Having spoken to this point, Li Jizhou also couldn't say anything further.
"I ask the senior to speak plainly!"
Pharmacist Zheng no longer wasted words and said directly, "You needn't inquire about my identity or the cause and effect of the event; they're of no benefit to you. You only need to know that I require your assistance in preparing an antidote for a heart-eating poison."
"To formulate this antidote, dual mastery of medical and toxicology skills is needed, along with substantial Wood Element magical power as a guide."
"I possess dual mastery in medical poison, but I am naturally inferior in Wood Spirit Root. After thirty years of bitter cultivation in Evergreen Skill, I've made no progress, and I cannot leave this Inverted Mountain."
"My lifespan is nearing its end, and my dual mastery of medical and toxicology is extraordinary, beset with severe crimes. I dare not recklessly pass it on to avoid inflicting harm upon the world.
I have observed you for some time, knowing your habits. Although your talent is a bit lacking, you are barely suitable."
"I have prepared all the materials needed for this antidote, three sets in total. As soon as you have mastered both scriptures and your magical power is ample, you can perform it."
"Within twenty years, you must formulate this antidote and deliver it anonymously to the auction house in Wutong Immortal City, simply informing them it's the Clear Wind Bright Moon Pill, specifically to cure the incurable poison of the world; thereafter, our cause and effect are resolved."
"What do you think?"
Li Jizhou carefully chewed over Pharmacist Zheng's words.
After some analysis, he found that Pharmacist Zheng had practically avoided all possible worries he might have.
No need to expend resources and manpower to find antidote materials.
No need for any face-to-face contact with anyone.
No need to inherit Pharmacist Zheng's past cause and effect grievances...
The only thing required of him was just to follow the flow.
"Mastery in both medicine and poison!"
The temptation was immense!
In his previous life, as a Tier Two Pill Master, he had an advantage in concocting medicines and poisons.
Moreover, when Li Jizhou reconnected Xu Mei's heart pulse two and a half years ago, he felt that the "Complete Evergreen Skill" seemed exceptionally effective in medical treatment, with a unique sense of bringing all living things to life.
Besides, Pharmacist Zheng had already shown his entire hand to him, leaving him no room to refuse.
"The solemn trust of the senior, the younger generation must do his utmost, but fears... that in case the younger generation is dull, still unable to craft the antidote within the twenty-year term..."
"Then... it is her destiny, my sin!"
Li Jizhou instantly stood solemnly and declared, "The younger generation will certainly give his all!"
"The pill prescription is at the end of the Medical Scripture jade slip. These medicinal ingredients must not be lost; they took decades and exhausted my fortune to gather," Pharmacist Zheng nodded, pointing to the table full of medicine jars.
Then began diagnosing Guagua.
A short while later, Pharmacist Zheng fed Guagua several bowls of unknown medicinal soup, pierced its severed forelimb with Golden Needle, and finally applied herbal medicine.
"Go back and nurse it with Eternal Spring Magical Power, it might work wonders!" Having said that, he opened the door to see the guest out.
"I have little time left; if there's anything unclear, come and ask early." Until Li Jizhou walked out of the small courtyard, Pharmacist Zheng's voice suddenly resonated in his mind.
After returning home, Li Jizhou replayed the entire event just transpired again.
"If I were him, under such circumstances, what better way could there be?"
"Sea of consciousness restriction? Slow poison?"
"Not appropriate, with lifespan nearly exhausted, no close acquaintances, unable to leave, having offended many influential people, only capable of hiding within the Inverted Mountain. In such a situation, using force or coercive methods also doesn't have a supervisory effect, and instead, backfires."
After repeated deliberation, Li Jizhou found that Pharmacist Zheng was indeed at the end of his rope, with no other good solution.
The only choice is to personally resolve all potential risks and difficulties and then rely entirely on the person he valued, hoping they are not misplaced.
After all, Foundation Establishment Stage has fewer methods. If he were a Core Formation real person, he might force Li Jizhou to sign a Divine Soul Blood Contract!
"Try my best, as he said, it's just lifting a hand." Li Jizhou reviewed Pharmacist Zheng's entrusted matter, finding no loopholes for the time being; everything was reasonable and justifiable.
Guagua was still unconscious; as instructed by Pharmacist Zheng, Li Jizhou poured some magical power into it as nourishment amidst his cultivation.
Until a month later, Guagua's vital signs recovered, and the severed left forelimb had regrown a small section.
However, it still hadn't awakened; only by instinct did it burrow underground beneath Li Jizhou's watchful eyes, seemingly entering a hibernation mode.
What intrigued Li Jizhou was that although Guagua continued to burrow underground, it still instinctively absorbed the overflow of Eternal Spring Magical Power that dispersed in the air during his daily practice.
"It should be my Eternal Spring Magical Power contains an enduring vitality, naturally attracting it."
Half a year passed leisurely...
"Today marks the third year; the third cycle of the annual ring happens today!"
On this day, Li Jizhou immersed his spiritual sense into the dantian all day, not missing a single detail.
"It appeared!"
At the hour of the rat, the moment the internal clock passed, a touch of green suddenly formed a ring deep within the dantian.
In a mystical sense, a breath of time seemingly detached from Heaven and Earth was attracted to it. Ultimately, boundless verdant vitality and the vast breath of time merged, becoming one; a green and mottled annual ring imprinted at the bottom of the dantian.
"I see!" Observing the complete process of annual ring formation, Li Jizhou was inspired.
He then tried to mobilize magical power to touch the second ring according to his experience from a year ago.
Unfortunately, it did not release the magical power needed to reach Qi Cultivation Third Level Perfection, stopping at Qi Cultivation Third Level Middle Stage.
In terms of time estimation, it seems another two years of practice is required to break through Qi Cultivation Third Level!
After all, it's the initial perfection of the first minor realm in cultivation and needs a solid foundation.
"Compared to other cultivation techniques, with my aptitude, it's considered swift!"
Li Jizhou felt neither joy nor sorrow, once again activating the annual rings to absorb magical power, leaving only Qi Cultivation Second Level Middle Stage strength.
During this half year, after consolidating his post-practice magical power, he added medical and toxicology arts to his previously monotonous talisman crafting.
Luckily, ever since the second annual ring solidified, Li Jizhou discovered that his daily practice absorbed Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi much faster.
Previously he practiced for five hours daily and consolidated and released for another five, leaving little free time.
In the past six months, he only needs to practice four hours, and consolidate and release for another four, leaving him four hours to study dual medical and toxicology scriptures.
Medicine and poison originate from the same source, just as drug and poison principles are similar.
In his previous life, being an Alchemy Master, he had naturally studied some of pharmacology.
An Alchemy Master is dedicated to refining the essence of all things to form pills, mainly to assist in cultivation, compensate for innate deficiencies, stimulate bodily potential, and even connect with the principles of the Celestial Dao, going against the trend.
A Pharmacist and Toxicologist focus on the human and divine soul aspect.
Many things are interconnected.
So, this half-year saw considerable progress in his studies.
Now he is confident in his ability to formulate several poisons against which even mid-Qi Cultivation stage practitioners would find indefensible.
In terms of talisman crafting, thanks to his spiritual sense's strength comparable to the late stage of Qi Cultivation and consolidation in Tier One Early Stage, compared to six months ago, when he was just entering Tier One Middle Level, now he can successfully craft a large proportion of Tier One Middle Grade talismans.
With progress at this pace, refining for another year and a half should allow him to craft Tier One Middle Grade elite talismans!
In the last six months, he updated his reserve inventory, replacing all previous mid-level lower-quality talismans with mid-level middle-grade talismans, except for retaining earlier elite-level talismans.
With the quantity and quality of talismans at hand, he had no fear of a penniless mid-Qi Cultivation stage practitioner; even against a seasoned practitioner at the early stage of late Qi Cultivation, he could retreat calmly.
"Added with those few potent poisons effective against the Qi Refining Stage..."