Chapter 23: Seeking Answers
It had been three days since Ashen's brutal battles with the Dire Wolf and the Forest Lizard King. During that time, he had remained hidden in a secluded area near the mountains, resting, healing, and allowing his Qi to recover. His muscles still ached, his wounds had mostly closed, and scars formed over the deeper cuts. By now, he was ready to move again.
Ashen entered the town quietly, keeping his hood pulled low. He walked directly through the main street without looking at the stalls, ignoring the crowd. He didn't want attention. He wasn't here to fight. Not today.
He had a goal: find information about the Divine Doctor and anything connected to poisons.
The market was crowded with merchants selling fruits, vegetables, clothes, and tools. Ashen's eyes scanned the people and their expressions, noticing who seemed knowledgeable, who seemed cautious. He didn't speak to anyone yet. He needed to observe first.
The first place he went was a small apothecary tucked between two larger shops. Its sign was simple, faded with age. He entered quietly, and the bell above the door barely rang. Inside, shelves were packed with herbs, powders, and small bottles of liquid. The smell of dried plants and chemicals hit him instantly. Ashen ignored it, walking straight to the counter.
An old man with a crooked back and small spectacles looked up. "Can I help you?"
Ashen didn't waste time. "I need information. About the Divine Doctor. And poisons."
The man frowned. "That's… not something you ask lightly. Why are you interested?"
Ashen's gaze remained steady. He didn't answer, only added, "I will pay. I just need the information."
The man hesitated. Finally, he nodded and motioned for Ashen to follow him to a back room. He pulled out several scrolls and jars. "The Divine Doctor," he said, "is said to appear where he is needed most. People say he cures poisons no one else can, even the ones that destroy Qi. But finding him is difficult. He doesn't stay in one place for long."
Ashen absorbed the words without comment. "Any idea where he has been recently?"
"There are whispers," the man continued. "Some say he helped a noble in the southern capital, curing a poison that nearly killed the city's elite guards. Others claim he sometimes hides near Misty River Valley. But that is just talk. Nothing you can trace easily."
Ashen nodded slowly. He didn't need guarantees, just direction. Any lead was useful.
Next, he asked about poisons. "I've encountered some new toxins. Some are deadly, some I've never seen before. I need knowledge—how they work, and if there's a way to counter them."
The shopkeeper looked cautious. "Poison… dangerous topic. Most only know a little. Here, these are basic classifications." He handed Ashen a scroll and pointed to jars with colored powders. "First: poisons that attack the body directly—blood, organs, muscles. Second: poisons that target Qi. They slow it, corrupt it, or even drain it. Third: delayed poisons—they hide for days or weeks before showing symptoms. By then, the victim may be too weak to survive."
Ashen scanned the jars carefully, noting their consistency, color, and size. "Antidotes?"
The old man shook his head. "Rare. Some require herbs found in dangerous regions. Others need skillful Qi manipulation. That's why the Divine Doctor is known above all. No one else can reliably treat such toxins."
Ashen remained silent, paying the man generously before leaving. Every step through the town was deliberate. He kept to the shadows, blending with merchants and travelers.
He spent the afternoon asking subtle questions. At the inns, he listened to travelers' tales of a healer who cured a poisoned lord. At the market, he overheard whispers of a strange man carrying glowing herbs, said to be a master of poisons. None of it was concrete, but it was enough to form a trail.
By evening, he discovered a potential lead: a merchant who traveled between Misty River Valley and the southern capital. The merchant had supposedly encountered the Divine Doctor when delivering rare ingredients for treatments. Ashen decided he would wait and observe, hoping to catch the merchant's route tomorrow.
He didn't rush. He found a small, empty inn on the edge of town and rented a room. For the first time in days, he let himself rest fully. He cleaned his cuts, treated his bruises, and meditated briefly to restore his Qi.
Lying on the bed, he thought back to the battles he had fought. The Dire Wolf. The Forest Lizard King. The Lizard King had been almost overwhelming. And yet, he survived. He learned something important in those fights: survival required more than strength—it required strategy, observation, and patience.
He would need all of it to find the Divine Doctor.
The next morning, Ashen was already awake before the sun rose. He dressed simply, hood still low, and moved toward the town gate. Travelers were preparing their wagons, merchants were calling out prices, and guards were walking patrols. Ashen ignored all of it, keeping to the shadows, letting his eyes follow the movements of the people.
The merchant he was looking for appeared mid-morning. He was an older man with a cart loaded with crates and sacks, traveling lightly but quickly. Ashen followed him at a distance, careful not to reveal himself.
The path led toward the southern road, the route connecting the town with Misty River Valley. Ashen's pace was steady, his focus sharp. Every glance, every sound, every step mattered. He wasn't just following; he was observing, planning, thinking of contingencies.
As they walked, Ashen considered what he knew about poisons. Delayed toxins could be deadly, even from ordinary ingredients. If the Divine Doctor had knowledge of rare antidotes, he might be able to help Raizen—if Ashen found him.
He's a bit unsure, because the wandering master said the Divine Doctor vanished. But even so, he's determined to go with them.
Hours passed. The merchant rested at a small outpost near a river. Ashen kept hidden on a hill above, taking notes of the route and timing. No one noticed him.
Ashen considered his next move. If he followed blindly, he risked being seen. If he waited, he risked losing the trail. Patience, he reminded himself, was a weapon. He would wait for the right moment.
By nightfall, Ashen found a small spot near the riverbank. He ate a simple meal from the rations he had carried and stretched his sore muscles. He reflected on the days since the battles. He had grown stronger. He had survived. But now, he understood that strength alone wasn't enough. Knowledge, observation, and careful planning would matter just as much.
The stars reflected in the river. Ashen's thoughts wandered briefly to the dragons he had hoped to encounter. He hadn't seen any yet. But the desire to find them—and the Divine Doctor—gave him purpose beyond mere survival.
He made a plan: follow the merchant quietly for the next two days, learn his route, and find a way to approach the Divine Doctor indirectly. Patience and discretion were essential. Rushing could mean failure—or death.
Ashen closed his eyes, feeling the calm settle into his body. The battles of the past were behind him. The next challenge was not fought with fists or claws, but with strategy, intelligence, and subtle power.
And Ashen was ready.
He would find the Divine Doctor. He would learn about the poisons that could threaten his life. And when the time came, he would be prepared.
The path was long. The danger was hidden in shadows. But for the first time in weeks, Ashen felt a controlled excitement, a fire that was steady and unyielding.
He opened his eyes and looked toward the faint lights of the town. Tomorrow, he would move again. Slowly. Carefully. But decisively.
The chase had begun.