Chapter 20 Ochre Whip

The palpitations in his heart stopped abruptly as he bowed, but a stream of information entered his mind, forming a familiar format.

[?? Dao Fruit: ???

Category: Human-God

Promotion Ceremony: ???

Ability: Hundred Herbs Recognition, Ancestor of Pharmacology, ???]

[Hundred Herbs Recognition: Knowledge of the properties of all herbs in the world is within reach.]

[Pharmacology Origin: The source of the art of medicine and pharmacology, capable of transforming all medicine and also all poison, mastering both healing and poisoning, demonstrating the free conversion between medicinal potency and toxicity.]

"So that's how it is..." Jiang Li murmured to himself as he perceived the information.

He understood.

Why this territory had appeared, as well as the key point of the conflict between the sect and the Jiang family.

The Ochre Whip was the source of the conflict.

This artifact bore a certain Dao Fruit, and its owner, even if unable to fully accommodate the Dao Fruit, could rely on this Dao Artifact to identify all medicinal properties and transform medicine and poison.

The ability to transform all medicine and all poison would have been astounding but not urgently necessary before the End of Dharma. But after, the situation was different.

The Five Vile Qi eroded Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, causing them to mutate, yet medicine remained medicine, shifting from originally beneficial treasures to substances harmful to life.

This was precisely within the capability of the Ochre Whip... or rather, the ability of the Dao Fruit it carried.

To use the Ochre Whip to transform the medicinal potency and toxicity could restore the already mutated Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures to normal, and even the study of the transformation by the Five Vile Qi might not be impossible.

In this Five Turbid Evil World, the Ochre Whip could be considered the most precious Dao Artifact in the world. Its benefit to any power was indescribable.

This island was not a secret place for the sect to cultivate Spiritual Medicine but rather a testing ground for the sect to transform Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.

"It seems you have already understood,"

A melodious voice rang out as a woman arrived by the side of the pool from another path.

She was dressed in a Red Robe, her sleeves and hem embroidered with elaborate and ornate patterns, her long black hair tied up with a Jade hairpin in an androgynous style, yet her exaggerated pectoral muscles betrayed her gender all too clearly.

Her delicate face was whiter than snow; even without makeup, she had the grace of a country-toppling beauty — truly a peerless woman.

[Such a beauty, if she were to be graced by a Bending Flower Hand, the scene would undoubtedly be very wonderful.]

The inappropriate Karma Collection started acting up again.

"You say,"

the woman asked with a light smile, "if someone could receive recognition from this Dao Artifact and wield its full power, how would you treat him?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Li's eyes narrowed slightly, and he quickly responded, "Try to befriend him."

"If you were also qualified to receive recognition, how would you treat that person?"

"If I did not wish to be enemies, then I would never meet him."

"What if you are strong and he weak?"

"Destroy him."

"Even if he is a member of your clan, sharing the same roots?"

"Even if he is a member of my clan, sharing the same roots."

Jiang Li answered decisively and without hesitation.

If it was a close relative, he might have hesitated, but if it was merely a clan member, there was no need to think further.

Destroying him was the only choice.

Because you do not know what the other person is thinking, whether they also intend to destroy you to monopolize this Dao Artifact. Even blood brothers can be the cause of domestic strife, not to mention more distantly related clan members.

The human heart cannot withstand such tests.

And the existence of the Ochre Whip was a test of the human heart.

"Yes, only by destroying him," the woman said slowly, "to become the master of the Ochre Whip, one needs the bloodline of Emperor Yan and a fate that can carry a great destiny. Generally speaking, such a fate is rarely found even in the main lineage of the Jiang family, but now, such a bearing has appeared in you. You are qualified to be the master of the Ochre Whip."

Karma...

Jiang Li immediately thought of the Karma Collection and its ability to solidify karma.

Any karma that appeared on Jiang Li would be solidified, any karma could become his ability, helping him to rewrite karma and transcend him to a Dao Fruit.

He indeed possessed the qualification to carry a great karma, regardless of whether his fate was strong or not.

And that was why Jiang Zhuyun wanted him dead.

The human heart cannot withstand tests. And if Jiang Li got his hands on the Ochre Whip, who would be the master in the future, Jiang Zhuyun or Jiang Li?

Whether it was for personal gain or out of consideration for the human heart, Jiang Zhuyun wanted to kill Jiang Li.

Furthermore, had it not been for fear of attracting the attention of the Dinghu Sect, Jiang Zhuyun would have even used all his power to execute this threat.

Unfortunately for him, he ultimately failed to kill Jiang Li.

"The Jiang Family, somehow aware that you also qualify for the inheritance of the Ochre Whip, tried everything to kill you. Sadly, things did not go as they wished. They not only failed to kill you but also exposed your existence. Under Elder Tianxuan's Divination, the sect discovered your qualifications," the woman said as she looked at Jiang Li and smiled. "Now, do you understand your situation?"

"I understand,"

Jiang Li asserted without any hesitation, "There cannot be two suns in the sky. In Jiang Li's heart, there is only one sun, the sect."

Whatever the Jiang family, shove off; I don't want to cause any misunderstandings with the sect.

Jiang Li now also felt fortunate for his earlier resolute refusal. If he had truly believed Luu Wangji's ghost stories, losing the trust of the sect, wouldn't he be completely at the mercy of the Jiang family?

These noble family descendants truly are quite cunning, chaining conspiracies one after the other—hard tactics failing, they turn to softer means, truly hard to guard against.

Having already considered himself a disciple of the sect, Jiang Li resolutely severed ties with the noble family.

He even urgently suggested, "I hope the sect can quickly oust certain harmful individuals, returning to the disciples a bright and harmonious heaven and earth."

Decisive, upright, and unyielding, these descriptors were plainly written across Jiang Li's face.

This instant of righteous indignation left the woman momentarily stunned.

"You really are an interesting person," the woman chuckled, "It's a pity though, the higher-ups of the sect cannot act against the Jiang family. If you want to stand against them, you're on your own."

"Why?" inquired Jiang Li, curious.

Don't tell him about any deep bonds between the two parties. In the face of the lure of a treasure like the Ochre Whip, such bonds are meaningless.

Perhaps some would prefer to maintain the deep friendship between both sides, but Jiang Li believed that within the Dinghu Sect, there were definitely high-ranking members who sought to retain the Ochre Whip for themselves.

With the Jiang Family's main power having shifted overseas, what could Jiang Zhuyun and his like use to contend with the Dinghu Sect, which was as significant as the country itself? One should know that now was the era of the Ji Family.

"Of course, it is because of an oath," the woman said leisurely, "Today belongs to the Ji Family, but Great Zhou is governed by the Fire Element. The Ji and Jiang families share this world—that was the oath set when Great Zhou was established. Even though our sect does not belong to the Ji family, we must abide by this oath. The sect's higher-ups cannot act against their allies; those who violate this will face Heaven's Punishment."