Chapter Eighty-Five: The Power of Forbidden Medicine

Chapter 85: The Power of Forbidden Medicine

Such a powerful palm strike—Xu Yun had indeed been careless. The scorpion’s tail needle had drawn so much of his attention that he overlooked the skill in the Red Scorpion’s fists and palms. After all, as a top-tier fighter, the Red Scorpion’s blows contained enough internal force to crush stone into powder.

The Red Scorpion had taken Xu Yun’s kick directly to the chest, and his condition was clearly dire—his breathing had grown much heavier. He never imagined that the man before him would use two slippers as bait, launching a surprise attack from above.

“Who exactly are you?” The Red Scorpion stared intently at Xu Yun. A master of this level would surely be famous in the underground world, yet he’d never seen or heard of this man. Could he be a secret weapon hidden by Feng Qiansui?

“If you defeat me, I’ll tell you. But unfortunately, I won’t give you that opportunity.” Xu Yun, using the Red Scorpion’s labored breathing as a chance, quickly adjusted his meridians and blood flow. He was, after all, an experienced apothecary who knew how to keep himself in the best possible condition at all times.

The Red Scorpion’s eyes flashed coldly. “It’s a bit early to boast, don’t you think? Did you really think my scorpion tail needle would be so easy to handle?”

As soon as his words fell, the Red Scorpion crouched close to the ground, and in the instant his body exploded into motion, countless cold flashes shot skyward from his raised right leg, flying in no discernible pattern!

Xu Yun frowned. Had his earlier kick so rattled the man that he’d lost his basic aim?

“Needle Rain!” the Red Scorpion sneered, retreating rapidly.

Not good! Xu Yun muttered to himself. He looked up to see moonlight, just peeking through the clouds, glinting off a deluge of silver needles pouring down from above—a veritable net of death.

There was no time to think. Xu Yun’s footwork, swift and intricate as a swimming dragon, carried him backward—if he failed to dodge, he’d be skewered like a porcupine! Did this bastard really have so many venomous needles on him?

Xu Yun retreated more than twenty meters in a single bound, startled by the sheer range of the attack.

Soon, a faint stabbing pain returned to his left arm where the scorpion tail needle had grazed him. Xu Yun’s brow furrowed in concern. He was worried about Qiu Yan—if even he couldn’t avoid injury, how could she? If Qiu Yan had been hit by the needle, its potent venom could be life-threatening if not treated quickly.

He had to end this quickly, no matter what! Though Xu Yun didn’t know Qiu Yan’s exact condition, he knew she was nearly out of strength—she had almost certainly been struck. The longer his battle with the Red Scorpion dragged on, the worse it would be for both of them.

Xu Yun’s gaze turned icy as he stared at the Red Scorpion, now thirty meters away. It had been a long time since he’d felt a killing intent stir in his heart. If he could shatter the man’s right leg, this fight would be over.

With a roar, Xu Yun made the first move, his strength concentrated in his feet as he charged the Red Scorpion with unstoppable force. The Red Scorpion wasn’t about to wait passively. Although his Needle Rain attack hadn’t injured Xu Yun, it had bought him time to restore his energy, and now, fully recovered, he met Xu Yun head-on!

Their fists and palms collided—a contest of pure internal strength!

From the very beginning, Xu Yun had focused his training on cultivating internal power. His master had always said that inner strength was the foundation of all martial technique—a fist without it was as soft as cotton. Xu Yun’s passion for pharmacology had also led him to develop many elixirs to nourish his internal energy.

Thus, Xu Yun had never lost to any fighter of his own tier in terms of internal force, and he was confident he wouldn’t lose to the Red Scorpion now!

Indeed, as their internal energies clashed, a wave of shock ran through the Red Scorpion’s heart—so strong! This man’s inner strength was at the very peak of the top tier!

Fearing greater injury, the Red Scorpion hastily withdrew his force and retreated. Xu Yun pressed forward relentlessly, refusing to give him a chance to recover.

Panicking, the Red Scorpion lashed out with another volley of scorpion tail needles at close range!

Xu Yun would not let such an opportunity slip by. With a chop of his hand, he deflected the attack, then instantly drove his right fist forward like a bullet—faster than lightning—striking the Red Scorpion’s right leg!

A jolt of agony shot from the leg straight to the Red Scorpion’s brain, and he tumbled clumsily away, scrambling several meters back on all fours. He unleashed a hundred more scorpion tail needles in a frantic effort to halt Xu Yun’s pursuit.

Xu Yun’s intentions were clear: break the Red Scorpion’s right leg, and it would be as if he’d torn off the scorpion’s deadly tail!

But before Xu Yun could close in again, the Red Scorpion unleashed another Needle Rain! Now wise to the attack’s range, Xu Yun retreated swiftly, easily escaping to a safe distance of twenty meters.

The silver needles clattered to the ground, burying themselves deep.

“Useless,” Xu Yun said with a taunting smile. Having figured out the Red Scorpion’s attacks and weaknesses, he was now confident he could finish the fight swiftly.

But the Red Scorpion only sneered. Suddenly, he pulled a black-and-white pill from a pocket close to his body and, meeting Xu Yun’s gaze, popped it into his mouth.

Xu Yun stared. Was the guy catching a cold? Why was he taking a cold medicine now?

No, that couldn’t be right—if he had a cold, he should be taking the black tablet at night. What was that black-and-white thing? Xu Yun’s mind raced, and suddenly he was struck by realization: could it be the forbidden Yin-Yang Pill?

It was a notorious drug that could instantly boost a person's mental state and combat strength by a whole level! Named the Yin-Yang Pill because of its terrifying effects, it was a medicine that stole from one’s lifespan. Yet its power was undeniable. A second-tier fighter who took it would be elevated to first-tier status, and a first-tier fighter could reach the level of a super-elite!

Such a boost came at a heavy price—at best, a shortened life; at worst, instant death! That was why the Yin-Yang Pill was banned, surviving in the underworld solely because of its profitability. Its exorbitant price meant only the truly desperate or wealthy could afford it.

Xu Yun hadn’t expected the Red Scorpion to resort to such a desperate measure, one that harmed himself as much as his enemy. But he knew all too well—he could not possibly defeat a super-elite, even a pseudo-super-elite fueled by the forbidden drug.

The Red Scorpion sprang forward, appearing before Xu Yun in the blink of an eye. Xu Yun was caught off-guard—he hadn’t anticipated that the pill would make the man so terrifyingly fast!

Bang!

A thunderous strike landed squarely on Xu Yun’s left chest. His breathing and pulse, which had just steadied, were thrown into chaos again. His heart roiled, and he flew back like a severed kite, spitting a mouthful of dark blood.

The gulf in strength was insurmountable—Xu Yun had no chance to strike back. Before he could even hit the ground, the Red Scorpion swept a powerful kick at him, sending his body crashing into a thick willow tree before falling heavily to the earth.

The cloud that had obscured the moon drifted away, and the Red Scorpion stood bathed in moonlight, looking down at Xu Yun sprawled on the ground, a cruel smile on his lips. “You’re the first man to force me to take the pill.”

At the crash, Qin Wan’er rushed back to the window, peering out in astonishment at the scene before her. Xu Yun lay on the ground, blood at the corner of his mouth, a massive willow tree pinning his legs. The Red Scorpion stood over him, exuding an invincible aura.

Suddenly, the Red Scorpion turned and looked up at the second-floor window of the medicinal cuisine restaurant. His venomous gaze met Qin Wan’er’s, and she went weak with fear. At that moment, she truly understood why Xu Yun had repeatedly warned her not to provoke this fugitive—for in the face of such cruelty, she was utterly defeated, unable to move a single joint under her own power.

In a blur, the Red Scorpion leapt onto the windowsill, gazing inside at the young policewoman collapsed on the floor, and at Qiu Yan, weakened and helpless from the scorpion’s venom. A surge of accomplishment washed over him.

“Hand over the girl, and I’ll spare your life,” he told Qin Wan’er, a cruel smile twisting his lips.

Qin Wan’er, overwhelmed by the oppressive aura, found herself unable even to speak in protest.

...

Xu Yun’s eyes were closed, his breathing stilled. He had not expected to survive. By all rights, he should have been killed by the Red Scorpion’s full-force attack. Yet now, he was certain he was still alive.

Alive—because he must be! If he died, he could protect no one. Xu Yun was determined never to lose anyone close to him again. The scene of Silver Dragon’s tragic death flashed through his mind...

Xu Yun would not allow anyone to harm those he had sworn to protect! As Silver Dragon’s smile appeared in his memory, Xu Yun suddenly pushed aside the willow tree pinning him and stood up. He could no longer restrain the inner demon he had suppressed for so long—his heart’s darkness erupted.

The Red Scorpion, already on the second floor, froze at the sound from below. He turned, astonished, to see Xu Yun standing tall once more.

Hadn’t the man just died? How could someone without even a breath left rise to his feet? The Red Scorpion’s eyes were wide with disbelief. Impossible, absolutely impossible! He refused to accept it.

“Red Scorpion, I’ll say it again—your opponent is me.” Blood still stained Xu Yun’s lips, but he curled them in a wicked, chilling smile. The cold glint in his eyes was like the gaze of death itself.

Impossible! The Red Scorpion’s pupils dilated. In a flash, he leaped from the restaurant, his hand morphing into a claw that slashed for Xu Yun’s face. The Yin-Yang Pill had made him blindingly fast—he was certain Xu Yun could not evade this blow!

But events defied all expectations. The Red Scorpion’s deadly claw struck only empty air, and in the next instant, a savage pain stabbed his chest—Xu Yun’s fist had landed, precise and fierce, right in the heart!

As the Red Scorpion was blasted away, his eyes still shone with disbelief. He had taken the Yin-Yang Pill, boosting his strength to the very peak of martial mastery—how could he be struck by a first-tier fighter who should have been utterly overmatched?

Crash! The Red Scorpion’s body slammed to the ground, blood trickling from his lips.

Impossible! Absolutely impossible! The Red Scorpion’s eyes had lost all former arrogance, now filled with terror. Being struck was already beyond belief—but for that blow to injure him so gravely was beyond comprehension.