Night of the Broken Gliph

“So you did not read it because you felt that it was useless? Ah, that’s why you know nothing about the snow centipede’s dissolved tendon powder. Because Everything You Can Do With Dissolved Tendon Powder is a book on dissolved tendon powder, it isn’t classified as a medicine book. But what if I tell you that it’s written by great master Chan Sai Ping? Is it still useless?” 

Chi Ping’s brows creased his forehead. 

“Don’t tell me you don’t know who Chan Sai Ping is,” Chui Yim continued. “The Master of Anesthesia, Chan Sai Ping, author of the Hundred Cures For Anesthesia, Gliphic Plants And Anesthesia and more. These are his must reads, and he’s so powerful with anesthesia because of his perfect control over dissolved tendon powder. 

“What does a little brat like you know?” Chi Ping sneered, sounding slightly angry. “Do you know what is changing gliph? Or what bloodworm weed is? How dare you talk about medicine in front of me when you know nothing? I’ve been a doctor for many decades, even before you were born!” 

“Changing gliph is a term used by glipheons. When a glipher’s chamber is injured, the ingredients used to tattoo the original gliph has to be replaced immediately. . Bloodworm weed is a gliphic plant for emergency use. It contains juice that can improve blood circulation and repair wounds which can staunch the bleeding wounds.

“Age doesn’t matter in learning, as long as one is better, he or she is somebody you can learn from. Trying to test me, huh? Come up with a harder question than that.” 

Szz…

Hearing a boy showing off his knowledge on medicine confidently left all in the meeting hall have their breath hitched in their throat. Other than the clan members who frequently headed outside to fetch gliphic plants, bloodworm weed was unheard of to most. Not to mention changing gliph, the technical term that was unknown to almost all in the meeting hall. Even so, the way Chui Yim answered without hesitation convinced them that Chui Yim did indeed know medicine. 

“Enough.” Tse Chun’s voice rang out. “In what manner are you behaving? Do you think that this is a market?” 

“Hmph!” Chi Ping huffed, his body shaking in anger. 

“Since all opinions differ, let’s see if little friend Chui is able to cure my son. If my son is indeed poisoned, that means that somebody is really out for us,” Tse Chun said. A vague tint of anger could be detected from his words. “And we must investigate thoroughly, even if it means that our hands will be stained with blood. We must chop that invisible hand off at all costs.

“Little friend Chui, just ask for anything you need. We will cooperate as much as possible.” 

“I’m not like some useless doctor here. Snow centipede is a gliphic beast from the North’s icy and snowy lands. It’s chilly by nature and likes to feed on gliphic plants. All I need is simple. I’ll use the falling fruit’s juice as a primer, put it in a silver needle, and drive the chill out with fire.” Chui Yim glanced at Chi Ping in disdain after hearing Tse Chun. 

“Ha!” Chi Ping sneered with anger. “Before mixing it in with the dissolved tendon powder, the snow centipede already…” But he stopped immediately as he came to a realisation. 

Chui Yim sneered immediately, looking at Chi Ping with admiration. “Sir is indeed great in medicine. Right, the snow centipede in snow centipede dissolved tendon powder is its dead body that has been crushed into powder. Dried under the sun and wind, the chilliness of the centipede is long gone, leaving only its energliph sucking ability behind. But… I remember Doctor Chi knows nothing about the snow centipede dissolved tendon powder. How did you manage to point out my mistake, then?” 

Instantly, all eyes turned to Chi Ping. 

Tse Chun’s sleepy eyes opened wide instantly, like a lion who had just woken up. “It’s you!” 

Turning as pale as a sheet of paper, Chi Ping held onto the cane in his hands tightly. The cane lit up brightly, blinding every member in the meeting hall while Chi Ping looked healthier than he normally was and flew towards the door lightly. 

Roar! 

A loud roar boomed across the hall, and Chi Ping who was moving backwards fell to the ground like a bird that was shot down. Within a split second, the blinding light dispersed and Tse Chun sitting in the middle had his hair floating in the air, just like a raging lion. 

White Lion King, Tse Chun! 

Chor Shing Chit who was blocking Chui Yim watched the scene with a serious expression. He could sense that the roar is a gliphility, and one that was activated with voice. 

Isn’t that the famous Divine Lion Roar? Even if Chor Shing Chit was currently in the three-chambered state, he knew he totally stood no chance, not even enough to hold out for a round if he were to face Tse Chun in a battle. 

Tse Chun walked towards Chi Ping slowly. “Doctor Chi, we still have a lot to talk about. Don’t leave.” 

But at the same time, a figure dashed out from the crowd, going for Chi Ping. “Die! You traitor!” 

“Hold on!” Tse Chun shouted immediately. But he was too late—the sword had already pierced through Chi Ping’s heart. Tse Chun’s face fell drastically. Even so, he remained silent. 

“All may leave now! Those from the Medicine Hall, assist little friend Chui with all you can to help treat Yu Bak!” 

To the Tse Clan, the matter had yet to come to an end; who was the one to get Chi Ping to poison Yu Bak? And the mastermind hiding in the dark was like a sharp knife that was pointing at their back. While to Chui Yim, the Clan’s internal strifes were none of his business. However, he already earned something even before he treated Yu Bak. 

He was currently resting in the Tse Mansion with Chor Shing Chit and Bak Wun. The clan gave them a one day rest, and he would only be treating Tse Yu Bak the next day. Chui Yim held onto now-dead Chi Ping’s cane, fiddling with it. 

“This is a gliphist’s treasure.” Being a great teacher, Chor Shing Chit explained to him. “Unlike a glipher’s gliph weapon, which a glipher might change according to the increase in his state, a gliphist will never change his treasure, and it’s mostly made personally by the gliphist. The treasure and the gliphist aura is joined, just like a part of gliphist body. 

“Every treasure of every gliphist varies. It depends on what characteristic the gliphist wants his treasure to have. Just like the old robe on Chan Shue Gun. That’s his treasure.” 

Chui Yim recalled that during that day, Chor Shing Chit’s sudden attack was blocked off by Chan Shue Gun’s old robe. Similarly, the ordinary-looking cane that Chi Ping never let go off was able to exert such a strong light that was enough to blind many temporarily. Now, it appeared that a gliphist’s treasure was a dangerous item too. 

“Someday, you’ll create your own treasure too,” Chor Shing Chit continued with his lesson in his low voice. “Most gliphist will only own one treasure in his entire life, as you’ll need to cultivate it slowly and connect with it through your mind, and possibly even growing together. So it is important to think of what you want in your treasure before you craft it. But it’s still not the time now, you can start thinking after you have reached the single-gliphic state.” 

“A treasure?” Chui Yim murmured, the huge metal hammer that followed him for most of his life in his past life came to his mind. Big silly, where are you?