The most crucial ingredient was the Cold Toad's shed skin required for the secret medicine. Dried, crushed, ground into powder, and mixed into the medicine, it could lend the Internal Energy one cultivated an extra measure of divine grace and spiritual charm. This was something ordinary internal cultivation manuals—even first-rate, superior techniques—could scarcely hope to match.
Cold Toad paired with Cold Toad—it truly was seamless as heaven's own garment.
Of course, Meng Zhao had yet to thoroughly unravel whether there were any special secrets within it. He would have to return to Little Cold Village and ponder it slowly in the future.
After ensuring that there appeared to be no problem with the martial arts manual and secret medicine formula he had obtained—at least, no problem visible before cultivation—Meng Zhao honored the agreement and released Fang Zijun and Uncle Wen.
He then departed with Qi Fang. As for Fang Zijun and Uncle Wen, it was only an hour later that Meng Zhao's seals on them gradually came undone.
Throughout that hour, neither of them spoke. They simply waited there in silence.
Fang Zijun did not wish to speak to Uncle Wen because he was angry and resentful. Uncle Wen had been the one meant to protect him, yet he could not even protect himself. It inevitably made Fang Zijun see him as useless, and he no longer cared much for him.
Still, Uncle Wen had guarded him for many years, and he held a certain standing before Old Master Fang. Fang Zijun did not dare utter anything too unpleasant.
Uncle Wen, meanwhile, felt guilty. Since Fang Zijun did not take the initiative to speak, he did not know what to say either.
At last, their qi strength returned. One after the other, they left the small hill and returned outside