lcionline Chapter 88, 9th Lifetime: The Mad Doctor and Poison Master Descends the Mountain; While Others Build
Chapter 88, 9th Lifetime: The Mad Doctor and Poison Master Descends the Mountain; While Others Build
Chapter 88 The Mad Doctor and Poison Master Descends the Mountain: While Others Build Their Careers, I'm...
What is the martial arts world? Is it a battlefield of swords and shadows, of grudges and affections, or a place where heroes from all walks of life vie for supremacy? For Luo Qingci, the martial arts world is her playground, and she is the player who acts recklessly.
Look at her. Tall and slender, her black outfit tightly hugs her long, shapely body, outlining her smooth lines, like a cheetah lurking in the night. Her long, flowing hair flies wildly, each strand exuding an air of untamed spirit, dancing joyfully in the wind with her movements. Her fair face, like beautiful jade, radiates a cool, luminous glow.
Her eyes were like cold stars twinkling in the night, deep and sharp, as if they could see through all the secrets of the world. Anyone whose gaze swept over her felt as if their soul had been seen through. Beneath her high, straight nose, her thin, rosy lips always seemed to be smiling, as if they held countless unexpected tricks up their sleeves and could utter sharp yet witty words at any moment.
The unassuming medicine pouch hanging from her waist, seemingly insignificant, actually holds a secret: the miraculous medicine within can revive the dying, while the poison can instantly bring down even the most ferocious enemy. This is the foundation of her dominance in the martial world, silently proclaiming her unparalleled mastery of both medicine and poison. Her actions, both righteous and wicked, inspire both awe and curiosity in those of the martial world. Mentioning her name terrifies some, while others eagerly anticipate her next astonishing feat.
At this moment, the atmosphere in the luxurious private room of Piaoxianglou was exceptionally languid. Exquisite sandalwood tables and chairs were neatly arranged, and priceless calligraphy and paintings by famous artists hung on the surrounding walls. A faint scent of ambergris permeated the air, as if telling the story of this extraordinary place.
But Ke Luoqingci didn't care about the elegant atmosphere at all. She casually put her legs up on the table, which was full of a dazzling array of delicacies. Among them, the glistening roast chicken was particularly eye-catching. She held it tightly in her hand and ate it with her mouth full of oil. Her cheeks bulged out, just like a greedy little hamster. It was a stark contrast to the luxurious environment around her, yet it was inexplicably harmonious. It was as if she was meant to be this way, unbound by any rules.
Just as she was enjoying her meal, her hand still reaching for the next delicious piece on the plate, the door to the private room creaked open softly.
A woman dressed in a moon-white gauze robe walked in with light, graceful steps. Her figure was so elegant, as if a gentle breeze could topple her; each step was like floating on water, exquisitely beautiful. Her face was stunningly beautiful, her skin as white as snow, like a fairy stepping out of a painting.
Her eyes were like pools of sorrowful autumn water, brimming with grief, as if hiding endless unspoken thoughts. As soon as she entered the room, it was as if she were pulled by some invisible force, and she knelt straight down on the ground with a "thump," bowing gracefully to Luo Qingci, her forehead almost touching the ground.
Upon seeing this, Luo Qingci's lips instantly curled into a playful smile, resembling that of a cunning little fox. In her heart, she thought to herself, "Oh ho, what's she up to? Is she going to put on the most tear-jerking self-inflicted injury show of the year for me? I'd like to see what new tricks she can come up with. I hope it's not too boring, or I'll lose all the interest I've managed to muster."
On his face, he immediately feigned utter shock, his eyes wide like saucers. With a "whoosh," he sprang from the window like a spring, his speed creating a gust of wind. In a few steps, he was beside the woman, reaching out to help her up. His movements seemed gentle, yet carried an undeniable force. His face was full of concern, and his exaggerated tone seemed to pierce the roof: "Girl, what are you doing? Let's have a proper chat. Don't just perform this grand gesture all the time. Your kneeling has scared my heart out of its throat, sending it flying to outer space to keep company with the stars! If you keep doing this, I'll start to suspect you're trying to send me away so you can inherit my 'legendary martial arts'!"
The woman slowly raised her head, her eyes brimming with tears, like a spring about to burst its banks, threatening to overflow at any moment. Her voice trembled, like a withered leaf in the wind, as she sobbed, "Dr. Qing, I beg you to have mercy and save my brother! He was framed by a villain, poisoned with a strange toxin, and is now unconscious and on the verge of death. Only you in this world have the power to bring the dead back to life and save him! You are our family's lifeline; what will we do without you!"
As she spoke, tears streamed down her face like broken beads, soaking the ground in no time. Her sorrowful appearance was enough to break anyone's heart.
Luo Qingci stroked her chin, a sly glint in her eyes, like a shrewd small merchant calculating a big deal: "This charade is so old-fashioned it could fill a three-bedroom apartment, but seeing how heartbroken this girl is, crying so bitterly, her acting is almost on par with the most famous actors in the capital, I'll play along for now and enjoy this 'jianghu farce.' Maybe I can even discover something interesting to spice up my mundane jianghu life." Her face instantly transformed into one of righteous indignation, and she thumped her chest... With a deafening roar, making a series of "bang bang" sounds, he solemnly assured her, "How could such a heinous thing happen! Don't panic, young lady, with me here, I will absolutely not let that villain get away with it! But..." He deliberately dragged out his words, his eyes darting around like a cunning little fox, "My fee for this rescue isn't cheap. How do you plan to repay my 'life-saving grace'? I can't just come all this way for nothing and starve. I'm very busy; time is money, and my time is more valuable than gold!"
Upon hearing this, the woman, like a drowning person grasping at a last straw, glimmered a glimmer of hope in her eyes. She quickly pulled a jade pendant from her bosom. The pendant was crystal clear, with a warm, lustrous sheen, radiating a captivating light under the sunlight—clearly priceless. Her hands trembled as she presented the pendant to Luo Qingci, her voice choked with sobs, almost pleading, "This is my family heirloom jade pendant, priceless. If you can save my brother, it's yours! Please, you must save him. This pendant carries the hopes of generations of our family; now, it's my only hope for my brother's safety."
Luo Qingci took the jade pendant, examining it closely from all angles. She even deliberately stuck out her tongue and gently bit it with her teeth, looking just like a seasoned expert examining a treasure. Then, she nodded in satisfaction and said with a grin, "Well, for the sake of this jade pendant, I'll make this trip. But, young lady, you have to explain the whole story to me in detail, otherwise I won't have any confidence. If I can't save your brother, I'll be embarrassed to accept the jade pendant, and I might even have to pay for your medical expenses, haha! I don't want to make a losing deal, and you don't want to waste this treasure, do you?"
The woman sobbed, speaking haltingly, "My brother is the chieftain of Qingfeng Village. A few days ago, we robbed a caravan, but who would have thought that the caravan belonged to the infamous Blood Demon Palace? They held a grudge and sent someone to poison my brother. My brother has always been an upright man, but this time he was unlucky and offended these ruthless guys. Now his life is hanging in the balance, and I have no other choice but to come to you for help."
Upon hearing the words "Blood Demon Palace," Luo Qingci's eyes lit up like the brightest stars in the night sky. She rubbed her hands together excitedly, looking just like a child seeing their favorite toy, muttering to herself, "Blood Demon Palace? Interesting! It's been so long since I've encountered such a challenging opponent. Looks like another spectacular show is about to begin! I can't wait to be the 'protagonist'! This time, I'll definitely show the Blood Demon Palace my power and see if they dare to be so arrogant in the martial world!" "Zhang! Maybe we can even expose their secrets while we're at it, just thinking about it is exciting!" Saying this, she turned and grabbed a roast chicken from the table, taking a big bite. The chicken fat dripped down her chin, but she didn't care. She mumbled, "Let's go, let's go meet your brother and see just how powerful the Blood Demon Palace's poison really is, daring to run wild on my Luoqing Porcelain territory! I want to see if their poison is more potent, or if my medical skills are superior! If this poison is too simple, I won't find it interesting!"
The group rode swiftly and soon arrived at Qingfeng Village. They carefully escorted Luo Qingci into the village chief's room. Lying on the bed was a man with a face as pale as paper, his breath as weak as a candle flickering in the wind, as if he would be extinguished at any moment. His lips were cracked and bloodless, his face etched with pain; his former vigor had been completely worn away by illness.
Luo Qingci stepped forward, placing her hand on the man's pulse. Her brows furrowed slightly, and she was secretly astonished: "This poison is quite interesting. It's a fusion of several rare toxins. Those guys from the Blood Demon Palace are truly ruthless! But this is no match for me. I am Luo Qingci, a master of both medicine and poison. This little poison is a piece of cake in my eyes. They think they can stump me? They're dreaming! I'm going to break this poison today and show them what happens when they offend me!"
After a moment of contemplation, his eyes suddenly lit up. He slapped his thigh, jumped up excitedly, and shouted, "I've got it! I need a medicinal ingredient, and that ingredient... is the blood of those poisoners from the Blood Demon Palace!" He turned to the woman, winked, and joked like he was talking to an old friend, "Girl, do you know where they're hiding? If we can find them, your brother's illness can be cured! Think quickly, where could they be hiding? Maybe they're still gloating in the Blood Demon Palace right now. Wait until I come knocking, then let's see if they're still laughing!"
The woman looked troubled, her face filled with helplessness and worry: "This... I only know that they went back to the Blood Demon Palace. The Blood Demon Palace is heavily guarded, as impenetrable as an iron barrel, full of traps and hidden sentries. We simply can't get in. We'll be discovered as soon as we get close. There's really no way. I've tried to find a way before, but I've always failed and almost gotten myself into trouble."
Luo Qingci's lips curled into a confident smile, as if telling the whole world that nothing could defeat her: "Can't get in? That's because you haven't met me yet. Don't worry, with me here, the Blood Demon Palace is made of paper, it'll break with a single poke! I'm going to wreak havoc in the Blood Demon Palace, drag out those poisoners, and avenge your brother! I'll let the Blood Demon Palace know the consequences of offending me, Luo Qingci! They think they're safe hiding in that wretched place? How naive! Once I get in, I'll turn their world upside down!" With that, she put her hands on her hips, tilted her head back, and burst into loud laughter. Her hearty and unrestrained laughter echoed in the room, making everyone's ears ring, as if it wanted to break through the small room and spread throughout the entire martial arts world, declaring her determination to everyone.
That night, under a dark and windy sky, it was the perfect time to act. Luo Qingci disguised herself, wearing tattered coarse linen clothes, a dirty headscarf, and smearing soot on her face, looking exactly like a village girl from the foot of the mountain, still exuding a faint scent of smoke. She swaggered into the Blood Demon Palace.
At the entrance of the Blood Demon Palace, two guards stood ramrod straight like two iron towers. Seeing Luo Qingci's strange attire and furtive demeanor, they immediately stepped forward like two alert hunting dogs to block her way: "Halt! Who are you? What business do you have in the Blood Demon Palace? Take another step forward, or don't blame us for being impolite!" Their voices were deep and fierce, and the long spears in their hands gleamed coldly in the moonlight, as if ready to pierce the intruder at any moment.
Luo Qingci's eyes darted around, and she immediately adopted a pitiful expression, her acting skills superb. Her voice trembled slightly as she said, "Brothers, I'm a village girl from the foot of the mountain. My family is so poor we can't even afford to eat, we're all starving. I heard the Blood Demon Palace is hiring menial workers, so I thought I'd come here to beg for food. Please, brothers, have mercy and give me a chance. I'm really hardworking, I can do any kind of work! Washing clothes, cooking, cleaning the courtyard, I'm good at everything!" As she spoke, she pulled out two steaming hot meat buns from her bosom and handed them to the guards. The buns were still steaming and smelled delicious. "Brothers, these are buns I just made. Please try them, consider it my way of showing my respect. If you like them, please put in a good word for me and let me stay. I got up early this morning and worked hard to make them, and I even added some meat that I saved up myself!"
The guard watched her warily, his eyes full of suspicion. Just as he was about to reach out and take the bun, a loud shout came from behind him: "Watch out, it might be a trap!"
This sound, like a thunderclap, shattered the previous calm and instantly brought Luo Qingci's plan to a standstill... But a barely perceptible smile appeared on Luo Qingci's lips as she thought to herself, "Hmph, interesting. It seems this show is getting more and more exciting. I'll see what other tricks you have up your sleeve! You think you can stop me? How naive! Today I'm going to break into this Blood Demon Palace! Once I'm inside, you'll see!"