an elderly man with a furrowed brow—Xing Yan, the legendary master of medicinal arts.
If it had been anyone else, Jiang Fann would have already taken action to eliminate them upon entering the domain. However, this man was different. Jiang Fann had always held high-ranking medicine practitioners in great respect, with the exception of Chen Yuan.
Jiang Fann wasn't surprised that his Medicine King Realm was neutralized; after all, this was a master of medicinal arts. Upon Xing Yan's arrival, a look of relief spread across the faces of Venerable Hanxing and the others. They instructed Zhao Lei to escort him into the protective barrier and then spoke up, "Xing Yan, please help my disciple with the antidote quickly. He can't hold on much longer."
Xing Yan didn't respond immediately. Instead, he surveyed the surroundings, his brow deeply furrowed. "Where is my disciple?"
He had sensed Chen Yuan's presence vanish, which prompted him to come and assess the situation. Normally, battles between practitioners didn't interest him.
At this mention, the practitioners present were taken aback. Venerable Hanxing explained, "That kid Chen Yuan has already been killed by Jiang Fann, along with his disciple..."
Xing Yan was furious. "Are you all useless? So many of you couldn't protect two young ones!"
He glanced around, but unfortunately, with his current abilities, he couldn't see Jiang Fann hidden in the mist. His anger was palpable; Chen Yuan was his prized disciple, someone he believed had immense talent. It was precisely for this reason that he left the Myriad Herbs Valley to join the Celestial Palace, hoping to give Chen Yuan a helping hand. Yet, just this morning, his treasured student was listening to his guidance, and now he had been slain.
Beside him, Zhao Lei remarked, "Master Xing, it's not as simple as you think. Jiang Fann's combat skills are on par with ours, and he possesses unique poison arts. With the support of the domain outside, we hardly stand a chance against him. You need to save him first, or that kid is as good as dead."
Hearing Zhao Lei's words, Xing Yan replied, "Poison arts? What poison arts? It's medicine arts, just mixed with some poison."
He was about to check on Zhang Qianren's condition when an explosion sounded from one side. He saw Jiang Fann, glowing red, striking the defensive barrier with the God-Slaying Blade, leaving him deeply shaken.
"You all are being suppressed by a young man like this, and it's a disgrace if word gets out," he said, moving over to Zhang Qianren to assess his situation.
At that moment, Jiang Fann's voice echoed from outside. "Master, I'm here to solve problems, not create them. I've already let you enter the domain freely; don't make things harder for me."
Xing Yan ignored Jiang Fann and was instead drawn to the toxins affecting Zhang Qianren. As an expert in medicinal arts, he immediately began working on detoxifying him. His dedication to the craft was on par with Jiang Fann's. Using his skills, Xing Yan quickly identified the toxins that even those at the pinnacle of their abilities couldn't detect. He employed a combination of elixirs and his own techniques to extract the poison from Zhang Qianren's body, which noticeably improved his condition almost instantly.
Xing Yan remarked, "I can't quite determine the source of this poison, but there are some clues that make it possible to neutralize. You're lucky it was me who found you; any other healer might not have been able to save you. That guy outside really wanted you dead."
With that, he stood up and looked beyond the barrier.
"So, you're Jiang Fann! You took down my disciple, and you think I'll just let that slide?"
As he spoke, a few elixirs appeared in his hand, which were then engulfed in a blue flame. This was clearly a high-quality mystical fire, and as he applied his medicinal arts, the mist in the area began to dissipate, countered by the elder's skills.
Jiang Fann immediately felt the effects of the elixirs enhancing his own abilities, similar to the Medicine King Realm, boosting his reflexes and speed. It was clear the elder had already made his move against him.
Xing Yan spoke to those around him, "I've already used my medicine arts to slow him down. While it can't completely negate his domain, it should make a noticeable difference. Finish him off quickly, and it will honor my apprentice's memory."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Lei didn't hesitate and charged at Jiang Fann, clearly confident in his own abilities. Yet, as Zhao Lei closed in, Jiang Fann remained unfazed and vanished from sight, his speed seemingly unaffected.
This caught Zhao Lei off guard. He was well-acquainted with Xing Yan's medicine arts, which were usually foolproof, even against those at the Reincarnation Stage. But Jiang Fann appeared immune to them.
Reappearing on the other side of the defensive barrier, Jiang Fann forced those who had rushed out to retreat back behind it. "We are both medicine masters," he said. "Show me what you've really got. This level of medicine arts is useless against me. I respect you as a senior in the field, and perhaps we can exchange knowledge at the level of immortal herb mastery in the future. There's no need for this to get ugly."
His words left Venerable Hanxing and the others unsettled. Jiang Fann claiming to be a master of immortal herbs was even harder for them to accept than his peak Reincarnation Stage power. How could someone so young achieve such a level?
Xing Yan frowned at Jiang Fann. Although he had heard from Jia Yi that Jiang Fann's skills in medicine arts were on par with Chen Yuan's, reaching the level of a master of immortal herbs at his age seemed utterly unbelievable.
Jiang Fann's next move forced Xing Yan to reassess this extraordinary young man. Around Jiang Fann, flames of various colors began to rise, quickly reaching over a hundred different types, each emitting its own unique aura. Yet, all were subdued under Jiang Fann's mastery of fire control. He was clearly demonstrating his prowess to his opponent, who, as an alchemist, would undoubtedly recognize his skill.
Then, the blinding Heaven Burning Fire was unleashed. The other flames were completely overpowered by its presence. Upon seeing this golden flame, several experts present couldn't help but exclaim, "Heaven Burning Fire!"
The Heaven Burning Fire is the ultimate flame born from the Nine Desolations, known to the masters of that era. They never expected that after so many years, such a supreme fire would be controlled by a young man. This was beyond what any alchemist could achieve.
Jiang Fann then spoke, "In the art of fire, you are no match for me. I've mastered the Chapter of Pill Dao, reaching the pinnacle of perfection. My body is immune to all poisons, rendering your medicinal arts useless against me. There's no need for you to get involved in this mess. I don't wish to make things difficult for you. Withdraw now!"
Even though the opponent was an alchemist, Jiang Fann's power had reached the peak of the Reincarnation Stage. No matter how unique the opponent's medicinal arts were, they posed no threat to him.
Xing Yan remained silent, neither responding nor leaving, as if lost in thought.
Jiang Fann understood that Xing Yan was having a hard time letting go of the incident with Chen Yuan. If he were in Xing Yan's shoes, he would likely be even more persistent. So, Jiang Fann didn't try to persuade him further. Instead, he took out a purple pill and held it in his palm. He gathered a few special herbs, and with a practiced technique, transformed both the herbs and the pill into powder. Jiang Fann then used his skills to direct this mixture toward the protective barrier surrounding the Venerable Person.
Jiang Fann said, "Since you're hiding behind your defenses, I'll challenge Apothecary Xing with my own pill techniques. If you can still save Zhang Qianren, then we'll call it a day, and I won't pursue this matter any further."
Xing Yan felt the influence of Jiang Fann's technique and quickly used a similar method to shield himself and those around him. However, this time, the others didn't feel any effect. Only Zhang Qianren, standing at the center, suddenly looked pale and collapsed to the ground moments later.