When Shen Gurong emerged from the side courtyard, his face was filled with confusion.
What kind of temperament did this little protagonist have? He was perfectly fine just a moment ago, but suddenly his expression changed as if he'd seen a ghost.
Tsk, a child's face is like the weather in June—it changes in an instant.
He didn't dwell on it and leisurely returned to the main courtyard of Fanjiang Residence.
There wasn't much to do in Shen Feng Xue's residence. Shen Gurong searched the vast Fanjiang Residence for a long time but couldn't find anything interesting.
He looked at the dark bamboo flute hanging by the window and reached out to take it down.
The teacher who taught Shen Gurong calligraphy was very skilled at playing the bamboo flute. Whenever Shen Gurong became restless while practicing calligraphy, the teacher, dressed in a blue robe, would sit beside him, eyes lowered, and play the bamboo flute.
The sound of the bamboo flute was deep and ethereal, like a lament.
Sometimes, while practicing calligraphy, little Gurong would tug at his teacher's sleeve, pestering him to teach him to play the bamboo flute.
His teacher was very gentle, exuding a calm and scholarly air. When he looked down at him, his eyes were as gentle as water.
His teacher said softly, "After you finish practicing today's calligraphy, I will teach you."
Shen Gurong obediently finished his calligraphy practice, and his teacher kept his promise and taught him the bamboo flute.
After a few days of learning, the usually gentle teacher rubbed his ears, hid the bamboo flute, and forced a smile, saying, "Gurong... you should just read your storybooks."
Shen Gurong: "..."
His bamboo flute learning journey ended there.
Shen Gurong gently stroked the dark bamboo flute, his fingertips tracing the characters "奉雪" (Feng Xue, meaning "Offering Snow") carved at the bottom.
He clicked his tongue, picked up the bamboo flute, and, remembering what his teacher had taught him, tried playing a tune against the backdrop of the quiet night outside the window.
Mu Zhe, who had finally managed to compose himself, was meditating in the side courtyard, circulating his spiritual energy, when the sound of the bamboo flute nearly caused him to suffer a qi deviation.
The next morning, dawn was breaking.
Shen Gurong was awakened by the morning bell of the morning classes at Liren Peak. Getting up was difficult for him; his personal attendants always had to engage in a battle of wits to wake him.
No one would dare to enter Fanjiang Residence without permission, and even less would anyone dare to be so bold as to wake him.
Shen Gurong rolled around in bed several times, feeling somewhat uneasy that no one was waking him.
Shen Gurong asked, "Young Master, the sun is high in the sky, shouldn't you get up?"
Shen Gurong replied, "How about letting Young Master sleep for another incense stick's time?"
Shen Gurong said, "No."
He played two roles, fussing with himself for a while, before finally lazily fumbling for the ice silk blindfolds to tie over his eyes, throwing on his robes and getting out of bed.
Upon exiting the room, the white-crane youth, who had been standing at the courtyard gate for some time, bowed slightly upon seeing him: "Holy Lord."
Shen Gurong nodded and responded, "What is it?"
"Holy Lord, the Sect Leader requests your presence at Martial Uncle Lou's place on Baishang Mountain."
Shen Gurong was stunned. Baishang Mountain? Martial Uncle Lou?
He then reviewed Shen Feng Xue's memories.
Lou Bugui was the only medical cultivator on Liren Peak, residing on Baishang Mountain for a long time. He often went out to gather herbs, sometimes for a year or more at a time, so he wasn't seen very often.
Shen Gurong knew Xi Guxing was about to interrogate him, so he forced a calm nod and said, "Lead the way."
Bai He hesitated for a moment, then nodded and led the way.
The two walked slowly for about fifteen minutes, crossing two suspension bridges, and finally arrived at Lou Bugui's residence on Baishang Mountain.
Lou Bugui's residence was filled with the strong smell of medicine, and various herbs were planted in the courtyard. When Shen Gurong entered, Lou Bugui was squatting in the courtyard, plucking a herb and putting it in his mouth.
Xi Guxing was sitting on a stone bench nearby, brewing tea. He caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of his eye, his expression changed, and he flicked a finger, releasing a burst of spiritual energy that accurately dislodged the herb in Lou Bugui's hand.
After the herbs were knocked away, Lou Bugui remained blank for a long time before suddenly exclaiming, "Ah!" and saying, "My herbs."
Xi Guxing, perhaps being naturally inclined to criticize anyone he disliked, snapped, "You were driven mad for half a month by this poison last year, and you dare to eat it again?"
Lou Bugui, usually mild-mannered, had slightly drooping eyes, as if burdened by an unresolved sorrow, looking utterly dejected.
He said slowly, "I want to try and see if I can become immune to all poisons this time."
Xi Guxing: "Just poison yourself to death then."
Lou Bugui seemed to have developed some mental issues from years of experimenting with herbs; he always took a long time to react when spoken to, several beats slower than usual.
Changying Mountain and Baishang Mountain were separated only by a suspension bridge, yet their seasons were summer and autumn respectively. Shen Gurong, dressed in thin clothes, shivered slightly in the autumn wind.
Lou Bugui then noticed him, exclaiming, "Ah!" and saying, "Shidi's here."
Shen Fengxue was raised by the former headmaster of Liren Peak from a young age, ranking eleventh in the sect, making him the youngest junior brother.
Shen Gurong nodded slightly: "Senior brother."
Lou Bugui seemed somewhat pleased, but his face was always gloomy; even with a smile, his eyes remained droopy.
He tugged at Shen Gurong's sleeve and led him to sit down next to Xi Guxing: "Give Shidi some hot tea."
Xi Guxing glanced at him, reluctantly pouring a cup of tea for Shen Gurong.
As soon as Shen Gurong sat down, Lou Bugui, probably noticing he was trembling, took a crane-feather cloak from inside and draped it over his shoulders, asking, "Senior brother said you were injured? Why didn't you come looking for me before?"
Shen Gurong draped the cloak over his shoulders, unsure how to answer for a moment.
"I..."
Xi Guxing murmured from the side, "What did you come to see me for? To test the medicine?"
Lou Bugui drank half a glass of water, seemingly not understanding the meaning of his words.
Xi Guxing was already used to Lou Bugui's slow pace and wasn't in a hurry at all. Shen Gurong, on the other hand, wasn't used to it and almost choked trying to hold back his laughter.
Lou Bugui took a moment to react. Shen Gurong took a sip of tea and looked at Xi Guxing: "Is Li Suo alright?"
Xi Guxing glanced at him coldly: "Thanks to you, he's at least a Golden Core cultivator. That minor injury won't kill him for now; he'll recover in a few days."
Shen Gurong nodded: "He's fine."
Xi Guxing sneered: "What about your precious disciple?"
Shen Gurong, as if showing off his own child, said with a reserved yet secretly boastful tone: "He broke through to the Qi Refining stage."
Xi Guxing was stunned: "Really? I remember last month you nearly killed him, and he still couldn't condense any spiritual power. What did you do today?"
Shen Gurong coughed, not wanting to take the blame for Shen Feng Xue's misdeeds, and mumbled: "I... I didn't do anything this time."
Because of Li Suo's serious injury, Xi Guxing's impression of Mu Zhe had already plummeted, so he didn't ask any more questions; he didn't care whether Mu Zhe lived or died.
Xi Guxing put down his cup, looking coldly at Shen Gurong, and said, "So now, are you ready to explain Mu Zhe to me?"
Shen Gurong was taken aback, only then remembering this matter.
He had overturned a pile of drafts, and yesterday he had fallen asleep while playing the bamboo flute, completely forgetting about it. Now, with Xi Guxing asking, he felt inexplicably guilty.
Lou Bugui couldn't keep up with their conversation at all, but he didn't want to get involved. He brought out a small silk cushion from inside the room, placed it on the table, and tugged at Shen Gurong's sleeve, gesturing for Shen Gurong to place his hand on it.
Shen Gurong readily placed his hand on it.
Lou Bugui closed his eyes to take his pulse.
Xi Guxing slammed his hand on the table, his expression stern, and said, "Speak! Don't try to play dead this time."
Shen Gurong trembled.
Lou Bugui frowned. "Third Senior Brother, don't scare him. I can't take his pulse properly."
Xi Guxing had no choice but to shut up, still staring at Shen Gurong with a deathly gaze.
Shen Gurong feigned composure, his pulse pounding wildly.
"A heart ailment," Lou Bugui muttered softly.
Xi Guxing frowned, reluctantly leaving the courtyard.
Shen Gurong silently breathed a sigh of relief, his heartbeat gradually stabilizing.
Lou Bugui continued to take his pulse.
After a quarter of an hour, Lou Bugui finally slowly opened his eyes and said, "Ah."
Shen Gurong had almost fallen asleep, but was awakened by his "Ah."
Lou Bugui's eyes widened slightly, looking at Shen Gurong strangely.
Shen Gurong suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. It was said that medical cultivators could diagnose all the world's difficult and complicated diseases. Could it be that his possession of Shen Feng Xue could also be diagnosed?! Looking into Lou Bugui's listless eyes, Shen Gurong felt a pang of unease.
Lou Bugui stammered for a long time before slowly saying, "Shidi, you've gone into qi deviation."
Shen Gurong: "..."
Ah.
Ah?
Xi Guxing, hearing Lou Bugui's "Ah," knew he had finished his diagnosis and swiftly approached.
"You've diagnosed it?"
Lou Bugui nodded: "Qi deviation, chaotic consciousness."
Xi Guxing's pupils contracted: "Are you sure?"
Lou Bugui nodded.
Lou Bugui was a very peculiar medical cultivator. He could diagnose all sorts of strange illnesses and poisons, and describe pulse diagnosis with great detail, yet he never administered medicine. His poison-making abilities, however, were unparalleled in the Three Realms.
The fame of Liren Peak stemmed from two reasons: Yu Shu Manghan and Shen Feng Xue, and also from the most useless medical cultivator in the Three Realms—Lou Bugui.
Upon hearing the phrase "qi deviation," Shen Gurong was stunned for a long time before a thought suddenly occurred to him.
If he truly had qi deviated, then…
Wouldn't his sudden change in personality make sense?
As Shen Gurong was pondering his own calculations, Xi Guxing grabbed his hand and skillfully probed Shen Gurong's spiritual meridians with his spiritual energy.
After a moment, Xi Guxing withdrew his spiritual energy, frowning, and said, "I can't detect qi deviation, but I can tell he doesn't have much time left without medicine."
Shen Gurong: "…"
Lou Bugui said, "I have medicine! I have medicine!"
Xi Guxing scolded him, "Get lost! Using your medicine will only hasten his death."
Lou Bugui couldn't push his medicine away, so he could only dejectedly continue studying spiritual herbs… and poisons.
Xi Guxing looked at Shen Gurong, frowning, and asked, "Why did you suddenly qi deviate?"
Shen Gurong thought to himself, "I want to know too." Xi Guxing asked, "How is your state of mind now? Are you still in the Mahayana stage?"
Shen Gurong didn't understand what "state of mind" meant, so he remained silent.
Xi Guxing frowned: "Speak."
Shen Gurong lowered his eyelashes, his expression unusually submissive, and vaguely said, "Probably."
Xi Guxing: "..."
Xi Guxing was actually unaccustomed to Shen Gurong not arguing with him.
Shen Gurong finally found a reason to completely let loose, and his previously tense back slowly relaxed.
He propped his chin on his hand, tilting his head, his white hair cascading over his crane-feather cloak, an ethereal and otherworldly aura emanating from his eyes.
Xi Guxing stared at him for a long time before finally sitting down, asking strangely, "Call me again."
Shen Gurong obediently called out, "Third Senior Brother."
Xi Guxing was shocked: "He really has gone into qi deviation!"
Shen Gurong: "..."
So, obediently calling you "Senior Brother" is your standard for judging whether your junior brother has gone into qi deviation?
Xi Guxing coldly asked Lou Bugui, "What kind of spiritual medicine can cure qi deviation? If Liren Peak doesn't have it, I'll go to Xianyun City to get some—Bugui? Lou Bugui!"
Lou Bugui, startled by the shout, exclaimed "Ah!" and came to his senses. He looked at Shen Gurong with surprise and said, "I won't let Shidi test the medicine."
Shen Gurong: "..."
So he only just realized it now.
The atmosphere became somewhat awkward. Shen Gurong brushed his white hair back, as if remembering something, and raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Third Senior Brother, didn't you tell me before that the elixir was sent by people from Xianyun City?"
How come it's now that you personally went to beg for it?
Xi Guxing was taken aback.
Seeing his reaction, Shen Gurong understood. He said, "Oh, I see..."
Xi Guxing immediately flew into a rage, his ears turning bright red as he yelled, "Die or don't die, it's up to you! I don't care! Get out! Get out, get out!"
Shen Gurong: "..."
Tsk, why did he explode so easily?
Lou Bugui was still immersed in his own little world, muttering to himself, "If Shidi doesn't try the medicine, Master will kill me."
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