Chapter 556: Jiang Feng, what are you doing!

Jiang Feng merely smiled faintly upon hearing that.

"You also said I'm the Divine Doctor! When I just captured you, I felt your heartbeat was abnormal; although you have a heavenly human aura, you simply cannot exert your full strength."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Mu Hongyao's face, his eyes sharp as a blade.

"Moreover, given the Hundred Flowers Palace's resources, the Dongfang family shouldn't be able to easily summon you from thousands of miles away to Jiangnan. So you must have an unavoidable reason! Only a Gu poison could make a Heavenly Person Realm expert so devoted; I can think of no other reason."

Upon hearing that, Mu Hongyao's expression completely changed.

It was not anger, not fear, but a despair as great as heart-death.

Her face turned as pale as paper, her lips trembled slightly, and the last glimmer of light in her eyes faded away.

Her body trembled slightly, her eye sockets reddened, her lips quivered, and after a while she finally spoke.

"Mr. Jiang is indeed formidable."

Her voice was very soft, as if she were talking to herself, or like a sigh.

"Nothing can be hidden from you."

Mu Hongyao sat back down in the chair, her whole body feeling emptied, leaning against the backrest. Her waist no longer straight, her shoulders slumped, her fingers hung limp at her sides.

Her gaze turned hollow, staring at the ceiling, as if recalling something from long ago, or as if seeing nothing at all.

"Over the years, many Hundred Flowers Palace disciples have been controlled by Gu poison."

Her voice was low, filled with endless fatigue and helplessness, as if she were telling someone else's story.

"The Dongfang family is not one of them. Or rather, the Dongfang family merely purchased our usage rights from those who control our Hundred Flowers Palace."

Mu Hongyao said this, a bitter smile appearing at the corner of her mouth, full of self-mockery.

"In their eyes, we Hundred Flowers Palace disciples are merely commodities; whoever can pay the price can buy our lives."

Upon hearing that, Jiang Feng's expression changed.

He instinctively reached out, grabbed Mu Hongyao's wrist again, and began to take her pulse.

This time, he took her pulse for a long while. He closed his eyes, focusing intently on every subtle change in Mu Hongyao's pulse.

One second, two seconds, three seconds…

After a full two minutes, he finally released his grip.

Jiang Feng's face sank, his brows furrowed, and his gaze grew solemn.

"Indeed… your Gu poison has already invaded your five viscera and six bowels, for at least ten years!"

His voice carried a hint of shock.

Ten years—that is not a short time.

To lie dormant in the body for ten years without erupting, the refinement method of this Gu poison is extraordinarily sophisticated—something no ordinary Jianghu sorcerer could accomplish.

A power like the Hundred Flowers Palace is already considered first-rate in the Jianghu. The Palace Master of the Hundred Flowers Palace might even be a top expert who has entered the Martial Venerable rank.

Yet even such a power could actually be controlled by someone?

How strong must the person—or faction—that controls the Hundred Flowers Palace be?

A chill rose in Jiang Feng's heart.

This world is far vaster and deeper than he imagined.

Mu Hongyao now felt disheartened, as if after pouring out all her secrets, she had completely relaxed—and also completely despaired.

She looked at Jiang Feng, pulling a smile at the corner of her mouth—an expression uglier than crying.

"I've already told you everything I needed to say, Mr. Jiang."

Her voice was calm, as if she were mentioning something trivial.

"You can kill me right now."

She paused, closed her eyes, and her eyelashes trembled slightly.

"Anyway, I've long since stopped wanting to live!"

Mu Hongyao's eyes were tightly shut, her eyelashes trembling slightly, her breathing light and slow. Her hands rested on her knees, fingers slightly curled, her whole body like a statue awaiting judgment.

She was waiting for death.

Not for any great cause, not for any belief, but simply because she had lived enough.

Having been tormented by Gu poison for over ten years, being bought and sold like a commodity, forced to do things she unwillingly did for others.

Each time the Gu poison flared, she felt her five viscera and six bowels as if being gnawed by countless worms—a pain worse than death.

She had long since had enough of such days.

The hall was extremely quiet, with only the ticking of the clock on the wall.

Jiang Feng sat in the chair, looking at Mu Hongyao, his expression calm.

Mu Hongyao closed her eyes and waited for a long time.

One second, two seconds, three seconds…

Ten seconds, twenty seconds, thirty seconds.

There was no pain, nothing happened.

She dubiously opened her eyes.

But she saw Jiang Feng leaning sideways in the chair, legs crossed, expression relaxed, even the corner of his mouth bearing a faint smile.

Mu Hongyao was stunned.

"You… you're not going to kill me?"

Her voice trembled slightly, filled with disbelief.

Jiang Feng looked at her and said lightly.

"When did I say I wanted to kill you?"

His tone was flat, as if stating something quite ordinary.

"Not only will I not kill you, I will also help you remove the Gu poison!"

As soon as these words were spoken, Mu Hongyao's eyes lit up instantly, her face full of surprise.

But soon, she returned to her lost appearance.

She shook her head and gave a bitter laugh.

"Impossible, no one can save me."

Her voice was full of despair, like a drowning person who has given up struggling.

"This Gu poison, I don't even know its origin."

"Even the Palace Master… cannot remove it. You're only a half-step Martial Ancestor—how could you possibly remove the Gu poison?"

Mu Hongyao said this, lowering her head, her fingers gripping the hem of her clothes until her knuckles turned white.

She doesn't not trust Jiang Feng; she's just been disappointed too many times.

The healers of Baihua Palace, the famous doctors outside, even the Palace Master personally intervening—none could cure her.

She had been deceived too many times and no longer dared to trust anyone.

Jiang Feng looked at her and suddenly laughed.

That laugh was soft, yet clear, echoing in the quiet treatment room.

"You don't believe me?"

Mu Hongyao didn't speak, but her silence already said everything.

Jiang Feng sat up straight, hands braced on the treatment table, his body leaning slightly forward as he looked at Mu Hongyao's eyes.

His gaze was very serious, with no hint of joking.

"Then let's make a bet."

Mu Hongyao raised her head and looked at Jiang Feng.

"What bet?"

Jiang Feng said.

"If I can remove your Gu poison, what then?"

Mu Hongyao looked seriously at Jiang Feng, remaining silent for a moment.

Her gaze lingered on Jiang Feng's face for a long time, as if trying to see from his expression whether he was serious or just boasting.

Then she spoke, her voice soft but each word firm.

"If Mr. Jiang can save Hongyao, Hongyao is willing to swear eternal loyalty! Never to abandon!"

Her eyes held no pretense, only sincerity and resolve.

She didn't say these words lightly.

She was serious.

Over these years in Baihua Palace, she has seen too much hypocrisy and betrayal.

Those so-called orthodox sects, for profit, can resort to any means.

It's been a long time since she met someone who truly treated her well.

Jiang Feng looked at her and nodded.

"Good. I will definitely help you remove the Gu poison."

Mu Hongyao's eye sockets reddened, tears swirling in them.

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but her throat felt blocked, and no sound came out.

Thousands of words choked in her throat, not knowing where to begin.

She stood up, walked to Jiang Feng's front, and bowed deeply.

Then she straightened up, looked at Jiang Feng, suddenly rose onto her tiptoes, and lightly kissed his cheek.

"Thank you, Mr. Jiang..."

That was quick and light, like a butterfly landing on a petal.

Jiang Feng froze.

His body stiffened there, his mind a blank.

His eyes widened, his mouth slightly open, his whole body like a statue, unmoving.

This woman… why doesn't she follow the routine!

Mu Hongyao's cheeks flushed crimson, she lowered her head, not daring to look at Jiang Feng's eyes.

Her ears turned red, like two cooked shrimp.

Her heart raced so fast it felt like it might leap out of her throat.

She herself didn't know why she did that.

Perhaps it was gratitude, perhaps impulse, perhaps it had been too long since anyone treated her this well.

In Baihua Palace, she was merely a tool, used to exchange benefits.

No one had ever said they wanted to save her.

Jiang Feng was the first.

Just then, a sharp voice came from outside the door.

"Jiang Feng, what are you doing!"