In the courtyard of the quadrangle.
Li Yingling sat on a stone chair in the yard, a large and thick book resting on the stone table. At this moment, she was deeply engrossed in her reading.
Yesterday, the gossip about Zen Forest Temple was something she only partially understood, especially the parts related to the common knowledge of the cultivation world. She had to rely on explanations from others, most of which came from her junior brother.
How did he know so much? Could it be that he had been studying while she was out shopping and enjoying herself?
That sneaky junior brother, secretly putting in effort behind her back.
In any case, Li Yingling didn’t feel good about this gossip at all!
She never expected that understanding gossip in the cultivation world required being an insider. No, she had to catch up, and she had to do it thoroughly.
Just as Chu Xingchen finally woke up well-rested and pushed open the door to his room, the first thing he saw was Li Yingling, diligently reading.
He asked in surprise, "Yingling... are you okay?"
Li Yingling flipped to the next page of the book and replied, "I'm fine!"
Chu Xingchen rubbed his temples in disbelief and said, "Then it must be me who's not okay... Why am I seeing you reading?"
Hearing this, Li Yingling couldn’t hold back any longer. She stood up and looked at her master, saying, "Why does it sound like I’m some kind of lazy idiot who doesn’t like to read?"
Chu Xingchen chuckled, "Whether you like reading or not is still up for debate, but the fact that you’re an idiot is something you should just accept."
An idiot?
Ever since Li Yingling could remember, this word had never been associated with her.
When she was a child, the two compliments she heard the most were—pretty, and genius.
She retorted indignantly, "If I’m an idiot, then there’s no such thing as a smart person in this world."
Chu Xingchen suppressed a laugh and said, "Alright, big brain, I’m going out for a stroll now. Want to come along?"
Big brain?
It sounded like a compliment, but why did it feel so sarcastic coming from her master’s mouth?
Li Yingling hesitated, then sat back down on the stone chair with a pout, refusing, "No, I’m going to read! From now on, you’ll all have to ask me when something comes up!"
Chu Xingchen shrugged, respecting his senior disciple’s decision.
After all, there’s no harm in learning more.
So, where should he go today?
Should he go to the brothel to drink for free... or go fishing?
Never mind, he’d go to the brothel to listen to some music. Fishing might end up with him catching something he shouldn’t.
Pushing open the gate of the quadrangle, Chu Xingchen headed toward the brothel.
Soon, however, Chu Xingchen began to feel that something was off. It was almost noon, and the streets should have been bustling with people at this time of day.
Why were they so empty today?
There didn’t seem to be any events going on either.
With a puzzled mind, Chu Xingchen arrived at the entrance of the brothel and, using his face as a pass, entered without paying.
Once inside, he grew even more confused. The usually lively brothel was now almost deserted, with only a few musicians sitting on the stage, idling away due to the lack of customers.
Wan Yun, dressed in a light blue fitted dress and holding a pipa, hurried over anxiously. When she saw Chu Xingchen, she said in a resentful tone, "Young master, you’ve finally remembered Wan Yun."
Chu Xingchen asked curiously, "Why are the streets and this place so empty today?"
"You haven’t heard about what happened at Zen Forest Temple last night?"
"I know about it. I was standing in the side hall watching everything clearly."
Hearing this, Wan Yun’s eyes instantly lit up. Everyone knew that those who could watch the temple fair from the side hall of Zen Forest Temple were either wealthy or extremely wealthy. It seemed that this young master was not only talented but also rich.
She explained, "The news about what happened at Zen Forest Temple last night has spread. It turns out that the great benefactor who secretly funded disaster relief in Yuzhou City and the surrounding areas was the abbot of Zen Forest Temple."
Then, Wan Yun paused and sighed lightly, "Now, everyone who’s free is rushing to Zen Forest Temple. I only wish I weren’t tied down here, forced to sing alone in this brothel."
Chu Xingchen suddenly understood, but as for Wan Yun’s subtle hints, he pretended not to catch on.
He was here to relax, not to be toyed with.
Chu Xingchen smiled slightly and said, "What can you see in a crowd? Let me personally tell you what happened at Zen Forest Temple yesterday."
Wan Yun’s eyes sparkled, and she quickly nodded in agreement.
Indeed, gossip is a universal human trait.
Not long after Chu Xingchen left, the gate of the quadrangle was knocked on.
Li Yingling, who was still buried in her book, sighed softly and stood up to answer the door.
As soon as the door opened, she saw Zhao Wanqing, who looked extremely anxious.
Zhao Wanqing urgently asked, "Excuse me, is Senior Chu here?"
Li Yingling frowned slightly and replied, "Master? He just went out."
Zhao Wanqing pressed further, "Where did he go? I have an urgent matter to discuss with him!"
"Sorry, can I ask what it’s about first?"
Zhao Wanqing said anxiously, "My brother’s condition has suddenly worsened. Senior Chu’s alchemy skills are unparalleled, and his medicines are exceptionally effective. I’ve come to beg for his help to save my brother’s life."
Alchemy skills unparalleled?!
Are you sure that phrase applies to my master?
But seeing Zhao Wanqing’s anxious expression, and knowing her master well, Li Yingling said, "Master either went fishing outside the city or to the brothel to listen to music. I know where he fishes. I’ll go look for him there, and you can go to the brothel to find him."
Zhao Wanqing’s face lit up with gratitude upon hearing this. "Thank you, I truly appreciate your help."
With that, she swiftly made her way toward the entertainment hall, while Li Yingling headed out of the city.
Zhao Wanqing ran as fast as she could, soon arriving at the entrance of the hall. Without waiting for the attendant to greet her, she barged in.
Her eyes quickly scanned the room, and she soon spotted Chu Xingchen, who was in the middle of telling a story to Wan Yun. She hurried over to him.
"Senior! It's an emergency. Could you please come with me?"
"What—"
Zhao Wanqing cut him off urgently. "A hundred spirit stones."
Chu Xingchen immediately stood up. "Let’s go!"
Wan Yun was left dumbfounded as she watched the two rush off.
Just like that? The story had just reached its most critical part!
...
At the Demon Suppression Bureau’s medical hall.
Ah Nian swiftly inserted several needles into Zhao Zhengyang, who had fallen unconscious once again.
The situation was dire. The blood qi had embedded itself deep within his flesh. Once Zhao Zhengyang regained consciousness and tried to regain control of his body, the blood qi would immediately begin to wreak havoc.
There wasn’t much blood qi left, but Zhao Zhengyang’s life was hanging by a thread as well.
Damn it! He hadn’t even revealed any useful information. He had only opened his eyes for a moment before spitting out blood and passing out again.
It had already been a full day since he lost consciousness, and he was on the verge of death.
Yet, Zhao Wanqing had suddenly announced she was going to find an alchemy master.
Ah Nian knew all too well the quality of the pills produced by the alchemists in Yuzhou City.
They might be fine for treating minor cuts and scrapes, but how could such crude pills possibly save someone on the brink of death?
Sigh... This poor guy...
Before Ah Nian could finish her lament, the sound of hurried footsteps reached her ears.
She turned around and saw Zhao Wanqing entering with the handsome young man they had met at the city gates earlier.
Before Ah Nian could even step forward to ask what was going on, Zhao Wanqing unceremoniously pushed her aside and said urgently,
"He has both internal and external injuries! Right now, the only hope lies in your pills, Senior."
Chu Xingchen first nodded politely to the still-confused Ah Nian, then walked over to an empty clay pot that had been prepared for brewing medicine.
A clay pot was still a pot!
It wouldn’t hinder Chu Xingchen’s alchemy!
He quickly set the pot on the fire, added water, and then retrieved spirit herbs from his spatial ring to begin the refining process.
What followed was a method of alchemy Ah Nian had never seen before.
Is this... how alchemy is done?
While Chu Xingchen was refining the pill, Li Yingling, who had returned empty-handed from her trip outside the city, wisely made her way to the Demon Suppression Bureau.
By the time Li Yingling arrived, the alchemy process was nearing its end. She stood quietly to the side, careful not to disturb Chu Xingchen.
A short while later, Chu Xingchen used his spiritual energy to envelop a single drop of emerald-green liquid that had just been refined. He then instructed,
"Alright, open his mouth."
Zhao Wanqing immediately reached out and pried open Zhao Zhengyang’s mouth.
Chu Xingchen poured the extracted medicinal liquid directly into his mouth.
Since the person taking the pill was unconscious, Chu Xingchen decided to skip the spirit herb that would normally numb the taste buds.
After all, if he’s unconscious, he shouldn’t be able to taste anything, right?
Just as everyone was nervously watching Zhao Zhengyang, hoping the medicine would take effect, his face suddenly twisted in discomfort, as if he had tasted something extremely bitter and foul.
Seeing this, Li Yingling couldn’t help but marvel at her master’s unparalleled alchemy skills.
Even unconscious people couldn’t escape the taste!
Just as Ah Nian was about to check Zhao Zhengyang’s pulse to assess his condition, he suddenly began to tremble violently.
Zhao Zhengyang’s left hand, the only part of him that could still move, shot up and began clawing at his throat.
Chu Xingchen watched this scene with confusion and asked,
"Are you... sure he’s unconscious?"