"Tsk, tsk, tsk~"
Seeing the蛊 (gǔ) marks on Xuan Xiao's arm, Old Du's gaze towards him shifted.
He had seen ruthless people before, but never someone so self-inflicted. To extract the蛊 (gǔ) poison, he had unhesitatingly used himself as a guinea pig. If not for his profound internal energy and the nourishing nature of his martial arts cultivation for his internal organs, he would have long since met his demise.
He took out a bottle of medicine from his懷 (huái) and placed it on the table. "Take one pill every three days. This treats the root, not the symptom."
Nan Shiying's gaze fell on Old Du's wrist. When he took out the medicine bottle, his sleeve had flipped up, revealing a tiny white mark.
Had he refined medicine with blood again?
Old Du lowered his head, tidied his sleeve, and ignored Nan Shiying's scrutinizing gaze.
"Treats the root?"
Xuan Xiao's voice deepened slightly, his gaze shifting from the medicine bottle on the table to Nan Shiying and Old Du.
"What, is there free food in this world?"
Old Du sneered, his gaze, as cool as ever, falling upon Xuan Xiao. Although the skin around his eyes was wrinkled and slightly drooped, obscuring the corners, it still couldn't conceal the sharpness in his eyes.
Xuan Xiao lowered his gaze, focusing on the medicine bottle resting quietly on the table. After a moment of silence, he reached out and grasped the bottle. His eyelids lifted, and the sinister depths of his eyes calmed as they slowly opened.
He tucked the medicine bottle into his怀 (huái), a residual trace of crimson lingering in his eyes. "Since I've become meat on a chopping block, I truly have no room to bargain. However, if this medicine cannot suppress the蛊 (gǔ) poison within me..."
His words were left unfinished, but his killing intent was evident.
Nan Shiying's gaze shifted from Old Du's wrist to him. Xuan Xiao seemed to have forgotten that for those who practice medicine, medicine can also be poison. Threatening two physicians was not the act of a wise person. However, Nan Shiying could understand his feelings. After all, to have been in heaven yesterday and now teetering on the brink of falling into hell with a single wrong step—the sheer contrast was enough to drive someone mad, especially considering he was already driven mad by torment.
Yet, one thing he said was correct: being fish, one should have the awareness of being fish.
"Do you think I would tarnish my reputation for you?"
Old Du spoke calmly, his words landing like a kick to the spine. He picked up his teacup and took a sip, then suddenly drew out his words, his tone filled with teasing and mockery. "Of course... if you don't believe me, you don't have to take it. If you... truly don't wish to be controlled by others, perhaps you can kill the former楼主 (lóuzhǔ) of your Wan Ku Lou. You should know, you've been afflicted with 蛊 (gǔ), not poison."
"The one who cast the 蛊 (gǔ) dies, and the 蛊 (gǔ) is resolved without treatment."
"Of course, all of this is assuming he is indeed the one who cast the 蛊 (gǔ)."
Nan Shiying paused her movement of bringing the teacup to her lips. She subconsciously looked at Old Du, trying to discern something from his face.
Xuan Xiao pursed his lips, rubbing his pale lips until they were crimson. The candlelight seemed to be swallowed by a dense fog in his eyes, leaving only viscous darkness.
"In three months, Wan Ku Lou will be hosting a banquet."
He didn't continue, but stood up and once again leaped out the window.
Nan Shiying placed her hand on Old Du's shoulder. Old Du felt the weight of her hand, thinking that this troublesome one was perhaps going to disregard all ethics and make a move on him, a lonely old man. Suddenly, a warm current flowed into his body from her palm. Old Du was slightly stunned, his half-widened eyes quivering slightly.
He pinched the edge of his sleeve, rubbing it, feeling the texture of the fabric against his fingertips. Old Du suppressed the emotions surging in his heart, then widened his eyes. He yelled at Nan Shiying, "What are you doing, what are you doing? Do you really think I'm useless? Constantly sending internal energy into me, trying to show off how profound your internal energy is?"
This old man's mouth was like a stone in a privy, utterly foul and stubborn. That he hadn't been beaten to death by his fellow disciples over the years was all thanks to his innate talent. If not for that, the grass on his grave would likely be several zhang high.
"Yes, I'm showing off!"
Nan Shiying nodded noncommittally, mimicking Old Du's boastful demeanor perfectly.
Seeing her stubborn expression, Old Du's chest heaved as he took deep breaths, as if he were about to ascend to heaven from anger. Nan Shiying withdrew her hand, picked up the teacup, and took a sip, making a sound of distaste. This old man, together with that scoundrel Nan Chaoyin, would be a good match for a job at the Southern Qu troupe.
"If you keep acting, it'll be too much!" she said irritably.
Old Du coughed, his chest no longer heaving, and his glare softened. He was simply a bit frustrated. Although his disciple possessed talent and filial piety, her mind was too sharp and particularly malicious, making her difficult to fool and robbing him of the joy of teasing his disciple.
The old man stopped acting and picked up his teacup to chug his tea.
Watching him drink tea as if he were guzzling water, Nan Shiying asked, "Are you... not planning to sleep?"
This old man was the type to become more energetic the more he drank tea. When he was researching vivisection, the old man drank tea just like he was drinking it now, remaining awake for two days straight, which Nan Shiying found truly astonishing.
Old Du paused his tea-drinking action. He lowered his head, looked at the tea in the cup, savored its bitterness after it entered his mouth, and his eyes, nose, and mouth immediately scrunched together.
He glared fiercely at Nan Shiying, slammed the teacup onto the table with a "duang~" sound, and got up to leave.
"Master, I want them alive!"
Seeing the old man storming out in anger, Nan Shiying put down her teacup. Her voice, faint and soft, would be missed like a gust of wind if not listened to carefully.
Old Du's footsteps halted, his hand frozen in mid-air as he pushed the door.
"I don't need it."
His voice was stiff and sharp, several decibels higher than usual. He turned his head, looking at Nan Shiying stubbornly. He was using his attitude to tell her that she didn't need to do anything more for him. He was already poisoned to the bone and terminally ill. If he were not dead now, it was only because he still had unfulfilled aspirations.
While Wan Ku Lou was not a hellish demon den, capturing a hidden Miao疆 (Miáo jiāng) Gu master was no easy feat. Were there not simpler solutions?
If that person was the one who inflicted the 蛊 (gǔ) on Ji Jinmo, then killing him would naturally resolve the 蛊 (gǔ) in Ji Jinmo's body. If not, then when he was on the verge of death, he would break open his flesh and draw all the 蛊 (gǔ) worms in Ji Jinmo's body into his own, thus resolving the 蛊 (gǔ) poison in him.
Why take risks? Why choose a more difficult method?
Nan Shiying lowered her eyelids. In her past life, she hadn't had many people around her. Yue Sinan was a friend, a confidant, a comrade, and also... an enemy. After they had overthrown the Changsheng Dao Sect together, their relationship became subtle.
Her heart was hard, so hard that she harbored thoughts of killing him.
Power in her hands was a blade. Whoever called her a usurper or a disruptor of the court, she would kill them, spilling rivers of blood, until no one in the world dared to oppose her or resist her. She was not a benevolent ruler, nor a legitimate successor. Her heart was trapped in a sea of blood. She was both heaven and a stone that tasted loneliness in a dark corner.
And in this life, she had merged with Nan Shiying's soul. Subtly, ineffably, the two independent souls had become another entirely new soul.
Her heart was still trapped in the sea of blood, but Nan Shiying had carved out a pure land for her within that sea of blood, containing kinship, friendship, and love she had never believed in. She didn't wish for anyone to live forever, but if death could be delayed, why not act?
Even if it was just... to reduce some physical pain.
Seeing her silence, Old Du sighed, his voice softening as well. "I know you don't want me to die in pain, but it's really no different from the pain when my 蛊 (gǔ) poison flares up each month. You don't need to rack your brains to complete the 蛊 (gǔ) worms within me. You know, what kind of trade-off is the best choice, don't you?"
"Whatever choice I make, it is the best choice."
"You..."
"It's late, I need to rest. Farewell!"
Nan Shiying had no intention of arguing with Old Du any further and directly escorted him out. Old Du, pushed out of the room, didn't react immediately. He stood at the door for a long time before cursing, spitting fiercely, and then turning to walk back to his own room.
Rebellious disciple!!!
A rebellious disciple!