Chapter 34: Accepting the Inheritance

Yao Cheng quickly demonstrated exceptional talent in alchemy, prompting the sect to pour vast resources into him. Despite his low cultivation, he could refine high-grade immortal medicines, earning him the moniker “Medicine Immortal” among his peers.

The Medicine Immortal’s sect had a formidable adversary, and many battles left them devastated. Witnessing this, Yao Cheng immersed himself in the Dao of Pills, developing countless life-saving elixirs that greatly reduced the sect’s casualties.

As time passed, Yao Cheng grew, his cultivation soared, and his mastery of alchemy reached unprecedented heights. At this point, his master requested that he refine poison pills to annihilate their enemy sect, but Yao Cheng refused. He insisted his pills were meant to save, not to kill. Seeing Yao Cheng’s unwavering resolve, his master relented.

Eventually, Yao Cheng and his junior sister wed, their love so radiant it seemed as if immortals themselves had paired. Yet happiness was fleeting; while he was away, their adversaries struck, murdering his beloved wife. In fury, Yao Cheng swore vengeance.

From then, Yao Cheng began concocting poison pills with utter ruthlessness—one pill could turn an entire city into a wasteland. No longer the Medicine Immortal, he transformed into the Poison Immortal.

With his aid, the enemy—regardless of age or strength—was utterly exterminated. His master, delighted, intended to name him heir of the sect.

Yet after avenging his wife, Yao Cheng lost all interest. Two goals remained: resurrecting his wife and uncovering his origins. He refused his master’s offer.

He continued cultivating, seeking the ultimate “Origin Tracing” method—a technique of immortals capable of restoring past events. After many years, Yao Cheng reached the True Immortal realm, and finally mastered this method.

Through extensive inquiry, he found his birthplace, near the enemy’s territory. Now, that region was under his sect’s control, with the enemy utterly destroyed.

Using the Origin Tracing technique, Yao Cheng saw a massive hand—so familiar, often patting his head in approval since childhood. It was his master’s hand; the very hand that had slain his parents.

Yao Cheng cried out to the heavens. For years, he had treated his master as his own father, even marrying his daughter. He refused to accept this truth, but facts were facts; he could not ignore the blood feud of his birth parents.

He rushed back to the sect, confronting his master. The master denied everything, but before the power of the Origin Tracing technique, denial was futile. Seeing escape impossible, the master dropped his facade; now a Profound Immortal, he struck Yao Cheng a grievous blow.

The master revealed that years ago, he had foreseen the birth of an alchemical prodigy and devised a long-term plan—to use the enemy against itself. Not only did he personally kill Yao Cheng’s parents, but the enemy sect itself was their clan. Yao Cheng, manipulated, slaughtered his own kin. To compel him to make poison pills, the master even killed his own daughter.

Yao Cheng’s mind went blank. All these years, he had merely been a pawn. His master had murdered his parents, wiped out his family, and slain his only love. In fury, Yao Cheng rose, intent on self-destruction to drag his nemesis with him.

But the Profound Immortal realm was beyond his reach; as a True Immortal, the gap was unbridgeable. With a single slap, the master shattered Yao Cheng’s soul, just as he had killed his parents long ago.

Refusing to yield, Yao Cheng’s intense resentment coalesced into a final strand of remnant soul. He desired vengeance, but hope was lost. So, he transformed his accumulated power into a Medicine Immortal’s Sacred Mansion, binding several dragons as guardians, and set up teleportation channels across four domains, seeking a worthy successor to inherit his alchemy and carry out his revenge.

Tens of thousands of years passed without a suitable heir—either lacking talent or fearing the Medicine Immortal’s powerful enemy. Now, with his remnant soul nearly dissipated, he still had not found a worthy successor.

Zhou Qi finished reading the Medicine Immortal’s life. How could mere words describe its tragedy? His entire existence manipulated by the enemy, who was a Profound Immortal then, and likely now a Golden Immortal.

Anger welled up in Zhou Qi. The good die young, while villains endure for millennia. He wished to crush that enemy with a single blow; to slay even his own daughter, and if not for killing Yao Cheng’s beloved, perhaps Yao Cheng would have hesitated.

“Are you willing to accept the Medicine Immortal’s legacy and avenge him?” asked an ancient voice.

Zhou Qi fell silent, pondering. He already bore the grudge of Lord Tianxuan; to shoulder another was weighty. Their enemies were realms apart, with tens of thousands of years’ cultivation separating them. Who knew when vengeance could be achieved? If he accepted rashly, what if the original owner could not endure the wait?

Meanwhile, Jiang Yiyi had also witnessed the Medicine Immortal’s life, tears streaming down her face. The Medicine Immortal posed her the same question—would she accept his legacy and avenge him?

Without hesitation, Jiang Yiyi replied, “Senior, I am willing to inherit the Medicine Immortal’s legacy, to bring salvation to the world. Yet when will vengeance end…” Before she could finish, a flash of light enveloped her, transporting her out of the Sacred Mansion, back to the teleportation array where she had entered.

Zhou Qi did not rush to answer, nor did the Medicine Immortal’s remnant soul press him. The girl’s words had angered him—almost causing the soul to dissipate. A grudge spanning tens of thousands of years, and she speaks of letting go; there was no need to listen further.

One should not urge another to forgive if one has not suffered their pain.

After much deliberation, Zhou Qi finally spoke: “Senior, the enemy is formidable. My cultivation is low; to seek vengeance, who knows when success will come? I fear you may not be able to wait.”

“No matter. Do you believe the enemy should die?” the remnant soul asked.

“He must die. Such a person should not exist. Though I lack the strength, not killing this scum would betray those who died, and the anger of the people would remain unquenched.” Zhou Qi’s words were not for the soul’s sake, but because the master’s deeds had crossed his line.

“I do not care when you avenge me. When you have the strength to stand before him, ask him for me: after all these years, was he happy? Did he ever regret?” the soul said.

“Senior, when he perishes, I will ask him for you,” Zhou Qi promised. Lord Tianxuan, silent within his soul sea, had learned all about the Medicine Immortal. Zhou Qi’s words and intentions showed no falsehood; his resolve to avenge was sincere.

The remnant soul transformed into a mark, attaching itself to the token, with a final divine message: this token was now the control core of the Sacred Mansion. The alchemy legacy and other secrets awaited Zhou Qi’s own exploration.