If a person unintentionally consumed the juice secreted by the seven-step vine, they would die after taking seven steps, as suggested by the plant’s name.
Although it might seem like an exaggeration, it demonstrated how lethal this poisonous plant was and only applied to regular people. However, a “master in drug-making” like Zayn could find a cure in minutes, but under the command of Baltazar, he chose not to detox immediately and instead slowly felt the effects of the medicine.
Seeing that, Maurina was speechless.
‘Does he think that all the other 15 herbs are tonics? If you don‘t ingest the antidote immediately after being poisoned by my seven-step vine elixir, it will leave residual side effects even if you fully recover…’
These words were merely spoken in his mind.
It was evident from the beginning that the master and disciple duo didn’t seem to have good intentions. Although Zayn knew that Maurina had lost his cultivation base, he insisted on competing with him using poison.
‘If he doesn’t get rid of the poison quickly, his life could be in danger…’
Nevertheless, Maurina’s opponent didn‘t care about his life or death, so why should he be merciful to them?
Besides, Baltazar was greedy for the resurrection effect of the seven-step vine, which led him to make his disciple experience the drug’s effect for himself. He was surely an expert in bringing death upon himself!
Moreover, Maurina had explained to them that the drug only worked on small animals and that the animal had faked its death. He was not a God, so how could he formulate the resurrection elixir to bring the dead back to life?
While he was busy making the antidote, his overly confident opponents still studied the drug’s efficacy.
“How do you feel?” Staring at his disciple, Baltazar inquired expectantly.
At the same time, he was also prepared to rescue Zayn if Zayn had shown any sign of abnormality.
“I don’t feel any toxins inside my body. It feels more like a tonic.” Feeling the medicinal effects of the seven-step vine in his body, Zayn frowned.
Nonetheless, Baltazar did not give up. He stretched out his hand to hold his disciple’s wrist and used his two fingers to check on his pulse. Judging from his pulse beating, there was nothing abnormal about Zayn’s body.
“Forget it. Prepare the antidote and remove the toxin of the seven-step vine.” Shaking his head, Baltazar uttered in disappointment.
Simultaneously, he looked at Maurina with an icy gaze.
He had been skeptical about the possibility of Maurina pulling some trick. However, he witnessed how the drug worked on that mouse. After checking the mouse’s condition by himself, he was certain it was dead but miraculously revived.
‘Maurina may be right that the elixir is effective on small animals, but if I can obtain the secret formula, the Duponts can use it as a basis for creating a miracle tonic that can revive the dead…’
Though ambitious, Baltazar was too obsessed with bringing the dead back to life and neglected the possibility of how the elixir could be used to fake one’s death.
Under the orders of his master, Zayn started concocting the antidote. Yet, before he could start, he felt a sudden numbness in his back. Then, he lost consciousness and fell backward.
With sharp eyesight and quick hands, Baltazar rushed forward to support him. Afterward, he placed two fingers on Zayn’s wrist, and the pulse of his beloved disciple suddenly became disordered.
Zayn, who fell into his arms, could only roll his eyeballs. All his limbs went completely stiff, so he could not move them. When he looked at his master, his eyes were filled with horror, and his lips trembled as if he wanted to say something.
Suddenly, Baltazar had a bad premonition. Placing Zayn on the ground, he quickly took out a silver needle. Then, he pricked the silver needle on Zayn’s poisoned arm to seal all his acupoints.
Soon, he started concocting the antidote. Much to his surprise, when Baltazar poured the antidote that was made to counter the poison from the seven-step vine, Zayn did not react at all. Furthermore, Zayn’s gaze was starting to get hazy, and his condition instantly sent the master of Emsgate into distress.
