Forge a path to success

He waited patiently for about half a minute, until Qingye calmed down slightly after rambling on and on. She nervously touched various parts of her body, increasingly confused: "Wow, I'm really still alive... How come I wasn't poisoned?! A Double Dream?"

Chu Hengkong said slowly, "You were very lucky. You just happened to run into the best pharmacist in our Huilong City, and a miraculous elixir brought you back..."

"I am deeply grateful for your kindness!" Qingye was moved to tears. "Where is that pharmacist? Could you possibly cover my medical expenses?"

Chu Hengkong gestured to the side, and Qingye turned her head to see a hapless guy wearing a baseball cap rolling on the ground, clutching his chin. His face looked so miserable and his expression so terrified that it was as if he had been hit on the jaw by a headbutt from the sky while walking down the street.

"Dr. Xie just came over to change your dressing," Chu Hengkong said, "but you bumped your head on the ground."

·

"I'm so sorry!" Miss Qingye clasped her hands together and bowed deeply at a 190-degree angle.

Jie An clutched his chin, wincing and his face twitching. He hissed loudly and waved his hand, "It's nothing, a minor thing! The poison's gone, but the injury is still there, just rest... hiss! Go rest!"

Qingye covered her face with her hands, turned around, and disappeared into the fog. Fan De rushed over, his head covered in bandages, and shouted, "Hey, let me tell you, this genius with a crippled heart is truly extraordinary, possessing both sinful bones and an iron head!"

A palm strike from the mist slammed Vande to the ground, filling the settlement with a cheerful atmosphere. Miss Qingye was the last seriously injured to wake up; by then, everyone else was mostly able to move, even Shax was smiling.

Jie An had made thorough preparations before his departure. The city lord and Youyou were clearly afraid they would die out there, so they crammed Jie An with all sorts of rare and precious herbs and treasures—the variety and quality of which even met 80% of the requirements for the Saha World Eternal Bliss Pill…

The remaining 20% ​​was made up by Jie An himself, and so a spiritual medicine was concocted as soon as he landed. Before the level 5 Chang Le Dan, even the plague demon's poison paled in comparison, and several seriously injured people were cured on the spot after taking a small piece each.

Chu Hengkong patted Jie An hard, sighing with emotion: "A miracle doctor! Doctor, it really makes a difference now that you've become a 'bitter cane'!"

"The miracle doctor is my father, hey. At most, I'm just prescribing medicine for him."

"You've been suffering for so long, cook?" Vande was surprised. "It's only been a few days? You're quick at doing research."

"A few days?" Jie An asked with a half-smile. "Brothers and sisters, you've been missing for three months. According to military regulations, you're almost due for discharge!"

Qingye jumped out in fright: "Impossible! We've only been in the Despair Wilderness for a little over a week!"

"The two times are not the same?" Shakes frowned.

"This was a major battlefield hundreds of years ago. Now that you're in the Heavenly Prison, don't worry about time. You should be grateful you haven't been reduced to living a day that feels like hundreds of years." Jie An straightened his chin and said seriously, "Seriously, you guys are all pretty tough. I never thought we'd actually need the Chang Le Pill. What kind of Poison King did you offend?"

“The most poisonous kind in the world,” Ji Huaisu said weakly. “Cook, you probably don’t know this, but this place is very rare. There are only five kinds of heretical arts in the world, but here there is a sixth kind that has never been heard of before…”

Jie An covered his ears, his face wrinkled with anxiety: "Oh dear, my ears are so badly damaged! How could I be hallucinating so soon after arriving? What bad luck! I didn't hear a thing! Not a single word!"

"We've already seen it all, what's a little pollution compared to that?" Chu Heng laughed.

"What do you mean by 'see'?" Jie An was taken aback, his expression changing drastically. "Is that girl a heretic?"

"Quiet down and let me explain in detail..."

Chu Hengkong, with the cook in his arms, left the crowd and recounted the whole story. Jie An listened with a fascinating expression.

"Detective, our team can come from all corners of the country, but not from the lowest of the low!" The cook smacked his lips. "Look at you! Oh my, I can't even look at you. The only thing red on your body is your heart; your blood is all black!"

In just three months away from the city, you've transformed from a staunch Allied soldier into a corrupt and morally ambiguous outcast. Your level of corruption and depravity is appalling! If you return to the city, you'll be blasted three hundred miles away by the city's artillery! I need to distance myself from you immediately; don't ever say you know me again..."

Chu Hengkong couldn't hold back: "No, are you just criticizing me?"

"Did they criticize that young girl?" Jie An winked. "Come on, it's the 31st century, why are you still talking about class background? Her ideological awareness is high and strong, who gave us the right to gossip?"

"I didn't see you being this open-minded when I joined the company," Chu Hengkong said seriously. "Seriously, can it be cured?"

The Saha Bliss Elixir can eradicate the defilement of heretics below the Second Abyss, and is a panacea for most people. However, Qingxia herself is a heretic, so they dared not let her take this medicine.

Previously, Jie An had used strong medicine in combination with Fen Ya's life-strengthening infusion to stabilize Qing Xia's condition temporarily. However, with the toxins still not eliminated, it was difficult to feel at ease.

Jie An didn't reply, but turned around and shouted, "Hey! You there, are you done with Bobo yet?"

"My name is Gulibobo!" Gulibobo hopped over angrily, carrying a small basket of leaves in its paws. "You're really ignorant, you weirdo! I already told you that kudzu leaf has no nutritional value..."

"The edible value of the Ge Jin tree is almost non-existent, but because it grows in places with heavy yin energy and is influenced by lingering resentment, it has many wonderful uses. Its roots are highly poisonous, and those who touch them will die, but its leaves can nourish the spirit and calm the soul, and soothe the body in the afterlife. It is priceless in the outside world."

Jie An took the leaf, took out a pestle, and began to pound it as he spoke: "There is a formula called 'Fen Zhuo Su Qing San' in Zheng Xuan Palace in Longquan Township. It has a remarkable effect on those injured in battles with fellow disciples using poisonous techniques. Therefore, this leaf is indispensable."

This is because poisons originating from the same source are the most difficult to cure. Strengthening the body only allows the toxins to penetrate deeper, while merely removing the decaying toxins can actually harm the patient. Therefore, to cure poisons of the same origin, one must first strengthen the injured person's body. Only when the body is strong can the toxins be separated, allowing for treatment without harming the flesh and bones, thus leading to a full recovery.

Jie An lifted the pestle, and a pale blue powder was ready. He carefully wrapped the powder and handed it to Chu Hengkong along with a small piece of Chang Le Dan: "Take the powder first, then the pill. The poison will be neutralized within a day."

"Can Qingxia take Chang Le Dan?"

Jie An gestured as if turning a page in a book. Chu Hengkong took out his notebook and flipped to the page about Chang Le Dan, only to see a sentence written in the effects section: "[When taken by non-Buddhists, it can have an additional exorcising effect]." So much time had passed since Chang Le Dan was made that he couldn't recall it for a moment.

"A healer's duty is to save lives and benefit all beings. There is no reason to save people based on one's position. When my father made this medicine, he had already anticipated that there would be heretics who would abandon darkness and embrace the light. This medicine can save people, so it can naturally save demons as well," Jie An said proudly. "However, every medicine has some toxicity. The pollution of the heretic's true form has penetrated deep into the essence of life. If there is the slightest mistake, the good medicine will become a deadly poison. Therefore, we must first take the medicine powder to strengthen the body's foundation and source, and then slowly neutralize this potent medicine."

Chu Hengkong gave a thumbs up, took the medicine, and turned to leave. Gu Libo stared wide-eyed at the unshaven man.

"God, a miracle doctor!"

"You might know how to grow vegetables, but that doesn't necessarily mean you know about pharmacology." Jie An squatted down, looking sly. "Oh, right, I need to prepare vegetables later. How much are your vegetables per pound?"

Chapter 228 Bedtime Story

Chu Hengkong put away the medicine powder and ran to the door of the red house on the edge of the settlement. There was no light in the house, and behind the window, there were eerie silhouettes writhing. Every ten seconds or so, a muffled and deep sound came from the darkness, like the breathing of a giant beast.

Qingxia's condition stabilized after treatment, but the toxins were not eradicated, and the horrific tumors remained, clinging to her body and continuing to grow. Therefore, as soon as Qingxia regained some strength, she hid in her room, unwilling to meet anyone.

Chu Hengkong knocked on the door: "Qingxia, come out and take your medicine."

There was no sound from inside the room. Chu Hengkong increased the pressure: "Qingxia! Be good!"

A muffled voice came from inside the house: "Put it by the door..."

"Is it going to get all messed up when you come out of the door?" Chu Hengkong slammed the door. "Don't be stubborn. If you don't want to come out, you can just peek out."

"No! I'll eat it myself!" Qingxia's attitude was unusually firm.

Chu Hengkong was utterly baffled, wondering why the girl, who had been perfectly fine before, was suddenly acting out when it came to treatment. It was true that the poisoning had created a somewhat unsightly scene, but after going through so many life-and-death situations together, they wouldn't care about such a small matter…

Or is it that she cares?

Chu Hengkong recalled someone's earlier remarks and felt both amused and exasperated: "Ji Huaisu said those words to provoke you into staying alive; you don't need to overthink it..."

"You! Get out of here!" Qingxia shouted.

Chu Hengkong pinched the bridge of his nose, deeply feeling that the female centaur was just as incomprehensible and inexplicable as women. Qingxia's life was in danger, and there was only one dose of medicine. He couldn't just leave the medicine and go without it to save face. But if he forced her to take the medicine, it would be too hurtful.

He gently pushed the window open a crack, sat down with his back to the wall, and dragged the medicine powder to the window with his wrist.

"I won't look at you, okay? Come to the window to take your medicine."

"……Oh."

The window was slightly ajar, and the stuffy air reeked of water and blood. After a while, a damp sensation came from inside, accompanied by an unusually high temperature; the itchy touch felt like a small animal licking his palm. He knew Qingxia was taking her medicine, but he couldn't help imagining a little horse peeking out the window eating a carrot.

“You’re thinking something very rude!” Qingxia said.

Chu Heng coughed lightly: "Your imagination."

"That's exactly it." Qingxia gently bit him. "You were planning to take advantage of the situation and use an over-the-shoulder throw on me!"

"Your brain is truly remarkable to be able to imagine such a scene."

"W-what?" Qingxia shrank back. "Could it be that you want to glue my tongue to the prosthetic body..."

"This has turned into a ridiculous form of torture! Stop it! Are you the kind of person who would lick a lamppost in winter?!"

What is a telephone pole?

"The poles used to erect the lines are slightly shorter than the sacred pillars," Chu Hengkong gestured. "The electricity will flow through those lines, traveling from far away to people's homes, so there will be light without the need for fire."

Qingxia imagined a golden, transparent tree of light, densely covered with zigzag lightning bolts. A majestic, god-like figure commanded from the tree, striking wherever he pointed. After the lightning struck, the house was bathed in pure white light, and the people inside were so shocked that their skeletons were visible.

"Wow, that's amazing... No wonder you're so strong..." Qingxia exclaimed.

"What does this have to do with me personally?"

“I think your hometown was very likely contaminated by the Spiral Tower!” Qingxia said seriously.

"I have absolutely no desire to explore what you've imagined."

After he finished his medicine, Chu Hengkong handed him a bag of water: "How are you feeling now?"

"It's so strange, gurgling," Qingxia said between drinks. "I'm so sleepy, but I'm also so energetic..."

"That's right, because this medicine will strengthen your body. Now take Chang Le Dan, and let the medicine's power slowly remove the toxins. Just stay up all night and it should be enough."

"oh oh."

Qingxia withdrew her head and sat quietly, Chu Hengkong withdrawing his hand. Strange crackling sounds came from inside the room, as if something was breaking. After a while, Qingxia poked her head out again: "You go first..."

"Am I leaving you to treat yourself blindly?" Chu Heng laughed. "Even a child needs a caregiver in the hospital, let alone someone as seriously injured as you."

“I’ll be distracted if you stay here!” Qingxia said firmly. “Besides, the treatment is very painful, and I’ll feel embarrassed to call out if you’re here…”

"Then let's chat. Distracting ourselves will make the pain less."

"But I don't have the strength to speak." Qingxia had an idea. "How about you tell me a story?"

"Alright, let me tell you a story that fits the occasion: Guan Yu scraping the bone to remove poison," Chu Hengkong said casually.

Qingxia became interested upon hearing this: "I know this part; it's about the poison doctor Hua Tuo secretly harming the Martial Saint."

"Please have mercy, my head is starting to hurt."

"When Guan Yu, the God of War, was attacked by enemy warriors, he was wounded by an arrow. He returned to his camp to heal his wounds. Hua Tuo, the poison doctor, saw this as a golden opportunity and volunteered to treat him." Qingxia recounted the story vividly. "Knowing that the God of War was invincible in battle but no match for him in a head-on fight, he took advantage of the opportunity to cut open the flesh and secretly smear poison on the God of War's bones!"

"It's like scraping the bone to poison someone."

"At the same time, the Martial Saint remained calm, basking in the sun while continuing to play chess."

"Does Second Master have an eye disease? He can't even see this. Someone is smearing poison on his bones. There's an old man smearing it on his bones with a small dart."

Qingxia said in a somber tone, "This is all because Hua Tuo used too much anesthetic, causing the Martial Saint to lose consciousness..."

"Oh, so there's logic to it. Then how can they still play chess when they've lost consciousness?"

"..." Qingxia hesitated for a moment, "It's probably because the Martial Saint plays too much chess on a daily basis, which has formed muscle memory."

"This isn't a martial arts saint, it's a chess saint!"

Qingxia slapped the window frame: "The poison is about to enter his body, and the Martial Saint is on the verge of death. Suddenly, a chess piece flies from the opposite side and kills the poison doctor through the heart!"

"Who is this hero?"

"It was none other than Lü Bu, the Flying General who played chess with Guan Yu."

Chu Hengkong finally couldn't take it anymore: "Ma Liang has turned into Lü Bu! We've already fought the 75th battle at Fancheng, how come Lü Bu is still alive?! And he even surrendered to Shu!"

"This is the story of Guan Yu undergoing bone-scraping surgery to remove poison."

"In short, you should apologize to Hua Tuo first."

Qingxia hummed a few times happily: "What's the original version like?"

"First of all, Lu Bu is not in the original version."

"How could this be!" Qingxia exclaimed in disappointment.

"Don't shake the windows! Okay, listen to me patiently..."

Chu Hengkong was just about to tell the story of scraping the bone to remove poison when he suddenly remembered that the next episode would be about his defeat at Maicheng. He didn't know how to answer Qingxia's question, "And then?" So he simply said, "The story of the Martial Saint needs to be told a little further back. Let's start with the tale of overcoming five obstacles and defeating six generals..."

"It is the story of the Martial Saint's battle against the Knights of the Round Table."

"If you keep doing this, I'm not going to talk anymore, I'm going to tell you something."

"General Chu is so stingy..."

When telling stories about historical figures, he always picks the most exciting parts. After telling the story of Cao Cao's solo journey of a thousand miles, he talks about Cao Cao's righteous release at Huarong Pass, then about Cao Cao's solo meeting, the flooding of the seven armies, and his awe-inspiring feats throughout China. After a few sentences, Qingxia would ask a question, and it would take countless words just to correct those far-fetched ideas.

Chu Hengkong wasn't a particularly good storyteller, and by the time he finished talking and his throat was dry, the night was almost over.

"Guan Yu was indeed powerful, but I still prefer Lü Bu," Qingxia concluded.

"Because Lu Bu is good at fighting?" Chu Hengkong yawned.

"General Lü can fight three brothers by himself, how amazing is that!" Qingxia said with longing. "I heard my grandfather say that legends can fight against many with few, so I have liked Lü Bu since I was a child."

"I think you could easily take down those three Blood Knights single-handedly. You're even more powerful than Lu Bu." Chu Heng stood up. "Feeling better?"

Halfway through the story, the sound of the bubbles bursting gradually faded away, and by the time Chu Hengkong stood up, the indistinct outline in the room had also quietly disappeared. The window had been open, and most of the stench had dissipated. Finally, he heard the familiar sound of horses' hooves again.

"Wait a minute." Qingxia slammed the window shut. "I need to clean the room."

"Oh, you can even clean the room."

There was a lot of clanging and banging inside, the noise sounding more like demolition than cleaning. Then Qingxia pushed open the door, panting, her face slightly flushed, her red hair matted with sweat, looking like a seriously ill patient with a fever.

"It's done!" Qingxia gasped for breath, extremely nervous. "Is...is everything alright?"