C1 Medicine King Reborn

"Where am I?"

That was Jiang Fann's immediate thought upon awakening.

Despite his injuries, he mustered the strength to crawl to the nearby riverbank.

Staring at his reflection in the water, he was transfixed for a long moment.

The image rippling on the water's surface had jet-black hair and dark eyes, with eyebrows like drawn swords and eyes that twinkled like stars. His features were sharply defined, exuding a handsome vigor.

He was strikingly handsome, yet there was a youthful innocence about him—he appeared to be in his mid-teens.

"Rebirth?"

The notion crystallized in his mind as he came to his senses.

In his past life, he was known as the Medicine King, a man who had devoted his life to arduous cultivation, ultimately attaining power that could defy fate itself.

But fate was unyielding. He had missed out on too much, leaving a trail of deep regrets.

He scanned his surroundings and then turned to gaze at the sheer cliff face.

"This is Loongze County! This is where Qiao Qianyu pushed me off the cliff when I was fourteen!"

"If I've truly returned to that time, then Ling'er might also..."

A flicker of hope shone in Jiang Fann's eyes as he intently watched the river's upstream direction. Sure enough, before long, a girl appeared, glancing back now and then.

Jiang Fann shook with barely contained excitement, a thrill he couldn't quite express bubbling within him. Pointing westward, he burst into maniacal laughter, "You scoundrels plotted against me, but you've inadvertently done me a huge favor. Just wait until I make my comeback—then we'll settle our scores, one by one!"

The girl, upon seeing Jiang Fann's battered form, rushed over to him. Her brow furrowed as she took in the sight of him laughing despite his wounds, her eyes wide with surprise and caution.

"Hey, hey! Are you okay?"

She was the epitome of beauty, with teeth like rows of pearls and eyes brimming with life, truly a sight to behold.

Jiang Fann, struggling to rise, gazed at the face that had haunted his dreams countless times. He managed a grin and said, "I couldn't possibly be better!"

The girl's frown deepened as she retorted, "You're on death's doorstep, and yet you claim to be fine?"

Jiang Fann was truly exhilarated. Before him stood the person to whom he owed the most in his previous life. She was none other than Gu Ling'er, the youngest daughter of the Valley Lord of Myriad Herbs Valley. Without her, there would be no Medicine King.

With his excitement in check, he inquired, "Could you spare a stalk of Tendon Grass and a Five Leaf Lotus for me?"

"You're versed in medicinal herbs? I have a healing potion that works far better than those herbs," she replied.

"The potion works too slowly; the herbs will suffice," he insisted.

The girl chuckled, "You really don't appreciate what's good for you, do you?" Despite her words, she flipped her hand, and two herbs materialized in her grasp. She cautioned Jiang Fann, "These herbs counteract each other; they can't be taken simultaneously. Wait at least half an hour between doses."

Jiang Fann, sparing further conversation, took the herbs and bit off a piece of each, placing them in his mouth.

Gu Ling'er's complexion blanched as she seized Jiang Fann's arm. "Are you insane? I told you they're incompatible; taking them together could be fatal!"

Jiang Fann smiled and gently pushed her hand away. "With the proper dosage and balance, these herbs become the ultimate healing remedy. Did you really think I'd be reckless with my life?"

As Gu Ling'er watched anxiously, Jiang Fann swallowed the herbs, and the healing effects were immediately apparent.

She grasped his wrist, channeling her Genuine Qi to assess his injuries, and was taken aback. "It's truly healed! This contradicts what my father has taught!"

Before Jiang Fann could offer an explanation, Gu Ling'er abruptly turned, her brow furrowed with concern. "Are they on our trail?"

Jiang Fann, puzzled, asked, "Is someone pursuing you?"

She glanced back dismissively. "Merely a bunch of fools from the Myriad Poison Sect. As if they could ever catch me—they're dreaming!"

Turning back to Jiang Fann, she said, "You're quite intriguing! May we meet again if destiny wills it."

With that, the girl hastened away. Jiang Fann watched her retreating figure, his heart brimming with tenderness.

He whispered to himself, "In three months, when the Loongze Lake Secret Realm opens, we'll meet again. I won't miss this opportunity!"

"I swear, in this lifetime, I will protect you thoroughly and prevent such tragedies from repeating. Just wait for me!"

Soon after, several disciples clad in black robes emerged from upstream. Spotting Jiang Fann, one approached with a menacing glare.

Before the man could utter a word, Jiang Fann pointed towards the cliff, not bothering to lift his head, "The one you're after has scaled that cliff."

The man gave Jiang Fann a surprised look, puzzled by the young man's unnerving composure.

"If we find out you've lied, your life is forfeit!"

With that warning, the group swiftly ascended the cliffside.

Watching their retreating figures, Jiang Fann's eyes simmered with lethal intent. He murmured, "Next time we cross paths, I'll wipe you all out."

Despite the outward calm, Jiang Fann's heart was anything but still. He had indeed returned to his childhood. Weak and lacking in talent, yet who was he? He was the Medicine King of his era. He vowed to live this life without a single regret.

Sitting in meditation, he hastened the medicinal effects within him, his Spiritual Sense diving into his body to assess his condition. Suddenly, his body jolted.

Floating in his Qi Sea was a page emitting a radiant glow, a sight that filled Jiang Fann with joy.

This was his most treasured possession before his rebirth, the Creation Spell of Heaven and Earth — a fragment of the Chapter of Pill Dao.

Imprinted within were myriad herbs and divine treasures, capable of detecting nearby botanicals and elusive wonders. Nothing could elude its perception.

Legend had it that the Creation Spell of Heaven and Earth descended from the celestial realm, coveted by all during the Ancient Times. Ultimately, a defiant powerhouse shattered it into nine pieces, scattering them across the cosmos.

It was this very fragment that led to Jiang Fann's betrayal and murder. Unexpectedly, it had accompanied him in his rebirth.

Jiang Fann earnestly connected with the fragment through his Spiritual Sense, scanning the vicinity. Several common herbs materialized in his mind, though the scope of detection was limited.

"It seems my current strength only allows me to tap into a fraction of its potential. As my realm advances, I'll be able to harness even greater power!" Jiang Fann reflected, his mind settling into a calm state. An urgent matter surfaced, compelling him to make haste back to the Jiang Family—his biggest regret from his past life. Previously, Ling'er had sent him to recuperate with a nearby hunter, and he had missed his mother's final moments.

The thought of the Jiang Family's current predicament sent a chill across Jiang Fann's expression as memories of the past flooded back. Here in the Ziwei Continent's Leehuo Dynasty, power was everything, and the Jiangs held sway over a significant territory.

Despite his diluted lineage, Jiang Fann was tasked with defending the frontier alongside other branches of the family. They may have only governed Loongze County, but within that domain, they were akin to sovereigns, a prominent clan.

Jiang Fann's own status was far from insignificant; he was among the contenders for the role of the next family patriarch. Born to a servant girl and lacking in innate talent, he had endured disdain from a young age.

His mother, however, was a woman of striking beauty and sharp intellect, deeply cherished by the patriarch. Her favor became a target, with many seeking to undermine her through her son.

The final straw came when his kin branded him worthless, igniting a fury within him that led to defiance. This act of rebellion provoked his half-brother, Jiang Zhengloong, and resulted in a humiliating chastisement at the hands of his cousin, Qiao Qianyu, culminating in a fall from a cliff.

Now, with rage still burning in his heart, Jiang Fann's wounds had largely healed. A vestige of Spiritual Strength remained at his disposal.

"I'll use this residual Spiritual Strength to reconstruct my body. It ought to suffice!" he resolved.

The fragment hovered within his Qi Sea, and a surge of Spiritual Strength burst forth. Multiple types of flames leaped from the furnace, engulfing him in searing heat. The agony was so intense it nearly drove Jiang Fann to curse aloud.

He exerted all his will to master the flames, remaining seated in meditation. The vegetation around him was reduced to cinders, the heat astonishingly intense.

After enduring two relentless hours, the flames had consumed him repeatedly. His frame had withered, purged of all impurities, and his body now radiated with a luminescent glow.

As he persisted in his body refinement, the glowing halo merged into his flesh, signifying a return to purity and essence.

However, at that very moment, Jiang Fann's body began to crack and then crumbled to pieces. The flames roared fiercely around him, and from within them, he was reborn, his Spiritual Body reformed.

In this world, novice monks must infuse Qi into their bodies to fortify their muscles and bones.

This initial stage of body refining is categorized into nine realms: Inner Qi, Blood Qi, Bone Qi, Stellar Qi, Genuine Qi, Explosive Qi, Form Qi, Essence Qi, and Spirit Qi.

A breakthrough from here leads to the second major realm, the Innate Stage.

Jiang Fann had only just mastered Bone Qi at the age of fifteen, which was somewhat embarrassing.

Within the Jiang Family of Loongze County, the youngest expert of the Innate Stage was merely sixteen years old—her name, Jiang Yueyao.

Recognized as the most gifted disciple in a century from Loongze County, she was sent to further her studies with the Jiang Family, her potential boundless. As Jiang Fann's cousin, her status was unparalleled, and the disparity between them was stark.

Following his refinement, his Spiritual Sense had significantly strengthened. He managed to repress the last vestiges of Spiritual Strength from the final section of the Chapter of Pill Dao, allowing it to gently mature within his Qi Sea. His physical refinement was now complete.

He limbered up and began his ascent up the cliff face.

Just as he neared the summit, his heart skipped a beat. A message from the tattered scroll revealed a spirit herb located about ten meters to the upper left.

Jiang Fann looked in that direction and spotted an outcrop.

He swiftly scaled towards it and discovered a golden Ganoderma nestled in the rock's crevice.

"A Golden Sun Ganoderma, right here! Combined with other herbs to craft a Myriad Spirit Pill, it would be the perfect tonic for someone in the Body Refining Realm."

"This spirit herb must not be touched with bare hands!"

He tore a strip of cloth from his attire, wrapped it around his hand, and delicately harvested the Ganoderma. He then secured it in cloth and tucked it into his chest before resuming his climb.

...

Two hours later, Loongze County came into view before Jiang Fann.

Gazing from afar at the place that was both familiar and foreign to him, Jiang Fann's lips twisted into a wicked grin. "I've arrived!"

He made his way toward the Qin Family's direction.

Yet, the once bustling Loongze County of his memories was eerily quiet. The marketplace was desolate, with white lanterns hanging forlornly outside each shop.

Jiang Fann looked on with a sneer.

He remembered returning to the Jiang Family only after healing from his injuries with a group of hunters. By then, his mother was on her deathbed, and his own funeral rites had been completed.

The Jiang Family's gates were closed tight in mourning.

Approaching the gate, Jiang Fann kicked it open with a loud bang.

One of the Jiang Family disciples, who was always trailing behind Jiang Zhengloong, looked over in shock. The Jiang Family's gate being kicked open was a significant incident in Loongze County.

Before the disciple could utter a word, Jiang Fann seized him by the collar.

With an icy expression, Jiang Fann stared him down.

"Where are Jiang Zhengloong and Qiao Qianyu?"

The disciple struggled, his cultivation level higher than Jiang Fann's, his aura-qi already formed. But as he lifted his hand, Jiang Fann's fingers pressed sharply into his shoulder.

A jolt of pain shot through him, his eyes bulging as his arm went numb.

"You..."

With a swift slap, Jiang Fann sent two teeth flying from the disciple's mouth.

"Cut the chatter! Where are Qiao Qianyu and Jiang Zhengloong?"

"You..."

Smack!

Another slap silenced him, this time Jiang Fann simply held his gaze.

"Qiao Qianyu is in the southern courtyard with Jiang Feng Er. Jiang Zhengloong is in the ancestral hall with his wife, the Patriarch, and the rest..."

Smack!

Yet another forceful slap rendered the disciple unconscious. Jiang Fann tossed him aside like a discarded carcass and strode away.

Jiang Fann's formidable return left a crowd of Jiang Family disciples in stunned silence.

"Jiang Fann... he's changed."