After Xun Kun and Huaxian Gate's medical cultivator received the spirit-plant lists, they split up at once to gather the ingredients. Xiang Sizi produced a blank jade slip and began adjusting the antidote formula.
Earlier, she had not said it outright. The disciples' bodies did contain the "Duan Ya" toxicity Ye Chengbi mentioned. But when she had probed their pulses, she discovered a second poison as well. It was very similar to Duan Ya, yet its antidote was completely different. She needed to weigh this carefully.
If not for receiving the complete Poison Codex from Wei Yunxi, she would not have had full confidence in detoxifying them. She could guarantee to develop an antidote, but the poisoned Kunmo Sect disciples could not afford to wait.
While Xiang Sizi worked on the prescription, Wu Tong Zūnzhě's cave fell utterly silent. No one intruded.
In less than an incense stick's time, Xun Kun delivered every spirit plant Kunmo Sect could find to Wu Tong Zūnzhě's cave. After reviewing the list, Wu Tong Zūnzhě added two more plants from his own storage ring.
Jin Can could only watch. She knew the red-jade box contained a fifth-rank Tianheng Lingzhi, a high-grade spirit fungus her great-grandfather had acquired to refine Out-of-Body Pills. Her heart bled as she realized how her selfishness had cost her great-grandfather dearly.
A short while later, Xian Yao and Xian Xu arrived together at Kunmo Sect's station, handed a storage pouch to Wu Tong Zūnzhě, and asked about the progress on detoxification.
In a low voice, Xun Kun gave them a brief explanation and expressed thanks for Huaxian Gate's high-grade spirit plants. Then he sent a voice transmission to ask, "Xian Xu Daoyou, have the cultivators who drugged Kunmo Sect's disciples been caught?"
Xian Xu straightened and replied at once, "Rest easy, Xun Kun Daoyou. Every cultivator who had contact with Kunmo Sect's Foundation Establishment disciples has been invited by Xianyu Hall for questioning. Your sect will receive an explanation."
Xun Kun had only asked out of duty. He did not hold much hope. Even if they caught the small fry, it would mean little.
Half an hour later, Xiang Sizi finalized the antidote formula, entered the pill room, and began test refining the corresponding detox pills.
Everyone was anxious, but they waited patiently.
An hour later, Xiang Sizi swept her sleeve to lift the prohibition on the pill room. Her brows were knitted as she addressed Wu Tong Zūnzhě, "I have refined an antidote. I need a Kunmo Sect disciple to test the medicine."
Xun Kun nodded immediately. He had been watching the disciples within the formation and knew exactly whose condition was worst. He took the antidote Xiang Sizi had refined, flashed into the array, and stopped before a disciple whose eyes were tightly closed.
Wrinkles already lined the disciple's face. His lifespan was shrinking quickly. Xun Kun formed a seal to open the youth's mouth, flicked in two pills, then pressed his palm to the disciple's back to hasten the absorption.
As the medicinal power took effect, the disciple's wrinkles faded rapidly. The flow of vitality within his body halted. A moment later, he slowly opened his eyes.
Xun Kun withdrew his hand and asked, "Yan Tan, how do you feel?"
"Reporting to Zhēnjūn, I feel my vitality has stopped draining, but my dantian is empty, my demonic qi is insufficient…"
Yan Tan had not finished speaking when, before everyone's eyes, his features smoothed into the youthful face he had at eighteen. A smile touched his lips, and then he died.
Xun Kun's eyes darkened. He immediately looked to Xiang Sizi.
Xiang Sizi's brows pinched. She flashed into the formation, set her fingers on the dead disciple's wrist, then withdrew an instant later and stepped back out.
Wu Tong Zūnzhě asked at once, "Xiang Sizi Daoyou, what happened?"
Xiang Sizi lifted a brow. "Kunmo Sect's disciples are afflicted by two poisons. The toxins are similar, but their solutions are entirely different. I refined two antidotes accordingly. The antidote did work, but it cannot unlock both toxins at the same time."
Xun Kun, Sun Yan, Xian Yao, and Xian Xu exchanged complicated looks.
Xun Kun turned his gaze on Ye Chengbi. Ye Chengbi frowned. "My apologies. Medicine King Valley has never specialized in poisons. Recognizing Duan Ya was fortunate. I truly did not detect a second toxin."
Xian Yao looked to Huaxian Gate's medical cultivator, who frowned even deeper and cupped his hands. "Everyone, I also detected only one poison in these disciples. I did not find a second."
Xian Xu trusted their own medical cultivator, so he stepped forward. "It appears there are two possibilities. One, Kunmo Sect's disciples were bearing two poisons all along, but they went undetected.
However, our Xian Jia Zhēnjūn is quite talented in the medical arts. It is unlikely he would fail to distinguish them. Elder Ye Chengbi of Medicine King Valley also identified only one. That points to the second possibility. After returning to Kunmo Sect's station, these disciples were poisoned a second time."
No one wanted to admit it, but Xian Xu's analysis was bold and reasonable. Even Wu Tong Zūnzhě's face turned unpleasant.
The corner of Xiang Sizi's lips curved. She sent out a message talisman, then sat down with unhurried grace. Her beautiful eyes rested on the disciples within the formation, thoughtful. She favored Xian Xu's second possibility.
That meant everyone who had contacted the poisoned disciples in this window was suspect. Her gaze shifted from the array to sweep over Kunmo Sect's disciples and all those present.
The air felt suffocating, but Jin Can still could not help asking, "Honored seniors, what are we waiting for? Are we not detoxifying them?"
Only then did Xiang Sizi rest her gaze on the fuse herself. Smiling, she said, "I have invited a Xiaoyou to assist. Be patient."
Moments later, two streaks of light fell upon Kunmo Sect's station. When the light faded, Hao Qing and Yunxi stood before them.
Xun Kun sighed inwardly and moved first to salute. He knew them both well. "Greetings, Hao Qing Zūnzhě, Ran Xi Daoyou."
Hao Qing waved a hand. "We are all acquaintances. No need for such formality."
He turned to grumble at Xiang Sizi, "Xiang Sizi Daoyou, you insisted on making Ran Xi come in person. Is this poison truly so peculiar?"
Xiang Sizi beckoned to Yunxi. Yunxi stepped forward and bowed. "Senior Xiang Sizi, your instructions?"
Xiang Sizi did not waste words. She handed over the adjusted detox formulas. "Take a look."
Yunxi received the jade slip, sent her spiritual sense into it, then withdrew a moment later. "Senior Xiang Sizi, these are the solutions for two different poisons. Have these disciples been afflicted by both?"
"Yes. I refined the antidotes, but I cannot make both take effect at once. The test subject has already fallen."
Xiang Sizi stated it plainly.
"Then we need something that can harmonize the two antidotes, allowing them to act simultaneously."
"Yes. Do you have an idea?"
Yunxi studied the jade slip, thoughts racing. A moment later, she said, "I have a neutralizing agent. It may be able to fuse two antidotes of different attributes."