Chapter 10 - I Have a Friend

“My master, known as the Ghost Physician, possessed unparalleled mastery over medical principles and alchemy. People call me Divine Physician, but I have to admit that my knowledge barely scratches the surface compared to my master. My reputation is limited to this corner of the Great Qi. If he were here, he might have a way.”

Gu Han’s heart lifted with hope. “The Ghost Physician? Where is he?”

Divine Physician Xue let out a bitter smile. “To tell you the truth, I haven’t heard from my master in decades.”

Gu Han’s heart sank again.

Decades? I can look for him for that long, but can Ah Sha afford to wait?

“Young master... am I going to die?” Ah Sha seemed to finally understand their conversation and now looked disheartened.

Gu Han kept quiet.

“I’m not afraid of dying, but I don’t want to leave your side...”

“Don’t worry! I won’t let you die!” Gu Han’s heart ached as he pulled her tightly into his embrace. “I will find a way to save you. This is my promise to you. You know I never lie to you!”

Divine Physician Xue let out a long sigh, as if recalling something.

“What a gifted young girl.... How unfortunate!”

After hesitating for a moment, he took out another small bottle. This one was pure gold, its surface engraved with intricate patterns. It was clearly far more precious than the jade bottle from before.

“This is a Soul Nourishing Pill. My master left it for me before he departed, intending for me to use it when breaking through to the Divine Connection Realm. However, I had my own fortunate encounters and never used it. My master’s pills are extraordinary. Now... you take it. It should provide some temporary relief.”

Chief Steward Li jumped up in a hurry. “Elder Xue! That’s a pill personally refined by the Ghost Physician! You—”

“So what?! This is mine to give away! Since when do I need your permission?” Divine Physician Xue’s face darkened.

He was usually gentle, but these words carried unmistakable anger.

“You’re right. You’re right. I was out of line. Please don’t take it to heart.” Chief Steward Li forced an apologetic smile.

Even as he apologized, he was full of confusion. Divine Physician Xue was kind, but he had never been this generous. He was actually giving away a pill personally refined by the Ghost Physician to a little girl he had never met before. Even the Seventh Prince didn’t receive such treatment.

“Thank you, Senior. I will remember this forever!” Gu Han bowed deeply with genuine respect.

At this moment, the heart that had long been frozen by the Gu family’s betrayal felt a sliver of warmth.

“Thank you, Grandpa! You’re such a good person!” Ah Sha mimicked Gu Han’s gesture.

Seeing Ah Sha’s pure and innocent expression, Divine Physician Xue laughed heartily. “

Hahaha...

Good, good! This pill was worth giving away!”

Chief Steward Li pouted.

If you gave the pill to me, even I’d call you Grandpa... no, Great-Grandpa!

Gu Han carefully took the bottle and opened it. At the bottom, there were three golden-yellow pills, each the size of a thumb. In an instant, an incredibly refreshing fragrance filled the air. It was completely different from the fiery scent of the Scorching Sun Fruit. Just one breath of it made Gu Han’s senses sharpen slightly.

“Young master, it’s so fragrant...” Ah Sha’s mouth was practically watering.

“Here, take one.”

“

Mmm...

It’s delicious...”

As soon as Ah Sha swallowed it, her body swayed, and she collapsed into Gu Han’s arms.

“Senior, she...”

“No need to worry. The pill is working. However, since she has no cultivation, absorbing its medicinal power will take time.”

“Thank you, Senior!”

Divine Physician Xue glanced at Ah Sha once more and sighed.

What happens next... will depend on your fate.

“Well then!” He composed himself and prepared to leave.

Gu Han suddenly called out. “Senior, one more thing! May I ask, what do you need the Scorching Sun Fruit for?”

Divine Physician Xue hesitated briefly before waving his hand dismissively. “No need to ask. I gave you the pills because I wanted to help that little girl. If you think I did it just to demand the Scorching Sun Fruit in return, then you’ve underestimated me!”

Gu Han pondered for a moment. “Senior, you’ve misunderstood. I did eat the Scorching Sun Fruit. But what if there is something else that I can offer you instead?”

“Something else?”

“Yes, this.” Gu Han carefully set Ah Sha down and took out a small red snake.

“The Crimson Flame Snake!” Chief Steward Li gasped and hurried over.

“No wonder! Elder Xue, you did say that where a Scorching Sun Fruit appears, a Crimson Flame Snake must be nearby. I was wondering why we didn’t see one. It was in your hands all along! Brat, why didn’t you bring it out earlier?!”

Gu Han ignored him completely.

“Senior, will this do?”

“Yes, absolutely!” Divine Physician Xue nodded in satisfaction. “The Crimson Flame Snake is an unusual variant. Although this one is not fully grown, it’s already at Tier 4. Its beast core is just as effective as the Scorching Sun Fruit, if not better!”

He looked at the clean cut that ran all the way down the snake’s tail and the broken sword in Gu Han’s hand, and came to a realization.

“It looks like I’m the one who underestimated you.”

“Senior, you’re overpraising me. It was just luck.”

Gu Han had no intention of revealing his secrets, and Divine Physician Xue also did not press further. Everyone has their secrets, including him. He didn’t have any interest in prying.

However, he now believed Gu Han’s previous words. If he could slay a Crimson Flame Snake while still in Meridian Opening, then swallowing the Scorching Sun Fruit raw was indeed possible.

Only Chief Steward Li remained skeptical. He sneered to himself.

Does Elder Xue really think this kid killed the snake? Impossible! He must have just gotten lucky and found it dead!

The more he looked at Gu Han, the more he disliked him.

“You brat! At least you know gratitude. Hand it over!”

“You want it?”

“Of course!”

“Then pay me in essence crystals!”

“What did you say?!”

“This Crimson Flame Snake is a gift for Senior Xue. But you? You’ll have to pay for it.”

Chief Steward Li was speechless. Ignoring him, Gu Han handed the Crimson Flame Snake to Divine Physician Xue. Despite needing cultivation resources himself, he didn’t take even a single essence crystal from him.

Saving Ah Sha was the same as saving himself. And there was yet another principle that Gu Tian had taught him: kindness and hatred alike must be repaid tenfold.

Before leaving, Chief Steward Li was still fuming. He spat out a harsh remark.

“Brat, you better hope I never see you again!”

Gu Han treated his words like nothing more than a fart.

***

The Gu family issued a bounty, and within just two days, the news had spread to most of the rogue cultivators in the region.

“Two thousand essence crystals and a high-grade spirit item!”

“What a generous offer! Who is this Gu Han that they’re willing to pay such a high price for?”

“I heard he betrayed and murdered his own father. No wonder the Gu family wants him dead!”

“So, are we taking this job?”

“Are you kidding? Of course we are! If we really manage to kill him, that reward would be enough for us to live in luxury for years!”

The crowd was having a heated discussion. Among them, those who had encountered Gu Han and Ah Sha before were now filled with deep regret, beating their chests in frustration.

Such a fortune... Gone just like that!

In an instant, these rogue cultivators abandoned their usual tasks of gathering spirit herbs and hunting demonic beasts. Instead, they focused all their efforts on tracking Gu Han based on the clues provided by the Gu family.

***

Gu Han had no idea any of this was happening.

Inside the cave, Ah Sha was still fast asleep. The pain on her face had faded. It was replaced by a rare expression of peace and tranquility.

Beside her, Gu Han carefully applied some medicinal powder to the soles of her feet. The medicine from Divine Physician Xue was extraordinary. The moment it touched her wounds, the blood that had been seeping out immediately stopped.

Suddenly, Ah Sha shifted slightly, murmuring in her sleep.

“Mmm... young master... I’m hungry... I want... chicken drumsticks...”

Chicken drumsticks...

When he heard those words, Gu Han’s expression changed, and memories from ten years ago resurfaced.

A little girl, three or four years old, was lying in the snow at the gate of the Gu family’s estate, looking frozen and malnourished.

A single chicken drumstick and a bucket of warm coal had pulled her back from the brink of death. From that day forward, he had brought her into the Gu family’s estate, and made her his personal servant. For ten years, they had suffered and lived together. Each had become the other’s only family.

“Ah Sha...” Looking at her pale, delicate face, Gu Han took a deep breath. “I won’t let you die. Father is already gone. I won’t let you leave me too.”

Soul Deficiency.... The Ghost Physician.... Elixirs...

His mind had started to wander when, suddenly, a realization struck him, and his eyes lit up.

“Hmm? That guy... He might have a way!”

***

Inside the sword cage in the consciousness space, there was a shadowy figure who was sitting cross-legged. Suddenly, he leaped up and started cursing again.

“Son of a bitch! What kind of existence is this?! I can’t die, but I can’t live either! Am I supposed to be trapped here forever?! How will I ever get my revenge?!

Aih...

”

After cursing for a while, he slumped back down.

“Forget it. I’ve already endured for so many years. A little more time won’t matter. I’ll just wait for that brat to reach the tenth stage of Qi Condensation...”

Out of nowhere, a familiar voice rang behind him. “What are you mumbling about?”

“

Ahem...

” The shadow figure stiffened and immediately turned around. “You again?”

“I came to see you.”

Since this concerned Ah Sha’s life, Gu Han was now being somewhat politer.

“See me? You wouldn’t be so kind.” The shadow was suspicious.

“Well, I do have a question for you.”

A question?

The shadow immediately understood.

No wonder he’s acting so polite. He needs something from me!

“You brat!” He crossed his arms behind his back and said arrogantly, “Don’t tell me you’ve run into a problem with your cultivation? It’s just Qi Condensation, the weakest realm, barely stronger than an insect! And you actually have questions? Stop being so ambitious. Just focus on working hard...”

Gu Han shook his head. “It’s not about cultivation. Besides, I’ve already reached Meridian Opening.”

“Meridian Opening?” The shadow figure sneered. “Even if you’ve reached Meridian Opening, it’s still... Wait, what did you just say?!”

In an instant, his smug demeanor collapsed, replaced by fury.

“You—who allowed you to reach Meridian Opening?! Who permitted it?! I told you before not to be too ambitious. Did you completely ignore my words?!”

Gu Han’s expression turned cold. “Since when do I need your permission for my own cultivation?”

Suddenly, the sword cage trembled, and several streaks of sword intent surged, ready to strike.

The shadow finally realized he had lost his calm.

“

Ahem...

That’s not what I meant. The tenth stage of Qi Condensation is the easiest Supreme Stage, but it lays a solid foundation. If you can reach it, your future cultivation will benefit tremendously! Why... Why would you give up on such an important step? This is beyond foolish. It’s outright idiotic!”

He looked truly pained, as if he genuinely cared about Gu Han’s future. Gu Han eyed him suspiciously.

Whoa, this guy sure changed his attitude. Why does he suddenly seem so concerned about me?

“Actually, I

did

reach the tenth stage of Qi Condensation.”

The shadow stared at him in disbelief. “You... what?! You reached it?”

“Yes.”

“Then...

ahem...

did you feel anything special?”

“Hmm?” Gu Han thought for a moment. “Other than my meridians expanding, not much else. You were right, reaching the Qi Condensation Supreme Stage wasn’t difficult.”

“I see... It seems I misunderstood you. Not bad, not bad.”

On the surface, the shadow nodded approvingly. But inside, he was cursing furiously.

Son of a bitch! Why is this brat’s luck so ridiculous?! Even with all the obstacles I threw at him, he still didn’t die!

𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

What he didn’t know was that Gu Han’s newly formed meridians were extraordinarily powerful. His original intention had been to harm Gu Han, yet instead, he had unintentionally helped him reach the Qi Condensation Supreme Stage. This left him utterly frustrated.

Gu Han, who was focused on Ah Sha, ignored the shadow’s strange attitude. “Anyway, let me ask you something. Have you heard of Soul Deficiency?”

“Soul Deficiency? Isn’t that just soul power depletion due to a damaged soul? Why are you asking about that?” the shadow replied lazily.

After a moment of silence, Gu Han said slowly, “I have a friend...”