Chapter 101: The Assassin’s Shadow Reappears

These words were tantamount to pronouncing a death sentence on Li Jiancheng. He had waited so long and endured so much suffering, all for the sake of one day being able to walk and run like a normal person. Just as his dream was about to come true…

“No, it can’t be! Surely there must be a way to cure my leg ailment, isn’t there?” In response to Li Jiancheng’s words, Doctor Xu sighed deeply but remained silent—he simply had no confidence in his ability to heal him.

The next moment, Li Jiancheng glared at Ji Rong with such intensity that if looks could kill, Ji Rong would have died countless times already. Speaking slowly and deliberately, he said, “If this truly happens, I will make sure you suffer unimaginably before you die, and your body will not remain intact—just like that assassin!”

Ji Rong sobbed uncontrollably, shaking her head violently, “I am innocent!”

Li Shimin tried to calm the situation, saying, “When poisoned, it is most dangerous to get agitated, as it accelerates the spread of the venom. Our top priority now is to quickly neutralize the poison. We can deal with the rest later.”

Under his soothing words, Li Jiancheng gradually calmed down. After draining a full bowl of toxic blood, the color finally shifted from black to red, no longer as pitch-black as before.

Just when everyone thought the situation was improving, Li Jiancheng suddenly began convulsing, his eyes rolling back, and the blackness that had been confined below his knees started creeping upward again. Silver needles began falling off his thighs.

“This is bad! The eldest master has been deeply poisoned; the situation is dire.” Doctor Xu hastily applied more needles, but it was too late. The venom was spreading faster than he had anticipated, and soon, black veins covered his entire thigh. These were actually the blood vessels beneath his skin, but due to the toxic blood, they appeared black.

Faced with this strange poison, Doctor Xu was at a loss. He could only urge the servants to hurry and prepare an antidote. However, he had little confidence in whether the prescription he had written would be effective against this toxin.

Although Li Zhiyun did not share a close bond with Li Jiancheng, he couldn’t help but feel worried. “Second Brother, will Eldest Brother be alright?”

“He’ll be fine. Doctor Xu will surely save Eldest Brother; he’ll pull through.” Despite his words, Li Shimin’s brows remained tightly furrowed, unable to relax.

The medicine was quickly prepared, but by this time, Li Jiancheng had fallen into a coma and could not drink it on his own. They had no choice but to force-feed him. As the medicine took effect, the poison seemed somewhat suppressed, but after a short while, it surged upward again, spreading black veins across both arms.

Seeing this, Li Shimin anxiously urged, “Doctor Xu, think of something quickly! At this rate, Eldest Brother’s life is in grave danger.”

Doctor Xu was flustered and helpless. He desperately wanted to save him, but despite using every technique at his disposal, the poison clung to him like a shadow, refusing to be driven out. At this rate, within half an hour, Li Jiancheng would succumb to the poison and die. What kind of poison was this? What could possibly counteract it?!

At this moment, Li Xuanba also arrived upon hearing the news. His temper was fiery by nature, and seeing Li Jiancheng’s uncertain fate, he could no longer contain himself. Grabbing Doctor Xu by the collar, he growled coldly, “If you can’t save Eldest Brother, I’ll make you pay with your life!”

“Third Brother!” Li Shimin forcibly pulled him back and scolded, “Doctor Xu is trying his best to find a solution. Don’t interfere!”

Li Xuanba didn’t speak but stared at Doctor Xu with icy eyes, silently conveying that his threat was no bluff.

Sweating profusely under his gaze, Doctor Xu racked his brain, desperately recalling every medical principle he had ever learned, trying to find a way to counteract the poison. Yet, he found nothing—no, not quite nothing. Suddenly, a chilling thought occurred to him, and he stammered, “Third Master, look at the symptoms of the eldest master’s poisoning. Do they resemble yours and the governor’s?”

Li Xuanba paused, then carefully examined Li Jiancheng’s condition. Afterward, he said gravely, “They do resemble mine. Could it be that Eldest Brother has been poisoned with the same toxin as me?”

“I’m not certain, but it is possible,” Doctor Xu swallowed nervously and continued, “I remember Governor Xiahou mentioning before he left that the poison you were afflicted with is a rare Western Region toxin seldom seen in Central Plains. The poison now in the eldest master’s body is unlike anything I’ve encountered.”

Upon hearing this, Li Xuanba immediately turned to Li Shimin and exclaimed, “Second Brother, it’s that assassin—it must be her!”

Li Shimin nodded, “I know. Right now, the most important thing is to save Eldest Brother. Ah, Governor Xiahou left behind a prescription when he treated you two. Third Brother, go fetch it quickly; it might be useful.”

“I’m on it,” Li Xuanba replied and rushed to leave, but Li Zhiyun blocked his path. Irritated by his presence already, Li Xuanba glared at him and barked, “What are you doing? Get out of my way!”

For Li Jiancheng, time was of the essence. Every minute delayed in finding Governor Xiahou Duan’s prescription brought him closer to death.

Li Zhiyun looked up and said, “Third Brother, there’s no need for you to go.”

Thinking Li Zhiyun meant that Li Jiancheng was beyond saving and that the effort was futile, Li Xuanba’s anger flared. Grabbing him by the collar, he lifted him off the ground and growled, “Listen carefully—you’re wrong. Eldest Brother isn’t going to die!”

With a calm expression, Li Zhiyun replied, “I know Eldest Brother won’t die.”

In Li Xuanba’s stunned gaze, Li Zhiyun held out a small purple brocade pouch. “This contains an antidote pill given to me by our master. He said it can neutralize any poison under the heavens. I believe it can save Eldest Brother.”

Li Xuanba slowly released his grip, eyeing the unassuming pouch suspiciously. “Is it really effective?”

“Of course it is,” Li Zhiyun confidently declared. He poured out a snow-white pill that emitted a faint, unusual fragrance, along with a small slip of paper. Unfolding it revealed three characters: “Save or Not.”

Between “Save” and “Not,” there was a gap, making them two separate words. Li Zhiyun recognized his master’s handwriting but didn’t understand why the master had written these few cryptic words.

He casually stuffed the note back into the pouch and ordered Wang Fu to bring a bowl of water. Dissolving the pill in the water, he approached Li Jiancheng to administer it.

As the rim of the bowl barely touched Li Jiancheng’s lips, which were already slightly blackened, Li Xuanba seized his hand and demanded coldly, “Can this medicine really save Eldest Brother?”

With pride, Li Zhiyun responded, “Our master knows everything—astronomy, geography, astrology, medicine, divination—there’s nothing he doesn’t understand. His medicine will definitely work.” Then, as if realizing something, his still somewhat childish face darkened. “Do you think I’d harm Eldest Brother?”

Li Shimin, fearing a quarrel at this critical moment, hurriedly intervened, “How could that be? We are brothers. How could Third Brother think that way?” As he spoke, he subtly pulled Li Xuanba’s hand away and urged, “Let Zhiyun give Eldest Brother the medicine quickly. We can’t afford to miss this chance to save him.”

Li Xuanba stared coldly at Li Zhiyun and said, “I hope you’re right.”