Go and capture those thirty-six fierce villains.

Poison... After a moment's thought, Qin Ning said:

"I am not very good at poisons, but in my humble opinion, poisons are not much different from the diseases and epidemics that we doctors often face."

"They can also harm the human body. Poisons are divided into potent poisons and chronic poisons. Epidemics also include acute illnesses and chronic diseases that affect daily life."

"Some poisons have antidotes, while others do not. Just as some diseases have treatments, while others remain untreatable."

"Leaving aside the damage to the human body caused by organ damage, for patients, poison and epidemic may just be a difference in name."

After Qin Ning finished speaking, Physician Yang fell silent, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.

After a long pause, he nodded slightly: "Poison is an epidemic, a very interesting concept."

After speaking, Physician Yang gently twisted the black jade thumb ring on his thumb, and several bottles, jars, and brocade boxes appeared on the tea table beside him.

"After I turned sixty, I could no longer make any progress in the field of traditional Chinese medicine, so I began to study poisons. These are the results of my research over the years."

After 60?

A flash of surprise crossed Qin Ning's eyes. This imperial physician looked to be only around forty years old, but he was actually that old.

Yang Sisheng seemed oblivious to his surprise and picked up a small black bottle.

"This bottle is a product I created when I was sixty-three years old. It causes severe pain in the muscles and bones of anyone who takes it, but unfortunately it is ineffective for practitioners."

"This bottle was developed in my seventies. For those below the eighth rank, taking it will cause a cutting sensation in the throat..."

It was clear that Lord Yang was genuinely interested in poisons; he spoke at length about his works, going on for a full quarter of an hour.

Finally, he picked up a brocade box from the table, carefully opened it, and inside was a pure white pill covered by a thin, transparent crystal.

"This is something I developed three months ago. It is colorless and odorless. Any cultivator below the fifth rank who takes it will die within seven days, and there is no cure."

"So that means anyone below the fifth rank who takes this pill will have their life countdown begin immediately?"

"That's right."

While Qin Ning was astonished by the other party's superb poison skills, a thought suddenly popped into her mind.

Wait a minute, poison is not like medicine; it's a killing technique. He speaks of the effects of these poison pills with such certainty, so he must have tested them on others...

Did he just say all cultivators below the fifth rank?!

...Yin-Yang martial arts, medicine, Confucianism, Buddhism, Mohism, military strategy...So, to be conservative, that poison pill in his hand, which looks like a pearl, has poisoned at least nine sixth-rank cultivators to death!

Qin Ning looked at the bottles and jars on the tea table again, and a chill rose from his spine and went straight to the top of his head.

He seemed to understand why Commander Gu had chosen to play the submissive role.

Qin Ning couldn't help but shudder.

Physician Yang noticed something amiss, and with a flick of his sleeve, the numerous pills on the tea table vanished.

"Haha, it's rare to meet such a close friend. I've lost my composure a bit today, young friend Qin, please don't be afraid. As the fifth-rank Imperial Physician of the Great Xia Dynasty, it's quite convenient for me to find a few death row inmates in the Heavenly Prison to test medicines on."

Qin Ning forced a dry smile, unsure of what to say.

Li Siqin's figure quietly appeared inside the hall.

"Godfather, things are settled." He first said to Physician Yang, then turned to Qin and said, "Young Master Qin, this is your travel permit. I've registered your household registration at the Imperial Hospital in the capital, so that the little devils won't cause you any trouble in the future."

Qin Ning stood up and took the thin document, feeling a mix of emotions.

He and Feng Hanying used a combination of intimidation, cunning, and even presented the guest token of the Prince Su's mansion. The travel permit, which would normally take seven days to obtain, was retrieved by the other party in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

He also managed to get himself a Beijing residency permit.

It's true that having connections in the court makes things easier.

Unfortunately, if it weren't for the "Thirty-Six Great Curses Manual" in my mind, becoming a royal physician in the Imperial Hospital wouldn't have been bad.

This can also be considered as entering a central state-owned enterprise.

After handing over the travel permit, Li Siqin rummaged in his sleeves and took out several beige sheets of paper with black ink markings on them.

"This is the apology from Commander Gu: five thousand taels of silver notes, which can be fully redeemed at all official banks in the Great Xia Dynasty."

"What a generous gesture..." Qin Ning did not accept the silver note handed to him, but looked at Physician Yang, who was sitting there drinking tea, and said neither humbly nor arrogantly.

"Lord Yang, I know this money may not mean much to you. But my life was saved by Brother Meishan, so I should show my appreciation."

"Consider this five thousand taels as a donation from me."

Physician Yang calmly said, "They don't need any money as they're with me. Young friend Qin, you're the one who suffered the most... Here's what we'll do: each of you take one thousand taels, and you can keep the rest to calm your nerves."

"Then we'll do as you say."

Qin Ning did not refuse again, and Xu and Li took the silver notes to express their gratitude.

Physician Yang picked up his teacup to see the guest off.

"It's getting late, and I have official business to attend to, so I won't keep you for dinner. Siqin, escort young friend Qin back to his room to rest." Lord Yang paused, "Also, I advise you to leave Blood Rain Fortress as soon as possible and head to the interior. In a few days, when we are not in the fortress, be careful of the Gu family's revenge."

Qin Ning nodded: "Thank you for your concern, Lord Yang. My friends and I will be leaving tomorrow."

The two walked away slowly.

Only Yang Sisheng and the man with the silly grin remained in the tea room. He gazed at the setting sun streaming in through the doors and windows, remained silent for a moment, and then gently turned the black jade thumb ring on his thumb.

A brocade box appeared.

When Li Siqin returned after seeing Qin Ning off, she was stunned to see the pure white poison pill in the crystal cover on the tea table.

"Godfather, what are you going to do?"

"Give this pill to the young master of Commander Gu." Physician Yang spoke casually, as if he were saying that they would be having braised fish that night.

"...Godfather, that's Grand Secretary Liu's last disciple."

Li Siqin, who was usually expressionless, showed a hint of emotion in his eyes; he was clearly aware of the effects of the elixir.

Why was my godfather acting this way...? He had observed the doctor; he was just an ordinary person.

While the medical theories he spoke of had some novelty, they were of little use to practitioners of their caliber. It was truly baffling why his adoptive father valued them so highly.

They actually wanted to kill for him.

"Siqin, you must listen to your godfather." Xu Meishan, with a silly grin, suddenly spoke.

...That bastard only knows how to flatter his godfather. If I could beat him...

Li Siqin walked to the tea table and carefully put the pill and the brocade box into her sleeve.

"Father, I will take care of things. Also, another letter has arrived from the Prince Su's residence, urging us to go there as soon as possible. Should we reply?"

"No need," Physician Yang waved his hand and said, "Preparations on the grasslands are almost complete. We'll go to Prince Su's place after we return from the grasslands."

......

On the way back to his room, Qin Ning was also deep in thought.

What exactly is it about me that makes this highly skilled imperial physician, an expert in poisons, value me?

Modern Chinese medicine theory... Impossible. That grinning Xu Meishan beat up Gu Kexing, a sixth-rank cultivator, like he was beating his own son. Would a cultivator of that level care about my meager theoretical knowledge?

But besides these things... what else do I have that would make the other person care?

Qin Ning didn't enter the gate, but walked a few steps forward and stopped in front of a railing. His attention was entirely focused on the black and white book that had been quietly floating on his mind's eye.

I'm penniless, and the only valuable thing I have is probably these [Thirty-Six Great Evil Talismans].

But this thing is in my spiritual realm, and it was personally bestowed upon me by the Dao Lord. If he could see through it, where would the Dao Lord's face be?

I stayed for a while longer.

Unable to figure out the problem, Qin Ning decided to try a different approach.

That's why Gu Kexing, knowing of his existence, sent someone to invite him directly, and even set up a trap.

Judging from his behavior, he seemed unaware that they had already wiped out a group of soldiers from Baitengbao who were posing as bandits on the grassland.

It's simply because I crave my own body.

But he had only been practicing medicine in the market for three days when Feng Hanying showed up for the first time. Why would this group of people at the city gate bring Yin-Yang array flags?

Is it really just a coincidence, or is it that the Gu family has connections everywhere and investigated me thoroughly before taking action?

Qin Ning vaguely felt as if he had been drawn into some kind of scheme, but he knew too little information and had no clue what to do.

Qin Ning tapped her knuckles on the railing, gazing at the empty courtyard below for a long time before letting out a soft sigh.

Regardless, he is still alive. He should leave Blood Rain Fortress, this place of trouble, as soon as possible tomorrow. Even if the Gu family father and son are extremely powerful, they can't possibly reach Beian City.

"There's no use thinking too much, let's go back first..."

After a fierce battle that lasted all noon and a long, drawn-out conversation, Qin Ning was nearing his mental and physical limits, and his face betrayed his exhaustion.

Most importantly, we've spent the whole afternoon drinking tea and haven't even had a bite to eat!

Before I even opened the door, I could hear the little black cat meowing inside.

The door opened, and a dark shadow darted out, sniffing around his feet before leaping onto him in a few quick movements.

"Meow!"

"Okay, okay, I'm fine, stop licking..."

After calming the little black cat, he looked at Feng Hanying standing by the door.

"This little one really loves you. I fed her jerky for half the day, and as soon as she heard the noise, she ran to the door to stand guard. She must have smelled your scent." She said reproachfully, letting Qin Ning into the house and closing the door.

Turning around, I saw Qin Ning handing me a beige paper.

"The silver notes were compensation from the man surnamed Gu. It totaled five thousand taels. I kept two thousand for the three of them as a thank-you gift, and we'll split the remaining three thousand equally among the three of us. By the way, where's Brother Bai?"

He looked around but did not see Bai Gu in the room.

Feng Hanying's expression was strange: "...He went to fetch water and chop wood for the widows."

Qin Ning: "...?"