The young man looked troubled. Su Luo, however, glanced at Xiao Jingchen’s unpleasant expression and said calmly, "So gravely ill, yet throwing such a tantrum. Do you wish to die instantly from anger?"
Xiao Jingchen paid no mind, coldly stating, "This has nothing to do with you. Get out! If you don't leave, I'll have the innkeeper throw you out."
The young man advised him, "Young master, please don't act like this. It was these young masters and ladies who paid for the medicine..."
"I won't take it. Return the medicine to them!"
Xiao Jingchen snatched the porcelain bottle from the young man's hand and smashed it fiercely on the ground.
The young man, looking at the shattered porcelain bottle and the scattered pills, trembled inwardly. Yet, he had to say, "But, young master, the jade pendant is still with them."
"You actually took the jade pendant..."
Xiao Jingchen quickly felt himself, his eyes widening in shock. He shouted, "Who told you to take the jade pendant? Cough, cough, cough... Xiao Qi, I said not to sell it, not to sell it! Cough, cough, cough, cough... Don't you understand? I can't be cured anymore, don't worry about me!"
The young man cried in distress. Xiao Jingchen pushed him aside and walked towards Su Luo and the others, saying, "Hand it over, the jade pendant... cough, cough, cough... the jade pendant is, is mine! Cough, cough, cough..."
Seeing him cough violently, yet still glaring at them with hostility, Li Tianjue held up the jade pendant and said, "I only have one question for you. Who gave you this jade pendant, and where is that person now? If you tell us, we will leave immediately."
Xiao Jingchen's eyes sharpened, and he raised his hand to snatch it.
His movements were swift; despite his illness, he was as quick as lightning, clearly not an ordinary young master from a prominent family.
But Li Tianjue retracted his hand, quickly exchanged a few moves with him, easily blocked Xiao Jingchen's attack, and firmly secured his hands, rendering him unable to move.
Xiao Jingchen grew anxious and coughed violently again.
As soon as Li Tianjue released him, Xiao Jingchen's expression changed drastically, his face turning almost black as ink. He stumbled a few times, spitting out a mouthful of black blood, and swayed before collapsing onto the ground, actually fainting.
"Young master!" The young man called Xiao Qi rushed over, shaking the man and panicking.
"Get out of the way."
Without a word, Li Tianjue immediately picked up the man and placed him on the bed. He said urgently to Su Luo, "Can you save him? This person absolutely cannot die; he must be saved."
Su Luo had never seen Li Tianjue so anxious. She nodded and asked everyone to step aside.
Upon activating her Divine Eye Mirror, she discovered the severity of the situation.
"Not only is he poisoned, but he has also lost a great deal of vital energy... The poison has already invaded his dantian, which is rather tricky... He's poisoned by Black Rot Grass and Silver Snake Flower Vine, as well as Human Face Spider and Ghost Poppy... These poisons are manageable, but how did he get into this state?"
Listening to Su Luo's muttering as she took out a detoxification pill from her person and gave it to him, everyone's hearts were in their throats.
Although they didn't know this man, the origin of the jade pendant was extraordinary. If this person couldn't be saved, the safety and whereabouts of their sect leader would be lost. How could they not be anxious?
Xiao Qi was also frantic and uneasy, allowing Su Luo to treat him while muttering incessantly.
After a moment, Su Luo stopped and said, "Senior Brother, I need some things. Please go and buy them. In the meantime, I will give him emergency treatment. Everyone else, please wait outside."
Li Tianjue noted down the items she mentioned and hurried off.
The rest, knowing the gravity of the situation, all went out to stand guard by the door. Xiao Qi, filled with worry, paced anxiously in the hallway, his heart filled with dread.
Tang Xiaoguo couldn't help but comfort him, "Don't worry, Sister Su is very capable, she'll definitely be able to save your young master."
Xiao Qi nodded, his voice filled with unease, "I hope so. Thank you all."
A moment later, Li Tianjue returned with a large bag of items.
Pushing the door open, he saw Su Luo by the bedside, treating the man in an orderly fashion.
He turned and closed the door again, then walked gently to her side.
Su Luo didn't turn around, knowing Li Tianjue had entered. She continued, "Grind the Heavenly Star Seed and Phoenix Down into powder, mix them with Night Shining Sand using clean water, I'll need it soon."
"Alright." Li Tianjue responded and immediately got to work.
Su Luo began to extract the toxins from Xiao Jingchen's body one by one using the Mysterious Vein Needle.
Fortunately, she knew the Mysterious Vein Needle.
Moreover, the man had only been poisoned for half a year. The eighteen needles would take effect.
Then, she applied the 'paste' made from Heavenly Star Seed, Phoenix Down, and Night Shining Sand, which would gradually draw out the residual toxins in his body. Unfortunately, he had lost a lot of vital energy, and his cultivation might be damaged, significantly weakening his strength.
It would take at least one to two years of recuperation with heavenly treasures to recover.
Beside her, Li Tianjue watched Su Luo's focused and meticulous work, sweat beading on his forehead, his heart filled with immense gratitude.
Thankfully, she was here!
He didn't know how many times he had been fortunate to bring Su Luo back to Qingxu Heaven.
If this girl hadn't pestered him relentlessly back then, and if he hadn't softened his heart and held onto a sliver of hope, he wouldn't have had such good fortune now.
His fifth junior brother's illness wouldn't have seen any improvement, he wouldn't have been able to catch the spy who had been lurking for eighteen years, nor would he have been able to smoothly handle the challenges from the Grand Purity Holy Land, uncover their plot, and save so many people in Yuxu City...
Even the issues with the Resource Hall would likely still be giving him a headache.
As he pondered, a touch of tenderness appeared on Li Tianjue's face.
"Alright, Senior Brother, give me that..."
Su Luo wiped her sweat and pointed to the large basin of medicinal paste Li Tianjue had just prepared.
As Li Tianjue handed it over, he saw Su Luo preparing to take off the man's pants, and his face immediately turned stern as he stopped her, "What are you doing?"
He hadn't said anything when she removed his clothes earlier, and now she was going to take off his pants?
"To treat his illness!"
Su Luo glanced at Li Tianjue and said, "Without taking off his pants, how can I apply this paste all over his body? This is to absorb the residual toxins in his body. If I don't do the final step, all my previous efforts will have been in vain."
Li Tianjue said coldly, "That's still not acceptable."
Su Luo suddenly realized and laughed, "Senior Brother, you're thinking too much. You don't need to strip him completely; leaving him with just his underwear is fine."
Li Tianjue: "..."
Still not acceptable!
He couldn't accept Su Luo using her soft little hands to touch the body of a strange, naked man wearing only underwear all over.
"I'll do it."
Li Tianjue made up his mind, his face stern. "You step aside and just tell me what to do."
Su Luo suppressed a smile, not expecting this man to be so old-fashioned.
But having someone help, she was more than willing.
"Then thank you, Senior Brother."
Su Luo sat on a stool nearby and began to instruct Li Tianjue, "First, apply it to his face, from top to bottom. Don't mess up the order... Oh, right, Senior Brother, here's a small brush for you."
"Take your time, don't rush. You need to apply it evenly, just like how I usually roast meat."
"When you apply it to his back later, you'll need to support his body with spiritual power so he floats in the air... Remember to apply it thicker at the dantian area; this spot is particularly important..."
An unknown amount of time passed.
Li Tianjue finally finished. As he put down the empty bowl, a faint groan was heard.
Xiao Jingchen woke up.
As consciousness returned, he sensed something was wrong. Why did his body feel strange?
He turned his head and saw Su Luo and Li Tianjue. He then realized he was floating on the bed, his body covered in a disgusting paste, and he was only wearing his underwear. His face instantly changed drastically, "Ah—"
A soul-piercing scream echoed in the room.