Chapter 845: You're Lying!

Yet the Ghost Doctor's disciple was not someone just anyone could meet simply because they wished to. The Qi capital placed considerable importance on him. Hao Yunsheng, Prince of the Western Court, had assigned men to guard the residence and prevent people from disturbing him casually. In truth, if the Ghost Doctor's disciple himself did not wish to receive visitors, few people would normally dare intrude on him anyway.

After observing the area, Yan Baoru discovered that there were people both openly and secretly stationed around it. Even the nearby street vendors looked somewhat suspicious. There was simply no way for her to approach the residence without alerting others.

She could only wait nearby and look for an opportunity.

A dignified expert ranked second on the Golden Core Ranking had disguised herself and fallen into such a bedraggled state. Even she probably could never have imagined this in the past.

But she had no choice. Whether it was the three neutral sects or Niu Youdao now, neither was someone she could afford to provoke, and neither side would let her go...

The courtyard was quiet and secluded. Ever since its new master had moved in, the scent of medicinal herbs—sometimes rich, sometimes faint and elegant—had never left the residence.

Inside a remodeled side room stood a row of cages, each holding a mouse in isolation. Wuxin, the Ghost Doctor's disciple, dressed in green robes, stood before the cages and observed the reactions of the mice that had been fed medicine.

The courtyard gate opened outside.

Guo Man, who now functioned much like Wuxin's personal maid, led several people in. They carried in a few baskets of medicinal herbs and, following her instructions, placed them in the storeroom used for medicines.

The residence consumed herbs in enormous quantities, and just as much was wasted. Most of it disappeared during one experiment after another.

That was no concern. Whatever herbs were needed here, or whatever Wuxin wished to obtain, someone would naturally deliver them. There was no need for him to trouble himself.

After the herb suppliers left, Guo Man closed the courtyard gate and came to the side room. As usual, she began telling Wuxin about events outside.

There were only master and servant in the residence. Guo Man served as Wuxin's eyes and ears for gathering news.

"I heard they're already clearing people away from the Heavenly God Temple outside the city. Apparently Prince Ying's consort is taking her son there to pray for blessings today. The boy turns one year old."

As Guo Man spoke, the subject turned to Shao Liuer, Prince Ying's consort. Wuxin occasionally asked about her, so Guo Man now paid particular attention to news concerning her.

Wuxin, who was nearly indifferent to every other piece of news, became noticeably attentive the moment he heard something about Prince Ying's consort. He listened with obvious concentration.

When Guo Man finished, he looked melancholy again and murmured, "So fast... he's already a year old."

After a moment, he asked, "Is Prince Ying going too?"

Guo Man replied, "Probably not. Prince Ying has never been the sort to leave early over private matters. I doubt he'd run off to some temple just because his son is turning one."

Wuxin hesitated, seemingly making up his mind about something. He looked back and asked, "Do you know where the temple is?"

Although he had lived in the Qi capital for some time, he almost never went outside. He remained a stranger to the city and knew virtually nothing of its streets and alleys.

Guo Man nodded. "I do."

"Then let's go take a look at the temple." Wuxin turned to leave, and Guo Man immediately followed.

When they reached the courtyard gate, Guo Man was just about to open it when Wuxin stopped again.

"Wait. Should I change clothes?"

Guo Man looked him up and down. "Sir changed clothes only this morning. They're still clean. There's no need."

Wuxin asked, "Would dressing too casually be disrespectful to the gods?"

Guo Man covered a smile. "What gods? It's only a place people use to fool the common folk and give them some peace of mind. Surely sir doesn't believe in that sort of thing too?"

Wuxin, normally composed and unhurried, seemed extraordinarily conflicted at this moment.

Should he go to the temple and meet that person?

He had already been in the Qi capital for so long. All this time, he had wanted to see her, yet had never been able to summon the courage. Now he had learned that Prince Ying would not be at her side and had finally made up his mind, but the moment he reached the gate, he hesitated again.

Guo Man opened the gate.

Even Wuxin himself did not know how he ended up following her out.

The two had barely walked out of the alley when an old woman leaning against a wall suddenly called, "Are you Mr. Wuxin and Miss Guo Man?"

The old woman was Yan Baoru.

She did not know Wuxin and had never seen him before, but she had seen Guo Man coming and going. It was not difficult to guess Wuxin's identity. If a man had not been seen entering the residence yet now walked out of it, who else could he be?

Wuxin and Guo Man both looked back.

Guo Man frowned. "Who are you?"

She had noticed this old woman while passing through the alley earlier, but had paid her no attention.

For the stranger to suddenly call both of them by name immediately felt abnormal.

Yan Baoru said, "I am the independent cultivator Yan Baoru. I beg Mr. Wuxin to save me. I know approaching sir like this is terribly presumptuous, but I've truly been driven into a corner. During this Tiandu Secret Realm expedition, I fell victim to Niu Youdao's vicious methods..."

There were few people who dared make trouble for the Ghost Doctor's disciple, but the unusual situation still put certain nearby watchers on alert.

Yan Baoru noticed it herself.

People from the streets and alleys were already moving closer, but she could no longer care about that. She quickly poured out the whole story of what had happened to her, from beginning to end, without concealing anything.

She knew the Ghost Doctor's disciple rarely left his residence. An opportunity like this was difficult to come by, and she had no way to approach or force her way into that house without creating a misunderstanding.

She had also heard that Mr. Wuxin took after his master and was somewhat detached from human sentiment. He would not casually help others.

More importantly, she knew that once she exposed herself this way, someone would immediately try to detain her afterward and investigate her identity.

Her identity could be exposed only once.

Once exposed, the three neutral sects might very quickly learn where she was, and she would immediately face pursuit.

If the Ghost Doctor's disciple refused to help after her identity was exposed, only one path would remain. From then on, she would have to conceal her name, hide wherever she could, and flee across the world. She would never again dare show herself openly.

That was why she concealed nothing about the reason she had come to beg for help. Having sought out someone like Wuxin, she dared not deceive or hide the truth from him, lest she bring another great calamity upon herself.

All she could do was make one sincere attempt.

If he refused, she would have to flee immediately.

She would never allow herself to fall into the hands of the people around them whose eyes were already stirring with intent. Being ranked second on the Golden Core Ranking was a joke in the face of the great powers trading interests among themselves. Forget Niu Youdao—any one of the three neutral sects could probably have her handed over with a single word.

Guo Man studied her in surprise.

This was Yan Baoru, the expert ranked second on the Golden Core Ranking?

How had she disguised herself as a filthy old woman and fallen into such a state?

When Guo Man heard that she had become enemies with Niu Youdao, her eyes flickered several times.

As for Wuxin, at first he had paid no attention to Yan Baoru or to her rank on the Golden Core Ranking.

Too many people came looking for him. If he concerned himself with every one of them, he could never manage it.

When he heard that she was another person begging him for help, he was already numb to such stories. He had heard every bizarre excuse imaginable. He turned his head aside, unwilling to listen further, and prepared to leave.

But when he heard Niu Youdao's name—heard that this woman had been harmed by Niu Youdao—his departing foot stopped.

He turned back and looked at her again.

After Yan Baoru finished speaking, her eyes full of entreaty, Wuxin asked mildly, "How do you prove that what you said is true?"

Yan Baoru hurriedly replied, "With sir's influence, so long as you're willing to make inquiries, verifying the truth won't be difficult. I would never dare deceive you."

Wuxin turned his head and looked along the street toward the direction out of the city. Conflict flashed through his eyes.

In the end, he turned back toward the residence.

"I'm not going."

"Uh..." Guo Man froze for a moment. She glanced at the anxious Yan Baoru, then turned and followed him back.

Yan Baoru called mournfully, "Sir, if you save me, I am willing to serve you like an ox or a horse to repay your kindness!"

Without looking back, Wuxin said calmly, "Bring her over."

Surprise flashed through Guo Man's eyes.

She had no idea how many people had come begging this man for help without moving him at all. Yet this Yan Baoru, whose story had not even been verified, had only just appeared and spoken a few words before Wuxin relented.

"Come on. Sir told you to follow him. Didn't you hear?" Guo Man called to Yan Baoru.

"Ah!" Yan Baoru herself could hardly believe it.

She had heard that this man was difficult to persuade. He had agreed that easily?

Wild joy flooded her face.

She hurried after them at once, even throwing aside the walking stick.

The open and hidden watchers around them exchanged looks.

"Wash whatever you've put on your face off," Wuxin reminded Yan Baoru the moment they entered the courtyard.

At first glance, he had already known the skin on her face was false and that she had smeared something over it.

There was no need to trouble Guo Man. Yan Baoru drew water from the well and washed her own face.

When she stood before Wuxin again, the bedraggled old woman was gone, replaced by a strikingly beautiful woman whose expression carried faint unease.

Whether she was beautiful or not seemed to mean nothing to Wuxin.

He asked only one question.

"You were poisoned by the Spirit-Torment Pill?"

Yan Baoru asked nervously, "Can sir cure it?"

"I don't know."

That was Wuxin's answer.

At the same time, he instructed Guo Man to prepare several things.

Before long, Wuxin's usual diagnostic supplies had been laid out. Three clean cups were filled with clear water.

"Give me your hand."

Wuxin took the soft hand Yan Baoru extended, caught one of her index fingers, and pricked it with a silver needle to draw blood.

Pinching the fingertip, he let several drops fall into each of the three cups.

Then he released her hand, selected three powders—white, green, and black—from among the bottles and jars, and sprinkled one color into each cup with a small spoon.

He swirled each cup in turn and carefully observed how the color of the water changed, his expression focused and serious.

Yan Baoru stared at him without daring even to breathe too loudly, afraid the slightest disturbance might interfere.

When he finished examining the final cup and set it down, Wuxin raised his head and fixed his gaze on her.

"You're lying!"

Yan Baoru stared blankly, not understanding. "Why does sir say that?"

Wuxin replied, "Everything is normal. You were never poisoned at all!"

Yan Baoru went rigid.

Shock and uncertainty flickered across her face. "Sir is certain?"

Wuxin looked at her without expression. "I said you're not poisoned."

Yan Baoru's expression changed again and again.

Gradually, realization seemed to dawn.

Her face slowly crumpled.

She covered it with both hands and cried out in grief, "Niu Youdao, you dog thief! You deceived me so miserably!"

She had never been poisoned.

What Niu Youdao had forced her to swallow had not been a Spirit-Torment Pill at all.

Which meant she could have left the Tiandu Secret Realm smoothly and safely.

There had been no need for her to create trouble, much less offend the three neutral sects.

Now she more or less understood.

She had not swallowed a Spirit-Torment Pill.

And the three neutral sects probably had not been carrying Spirit Seeds for Niu Youdao either.

Niu Youdao had laid out the scheme and pushed her to a fork in the road.

One path would have led her away safely.

The other plunged into a bottomless abyss.

The choice had been hers.

And she herself had chosen the abyss.

How was she supposed to endure that realization?

[End of Chapter 845]