Chapter 285 - The Three Samadhis (1/2)
Chapter 285 The Three SamadhisCradling the packages of herbs, Xiao Chen retreated to a small cabin where he instructed a pair of maids to help him prepare a furnace. He busied himself in his work and returned four hours later, coming back to Ye Mulian’s room with a bowl of medicine.
Just as he walked in, the smell from the medicine filled the room with a pungent but naturally sweet-smelling aroma. Everyone gaped with silence, especially Gongsun Tai who eyed him with disbelief.
“I can’t believe that brewing medicine would take you so long,” Zhiluan grumbled disdainfully, “What a shame.”
Xiao Chen merely smiled. He walked to the bed and placed the bowl down. “Come on, Leopard Cat Spirit,” he said suddenly, “This bowl of medicine still needs something.”
“Ah? What else do you still lack…” Zhiluan muttered at first, before he noticed the knowing stare from Xiao Chen and a wicked smile curling on the edges of his lips. A sense of dread dawned upon him when he finally realized, staggering backward up against a wall. “B-boy!? HOW DARE YOU! I’m warning you! You’ll not get away with this!”
“Come on, it’s just a little bit. I’ll give you some elixirs that would help increase your powers after this as compensation.”
“Y-you! D*mmit!”
Zhiluan dragged itself to the bowl. Biting hard on its paws, it grimaced at the pain and watched mournfully as a drop of blood from its wound dripped into the bowl.
Fearful that Xiao Chen might squeeze another drop out of it, Zhiluan immediately drew away like a bolt of lightning as soon as his drop of blood splashed into the medicinal tonic.
“Look at you,” Xiao Chen jested, chuckling. “The drop would do the trick,” he mused.
Enraged, Zhiluan squealed in protest from his corner. Knowing full well the medicinal qualities of the blood of Immortal Lingzhis, Elder Plum went over to him and offered some consolation, “My deepest thanks, esteemed Immortal Lingzhi. You’ve been a great help…”
“HUMPH! I’d be expecting good food for all this trouble I’ve been through!”
“Of course, of course! As you wish.”
Xiao Chen lifted the bowl and brought it closer to the sickly girl. “Come, drink up, Young Lady.”
“Thank, thank you Master Xiao. I’ll be fine on my own.” She got up herself, albeit with difficulty and took over the bowl, gulping down its contents slowly.
Ye Lingfeng and the rest looked on, the looks on their faces fully conveying their concern and apprehension, their breaths held as they prayed for the medicine to work. Slowly, the mark on Ye Mulian’s neck diminished a little and relieved smiles began breaking on everyone’s faces.
“Good Heavens! It works! Thank you, Master Xiao! Thank you so much!”
Ye Lingfeng was beaming with reprieve and joy, while Gongsun Tai was sulking in his corner. “It’s only working because of the Spirited Lingzhi,” he snorted quietly.
Tears of happiness streamed down Lady Jiang’s cheeks and she was only held back by Xiao Chen before she could have rushed to her daughter and hugged her. But it was still too early before Ye Mulian was fully cured and allowed to be in contact with anyone.
Ye Mulian smiled. “Thank you, Master Xiao… But… do you not fear of being infected yourself…”
It had been so long since she last felt the tantalizing touch from another person’s hand. She had been a pariah, a leper whom everyone in the house had been giving a wide berth ever since she was discovered to have contracted the infection of the infernal aura. Even her parents had been kept away from her at Gongsun Tai’s insistence, and they had been continually advised against entering this cottage.
She had abandoned all hoping, longing only for a quick death, until the coming of this young man whom she never before saw, who had restored hope to her in his courage to help cure her.
“Rest assured that I’ll be fine, Young Lady,” said Xiao Chen to her, “I have a gift. A gift that protects me from any infections or malignant influences.”
Zhiluan scoffed, its paws crossed at its chest, “Just you wait. Sooner or later, you might get infected yourself. We’ll see who’ll save you then.”
“Let us hope that I’ll indeed contract the disease then. Then I’ll have you to hope for.” Xiao Chen looked at the leopard cat spirit and chuckled.
“NEVER!” Zhiluan bellowed with horror, clutching its wounded paw.
The episode drew Gongsun Tai’s attention as his eyes wandered to this thousand-year-old Spirited Lingzhi.
Xiao Chen chuckled and took out an elixir that glowed with pearly-white sheen. “Take this, Young Lady,” Xiao Chen said gently to Ye Mulian.
From his corner, Gongsun Tai’s eyes narrowed as he peered intently at the pill. As a Tier Four Elixir King, he could see that it takes at least one as skillful as a Tier Three Elixir Master to produce an elixir of such quality. “Who in the world is this young man?”
“Master Xiao,” he asked suddenly, “May I have the privilege to have the name of your teacher?”
“Oh?” Xiao Chen turned and asked curiously, “Which faculties of mine are you referring to?”
“Why, healing of course.”
Xiao Chen chuckled. “I was fortunate to make an acquaintance with a senior just a few months ago. I have had the chance to learn a thing or two from him, but I’m afraid I’m not in the position to divulge his name.”
Gongsun Tai gave no other answer nor did he press on further. Instead, thoughts swam in his mind as distant memory came back to him about a certain Tier Eight Sage of Medicine who had mysteriously gone into hiding with no news left of him.