C15 To Get Rid of the Blood Poison.

"Brother Lin, my apologies."

Xi Ziyu quickly released his grip, allowing Lin Yun to finally breathe. Yet, Xi Ziyu was inwardly astonished to see Lin Yun without a scratch, especially since he hadn't managed to rein in his strength in his panic. But Lin Yun showed no signs of injury.

An ordinary martial cultivator at the Power Refinement Stage would have suffered a crippled shoulder from such force.

But Lin Yun stood unscathed, piquing Xi Ziyu's curiosity.

"It's fine."

Lin Yun shook his hand, feeling the numbness fade away.

He then made his way over to Xi Xiaoyun. Initially, he had only given her a brief glance, but now, upon closer inspection, Lin Yun realized the truth in Xi Ziyu's words.

Xi Xiaoyun's vital energy was wildly unstable, and her body's temperature was alarmingly high, far from what would be expected of a healthy person.

Without immediate intervention, Xi Ziyu's sister was undoubtedly facing a life-threatening situation.

"Brother Lin, if you can truly heal Xiaoyun, I'll grant any request you have," Xi Ziyu declared, his face etched with solemnity and his eyes reflecting unwavering determination.

Witnessing Xi Ziyu's steadfast demeanor, Lin Yun internally nodded in approval. Moved by Xi Ziyu's genuine affection for his sister, Lin Yun, as a healer, resolved to give his all.

"System, conduct a full scan of her body!" commanded Lin Yun.

Shortly after, diagnostic information materialized before Lin Yun, prompting him to whisper, "Heavenly Silkworm Blood Poison?"

His voice was low, yet Master Xia and Xi Ziyu caught every word.

"He's remarkably skilled."

Their eyes met, sharing a mutual sense of awe.

"This venomous insect poison is formidable," Lin Yun remarked, his brow furrowed.

The diagnostics revealed that Xi Xiaoyun was afflicted not by ordinary poison but by a dreadful venomous insect poison, concocted from the blood of the Scarlet Heavenly Silkworm that thrived in the fiery depths of molten lava. Anyone infected would endure the agony of their organs being seared as if by lava itself. Within three days, they would be reduced to a vile puddle of corrupted blood.

It was unthinkable that such a radiant young woman could fall victim to such a horrific poison!

"Mr. Xi, how long has your sister been suffering from the Heavenly Silkworm Blood Poison?" Lin Yun inquired abruptly.

"It's been roughly two and a half days," Xi Ziyu responded urgently. "After Xiaoyun was poisoned, I brought her straight to Northern Prefecture Pass seeking Master Xia's aid. I intended to take her back to the Xi Warlord for treatment, but time was against us."

"You're quite fortunate," Lin Yun mused.

His own brush with death tonight had led to this serendipitous encounter with the ailing Xi Xiaoyun. Had he been any later, she would not have survived past the following morning.

"Brother Lin, is there hope for my sister's recovery?" Xi Ziyu asked tentatively, his eyes brimming with hope and anticipation.

This was his last chance to save her.

"The poison is treatable, but there's an issue," Lin Yun began, his expression turning to one of distress. The system had just alerted him that neutralizing the Heavenly Silkworm Blood Poison would cost him a steep 5820 points.

These points were hard-earned, and the thought of spending more than half in one go was almost too much for him to bear.

"Is there a problem?" Xi Ziyu and Master Xia inquired simultaneously.

"Nothing," Lin Yun replied, shaking his head with a wry smile. "I'd appreciate it if you two would step out for a bit. The healing technique I'm about to use can't be shared with outsiders. My master would have my hide for it."

He couldn't risk anyone discovering the system—it was Lin Yun's ace in the hole. To protect it, he'd even spun a lie.

"Alright."

Xi Ziyu paused, then he and Master Xia left the room together. The teachings of a sect were not to be divulged—that was common sense on the Kyushu Continent. Both being figures of renown, they would never stoop to spying.

"Nemesis of All Poisons, activate."

Lin Yun sighed deeply as he placed his hand on Xi Xiaoyun's delicate one. A faint glow emanated from his palm, visibly flowing into her body.

"Deducting 5820 points!"

Watching his points plummet, Lin Yun felt as though his heart was being torn out.

In about five minutes, Xi Xiaoyun's temperature had normalized, her complexion blooming with health. The Nemesis of All Poisons was extraordinarily effective, but at a steep cost in points, leaving Lin Yun with a pang of regret.

Xi Xiaoyun's eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes, revealing a bright and beautiful gaze. To her surprise, she was met with the sight of a handsome, unfamiliar young man whose expression bore a look of deep sorrow—as if he had just lost his entire fortune.

Curiosity piqued, Xi Xiaoyun regarded Lin Yun at her bedside and asked softly, "Who are you?"

"You're awake?" Lin Yun said, clearly not expecting her to regain consciousness so swiftly.

He then called out to the door, "Mr. Xi, your sister's awake!"

The next instant, Xi Ziyu burst through the door with a thunderous crash.

"Xiaoyun, you're really awake!" His face, previously clouded with worry, now shone with relief and happiness.

"Brother, what happened to me?"

A tender moment of reunion ensued. Lin Yun discreetly exited the room, though his mind lingered on the points tally that had halved.

He had started with roughly 10,000 points, but in just a short while, over 5,000 had been spent. Now, only 4780 remained.

"You actually managed to detoxify her?" Master Xia, who had been waiting outside, fixed his gaze on Lin Yun, his eyes shining with a mix of surprise and curiosity that made Lin Yun inwardly squirm.

Master Xia was astounded. Even a Grade Six Spirit Alchemist would be at a loss with venomous insect poison, yet Lin Yun had resolved it in mere moments. This sparked a new line of thought in Master Xia, not about Lin Yun, but about the identity of his master.

"It was nothing more than good fortune," Lin Yun demurred.

He coughed softly, trying to deflect the growing tension.

"Young Fellow Taoist Lin, if you wouldn't mind, could you share your master's name? I'm eager to learn about the Spirit Alchemist who could mentor such a remarkable pupil," Master Xia pressed, his curiosity unabated.

Little did he know, Lin Yun had no Spirit Alchemist master at all. His success was entirely due to the system's clandestine aid.

"Master Xia, it's not that I'm unwilling to share. It's just that my master has very strict rules, and he forbids me from revealing his identity," Lin Yun explained with a sense of resignation.

He went on, "My master prefers solitude and has quite a temper. Should anyone dare to intrude upon his peace, he would be exceedingly upset."

Lin Yun's words were a fabrication.

Yet, this was the only way Lin Yun could think of to conceal the truth. As a Grade Three Spirit Alchemist, he could effortlessly cure the Heavenly Silkworm Blood Poison—a task even a Grade Six Spirit Alchemist would find daunting. The situation was simply too implausible.

What choice did he have but to invent a mysterious master as his alibi?

"What a shame," Master Xia remarked, clearly taking Lin Yun's story at face value. It was, after all, the version of events he most wanted to believe. A thought then struck him, and he asked with a smile, "Young Fellow Taoist Lin, you're here in Northern Prefecture Pass for the Spirit Alchemist certification, aren't you?"

"Yes, that's correct," Lin Yun confirmed with a nod.

"This is my first visit to the Spirit Medicine Alliance. They'll need to verify my identity, which means I might need to stay in town for a few days," Lin Yun added.

Securing the Spirit Alchemist certification was crucial. Without the Spirit Medicine Alliance's protection, the Mystic Moon Sect's power-hungry members wouldn't hesitate to target him—as the assassin tonight had proven.

"Don't worry, Young Fellow Taoist Lin. With my recommendation, the Spirit Medicine Alliance will expedite your review. If you're willing, you could undergo the Spirit Alchemist certification as early as tomorrow," Master Xia offered, still smiling.

"Is that so?" Lin Yun responded, visibly astonished.

This sounded suspiciously like cutting corners.

He was aware that Master Xia was extending a helping hand—ostensibly to his master.

"I can't thank you enough, Master Xia!" Lin Yun expressed his gratitude earnestly.

Regardless of Master Xia's intentions, the swift completion of his certification was all that mattered.

At that moment, Xi Ziyu and Xi Xiaoyun emerged from the room. Notably, Xi Xiaoyun appeared the picture of health despite her recent severe illness.

Moreover, Lin Yun detected a formidable presence emanating from her, which left him inwardly astounded. Could this seemingly delicate young lady possess a level of cultivation beyond his wildest estimations?

"Brother Lin, I owe you a great debt for this," Xi Ziyu said with a grave tone. "I promised to fulfill any request of yours if you saved my sister. Now it's time to honor that promise. What will it be, Lin? The Xi Warlord's cultivation techniques, rare medicinal herbs, or perhaps a formidable weapon?"

"The Xi Warlord's cultivation techniques?" Master Xia interjected, visibly taken aback. He hadn't anticipated Xi Ziyu offering their family's martial skills to an outsider.

The Xi Warlord family, as one of the ten major warlord families, possessed an array of advanced martial skills and coveted cultivation techniques from the Great Qin Dynasty. Any martial cultivator would dream of accessing them.

Yet, after a brief pause, Lin Yun surprised everyone by saying, "I have no need for the Xi Warlord's martial skills. If you truly wish to repay me, then monetary compensation will suffice."