Chapter 17: The Rosewood Physician's Decree

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In the underground palace beneath the Imperial Medical Office, the scent of medicine could not conceal the faint traces of blood.

Black bloodstains had dried on the ground, while the straw was smeared with dark, filthy blotches.

The old man looked withered, not a trace of color in his face. Wisps of black vapor drifted from his nostrils as he leaned against the wall, coughing from time to time.

Imperial Physician Cui pointed at the old man. “If the young prince wishes to enter the Imperial Medical Office as a senior physician, diagnose the illness, and treat it with needles, I imagine that would not be too much to ask?”

Not too much?

Ling Xuan nearly leaped to his feet. How could this possibly not be too much?

Judging from the old patient’s condition, he was very likely possessed by a demonic soul.

At a time like this, piercing the acupoints with flying needles would be completely useless. He would have to administer the treatment by hand, making direct contact with the patient.

Just as he flicked out a silver needle and prepared to strike, the mark of the Spirit Serpent Entwined with the Moon on his chest gave off a faint warmth. The little white snake hissed beside his ear, and Ling Xuan’s heart tightened.

“The Spirit Serpent Entwined with the Moon is reacting. Could it be trying to force my spirit familiar to reveal itself?”

To avoid suspicion, neither Imperial Medical Director Chao nor Yang Xuangan had accompanied him. Instead, Imperial Physician Cui had deliberately summoned several senior physicians and needle masters from the Imperial Medical Office to witness the proceedings.

“Young prince, if this is too difficult, do not force yourself.” Imperial Physician Cui cupped his hands. Inwardly, he snorted. “Young Master Chengxiang asked me to test your spirit familiar. If it truly is the Spirit Serpent Entwined with the Moon, even the Prince of Changping’s household will not be able to protect you.”

With the corner of his mouth crooked upward, Ling Xuan shook his head with a grin. “How could it be too difficult? A physician’s duty is to save the sick.”

“Then please act at once, young prince.” A smile immediately spread across Cui’s face, though he secretly shook his head. He could not even use the art of observing vital energy. As expected, he was nothing more than a country bumpkin from the wilderness.

Ling Xuan drew out the Purple Empyrean Divine Flute and stirred the straw. Mugwort ash was mixed with powdered realgar, further confirming his suspicion: Imperial Physician Cui truly intended to force the Spirit Serpent Entwined with the Moon into appearing.

But since Ling Xuan had produced the Purple Empyrean Divine Flute, how could he possibly let Cui’s schemes succeed?

He set a silver needle against the flute. With a flick of the needlepoint, there came a soft pop, as though something had been pierced. Ling Xuan’s expression changed.

“Corpse worm?”

“Could the young prince have mistaken it?” Imperial Physician Cui hurriedly asked. “You have not even approached him. How could you possibly tell?”

“The black vapor contains the aura of a corpse, and the fresh flesh is writhing. It must be the work of a corpse worm.” Ling Xuan’s lips curled. “The man has been dead for some time. Surely Imperial Physician Cui does not think I cannot even recognize that?”

“How could a dead man cough?” The needle master shook his head repeatedly.

“According to the Severed Pulse Method, the meridians are still trembling. How could he be dead?” one of the senior physicians said disdainfully.

“A corpse worm gives birth to demonic transformation. What is strange about it possessing these characteristics?”

Ling Xuan flung out three silver needles in rapid succession, embedding them in the Crooked Marsh, Wind Palace, and Conception Vessel points.

The old patient opened his mouth with a croak. A strand of greenish-black vapor floated out with a hiss.

Ling Xuan instantly used Serpentine Shadow Escape and hurried outside. The corners of his mouth rose into a mischievous smile.

“This prince’s cultivation is too low. You can deal with the corpse worm yourselves.”

“It really is a corpse worm?” The senior physicians and needle masters were astonished.

Imperial Physician Cui swiftly scattered a handful of medicinal powder. Catching sight of Ling Xuan’s retreating figure, he was secretly startled.

“How is that boy so slippery?”

In the main hall of the Imperial Medical Office, Yang Xuangan stared in slight surprise as Ling Xuan arrived gasping for breath, his chest heaving violently.

“Little brother, what happened?”

“That corpse worm was enormous. How could I not run?” Ling Xuan patted his chest. “It nearly scared me to death. Nearly scared me to death.”

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“Young prince, how should one deal with a corpse worm?” Imperial Medical Director Chao asked with a smile, stroking his beard.

“Every worm has a weakness. Pierce its head with a silver needle and it will be destroyed. Unfortunately, my cultivation is too low and my strength too weak. Before the corpse worm emerged, the black vapor would already have corroded me, so I had no choice but to run first.” Ling Xuan still wore an expression of lingering fear.

Imperial Medical Director Chao nodded. “A corpse worm is actually a type of demonic soul. Like spirit familiars, corpse worms have different ranks. Does the young prince possess a spirit familiar?”

“A spirit familiar?”

Ling Xuan was faintly taken aback. Why would Imperial Medical Director Chao ask him about spirit familiars? Was it intentional or accidental?

If this was truly a test, then why not test him in return?

Once he had made up his mind, Ling Xuan hurriedly nodded. “Director Chao, does a one-eyed little snake count as a spirit familiar?”

“A one-eyed little snake? What one-eyed little snake?”

Director Chao froze.

Yang Xuangan’s lips curved upward. “Little brother, your spirit familiar is a one-eyed little snake?”

“Yes.” Pretending to be thoroughly embarrassed, Ling Xuan gave an awkward smile. “I had not wanted to mention it, for fear that you and Director Chao would laugh at me. But since you have asked, I may as well be honest. It is merely a small scarlet snake with one eye and a single star-shaped mark. Otherwise, I would never have raised Little White Snake.”

“What sort of little snake?” Yang Xuangan pressed.

Ling Xuan pulled out Little White Snake and grinned. “It looks just like this little fellow, except it has one eye fewer.”

The Spirit Serpent Entwined with the Moon excelled at concealment. So long as he did not use the power of his spirit familiar, others generally would not notice it. Since these people wanted to know, Ling Xuan decided to admit openly that his strength was insufficient.

“If the one-eyed little snake were not so weak, I would never have run when faced with a corpse worm.”

Yang Xuangan laughed heartily and reached out to take Ling Xuan by the hand. “Little brother, you must study properly under Imperial Medical Director Chao, especially the Four Diagnostic Arts: observation, listening, questioning, and pulse-taking.”

“The Four Diagnostic Arts include four arts?”

Ling Xuan’s mouth spread into a broad grin. “Brother, how could Director Chao possibly take someone like me, a country bumpkin from the wilderness, seriously?”

“Observation refers to the art of viewing vital energy. By gathering true energy in the eyes, one can discern the rank of a diseased creature.” Director Chao spoke slowly. “Like spirit familiars, their ranks range from scarlet to violet, with violet being the highest.”

“And listening?”

Ling Xuan hurriedly cupped his hands. “Thank you for the instruction, Director Chao.”

“Listening means hearing the sounds of the breath. True energy is gathered in the ears, allowing one to distinguish sounds and determine their direction.” Director Chao gave a slight nod. “When diseased creatures hide within the body and travel through its various channels, their sounds naturally differ. If you had known this vital technique just now, you would not have been deceived.”

“Director Chao, diseased creatures cannot speak. Then what does questioning mean?” Ling Xuan promptly asked.

“When dealing with diseased creatures, questioning does not mean asking questions. It means tracing their origins.” Director Chao stroked his long beard. “Since the young prince cultivates the Taiji Needle Method, you should know of Tracing Back to the Primordial. Your cultivation has not yet reached that level. Once you attain the Divine Treasury Realm, you will naturally understand.”

“What level of cultivation is the Divine Treasury Realm?”

Ling Xuan stared blankly. He truly knew nothing about the realms of cultivation.

Yang Xuangan laughed loudly. “Little brother, there are five realms of cultivation. You have only recently entered the Lesser Heavenly Circuit. You have a long road ahead of you, so listen first to Director Chao’s teachings.”

“Pulse-taking refers to the Pulse-Taking Method, which can diagnose the strength of a diseased creature,” Director Chao continued. “Needle techniques can seal its power. That depends on the skill of the practitioner, who must seize the proper moment. At different hours, diseased creatures conceal themselves in different locations.”

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“Thank you for your instruction, Director.” Ling Xuan was overjoyed at last to learn a method of sealing cultivation.

His grandfather knew these methods but had not told him because his strength was too weak. That was why he had arranged for Qiu Rui to send him into the Imperial Medical Office. Yet this was still not a way to balance the backlash of a powerful spirit familiar.

As Ling Xuan stood momentarily dazed, Imperial Medical Director Chao took out a medical seal of red sandalwood. Two words, “Senior Physician,” were engraved upon it. He personally handed it over.

“Young prince, the cultivation method is recorded upon it. Remember this well: you may comprehend it only after opening your sea of energy or after your spirit familiar reaches the Spirit Rank.”

“There is such a restriction?”

Although surprised, Ling Xuan quickly accepted the seal. The words “Senior Physician” were engraved on the front, while the back bore a relief of Shennong tasting a hundred herbs. The Four Diagnostic Arts were all hidden within that relief.

Judging from Director Chao’s warning, these four arts seemed to be related to spirit familiars. No wonder Imperial Physician Cui and the other senior physicians and needle masters had understood them to differing degrees.

Catching sight of Imperial Physician Cui, the needle masters, and the others rushing over, Ling Xuan raised the red sandalwood senior physician’s seal in his hand and grinned.

“Thank you, Imperial Physician Cui, for helping clean up the corpse worm.”

“Although you diagnosed the corpse worm, you did not destroy it. That is not enough to win everyone’s respect or qualify you as a senior physician of the Imperial Medical Office.” Imperial Physician Cui hurriedly cupped his hands. “The young prince’s cultivation is too low. Against certain diseased creatures, he cannot yet achieve the feat of destroying them with a single needle.”

“Indeed. If he were appointed a senior physician, the other needle masters would surely object. We ask the Imperial Medical Director to judge the matter wisely.” Several other senior physicians cupped their hands in unison.

“What do you say?” Imperial Medical Director Chao turned to the needle masters.

“My lord, the young prince forced the corpse worm out by striking its acupoint with a flying needle. None of us could perform such a technique.” Among the needle masters, a man whose hands hung below his knees hurriedly spoke.

Director Chao nodded slightly. “What is your name?”

“Answering the Imperial Medical Director, this humble servant is Sun Tianxin, a needle master.”

“Good.” Yang Xuangan smiled. “Needle Master Sun Tianxin does not follow the crowd and possesses considerable courage. By decree of the Divine Emperor, the young prince is to serve as Imperial Medical Director Chao’s assistant. In a few days, you will depart with him for Zhuo Commandery and prepare the way for Director Chao.”

“Thank you, my lord, for recognizing my abilities.” Sun Tianxin hurriedly cupped his hands in gratitude.

“Zhuo Commandery?” The moment Imperial Physician Cui heard this, his face filled with smiles and his attitude changed abruptly. “Congratulations, young prince.”

“What do you mean?”

Ling Xuan was suddenly bewildered. He had not even become familiar with Luoyang yet, so how had he already been assigned to Zhuo Commandery?

The Orange Needle was still nowhere to be found, and three serpentine markings had appeared on his arm. If he could not find it within six days, he would become half human and half demon. He hurriedly asked, “Brother, how many days do I have to prepare?”

Yang Xuangan appeared thoughtful. “Little brother, your sister-in-law has only just opened her sea of energy. How many days does she need to stabilize it?”

What was this? Was he trying to ruin him?

Judging from Imperial Physician Cui’s gleefully malicious expression, the trip to Zhuo Commandery would certainly bring no good.

Yang Xuangan knew perfectly well that Imperial Physician Cui was a lackey of the Yuwen family, and that Yuwen Chengxiang intended to target him. Yet he had still deliberately revealed Ye Ziyan’s strength in public.

Ling Xuan’s heart jolted.

Could the aura of the Purple Phoenix have been exposed? Was Yang Xuangan planning to use the Purple Phoenix to lure out the Nine Phoenix Devouring Fiendishness?