Chapter 161: The Fossil Divine Art and the Misplaced Soul Hand

Xiao Yuer rose from the ground and walked into the pavilion, where he saw Murong Jiu, dressed in a pale green long skirt, slender and graceful, exuding an unusual coldness; as for Gu Renyu, he had thick eyebrows and large eyes, tall and sturdy, yet always carried a hint of shyness.

When Xiao Yuer arrived, Gu Renyu bowed to him in greeting, but Murong Jiu and the Little Fairy didn't even lift their eyes, ignoring him entirely as they spoke naturally with Gu Qing—this left Xiao Yuer seething, eager to shout out loud, yet these people weren't asking for a carriage; they were discussing Yan Nantian's condition.

This forced Xiao Yuer to hold his tongue.

At that moment, Gu Qing turned his head and smiled at Xiao Yuer: "They say once you enter the Jianghu, you're like a fish in water—how can such a small wave toss you onto shore?"

Hearing this, Xiao Yuer felt as if something were stuck in his throat—he was clever, but before Gu Qing, his wit was useless.

"Do you seek the secret manuals and sword scripts, or are you after gold, silver, and jewels?"

Xiao Yuer asked.

In his mind, Gu Qing's ambitions could only be these two things.

"Of course, the manuals."

Gu Qing replied frankly: "The Jianghu is on the brink of chaos—conspirators stir beneath the surface. With Yan Nantian gone from the Evil Valley, its evildoers will swarm out. In this situation, if Yan Nantian awakens but has no internal strength left, yet still carries his righteous heart, who should he entrust his manuals and sword scripts to, to quell this turmoil?"

Originally, after Yan Nantian awoke, he faced this exact scenario and entrusted his manuals and sword scripts to Lu Zhongyuan, the Great Hero of the South, who disguised himself as Yan Nantian—only to be assassinated by Jiang Yulang.

Hearing this, Xiao Yuer wanted to curse that Gu Qing was the real conspirator, but he sharply caught another point: "You want Yan Nantian to awaken?"

"Of course."

Gu Qing extended his hand toward Murong Jiu beside him and said: "This peerless beauty before us, radiant and exquisite, is one of the greatest physicians in the world—though she never steps into the Jianghu, few know of her. She is now treating Great Hero Yan Nantian."

Murong Jiu, hearing Gu Qing's praise, felt a faint pride.

She had been self-admiring in the Jiuxiu Villa for too long.

A great physician?

Xiao Yuer doubted it.

"The Murong daughters are all beautiful and wise; their lightness, agility, and hidden weapons are unmatched. They delve deeply into any subject others ignore—this Ninth Miss, in her spare time studying medicine, is already rare in the world."

Gu Qing lavished praise on Murong Jiu.

Murong Jiu slightly pursed her lips and nodded as if it were self-evident.

Nearby, Zhang Jing, the Little Fairy, glanced around, sensing Gu Qing's flattery hinted at interest in Murong Jiu—but his expression seemed utterly sincere.

"When Yan Nantian entered the Evil Valley years ago, he was ambushed, severely wounded, tortured beyond recognition—nine out of ten parts of him were dead. Among those injuries, blood stagnated in his forehead, causing his dazed, unconscious state."

Murong Jiu rose gracefully and said: "Though difficult, it's not beyond remedy." She gestured for Gu Qing to bring Yan Nantian forward: "Follow me—I'll treat him with acupuncture."

Gu Qing nodded eagerly, carried Yan Nantian, and followed Murong Jiu into the inner courtyard.

Xiao Yuer remained uneasy and stepped forward—but Gu Renyu blocked his path.

The Jiuxiu Villa's layout was complex; Murong Jiu led Gu Qing through three turns and two twists until they reached a path of blue stone. At its end stood a bronze door. Murong Jiu opened it, revealing shelves of herbs, bronze cauldrons, alchemical furnaces, and more. She gestured for Yan Nantian to sit on the floor and took up a silver needle.

"Yan Nantian cannot move because his blood flow is blocked."

Murong Jiu said: "This problem has lasted ten years. Though he takes medicine and receives acupuncture regularly, some stagnant blood remains unexpelled."

As she spoke, Murong Jiu pierced Yan Nantian's Baihui, Quchi, and Huantiao acupoints.

"Miss Murong's acupuncture is remarkably precise."

Gu Qing immediately praised.

"Just watch quietly."

Murong Jiu replied coolly. She was a recluse of the Jiuxiu Villa, spending fixed hours each day cultivating the Fossil Divine Art, never leaving the Jianghu, surrounded only by her sisters and brothers-in-law—she took all praise as truth.

Now, with Gu Qing praising her, Murong Jiu believed her acupuncture truly was excellent.

"Miss Murong."

Gu Qing said: "Yan Nantian once had eight of his fourteen meridians severed, his body riddled with wounds. For over a decade, his lingering injuries have been countless. What if you add two needles to Fengchi and Waiguan—would that help him awaken faster?"

Gu Qing's suggestion was not offensive; Murong Jiu listened fully, frowned in thought, then added the two needles.

"Miss Murong, what if you used the penetrating needle technique—penetrating Quchi into Shaohai, Yanglao into Jianzhi, Yanglingquan into Yinlingquan, and Xuanzhong into Sanyinjiao—what do you think?"

Gu Qing offered another gentle suggestion.

Hearing this, Murong Jiu furrowed her brows, pondering how these penetrating points might affect Yan Nantian's body, then slowly adjusted each needle one by one. When all points were fully pierced, Yan Nantian's body trembled slightly.

This change made Murong Jiu scrutinize closely—she pondered for a long while, then suddenly realized: she turned around—and Gu Qing was gone.

In the room stood another bronze door, inside which were blocks of ice—Murong Jiu's usual training ground. The door now stood wide open, radiating chilling cold, and Gu Qing stood within, gazing at the Fossil Divine Art scroll hanging there.

"I misjudged you!"

Murong Jiu stepped forward coldly: "Your medical skill surpasses mine. You pretended to treat him just to steal the martial arts manual?"

Gu Qing tore his gaze from the Fossil Divine Art. As for medical skill, he had studied the Lianhua Manual and understood the Old Man's medicine—he truly surpassed Murong Jiu. But he denied stealing outright: "How can a scholar's act be called theft?"

Murong Jiu advanced with a cold face, ready to strike.

"Miss Murong, you must see the grave flaw in this Fossil Divine Art, don't you?"

Gu Qing suddenly said.

If cultivated to the Ninth Turn, the skin turns to stone, impervious to weapons, the body invulnerable—truly invincible in the world.

But the cost is becoming stone itself.

Gu Qing believed Murong Jiu had noticed this flaw, which was why she studied medicine—to find a way to correct the martial art's defect.

In the original story, Xiao Yuer frightened Murong Jiu into madness by pretending to be a ghost—likely because of this martial art's danger.

Murong Jiu halted, studying Gu Qing from head to toe. Knowing his medical skill surpassed hers, she had many suspicions: "My family all warned me not to practice this art."

"How could you not practice such a wonderful manual?"

Gu Qing said: "We can fix its flaws. Even if you accidentally turn your heart to stone, rest assured—I'll pull you back."

As he spoke, Gu Qing raised his right hand.

Murong Jiu studied it closely: "What makes your hand capable of pulling me back?"

"Because it is the Misplaced Soul Hand!"

Gu Qing said: "Even if you're a stone woman, I can squeeze water out of a rock!"

(End of Chapter)