Lin Taichu said with certainty, "There was mixed Poison Powder in the wound. Someone must have scattered it on the grass leaves, and the old man got it on him when he was cut."
Physician Li froze. "A man-made poison? How could you tell?"
"This poison contains Datura and aconite, as well as an unknown poisonous herb. Mixed together, they take effect quickly and can make someone lose consciousness almost immediately. Nature would never produce such a convenient combination."
As he spoke, Lin Taichu took out Silver Needles from his medicine case. "We need to drain the poisoned blood first, then administer a Detoxification Pill."
He inserted several Silver Needles into acupuncture points above the old man's wound to stop the poison from spreading. Then he used a small knife to widen the wound slightly, and black blood immediately began to flow out.
Once most of the blood had drained, he took out a Detoxification Pill, ground it into powder, mixed it with warm water, pried open the old man's mouth, and poured it in.
About a quarter of an hour later, the old man's complexion improved slightly. It was no longer so dark, and some color had returned to his lips. Lin Taichu then prescribed a detoxifying medicine and told the man to fetch the herbs and brew them for the old man.
"Thank you, Physician! Thank you!" The man thanked him profusely. "If my father recovers, we'll repay you handsomely!"
"Don't thank me yet. Wait until the old man wakes up." Lin Taichu asked, "Where is your family's land? Has anyone unfamiliar been around it?"
The man thought for a moment. "It's on the western slope outside the city, right beside that river. Yesterday, I saw two men dressed in black wandering around the riverbank. I didn't think