I become stronger by sacrificing my lifespan, becoming invincible in the world.

"Yes! At least it can delay the onset of the poison and buy some time!" The old doctor quickly took out a pill, dissolved it in warm water, and carefully poured it into Lin Chen's mouth.

As the medicine took effect, the blackness on Lin Chen's face seemed to fade slightly, and his breathing became a little more even.

Zhang Heng looked at the unconscious Lin Chen with a complex expression. After a moment of silence, he said to Zhao Tiegu, "Keep an eye on him. If he needs any medicine, just get it from my personal guards. Until he wakes up, your team will not be assigned any missions."

"Thank you, Captain!" Zhao Tiegu clasped his hands in a deep fist salute.

Zhang Heng waved his hand and turned to leave. Reaching the tent entrance, he paused, glanced back at Lin Chen on the bed, and muttered, "Kid, don't just die like this... I'm still waiting for you to cause trouble for Chen Hong and his gang."

The curtains fell.

Inside the medical tent, only the bubbling sound of the medicine furnace and the suppressed breathing of a few people could be heard.

Zhao Tiegu sat on a low stool by the bed, staring intently at Lin Chen's pale face, his rough hands clenched into fists.

Li the Cripple paced anxiously inside the tent.

Time passes little by little.

After an unknown amount of time, Lin Chen, who was unconscious, suddenly twitched his fingers almost imperceptibly.

Inside his body, the divine jade, which had been severely depleted by the use of "Blood Prison Slash" and devouring Xie Qi and had fallen into a brief period of dormancy, trembled slightly.

A faint warmth emanated from the jade, flowing slowly and steadily toward the meridians that had been eroded by toxins.

[Divine Jade Cooldown Period: Two days remaining.]

[A mixture of toxins (primarily bone-corroding toxin) was detected in the host's body.]

[Initial purification requires 50 years of reserve lifespan.]

Should we proceed?

The medical tents were filled with a pungent, overpowering smell of medicine.

Lin Chen lay on the hard bed, his face still bluish-black, only slightly lighter than when he was first carried in. His chest rose and fell slightly, each breath accompanied by a bellows-like noise.

The effects of the Qingxin San were struggling to resist the corrosive effects of the "Bone-Corroding Poison" within his body.

Like a thin dam, it barely held back the surging tide of poison.

My left arm was completely numb. From the shoulder to the fingertips, it was black and swollen, the skin tight and shiny, like a piece of charred wood. The wound had been cut open to let the blood bleed, and a thick black ointment had been applied, but the signs of ulceration were still slowly spreading.

Zhao Tiegu stood guard by the bedside, his eyes sunken and his beard unkempt. He hadn't slept for two days.

Li the Cripple brought in a bowl of freshly brewed medicine and carefully blew on it to cool it down.

"Old Zhao, let me take over. You go and get some rest," Li the Cripple said in a low voice.

Zhao Tiegu shook his head, his gaze never leaving Lin Chen's face: "I'm fine. Is there any noise outside?"

Li the Cripple's face darkened: "That bastard Chen Hong has been running around inside the pass these past two days, spreading rumors that Lin Chen is using 'demonic magic that sucks people's life essence,' and even implying that he's connected with some evil spirits and heretics. Although General Liu hasn't made a statement, there are already some whispers going around."

"A leopard can't change its spots," Zhao Tiegu spat. "Anything else?"

"The Fierce Tiger Gang..." Li the Cripple lowered his voice even further.

"Xie Qi, the Poison Scorpion, was a guest retainer that Lei Hu, the leader of the Fierce Tiger Gang, hired at great expense. Now that he's dead, and in such a bizarre way, Lei Hu definitely won't let it go. That bastard Chen Hong has surely tried to pin all the dirty water on Lin Chen."

Zhao Tiegu's eyes turned cold.

The Fierce Tiger Gang. Lei Hu. He's a genuine master of the Innate Realm, with countless desperate followers under his command, and his influence is deeply entrenched in the Northern Territory.

"And another thing," Li the Cripple leaned closer.

"That old eunuch from the capital, along with several accompanying officials, have been wandering around the city these past few days, seemingly inquiring about something. I reckon... it's all related to Lin Chen's final move on the stage."

Zhao Tiegu remained silent.

The tree wants to be calm and the wind does not stop.

Although Lin Chen won this battle at a great cost, it was as if he had stirred up a hornet's nest.

Chen Hong's scheming, the Tiger Gang's revenge, the investigation by people from the capital...

Each one could be fatal.

"Cough cough..."

Lin Chen, who was on the bed, suddenly coughed violently, and blood foam with black streaks spilled from the corner of his mouth.

Zhao Tiegu and Li Quezi quickly helped him up.

Lin Chen's eyelids twitched a few times before he slowly opened them.

His gaze was initially somewhat unfocused, but it quickly sharpened, remaining clear despite his weariness and pain.

"He's awake!" Li the Cripple exclaimed in surprise.

Lin Chen tried to move, but his left arm remained unresponsive. He frowned, looking at his dark, swollen arm.

"The poison is temporarily suppressed, but not cured," Zhao Tiegu said in a deep voice. "The physician said that unless there is a high-grade antidote pill or a master with profound internal strength to help you expel the poison, otherwise... this arm is probably beyond saving. The toxin is still slowly seeping into your heart meridian."

Lin Chen didn't say anything.

He closed his eyes, focused his mind, and felt his body.

The dantian remains shattered.

But the feeling emanating from the divine jade in his chest was no longer the complete silence of before; a faint warmth was slowly returning, like a snake awakening from hibernation.

[Divine Jade Cooldown Period: Approximately twelve hours remaining.]

almost.

He reopened his eyes and looked at Zhao Tiegu: "Was this medicine sent by Captain Zhang?"

"Yes, Qingxin Powder can only suppress the symptoms." Zhao Tiegu nodded. "He also said that if you need any medicinal herbs, you can get them from his personal guards. Our team will not be assigned any missions until you wake up."

Lin Chen nodded slightly. Zhang Heng was both investing and observing.

"Chen Hong and the Fierce Tiger Gang won't wait." Lin Chen's voice was hoarse but clear. "The people from the capital won't stay in the pass forever either."

"What do you want to do?" Zhao Tiegu asked.

"Detoxify first." Lin Chen's gaze fell on his left arm. "Then... improve your strength as soon as possible."

Without strength, everything is just empty talk.

He must recover his fighting strength and become stronger before the next wave of trouble arrives.

"But this poison..." Li the Cripple said anxiously.

"I have a way." Lin Chen interrupted him, his tone calm but with an undeniable certainty. "Before I can get out of bed, I need you to do a few things."

Zhao Tiegu and Li Quezi immediately focused their attention.

"First, keep a close eye on Chen Hong. Pay attention to his every move, who he meets, and where he goes."

"Second, find out the recent movements of the Fierce Tiger Gang, especially Lei Hu."

"Third," Lin Chen paused, "pay attention to the delegation from the capital, especially... Su Qingxue."

When he mentioned this name, there was no flicker of emotion in his eyes, as if he were talking about an insignificant passerby.

Zhao Tiegu and Li Quezi exchanged a glance and nodded solemnly: "Understood."

"Go ahead. I'm tired." Lin Chen closed his eyes again.

The two said no more and quietly left the tent.

Silence returned to the tent.

Lin Chen lay alone, listening to the faint sounds of training outside, the wind, and his own slow, heavy heartbeat.

The numbness and excruciating pain in his left arm were a constant reminder of the threat of death.

But in his heart, there was a sense of calm.

The divine jade is about to be restored.

The reminder of purifying one's lifespan by 50 years was clearly imprinted in my consciousness.

This is his only hope at the moment.

only……