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Ch61 - Bone-Clinging Detoxification




The sixth morning bell slowly echoed throughout the vast Wendao Academy.
Su Hansheng stopped jumping. His heart died.
Zhou Gushe was quite familiar, grabbing Su Hansheng’s wrist and dragging him into the room.
Su Hansheng was dragged in dejectedly like he was attending his own funeral.
The detoxification pill Zhou Gushe had spent a day and two nights refining was pitch black, looking rather like poison. As soon as the lid was opened, a bitter smell shot to the sky.
Su Hansheng frowned tightly, looking at the antidote that seemed to be emitting wisps of black smoke from the box, his face showing difficulty.
“Do I really have to eat it?”
Zhou Gushe was probably annoyed by his “hemming and hawing,” saying expressionlessly: “When you were little, I gave you a bunch of poison pills and you happily gnawed on them for ages, eating every last one and wanting more. Now that you’re grown up, why are you making such a fuss?”
Su Hansheng: “…”
Qifu Zhao: “…”
Su Hansheng said quietly: “Thank you. In these past ten-plus years, I haven’t just grown taller—I’m barely not as stupid as I was when I was little.”
Zhou Gushe looked at his head suspiciously.
Su Hansheng: “…”
Su Hansheng’s face immediately turned green as he quietly accepted the antidote.
Zhou Gushe made herself completely at home, sitting in a chair and pointing at Qifu Zhao: “You there, get me some tea.”
Qifu Zhao choked, but seeing that the pill looked quite difficult to swallow and the Young Master would probably need water too, he obediently went to boil water.
Zhou Gushe looked like she hadn’t rested much these past two days, saying: “I went back to Shangyuan Province to ask my master about your pulse condition. Bone-clinging poison brought from the womb should be easier to cure. If it were like your mother’s, poisoned for many years, this medicine would probably only provide relief.”
Su Hansheng was stunned: “My… mother?”
“Mm.” Zhou Gushe nodded. “My master said your mother was also poisoned by bone-clinging poison and couldn’t see light all day… oh, you didn’t know about this?”
Su Hansheng shook his head blankly.
No one had ever told him.
“Bone-clinging is an ancient rare poison.” Zhou Gushe said. “You were just a nursing baby then, and under the Immortal Lord’s protection. Who could be powerful enough to poison you with such a thing? Naturally it came from the womb.”
Su Hansheng lowered his eyes, deep in thought.
That Su Xuanlin could have Master Zhou of Shangyuan Province examine his pulse condition—it must indeed be bone-clinging poison masking the phoenix bone fire.
He just didn’t know if, after detoxifying the bone-clinging poison, people would notice something amiss when the phoenix bone flared up again.
But whatever.
Ever since his heart demon was removed, Su Hansheng had adopted a go-with-the-flow mentality. He had no grand ambitions, no goals or direction—allowing all matters to follow their natural course.
Living well was naturally good, but if he died, that wasn’t a big deal either.
Everything was destined by the Heavenly Way—what was the point of worrying so much?
Qifu Zhao finished boiling the water, first pouring Su Hansheng a cup of plain water before starting to brew tea for Zhou Gushe.
Su Hansheng carried the phoenix bone, and with it seemingly about to flare up recently, his body’s meridians and spiritual bones had already begun to feel scorching and burning. He could drink even boiling water in one gulp.
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The Little Medical Immortal’s medical skills were at least more reliable than that bastard Chongjue’s. Su Hansheng steeled himself mentally, pinching the pill and about to stuff it in his mouth.
At this moment, Qifu Zhao’s hand trembled, and scalding water unexpectedly spilled on his hand. The pain made him hiss, and the kettle suddenly fell to the ground, shattering into pieces with a crash.
Su Hansheng’s movement stopped. Seeing Qifu Zhao’s pained expression, he quickly got up to look: “Did you get burned?”
Qifu Zhao’s hand was already red from the burn. He forced a smile: “It’s nothing.”
Su Hansheng saw his face had turned pale and quickly dragged him to soak it in cold water, lest it develop into something serious.
Zhou Gushe clicked her tongue and casually tossed over a porcelain bottle of medicine: “Troublesome. Just apply some medicine for such a small injury—here, take it.”
The Little Medical Immortal’s spiritual medicine naturally had immediate effects. The fragrant medicinal ointment was applied to the injury, and the burned red area immediately healed as good as new.
Qifu Zhao nodded: “Thank you, Little Medical Immortal.”
Zhou Gushe didn’t mind and started urging Su Hansheng to take the medicine again.
After all, bone-clinging poison was rarely encountered. She urgently wanted to know if this poison could actually be cured.
Su Hansheng finished applying medicine for Qifu Zhao and picked up the detoxification pill again.
Qifu Zhao stared at that pill, his eyes dark and unclear.
This time Su Hansheng faced no “obstacles” and successfully stuffed the medicine in his mouth. Before he could drink water, he felt the bitter medicinal taste explode thunderously in his mouth, so bitter he nearly jumped up, quickly draining the scalding water on the table.
“Hiss hiss hiss… bitter…”
“Of course it’s bitter.” Zhou Gushe didn’t understand why he made such a big fuss over taking medicine. “The medicine contains Everburning Grass, Cold Stone Snake, [something], sulfur, lethal poison…”
Su Hansheng: “…”
None of those sounded like things that could be used as medicine!
Zhou Gushe counted on her fingers like she was reading off a menu: “…But I added a spoonful of honey at the end. Didn’t you taste it?”
Su Hansheng was so bitter he wanted to cut off his tongue, but Zhou Gushe’s development of the antidote was already an enormous favor. Picking and choosing would be ungrateful.
He said weakly: “I… I tasted it.”
“Mm.” Zhou Gushe nodded with satisfaction and asked him: “How do you feel now? Is there still a burning sensation in your body? Do you still fear light? Are you uncomfortable? Do you want to die?”
After taking the detoxification pill, Su Hansheng didn’t feel anything unusual. The bitter taste still lingered in his mouth.
“It seems like… I don’t feel anything.”
Zhou Gushe tilted her head.
Su Hansheng also tilted his head.
The two stared at each other for a long time. Zhou Gushe finally couldn’t hold back anymore and slapped the table, saying in a deep voice: “I can’t take it anymore. Su Xiaoxiao, let me check your pulse!”
Su Hansheng looked at her puzzledly: “Check my pulse?”
Zhou Gushe was about to go crazy with anticipation: “Yes.”
Seeing Su Hansheng frowning as if becoming wary, Zhou Gushe quickly added: “I’ll just feel your pulse, like a mortal doctor would. I won’t use spiritual power to examine your spiritual meridians and bones.”
Zhuang Lingxiu had repeatedly warned him not to let others examine his pulse, but just feeling the pulse condition should be no big deal.
Su Hansheng also wanted to know if the bone-clinging poison had been cured, so he extended his wrist.
Zhou Gushe immediately reached out to feel his pulse.
Qifu Zhao’s hands hidden in his sleeves tightened slightly.
Although Zhou Gushe didn’t understand social etiquette, she still had basic medical ethics. If she said she would only feel the pulse, she absolutely wouldn’t use even a bit of spiritual power.
Su Hansheng had nothing else to do, so he tilted his head to look at Zhou Gushe.
He had no impression of this person, only vaguely remembering that when he was young, she had once followed Master Zhou of Shangyuan Province to Yingxu Sect. He didn’t remember much else.
Xu Nanxian had said that Zhou Gushe had made a fuss about wanting to marry him when she was little. Su Hansheng didn’t think he was particularly lovable, and thinking about the Little Medical Immortal’s temperament, he guessed she was probably just making wild statements because she wanted to examine his pulse.
Before coming to Wendao Academy, Elder Xie had said he wanted to invite Master Zhou of Shangyuan Province and the Little Medical Immortal to treat him, which showed extreme trust.
When he was young, Master Zhou had also examined his pulse under Su Xuanlin’s instruction. That person might also know about the existence of the phoenix bone.
Su Hansheng’s thoughts were flying through his mind when his gaze inadvertently caught sight of the blue jade prayer beads on his wrist.
Even assuming the worst-case scenario—that Master Zhou of Shangyuan Province had harbored ill intentions all along, or that the Little Medical Immortal Zhou Gushe had detected the phoenix bone in his body and wanted to claim it for herself…
Su Hansheng’s heart skipped a beat.
If he were captured by Shangyuan Province and had his phoenix bone removed, losing his life…
What would Chongjue’s reaction be?
This fantastical delusion created an intoxicating illusion for Su Hansheng out of thin air, making him uncontrollably feel infinite pleasure and anticipation.
He almost felt a vindictive pleasure, perversely thinking: what if after his death, Chongjue too would be reborn with memories of his past life, just like himself?
For some unknown reason, Su Hansheng happily kicked his legs.
Zhou Gushe suddenly frowned: “What are you thinking about? Your heart is pounding like a drum.”
Su Hansheng: “…”
Su Hansheng cleared his throat and was about to speak when he suddenly felt a bloody taste surge up from his throat. He violently spat out a mouthful of blood.
Qifu Zhao was frightened and immediately got up to support him: “Young Master!”
Mouthfuls of foul blood poured from Su Hansheng’s mouth, instantly soaking his front garment dirty. He struggled to speak, but his vision spun dizzily as he staggered and collapsed toward the ground.
Just moments ago he’d been happily fantasizing about his own dying appearance—now he was truly half-dead.
His ears felt like they were covered by a barrier, making it hard to hear clearly.
Someone seemed to be saying something sternly. It sounded like Qifu Zhao, but the tone was nearly hysterically furious—not the pitiful demeanor Su Hansheng usually knew.
Through his blurred vision, Zhou Gushe leaned over, her face dark as she gripped his chin, her fingers falling at the corner of his eyes.
“Wake up? Can you hear me? Su Xiaoxiao… Xiaoxiao!”
Su Hansheng’s lips were bloody, his eyes unfocused. In his daze, he thought this person wanted to dig out his eyes like that strange man in his dream. He struggled to dodge that hand.
“Ugh… no.”
Zhou Gushe coldly withdrew her hand—even at this point, she didn’t force herself to examine his pulse against his will. She glanced at Qifu Zhao: “The bone-clinging poison has been cured. What are you yelling at me for?”
Qifu Zhao was stunned.
Zhou Gushe was indeed a once-in-a-millennium prodigy. Even her master found the bone-clinging poison troublesome, but she had easily resolved it—though her use of medicine was too bold. The blood Su Hansheng vomited might have been poisoned blood or blood stimulated by the detoxification pill.
Qifu Zhao saw Su Hansheng’s extremely disheveled appearance and unfocused eyes, frowning deeply.
“Is it truly cured? Will there be any aftereffects?”
Zhou Gushe said lightly: “Once he vomits out all the poisoned blood, he’ll be fine. He won’t fear light or burn up anymore in the future. Aftereffects… oh, I probably used too much poison. His brain won’t work well today. Having some hallucinations like little people dancing is normal. Remember to give him plenty of water.”
Qifu Zhao: “…”
Used poison? Brain not working well? Hallucinations?
And all of this was normal?!
Qifu Zhao saw Su Hansheng covered in blood, his eyes still unfocused and staring into space with a dazed, bewildered look. Knowing he definitely couldn’t attend class, he could only carry him to the inner room to lie on the bed.
Zhou Gushe’s medical skills had surpassed her master’s. It had been years since she’d worked with difficult toxins. Seeing that she’d completely resolved the rare poison from the books, her face rarely showed some hint of a smile.
She never sought rewards for her actions. Without even saying goodbye, she took her medicine box and headed outside.
Before she could leave the gate of Falling Parasol Lodge, suddenly the sound of a blade being unsheathed rang in her ears.
A flash of cold light.
Qifu Zhao blocked her path, his long sword hanging slightly toward the ground. Spiritual power from his inner palace overflowed, making his long hair behind him flutter wildly. He looked like a death god come to claim lives.
But this person had a gentle and kind expression, speaking in a pleasant tone.
“Thank you, Little Medical Immortal, for detoxifying the Young Master. Zhao apologizes for the offense—could you please help with one more favor?”
Zhou Gushe: “…”
This posture didn’t look like someone coming to express thanks or ask for help.
Inner room of Falling Parasol Lodge.
Su Hansheng lay on the bed barely breathing, the blood flowing from his mouth seeping onto the blue jade prayer beads on his wrist, which faintly flashed with cold light.
The windows were wide open, with morning sunlight slanting in, silently falling on Su Hansheng’s fingers hanging over the bedside.
Su Hansheng looked at it absent-mindedly.
The bone-clinging poison had been cured. His hand hung carelessly over the bedside, with dawn light tenderly wrapping around his slender fingertips, illuminating his pale fingertips like translucent warm jade.
Then, with a “hiss.”
The warm morning sun suddenly transformed into bone-eroding poison. In an instant, Su Hansheng’s beautiful fingers burned with inch after inch of scarlet wounds.
Su Hansheng quickly pulled his hand back, staring blankly at the burns on his fingertips that hadn’t yet healed.
Bone-clinging poison…
Hadn’t it been cured?
***