Chapter 320: Antidote?

Jiang Ke’er felt that if despair had a color, it would be the color of the Great Sima sky.

No one dared to activate Microscopic Vision anymore, for the dense swarm of black dots would instantly turn a Cultivator into a blind man.

As Jiang Ke’er supported Yiqin while walking out of the Taiming Sect, she knew there was not a single second left to waste.

“The testing for the medicine isn’t finished yet. Are you really prepared to announce the formula like this?” Yiqin looked at Jiang Ke’er with concern.

“There is no time to wait for the testing to finish. Theoretically, this method is feasible… if I haven’t miscalculated.”

“Everyone is bound to make mistakes; no formula can succeed the first time,” Yiqin shook her head. “If it fails, you will be a sinner for a thousand years.”

“We have to try. If Sun Shizhang succeeded, it would naturally be easy to handle… but three days have passed, and there has been no news from him. I’m afraid something has gone wrong.”

Jiang Ke’er was uncertain; time was too tight, and she was short-handed.

But if she didn’t gamble, Yiqin would die, and the infected in Great Sima would also die. Rather than dying for nothing, it was better to take a chance.

If she failed, she would accept the consequences; she didn’t care about her reputation.

She had already sent people from the Taiming Sect to various Medical Halls across Great Sima to deliver the formula.

Jiang Ke’er’s original plan was to notify everyone of the formula via broadcast, as that would be the fastest way.

Places outside of Great Sima were fine, as they all accepted her request to broadcast the formula, but all channels within Great Sima had refused her.

In her desperation, the Taiming Sect members had no choice but to personally rush to Medical Halls everywhere to deliver the formula.

Even Jiang Ke’er herself was forced to make a personal appearance. Without a single second to rest, she took Yiqin down the mountain to deliver the formula.

Just as she arrived at the entrance of a Medical Hall, she heard an argument between an old Medical Cultivator and his young disciple.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Jiang Ke’er said as she pushed the door open.

Currently, there was no one in Shenzhou who did not recognize the face of Qing Yi.

Although she appeared quite weary and haggard at the moment, the old Medical Cultivator and his disciple recognized her instantly.

“This is the formula researched by the Taiming Sect. The medicinal ingredients needed are all simple herbs commonly stocked in Medical Halls, such as Stopbleed Herb, Spirit-Returning Grass, and Essence-Solidifying Flower… Do you have them all here?”

“Yes, yes, we do!” The young disciple smiled through his tears and nodded repeatedly, intending to go and fetch the ingredients immediately.

However, he was once again stopped by the old Medical Cultivator.

“These are just some conventional medicinal materials. Can they really refine an antidote?” Distrust was written all over the old man’s face.

Jiang Ke’er felt somewhat helpless, but this was also within her expectations.

She was too young and naturally did not look as reliable as Sun Shizhang. Therefore, it was only natural that Medical Cultivators throughout Shenzhou did not trust her.

In addition, heartless black-market merchants had recently been peddling fake formulas and fake Dan medicines everywhere. Many Medical Halls had already been deceived, further deepening their suspicion of Jiang Ke’er.

“Old gentleman, time is of the essence. If we don’t gamble, we will die anyway, so why not try?” Yiqin persuaded him softly.

“I have already taken this antidote, and my symptoms have significantly lessened. Although the full effect cannot be seen yet, it can at least temporarily sustain my life and buy more time. Why don’t you give it a try?”

Yiqin’s identity was persuasive in itself, and combined with the logic of her words, the old Medical Cultivator no longer hesitated.

He began to refine the medicine.

“I must also ask you, after you have administered the medicine to the patients, to immediately use a Messenger Stone to send the formula to other Medical Halls,” Jiang Ke’er requested solemnly. “The situation in Great Sima is chaotic, and there is no way to broadcast the formula. The Taiming Sect is short-handed and cannot deliver it everywhere, so I hope you can help.”

“I understand.”

“Then we will continue to the next location.”

This was a race against the Death God via Messenger Stones. Jiang Ke’er could not even stay behind to wait for the results of the medication.

She did not know if the medicine would be effective; all she could do was push forward with its promotion.

If it worked, it worked.

If it didn’t, she was already mentally prepared to become a sinner for a thousand years.

“The people of the Taiming Sect are delivering formulas everywhere,” a scout quickly reported the news to Yu Wenhua Ji.

Yu Wenhua Ji frowned, feeling a bit irritable. “Is it a real antidote? Has someone leaked the formula?”

“It’s different from our antidote,” the scout shook his head.

“Unlike ours, which takes effect very quickly, the Taiming Sect’s antidote… doesn’t seem to show much effect, but it can temporarily sustain life.”

“If it can sustain life, that means it might actually be useful.” Yu Wenhua Ji began to feel a bit of anger. “Can we stop them?”

“I’m afraid not. Local Medical Halls are also participating in spreading the formula, and it’s spreading extremely fast. Unless we directly clash with the Demon armies guarding the Medical Halls, it will be hard to stop.”

“Then forget it.” Yu Wenhua Ji decisively abandoned his plan to monopolize the formula, but a new idea soon emerged in his mind.

“Our antidote takes effect quickly, and refining it isn’t difficult. Tell the Royal Alchemists to speed up the refining process and distribute it to all the infected soldiers in Great Sima as soon as possible.”

By doing so, the combat effectiveness of the entire Great Sima could be quickly restored, allowing them to recover before their enemies.

He was now the true Master of Great Sima, and the soldiers of the nation were under his command.

As long as the army of Great Sima regained its strength, his position would be solidified.

By then, everything would be truly foolproof.

“Open the door! Open the door! I need to see General Yuwen!”

Sun Shizhang’s voice came from the black box that contained the entire research tent.

His voice was already hoarse from shouting, yet he received no response.

“You really must let General Yuwen in! Something terrible has happened!”

Sun Shizhang’s voice was tinged with tears.

An Imperial Guard kicked the black box impatiently and said with disdain, “Stop making things up. Do you think we’re fools? No matter what excuse you concoct, we won’t let you out. I saw plenty of guys like you when I was a jailer.”

“There is really a major problem! The antidote! It’s about the antidote!”

“The antidote works very well. Thank you for your hard work, but you’re useless now,” the Imperial Guard laughed.

“No, that antidote is wrong!” Sun Shizhang wailed.

“Who are you trying to fool? Prime Minister Yuwen has already distributed the antidote, and the results are clear for all to see.”

“…”

Sun Shizhang slumped to the ground in despair.

Not far away, several foul-smelling, blackened bodies were oozing pus and blood.

They were the death-row prisoners who had previously taken the antidote.

It was over. Everything was over.

Sun Shizhang laughed miserably.

The entirety of Shenzhou was finished.

He now knew that his logic had been flawed from the very beginning.

No matter how much help the awakened immune cells received, it was fundamentally impossible for them to eradicate the Epidemic Poison…

He had thought the poison was insurmountable because it was bolstered by Spiritual Power. In reality, even without that help, the immune cells couldn’t kill it at all!

They seemingly allow themselves to be swallowed by the phagocytes, but that is merely a strategy for them to lie dormant.

Everyone thinks they are dead.

But the belly of the phagocyte becomes their safe harbor… and when Spiritual Power floods in again, they will burst forth and make their comeback!

Therefore, the research for the antidote had failed.

Yet, he had provided false information that the research was successful, causing the Cultivators of Shenzhou to let down their guard and neglect their precautions…

This time, Shenzhou was truly finished.

He was a sinner.