The Sovereign – Chapter 116

Volume Six: A Cold Rainy Night Buries the Famous Flower

Blood Oath as Catalyst

The Mother-Child Gu is finally removed

Smoke rose languidly from the valley, encircling like layers of clouds. While living in seclusion here would bring contentment, Qin Junlan remained restless, her heart concerned with the realm and its people during these times of war.

Once her body recovered, she would return to the palace to oversee the war efforts. Although Yun Jin possessed natural talent and virtue, she still needed to learn about military affairs. Her external wounds were healing well; except for the shocking scar from the burn, the whip wounds were no longer serious. Guiguzi had miraculous skill with medicine, turning ordinary herbs into extraordinary remedies for external injuries.

“Use this medicine for two more days, and once the wounds scab over, you’ll be fine,” said Li Yue, wrinkling her nose at the dark brown medicine. Having Qin Junlan change bandages several times daily was truly demanding.

“The pain has decreased significantly lately. The Ghost Doctor truly surpasses the palace physicians by far.”

“Don’t forget, you still have the Gu worm inside. The senior Ghost Doctor needs to remove it from both you and Lady Liu.” Li Yue helped Qin Junlan remove her outer garments, as the burn on her abdomen required loosening her clothes.

“Let me do it,” Liu Qianxun’s voice approached. Today she appeared naturally elegant, wearing a long cyan robe that flowed gracefully. Having recovered her complexion, her extraordinary beauty was impossible to conceal.

With a gentle smile, she took the medicine for external wounds from Li Yue’s hands. “Go help Master Ghost select medicinal herbs. I’ll take care of Yan’er.”

“Yes,” Li Yue tactfully withdrew.

Qin Junlan’s outer clothes were half removed, leaving only a thin inner garment, translucent as silk, her body partially visible through it. Her once porcelain-like skin was now covered in whip wounds. As the final layer of gauze was lifted, Qin Junlan’s body was completely exposed before Liu Qianxun.

“Xun’er, your own wounds…?”

“I’m fine, Mother has already treated me.” Liu Qianxun gazed at Qin Junlan, momentarily lost in thought. Despite the numerous wounds, every part of her body still stirred her emotions, and she unconsciously recalled their past intimacy, causing her face to flush with warmth.

“Your shoulder is injured, don’t move your left arm carelessly.”

“I’ll use my right arm then. Actually, I don’t feel any pain anymore. But you – your wounds are deeper than mine, and being on your abdomen, even speaking must pull at them. Don’t think I don’t know just because you don’t say anything.” Liu Qianxun’s delicate fingertips lifted some medicine, wanting to gently dress the wounds but finding it awkward. “Yan’er, lie down.”

“Hmm? Oh…” Qin Junlan slowly lay down. On her flat abdomen, the wounds had formed thick scars, though due to their depth, occasional patches still showed redness.

Liu Qianxun’s heart clenched painfully. She gently applied the medicine, spreading it with her fingertips. The light touch made Qin Junlan’s breathing irregular, her abdomen rising and falling as if in pain.

Liu Qianxun lowered her head closer to the wound, softly blowing on it while whispering, “Does it still hurt?”

“It doesn’t hurt… Xun’er…” Qin Junlan’s body stirred with strange sensations. Though the medicine brought coolness to her wounds, her abdomen began to feel warm, and she slightly tensed her body.

“What’s wrong? Pain? Or…” Liu Qianxun’s fingers moved upward, touching the whip wounds on Qin Junlan’s shoulders, her fingers trailing over each wound. Though she was merely applying medicine, Qin Junlan felt herself growing restless from the touch.

Liu Qianxun’s eyes held a subtle gleam, her lips curved in a slight, alluring smile. As she bent over, the scar on her collarbone was clearly visible. Qin Junlan instinctively wanted to touch it but dared not, as the memory of Liu Qianxun burning herself with hot iron flashed through her mind.

“Xun’er…”

“Hmm?”

“Actually, the iris on your shoulder was beautiful, you didn’t need to…”

“It began with it and ended with it. Everything is in the past now; keeping it would only bring more sorrow.” Liu Qianxun lowered her eyes, helping Qin Junlan sit up and pulling her clothes back on.

“Cough, cough…” Qin Junlan suddenly started coughing lightly. Ever since being poisoned, she had developed this cough. Guiguzi said it had damaged her constitution, and she might have to live with this chronic condition for life.

“Yan’er…” Liu Qianxun gently rubbed her back with concern, but Qin Junlan just shook her head, forcing herself to hide the pain even as the coughing pulled at her wounds.

Until the Mother-Child Gu was removed, there would be no peace. Liu Qianxun worried that even if Qin Junlan recovered, the Gu poison would still harm her. Liu Qianxun now also carried the Mother Gu, occasionally feeling something crawling inside her body, though the Mother Gu seemed much quieter than the Child Gu, and she didn’t suffer as much torment as Qin Junlan did.

Liu Qianxun wanted to ask Guiguzi about drawing out the Mother-Child Gu, but found him preparing herbs in the thatched cottage.

“Master Ghost, is this the Gu-drawing medicine?”

“You’re clever, to recognize it at a glance?” Guiguzi held a pot of wine while sorting herbs. These dried herbs were difficult to identify, yet Liu Qianxun had spotted them immediately.

Liu Qianxun picked up one and held it to her nose. “I’ve taken this medicine before; it’s not hard to identify by smell.”

“Ah, you have a gift for medicine! The four examinations [traditional diagnostic methods: looking, smelling/listening, asking, and pulse-taking], and you’ve already mastered smelling without any training. Even Qingyu wasn’t this good back then.” Guiguzi took a sip of wine, stroking his beard, and deliberately handed her another herb. “Guess what this is?”

It was a most ordinary herb, indistinguishable from common grass, without any strong medicinal smell. Most importantly, these were just the leaves and branches before fruiting. Guiguzi was deliberately testing Liu Qianxun to see if she truly had medical talent.

Liu Qianxun held it to her nose, noting its faint smell with nothing unusual. After chewing and spitting it out, she said, “It seems to have a slight Jack-in-the-pulpit [aka Arisaema triphyllum, Indian turnip, bog onion, and brown dragon] taste, but Jack-in-the-pulpit isn’t grass-like. I’m not sure what it is?”

“These are indeed the leaves of Jack-in-the-pulpit before it fruits.” Guiguzi narrowed his eyes, looking at Liu Qianxun with appreciation. Since learning from his master, he had never taken a disciple with his miraculous healing skills, not even having a formal master-disciple relationship with Qingyu. Now it seemed he had found a worthy successor.

“Really?”

“Little Xun’er is clever, no, extremely clever.” Guiguzi stroked his mustache, saying with a bright smile, “Call your partner out here, it’s time to draw out the Gu.”

Liu Qianxun admired Guiguzi’s unrestrained character. His words were unique and free-spirited yet maintained his personality. Though showing concern, he often spoke contrary to his true feelings, but how could she not see his genuine kindness?

The Mother-Child Gu connected their lives and hearts. Now residing separately in their bodies, it required a blood oath [ritual mixing of blood] to draw them out. Guiguzi had them sit facing each other while he burned herbs nearby. The scent was favored by the Mother-Child Gu and would wake them from slumber, then use each person’s blood to attract the Gu worm from the other’s body, drawing them out.

“This process may be difficult. Both of you must not resist with your qi, nor force it with internal power. The Mother-Child Gu must crawl out on their own.”

The two looked at each other and nodded.

“Guiguzi, what can we do?” Liu Zhu watched the two worriedly, fearing what might happen and that the children would suffer again.

“Just drink this lung-cleansing medicine afterward.” Guiguzi took out a dagger. “Give me your arm.”

“This is for…?”

“Blood oath.” As Guiguzi spoke, he cut Liu Qianxun’s arm. Qin Junlan felt as if her heart was being cut, but Liu Qianxun merely furrowed her brow. The cut barely affected her; having endured dozens of cuts during poison testing, she had long lost sensitivity to such minor wounds.

Blood slowly dripped down her arm as Liu Qianxun clenched her fist to help it flow better. Only after collecting half a bowl of blood did Guiguzi stop the bleeding. He repeated the same process with Qin Junlan, then combined the two bowls of blood, mixed in several medicines, and increased the herbal smoke.

Everything was prepared as they observed the two’s reactions. Qin Junlan looked at Liu Qianxun, suddenly feeling her heart begin to flutter, followed by pain spreading throughout her body. Liu Qianxun experienced the same, finally sensing the Mother Gu crawling inside her.

“Quick, drink it.” Guiguzi exchanged their blood, having each drink the other’s.

Qin Junlan held Liu Qianxun’s blood, and Liu Qianxun needed to drink Qin Junlan’s blood. They looked at each other with understanding smiles.

“Having drunk your blood, our blood now mingles as one. What could possibly separate us now?” Qin Junlan said before drinking it all in one gulp. Liu Qianxun smiled slightly and drank the blood medicine.

The burning medicine’s scent grew stronger, and the consumed blood medicine churned violently inside them. Their throats filled with nausea, but despite dry heaving, they couldn’t vomit.

“Xun’er, how are you?”

“Your Majesty, how do you feel?”

Liu Zhu and Li Yue supported one person each, worried and at a loss, both looking toward Guiguzi. He was uncharacteristically serious, his eyes moving between the two, observing their reactions.

“Ugh…” Liu Qianxun felt something rising in her throat, but nothing came out despite retching.

“Xun’er, how are you, how are you?” Qin Junlan held her stomach, concerned about Liu Qianxun despite her own discomfort, reaching out to grab her.

As Liu Qianxun was retching, she raised her head and gripped Qin Junlan’s hand. Suddenly, her throat surged uncontrollably, and blood gushed from her mouth. Qin Junlan followed with the same reaction. In the blood they vomited, the Mother and Child Gu writhed. The Child Gu had grown to the same size as the Mother Gu, having fed on the essence of Qin Junlan’s internal organs daily.

“Quickly drink the medicine.” Liu Zhu hurriedly brought medicine for both to take.

Guiguzi exhaled deeply, wiping cold sweat from his brow. “It’s over now.”

His years of research into medicinal and poisonous Gu hadn’t been wasted. Though known as the Ghost Doctor, he had never been skilled with Gu. Now he could raise and control Gu, and had successfully cured Liu Zhu – a major breakthrough in his medical skills.

“Now that the Gu poison is gone, does this mean Yan’er is safe?” Liu Qianxun’s first words after drinking the medicine were about Qin Junlan’s condition.

Guiguzi nodded, “You’re both fine, everything’s fine. Don’t worry, this old man’s reputation remains intact.”

Qin Junlan smiled, holding Liu Qianxun’s hand as they both instinctively knelt before Guiguzi. “Thank you for saving our lives, Senior.”

“Enough, enough, get up! This old man can’t stand such formalities.”

“Senior Doctor Ghost should be called Divine Doctor instead. No difficult illness can stump you,” Li Yue couldn’t help but praise.

Guiguzi grinned – these kids really… But his emotions remained steady. To him, curing them was expected; failing would have damaged his reputation as the Ghost Doctor.

“No need to worry about living together anymore.” Guiguzi walked with light steps toward the back mountain, still thinking about Qingyu who hadn’t emerged from seclusion.

Today was the seventh day – how was Qingyu’s condition? Since entering seclusion, she had forbidden anyone to enter, sealing the cave entrance. She wouldn’t even let Guiguzi help with acupuncture to clear her meridians. He could only come to observe daily.

“Should Ah Yu come out today?”

Guiguzi turned around to find Liu Zhu had followed. Seeing the children were fine, her thoughts turned to Yi Qingyu.

“It should be time. That stubborn woman, as obstinate as a mule. Forty years old and still hasn’t changed, keeping everything to herself. What’s wrong with showing weakness occasionally? Even the strongest person is still a woman.”

“You’ve known her for over twenty years, you understand her character. Proud all her life, never willing to admit defeat. But that’s exactly what I love about her – domineering yet gentle-hearted. If not for my appearance, Qingyu would probably be a respected sect leader now, a highly esteemed hero in the jianghu.”

“As long as she’s content with it. She’s fortunate to have you; Qingyu’s life hasn’t been wasted.” Guiguzi sighed softly, leaping onto a nearby rock and taking out his wine gourd to drink alone.

“Regardless, thank you for curing both children and healing me. Perhaps no difficult illness in this world can challenge the Ghost Doctor anymore.” Liu Zhu’s face showed serenity; after recovering, her complexion had gradually brightened, becoming increasingly gentle.

Guiguzi sighed slightly, squinting into the distance. “Until now, this old man has only been stumped by the Blue Pupil Syndrome of the Nalan family; I’ve never encountered another unsolvable illness.”

“Blue Pupil Syndrome?”

Before the words faded, a sudden “boom” shook the mountain cave like an earthquake.

“Ah Yu?”

Guiguzi and Liu Zhu anxiously looked toward the cave entrance as a graceful figure leaped out.

“Ah Yu!” Liu Zhu called out joyfully. Yi Qingyu seemed transformed, her seven days in seclusion having healed most of her internal injuries. Seeing Liu Zhu, she landed gracefully and rushed toward her.

For seven full days, Liu Zhu had thought of her day and night, worried to sleeplessness. The two embraced tightly. Only now did Liu Zhu’s anxious heart find peace. Yi Qingyu gently stroked her hair, “Don’t be afraid, everything’s fine. I’ll always be by your side.”

Guiguzi’s lips curved into a smile as he quietly left.

All the darkness had finally passed, and they would soon leave too. It was time for him to retire gracefully.

With Yi Qingyu’s successful emergence from seclusion, Qin Junlan immediately ordered Li Yue to pack their belongings, preparing to return to the capital. She had been away long enough; it was time to go back and arrange everything.

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