Chapter 38: Chapter Thirty-Eight: I Am a Proper Physician

Zhen Qing's reaction this time was greater than her reaction to hearing Jiang Yunzhou say that the second gu had no cure; startled, she jumped to her feet.

Seeing the heroine's dark eyes, as if wishing to shoot fire from them, Jiang Yunzhou laughed and said:

"Don't look at me like that, heroine. You said, is there any gu poison more dangerous than the Shatter Heart Gu? Using another, relatively safe gu poison to replace it—wouldn't that be a temporary solution?"

"That's true, Zhen Qing really couldn't refute it, because she couldn't think of a better solution either."

"But why would anyone plant a gu—any gu—and end up planting a Love Gu on herself?"

She closed her eyes and carefully sensed it; she indeed felt some surge of qi and blood, not knowing if it was psychological.

"\"Love Gu?! You're joking with me! Whose Love Gu is it? \""

Jiang Yunzhou feigned confusion, looking left and right, and said:

"\"Besides me, is there anyone else you could choose? \""

Zhen Qing angrily drew her sword and said:

"\"You...... shameless! \""

Looking at the heroine Zhen Qing's handsome angry face, Jiang Yunzhou was not startled.

Calmly, he took out the small porcelain bottles from the gu worm bag one by one and said confidently:

"\"Heroine Zhen Qing, this isn't something I can choose. To dispel the Shatter Heart Gu, you must find a worm stronger than it. Look at these: Bone-Splitting, Intestine-Breaking, Brain-Eating, Madness. Or you could pick one of these? Only the Love Gu worm is strong itself but not lethal to the host. \""

"\"But...... but...... \""

Zhen Qing thought for a long time but couldn't find a rebuttal; her junior sister Su Tao behind her gloated and said:

"\"Hehehe, senior sister, what he said actually makes sense. \""

Since it has come to this, Zhen Qing gritted her teeth and asked:

"\"What exactly are the effects of this Love Gu? \""

Zhen Qing had certainly heard rumors of the Love Gu, but to be safe she still wanted to clarify the situation; if this healer really harbored ill intentions, she wouldn't hold back.

Seeing the heroine Zhen Qing reluctantly accept, Jiang Yunzhou suppressed a smile, gave a light cough, and tried to speak solemnly as he explained:

"\"Love Gu, as the name suggests, is essentially a gu of affection, but it's actually not that severe. Those infected feel worse the farther they are from the gu caster, feel more at ease the closer they are, and upon seeing the caster their qi and blood surge. \""

"\"Besides that, forcibly circulating one's internal energy will also trigger the Love Gu. Moreover, because when the gu was cast you had that talisman on your shoulder, the talisman currently has no suppressive effect on it. Of course, if the caster is killed, the gu poison will likewise erupt directly. \""

"\"Furthermore, planting this gu is rather troublesome: the worm must ingest the caster's blood, then be delivered into the host within moments, while keeping the host's qi and blood smooth and steady—so we still have to thank the heroine for her cooperation just now. \""

Hearing this, Zhen Qing was so angry she almost spat blood; it matched what she knew. If she had known earlier that this bastard healer had planted a Love Gu, she would never have cooperated, even if beaten to death. She frowned and snapped:

"\"Then is there a way to dispel the Love Gu? \""

"\"Of course, indulging freely with the gu caster naturally dispels it...... \""

Upon hearing this, Zhen Qing raised her sword again and spat out insults directly at his face:

"\"You thieving doctor, indeed...... \""

Jiang Yunzhou hurriedly added solemnly:

"\"But I would never take advantage of someone's peril to do something against medical ethics, and I believe the heroine can absolutely hold to her original intention. Giving you the Love Gu was a reluctant measure; finding a way to dispel the Love Gu is surely much safer than seeking a cure for the Shatter Heart Gu, right? \""

At this moment Zhen Qing was seething with anger, vaguely feeling she had been schemed against—but she had only just met the healer named Jiang Yunzhou, and seeking him out was a spur-of-the-moment decision; how could he have schemed against her?

Moreover, rationally speaking, given that the Shatter Heart Gu cannot be dispelled, the healer's approach is indeed the optimal solution; carrying the Shatter Heart Gu impairs her ability to cultivate, but now she can at least act.

"\"It's just a minor Southern Wu gu poison; I can certainly endure it. If I really can't, I'll return to Kunlun and ask my master to lift it—at least my life isn't in danger. \""

Zhen Qing was quite confident in her self-control, never considering why the Love Gu could be listed alongside the Shatter Heart, Intestine-Breaking, Bone-Splitting, Brain-Eating, and Madness gu poisons.

Even late at night she feared staying too long would arouse suspicion; Zhen Qing pondered, placed ten taels of consultation fee on the table, and, though reluctant, cupped her hands and said:

"\"No matter what, thank you for helping dispel this Shatter Heart Gu poison. If you have a method to dispel the Love Gu, please keep an eye out. I ask that my visit for treatment be kept confidential; otherwise, I bear the consequences. Farewell! \""

"\"Please go ahead, Heroine Zhen Qing. \""

Hah!

Zhen Qing was just about to rise when the window beside her was blown open, and the stack of papers placed on the windowsill was blown up as well.

Jiang Yunzhou hurried to press them down, but the whole stack was blown up, and several sheets still fell in front of Zhen Qing.

Zhen Qing helped pick one up and saw it was a book title copied in neat regular script; there was also a thick stack of copied texts on the table. Thinking, Zhen Qing comforted herself: At least he's a lover of books, and not a shameless cad who uses Love Gu to take advantage of women.

Zhen Qing glanced at it, frowned, and said:

"\"Yin Yang Cloud Rain\", what a strange book title."

Jiang Yunzhou explained:

"\"I just copy books when I'm bored; Heroine Zhen Qing, don't mind it. \""

Flipping casually to the second page, he saw that in Jiang Yunzhou's detailed illustration of "Yin Yang Cloud Rain", the final two chapters on male-female dual cultivation were displayed.

Whether it was because the Love Gu on her body was acting up, or simply because she was shocked by the obscene illustrations, Zhen Qing's snow-white cheeks immediately flushed.

"\"This...... Hmph! \""

Su Tao, the junior sister, whispered:

"\"Senior sister, let me take a look! \""

Not bothering with etiquette either way, Zhen Qing slapped the papers onto the table and turned, walking away coldly.

She had misjudged—he was nothing but a beast in human clothing.

Jiang Yunzhou gathered the papers and reminded:

"\"Heroine Zhen Qing, if you feel unwell, you can move to a nearby residence to lessen the Love Gu's effect—but remember to knock next time you come. \""

"\"No need, I can suppress it; there won't be a next time. \""

Seeing her deny three times and then fly away, Jiang Yunzhou knew this first impression wasn't great, but he didn't care at all, and didn't even use his true identity to ask for the heroine's real address.

The reason is simple: he was very aware of the Love Gu's toxicity.

This Heroine Zhen Qing will definitely return within three days.

He certainly didn't have any vulgar intentions; after all, he too is an idealistic youth of the new era.

It's just that this heroine Zhen Qing is a rare breakthrough in my own background; I cannot let this opportunity go to waste. Without revealing that I possess the Formless Dark Paper, if I want to investigate the situation clearly, I can only resort to some lowly methods.

At this moment, Zhen Qing, who was flying toward the Red Sleeve Pavilion from the rooftop, was also carefully pondering what had happened tonight.

I just don't know whether it's because of the love gu or psychological factors, but the image of that healer from earlier keeps appearing in my mind.

Su Tao, who was on top of my head, broke the silence with a joke:

"Senior sister, you really aren't afraid of being deflowered by the love gu and losing your virtue to that young master Jiang just now, are you?"

"You're really underestimating my mind-cultivation technique; as long as this evil gu doesn't damage the meridians, I can suppress it myself."

"Hehe, actually I think that young master is pretty good too; although he has little cultivation and is a bit lecherous, he still presents a decent appearance and has a heart of righteousness."

"You just fall in love with everyone you meet, don't you? Earlier you even put that young hero Yan on a pedestal."

"Hehe, if I could have both at once, I wouldn't mind either."

"Sigh, good thing it's me who got the love gu; if it were you, this shameless wretch, the gu poison would probably have been lifted by tonight."