Translation: Aerial Rain Translation (aerialrain.com) by koffeam

Since this was the person Xingluo Pavilion Master personally admitted as a friend, Canglang Academy’s sect leader didn’t dare to be rude. Shen Zhengheng took a look at Meng Qi. Even after he saw that this girl was just a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he still greeted her politely.

“We have visited the Xue Clan tonight.” Pei Mufeng continued, “Miss Xue was also sent back to Xingluo City after being poisoned today. The situation is the same as Li Che. Meng Qi wants to see him.”

“Alright.” Shen Zhengheng hesitated slightly, but he nodded. He stepped aside and waved his hand politely: “We will trouble Young Daoist Meng.”

For someone Shen Zhengheng’s age, it was appropriate to call Meng Qi ‘Young Daoist.’ Although Canglang Academy was one of the three largest medical sects in the Southern Realm, but the medical cultivators in the Southern Realm had declined as the whole, and none of the three medical sects were ranked in the top ten of the Southern Realm.

Shen Zhengheng didn’t want to offend Xingluo Pavilion Master, and didn’t want to add another trouble to his sect. What’s more, lying on the bed now was his most beloved youngest disciple, who was extremely talented. He hoped this child could carry forward their sect’s inheritance.

“I can solve the poison in Xiao Che’s body.” Shen Zhengheng led the two towards his injured disciple Li Che’s room and explained: “Since you two have seen Miss Xue, you probably can guess that Xiao Che is also binded by an prohibition array. If a Golden Core or higher cultivator tried to detoxify, it would only bring an opposite effect.”

“I see.” Pei Mufeng responded with a low voice.

They arrived at Li Che’s bed, and Meng Qi looked at the young man lying on the bed. The person looked younger than Pei Mufeng. His face was relatively delicate and handsome. He was lying on the bed with eyes closed, pale face, and thin lips cracked dry.

Meng Qi’s heart jumped upon seeing the young man—she wasn’t unfamiliar with this face. When she heard the name ‘Li Che’ from Pei Mufeng earlier, she already felt a familiarity. Now that she had seen the man in person, she was sure who he was.

In additions of many ardent suitors, Lu Qingran also had loyal confidants. One of them was Li Che, a fellow medical cultivator whose talent was pretty high. Meng Qi didn’t know what exactly was his relationship with Lu Qingran. But Meng Qi once had seen Lu Qingran said she wanted a rare medicinal ingredient, so Li Che willingly took a risk and went to a place infamous to be a fierce beast lair to get the ingredient for Lu Qingran.

All in all, he did so much just to see Lu Qingran’s smile.

Seeing this person was one of Lu Qingran’s admirers, Meng Qi’s happy mood just now suddenly dimmed and was replaced by hesitation. She frowned and couldn’t help complained silently.

Why should Li Che know Lu Qingran, ah?!

Why cannot he stay nicely in the Southern Realm?!

Are there no other girls in the Southern Realm?!

Meng Qi pursed her lips slightly. Now that she had survived previous ordeals safely, it proved that her method was correct. Therefore, this Li Che…

“What’s wrong?” Pei Mufeng seemed to see her dilemma and asked in a low voice.

“Um…” Meng Qi hesitated, “I’ll take a look first.” She could took a look first, and considered the karmic relationship later.

Pei Mufeng nodded, and reached his hands to lift up the unconscious Li Che. Meng Qi also reached her hands and gently pulled down Li Che’s shirt. As expected, there was flower pattern blooming on the back of the the young man’s neck. Only this time, it wasn’t plum blossom, but a branch of peach blossoms. Still, the peach blossoms were light green in color.

Meng Qi unhesitantly took off Li Che’s clothes.

Shen Zhengheng wanted to say something, but after opening his mouth, he said nothing. Meng Qi was a woman, and his disciple was a man. Since the woman didn’t mind, it seemed that there was no need for him to interfere.

Li Che looked delicate and weak, but his body was not frail at all. Under the firm skin were the muscles that didn’t look conspicious, but were full of strength. Between the shoulder bones on his back, a small yet complex array was drew. Around the array, four peach blossom branches protruded sideways into four directions.

Meng Qi’s eyes flickered slightly. The array on Li Che’s back looked a little different from that on Xue Lingfeng’s back. She raised her finger subconsciously and slowly traced her slender and cool fingers along the lines on the smooth skin.

Looked similar, but still a bit different. It seemed that the enemy used a set of similar arrays.

Meng Qi had seen many set of arrays before. For example, the Four Poles Great Array her Master taught her, both the original and variatons were part of one complete set. Another example was the Soul Chasing Five Elements Sword refinery array that was auctioned at the Heaven Auction House last time. That was also part of a set.

So, would there be a third or even fourth victim?

“Uh…” Li Che, who was unconscious, suddenly groaned. His eyes opened slowly, and he turned his head to the bedside. “Master…” He called out hoarsely.

“Xiao Che, how are you?” Shen Zhengheng took a step forward and supported his disciple.

“This disciple is alright.” Li Che’s voice was still a bit hoarse, “But, this disciple feels cold all over, as if being affected by a cold poison.”

“It’s the juice of afterimage grass mixed with winter plum blossom.” Meng Qi retracted her hand.

Shen Zhengheng nodded. Although medical cultivation in the Southern Realm was declining, Shen Zhengheng was still the leader of Canglang Academy, a medical sect that had been exist for thousands of years. His medical knowledge was still top notch.

“The poison that affects my disciple isn’t hard to solve. What makes it tricky is the prohibition array on his body.” He said solemnly: “I heard that Xue Lingfeng of the Xue Clan also has the same condition. I wonder what treatment method did Xue Clan use?”

“They are waiting for their Clan Head to arrive.” Meng Qi replied, “Miss Xue also has a similar array drawn on her back.

“Oh?” Shen Zhengheng looked at Meng Qi, “You said a similar array?”

Medical cultivators always had to be careful with their words, and Shen Zhengheng immediately noticed the meaning of Meng Qi’s words: “Young Daoist Meng seems to be proficient in arrays.”

After Li Che got poisoned, Shen Zhengheng personally examined his disciple, and naturally had seen the array on Li Che’s back. However, the study of arrays in Three Thousand Worlds had just begun to re-emerge in the past two hundred years, and still hadn’t been widespread yet. Shen Zhengheng also didn’t know much about arrays. Hearing Meng Qi used the word ‘similar,’ he guessed that the other party probably was proficient in arrays.

Shen Zhengheng cupped his hands at Meng Qi: “Please ask Young Daoist to enlighten me.”

He was being so polite to Meng Qi, half the reason was looking at Pei Mufeng’s face. The other half was because as soon as Meng Qi entered the room, she found the array on Li Che’s back, and even said something more, which rekindled Shen Zhengheng’s hope.

Li Che seemed to only see Meng Qi now. He was still a little groggy. When he turned his head and saw Meng Qi who was standing by the bedside, he frowned. “A-are you…Lu…Qingran?”

Li Che shook his head, trying to dispel the dizziness. His vision now was very hazy, and he could only see the figure of a slender girl in blue robe standing by, plus the faint medicinal fragrance from her direction.

His heartbeat hastened a bit. He subconsciously thought that the person who suddenly appeared in his room was the girl he met on the road that day.

“No.” Meng Qi answered indifferently.

Sure enough, he knew Lu Qingran. Meng Qi sighed inwardly. Disappointment overwhelmed her heart.

“Oh.” Li Che responded softly, seemingly very disappointed. Their voice was different, and this girl’s tone was very cold. The Lu Qingran he knew was a very gentle, kind, and compassionate girl.

“Xiao Che.” Shen Zhengheng coughed briefly and quickly asked, “Do you remember what happened? How did you get poisoned?”

“Yes!” Although Li Che’s expression was still not quite right, but his mind was sobering. “That day, this disciple stayed behind per order to watch over the people at the Lezhou City who were injured by a fierce beast. After three days, they all recovered, so this disciple departed for Xingluo City to join Master and the others.”

“Mm.” Shen Zhengheng nodded slowly.

“When approaching Xingluo City, this disciple met two Qi Condensation cultivators who were hunting in a valley. They were injured by a monster beast and were unable to move. When this disciple treated them, this disciple was attacked from behind and passed out. ”

Li Che paused for a while, his pale face suddenly flushed. “This disciple didn’t know how long I was in coma. Later, a young female medical cultivator rescued this disciple. She said that the person who attacked this disciple was retreating because their old injuries relapsed, so she told this disciple to take this chance to quickly run to Xingluo City to find Master, and never go out of city again.”

“Oh?” Shen Zhengheng was stunned. “Who is that female medical cultivator?”

“She is Lu Qingran whom the disciple mentioned just now.” Li Che shivered suddenly, his face paled. His whole body suddenly stiffened, his teeth clenched and clanked with a loud noise.

Shen Zhengheng quickly reached out and fed his disciple a pill. But Li Che’s teeth were clenched tightly, and he couldn’t open his mouth to swallow the pill. Li Che’s eyes rolled inside. His consciousness clearly still awake, but he was completely unable to control his body.

Shen Zhengheng became anxious. He actually wanted to use a spell to forcibly make Li Che swallow the pill. However, he had tried before. As long as a cultivator with cultivation level of Golden Core or higher used any spell on Li Che, it would only aggreviate his symptomps.

Meng Qi sighed. No matter what, she couldn’t let a medical cultivator who was attacked and poisoned when trying to save wounded people on the road to suffer like this. She gritted her teeth. “Let me do it.” Meng Qi stretched her hand, “I am in the Foundation Establishment.”

Shen Zhengheng was startled. Of course he knew that Meng Qi’s cultivation was still in the Foundation Establishment stage. But it was hard for him to ask for her help. After all, she wasn’t Canglang Academy’s disciple, and she was also Pei Mufeng’s friend.

Meng Qi activated a spell, dissolving the pill, and poured it into Li Che’s mouth little by little.

After about half an incense stick of time, Li Che finally recovered and his body slowly calmed down.

“Excuse me, Sect Leader Shen.” Meng Qi turned her head at Shen Zhengheng and said calmly: “I have to charge you spirit stones for this.”

Shen Zhengheng “…what?”

Su Junmo “…”

He knew Meng Qi’s habit. However, on the way from Qingfeng Valley until now, Meng Qi didn’t seem to be so attached to spirit stones. She would take payment from the people she cured according to the severity of their condition. But when she met ordinary people who were really poor, she would accept fruits or vegetables as treatment fee.

Unexpectedly, she began to ask for spirit stones again.

“Oh.” Shen Zhengheng was stunned and glanced at Pei Mufeng again. Then he quickly took out a spirit stone from a storage bag and handed it to Meng Qi. “We have troubled Young Daoist Meng Qi.”

It was a fifth-grade spirit stones. In fact, this was a too expensive payment for just dissolving and feeding a pill. However, Meng Qi asked for spirit stones too suddenly, and Shen Zhengheng was too surprised. In any case, it was not that he couldn’t pay the fee either, and disciples of Canglang Academy would also collect treatment fee when healing people, so he didn’t have any objection.

The atmosphere in the room turned a bit awkward.

Meng Qi also felt depressed. She knew that a fifth-grade spirit stone was too expensive. But judging from her experience with Chu Tianfeng and Qin Xiumo, charging ten times of the normal fee was very effective. However, although she felt nothing when bullying the future ‘Little Devil Lord,’ Meng Qi really felt depressed to bully a good person like Li Che.

Li Che desperately kept his eyes wide open. Although his vision was still foggy, but he could hear clearly. Sure enough, this woman was not Lu Qingran. If it were Lu Qingran, she would never do this kind of thing.

The room suddenly became silent until Shen Zhengheng broke the awkwardness: “Xiao Chen, what happened later?” ”

“Ah…later? Later, this disciple asked Fellow Daoist Lu Qingran to leave together. But she shook her head and refused, only urged me to go quickly, otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to help me if that person returned.” Li Che continued. “This disciple refused to leave Fellow Daoist Lu and escape alone. But she was very anxious, and put a sword in front of her neck to force this disciple to go quickly.”

Li Che’s face was flushed again, and his eyes became gentle and shy. “This disciple had no choice but to leave alone. When this disciple almost reached Xingluo City, this disciple collapsed because of the chill in the body. When woke up, it was just now…Master!” Li Che suddenly reached out his hand: “Please save Fellow Daoist Lu! She must be threatened by a villain. Even so, she risked herself to save this disciple. This disciple feels guilty as long as I remember how she forced me to leave.”

“Don’t worry. “Shen Zhengheng said in a heavily. “Naturally, we won’t let this matter go. ”

“Yes.” Li Che responded in a low voice.

When he spoke, Meng Qi’s eyes never left Li Che’s back. The array on this young man’s body was indeed similar to the one on Xue Lingfeng, but not exactly identical. She must be very careful if she wanted to solve this array.

When Li Che began to talk about Lu Qingran, Meng Qi also listened. This was normal. Almost all people who have met Lu Qingran would fall for her. What’s more, Lu Qingran saved Li Che’s life. Anyone in his place would also be very touched.

“Master.” After a moment of silence, Li Che asked: “Is the poison in this disciple’s body very tricky?”

“It’s the afterimage grass and winter plum blossom’s juice.” Shen Zhengheng didn’t hide it from Li Che. “But the enemy is very cunning. There is a prohibition array on your body. Anyone with cultivation level of Golden Core and above cannot detoxify you. Until the array is removed from your body, your poison cannot be cured.”

Li Che nodded silently. He is Shen Zhengheng’s most favored disciple. Although young, his Master taught him very well. These two poisons were not that hard to solve. Although they had no antidote, but they only needed Qingfeng spell to detoxify. Not to mention his Master, Canglang Academy had plenty of fourth-rank medical cultivators who could use Qingfeng spell to cure him.

The other party obviously thought of this, and the prohibition they set was accurate and ruthless.

Xingluo City and Xingluo Pavilion had plenty of medical cultivators in the Foundation Establishment stage. Among Canglang Academy disciples who came to Xingluo City this time, there were also several juniors in the Foundation Establishment stage. In addition, they also still didn’t know whether this array had other effects or no.

“Don’t worry, Xiao Che.” Shen Zhengheng patted his disciple’s shoulder, “Countless medical cultivators are gathering in Xingluo City now. We will certainly find a solution. What’s more…” He said solemnly: “Xue Lingfeng of the Xue Clan also attacked just like you, and her condition is similar. The Xue Clan Head will arrive at Xingluo City tomorrow. He will find a solution for his daughter.”

“Yes.” Li Che replied softly, “The disciple is not worried about my safety. But this disciple doesn’t know what will happen to Fellow Daoist Lu if that villain came back. Master…” He looked at Shen Zhengheng. “This disciple begs Master. Please send people to save Fellow Daoist Lu. This disciple’s body can wait.”

“Ah…” Shen Zhengheng sighed and patted his disciple again.

“Fellow Daoist Li can be assured.” Pei Mufeng, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. “Several people were poisoned and injured near Xingluo City. Xingluo Pavilion will naturally takes care of this matter. Please tell me where you met this Lu Qingran, and I will send people there to save her.”

“Thank you, Pavilion Master Pei.” Li Che cupped his hands in salute. “I remember the place. However, with my condition, I can’t guide you there myself.” He said. “From Xingluo City’s south gate towards the Lezhou City, around one hundred miles away, go north to the first mountain you see. After going arond the foot of the mountain, there is a valley. However, I have been unconscious for a long time and I’m not sure whether they are still there or not.”

“Okay.” Pei Mufeng nodded and immediately sent a message to his sect’s disciples, ordering them to send people to find find Lu Qingran.

Li Che sat quietly on the bed. After Pei Mufeng finished sending the instruction, Li Che cupped his hands again: “Many thanks, Pavilion Master Pei.”

“This is our duty.” Pei Mufeng replied flatly. He turned his head at Meng Qi, and asked, “How is it? Do you have an idea?”

“The key is this array.” Meng Qi also felt a little entangled. She glanced at the frail-looking young man sitting quietly on the bed. In fact, she had no bad feeling towards Li Che. On the contrary, she admired him him quite a bit.

Li Che is not only a gentleman as gentle as jade, but also had amazing talent in medical cultivation. He became famous at a young age, and it didn’t take long for him to become the number one medical cultivator in the Southern Realm.

Li Che saved countless people, and was loved by cultivators and ordinary people alike in the Southern Realm.

In her previous life, Meng Qi met him at a well-known poisonous swamp in the Southern Realm. At that time, a small sect near the swamp was suddenly attacked by unknown poisonous insects, and none in that sect was spared. The poisonous insects were ferocious, and the stinged cultivator would be totally paralyzed. Like a living dead, they were unable to move their body even a bit.

To save them, Li Che went deep into the poisonous swamp to find these insects. In order to prescribe the right medicine and devised a treatment method, he must understand the characteristics and toxicity of this poisonous insect first.

At that time, Meng Qi also traveled into the poisonous swamp to look for medicinal ingredients, and happened to run into Li Che who was stung by the poisonous insects. The insects had gone, leaving only Li Che lying alone in the mud. The poison had spread, and he gradually lost the feeling of his body. If it hadn’t been for Meng Qi who passed by, Li Che would have been perished in that poisonous swamp, leaving not even bones behind.

Meng Qi had never seen that kind poisonous insect before. But at that time, she had reached the Golden Core stage, and her medical cultivation level was at the fifth rank. After she rescued Li Che from the poisonous swamp, she simply stayed with him.