Chapter 186: Sequelae

The expression on Lian Yue's face finally softened. She sat back down on the stool she had just occupied, her mind deep in thought. After what felt like an eternity, as she finally emerged from her own thoughts, she noticed that Sister Lan and Eldest Brother were still keeping watch over her, their faces etched with unmistakable worry.

Whipping up a reassuring smile with great effort, a spark of light returning to her eyes, Lian Yue promised Yue Lingjun, "Eldest Brother, don't worry. Yue'er won't cause any trouble. Since An Ming said half a month, there are still five days left. Yue'er will wait."

Yue Lingjun wanted to say something else, but Lan Shui gave him a gentle tug from the side. He changed his tune, saying, "Then let Lan Shui stay with you. Eldest Brother has matters to attend to; I'll come check on you again once I'm finished."

Seeing Lian Yue nod understandingly, Yue Lingjun exchanged a glance with Lan Shui before taking his leave.

"Sister Lan, shall we continue?" Lian Yue had already decided to trust An Ming. Half a month, fifteen days—since An Ming had given that timeframe, Lian Yue was willing to believe him. For now, she should focus on finishing what she had in her hands. After all, this was her very first time making a gift for An Ming.

"Alright." Lan Shui's sole task right now was to accompany Lian Yue closely and make sure she never left her line of sight. No matter how many assurances Lian Yue gave, Lan Shui remained worried that she might act rashly.

By evening, when Lian Yu returned from the palace, he brought along a small tail. Naturally, this was Qiao Ke, who had been trapped in the palace for many days now. Qiao Ke now shouldered an important mission: Mother had said he needed to pester Auntie Yue for the next few days. Facing this mission, Qiao Ke was brimming with confidence.

Lian Yue cooperated to some extent, letting Qiao Ke pester her as much as he pleased. The two of them would occasionally head out of the estate and take a stroll around the streets. However, every time Lian Yue walked past the Auspicious Cloud Tower, she would stand motionless in the middle of the street for a long while.

Whenever this happened, Qiao Ke would always stand obediently by her side, holding her hand, never showing a shred of impatience. As the days passed and still no news came from An Ming, Lian Yue's heart grew restless once again. Eventually, she simply stationed herself at the Myriad Phenomena Tower. Since Chai Mengqing had news of An Ming, waiting for Chai Mengqing here would surely be much faster than waiting for An Ming himself.

Meanwhile, Chai Mengqing had been traveling day and night for two whole days before finally arriving, weary and travel-worn, at the foot of Mount Medicine King. Looking at the towering stone steps that vanished into the clouds, even with her usual poise, she could not help but curse viciously in her heart.

Tethering her horse casually to a tree trunk at the foot of the mountain, she began to climb the steps one by one. Around the halfway mark, she was blocked by two young boy attendants. Chai Mengqing produced the jade pendant Yuwen Lingxiao had given her. The two boys exchanged astonished glances before leading her further inside.

This reaction naturally did not escape Chai Mengqing's notice, making her feel all the more that the blood jade in her hand was extraordinary. How difficult it was to meet the Old Medicine Sage was known throughout the entire Nianshang Continent, yet with this jade, gaining entry was remarkably effortless.

The young attendant led Chai Mengqing to a quaint, rustic thatched cottage and came to a halt.

"Elder Sister, please wait here for a moment. The Master will be right along."

Chai Mengqing looked around, confirming that there were no stools or chairs in sight. But the attendant had already walked far away; she certainly couldn't chase after him to call him back and ask further questions.

She curled her lip—the Old Medicine Sage's hospitality left much to be desired. Chai Mengqing was genuinely exhausted now. Scanning her surroundings, she spotted two tree stumps, which at least provided a place to rest. Pulling a handkerchief from her sleeve, she spread it over one of the stumps and sat down.

Only then did she remember that she had completely forgotten to ask the attendant whether the person she was looking for was actually here. It seemed she had no choice but to wait.

At that exact moment, the attendant who had just left was standing before a cliff face, kicking a loose pile of stones with his right foot. Accompanied by a rumbling sound, a stone cave half a person's height materialized in the rock face.

Yet the attendant remained stationed outside the cave, showing no intention of entering.

A short while later, an older boy attendant emerged from within. Seeing him, the guiding attendant wore an expression of undisguised envy and respect. "Senior Brother Heshou, a guest has just arrived bearing a blood jade." The boy addressed as Heshou's expression shifted slightly, and he turned and strode back into the cave.

The guiding attendant resumed his post at the cave entrance. This cave could be considered the restricted zone of Mount Medicine King. Aside from the Old Medicine Sage personally bringing people inside, only Senior Brother Heshou was permitted to enter and exit freely, which represented the ultimate trust of the Master. How could the other boy not feel envious?

Deep within the cave, atop a round stone platform, a mound of plump flesh lay bundled in white. Upon closer inspection, one could recognize that this person was none other than the Half-Immortal Qiao Yifei.

An elderly man with a crane-like complexion and white hair was intently driving acupuncture needles into Qiao Yifei's body, while An Ming, wearing his mask, stood quietly to the side, watching with rapt attention.

As he observed the elder's needlework, he was also pondering the origin of this poison. Although the Old Medicine Sage had not said much about it, An Ming had already deduced that the person who administered the poison was undoubtedly connected to the Rakshasa Palace.

To outsiders in the Nianshang Empire, the Old Medicine Sage was merely a living-Buddha-like figure who had appeared out of nowhere. But An Ming, who knew the sage's past, was aware that before establishing his own sect, the Old Medicine Sage had been the chief poison master of the Rakshasa Palace.

Assassins in the Rakshasa Palace were constantly replaced by new generations. Those fortunate enough to survive three generations were permitted to leave with a clean slate, though such individuals were exceedingly rare. The Old Medicine Sage was one of the lucky ones; his unique expertise allowed him to outlive others.

Therefore, when An Ming's predecessor—Yuwen Mo—assumed the position of Palace Master, the Old Medicine Sage and another elder had severed ties and left, never to contact the palace again.

The poison afflicting Qiao Yifei was one of the Old Medicine Sage's lifelong masterpieces. Back when the sage was training assassins alongside the other instructors, this particular poison had played a crucial role.

Its primary function was to attract fierce beasts in dense forests and stimulate the physical potential of the person who ingested it, but it came with one major side effect: severe obesity.

Later, through the Old Medicine Sage's continuous improvements, the powder used by Thirteen and the others came into being, rendering this older pill obsolete. Since it had appeared now, there was only one conclusion. After all, besides himself, only one other person possessed this type of pill.

It had to be said that the Old Medicine Sage still harbored concern for his fellow brother who had shared both hardships and blessings. Though he was unsure whether the poison in the man he was currently treating had been administered by that old brother of his, at least it provided a tangible lead.

Once the final silver needle was inserted, Qiao Yifei looked remarkably like a living hedgehog. This could hardly be blamed on the Old Medicine Sage; Qiao Yifei had simply been poisoned for far too long, allowing the toxin to spread throughout his entire bloodstream. The needles were the only way to slowly force the poison out.

Only then did An Ming relax his breathing, personally carrying the silver basin from beside him over to the Old Medicine Sage, behaving entirely like a respectful junior.

After washing his hands, the Old Medicine Sage looked at An Ming, a rare trace of warmth surfacing in his eyes. "You can remove your mask. Given his current state, he won't perceive even the slightest sound from the outside world."

"I am already used to it; it is no trouble," An Ming replied, hearing the care in the elder's tone, his voice remaining deeply respectful. "Lingxi has a matter he wishes to tell Master."

"Is it regarding your fiancée?" The Old Medicine Sage seated himself on a natural stone pillar within the cave, looking at An Ming as he spoke slowly, "Lingxiao already told me about your situation beforehand. Having you make this trip here was also my idea."

The brows beneath An Ming's bronze mask furrowed slightly, but they relaxed almost immediately as he quietly waited for the sage to continue.

"When this technique was passed down to you all, I honestly never expected that any of you would ever have to use it, which is why I left certain things unsaid," the Old Medicine Sage sighed with apparent regret, a sigh that instantly clutched at An Ming's heart.

Seeing the eagerness in An Ming's eyes, the sage knew that this disciple of his had truly fallen for the Yue family girl—and deep at that. At the mere thought of what he was about to say, the Old Medicine Sage felt a headache coming on. Yet it had to be said; this was his own fault. Why had his hands been itching to pass on that specific technique so casually?

"This set of techniques actually has a flaw," the Old Medicine Sage had barely uttered those words when he felt An Ming's hands tense into tight fists. Deciding to simply close his eyes, he continued, "This needlework can seal away memories. In fact, barring special circumstances, those memories can remain sealed for a lifetime. But the moment these needles are removed—or if external forces restore the sealed memories—unforeseen side effects will inevitably follow."