Chapter 42 : So Timid
Chapter 42: So Timid?
Lu Xingzhou and Xun Fei both fell silent.
At least pretend to think about it before answering, and they still might have believed her.
But now, without even pausing to consider it, she seemed as though she had long known this kind of poison. How could the two of them possibly believe her?
Xun Fei glared at Lu Xingzhou. The girl had originally had quite a good temper—polite, and pretty as well.
Yet he just had to anger her the moment he came up.
Embarrassment and helplessness also appeared on Lu Xingzhou’s serious face. Who could have expected that this young girl, who did not look very old, would have such a fierce temper?
Even Hall Master Liu, standing to the side, found it somewhat amusing.
Her anger was so obvious—who could fail to see it?
“Creak!”
At that moment, the door of the side room opened, and Jiang Jing slowly walked out.
“Why did you come out?”
“I haven’t taken your pulse yet or set the time for your next treatment!”
Seeing Jiang Jing walk out, Li Yunqing pointed to the stool by the wooden table and said, “Sit here!”
Jiang Jing swept his gaze around the courtyard and likewise sensed that the atmosphere was off. He also sensed that Li Yunqing’s temper seemed especially bad at the moment.
He said nothing, calmly walked to the table and sat down, placing his hand on it.
“Young in age, fierce in temper—best not provoke her!”
How could he possibly have failed to hear what had just been said outside? Looking at the slight chill on Li Yunqing’s face now, he found it amusing, yet his heart also thumped rapidly.
“You’re recovering very well. Your next treatment will be in two days. At most nine more sessions, and you’ll be fully cured.”
Hearing Li Yunqing’s words, Jiang Jing gave a slight nod.
He could naturally feel it himself. Originally, ninety percent of his True Qi had been used to suppress the cold poison; now seventy percent was enough.
The Thousand-Year Cold Poison within his body was steadily weakening.
Hall Master Liu was startled. “The Thousand-Year Cold Poison can be cured?”
Naturally, he knew Jiang Jing—the one of the Four Commandants of the Demon Suppression Division, and also the disciple of the Commander of the Demon Suppression Division.
He had been afflicted with the Thousand-Year Cold Poison and had sought treatment for over two years, yet no one had been able to heal him.
In the end, he had only been able to rely on Ghost Granny’s Ghost Gate Needles together with True Qi suppression.
Now that he heard it could be cured, Hall Master Liu subconsciously looked toward Li Yunqing.
If even the Thousand-Year Cold Poison could be cured, then the Poison of Nine Infants should not be a problem either.
And Li Yunqing’s medical skill was clearly beyond imagination. Even he no longer dared underestimate her.
With such medical skill, even if the Commander of the Demon Suppression Division personally came, he would have to treat her with courtesy.
To those members of the Demon Suppression Division who fought demons, monsters, and evil gods all year round, such medical skill was a second life.
Especially since those demonic and evil beings had countless bizarre methods, each strange and unusual. Nearly every poison they used was a peerless poison of the age.
Ordinary physicians simply could not cure them.
“For this, I must thank Miss Yunqing.”
Jiang Jing did not put on airs. He rose and cupped his fists toward Hall Master Liu in salute.
This Hall Master Liu might not be the strongest among the ten great Martial Halls, but his status was by no means ordinary. Even Jiang Jing’s master, the Commander of the Demon Suppression Division, treated him with courtesy.
Meanwhile, Xun Fei and Lu Xingzhou exchanged a glance and instantly became certain of the young girl’s medical skill.
The Thousand-Year Cold Poison, though it could not compare with the true Poison of Nine Infants,
there were no real ferocious Nine Infants beasts in this world anyway. The Poison of Nine Infants their master had suffered was merely from a demon snake bearing the bloodline of Nine Infants.
Clearly, the young girl’s words just now had only been spoken in anger.
“Miss Yunqing!”
Xun Fei stepped forward, came to Li Yunqing’s side, and said softly, “My senior brother was rash and offended you. The Azure Mountain Sword Sect is willing to offer compensation. We only ask that you detoxify our master’s Poison of Nine Infants.”
“Miss Yunqing, whatever you ask, Lu Xingzhou will brave boiling water and tread through fire without refusing!”
Lu Xingzhou apologized once more and said, “I only ask that you save Master.”
Master, the Sword Saint of Azure Mountain, was very strong. The Poison of Nine Infants could not take his life for the time being, but it could gradually erode it bit by bit.
If it could not be suppressed and not be detoxified, then with Master’s strength as the Sword Saint of Azure Mountain, he would likely become a cripple in an instant.
“Yunqing, the Sword Saint of Azure Mountain lived his entire life upright and unyielding. He slew countless demons and monsters and saved innumerable common people. If you can treat him, then help him once.”
Hall Master Liu also spoke in persuasion.
The Sword Saint of Azure Mountain had founded the Azure Mountain Sword Sect. Throughout his life, he had been upright and incorruptible, treating demons, monsters, and evil gods as mortal enemies, never showing mercy.
He had saved quite a few common people and was absolutely someone worthy of respect.
Even Hall Master Liu himself respected him.
Li Yunqing’s brows moved slightly as her eyes turned toward Hall Master Liu.
With the face of her master, Ghost Granny, Hall Master Liu would not deceive her. And from some travel records and biographies, she had indeed seen the name of the Sword Saint of Azure Mountain before.
There was much praise for him.
After thinking for a moment, she directly said, “Demons, monsters, and evil gods outside are too dangerous. I don’t make house calls. If he wants treatment, send him to the Martial Hall.”
If he were sent to the Martial Hall, her treating him would not be a major matter. The Poison of Nine Infants might even strengthen the power of the Medicine King Force.
But if she had to run all the way to Great Azure Mountain, two thousand li away, then she absolutely would not go.
Even though the horses of this world, influenced by demons, monsters, evil gods, and spiritual energy, could travel two thousand li in a day, she still did not want to go.
The last time she rode a horse, it had felt fairly good. But if she had to ride one at full speed in a mad dash, she felt that her backside and legs definitely would not be able to endure it.
Her skin had grown soft. Though it had been tempered and could count as tough, it was still somewhat sensitive.
If it could be avoided, she would avoid it. At worst, from now on, whenever she went out, she would take a carriage.
Hearing that Li Yunqing was willing to treat him, Lu Xingzhou and Xun Fei both let out a sigh of relief.
“Miss Yunqing, I swear upon my Sword Heart that I will protect your safety without worry. Please come with us to the Azure Mountain Sword Sect.”
Lu Xingzhou spoke in a solemn tone, his face serious.
Master had poison in his body and was also injured, so he could not ride a fast horse. If he took a carriage, it would probably take two or three days.
Though Master could hold on, it would be too taxing.
If they could invite the physician over, that would naturally be best.
“Sword Heart?”
A trace of doubt rose between Li Yunqing’s brows, but she refused without hesitation, “I don’t make house calls. Treat him or don’t.”
“Sword Heart is the sword path created by the Sword Saint of Azure Mountain—utmost sincerity, utmost truth!”
Hall Master Liu said, “Yunqing, you may not trust anyone else, but you can trust a sincere swordsman who has condensed a Sword Heart!”
“They nurture one heart for ten years. They all cultivate the sword path of utmost sincerity and are worthy of being called sincere gentlemen.”
“Once the Sword Heart shatters, all of one’s sword path cultivation is lost as well.”
At these words, even Jiang Jing at the side gave a slight nod.
The sword path of the Sword Saint of Azure Mountain placed the greatest importance on the Sword Heart. From the very beginning of cultivation, one strictly restrained oneself by the path of utmost sincerity and utmost truth, refining one heart over ten years.
Once the Sword Heart was formed, one’s sword path cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds, and the power of one’s sword techniques far surpassed the ordinary.
And only disciples who condensed a Sword Heart were considered the true inheritance of the Sword Saint of Azure Mountain.
It was precisely because of this sword path of utmost sincerity and utmost truth that the Sword Saint of Azure Mountain gained the title of saint among swordsmen.
“I’m not going. It’s too dangerous outside!”
Li Yunqing refused without hesitation. “I don’t make house calls. If he wants treatment, send him to the Martial Hall!”
If she had been male, she would have feared nothing.
Unfortunately, she had a female body. Once she went outside, who knew what might happen?
Jiang Yu had seemed decent enough, yet after they fell into the mountain valley, he had still dared deceive her. Fortunately, Jiang Yu had not been strong enough, and she had been able to protect herself.
And trusting others meant tying one’s body and heart to someone else.
Death itself was not much to fear, but what if she were violated?
How could she possibly dare trust anyone on that point?
Even modern people knew that one could sit for exams, postgraduate exams, investigations, even archaeology, but one must never test the human heart.
Before she had the power to protect herself, there was absolutely no chance she would go out, even if beaten to death.
“So all these years, you stayed behind closed doors because you were timid?”
“So timid, yet your temper isn’t small at all!”
Looking at the charm and beauty of Li Yunqing’s figure, a faint smile tugged at Jiang Jing’s hard and cold face. Even his fingers seemed to grow excited, rapidly tapping on the table.
And the moment he said this, Hall Master Liu, Xun Fei, and Lu Xingzhou all looked at Li Yunqing’s face, then thought of her little outburst just now, and smiles also appeared on their faces.
Li Yunqing had only become famous in Qingzhou because of the matter of her engagement with the Jiang Family.
Before that, she had possessed almost no fame at all. In fact, most people probably had not even known that there was such a person as the young lady of the Li Residence.
And because of that, after showing her face at the betrothal banquet, so many young masters had felt inexplicable heartbreak.
In a single night, her name had spread throughout Qingzhou.
“Timid?”
Li Yunqing glanced at Jiang Jing, then at the smiles on everyone’s faces, lowered her head silently, and felt somewhat speechless.
Was that timidity?
That was caution!
A careless woman would, in the end, surely be ruined by men. One misstep would become eternal regret.
No matter how cautious she was, it would never be too much.
“With no power to protect myself, say whatever you like. If you call me timid, then timid it is.”
Thinking of this, Li Yunqing did not change her words in the slightest.
Her tone remained as calm as ever. “I don’t make house calls!”
“If he wants treatment, send him to the Martial Hall!”