Starting with a blind date with a female constable, you acquire the Nine Swords of Dugu.

Chapter 70 An Unexpected Encounter (Please Subscribe)

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Gu Guanqi packed his belongings and headed towards Tianping County.

The journey from Linzhong County to Tianping County is quite long.

This was the first time Gu Guanqi had traveled alone in a long time. Fortunately, the map Yan Wangchuan provided was very detailed, clearly marking which sections of the road had post stations, which had villages and towns, and which were desolate wilderness areas.

He then followed the map and traveled day and night.

The journey was uneventful.

After traveling for several days, they finally arrived at the territory of Tianping County.

However, the weather turned against him. At noon that day, when Gu Guanqi was traveling in the middle of nowhere, a torrential downpour suddenly began. Because he was in a hurry to get on the road and his horsemanship was not very good, his horse stumbled while going downhill.

Although the person landed smoothly thanks to their light-footed skills, the horse's leg was injured in the fall, so it could only move forward with difficulty, unable to carry the person, let alone run fast.

Helpless, Gu Guanqi could only brave the heavy rain to stop the horse's bleeding briefly, then lead the horse forward to see if he could find shelter from the rain.

Torrential rain.

Large raindrops pounded the ground, splashing up murky sprays. A vast expanse of mist enveloped the world, obscuring the distant mountains...

The nearby trees were swallowed up by the rain, leaving only blurry outlines.

Gu Guanqi led his horse, trudging along the muddy official road. He was soaked to the bone, each step leaving a puddle of water in his wake.

He had walked quite a distance, but the rain showed no sign of stopping, and he still hadn't found a suitable place to take shelter.

Just then, a rapid sound of horses' hooves came from behind.

Gu Guanqi stepped aside to make way for the roadside, then led his horse back a little further to the side of the road. He looked back.

Seven or eight fast horses galloped in, their hooves splashing through the mud and water, sending up large sprays of water. The riders were all wearing straw raincoats and bamboo hats, with weapons hanging at their waists, clearly people from the martial arts world.

In the middle of the procession was a carriage with an ebony body and dark blue curtains hanging on all four sides. The wheels had left deep ruts in the mud.

The convoy sped past Gu Guanqi, the sounds of horses' hooves and wheels mingling together, noisy and hurried.

Just as the carriage passed by him, the curtain was lifted by a corner by the wind.

Gu Guanqi looked up and his eyes met those of someone in the car.

She was a woman, about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with exquisite and dignified features, and beautiful eyebrows and eyes.

Their eyes met briefly in the rain.

The carriage sped past him in an instant.

The caravan continued on its way, the sound of horses' hooves gradually fading into the distance.

Gu Guanqi withdrew his gaze and continued leading the horse forward.

Just then, he suddenly heard the sound of hooves in front of him stop. As he was wondering what was going on, a fast horse turned around and galloped toward him. When it reached him, the rider pulled on the reins and dismounted.

The man was in his thirties. He was carrying a raincoat and a bamboo hat, which he handed to Gu Guanqi, saying, "Sir, my young lady said that it's inevitable to encounter inconveniences when traveling. The rain is too heavy, so I'm giving you this raincoat, bamboo hat, and some dry food."

Gu Guanqi was slightly taken aback, then reached out and took the gift, saying, "Thank you, Miss. May I ask if you may leave your name so that I may visit you in the future to express my gratitude?"

"No need, it's nothing, just a small matter, don't worry about it!" The man waved his hand and said, "About two miles ahead, there's a cave by the roadside where you can take shelter from the rain for now. You can rest there and continue your journey when the rain stops."

Having said that, he mounted his horse, turned it around, spurred it on, and chased after the caravan, quickly disappearing into the rain.

Gu Guanqi stood there, holding the horse in one hand and the package in the other, staring blankly in the direction the caravan had gone for a moment.

"We've met a good person."

Gu Guanqi quickly put on his straw hat, then unfolded his raincoat, inside which was a package of dried food wrapped in oil paper.

He quickly put on the raincoat.

Although he was soaked through, he could use the Purple Cloud Divine Skill to dry his clothes. Before, without a raincoat and hat, drying them was pointless, but now it would work.

Then, Gu Guanqi led the horse and continued walking forward.

As he moved forward, wisps of white mist slowly rose from his body, which quickly dissipated.

Meanwhile, the group of people sped through the rain.

The woman inside the carriage was flipping through a booklet. She was beautiful with delicate features, wearing a pale yellow brocade dress with gold cloud patterns embroidered on the hem, and a dark silk sash tied around her waist, which perfectly accentuated her slender figure.

What is most striking about her is her exquisite figure.

Even in a loose brocade dress, her full breasts could not be concealed, rising and falling slightly with her movements, exuding a dignified yet alluring charm.

This woman was none other than Lin Yourong, the eldest daughter of Jinxiu Manor, the family that Gu Guanqi had visited to see the master tailor.

"Miss, I really don't understand."

Sitting next to Lin Yourong was a girl of about fourteen or fifteen years old, who was none other than Lin Yourong's personal maid, Meihua.

At this moment, Mei Hua tilted her head, looking puzzled: "Why did you suddenly have someone deliver something to that passerby?"

Lin Yourong placed the book on her lap, a faint smile playing on her lips: "If I see someone like that, I'll just help them out. There's no need for so many excuses."

Mei Hua pouted, her tone tinged with disbelief: "Miss, we clearly saw that person a long time ago, but you never even considered giving him a raincoat. It was clearly a last-minute decision."

Lin Yourong chuckled at her words and gently tapped Mei Hua's forehead: "You little rascal, you're getting better and better at reading people's expressions."

Mei Hua covered her forehead, chuckled, and waited for her to continue.

Lin Yourong was silent for a moment before slowly speaking: "I happened to see that person when I passed by just now."

"So what if he saw it?" Plum Blossom blinked. "What does it have to do with the gift you gave him?"

Lin Yourong chuckled and said, "Because he's good-looking!"

Mei Hua was taken aback: "Huh?"

"Good-looking people often have special privileges," Lin Yourong's smile deepened, "regardless of gender."

Meihua stared at her blankly for a while, then suddenly covered her mouth and burst into laughter, laughing so hard she almost fell over. It took her a while to stop, and she wiped away tears from the corners of her eyes, saying, "Miss, isn't that too vulgar!"

Lin Yourong said dismissively, "I'm just an ordinary person."

Meihua leaned closer, rested her chin on her hands, darted her eyes around, and said with a grin, "So, according to you, the son-in-law you marry in the future, Miss, will definitely be exceptionally handsome?"

Lin Yourong gently shook her head.

"not necessarily."

Plum Blossom was stunned again: "Why?"

Lin Yourong's gaze remained fixed on the pages of the book, her voice still calm: "The person I marry may not be handsome, but he will definitely be helpful to the Lin family."

The carriage was silent for a moment.

Mei Hua's smile faded slightly. She looked at Lin Yourong's profile, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she didn't know where to begin. She lowered her eyes, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes, and gave a soft "hmm".

Lin Yourong chuckled and said, "What are you thinking now, girl? That I had no choice but to give up my happiness and was forced into an arranged marriage!"

"No—isn't it?" Plum Blossom asked.

"Read less of those fictional novels," Lin Yourong said. "There aren't that many stories of families forcing marriages. Forced marriages are never sweet and will only backfire, completely negating the intended purpose. It's mainly my personal wish; family comes first, personal matters second. Otherwise, why would I be twenty-five and still unmarried? I'd be an old maid!"

Mei Hua pouted and said, "What do you mean by old? Miss isn't old at all; she looks younger than me!"

Lin Yourong reached out and pinched Mei Hua's little cheek, saying, "You're so good with words, you—"

Just then, Lin Yourong's face suddenly changed, turning bright red, and she spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Miss, Miss, what's wrong?"

The plum blossoms were greatly alarmed.

Lin Yourong comforted Meihua and said, "Tell them to speed up. I was ambushed by that man in black robes a couple of days ago. Now I have an extra kind of true energy in my body that I can't resolve on my own. I can barely suppress it now."

I must rush to Xiushan County to ask the legendary doctor Wu to help me suppress this, so that I can buy time to return to the county seat and have my grandfather intervene!

After saying that, Lin Yourong quickly circulated her true energy to harmonize and suppress the strange true energy.

Meihua hurriedly went to the carriage door and instructed the people outside to speed up.

The carriage continued its journey through the rain, its wheels churning the muddy road with a dull thud. Raindrops pounded against the roof, pattering like a drum being pounded overhead.

The next morning, the rain stopped, and the sky was clear and bright.

Gu Guanqi hid in the cave all night, and now that dawn was breaking, he led his injured horse onward. After traveling along the official road for most of the day, they finally arrived at a town called Xiushan County.

Gu Guanqi led his horse into the town, but after asking around, he learned that the county was poor and there was no mule or horse market at all.

He originally planned to sell the injured horse and buy a better one.

Now we have to abandon this idea and can only spend more time curing the horse.

Fortunately, although he wasn't a veterinarian, he was skilled in treating external injuries. The principles were the same; he just needed to apply some medicine to the wound and let the horse rest for a few days to recover.

He visited several other clinics, but none had a complete supply of medicines, and several medicinal herbs were completely unavailable. Finally, after inquiring around, he learned that there was a clinic called Tianhe Clinic in the city, which was the largest clinic in Xiushan County and had the most complete supply of medicines.

He immediately led his horse toward Tianhe Medical Clinic.

After turning two corners, we finally arrived at Tianhe Medical Clinic.

A carriage was parked in front of the clinic, and several horses were tied to the hitching posts in front of the gate.

Gu Guanqi's gaze swept over the horses and carriages, then he paused slightly.

He recognized the carriage; it was the same carriage escorted by the same group of people who had given him the raincoat and straw hat yesterday in the rain.

"What a coincidence."

Gu Guanqi sighed, "I never expected to run into you again today."

He tied his horse to the hitching post at the entrance and stepped into the clinic.

The clinic's interior was quite spacious. Upon entering, there was a long row of counters, behind which was a whole wall of medicine cabinets with countless small drawers, each labeled with the name of a medicinal herb.

A young doctor, who was dozing off, groggily looked up at the sound of footsteps. Seeing Gu Guanqi, he asked, "Young master, are you here for a medical consultation or to pick up medicine?"

Gu Guanqi cupped his hands and said, "Get the medicine."

Gu Guanqi then recited some drug names and dosages.

The young doctor quickly jotted it down, then picked it up to check. After confirming that there was nothing wrong with the prescription, he didn't say anything and started dispensing the medicine.

Gu Guanqi stood in front of the counter and waited.

Just then, hurried footsteps suddenly came from the courtyard of the clinic, growing louder as they approached, accompanied by a little girl's anxious voice: "Dr. Chen, where is the legendary Physician Wu? Why hasn't he returned yet?"

Before the words were finished, two figures rushed out from behind the curtain of the inner courtyard.

Running ahead was a girl of about fourteen or fifteen years old, with her hair styled in double buns and wearing a light green vest. Her round face was flushed red, and her eyes were brimming with tears, ready to fall at any moment.

This person was none other than Meihua, Lin Yourong's personal maid.

Following behind Plum Blossom was a man in his thirties, burly and dressed in short, tight-fitting clothes, with a single-edged sword at his waist.

Gu Guanqi recognized him at a glance—it was the same person who had brought him a raincoat and straw hat in the rain yesterday.

Meihua ran to the counter and said anxiously, "Dr. Chen, when will your master be back? My young lady can't hold on much longer!"

The young doctor quickly stood up and said, "Miss Plum Blossom, I really don't know. My master left before dawn and didn't say where he went, and I don't know when he will come back."

With a sob in her voice, Mei Hua said, "Please think carefully! Think about where the old doctor Wu might have gone. We'll send people to look for him right away!"

Doctor Chen said helplessly, "Miss Plum Blossom, you've already sent people to search all the places I can think of. There's really nothing else we can do but wait!"

The man stepped forward, his voice steady yet filled with anxiety: "Dr. Chen, since you are a disciple of the legendary Physician Wu, your medical skills must be exceptional. Why don't you think of a way to save my young lady—"

Doctor Chen quickly shook his head: "I've only been studying with my master for two years, and I can only treat minor illnesses like headaches and fevers. I've already examined your young lady's condition; it's an internal injury, and I really can't treat it."

The little girl stamped her feet anxiously, tears streaming down her face: "What should we do? In Xiushan County, there's only one doctor, Old Doctor Wu, who can treat internal injuries. If he's not here, what will happen to my young lady? What will we do?!"

The man also looked solemn, his lips pressed tightly together, and his brows furrowed into a knot.

Soon, Doctor Chen finished preparing the medicine and handed it to Gu Guanqi.

Gu Guanqi took the medicine, paid for it, and looked at the two people beside him who were anxiously suffering from headaches. He remembered the favor of the man who had given him the raincoat, straw hat and dry food yesterday, so he cupped his hands to the man and said, "Hero, we meet again."

"You are—" The man's gaze lingered on Gu Guanqi's face for a moment, then he showed surprise: "Eh, it's you?"

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly and said, "Yesterday, your young lady gave me a raincoat, a bamboo hat, and some dried rations. I've been thinking that I should repay her if I have the chance. I just heard that your young lady suffered internal injuries, and I happen to be a doctor myself, with some experience in treating both internal and external injuries. Why don't you let me go and take a look?"

"this----"

Upon hearing this, the man paused slightly, his gaze sweeping back and forth across Gu Guanqi's face several times, a hint of hesitation in his expression.

He was suspicious of Gu Guanqi's medical skills, but more so of Gu Guanqi's identity. People who travel around the country for a long time generally don't believe in coincidences.

If they hadn't offered to help yesterday, he wouldn't have said much to Gu Guanqi right now.

But Mei Hua was different. Being a young girl, she didn't have so many hidden agendas. Hearing Gu Guanqi's words, she grasped at them like a lifeline, grabbing his sleeve and urgently asking, "You—you're really a doctor? You can really heal internal injuries?"

Gu Guanqi said, "We'll only know once we see it."

The little girl turned to look at the man, her eyes full of expectation: "Brother Zhao, how about—how about letting him try? We don't know when the old doctor Wu will be back, and Miss really can't hold on any longer!"

The man gritted his teeth, pondered for a moment, and finally nodded: "Then I'll trouble you. May I ask your guidance?"

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly and said, "My surname is Gu."

"So it's Doctor Gu."

Immediately, the man surnamed Zhao led the way, with the little girl following beside him. The three of them quickly passed through the curtain and headed towards the backyard. Soon, they arrived at the door of the innermost room. Two guards with swords stood outside the door. The man surnamed Zhao whispered a few words, and the two men stepped aside.

The man surnamed Zhao pushed open the door and stepped aside, saying, "Please."

Gu Guanqi stepped inside.

The side room was small and simply furnished.

A carved wooden bed was placed against the wall, and a woman was sitting cross-legged on the bed, practicing her internal energy to heal her injuries.

Sure enough, it was the woman I had caught a glimpse of in the carriage yesterday.

Today, Gu Guanqi finally got a full glimpse of her; she was a very beautiful girl, and her demeanor suggested she came from a prominent family.

At this moment, Lin Yourong's face was as pale as paper, her lips were bloodless, and there was still a trace of dark red blood at the corner of her mouth.

Her breathing was rapid and weak, her chest heaving, and she looked listless, as if she might die at any moment.

"Miss, we met this Doctor Gu outside. He said he can treat internal injuries!"

Lin Yourong slightly opened her eyes, her gaze somewhat unfocused, lingering on Gu Guanqi's face for a moment. Suddenly, a strange light flashed in her eyes, as if she recognized him.

"It's you—"

Gu Guan nodded slightly and cupped his hands, saying, "It is indeed I. I am deeply grateful for the clothes you gave me yesterday, Miss. Today, I heard that you are unwell, and since I have some medical knowledge, I have come to take a look."

Lin Yourong frowned slightly.

Meihua hurried to the bedside, knelt down, and took Lin Yourong's hand, her eyes brimming with tears, saying, "Miss, this young man says he's also a doctor. Let him take a look at you, okay? The legendary Physician Wu isn't here, and we can't find anyone else. Your condition can't wait any longer—"

Lin Yourong's gaze fell on Gu Guanqi, and she looked at him for a moment.

She didn't hold out much hope that the strange internal energy within her had been forced in by someone with a single, powerful strike, something she herself was powerless to stop and could only suppress with difficulty. What could a young doctor she'd met on the street possibly do?

But there's no other choice right now.

She nodded slightly, her voice weak: "Thank you for your trouble. What's your name?"

"His surname is Gu!" Mei Hua quickly said.

"Thank you for your trouble, Dr. Gu!" Lin Yourong said.

Gu Guanqi walked to the bedside, sat down on a round stool, leaned his sword against the side of the stool, and gently placed his hand on Lin Yourong's wrist.

After a moment, Gu Guanqi frowned slightly and loosened his fingers.

The little maid, Meihua, asked impatiently, "Doctor, how is my young lady? Can you cure her?"

Gu Guanqi stood up, his expression calm, and said, "Your young lady has a strange kind of true energy in her body, which is lingering and fierce. It is currently entrenched near the Juque acupoint, constantly eroding the meridians and disrupting the flow of qi and blood. If I'm not mistaken, this true energy was forcibly injected into the Tanzhong acupoint and then transferred to the Juque acupoint."

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Lin Yourong's eyes.

She hadn't had high hopes, but to her surprise, the young doctor Gu actually managed to pinpoint the problem.

The man surnamed Zhao quickly clasped his hands in greeting and asked, "Dr. Gu, since you can diagnose the cause of the illness, do you have a way to treat it?"

Gu Guanqi nodded.

Meihua exclaimed in surprise, "You really can cure it?"

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly, paused, and turned to look at Lin Yourong on the bed, saying, "Actually, the treatment for this young lady's internal injuries is very simple. First, use silver needles to transfer qi and stabilize the blood and qi. Then, use internal force to resolve that foreign true qi. The real difficulty lies in resolving it. It must also be resolved with internal force. No matter how profound the internal force is, it will not work if it does not have the ability to resolve it."

Gu Guanqi was quite confident, as his Purple Cloud True Qi had the ability to neutralize true qi.

Meihua quickly asked, "Are you sure you can do it?"

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly, took out a small cloth bag from the bundle, opened it, and inside were a dozen silver needles neatly inserted.

These silver needles were specially made for Xue Fuling; they were of excellent quality, each one as thin as a hair, gleaming with a faint, cold light.

He took out a silver needle, wiped it with strong liquor, and then heated it over a lamp before looking at Lin Yourong: "Miss, please sit down and don't move around."

Lin Yourong nodded slightly and sat quietly.

Then, Gu Guanqi began to administer acupuncture.

His technique was extremely fast and accurate; every needle landed precisely on the acupoint, without any deviation, and with just the right amount of force.

Lin Yourong felt a warm current seep into her from the needle tip, flowing slowly along her meridians. Wherever it passed, the stinging pain caused by the foreign energy gradually lessened.

She was even more surprised.

Gu Guanqi applied seventeen needles in succession. With each needle insertion, he would infuse a wisp of Purple Cloud True Qi into the needle. The true qi was gentle and long-lasting, like a warm stream flowing slowly along the meridians. Wherever it passed, the blood and qi flowed smoothly, and the meridians were relaxed. Gradually, a trace of color appeared on Lin Yourong's pale face.

After a while, Lin Yourong's breathing became much more stable, and her chest no longer rose and fell so rapidly.

Meihua stayed by the bedside and was so excited when she saw that her mistress's complexion had improved that she almost jumped up.

After a while, Gu Guanqi removed the silver needles, stood up, and said to Lin Yourong, "Your Qi and blood have stabilized. The next step is the second step—dissolving that foreign Qi. This process will take longer than before and requires more focus. We need to clear out the others and leave this young lady here."

Upon hearing this, the man surnamed Zhao immediately looked at Lin Yourong.

Lin Yourong nodded slightly and said softly, "Zhao Qi, you can go out first. Plum Blossom can stay here."

The man surnamed Zhao clasped his hands in acceptance of the order, immediately left the room, and closed the door behind him.

Only Gu Guanqi, Lin Yourong, and Meihua remained in the room.

Gu Guanqi removed the headband from his head, and his hair immediately came loose, looking somewhat messy.

He paused, then said, "To dissolve that foreign true energy within you, because it has been there for so long, it has seeped into your meridians and acupoints like silk threads. I need to precisely channel the true energy into your acupoints without the slightest error. This process requires you to remove your clothes. But don't worry, I will blindfold you!"

Upon hearing this, Meihua's face flushed red instantly. She opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say, and stood there helplessly.

A blush instantly spread across Lin Yourong's cheeks, starting from her ears and extending down her neck. She lowered her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly.

In fact, she was very clear about her own physical condition. Unless it was someone with profound internal strength who shared the same lineage and source as her true energy, who could easily transfer true energy into her to help her resolve it, other true energy required skin-to-skin contact to control precisely. Otherwise, if there was a deviation, not only would it not be resolved, but a third true energy would also appear.

This is also why she immediately agreed when Gu Guanqi asked someone to leave.

It was a very embarrassing thing, but she had no choice at the moment.

If this strange internal energy is not eliminated, her life will be in danger at any moment.

Even if the legendary doctor Wu were here, she wasn't sure if he could help her suppress it, and to make matters worse, he was nowhere to be found.

She had no choice at all.

After a moment of silence, Lin Yourong took a deep breath, looked up at Gu Guanqi, and silently comforted herself:

Fortunately, he was a handsome young man, which was a stroke of luck amidst misfortune!

Her cheeks were still flushed as she cupped her hands and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you!"

Gu Guanqi picked up the hair tie, wrapped it around her eyes twice, and tied it tightly. After confirming that she could not see anything, she stood up, stretched out her hand, and said, "Please help me to the bed."

Mei Hua quickly helped Gu Guanqi sit on the bed.

With her back to Gu Guanqi, Lin Yourong slowly untied the ties of her outer robe, one by one. The movements were slow, and with each ties she untied, her fingertips trembled slightly, and her breathing became a little more rapid.

Her pale white outer garment slipped off her shoulders, revealing a glimpse of her fair neck and slender waist. She was only wearing a thin, lotus-root-colored inner garment.

She took a deep breath and slowly took off her inner garment, leaving her upper body only in a bodice, her back completely exposed.

"Miss, please be seated. I will use my internal energy to expel that foreign true energy from your body. If you experience any discomfort during the process, please let me know immediately."

Lin Yourong hummed in response, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible.

Gu Guanqi raised his hands and slowly placed his palms on Lin Yourong's back.

The moment her palm touched her back, Lin Yourong's body stiffened abruptly, as if a taut string had been plucked, and she froze completely.

The warmth of Gu Guanqi's palms spread to her body, and his long, strong hands rested steadily on her back, neither too light nor too heavy, just right.

Lin Yourong bit her lip, her eyelashes trembling, and the blush on her cheeks spread all the way to her ears. She dared not look down at herself, nor dared she look up at the plum blossoms, but stared intently at the blank wall in front of her, even her breathing becoming much softer.

Gu Guanqi covered his head with a hairband and closed his eyes, but his mind was completely focused. Purple Cloud True Qi surged from his dantian and slowly flowed into Lin Yourong's body through his palms.

The Purple Cloud True Qi was gentle and lingering, like a spring breeze and a gentle rain, or a babbling brook. It traveled upwards along the meridians and soon touched the strange True Qi that was entrenched near the Tanzhong acupoint.

That foreign true energy was extremely domineering. As soon as it sensed the foreign true energy, it was like an enraged venomous snake, suddenly retaliating and trying to devour the Zixia true energy.

Gu Guanqi frowned slightly and increased the flow of his true energy.

The strength of the Purple Cloud Divine Skill lies in its ability to accumulate power gradually and unleash it continuously, gaining an advantage the longer the battle lasts. Although that strange true energy was domineering, it eventually ran out of steam. Under the continuous impact of the Purple Cloud True Energy, it was gradually compressed, dissolved, and forced out of the body bit by bit.

Lin Yourong felt a warm current surge up her back, flowing slowly along her meridians. Wherever it passed, the stinging sensation from being corroded by the foreign true energy gradually subsided. The warm current gathered more and more, gradually forming a warm lake that enveloped her whole body, making her feel indescribably comfortable.

Her breathing gradually calmed down, and her clenched fists slowly loosened.

The light from inside the room filtered through the window, illuminating Gu Guanqi's profile. He was very focused and calm, without making any unnecessary movements.

Time passed little by little.

Half an hour later, Gu Guanqi finally slowly withdrew his hands.

A fine layer of sweat appeared on his forehead, but his complexion remained unchanged. He took a deep breath, circulated his Purple Cloud Divine Skill to regulate his breathing for a moment, and then said, "I'm done."

Mei Hua quickly stepped forward and supported Lin Yourong's shoulder.

Lin Yourong felt that the strange true energy that had tormented her for two days had completely disappeared. Her meridians were clear, her blood and qi were calm, her breathing was smooth, and even her strength had recovered somewhat. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, feeling as if a huge boulder had been lifted from her body.

She quickly dressed, then got out of bed and said, "Thank you, Dr. Gu. I—I'm dressed now!"

Her voice was still soft and gentle, but it was brighter than before, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor.

Gu Guanqi stood up and removed the hairband covering her eyes.

Eyes facing each other.

The moment Lin Yourong's gaze met Gu Guanqi's eyes, she felt as if she had been burned, and quickly looked away, lowering her eyelids. Her cheeks were still flushed, and her fingers unconsciously stroked her sleeve, twisting the silk fabric again and again.

"I will never forget Dr. Gu's great kindness." Her voice was even lower than before. "May I ask your name and address, Dr. Gu?"

Gu Guanqi quickly retied his hair, cupped his hands, and said, "Yesterday, Miss gave me a raincoat and bamboo hat. Today, I return the favor. We are even now. We are just strangers who met by chance and are strangers in a foreign land, so I will not leave my name. Farewell!"

As he spoke, he turned around and picked up the packet of herbs he had bought from the pharmacy from the table.

Lin Yourong tried to persuade him to stay, but Gu Guanqi had already opened the door and walked out, leaving quickly.

Lin Yourong chased after him to the door, but only saw the last glimpse of Gu Guanqi's departing figure. He was dressed in green, carrying a long sword. Sunlight filtered through the eaves, falling on his back and making him appear somewhat ethereal, like a painting or a dream.

At that moment, Lin Yourong felt as if something had gently stirred her heart, causing ripples to spread outwards.

The scenes of her recent treatment flashed through her mind, and her cheeks flushed again.

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