Chapter Twenty-Four: Fright and Stability

Chapter Twenty-Four: Fright and Stability

Eli Mason watched as the rabbits in front of him continued to swell and expand.

Realizing something was amiss, he suddenly remembered a crucial detail. He quickly tossed the porcelain bowl he now regarded as a venomous object into the herb field and turned to run. He didn't stop until he was a dozen feet away from the rabbits.

Just as he was about to look back, two explosions sounded almost simultaneously. Eli shuddered and turned around to see that the rabbits had burst, their bodies blown apart into several pieces, with blood and flesh scattered all over the ground. The spot where the rabbits had been tied now had two pits, surrounded by the rabbits' remains, with blood and meat splattered everywhere, creating a gruesome scene.

Eli exhaled a long breath and sat down heavily. Had he not reacted quickly, he would have been caught in the rabbits' explosions. While he might not have been seriously injured, being covered in rabbit blood and flesh would have been unpleasant.

After calming down, Eli stood up and approached the pits.

He examined the bloody scene and glanced at the shattered porcelain bowl in the herb field, rendered speechless.

Eli had hoped to find some miraculous elixir in the green liquid, but instead, it turned out to be a terrifying substance. A poison that kills so gruesomely! He vowed never to touch this stuff again. It was too horrifying! Although Eli had encountered deadly poisons under Doctor Mo's tutelage, none had caused such a dreadful death.

Fortunately, Eli's mental fortitude allowed him to stay calm in such an environment. After a while, he decided to leave.

As noon approached, he needed to deliver the secret medicine to Lucas. He would deal with the aftermath later.

With that in mind, Eli left the scene without another glance and returned to his quarters to rest. Then, he took the medicine to the entrance of the Mystic Gate.

Eli was punctual, arriving at noon exactly. Lucas, however, seemed to have been waiting anxiously for a while.

He stood alone at the valley entrance, dressed in a new white robe with the long blade that had left a deep impression on Eli strapped to his back. When Eli arrived, Lucas was looking anxiously toward the valley.

Seeing Eli, Lucas's expression softened, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Brother Eli, you're right on time! You said noon, and here you are at noon sharp. I've been waiting for nearly half an hour," Lucas said, half-jokingly and half-reproachfully.

"Sorry about that. I spent too much time preparing the medicine last night and went to bed late. I woke up late this morning and had some tasks to finish before coming here," Eli replied, half-jokingly.

"Brother Eli, the medicine... did you prepare it?" Lucas asked, his anxiety evident, causing him to stutter slightly.

Eli didn't answer immediately. Instead, he smiled and slowly pulled a palm-sized medicine packet from his robe, tossing it to Lucas.

"Before taking the Draw Marrow Pills, dissolve a spoonful of this powder in cold boiled water. It will help alleviate the pain."

"Thank you, Brother Eli! Thank you!" Lucas was ecstatic. Any reduction in the excruciating pain from the Draw Marrow Pills was a blessing. The pain had always terrified him. He had tried many painkillers before, but none had worked. Since Eli knew all about the Draw Marrow Pills and had taken them himself, this medicine might actually work.

"Don't thank me yet. Wait until it works. Also, this is only a year's supply. I used up all my ingredients. I'll make more when I gather more materials," Eli said straightforwardly.

"No problem. A year's supply is more than enough for now. Whether it works or not, I appreciate your effort, Brother Eli," Lucas said, regaining his usual demeanor and expressing his gratitude sincerely.

Eli smiled and took his leave.

Lucas, eager to test the medicine, didn't keep Eli and the two parted ways.

Returning to the valley, Eli first cleaned up the herb garden. He gathered the rabbits' remains, the blood-soaked soil, and the shattered bowl, dumping everything into the pits before filling them with dirt to make the area look as it did before the experiment.

Satisfied, Eli patted the dust from his hands and surveyed the area for any missed spots.

When his gaze fell on the area where the bowl had shattered, he pondered.

He remembered clearly that the diluted liquid had spilled onto a small patch of herbs, wetting several plants. He hesitated, wondering if the herbs had absorbed the toxin and if consuming them would cause the same fate as the rabbits. Should he remove the potentially poisonous plants now?

After much deliberation, Eli decided to wait and observe. If the herbs turned toxic, he could remove them later.

With his decision made, he had no immediate tasks and went to the stone chamber to practice his martial arts. He hoped to achieve another breakthrough.

Eli no longer cared about the exact benefits of the cultivation method. Training had become second nature to him. If he didn't practice, he didn't know what else to do. Pursuing higher levels of cultivation had become his sole goal.

After an afternoon of intense training, Eli was frustrated to find he wasn't a genius. Though he felt he was close to breaking through to the fourth level, he made no progress despite his efforts.

It seemed he needed external aid to advance. Without it, he might remain stuck at the third level indefinitely.

Eli hoped Doctor Mo would return soon and find enough materials to help him overcome his current predicament.

As night fell, Eli lay on his bed, exhausted but resolute. The mysteries of cultivation and the strange green liquid weighed on his mind. He knew the path ahead was fraught with challenges, but he was determined to face them head-on.

The next morning, Eli resumed his usual routine, ever vigilant for opportunities to advance his skills. The secrets of the green liquid remained a tantalizing enigma, one he was eager to unravel.

In the days that followed, Eli continued his experiments and training with renewed vigor. Each day brought new insights, slowly but surely bringing him closer to his goals.

Eli knew that true mastery required patience and perseverance. With each step, he felt more confident in his abilities, ready to face whatever the Mystic Gate had in store for him.