The Luo Family’s Predicament and the Hundred Poisons Marrow Cleansing

Lin Tian returned to the manor, continuing his practice of the Sinew Gate Art. He held various postures for an entire day, leaving his body thoroughly aching.

Now, even the slightest movement made him clench his teeth. It was a clear sign that he was almost ready for the Hundred Poisons Marrow Cleansing.

He made his way to the secret chamber, retrieving all the necessary poisons. A large vat was brought in, half-filled with clear water.

“All right, the preparations are complete. Jiaofeng, stand guard for me. Don’t let anyone in,” he instructed.

“No problem at all. Who would be idle enough to come here anyway?” Jiaofeng replied.

No sooner had the words left his lips than a resounding crash echoed from outside. The two exchanged a glance before rushing out.

****

By then, the gates of the Luo estate lay smashed on the ground. A crowd of people stood outside, including the shopkeeper of the Hundred Herbs Hall. Several of Lin Tian’s elder brothers lay injured, while his father looked on, frantic with worry.

“Luo family, we’ve warned you already! Pack your things and get out!” the Hundred Herbs Hall shopkeeper roared.

“Yes, yes, we’ll move immediately! The carriages will arrive tomorrow!” his father hastily nodded.

An elder with white hair descended from a horse-drawn carriage, his voice sharp with accusation.

“Who dared to smash our shop? Make them come out!” he demanded.

“Yes, yes, of course,” the shopkeeper bowed deeply, then turned and shouted, “Is the Luo family’s young lady present? You smashed our Hundred Herbs Hall—did you think that would be the end of it?!”

Upon hearing that they wanted Luo Yingkong to come out, his father grew desperate. He quickly interjected, “My daughter left yesterday. I will cover all your losses. Please, sirs, be accommodating…”

“Not here? Search the place!”

At the shopkeeper’s command, a group of people, weapons in hand, charged forward. However, the elder brothers were not to be underestimated; despite their injuries, they stood firm at the entrance, preventing anyone from breaking through.

Seeing this, the white-haired elder flicked his sleeve. The brothers were sent flying back into the courtyard! The group seized the opportunity and surged inside!

A cultivator! They actually brought a cultivator! Yingkong, please don’t let anything happen to you! The family was struck by a wave of fear. If Luo Yingkong were found, she would surely suffer.

Just as the Hundred Herbs Hall contingent reached the courtyard, an invisible force slammed them back out!

Lin Tian and Jiaofeng slowly emerged from the entrance. Everyone, both inside and out, was astonished. Another cultivator?!

Yingkong is a cultivator? She’s only been at Mount Mufu for a little over a year, and she’s already mastered the immortal path?

Ignoring his family’s confusion, Lin Tian and Jiaofeng stepped through the main gate. He swept his gaze over the crowd, his eyes settling on the white-haired elder.

This old man was also a cultivator, though only at the third level of Qi Refinement.

“Looking for me?” Lin Tian’s eyes turned cold.

Sensing his and Jiaofeng’s cultivation, the elder’s forehead beaded with cold sweat. He had actually provoked powerful cultivators! He wished he could crush the shopkeeper to death right then and there!

“Uh… fellow Daoists, your cultivation is formidable. Why would you help a mere mortal?”

“Because this is my home! If you intend to fight, I’m ready anytime!”

Jiaofeng, standing beside him, fully released his aura, which was dozens of times more potent than the elder’s spiritual energy! This sent a shiver down the elder’s spine, causing him to shrink back.

“I believe… this is a misunderstanding. I will discipline them severely once we return.”

“Senior Immortal?” The shopkeeper looked at the elder in confusion. He had never failed to resolve a situation before, so why was he cowering before this young girl?

Slap! The elder directly slapped the shopkeeper, leaving him stunned and speechless.

“This old man was unaware that this apothecary belonged to you two, fellow Daoists. We will move out of Sifang Town immediately. How does that sound?”

“Oh? Moving out is all? What about my injured family members?” Lin Tian considered taking his life; one strike would be enough. But he couldn’t let him off without extracting a hefty sum.

“How about this: all the medicinal herbs in the shop will belong to you two, fellow Daoists. And our Hundred Herbs Hall will never return to Sifang Town,” the elder offered respectfully.

Lin Tian had initially wanted to extort more, but as he planned to leave Sifang Town soon, he worried about his family being retaliated against. It was better to show leniency where possible.

“Very well, it’s settled then. If I ever see anyone from Hundred Herbs Hall in Sifang Town again, I will dismantle every one of your establishments!”

“Yes, yes, excellent. Thank you, fellow Daoists. We shall not trouble you further.”

Though the elder was a cultivator, he could only display his might before mortals. He would not risk offending two cultivators over a mere apothecary.

****

This effectively eliminated future troubles, allowing Lin Tian to embark on his cultivation path with peace of mind.

“Are you all alright?” Lin Tian helped his elder brothers up and fed them a few pills.

“Yingkong, have you become a cultivator?” his eldest brother asked.

“Indeed. If all goes as planned, I’ll be leaving tomorrow. I don’t know when I’ll be able to return.”

Upon hearing this, his family fell silent, yet no one tried to dissuade him.

“Go forth. Our Luo family is too small. Yingkong, with your abilities, you should use them in a much wider world!”

“Take care, young lady.”

****

Lin Tian felt a warmth spread through his heart. With a flick of his hand, he produced a pile of grenades.

“Take these. Third Brother knows how to use them. Even a cultivator would be severely wounded if caught in the blast.”

“So many of these things? How were they made?” Luo Bo asked, his face filled with wonder, while the others looked on with confusion.

“These items are also of great use to cultivators, so I cannot tell you about their manufacturing materials, lest they invite disaster.”

****

The family chatted for a while longer. Lin Tian then went to prepare for the Hundred Poisons Marrow Cleansing, while the others began repairing the main gate.

“Master, the cultivators’ gathering is still half a year away. Where do you plan to go next?” Jiaofeng asked within the secret chamber.

“I’m going to the capital to retrieve some things. You guard the door well. The cleansing process cannot be interrupted, or I’ll die from the poison. If those people return to cause trouble, deal with them directly.”

“Those mortals, without any magical power, wouldn’t dare to come back now.”

Lin Tian glanced at the vat, slowly shedding his clothes. Although Jiaofeng was a spirit beast, he was already sentient, possessing the intelligence of a ten-year-old child. Lin Tian’s face flushed with awkwardness, and he turned his head away.

The cool water made Lin Tian’s body shiver. Following the instructions in the book, he added the poisons one after another.

The clear water was instantly contaminated by the toxic liquids. The poisonous water seeped into his pores, making his already aching body feel as if it were plunged into an ice cavern.

Calculating the time, he used the Traction Art and poured in two more bottles of venom. The water temperature suddenly soared, bubbling like boiling water.

Lin Tian’s face alternated between green and purple. Jiaofeng, observing from the side, broke out in a cold sweat. If his master died, he too would be severely wounded, perhaps even perish.

Submerged in the fluctuating hot and cold poisonous water, his flesh and bones screamed with excruciating pain, completely overshadowing his previous aches.

He couldn’t imagine how an ordinary person could endure this. Only by circulating his spiritual energy could he barely withstand the agony. He truly admired Wu Yuan, an ordinary person, for having survived it!

And so, he carefully timed the addition of poisons to the water. Two hours passed, with seven or eight toxic herbs still remaining on the ground. Lin Tian was on the verge of losing consciousness.

At first, he had let out soft groans, but then he gritted his teeth, not uttering another sound. He was too weak to even cast the Traction Art, and in the end, Jiaofeng had to assist, or he truly would have been poisoned to death in the vat.

As the final herb was added, the water, which had been boiling, slowly became comfortable. All the pain miraculously vanished, leaving only a slight nausea and dizziness.

After soaking for another half an hour, Lin Tian rinsed his body with clear water. He felt as though he had lost several pounds, his body as light as a swallow!

“Master, are you done? That poisonous water smells awful, hurry and get rid of it!”

This period had been an ordeal for Jiaofeng. Not only did he have to endure the foul stench, but he also had to listen to his master’s occasional groans. Anyone else would have lost their composure long ago.

“Done. Does it really smell that bad?” Lin Tian had grown accustomed to the scent; now, he even detected a faint fragrance.

The two collected the toxic liquids and buried them in the wilderness. The poisonous odor on Lin Tian had vanished, replaced by a peculiar, unique fragrance.

“There’s no one here. How about we test our strength?”

The little boy rolled his eyes at him. “You’ve only practiced a mortal secret art. Do you really think you can compare strength with a spirit beast?”

“Just a try, then. I won’t use a Thousand-Jin Talisman.”