“What nonsense are you spouting! Sister Sumiao has no grudge against you, how can you be so vicious as to curse her loved ones!” Ye Zhishen angrily retorted.
“Sister Sumiao, don’t listen to her nonsense. I will definitely find a way to help you get the century-old snow ginseng!”
Ye Zhishen shot a hateful glance at Yun Qingqing, already scheming in his mind that as long as the Crown Prince intervened, this woman would surely hand over the item with both hands, overjoyed… Wait, could she be deliberately making things difficult for me just to see the Crown Prince?
This woman is truly cunning!
Yun Qingqing didn’t care what Ye Zhishen thought. She straightforwardly said to Xu Sumiao:
“I can save your grandfather.”
“Really?” Xu Sumiao was somewhat skeptical.
Divine Doctor Tang, who had been observing from the side, suddenly spoke up:
“If Miss Yun says she can save him, then it must be true! Young lady, how fortunate you are to encounter Miss Yun. You must not miss this opportunity!”
Xu Sumiao grew even more astonished. Divine Doctor Tang was renowned, and she had originally intended to invite him to treat her grandfather. She never expected that even he would recommend Yun Qingqing.
Without further hesitation, she said to Yun Qingqing:
“If you can cure my grandfather, our Xu family will surely reward you handsomely!”
Yun Qingqing nodded:
“Let’s go.”
“Wait!” Ye Zhishen still didn’t quite believe it and stopped her, saying loudly, “I don’t believe you have that ability! If you can’t cure Elder Xu, you must hand over the century-old snow ginseng to save him! Otherwise, if anything happens to Elder Xu, I will not let you off!”
“Oh.” Yun Qingqing replied without much emotion, “Then if I save him, you must bow and apologize to me, saying, ‘I was wrong before, I admit defeat’!”
“If you’re not willing, then stop making demands of me!”
“Fine!” Ye Zhishen snorted, “I want to see how you plan to save him!”
Half an hour later, Yun Qingqing arrived at the Xu residence.
Xu Sumiao led her to Elder Xu’s sickbed. The old man lay with his eyes tightly shut, unconscious, his face covered with a dark aura of death—a sign that he could pass away at any moment.
Yun Qingqing already had an idea.
Xu Cizheng was a world-renowned great scholar. Although he had retired from public life many years ago, his disciples were spread across the land, and his influence was immeasurable.
Yun Qingqing’s Spirit Pupils could see the Qi Fortune surrounding him, which was connected to the National Fortune. This was also why she was willing to take the initiative to save him.
If something happened to the great scholar, the National Fortune would fluctuate, and Xiao Changheng, who bore the National Fortune, would inevitably be affected.
“Miss Yun, can you really cure my grandfather’s illness?” Xu Sumiao asked, growing more uncertain as she saw Yun Qingqing’s solemn expression.
“I told you, your grandfather isn’t ill.” Yun Qingqing glanced at her, “He has been poisoned by a gu.”
Everyone in the Xu family gasped in shock.
“How can you believe the nonsense of some unknown young girl?”
The speaker was Xu Sumiao’s second uncle, who snorted coldly:
“Master Wen clearly said that with the century-old snow ginseng, he could be cured. It seems to me that you couldn’t find the snow ginseng, so you brought someone here to put on a show!”
Master Wen, standing nearby, stroked his beard and shook his head:
“Alas, it seems the century-old snow ginseng truly cannot be found? It appears Elder Xu cannot escape this calamity!”
“What… what should we do now…” Xu Sumiao’s parents looked even more worried.
Xu Sumiao frowned and said, “Miss Yun accurately described Grandfather’s symptoms right away. I believe she has a solution, which is why I brought her here to treat him.”
“Miss Yun?” A strange laugh suddenly came from the side—it was Xu Ming, the son of the second branch.
“Could it be that ugly freak Yun Qingqing? That useless waste who spends all her time clinging to the Crown Prince, and you actually brought her here to treat Grandfather? I think you just don’t want Grandfather to wake up!”
“You…” Xu Suya glared, about to retort.
But Yun Qingqing ignored everyone, took out a talisman, and slapped it onto the head of the bed with a “smack.”
“What are you doing!” Master Wen’s expression changed sharply as he shouted sternly, “Stop her! If she keeps messing around, she’ll kill Elder Xu!”
Second Uncle Xu immediately called for the servants:
“Drag her out! Don’t let her get close to the old master!”
Ye Zhishen grabbed Yun Qingqing’s wrist:
“I knew you were up to no good! Hand over the hundred-year snow ginseng now! Uncle Xu, don’t worry—the snow ginseng is in this woman’s hands. She won’t get away!”
Hearing this, a sudden gleam flashed in Master Wen’s eyes. He strode over to Yun Qingqing and reached out his hand:
“Because of your reckless talisman, Elder Xu’s life is hanging by a thread! Hand over the snow ginseng now to save him!”
Yun Qingqing violently shook off Ye Zhishen, and her Veiled Hat fell to the ground. Everyone was startled to see the scabs covering her face.
In that moment, Yun Qingqing quickly formed a hand seal toward Xu Cizheng and shouted clearly:
“Condense!”
Everyone saw a faint golden light shoot toward the head of the bed, and their eyes widened in disbelief.
“What are you doing!” Second Uncle Xu shouted sternly. “Seize her! Don’t let her harm anyone!”
But just as the servants rushed toward Yun Qingqing, a frail yet authoritative voice suddenly rang out from the head of the bed:
“Stop!”
Everyone froze at the sound and looked toward the bed.
“Father!”
“Grandfather!”
“How is this possible…”
A faint, ethereal figure stood at the head of the bed, its form and appearance clear—it was Xu Cizheng, lying on the bed!
Xu Suya’s father, Xu Shouqing, turned pale:
“Father! How… You couldn’t be…”
Seeing his father’s soul had emerged, he couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence.
Yun Qingqing spoke up:
“Don’t worry. Elder Xu’s lifespan is not yet over. I can help his soul return to his body. However, Elder Xu has something more important to say now, doesn’t he?”
She looked toward Xu Cizheng.
Xu Cizheng nodded, raised his hand, and pointed sternly at Second Uncle Xu:
“Seize this unfilial son and that so-called master he brought here! All of them!”
Seeing that it was the old master’s order, the servants obeyed without hesitation.
“This…” Xu Shouqing was stunned.
Xu Shouzheng turned deathly pale and fell to his knees with a thud:
“Father! Listen to me, it’s all a misunderstanding…”
“Unfilial son!” Xu Cizheng cut him off sharply. “I heard everything you said while I was unconscious! Your entire family of three is involved in this!”
“That Master Wen even said that with the hundred-year snow ginseng, he could turn me into a corpse puppet, and then all the family assets would be at your disposal!”
“You beast!” Xu Shouqing’s worldview shattered. He stepped forward and kicked Xu Shouzheng to the ground.
Xu Shouzheng’s family had no defense and were taken away to await punishment.
But Master Wen struggled and shouted:
“You can’t punish me! He’s infected with a Soul-Devouring Yin Gu! Only I can remove it. If you dare harm me, his soul will be devoured completely by the Yin Gu, and he won’t even be able to reincarnate!”
Xu Shouqing was terrified and immediately ordered the servants to bring him back.
Master Wen revealed a smug smile:
“If you want me to spare him, you’ll have to do as I say!”
The Xu family glared at him with fury, yet there was nothing they could do.
Just then, Yun Qingqing spoke coldly:
“No need. It’s just a mere Yin Gu. I can dispel it.”