Volume Two: Travels in the State of Qi, Chapter 99: The Way to Break the Deadlock - Blood

Zhang Heng truly had no way left now. At this point, everything depended on whether Wu Hong had a solution. Wasn’t Wu Hong a member of the Pill Pavilion? Perhaps he knew some truly capable high-ranking alchemists.

All Zhang Heng could do now was preserve those people’s lives. Whatever vital essence the strange black miasma had drawn from the common folk, he would replenish with spiritual power. He had more than enough spirit liquid on him; it would be sufficient for eighty thousand people for decades.

In this way, although the black miasma grew stronger and might leave hidden dangers behind, the lives of those tens of thousands of commoners were at least saved.

“You brat, you’ve already done very well. There’s no need to be so upset.” Seeing Zhang Heng in such pain, Ling Tian spoke to comfort him.

Then he was about to use Void Traversal to go find Wu Hong.

At this critical moment, Zhang Heng suddenly opened his eyes and cried out with excitement, “Wait, Senior Ling Tian, I’ve found a way to cure them!”

“You’re sure?” Ling Tian was somewhat doubtful. Only a moment ago Zhang Heng had been utterly dejected, yet now he claimed to have found a solution. He could hardly believe it.

Could it be that the blow had been too much for the boy, and his head had gone bad?

“Senior, this concerns tens of thousands of lives. How could I joke with you about it? I really have found a way to save them. Please wait outside for a moment.” Zhang Heng’s expression returned to that same look of complete certainty, as though everything were under control.

At that very moment, a cold mechanical voice sounded in Zhang Heng’s mind.

Ding. The Super Backer System has been activated. Welcome, Host.

System brother, you’re back. You’re finally back.

Tears of excitement welled up in Zhang Heng’s eyes.

More than eighty thousand lives weighed on him. Who could understand that suffocating sense of powerlessness?

But as long as the system had returned, everything could be resolved.

After Ling Tian went out, Zhang Heng immediately asked, System brother, tell me how to save those people.

He only cared about this one question. As for the rest—why the system had ignored him, what that black miasma actually was, and so on—those could wait until later.

Ding. The Vital-Returning Pill can save them.

The system did not waste words and directly gave Zhang Heng the way out.

But that answer did not satisfy Zhang Heng very much.

He knew the system would not be wrong, but he still could not help feeling puzzled.

The main function of the Vital-Returning Pill was to restore energy. On that point, even his diluted spirit liquid could achieve the same effect. Could it be that the strength restored by the Vital-Returning Pill would not be absorbed by that evil energy?

Ding. An ordinary Vital-Returning Pill would indeed not do. However, if you add a drop of the host’s blood into the pill, then after the black miasma absorbs that blood, it will be corrupted and disperse on its own.

Blood. My blood again?

Though he did not know why his blood had this effect, Zhang Heng had no time to think about it. As long as it could save people, giving a little blood was nothing.

But after thinking it through for a moment, Zhang Heng realized something was wrong.

The people he needed to save were not just one or two, but nearly eighty thousand. If he used one pill per person and added a drop of his blood to each pill, then he would need eighty thousand drops of blood. Even if all the blood in his body were drained, he probably would not have that much.

And setting the blood issue aside for the moment, there was still the pills themselves. It took him one full hour to refine a single Vital-Returning Pill. Even if one furnace could produce ten pills, eighty thousand pills would take him six hundred and sixty days to refine—two years. By then, those people would likely be long dead, and the pills he made would be of no use at all.

System brother, could you explain a little more clearly?

Ding. The people to be saved this time are all ordinary folk. They cannot withstand the rich medicinal power of the Vital-Returning Pill. So there is no need to refine them into pills. Gather all the ingredients for the Vital-Returning Pill together, simmer them into a medicinal liquid, then add the host’s blood and dilute it. That will do.

The system explained in great detail, perhaps because it considered Zhang Heng’s intelligence somewhat questionable.

This time Zhang Heng understood. He no longer bothered arguing with the system and immediately pushed the door open and went out.

Ling Tian came up with a worried look. He had just been wondering whether he should go fetch that old fellow Wu Hong—and, while he was at it, see about curing Zhang Heng too.

If Zhang Heng had gone stupid, that would not have mattered much. But if Zhang Heng forgot his promise to him, then he would be the one taking a loss. Precious spirit liquid! He had already seen Zhang Heng take out several bottles of it. If he simply walked with Zhang Heng all the way to the imperial capital, he could at least get five bottles of spirit liquid.

“Come, Senior. Follow me and save the people,” Zhang Heng said with a bright smile. Confidence returned to his face at once, and the gloom that had clung to him these past moments was swept away.

Seeing Zhang Heng like this, Ling Tian also grew serious. After all, this concerned lives.

“Clan Head Han, please notify all the commoners in this city. Tell them to bring all the infected people to the outside of the Han residence. I’ve already found a way to save them.” Zhang Heng looked at Han Xuan, who was walking toward them, and said with a smile.

“Senior, yes, yes, I’ll go at once.” Han Xuan was also thrilled upon hearing this. He immediately summoned all the Han family guards and ordered them to notify the common people. After giving the instructions, even he personally set out.

Zhang Heng turned to Ling Tian and said solemnly, “Senior, I need to prepare the medicinal liquid to save them. I’ll have to trouble you to gather some ingredients for me.”

Then Zhang Heng recited to Ling Tian the materials needed for refining the Vital-Returning Pill.

The Vital-Returning Pill was only a common pill, and the required materials were all ordinary things. Presumably, even if Ling Tian the old man was not an alchemist, he should still recognize them.

Though Zhang Heng did have quite a few resources on him, the ingredients required to make enough medicinal liquid to save eighty thousand people were far too many. Naturally, he did not have them all. So he could only trouble this old man to run errands.

Soon, all the ingredients had been prepared.

Outside the Han residence, more than a dozen temporary stoves had been set up, each with a large cauldron on top.

Standing beside the stoves, with the light falling across his face, Zhang Heng looked resolute and handsome.

He personally distributed the various ingredients into dozens of pots and said loudly, “Add water. Light the fires.”

Upon hearing this, the Han family guards poured the water that had been prepared in advance into the pots. Just as they were about to start the fires, Zhang Heng, standing in the middle of the scene, gave a self-satisfied smile.

He slightly raised his spiritual energy and repeatedly unleashed the Fire-Origin Palm technique. Each palm strike corresponded to one stove, and wherever the palm landed, the firewood instantly ignited.

Zhang Heng was in excellent spirits now. How could he possibly pass up such a perfect chance to show off?

As expected, there were no surprises. The commoners gathered around erupted into countless cries of admiration and astonishment.

As the simmering time slowly increased, the joy on Zhang Heng’s face gradually faded and was little by little replaced by a darkening gloom.

Because it was soon time for him to bleed. With so much medicinal liquid, how much blood would he have to give? Merely thinking about it made Zhang Heng dizzy.

But in order to save people, he had to do it. He could always find a way to replenish the lost blood later.

It seemed that many things required his blood. Zhang Heng had a premonition that one day in the future, the system would bleed him dry.

He extended his hand and, steeling himself, condensed spiritual energy into a blade. With a light cut, he instantly opened his palm, then used his spiritual power to guide the blood into the various cauldrons.

While letting out blood, Zhang Heng anxiously asked, System brother, is that enough yet?

Hey, System brother, how much more is needed? If I keep bleeding, I feel like I’m about to collapse.

By now Zhang Heng had already lost half his blood and was beginning to feel dizzy and weak.

At last, after Zhang Heng had bled away two-thirds of his blood, he heard the system’s satisfied voice.