Chapter 69: Marrow Cleansing

Prince Jing resigned his title and went to the Du Mansion to work as a medicine boy; once the news spread, everyone in the capital was left wondering what was going on in Prince Jing's head.

One could only say that someone who grew up wandering in the wilderness was ultimately not fit for high society, capable of throwing away the glory and wealth that had been within his grasp.

Cheng Xi took in Prince Jing, Li An, as a medicine boy. Li An himself had originally come from a background of studying medicine; identifying herbs and processing them were things Feng Taiyi had taught him personally, so his skills were very solid.

Cheng Xi made another trip to Lao Wutou's place and bought back a few books.

"Compendium of Herb Identification," "Complete Collection of Pill Formulas," and "Atlas of Pill Furnaces." Li An looked at these books, a flash of astonishment crossing his face, before he said, "Eldest Miss, I cannot use these things."

He had no talent; he could only look at them but was unable to use them.

At this moment, one could deeply feel how difficult it was to bridge the barrier between an ordinary person and one with talent.

"You will be able to use them sooner or later. It doesn't matter if other things are slow; first, memorize the 'Compendium of Herb Identification' until you can recite it backward. It covers over ninety percent of the herbs in the Mortal Realm," Cheng Xi said.

Li An nodded in agreement. Memorizing books was not a difficult task for him; his primer had been the "Songs of Tangtou," and while others found medical texts obscure and difficult to understand, he read them with great relish.

The side room in the backyard was cleared out for Li An to live in, and a courtyard was also given to him to tinker with herbs; the tools Cheng Xi usually used to make pills were also moved over.

With an extra laborer, Cheng Xi was very satisfied.

That evening, Li Zhi'an arrived.

Cheng Xi was enjoying the moon; seeing Li Zhi'an arrive, she turned her head to look at him.

Dressed in a python robe, he had an even more imposing aura than when he was a Department Head; with his wide sleeves and long robes, he looked as ethereal as an immortal.

"Your Highness, why have you come?"

"To discuss the matter of the betrothal gifts with you."

Cheng Xi did not want the trouble, so she said directly, "They are just worldly formalities; there is no need to bother."

"Li An has just arrived at your place to work as a medicine boy, and the Empress Dowager is watching you. Caution is paramount."

"The person is already in my pot; it doesn't matter if the Empress Dowager is watching or not," Cheng Xi said.

Li Zhi'an was, for a moment, left speechless.

Very well.

"The Four Great Academies have designated Tongtian Ta as the testing site. The time is in half a month. Are you going?"

What Li Zhi'an actually wanted to ask was: are you going to the Academy to study?

If it were before, Cheng Xi would have said very decisively that she was not going; why would someone at max level go to a newbie village? It was a hassle.

But she couldn't help that she had brought along a new account, and a rookie who couldn't cultivate for the time being at that.

She hesitated for a moment, looked at Li Zhi'an, and said, "I need a few rare medicinal ingredients. I wonder if you have them?"

"What are they for?"

"Marrow cleansing."

Li Zhi'an:...

Cheng Xi:?

The two stared at each other with wide eyes; Li Zhi'an found it hard to describe his current mood.

"You want to cleanse the marrow for Li An?"

"Yes."

"You know this is very difficult."

"It is not too difficult for me."

Li Zhi'an knew that Cheng Xi was quite eccentric; even her Master didn't know what kind of messy things he had taught her, that she could even perform marrow cleansing.

As far as he knew, even Dean Jiang could not guarantee that marrow cleansing would definitely succeed.

"The prescription."

A flash appeared at Cheng Xi's fingertips, and a piece of paper appeared in her palm; she reached out and handed it over.

Li Zhi'an kept a wooden face. Cheng Xi no longer even bothered to hide things in front of him now. He looked at Cheng Xi and said, "After the last Thunder Tribulation, your body seems to have improved quite a bit."

"Fortune and misfortune are interdependent," Cheng Xi smiled.

Li Zhi'an glanced at the prescription, "You are truly generous; these things are indeed very hard to come by."

"Can you gather them all? If not, I will go to Ghost Street and ask around," Cheng Xi said.

Li Zhi'an did not speak; he clutched the prescription, stood up, and left.

Cheng Xi looked at his back and clicked her tongue; he had quite a temper. Wasn't it just a few medicinal ingredients?

Although she was a bit poor right now, she wouldn't be poor forever.

Once she finished training Li An, she could make a small fortune just by selling pills.

Initial investment, after all, was very necessary.

She had thought it would take a few days, but to her surprise, Jiang Boyu personally delivered the medicinal ingredients the very next morning.

In front of Cheng Xi, he spoke well of their Department Head, "It is all thanks to Eldest Miss's prestige; the Department Head opened his own private treasury just to gather these things for you."

Private treasury?

Cheng Xi frowned slightly; this favor was a bit large, but it didn't matter; she wasn't unable to repay it.

"Thank your Department Head for me," Cheng Xi smiled, and casually took a porcelain bottle from the side table and gave it to Jiang Boyu, "A gift of thanks."

Under Baohua's guidance, the first batch of Yangshen Pills that Li An made was slightly inferior to the ones she made herself, but his talent was indeed high; although he hadn't followed her to learn how to purify, he actually had the awareness of purification when he was making medicine.

Jiang Boyu tucked it into his robe, familiar with the routine, and left happily.

Cheng Xi called Li An over, pointed to a large bag of herbs, and said, "Wash these things once, then put them into a wooden barrel to boil. When the water temperature is slightly hot to the touch, come and call me."

Li An didn't ask why; he picked up the herbs and went to the backyard.

What Cheng Xi was most satisfied with was this point: Li An was obedient, never talked back, and did whatever he was told.

You say, such a good son, and the Empress Dowager almost drove him crazy; why bother?

Li An's movements were fast; before the sky had even turned dark, he came to call her.

Cheng Xi followed him to the backyard, where a wooden tub was set on a hearth; a few logs were burning in the furnace, and the pitch-black medicinal soup in the tub emitted a rich, herbal fragrance.

Cheng Xi looked at Li An and said, "Take off your clothes, leave only your undergarments, and sit inside."

"What?" Li An looked shocked, pointing at himself, "Me?"

He had thought it was prepared for Cheng Xi.

Cheng Xi raised her eyes to look at him, "Didn't I say I could let you cultivate? You haven't awakened your talent because your meridians are blocked and your apertures are closed. This is Primary Marrow Cleansing soup, which is just right for you right now."

Marrow Cleansing soup?

Li An had followed Feng Taiyi to study medicine; although he lacked talent, he knew quite a bit about cultivators, and the shock on his face had already rendered him expressionless, "Cleanse my marrow?"

"We will use the Primary Marrow Cleansing soup now to first wash away the impurities in your body; when the time comes, your meridians will be cleared and your apertures opened, and you will be able to awaken your talent." Cheng Xi spoke slowly as she pondered; some terminology between the two worlds was different, and she tried her best to make it understandable for Li An.

"Your body is too fragile right now; if I threw you into a higher-grade Marrow Cleansing soup, you would dissolve. Besides, to use a higher-grade Marrow Cleansing soup, you would have to coordinate it with the 'Marrow Cleansing Scripture'."

In short, a novice cannot afford a luxury feast and can only slowly train up from the lowest level.

"It will be a bit painful; even if you can't stand it, you must endure it. If you can't stand it and get out of the tub, you don't have to be a medicine boy anymore; just go back to the palace and be your Prince."

"I can endure it!" Li An loosened his outer robe and stepped in without another word.

The water temperature was slightly hot, and his face turned red from the steam almost instantly.

"Baohua!"

Baohua zipped in with a 'whoosh', and Cheng Xi looked at her, "Help me watch him. If he faints, give him a slap to wake him up. If he can't take it and gets out of the tub, remember to come and tell me."

Baohua nodded heavily and with a light leap, flew onto Li An's head.

Li An:...

Baohua listened to Cheng Xi the most; if Cheng Xi told her to slap someone, she would absolutely not show the slightest mercy.

Thinking of Baohua's strength...

For the sake of his own face, Li An's expression became a bit grave; he absolutely must not pass out from the pain!