Chu Liang—now that’s a man of character!

Xu Ziqing, perhaps finding the ground too dirty to sit, simply stood off to the side. The young girl had been walking in the middle of the group, protected by everyone, so she wasn’t tired and didn’t really need to rest. Now, as the others sat cross-legged to cultivate, she found herself rather bored. Her lively eyes darted left and right, taking in the dense forest’s surroundings.

Suddenly, a leaf ahead quivered as something moved faintly beneath it. Curious, she stared intently. In the next moment, with a rustling sound, a palm-sized azure toad leapt out from under the leaf, its bulging eyes grotesque and menacing.

Though the creature wasn’t a demon, and thus escaped Fang Ting’s spiritual detection, it wandered close to the group’s area.

“Ah!”

Even if it posed no danger, its hideous appearance deeply unsettled the young girl, who stumbled backwards several steps in fright. In doing so, she unwittingly stepped outside the lantern’s protective glow—a single step was all it took.

As everyone’s attention was drawn to her, a vine at the edge suddenly sprang up, its maw gaping with sharp fangs!

Hiss—

Unprepared, the girl was bitten on her calf by a flower demon!

“Ziqing!” Fang Ting cried out, his sword instantly drawn. With a metallic crackle like a golden dragon, a surge of thunderous sword energy erupted, instantly engulfing the flower demon’s body, along with its trailing vine, giant tree, and a swath of dense forest, carving a deep trench more than ten yards long.

Chu Liang had already heard from Lin Bei that Fang Ting’s treasured sword was called the Thunderstrike Sword, and his cultivation was the Divine Five Thunders Golden Core, specializing in thunderous sword energy. Witnessing the power of this strike now, it was indeed terrifying. Yet the blow passed right beside Xu Ziqing without so much as grazing her garment—a mastery of control equally astonishing.

The gap between Golden Core cultivators and those of the Divine Will realm was truly vast.

But no matter how fierce the retaliation, it could not undo the fact that Xu Ziqing had been bitten. The girl stumbled and fell to the ground, acting quickly to apply her own energy to staunch the bleeding. Soon, however, she cried out again in panic.

“This flower demon is poisonous…”

Looking closer, her raised pant leg revealed a deeply carved wound between her fair calf and ankle, from which black blood seeped. The surrounding skin was tinged with dark energy.

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“The green vine flower demons in this forest are harmless,” Fang Ting said. “But that one must have mutated into a purple vine flower demon.”

“This is bad,” Lin Bei said. “We only prepared antidotes for the miasma in the woods, not for the rare purple vine flower demon’s poison. There’s only one solution left!”

“What is it?” everyone asked.

Lin Bei wore an expression of gallant resolve. “Ziqing, seal your blood flow to delay the poison. I’ll use my energy to draw the poison out!”

He bared his teeth and readied himself.

“Nonsense!” Fang Ting rebuked, frowning. “Your cultivation is similar to Ziqing’s. If you absorb the poison, what then? I have higher cultivation—I’ll do it.”

At that moment, the always silent Lu Ren spoke up, “Senior Fang bears great responsibility and shouldn’t take such risks. Junior Lin’s cultivation is too low. Let me do it instead.”

He too licked his lips.

“Ah…” The girl cradled her delicate foot, tears threatening in her voice. Clearly, this was not a situation she had anticipated.

As the three argued, Chu Liang interjected, “Everyone, I…”

Lin Bei looked up at him, “What, you want a taste too?”

“No,” Chu Liang shook his head. “I mean, I brought an antidote that might counter the flower demon’s poison.”

“What?” Xu Ziqing immediately looked to Chu Liang with hope shining in her eyes. “Senior Chu, you really have an antidote?”

“Yes. It’s not specifically for flower demon poison, but it should help.” Chu Liang produced the Hundred Flowers Powder.

“It’s not a specialized antidote, so there’s some risk,” Lin Bei said reluctantly, glancing at Xu Ziqing. “Ziqing, it’s up to you…”

“At this point, it’s either draw it out with the mouth or take medicine?”

“I’ll take the medicine!” Xu Ziqing said without hesitation.

Chu Liang handed her the Hundred Flowers Powder. “Take half internally, apply the rest externally.”

“Thank you so much, Senior Chu,” Xu Ziqing said gratefully, tears glistening.

“Sigh.” Lin Bei sighed, shamefaced. “I can’t help at all; my conscience is uneasy. Since I can’t draw out the poison, let me help apply the medicine.”

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His offer only earned him a dramatic eye-roll from Xu Ziqing.

Following Chu Liang’s instructions, she divided the Hundred Flowers Powder into two portions, one for the wound, the other taken with water, then used her energy to adjust her breath.

Within the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the dark energy had completely faded from the wound! Even the gaping injury was healing visibly fast.

Certainly, her cultivator’s vigorous blood helped, but the Hundred Flowers Powder’s healing effects were also considerable.

“Senior Chu, your medicine is miraculous!” Xu Ziqing exclaimed, looking at Chu Liang in delight.

“As long as it works,” Chu Liang replied with a gentle smile.

For cultivators, as long as there’s no demon poison, ordinary wounds are of little concern. Xu Ziqing applied some ointment for external injuries, then bounced up as lively as ever.

She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but after using Chu Liang’s medicine, a fragrance seemed to emanate from her body, shifting from a faint jasmine scent, to fragrant rose, and finally to… a peculiar aroma she’d never smelled before, yet quite strong.

Probably some kind of floral fragrance?

Once she had recovered, Xu Ziqing gracefully approached Chu Liang and spoke softly, “Senior Chu, how should I thank you?”

“It’s nothing,” Chu Liang smiled. “You gave me a Qi Gathering Pill, I gave you the Hundred Flowers Powder. Just an exchange of favors.”

“But…” The girl tilted her head, “How can a Qi Gathering Pill compare to your Hundred Flowers Powder?”

Chu Liang waved it off, “We’re fellow disciples and friends—no need to be so precise.”

“We’re friends…” Xu Ziqing paused, then broke into a delighted smile. “Alright.”

Lin Bei then asked, “Chu, weren’t you brought to the Sword Exchange Pavilion by us directly? You always carry antidotes?”

“Better safe than sorry,” Chu Liang replied casually.

Soon after, Fang Ting called for the group to set out again. Chu Liang moved to the front, resuming his role as pathfinder.

This time, the group’s gaze as they watched his back was much softer than before. The disciples of Jade Sword Peak now felt—this Silver Sword Peak disciple was trustworthy: he truly fought monsters, and truly carried medicine.

Chu Liang—he’s reliable!

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