Lin Shuhe's clinic was located at the end of a ghostly alleyway lined with coffin shops. The dilapidated storefront and eerie atmosphere blended seamlessly with the surrounding coffin shops, making it impossible to guess that this was a clinic capable of saving lives.
It should be called the Coffin-Lining Clinic, not just the Clinic.
Shen Gurong's expression remained unchanged; no one could discern his thoughts.
Only Mu Zhe, who knew his true nature, realized that his master was now panicking and desperately wanted to run away.
Shen Gurong gripped Mu Zhe's sleeve tightly, took a deep breath, and said, "Sixth Master..."
Before he could finish, he heard a soft voice from inside: "I never perform bone-changing. See yourself out."
Shen Gurong: "..."
So the "idiot" from earlier wasn't an insult to him.
Shen Gurong silently breathed a sigh of relief.
Mu Zhe helped him forward. A gentle breeze blew, causing the two lanterns beside the clinic to spin halfway, revealing one open and one closed.
The dilapidated, carved wooden door was gently pushed open, and a woman in red stepped out.
The woman had delicate features and stunning beauty. Her bright eyes slightly lifted, and Yu Xinghe was completely stunned.
The woman gracefully curtsied towards the clinic, smiling sweetly, making the eerie coffin shop seem as if it were blooming with flowers.
She said softly, "I will come again."
Lin Shuhe's voice was as still as a deep well: "No matter how many times you come, I will not treat you."
The woman was not discouraged. She smiled and turned to leave, but when her gaze fell on Shen Gurong beside her, her pupils suddenly contracted.
Mu Zhe saw her expression and gripped the hilt of his Jiu Xi Sword warily.
Unlike Yu Xinghe, who was superficial and solely focused on the woman's alluring face, he sensed an unusually unsettling aura emanating from her.
Very dangerous.
The woman momentarily lost her composure, but quickly regained her senses. She smiled charmingly, curtsied again, and turned to leave.
As she passed Shen Gurong, a faint scent of rouge wafted by, causing Shen Gurong to sneeze unexpectedly.
Only after the woman left did Yu Xinghe snap out of his daze. His face flushed red, he exclaimed excitedly, "Ah!" and cupped his face in his hands, "She...she...she!"
Mu Zhe frowned: "You know her?"
"Who doesn't?!" Yu Xinghe turned back to look in the direction the woman had disappeared, his heart pounding. "She's Sang Luofu, the number one beauty in the Three Realms on the Fenglu City Beauty Ranking!"
Mu Zhe: "Sang Luofu?"
Shen Gurong frowned: "The number one beauty?"
Shen Gurong was unhappy. If he could see now, he would want to see what the number one beauty in the Three Realms looked like.
Mu Zhe, with his sharp ears, heard his master let out a soft "humph."
Mu Zhe: "..."
At this moment, Lin Shuhe's weary voice came again from the Lin Guan Medical Clinic: "Is it fun getting soaked in the rain outside?"
Shen Gurong immediately stopped humming.
Mu Zhe greeted respectfully at the door, "Sixth Martial Uncle."
Lin Shuhe replied, "Yes, come in."
Mu Zhe acknowledged, then turned to Yu Xinghe and whispered, "Sixth Martial Uncle prefers quiet. Don't chatter, or you might lose your life."
Still captivated by Sang Luofu's beauty, Yu Xinghe immediately covered his mouth, shaking his head frantically, indicating he would remain silent from that moment on.
Mu Zhe then stepped forward, pushed open the wooden door, and helped the heavily laden Shen Gurong inside.
As soon as they entered the clinic, a strong medicinal fragrance wafted towards them. Before Shen Gurong could even decide how to greet his creditor, a faint sound suddenly rushed towards him.
In the next instant, Mu Zhe raised his hand, unleashing a burst of spiritual energy to block the incoming silver needles from Shen Gurong's path.
Mu Zhe used his spiritual power to lift the silver needles, sending them flying back to land steadily in front of Lin Shuhe, who was not far away.
He respectfully said, "Sixth Martial Uncle, you dropped your silver needles."
The large Lin Guan Medical Clinic was filled with medicine cabinets. On the central wall hung a plaque; while other clinics often displayed phrases like "Miraculous Healers" or "Healing the World," Lin Shuhe's plaque read "Harmony is Precious"—judging by the handwriting, it was Shen Feng Xue's.
Below the plaque sat a person.
Lin Shuhe, dressed in a thin white robe, sat in a wooden chair. His eyes were slightly lowered, the shadows cast by his eyelashes obscuring a blood-red beauty mark beneath his eye. His face was sickly, yet his striking beauty remained undeniable.
He held a small hand warmer with evening mist patterns in his hands, and beside him was a brazier made of fire spirit stones, warming the entire clinic.
A silver needle landed before him. He smiled, a slight upturn at the corner of his eye, and raised his thin, bony fingers to pinch the needle, casually toying with it between his fingers.
Shen Gurong nodded slightly: "Sixth Senior Brother."
Yu Xinghe quickly followed suit, bowing. Even though the person before him could be easily pushed away by any ordinary person, Yu Xinghe dared not show the slightest disrespect in his presence.
Lin Shuhe slightly raised his head, smiling at Shen Gurong, as if he hadn't just tried to kill him with the silver needle.
His voice was soft, perhaps due to prolonged illness; his breath was weak, and even his words were somewhat broken.
"Eleventh, long time no see."
Shen Gurong had expected Lin Shuhe to be ready to fight or hurl insults at him upon seeing him, but he was surprised by his calm demeanor.
However, this calmness did not comfort Shen Gurong much; instead, it added to his anxiety. He felt that Lin Shuhe was gathering strength, preparing to deliver a fatal blow.
He said calmly, "Senior brother, long time no see."
Lin Shuhe smiled and beckoned to him, "Come here, let your senior brother take a look at you."
Mu Zhe was about to help him over when he heard Lin Shuhe say calmly, "He's blind, but his legs aren't broken—come here yourself."
Shen Gurong: "..."
Shen Gurong had no choice but to push Mu Zhe's hand away and slowly walk towards the sound.
Fortunately, the Lin Guan Medical Clinic was quite spacious, and there were no obstacles on the way, so Shen Gurong walked steadily.
As soon as he stopped, he felt Lin Shuhe gently grasp his wrist and guide him to sit on a soft chair nearby.
There was probably a brazier nearby, so warm that Shen Gurong took off his cloak.
Lin Shuhe still held his wrist, his icy fingers like blocks of ice, making Shen Gurong shiver.
Mu Zhe tentatively said, "Martial Uncle, Master has been traveling for half a day, and his spiritual veins have been sealed..."
He was about to suggest that Shen Gurong rest when Lin Shuhe glanced at him and said, "Your Master and I haven't seen each other for many years. Let us catch up. Find a room to stay in."
Mu Zhe frowned, but seeing Shen Gurong nod, he nodded in agreement and led Yu Xinghe to the backyard of the clinic.
As he left, he quietly placed the Jiu Xi Sword on a nearby table, so he could use it to stop Lin Shuhe if he attacked Shen Gurong.
Lin Shuhe gently touched Shen Gurong's pulse, tapping it occasionally. He turned to look at Shen Gurong and said softly, "You've certainly taken on a good disciple."
Shen Gurong had indeed been nervous and guilty before seeing Lin Shuhe, but now that Lin Shuhe had his pulse in his grasp, he was surprisingly no longer afraid.
Shen Feng Xue's subconscious told him that Lin Shuhe wouldn't kill him.
Shen Gurong relaxed his body, propped his chin on his hand, and said lightly, as if showing off a child, "Mu Zhe is indeed a good child."
Lin Shuhe smiled and said, "I heard from Third Senior Brother that you were willing to shield that child from heavenly lightning, and therefore suffered the Heavenly Dao's punishment."
"That's true."
Lin Shuhe touched his pale lips and thoughtfully said "Oh."
Shen Gurong felt that Lin Shuhe was in an unexpectedly good mood, so he tentatively asked, "Sixth Senior Brother, did you receive that bill from the Sword Pavilion the other day?"
Lin Shuhe's eyes curved, and he smiled softly, "I received it."
Shen Gurong was somewhat frightened by his smile: "Then you..."
An ordinary person would have exploded by now, but his Sixth Senior Brother seemed... a little different from others?
Or had his senior brother become so wealthy that he wouldn't even bother with hundreds of thousands of spirit stones?
Lin Shuhe remained gentle and soft-spoken, his voice like that of a lover whispering sweet nothings: "I've thought of countless ways to kill you these past few days. Luckily you're here, so I can try them all out."
Shen Gurong: "..."
Senior brother, please calm down! Senior brother, spare my life!
Lin Shuhe took his pulse, his cool fingertips gently stroking Shen Gurong's wrist. Finally, he raised his hand to touch Shen Gurong's face, sighing, "What a pity."
Shen Gurong felt a chill run down his spine from his touch.
What's a pity? What's a pity? What is there to regret?
Lin Shuhe didn't say much. He lightly tapped the table, and a medicine cabinet beside him suddenly moved, then a wooden doll jumped out.
After landing, the doll transformed into a hideous face, seemingly painted with various colors.
Lin Shuhe said, "Let's escort the Holy Lord to rest."
The puppet's joints seemed rusty, and it wobbled as it walked to Shen Gurong, its mouth opening and closing: "Crack, Holy Lord..."
Shen Gurong: "..."
Although he didn't know what the thing in front of him was, based on Shen Feng Xue's understanding of Lin Shuhe, it was definitely not a good thing.
Shen Gurong felt he needed to be rescued: "Senior brother, I..."
Lin Shuhe interrupted him: "I will remake the ice silk for you tomorrow, and I have already sent someone to find the mermaid's tears. Don't be afraid."
Shen Gurong: "..."
Shen Gurong wasn't afraid at first, but Lin Shuhe's words made him afraid instead.
Helpless, Shen Gurong had no choice but to be led to rest by the strange puppet.
After Shen Gurong left, Lin Shuhe casually tapped the jade pendant at his waist, and Xi Guxing's voice came from it.
"He's arrived?"
Lin Shuhe: "Yes, just arrived."
Xi Guxing was also extremely worried: "Luckily he left early, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to get out."
Lin Shuhe casually beckoned a piece of paper, scribbled a prescription on it, and paused upon hearing this: "Has Master emerged from seclusion?"
Xi Guxing: "Not yet. The lightning tribulation shattered Eleven's protective barrier, and Master noticed. He used jade marrow to question me, but I managed to brush it off."
Lin Shuhe laughed: "You actually dared to lie to Master? Third Senior Brother, your courage has grown!"
"..."
Xi Guxing ignored his sarcasm and asked, "How is Eleven now?"
Lin Shuhe, having just finished writing the prescription, said, "I checked his pulse; he's much better than before. It seems he hasn't taken those potent cultivation-enhancing drugs for quite some time."
Xi Guxing nodded: "He stopped for ten years."
Lin Shuhe: "How did you persuade him?"
Xi Guxing snorted: "How could I persuade him? He suffered a qi deviation ten years ago, damaging his meridians. He probably knows that if he uses those... the elixirs used to boost cultivation only cause him suffering; he's figured it out now."
Lin Shuhe said thoughtfully, "Oh?"
"You have no idea how spoiled he is now, throwing a tantrum over the smallest things. Don't bother him too much."
"Don't worry." Lin Shuhe licked his lips, his gaze slightly darkening. "I know what I'm doing."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course." Lin Shuhe tossed the prescription to another puppet, letting it fetch the medicine. He rested his cheek on his hand, his index finger lightly tracing the beauty mark at the corner of his eye, and said with a lazy smile, "I'll make him beg... unable to live, unable to die."
Xi Guxing: "..."
Xi Guxing said strangely, "What weird novel have you been reading? Aren't you ashamed to say such embarrassing things?"
Lin Shuhe blinked: "Hmm?"
Xi Guxing didn't say much: "Then take good care of him, and it's best to let him come back later."
Lin Shuhe: "Okay."
After severing the jade marrow with Xi Guxing, Lin Shuhe took a water mirror from a shelf. With a light flick of her finger, ripples appeared, revealing the scene in Shen Gurong's room.
Lin Shuhe tapped his fingers lightly and said, word by word: "Shen, Feng, Xue."
Shen Gurong, who had just taken off his outer robe in the backyard, suddenly looked up, but saw nothing.
Mu Zhe was making the bed for him when he saw this and asked, "Master, what's wrong?"
Shen Gurong frowned. "I feel like someone's watching me."
Upon hearing this, Mu Zhe closed his eyes and used his spiritual power to create a barrier around the room, isolating him from outside prying eyes. Shen Gurong felt a little better afterward.
After making the bed, Shen Gurong groped his way to sit on the edge of the bed. He sniffed the air lightly and asked suspiciously, "Is there incense in this room?"
Mu Zhe said, "Yes, it should be Sixth Uncle's."
Shen Gurong gave a vague reply, not thinking much of it.
Mu Zhe neatly folded Shen Gurong's robes and went back to his own room to bring over a new set.
But as soon as he pushed open the door and entered, he saw Shen Gurong lying on the bed, his face buried in the blankets, his shoulders trembling slightly.
Mu Zhe asked, somewhat puzzled, "Master?"
Shen Gurong shrank back, letting out a weak sob from under the covers, sounding like suppressed grief.
Mu Zhe was startled and quickly stepped forward to support Shen Gurong's shoulders, exclaiming in panic, "Master? Master!"
Shen Gurong desperately slapped his hands away, his sobs growing louder.
Mu Zhe panicked completely now, disregarding any sense of treason, forcefully pulling Shen Gurong out of the covers and supporting him by the shoulders, "Master! Master, how could you..."
His words trailed off.
Shen Gurong's face was flushed, his unfocused eyes brimming with tears. He bit his lip tightly, as if desperately suppressing something, the corners of his eyes reddening.
Mu Zhe froze, "Master..."
The next instant, Shen Gurong couldn't hold back any longer and burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha! Don't...don't look at me!" Shen Gurong laughed and struggled, stammering, "I...you get out! Go find...find Lin Shuhe, get...get the antidote, I...I can't stop...hahaha!"
Mu Zhe: "..."
After saying that, Shen Gurong leaned on Mu Zhe's shoulder, patting his back, laughing so hard tears streamed down his face.
"I...hahaha, I'm going to kill him."
"Lin Shuhe, you...you're dead, you'll die tonight!"
"Hahaha, where's my sword? Where's my sword?!"
"Ha...ha...ha...ha..."
Mu Zhe: "..."
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