Chapter 244: This Life Can No Longer Be Lived (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

Great Wei Wei Huoshi had just enjoyed two days of comfort.

The recent period had been truly "arduous."

Tonight, he had embraced his concubine and retired early; the two had set out wine and dishes, removed their outer robes, and were about to seek some earthly joy.

The young servant suddenly burst in in a panic: "Great Wei Wei Huoshi..."

"Ah—" the concubine screamed, clutching the bear with both hands.

Great Wei Wei Huoshi, furious, slapped him: "You rascal! Get out!"

The servant, having been struck, covered his face and withdrew dejectedly, standing outside the door with his head bowed to report: "Th-that Xu Yuan has come again, two ancestors, it seems they are about to cause trouble once more..."

Great Wei Wei Huoshi let out an "Ah!" and rushed out without even dressing properly, then kicked the servant aside with another kick: "Fool! Why didn't you say so sooner!"

The servant felt wronged.

Great Wei Wei Huoshi hurried to the front hall, only to see chaos and disorder within!

The Heart-Weighing Scale waved its great pole like a long spear!

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

Great Wei Wei Huoshi clutched his chest: It's over; I've only just had a few peaceful days, and now they're causing mischief again.

One thrust after another pierced the ground.

The ground paved with green bricks seemed as soft as sand beneath the Heart-Weighing Scale.

Over a hundred small holes had been pierced into the ground.

These small holes formed a simple picture.

The Heart-Weighing Scale, cooperating with the Hundred Ailments Cabinet, finally allowed Xu Yuan to understand how to use these fourteen medicinal pills.

Xu Yuan took out all the silver notes on his person and placed them on the scale pan.

The result was that the Heart-Weighing Scale suddenly shuddered, flinging the silver notes onto Xu Yuan's face.

The Heart-Weighing Scale and the Hundred Ailments Cabinet were furious!

What are you doing?!

Xu Yuan stopped being pretentious, tucked away the silver notes, and clasped his hands in a bow: "I will save the patient first!"

Then he turned and left.

Great Wei Wei Huoshi and the others stood aside; Xu Yuan saw them—but while Xu Yuan was courteous to the two crafted artifacts, he completely ignored them.

Time was pressing; he didn't even offer a greeting.

Great Wei Wei Huoshi looked around in confusion; Xu Yuan had left, and these two ancestors had actually fallen silent.

He looked down: the picture pierced into the ground resembled a human figure and a diagram of the five viscera and six bowels...

Great Wei Wei Huoshi gave a signal, and his subordinates carefully closed the door.

The two crafted artifacts remained motionless.

Great Wei Wei Huoshi breathed a long sigh of relief: This life can still be lived.

Xu Yuan emerged from the Fire Virtue Life-Saving Hall; no sooner had he walked a hundred zhang away than a shadow spread and rose from the roadside gutter!

The shadow had no fixed form; beneath it, countless tiny evil spirits were concealed, rustling as they spread across the ground, advancing toward Xu Yuan.

Xu Yuan did not halt his steps; the Dragon-Slaying Sword in his hand slashed out!

Clang!

A long crack appeared on the ground.

The shadow was split in two.

The sharp sword qi tore apart all the evil spirits lurking beneath.

Xu Yuan sheathed his sword and departed, instantly appearing several hundred zhang away.

In the surrounding darkness, those things that had been stirring with restless intent immediately calmed down.

Xu Yuan swiftly returned to the Nancheng Patrol Station, then headed straight for the room where Wang Shen was.

Upon entering, he drove everyone out.

Only Lin Wanmo remained.

Zhang Laoya had wanted to observe from the side as well, but Xu Yuan glared him out with a look.

Xu Yuan secured the doors and windows, then signaled to his stepmother.

Lin Wanmo produced a lamp; with just one illumination, light and shadow swayed, transforming the room into a "shadow-puppet stage."

The stage sealed the room; no information from within could leak out.

Wang Shen watched the two children curiously.

Xu Yuan then acted first to "dismantle" Wang Shen.

First, the five viscera.

In the first five medicine drawers opened by the Hundred Ailments Cabinet, those five medicinal pills were inserted one by one.

Xu Yuan was fully focused; each medicinal pill corresponded to one organ.

It must not be mistaken in any way.

Afterwards, Xu Yuan sat down and closed his eyes to rest his spirit.

Lin Wanmo's face was full of worry, yet she held back and did not utter a single question.

Do not disturb A-Yuan.

Half an hour later, Xu Yuan suddenly opened his eyes, then swiftly retrieved the six medicinal pills from the six medicine drawers opened for the second time by the Hundred Ailments Cabinet, placing them respectively into the six bowels.

After this, Xu Yuan closed his eyes once more; half an hour later he opened them and retrieved the three medicinal pills given for the third time by the Hundred Ailments Cabinet.

He dissolved the first one in water.

Soak every part of Wang Shen separately in the medicinal liquid.

After another half an hour, Xu Yuan took out the second pill, melting it in oil.

Then soak all of Wang Shen's parts in it again.

This time the duration must be slightly longer.

When the first pale fish-belly white appeared in the east, the sound of a rooster crowing came from afar.

Xu Yuan immediately began to rapidly "assemble" Wang Shen.

He tossed out the third pill, suddenly opened his mouth wide, and with a whoosh spat the Fire from his belly, melting the pill and wrapping Wang Shen entirely within it.

Xu Yuan continued to spit and breathe, maintaining the flame.

Lin Wanmo watched from the side, her expression growing more and more tense.

Ah Yuan's Belly Fire has already been maintained for over the time of one incense stick!

Lin Wanmo clearly saw Xu Yuan's body begin to tremble.

Sweat seeped out from his entire body.

Sweat on the front did not have time to condense into droplets before being evaporated by the high heat.

But the clothes on his back were already soaked through.

The temperature inside the room was extremely high.

The sweat stains around the back were quickly evaporated, leaving only the area of the vest constantly wet.

Yet Xu Yuan persisted; the heat was not enough!

Lin Wanmo saw again that Xu Yuan's legs were shaking more and more violently, he could barely stand steady now.

But his flame output remained stable.

Two incense sticks' time passed; Xu Yuan's legs went soft, and his left knee hit the ground!

Lin Wanmo let out a cry of alarm, rushed up to support Xu Yuan; his body swayed as he slowly stood up, leaning on his stepmother's arm.

Yet even at the moment he knelt, his flame output remained extremely stable!

Xu Yuan spat out his Belly Fire for a full half hour.

Only then did he close his mouth, and his whole body went limp and collapsed.

Lin Wanmo supported Xu Yuan: "Lie down and rest quickly..."

From within the flames, a figure burst forth, carrying rolling waves of heat, and rushed to Xu Yuan's side: "Ah Yuan..."

Xu Yuan was utterly exhausted; the skin on his face was withered and dry, with many new fine wrinkles added.

But seeing Wang Shen move freely, he knew she had been saved!

Xu Yuan smiled slightly and lay down comfortably.

Wang Shen could not cry, yet she could not stop slapping her own hands and face: "You useless old woman, you have caused such suffering to our family's Ah Yuan..."

Lin Wanmo quickly held her back: "Auntie, stop this at once; Ah Yuan is fine, he is just too tired."

Lin Wanmo pulled once, then quickly let go, unable to help but blow on her palm.

Wang Shen is too hot right now.

"I am fine," Xu Yuan said, his whole body aching and weak, especially when speaking, his cheeks strained.

"Stepmother, take Wang Shen out first; I will sleep for a while."

The pills in the Hundred Diseases Cabinet indeed could not cure Wang Shen.

But this method devised together by the Hundred Diseases Cabinet and the Heart-Weighing Scale, using fourteen pills, can extend Wang Shen's life.

Only at this moment did Fu Jingyu dare to step forward, bowing deeply with clasped fists before his stepmother, asking: "May your craft-objects be retrieved? We wish to interrogate those two criminals, but... we do not know how to handle them."

Those two shadow puppets were still stuck to the backs of the two salt smugglers; throughout this night, they had remained in that very posture.

(End of this chapter)