Chapter 20 Jiuyi City (Part 4) Can you hug me...?
Zhou Zheyue, unaware of what had happened, asked anxiously, "Brother Li, aren't you going to chase after them and check?"
He felt that Wu Xiutang had looked like he was about to kill Shishi just now.
Li Fuchao smiled, once again confident: "You are very wise and open-minded. Young Master Wu is not a petty person. Even if Miss Shishi offends him, he will only punish her severely and he will never really lay a hand on her."
No sooner had he finished speaking than the door, which was already teetering on the brink of collapse, shattered in two with a loud crash.
Li Fuchao wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
Song Qingshu, as was her habit, took out the little silver she had left from her purse to compensate the shopkeeper. When she was told that it was not enough, she had no choice but to take out the spirit stones she had on her to make up the difference. Just after she finished dealing with the shopkeeper, she turned around and saw Fu Liuwan pounce on her like a butterfly. "Brother Li, I still have something to tell you about the sealing."
Li Fuchao didn't think much of it and followed Fu Liuwan into the room.
Song Qingshu stopped in her tracks, and after receiving a smug and provocative look from Fu Liuwan, her thoughts gradually came to fruition.
It seems that what happened that day offended Miss Fu quite badly, but she was clearly the one who attacked first... Well, I should find a suitable time to apologize to Miss Fu properly.
The cold wind was like a knife, slowly tearing Shi Xianxue's flesh apart. Below her was a bottomless, pitch-black abyss. She broke out in a cold sweat, and the pain in her teeth was somewhat relieved by the chill.
She dared not move. Wu Xiutang's face was extremely pale. Shi Xianxue was terrified and, suppressing her fear, asked where they were going to take her.
Wu Xiutang's eyes were sinister. When he turned around, he gritted his teeth and said, "Naturally, we'll find a secluded place and pull out all your teeth."
Shi Xianxue's face turned deathly pale.
Wu Xiutang bent down and patted her cheek: "A gentleman discards flaws to promote talent, and a brave man cuts off his own arm to preserve his integrity. If you think like this, you will never have a toothache again."
Yes, because she has no teeth anymore and doesn't need to eat, she can just starve to death. See her great-grandmother.
Her face was filled with fear, and the cold wind made her teeth chatter.
Seeing her trembling, Wu Xiutang showed an understanding expression and softened his tone: "Don't be afraid, I know you're in pain. I'll knock you out first."
The girl shrank back in fear, her head hanging low, her shoulders trembling; she looked quite frightened.
Should we beg for mercy?
Should you cry and promise him that you will obey him?
Perhaps—a warm, soft touch interrupted his thoughts. The approach of another person aroused Wu Xiutang's instinct to resist. He instantly raised his hand to strike, but his waist was tightly wrapped by a jade-like forearm like a water snake. His body tensed up immediately, and his gaze froze after feeling the girl's curvaceous lines.
The body in my arms was well-proportioned, with a slender and supple waist. When I hugged it, it was like hugging a ball of cotton filled with sunshine, making me feel warm while my heart raced.
The girl's bright eyes peeked timidly from his embrace, her eyes and nose slightly red from the cold wind, her voice muffled and nasal: "It was my fault, can you please not be angry? My teeth have always been very healthy, I brush them carefully every day. I don't know what happened today, I really won't eat like that again. And how can it be solely my fault? You deliberately scared me and tried to take it from me, I was just in a hurry..."
She babbled on and on, her face flushed as if she were drunk, her words incoherent: "So can you hug me now? I'm going to freeze to death."
What should he do?
He threw her violently and stomped on her hand bones, then warned her fiercely that if she did it again, he would break her spine.
He seemed to have said the same thing many times, but it had little effect on her.
She was a woman with extremely low self-esteem and a very strange personality.
Thinking this, he lowered his arms in frustration.
In the past, those women who flocked to him would probably have been burned to ashes before they even got within three feet of him. He resisted any form of approach from anyone, because of his sensitive senses, he could smell the nauseating stench on everyone.
However, Shi Xianxue's scent did not disgust him. If it was due to the love potion, then she was bitten to death by a poisonous snake the first time she tried to get close to him.
But when it comes to the root of the problem, he can't explain why.
But now he is reluctant to admit it, because of the love potion, he has actually begun to crave her to be close to him.
His gaze gradually darkened. This wouldn't do. Once he entered the Misty Forest, he had to pick the Heartbreak Grass as soon as possible. After breaking the Love Curse, he had to kill her. He couldn't allow any more accidents to happen.
Perhaps seeing that Wu Xiutang didn't push her away, Shi Xianxue took advantage of the situation and buried her face in his chest, rubbing against him like a small animal. She was really cold, and the cold made her temporarily forget the unpleasantness between them. She kept snuggling towards the source of heat, saying, "You smell so good, Tangtang."
Such audacity!
She's just like those lustful men.
Does she throw herself at other people in the same way?
Recalling her interactions with Zhou Zheyue, a nameless fire suddenly rose from the depths of his heart. The flame was initially an inconspicuous little cluster, but it burned brightest when the girl's soft hand reached inside her clothes amidst the howling mountain wind. Wu Xiutang pushed her away with great force, his brows furrowed in annoyance.
"You are really disgusting."
It was late at night when the two landed. Before Shi Xianxue could even stand properly, she was pushed from behind. She looked up and saw the words on the plaque.
Gu Doctor's Hall.
Now that he finally understood Wu Xiutang's intention, his teeth started to ache again.
The door was tightly shut. Just as Shi Xianxue was about to knock, a white spiritual wave blasted over her head, and the entire door shattered in two right in front of her.
She slowly withdrew her hand, her neck throbbing slightly.
If the love potion is removed, her fate will likely be no different from that door's.
Wu Xiutang walked in with practiced ease. The front hall was where consultations were held, with medicine cabinets lined up against the wall. The refreshing scent of medicine relaxed Shi Xianxue a little. She looked down to find some tinder, but Wu Xiutang stopped her, "Don't wander off."
Shi Xianxue dared not contradict Wu Xiutang any longer and obediently agreed.
Wu Xiutang went to the backyard alone, and returned shortly afterward carrying a little old man.
The poor, over seventy-year-old doctor was dragged out of his warm bed in the middle of the night. He had barely put on his outer robe when he was pulled over and, trembling, instructed his master to administer acupuncture to relieve the pain.
After being pricked into a little hedgehog, with the bright silver needles shimmering before her eyes, Shi Xianxue suddenly remembered the words on the plaque. She was about to remind the Gu doctor not to use Gu worms to treat her illness, but when she opened her mouth, she was shocked to find that she had lost the ability to make any sound.
The old doctor lived alone and it took him a long time to pack the herbs and hand them to Wu Xiutang, instructing her: "Take one dose daily as a concentrated soup."
He was old and lived alone. Although his life was hard, he was always cheerful. When he encountered these naive young people, he couldn't help but say a few words: "She is young and cannot resist temptation. You, as her husband, should restrain her more and not always let her have her way."
Not only did the young man disturb his sleep by coming to see him in the middle of the night, but he also kicked and damaged his old elm door. He glanced at the boy's fierce expression and didn't dare bring up the matter of demanding compensation.
The Wuliang cloth bag was bulging and full. When the knot was untied, it was as if one was in a bustling city. The noisy shouts came from inside. Shi Xianxue heard a clear voice calling out "Gua Gua" (meaning "widow" or "lonely"), and then a gold ingot flew out and landed in Wu Xiutang's palm.
He lifted his eyelids and said in a very impolite tone, "Not only are you old, but your eyesight isn't very good either."
He slammed the gold ingot heavily onto the wooden table, expressing his dissatisfaction: "She and I are enemies."
Jiuyi City is far from the capital and backed by Mount Bugui. It boasts beautiful scenery with mountains stretching for thousands of miles. Most of the people living here have lived here for generations and eat simple meals every day. This is the first time he has ever seen such a generous young master in his decades-long medical clinic.
The gold ingot in his hand was heavy; it could easily hold more than enough for dozens or even hundreds of elm doors, let alone a single one.
Feeling uneasy, as if he had done something wrong, he was about to return the elm door and honestly tell the two that using a gold ingot to compensate was too extravagant. But the boy in black said, "This gold ingot will buy the Nine Yi Incense in your backyard."
"Nine Yi Fragrance? How could you possibly think I possess such a rare item, young hero?" The old Gu doctor's back was slightly hunched, and he didn't look very well.
When he was giving her acupuncture, his hands were still trembling pathologically. Shi Xianxue was afraid that he might accidentally insert the needle into his own necrotic acupoint.
Come to think of it, how could an elderly man like him face alone the raging river, the treacherous canyon, and the monsters that could emerge from the miasma forest at any moment and devour him?
Wu Xiutang didn't say anything, but added another ingot of gold and placed it on the table.
The old Gu doctor hesitated: "Young master, I observe that your constitution is special, and you are not afraid of those miasmas. This Nine Barbarian Incense will be of no use to you—"
Another ingot appeared on the table.
The old Gu doctor's cloudy eyes brightened for a moment. Shi Xianxue saw that his back was straight, and he was no longer weak as before. She stretched out her index finger and pointed, her voice firm and powerful: "Not enough, not enough. Since you have come to me, you should know how precious the Nine Yi Incense is. I lost three medicine boys to pick just two flowers. Is this all you're giving to beggars?"
Before he could finish speaking, a long sword was already pressed against his neck. The cold touch of the metal against his skin made him tremble involuntarily. The young man's eyes were wicked, and when he looked at him, he tightened his grip and said impatiently, "Looks like you don't want gold, you want a coffin."
The old Gu doctor never expected to see forced buying and selling on his own turf. With a knife to his throat, he suddenly felt a fearless spirit, as if he were about to be crushed to pieces: "You come to my territory and act so rudely. Aren't you afraid of losing your life? Since I dared to leave Jiu Yi Xiang here, I naturally have a way to protect myself."
"If the method you're referring to is those two human-faced spiders."
The old Gu doctor's expression suddenly changed. The human-faced spider he had been raising was tied up like a crab and thrown out, listlessly asking him for help.
"Then I'm afraid you really are going to die."
The old Gu doctor paused for two seconds, then chuckled awkwardly to ease the embarrassment, "It was just a joke. I don't recognize these two spiders at all. I heard from the young master that they're called something like 'human-faced spiders'? Hahaha, I've never heard of them before."
The old Gu doctor's back was no longer hunched, his hands no longer trembled, and he walked with a brisk pace, even making a smooth gesture of invitation: "Please come with me."
With a loud bang, a mechanism in the backyard dented, and Shi Xianxue could faintly feel the vibration in the chair under her bottom. Unable to move, she couldn't follow them inside. The room was quiet, with only a candle that was almost burned out burning.
Moonlight filtered through the treetops at the western end, and pink and red flower branches peeked out from the eaves.
A moment later, the two returned through the secret passage.
The old Gu doctor had already changed his tune: "It takes three Jiuyi incense sticks to refine a small bottle of honey, and I added his favorite ingredient to it."
Noticing Shi Xianxue's ghost-like gaze, he smiled and said, "Plus this young lady, this lamp—"
Wu Xiutang stepped aside to block their view, her unhurried tone revealing a hint of dissatisfaction: "You talk too much."
The old Gu doctor immediately stopped talking and then removed the needles from Shi Xianxue.
On the way back, Wu Xiutang did not summon the crane. Shi Xianxue kept a distance from him. After walking for an unknown amount of time, she looked up and saw the three large characters on the city gate.
Jiuyi City.
Beneath the Mountain of No Return lies the Nine Yi City, a sacred place for raising Gu poisons outside the Misty Forest.
She vaguely remembered that the book mentioned that the minor villain had spent some time here when he was a child, and that his unknown master, who was just a tool for others, seemed to have met his demise here.
No wonder he seemed quite down these past two days.
So that's why, the scenery reminded him of his painful memories.
Thinking this, Shi Xianxue's eyes couldn't help but show some emotion.
The book doesn't go into much detail about his relationship with his master, only saying that his master passed away when he was very young. Since then, Wu Xiutang has lived a lonely and homeless life. Perhaps it was the hardships of these past ten years that shaped his twisted personality.
If his master were still alive, perhaps Wu Xiutang would be in a completely different situation.
Wu Xiutang couldn't read minds, but the complex emotions in Shi Xianxue's eyes shifted back and forth, turning into a strange kind of love and pity when they landed on him. In a daze, he felt as if he had become a fledgling bird with wet wings, unable to return to its nest, pitifully hiding under a flower branch, letting the wind and rain ravage it.
Not understanding why she had suddenly gone mad and was looking at him with such hateful eyes, Wu Xiutang felt disgusted and growled, "Don't look at me."
Shi Xianxue was preoccupied and didn't notice that the two were taking the wrong route into the city. She smelled a peculiar floral fragrance in the air and heard Wu Xiutang threatening her. She shamelessly moved closer and said, "Why can't I look at you? You're so beautiful, I'll look at you, I'll look at you."
Wu Xiutang looked like he was being harassed.
"Xiao Wu, I knew you were all talk and no action. You said you'd pull all my teeth out, but in the end you still brought me here for treatment."
She followed closely behind, chattering away: "You're stubborn but soft-hearted, rich, and generous. Girls in my hometown would love someone like you."
Wu Xiutang glanced at her, unsure of what to say.
"I'm announcing now that I'm starting to like you."
Wu Xiutang seemed to have heard something ridiculous, and a mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips: "Who cares?"
Shi Xianxue, daring enough, grabbed his hem. Unexpectedly, Wu Xiutang only looked unhappy, but did not resist.
Shi Xianxue was secretly delighted. She couldn't help but think of the gold ingot that looked like a small mountain. She rubbed the soft fabric back and forth in her hands and swayed it, her voice incredibly sweet: "Tangtang, I never realized you were so handsome and dashing."
The soft, gentle tone sent a chill down Wu Xiutang's spine in the cool night breeze, and he unconsciously frowned: "What exactly are you trying to say?"
"And he's also very handsome," Shi Xianxue added.
"If you're so capable, then never say it."
"I'll tell you, I'll tell you." She clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling. "Could you please give me a few ingots of gold? Please, I'll spend them happily with a grateful heart."
The moonlight of Jiuyi was as gentle and clear as water, swirling around the girl's hair whorl. Fine baby hairs lay obliquely at her temples, making her look somewhat naive. As if possessed, he raised his hand, pinched the girl's smooth cheek, and then—pulled it outward.
Upon hearing Shi Xianxue's pained groan, he narrowed his eyes and let out a soft, pleasant laugh. His movements softened, and he gently rubbed the tip of her small nose with his fingertip, as if he were handling a priceless treasure.
The rich fragrance of flowers burst at their noses. The two had somehow arrived under the lantern flower tree. The demon bird was nowhere to be seen. The bare branches quietly blossomed in the darkness, and clusters of pink fruits looked like small lanterns hanging on the tree.
Shi Xianxue was bewitched by his smile. Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was about to burst out of her chest. Her breathing became erratic, and her butterfly-like eyelashes fluttered weightlessly a few times before a familiar dizziness washed over her. Her body went limp and she fainted in the boy's arms.
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