Lin Rou had been using the prescription Bai Qingran provided for several days.
The more she used it, the more alarmed she became.
The medicinal principles and herb selections were clearly the result of someone who had studied countless works by medical masters and great pill cultivators, then distilled them into something refined and masterful.
It carried an experienced, seasoned touch.
Lin Rou’s desire for this person had grown almost obsessive.
She thought about it day and night.
She even sent people to search within the range she had guessed, but they found nothing.
The day Yan Qingge finally woke up had arrived.
The news spread through Xuan Phoenix Sacred Sect like wind, reaching every corner.
Where there was joy, there was also worry.
Inside Mistveil Pavilion’s residence, Pei Ruanyan sat at the head seat with a face as dark as storm clouds. Beside her was Xiao Qinghuan, head lowered and quietly wiping away tears.
On either side stood the thirteen inner gate elders who had come with them.
Pei Yunqing knelt in the middle.
His hair was dry and disheveled, his eyes bloodshot and filled with terror.
His once gentle and charming little face was covered in palm prints and bloody scratches from fingernails.
His moon-blue robe hung crooked and torn, making him look both wretched and ragged.
The noble young master who had once been surrounded by admirers now looked like an evil ghost freshly crawled out of hell, radiating an aura of death.
Crash! The teacup in Pei Ruanyan’s hand shattered beside Pei Yunqing.
Porcelain shards flew everywhere.
Pei Yunqing recoiled like a startled bird.
His mouth hung open, but no sound came out—only rapid, harsh gasps.
Frightened by the look on Pei Ruanyan’s face, he slammed his forehead hard against the floor.
The dull thud of his kowtow made the thirteen elders’ hearts jump violently.
“Useless! You worthless piece of trash! How could you have come from my womb?! I went through so much trouble! I risked my life to pave this path for you! And you ruined it! You ruined everything!”
After a torrent of curses, Pei Ruanyan clutched her leg and panted heavily.
Once she had calmed slightly, Pei Ruanyan spoke in a dark, vicious tone.
“Has Chu Mo replied to your messages these past few days?”
“No… she hasn’t…”
Pei Yunqing’s voice choked.
He curled up on the ground and cried softly, utterly despairing.
Hearing this answer, Pei Ruanyan raised her head and closed her eyes in despair.
The armrest creaked under her crushing grip.
She had investigated Lin Rou’s level of skill thoroughly before planning all of this.
Given how badly Yan Qingge had ended up, there was no way Lin Rou could have helped her shake off the gu’s influence and wake up!
Pei Ruanyan had calculated everything with ruthless precision.
She had planned to wait until the situation worsened to the extreme—ideally until Yan Qingge was on the verge of death—before stepping forward.
She would use a secret method from the remnant medical book, even at the cost of her own lifespan and cultivation, to extend Yan Qingge’s life.
That way, even if Red Sun Phoenix Heaven Sect wanted to kill her, they wouldn’t dare make any major moves on the surface, not after she had “risked her life to save someone.”
But now someone inside Xuan Phoenix Sacred Sect could actually treat Yan Qingge! Her plan had fallen apart again.
And if that person managed to fully cure Yan Qingge, Pei Ruanyan would lose all value and could only wait for death!
Pei Ruanyan looked at everyone in the room, her voice filled with grim determination.
“We have to sabotage this. We cannot let Yan Qingge be cured!”
One elder dared to speak up.
“Pavilion Master Pei, the act of playing the savior in front of Chu Mo was already risky enough. Then you two schemed against Yan Qingge and deliberately let that toxin injure her. You swore there wouldn’t be any problems, yet here we are. And now you want us to interfere with her treatment? Do you think the disciples from Breaking Abyss Peak outside are blind and deaf?”
Pei Ruanyan leaned back in her chair and spoke unhurriedly after listening.
“Since you all supported those decisions back then, there’s no need to bring up old accounts now. Either we sit here and wait for death, or we fight for a way out. Once Yan Qingge recovers, we’ll be driven out of Xuan Phoenix Sacred Sect’s gates, and Red Sun Phoenix Heaven Sect will turn our entire pavilion into a pile of mud.”
The expressions of everyone in the room shifted. In the end, fear of death won out, and they agreed.
Pei Ruanyan immediately decided to lead them in forcing their way through.
At the entrance, two Spirit Venerable Stage disciples from Breaking Abyss Peak stood guard on either side, their silver armor gleaming coldly.
Seeing the group approach, one of them drew his sword and slashed a horizontal line across the bluestone threshold.
“Peak Master Su’s orders: anyone who crosses this line will be killed.”
This provoked one of the elders. She cursed and stepped forward.
“Xuan Phoenix Sacred Sect is so arrogant! Even your disciples dare to—”
A miserable scream rang out, accompanied by a spray of blood.
Half a severed foot flew through the air and landed on the ground.
The bloody smell shattered what little courage the Mistveil Pavilion group had left.
They huddled together, dragging the elder whose foot had been cut off as they fled back inside.
Pei Ruanyan glanced back at the severed foot, her eyes filled with a mix of hatred and fear.
Every second of delay meant the mysterious healer could cure Yan Qingge a little more—and bring Pei Ruanyan one step closer to death.
***
Chu Mo stood at the doorway.
Her legs felt as heavy as if they had been filled with lead.
She truly had no face left to see Yan Qingge.
“Chu Mo? Are you just going to stand there like a door god? Come in.” Yan Qingge’s weak voice drifted out.
Once inside, Chu Mo looked at her friend on the bed. Yan Qingge’s face was pale, her figure gaunt. Her once vibrant red hair had dulled.
Her originally round, delicate hands were now nothing but skin and bone.
Chu Mo’s eyes instantly reddened.
She practically shuffled over to the bedside.
“I’m sorry, Qingge. I’m so sorry…”
“Enough. A grown woman crying like that is disgusting.”
Yan Qingge teased with a smile, but she suddenly broke into a violent coughing fit.
The smear of crimson on the white handkerchief stabbed painfully into Chu Mo’s eyes.
They talked for a long time.
Then Yan Qingge suddenly brought up Pei Yunqing.
Her gaze turned cold.
“Chu Mo, you should think again about him. Someone who would publicly shift all the blame onto you at a critical moment like that has serious character issues. There are plenty of good men in the world. You don’t need this one.”
***
When Chu Mo stepped out of the room, Lin Rou had already been waiting for some time.
She went straight to the point.
“Can you ask that friend of yours to come treat True Disciple Yan?”
Chu Mo’s breathing hitched for a moment.
Sick possessiveness surged wildly in her eyes.
The fleeting look of displeasure on her face did not escape Lin Rou.
Lin Rou took a deep breath, her expression grave.
“Chu Mo, listen to me. First, although True Disciple Yan has woken up, her body is extremely weak. She simply cannot endure the journey to Medicine King Valley. If anything happens on the road, the consequences would be disastrous.”
Lin Rou took a step closer, staring fixedly into Chu Mo’s eyes.
“Second, she is on the verge of breaking through. If we delay any longer, she may not be able to suppress the breakthrough force inside her. If the remaining poison isn’t removed, the day she attempts to break through will be the day her dao foundation collapses. The old Medicine King has always been mysterious. I’ve already inquired at Medicine King Valley—she has been missing for over three months. We don’t have time to wait any longer.”
Lin Rou paused, her tone softening into that of a senior.
“Finally, the sect has already sacrificed a great deal for you this time. Does the Sect Master have to swallow her pride and personally beg the old Medicine King to take action? Chu Mo, you are a True Disciple. You must consider the sect.”
Of course, Lin Rou had her own selfish motives.
She was far too curious about the person who could write such a miraculous prescription.
She had become almost obsessed.
But since she couldn’t find the person herself, she could only use righteousness and duty to force Chu Mo to bring him out.
Chu Mo pressed her lips tightly together.
Her palms were pierced by her own fingernails, drawing blood.
The thought of bringing Bai Qingran out and letting that peerlessly beautiful face that belonged only to her be exposed to everyone else’s eyes filled her with twisted unwillingness and jealousy that nearly drove her mad.
Yet she could not ignore her friend inside the room, now nothing but skin and bones.
That smear of coughed-up blood had struck her heart heavily.
Selfish desire and guilt tore at Chu Mo like mad beasts.
After a long time, Chu Mo closed her eyes and forced out a single hoarse word.