The Ghost Doctor coldly looked at the shopkeeper, "You've been fooled by Li the Cripple from the west of the city. These herbs are definitely fake."
Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper was struck dumb, standing there speechless for a long time.
Seeing this, Xu Yuehuai stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder, comforting him, "Shopkeeper, don't be too sad. Since it has already happened, we have to find a way to solve it."
The shopkeeper finally came to his senses. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and looked at Xu Yuehuai gratefully: "Young master, we are so grateful to you. I... I really don't know what to do."
Xu Yuehuai smiled slightly and said, "Shopkeeper, you must keep this a secret. We can't let Li the Cripple know that we've discovered his scam."
The shopkeeper nodded repeatedly: "Young master, rest assured, I will absolutely not leak a single piece of information."
They then temporarily dismissed the shopkeeper.
After Xu Yuehuai waited until no one else was around, he turned to the Ghost Doctor and asked, "Brother Ghost Doctor, what do you think we should do with these fake medicines?"
The Ghost Doctor pondered for a moment and said, "Although these fake medicines have no medicinal effect, we can't just throw them away. We can take them back and study them carefully to see if we can find any flaws."
Xu Yuehuai turned and went out, saying to the shopkeeper, "Please send the remaining medicines that are safe to take to this place." She took out a slip of paper with an address written on it.
The innkeeper took the note and exclaimed with delight, "Oh, it's from the Drunken Immortal Pavilion next door! Don't worry, we can handle this little thing."
Xu Yuehuai and the Ghost Doctor bid farewell to the shopkeeper and left Tianxiang Tower.
The morning sunlight shone on the street, casting long shadows of the two people.
Xu Yuehuai took a deep breath and felt a freshness and comfort she had never experienced before.
They walked along the busy streets, the morning hustle and bustle already quietly spreading.
Xu Yuehuai and the Ghost Doctor walked side by side, their brows furrowed, both deep in thought.
They had just come out of Tianxiang Tower, holding the herbs that had been revealed to be counterfeit, their hearts filled with doubt and unease.
"Ghost Doctor, why do you think this Li the Cripple would suddenly start selling fake medicine?" Xu Yuehuai broke the silence first, her voice tinged with confusion.
The Ghost Doctor sighed softly and shook his head: "This matter is probably not simple. Although Li the Cripple is a cripple, he is quite well-known in the medicinal herb market of the capital. He has always been known for his honest business practices. There must be a reason why he suddenly started selling fake medicine this time."
Xu Yuehuai said, "I also think there must be some secret hidden in this matter, maybe it's related to those who poisoned me. After all, they know what the antidote is needed, maybe it's all a conspiracy of theirs."
Suddenly, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from afar. Xu Yuehuai and the Ghost Doctor looked in the direction of the sound and saw a troop of soldiers galloping towards them. Amidst the rising dust, a soldier shouted, "Make way! Make way! We have urgent news to report!"
The two men exchanged a glance, a sense of foreboding rising within them simultaneously. They quickly stepped aside to let the soldiers pass. Once the soldiers were out of sight, they immediately gave chase.
Arriving at the entrance of a secluded alley, Xu Yuehuai and the Ghost Doctor saw soldiers surrounding a corpse. Upon closer inspection, they recognized the body as Li the Cripple!
A dagger was stuck in his chest, and the blood had stained the surrounding ground red.
"This..." Xu Yuehua stared in shock at the scene before her. She never expected that Li the Cripple would suffer such a terrible fate.
The Ghost Doctor also looked grave: "It seems our previous guess was right; there is indeed a bigger conspiracy behind this."
They immediately launched an investigation and learned from nearby residents that Li the Cripple had been taken away by several strangers the previous night and had never returned. This morning, his body was found and dumped here.
Xu Yuehuai and the Ghost Doctor knew in their hearts that this murder case must be inextricably linked to the fake medicine incident they had discovered.
On the streets of the western part of the city, the sun slanted down, and a light dust filled the air. Xu Yuehuai and the Ghost Doctor stood side by side, their gazes fixed intently ahead.
"That Li the Cripple is dead, and we've lost our lead." The Ghost Doctor's voice was low and serious, his brows furrowed as if he were deep in thought.
Xu Yuehuai said, "Then let's leave the west of the city first."
The soldiers dispersed the civilians, and as the crowd gradually dispersed, the streets returned to their usual tranquility.
Just as Xu Yuehuai and the Ghost Doctor were about to leave, a dark shadow suddenly flashed past them. Xu Yuehuai quickly turned around, staring intently at the rapidly disappearing figure.
"That person seemed to be wearing a special black robe made by the Four Kingdoms Killing Organization." Xu Yuehuai.
The Ghost Doctor exclaimed in surprise, "The Four Kingdoms Slaughter? How did they end up here?"
Xu Yuehuai took a deep breath and said to the Ghost Doctor, "Let's follow them and see."
The Ghost Doctor nodded, and the two quickly used their lightness skills to give chase. However, the black-robed man was extremely fast, and they could only barely keep up. After a chase, they finally arrived at a secluded alleyway.
The man in black robes was standing at the alley entrance, talking to a woman. Xu Yuehuai and the Ghost Doctor hid in the shadows, observing cautiously. When they saw the woman's face clearly, both of them were startled.
"I didn't expect Song Luo to be involved in this matter as well." Xu Yuehuai's voice revealed a hint of surprise.
The Ghost Doctor said gravely, "This woman is always ruthless and cunning. She might already know you're back. From now on, you absolutely must not show your true face."
“I understand. This time I won’t have any further dealings with her.” Xu Yuehuai paused, then continued, “I’ll have a few people follow her and see what she’s up to.”
After observing for a while, the Ghost Doctor and his companions decided to return to the Drunken Immortal Pavilion. They knew that the most important thing now was to protect themselves while also finding out the truth.
Back at Zuixianlou, the two went straight to their room. The room was simply yet elegantly furnished, with sunlight filtering through the sheer curtains and casting dappled shadows on the floor. Xu Yuehuai sat by the window, gazing at the scenery outside, but her heart was far from at peace.
The Ghost Doctor walked to her side and said softly, "Although the toxins in your body have stabilized for the time being, there is still a fatal risk. You should not go out these days."
Xu Yuehua nodded and said helplessly, "I understand. But this matter is of great importance, and I cannot stand idly by."
The Ghost Doctor sighed and said, "I know your personality. But you also need to take care of your health."
He took out a medicine bottle from his pocket and handed it to Xu Yuehuai: "This is an antidote pill I just prepared. Take one pill every day, and it should temporarily suppress the toxins in your body."
Xu Yuehuai took the medicine bottle and gave the Ghost Doctor a grateful look. She knew the Ghost Doctor meant well, but she also knew she had to find out the truth herself to eliminate the danger and ensure everyone's safety.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com