Chapter 2595 — The Miraculous Potion

"What important matter? Speak," said Old Master Zhao, his expression easing a little as he waved a hand for Zhu the Leader to continue.

"It's like this—my younger brother's meridians were damaged too, weren't they? While I was in Songshan City, I asked around everywhere for ways to help a cultivator restore his meridians, and then one day, while I was scavenging, I ran into a Heaven-rank expert!" Zhu the Leader said.

"What! A Heaven-rank expert?!" Old Master Zhao, who had been rather indifferent until then, rose straight to his feet at the words. "Are you sure you've got that right? Heaven-rank experts aren't exactly thick on the ground. How could you just run into one at random, and while scavenging, no less?"

"Old Master, would I dare joke about a thing like this?" Zhu the Leader smiled bitterly. "I couldn't see through that Heaven-rank expert's true strength, but I'd say he's at least at the peak of the late Heaven rank..."

"Damn it! How is that possible?" Old Master Zhao could not help but curse. "That's the level of a sect master or an elder from the ancient realms—how could such a person wander in and out of the secular world at will? Even if he came on business, there's no way you'd just happen to run into him. Zhu the Leader, are you deliberately pulling my leg?"

"Old Master, would I dare? That old man was raving and seemed to have some mental problem. His strength is immense, but he's goofy through and through, like a mad old fool!" Zhu the Leader said. "If you ask me, he must have suffered a deviation in his cultivation and gone mad!"

"Hmm..." Old Master Zhao nodded. If the man was insane, then it was possible, and running into him while scavenging made sense too. "So this important matter you mentioned is that? Even if he is a Heaven-rank expert, what does that have to do with our Hidden Zhao clan? And he's a madman—that sort of person is very hard to recruit."

"Old Master, that's not what I'm talking about. I consulted this mad old Heaven-rank expert about my brother's injuries, and he mixed up a potion for me called the Barrier-Breaking Liquid. As the name suggests, it's used to break through barriers—once taken, it not only heals all injuries inside the body, but may even help you break through a cultivation barrier and become a higher-rank expert!" Zhu the Leader said gravely.

"Really?" Old Master Zhao's eyes went wide. It was the first time he had ever heard of such a potion, but since a Heaven-rank expert had made it, it was probably genuine. Only, this Heaven-rank expert was a mad old man—could there be a problem with it?

"He says it's real. I don't know if it is or not, but I thought of Old Bi, who has damaged meridians just like my brother, so I asked him to make up two doses!" Zhu the Leader said cautiously.

"And this Heaven-rank expert is so obedient? You ask him to mix it and he mixes it?" Old Master Zhao cast Zhu the Leader a somewhat doubtful look.

"Well... to tell the truth, I didn't realize at first that he was a Heaven-rank expert. Seeing him in rags and tatters, collapsed on the ground starving to death, I took him for a vagrant. Figuring we were both scavengers, I bought him a few steamed buns. After he ate them, he was endlessly grateful and said he wanted to repay me, that he'd do one thing for me!" Zhu the Leader went on, following the story Shen Yushu had concocted. "At the time I thought, what help could a vagrant be to me? But once he'd eaten his fill, he suddenly revealed his Heaven-rank strength and gave me a fright. When I came to my senses, I told him about my troubles, and without a moment's hesitation he agreed. You know his mind is troubled, so he's probably easy to talk to... And this morning, as soon as I got back to Songshan City, that mad old vagrant handed me the finished potion... so I hurried back here at the first opportunity!"

"So that's how it was..." Old Master Zhao nodded. Zhu the Leader's account had set his doubts at ease. Zhu the Leader's cover identity was that of a scavenger, after all, so everything he did had to look as much like a scavenger's doings as possible; occasionally helping out a fellow scavenger on the brink of death was only natural. "And where is that old senior now?"

"After he finished the potion, he explained how to use it and the precautions, and then he left... Old Master, you know he's a Heaven-rank expert, and I'm nothing but a lowly Earth-rank one—how would I dare detain him by force?" Zhu the Leader said with some helplessness.

"That's true enough!" Old Master Zhao said in sudden understanding. If Zhu the Leader had actually brought that Heaven-rank expert home, that would have been the truly abnormal thing. He thought for a moment. "And the potion? What did that senior instruct you?"

"This potion, fine as it looks, has one fatal flaw!" Zhu the Leader said. "Whoever takes it either fails and dies on the spot, blood streaming from all seven orifices as the body bursts, or succeeds and everything is fine. It's a matter of chance..."

"What? There's a chance of failure?" Old Master Zhao had been thinking that if Old Bi could be healed and even take a step further into the Heaven rank, it would truly be a blessing for the Hidden Zhao clan. But before he could even rejoice, Zhu the Leader had poured a bucket of cold water over him, cooling him considerably. His gaze turned sharp as he looked at Zhu the Leader. "How have I never heard of such a potion? At worst, taking a potion does nothing or has a poor effect—how could it kill you?"

"Exactly, I found it strange too!" Zhu the Leader said, his expression unchanged and showing not the slightest fear. "That's also why I didn't rashly give it to my brother and came straight to you instead. I'm puzzled as well—why is this potion so peculiar?"

"Mm, you did well." Old Master Zhao nodded. "Where's the potion?"

"Here." Zhu the Leader carefully drew two packets of potion from his bosom and set them on the table.

"Old Mian, go and fetch the Medicine King!" Old Master Zhao called toward the door.

"Yes!" Old Mian answered and hurried off to find the Medicine King. Before long, he returned with Zhao the Medicine King and entered Old Master Zhao's room.

"Greetings, Old Master!" The Medicine King had no idea why Old Master Zhao had summoned him and asked cautiously, "You wished to see me?"

"Medicine King, take a look at these potions and tell me what they are," Old Master Zhao said, pointing at the two packets on the table. "They say this potion is called the Barrier-Breaking Liquid..."

With that, Old Master Zhao recounted the potion's effects and side effects.

When Zhao the Medicine King heard this, his expression was a sight to behold. It was the first time he had ever heard of such a thing. It was no pill, merely a potion, yet it had such wondrous effects—that was utterly unheard of. But since a Heaven-rank expert had produced it, he did not dare take it lightly. He carefully fetched a clean porcelain bowl, opened one packet, poured it out, and began to examine it closely.

He examined it for a good long while but could find no clue at all, so he had no choice but to say, "Old Master, I can't analyze what's in this either, and I'd like to taste it but don't dare try it rashly..."