My master gave me a death mission: to go down the mountain and retrieve his granddaughter.

"You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub." Although Su Muchen was also reluctant to part with this only spirit crystal, in order to accelerate the growth of the spiritual herb, he gritted his teeth and crushed the spirit crystal.

In an instant, the spirit crystal turned into white water vapor and scattered in the vegetable garden, while the spirit herb seeds that Su Muchen had just planted broke through the soil and sprouted tender shoots in the next moment.

This scene filled Su Muchen with joy. At this rate, he believed that these spiritual herbs would be fully mature in just a few days.

Moreover, with the nourishment of the spirit crystal rain, this vegetable garden will undoubtedly become the best place to grow spirit herbs in the future, and will definitely accelerate the growth rate of spirit herbs.

In fact, spirit crystals can also be used as an aid to cultivation, and their effects are much better than those of spirit medicines. However, since spirit crystals are disposable items, it would be a waste to use them directly for cultivation.

Having solved the problem of planting medicinal herbs, Su Muchen finally breathed a sigh of relief. Now all he had to do was wait for the herbs to mature.

After finishing all this, Su Muchen tidied up briefly, returned to the villa, took a shower, changed his clothes, and planned to call Qian Yutang to ask when he would arrive in Nanjiang City.

Just as Su Muchen picked up his phone, Shen Beishan called. Su Muchen answered the call with a puzzled look in his eyes.

"Old Shen, is there something you need from me so early?"

"Teacher, are you free right now?"

"What is it?"

"Here's the thing, I have a patient here who has contracted a strange disease. Within just a few days, his life force is rapidly fading away, almost to the point of exhaustion. We've tried everything but can't find the cause. This patient has a rather special status; the higher-ups have ordered that we spare no effort to save him. That's why I have no choice but to ask you for help."

Shen Beishan's words made Su Muchen frown. Just who was this patient? Even the higher-ups were so concerned. Anyone who could be called a leader by Shen Beishan must have a very high status.

The patient mentioned by Shen Beishan had a condition somewhat similar to that of Old Master Luo Lingtian. Both were losing their life force, as if they were being devoured by something. However, this patient's life force was losing its force much faster, and he was already exhausted in just a few days.

"Where is the patient now?"

"The patient has just exited the highway in Nanjiang City and is heading to Nanjiang People's Hospital."

"Okay, wait for me at the People's Hospital, I'll be right there."

Su Muchen was also very curious about this special patient. After hanging up the phone, Su Muchen grabbed the black trench coat draped on the sofa, took a step, and his figure darted out of the villa gate like a ghost.

The roar of the engine broke the morning's tranquility as the Phantom sped across the street like a bolt of lightning, coming to a steady stop outside the exclusive lane of Nanjiang People's Hospital in just ten minutes.

Shen Beishan was already waiting at the door with several doctors in white coats. Seeing Su Muchen get out of the car, he immediately rushed forward, his face full of anxiety, his voice extremely low: "Teacher, the one inside... is Elder Qin Zhengyuan!"

Su Muchen paused slightly, his eyes darkening.

Qin Zhengyuan, the fourth most important figure in the country, a pillar of the nation sitting in the central government, is a figure whose downfall is nothing short of a thunderclap.

"How's it going inside?" Su Muchen asked succinctly, and followed Shen Beishan quickly toward the special care ward.

"Not good." Shen Beishan sighed.

"Yesterday he was still able to speak with difficulty, but he fell into a coma early this morning. All his vital signs are plummeting. We used the hospital's most advanced equipment, but we still couldn't find any problems. We can only keep him alive with the help of machines."

As they spoke, the two had already passed through layers of guards and entered the heavily guarded special care ward.

The old man lying on the hospital bed had a pale, ashen face, his skin was so dry it seemed to have lost all moisture, and the rise and fall of his chest was so weak it was almost invisible. A faint, chilling aura surrounded him, and even the air seemed deathly still.

Su Muchen slowly walked to the bedside, used his divine sense to scan Qin Lao's body, and the next second, his brows suddenly furrowed.

Deep within Elder Qin's dantian, a black, hair-thin worm was curled up in a ball, frantically gnawing at Elder Qin's life force.

The venomous aura emanating from the insect was spreading along its meridians to every part of its body, extinguishing life wherever it went.

"Soul-Devouring Gu." Su Muchen said in a cold voice, enunciating each word clearly.

Shen Beishan's expression changed drastically upon hearing Su Muchen's words: "Soul-devouring Gu? Teacher, are you saying that Elder Qin has been poisoned by a Gu? No wonder we couldn't find the cause of his illness no matter what we tried."

"Yes, someone doesn't want Old Qin to live."

A cold glint flashed in Su Muchen's eyes. He could clearly sense that the Gu worm was attached to an extremely vicious resentment. It was obviously carefully crafted by someone and aimed at Qin Lao's life.

Upon hearing this, the guard standing in the corner of the ward stepped forward abruptly, his gaze sharp as a knife: "Mr. Su, is there any way to treat him?"

The guard's voice trembled slightly, barely perceptible. This iron-willed soldier, who remained unfazed even amidst gunfire, could not hide his fear at this moment.

Su Muchen did not answer immediately, but instead raised his hand and placed it on Qin Lao's brow. A vast and boundless spiritual energy surged out like a river and sea, transforming into a golden barrier that enveloped Qin Lao's meridians layer by layer.

The Soul-Devouring Gu, which had been frantically devouring life force, suddenly seemed to be scalded and began to struggle violently, but was firmly restrained by the golden light and could not move at all.

"A mere Soul-Devouring Gu dares to cause trouble in front of me." Su Muchen's lips curled into a cold smile.

With Su Muchen's current strength, let alone a tiny Gu worm, even if the Gu worm's owner were here, he could send him to meet the King of Hell with just one slap. Such a trivial trick is not even worth his attention.

As soon as he finished speaking, Su Muchen quickly formed hand seals with his fingertips and chanted incantations. A profound golden rune suddenly condensed, shimmering with an ancient light.

"go!"

With a low shout, the runes disappeared into Elder Qin's dantian like shooting stars.

hum-

With a soft sound, golden light burst forth, and the Soul-Devouring Gu let out a sharp screech. Under the power of the runes, it melted away inch by inch, leaving not even a trace behind.

At the same time, Qin Lao's originally ashen face regained some color at a visible speed, and the rise and fall of his chest gradually became steady and powerful.

In just a short while, the chilling aura that had surrounded him vanished completely.

The guard stared wide-eyed, his face filled with disbelief, while Shen Beishan was so excited that he was trembling all over and couldn't even speak.

The Gu worms have been destroyed, and the life force it devoured will naturally return to Elder Qin. However, it still needs to be guided by spiritual power to nourish Elder Qin's body so that he can fully recover.

After a long while, Su Muchen withdrew his hand and said calmly, "The Gu worms have been eliminated, and Elder Qin will be able to wake up soon."

Upon hearing Su Muchen's words, Shen Beishan and his guards were visibly excited.

Especially the guard. He had been blaming himself for not protecting Qin properly, which gave others an opportunity to take advantage of him. Now that he heard that Qin was alright, he could finally put his mind at ease.