William Clark thought again of his father from his previous life, Samuel Clark, and his heart was filled with mixed emotions. He couldn't bear to joke around with Henry Clark any longer, so he spoke up: "Father, I know what you want to ask, but honestly, I can't figure it out myself. When I was on the verge of death from poisoning this time, a great master appeared to me in a dream and taught me martial arts and alchemy skills. The knowledge was incredibly profound. At first, I thought it was just a dream, but when I woke up, I found that everything I remembered from the dream was crystal clear and I could apply it all in reality. If it weren't for this master, with your abilities, Father, you probably wouldn't have seen me again."

William Clark could not possibly tell Henry Clark that his son's body had already been taken over by another soul, so he had to make up a well-intentioned lie that was close to the truth.

Henry Clark was overjoyed when he heard William Clark's words. The idea that a great master had taken notice of his son and taught him skills in a dream was something beyond his imagination. With such a master as a teacher, the heavy burden that had weighed on Henry Clark's heart for years was finally lifted.

"Then... did this master say who he was? He saved my son's life, as a father I must thank him."

But William Clark shook his head and said, "That master did not reveal his name, nor did he say why he saved me. He only told me to carefully comprehend the skills he taught, and that when the time comes, he will come find me again."

"I see. Then, the next time you see him, you must thank him properly on my behalf," Henry Clark said regretfully.

William Clark smiled and said, "Of course. Father, I have some things to take care of, so I'll be going now."

A moment later, William Clark appeared again at the Fragrant Medicine Pavilion and said to the shopkeeper, "If someone comes looking for me later, tell him to go to the residence in the east of the city. Also, here is a prescription—please help me gather all the ingredients."

……

At this moment, David Turner was feeling a bit smug, but also a bit frustrated.

He was pleased because that kid William Clark really was a fool, actually handing over a top-grade Heart-Protecting Pill. The effects of that pill seemed to be extraordinarily good; not only had his injuries healed, but he even faintly felt signs of a breakthrough after recovering.

He had been stuck at the eighth level of the Vital Energy Realm for years, always unable to touch the threshold of the ninth level. David Turner decided to put aside his duties at Drunken Star Tower for now and focus all his efforts on breaking through to the ninth level.

What frustrated him was that the plan to divert trouble to the east at Drunken Star Tower had failed, and it had actually been foiled by a playboy.

David Turner just couldn't figure it out—how could a playboy see through and resolve a poison that even the tower master Robert Harris of Drunken Star Tower couldn't handle?

This Robert Harris was someone on the same level as Henry Clark, and his attainments in alchemy even slightly surpassed Henry Clark. How could Henry Clark's ignorant and incompetent son possibly break this situation?

But the fact was, it had happened right under his nose. David Turner now had a headache, wondering how he would explain this to the tower master when he got back.

So, David Turner simply didn't believe that the strong man had been cured by William Clark; he thought it was Henry Clark who had acted behind the scenes, and William Clark was just a pawn pushed forward by Henry Clark.

It seemed that Henry Clark was hiding his strength very well. He would have to remind the tower master to be cautious when he got back.

As David Turner walked along, lost in thought, he suddenly noticed something was wrong. His nostrils felt wet, and when he reached up to touch them, he was startled to find his hand covered in fresh blood.

Too much internal heat? What a joke—he was a martial artist at the eighth level of the Vital Energy Realm. How could he possibly get a nosebleed from excessive internal heat?

For some reason, he suddenly thought of William Clark's sincere smiling face just now, and couldn't help but shiver.

He quickly shook his head, dismissing the thought. He, David Turner, was no rookie. Although he wasn't as skilled as Eleanor Brooks, he could still tell real medicine from fake. That pill was definitely a Heart-Protecting Pill, and a very high-grade one at that.

It must be just too much internal heat, David Turner comforted himself, but he soon realized how naive that thought was.

In no time, blood began to flow from both his eyes, then his ears, and finally he coughed up a large mouthful of blood. His internal organs felt as if they were on fire, a sensation like all his insides were burning up.

Only then did he realize that he really had been poisoned!

David Turner was someone who had lived on the edge of death for years, but that only made him more afraid of dying. At this moment, he was completely stunned; even when facing fierce monsters in the past, he had never felt such despair as he did now, on the brink of death.

At this point, David Turner had only one thought—to survive. He rushed desperately toward the Fragrant Medicine Pavilion; he didn't have much time left.

……

The shopkeeper at the Fragrant Medicine Pavilion was startled by this man bleeding from all seven orifices. As soon as the man entered, he grabbed the shopkeeper's sleeve, begging to see Young Master William Clark.

The shopkeeper was stunned and didn't react at first, but then he remembered the instructions the young master had given before leaving, so he told the blood-covered man the address.

After the man left, the shopkeeper muttered in confusion, "This guy is really strange. In this state, why not go to Master Brooks? Why look for the young master? Could it be that the young master can treat illnesses?"

Just like David Turner, no one believed that it was William Clark who had saved the strong man earlier.

Chapter 8: Seeking Death

In the alchemy room of Henry Clark's residence in the east of the city, Lucy stared wide-eyed at the pitch-black pill in William Clark's hand, clicking her tongue in amazement.

"Wow, young master, when did you become so amazing?"