Library of Heaven’s Path 2: Eternal Destiny

Vol 2 ch 10: The Armored Rat-Tailed Beast

Zhang Xuan approached and saw clearly that Sun Chengyou's face had turned a ghastly blue, marked with spots. From any angle, it was clear that he had been dead for quite some time.

Zhang Xuan placed two fingers lightly on Sun Chengyou’s wrist, and a book appeared in his mind.

“You better hope that what you said earlier was true and not some joke. If it’s a trick, I don’t care who you are—we can offer a million bounty and make you pay for any lies!” a young man said, laughing bitterly as Zhang Xuan checked the pulse of a deceased man.

Around them, others shook their heads.

They had heard of grave-robbing and healing, but combining the two was unprecedented.

Ignoring the comments, Zhang Xuan looked toward a woman nearby. “Who was helping treat this person earlier? Are they still here? I need to speak with them.”

“Yes, he’s here!” The woman nodded and looked toward a young man. “Brother.”

With her urging, the young man, though disgruntled, eventually nodded and gestured to his subordinates. “Bring that man here!”

“Yes, sir!” One of them acknowledged and left, returning shortly with a physician in his thirties. The physician’s face was swollen and bloodied, clearly showing signs of a recent severe beating.

The man collapsed as soon as he entered. “Young Master Sun, I was wrong. Greed led me astray when I tried to earn a million Source Coins by concocting a false prescription. The herbs were all nourishing, and I never expected they’d cause Old Master Sun’s death.”

“Silence!” Young Master Sun barked and pointed at Zhang Xuan. “This man has questions for you.”

The physician looked at Zhang Xuan, confused, but Zhang Xuan spoke first. “You mentioned that the prescription was made up of highly nourishing herbs. Can you show it to me?”

Although puzzled by Zhang Xuan’s intentions, the physician knew there was no point in hiding anything now. He pulled a written prescription from his pocket and handed it over. “This remedy is known to aid old injuries. I’ve even prepared and taken it myself with no ill effects. I truly don’t know why Old Master Sun had difficulty breathing and died after consuming it.”

Zhang Xuan scanned the prescription quickly.

“How is it? Can he be saved?” Sun Missy asked anxiously.

“Yes,” Zhang Xuan nodded, looking at Sun Qiang. “Turn Old Master Sun over.”

“Understood!” Sun Qiang moved over, grabbed the now-stiff body of Sun Chengyou, and flipped him upside down.

“What are you doing?” Young Master Sun and others looked panicked. Even in death, a respected elder’s body should not be manhandled.

“Stop!” Young Master Sun rose to stop Sun Qiang, his hand reaching out. But before he got close, Zhang Xuan lightly touched him with a finger.

Crack!

As if struck by lightning, Young Master Sun’s arm went numb, and he staggered back seven or eight steps, barely able to lift his hand.

Eyes wide with shock, he realized he had underestimated the young man before him. He had assumed Zhang Xuan, despite his medical expertise, could only be at the Energy Storing or Body Tempering level. Yet, this one motion indicated a power possibly reaching the Organs Easing or Jade Bone realm.

When did White Roc City gain such an exceptional talent?

Repelled and unable to interfere, Young Master Sun watched as Zhang Xuan focused on the inverted Sun Chengyou. Zhang Xuan clenched his fist and delivered a blow to the abdomen.

The impact landed with a sound like hitting a drum. A long-stiff body suddenly made a guttural noise, expelling a foul substance.

“Father!” Young Master Sun exclaimed.

The incredulous look in his eyes barely lasted as Zhang Xuan’s fists continued to rain down like a storm, striking Sun Chengyou’s body.

The crowd watched, stunned, as after dozens of punches, the rigid corpse began to thaw like a defrosting fish, softening visibly.

Zhang Xuan exhaled, relaxed his fists, and pressed a pointed finger to Sun Chengyou’s forehead. Finished with the treatment, he said, “Put him down.”

Sun Qiang gently lowered the elder, who, the moment he touched the floor, seemed to stir. A sudden flow of energy rose from his abdomen, followed by a fit of coughing.

Cough, cough, cough!

The once-dead man slowly opened his eyes.

“He’s… alive?”

The crowd erupted in astonishment. Even Sun Missy, who had been advocating for Zhang Xuan, stared wide-eyed, struggling to process what she saw.

She had checked her father’s body herself—no heartbeat, cold to the touch, undeniably dead. Yet, after taking a barrage of punches from Zhang Xuan, he had come back to life.

This wasn’t just a miracle; it was practically divine intervention!

“What… what happened? Why are you all back?” Sun Chengyou, confused, tried to sit up.

“Sir, this is what occurred…” Steward Feng recounted the recent events in detail.

Realizing he had been pronounced dead and yet was now breathing again, Sun Chengyou’s eyes filled with gratitude as he looked at Zhang Xuan. “Thank you for saving my life, sir…”

“No need to thank me. Your daughter has agreed to pay, and we’re just fulfilling our parts.” Zhang Xuan waved it off.

Sun Missy motioned, and the steward handed over a thick stack of Source Coins. “Thank you, young master, for saving my father. Here’s the promised payment.”

Sun Qiang took it eagerly—exactly 200,000 Source Coins.

“But Sister, he revived Father, yet the hidden issue remains unsolved. You paid everything at once?” Young Master Sun frowned.

She had promised that if the treatment saved their father and resolved his health problems, she’d add another 100,000 Source Coins on top of the initial 200,000.

“If this young master can bring Father back from death, I trust he can heal him completely,” Sun Missy replied.

“You’ve got keen judgment. If you’d reneged on payment, today’s treatment would have ended here,” Zhang Xuan said sharply as he approached Sun Chengyou and checked his pulse again.

This time, no one dared interrupt—not even Sun Chengyou, who barely breathed, fearing to disrupt Zhang Xuan’s concentration.

A moment later, Zhang Xuan released the wrist and said, “If I’m not mistaken, the Source Beast that injured you years ago was an Armored Rat-Tailed Beast, correct?”

The Armored Rat-Tailed Beast was a rare Source Beast dwelling in lush marshes, resembling an armadillo but recognized for its rat-like tail.

“How… how did you know?” Sun Chengyou’s pupils contracted.

Many knew he’d been injured by a Source Beast, but the exact type was never disclosed. This young doctor identified it just by feeling his pulse—unbelievable, even to him.

“Never mind how I know. Do you want to be fully healed?” Zhang Xuan asked.

“Of course!” Sun Chengyou nodded eagerly. He’d been searching for doctors for years and had raised the bounty to a million coins—all in pursuit of relief.

“Good. Then…” Zhang Xuan’s brows furrowed. “Take off your pants.”

“???”

Everyone froze, Sun Chengyou included, bewildered.

Isn’t this treatment? Why the pants?

Seeing the expressions, Zhang Xuan clarified, “The bite from the Armored Rat-Tailed Beast was on your buttocks, wasn’t it? That’s where the Rat-Tail Venom is, causing your prolonged suffering.”

“Venom? Are you saying I’m poisoned?” Sun Chengyou’s mind reeled.

Some physicians had suggested poison before, but tests were inconclusive, and detoxification pills did nothing. They had ruled it out. Could it be true?

“Yes.” Zhang Xuan nodded. “Will you remove them or not?”

“I will!” Sun Chengyou nodded and then commanded the room, “Turn around!”

Everyone, including Young Master Sun and Sun Missy, blushed and turned away. Only then did Sun Chengyou relax, untie his waistband, and reveal the area.

Though aged, he had maintained smooth skin with few wrinkles.

“The beast bit my buttocks, but there’s no visible wound…” Sun Chengyou explained, his face flushed.

“There might not be a visible mark, but does this spot feel tingling or sore?” Zhang Xuan pressed a wooden stick against a specific area.

“Yes!” Sun Chengyou nodded repeatedly.

“Good. Put your clothes back on.” Zhang Xuan instructed.

“Right!” Sun Chengyou quickly dressed, unable to contain his curiosity. “Sir, can I still be saved? What’s the real issue?”

Zhang Xuan responded, “The Armored Rat-Tailed Beast that bit you was a mutated one. Though it left no apparent wound, it injected venom that has tormented you all these years. I guess your symptoms worsen during Shen and Zi hours, causing chills and making you vomit everything, correct?”

“You are indeed a divine healer!” Sun Chengyou was astounded.

“Please, save me!”

The accuracy of Zhang Xuan’s diagnosis left no room for doubt.

“Curing you isn’t difficult, but it depends on your willingness and trust,” Zhang Xuan said evenly.

Sun Chengyou bowed deeply. “I trust you entirely and will comply with whatever you say!”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely!” Sun Chengyou affirmed.

“Alright then. Bring a large cauldron. We’re going to boil him!” Zhang Xuan declared.

Author's Note