Chapter 43

Hao Long, spotting a spirit rat in the grass, swiftly slithered down from Song Qingshi’s waist and darted into the deep forest. The agile rat, sensing imminent danger, fled in a flash. An Long knew his beloved pet had been cooped up in Medicine King's Valley, deprived of hunting, and was now bursting with pent-up energy. He figured it wouldn't return without a successful hunt, so he had no choice but to follow and assist in the chase.

Song Qingshi led Yue Wuhuan into the temple first, but the moment he stepped inside, he was hit with a wave of regret.

The temple was packed with cultivators from various sects, all looking anxious and arguing heatedly, seemingly discussing something of great importance. Most were disciples from prestigious factions like the Five Mountain Sect and the Buddhist Sect, along with a few rogue and demonic practitioners. There were even a handful of junior disciples from Golden Phoenix Manor mixed in.

Song Qingshi found the Golden Phoenix Manor utterly repulsive, but he felt that avoiding them would make it seem as if he feared those beasts. Yet, not avoiding them risked making Yue Wuhuan uncomfortable. After a moment's hesitation, he subtly glanced at Yue Wuhuan, signaling him to decide whether to stay or leave.

Yue Wuhuan scanned the crowd, his gaze lingering for a moment before he spoke, “Master, something interesting seems to be happening.”

Song Qingshi understood—his little angel wanted to stay and watch the show.

The Medicine King Immortal rarely ventured out, so despite Song Qingshi’s formidable reputation, very few people recognized him. Yue Wuhuan wore a mask, and while his physique, demeanor, and the exposed half of his face beneath the mask were striking, they weren't overly conspicuous. Besides, it was common for immortal cultivators to conceal their appearances for various reasons, so his attire wasn't unusual. The Golden Phoenix Manor cultivators were young and low in cultivation, appearing to be newly initiated disciples, and Yue Wuhuan showed no signs of past animosity towards them. The other orthodox sect members present weren't elders or powerful figures Song Qingshi had encountered before, so there was no need to worry about them.

Having assessed the situation, Song Qingshi seized the opportunity while everyone was engrossed in their discussion. He pretended to be an idle, passing rogue cultivator and boldly moved closer with Yue Wuhuan to eavesdrop. He overheard them discussing the recent appearance of a Water Monster and the ruins of Mo Yuan nearby.

Few knew how Mo Yuan Sword Sovereign had met his end, only that he left nothing behind.

The Water Monster's body contained many pure water-attribute spirit pearls, which had numerous uses and could be refined into Bixue Powder to nourish water-attribute spiritual roots.

Song Qingshi’s Nascent Soul was still recovering from damage, so he had a great need for pure water-attribute spiritual medicines, which made him somewhat interested. But what truly captivated him were the Mo Yuan ruins. Mo Yuan Sword Sovereign was an idol Yue Wuhuan admired, and perhaps the ruins contained some of his sword techniques, a divine blade, or secret manuals. Even if not, any trace of Mo Yuan Sword Sovereign’s life could offer a glimpse into the glorious history of a mortal who had reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship.

Yue Wuhuan seemed to share the same thoughts, listening with rapt attention.

Suddenly, the cultivators cried out in alarm, drawing their magical tools. Song Qingshi looked down to see Hao Long, now full and content, slithering back. It brazenly wove through the crowd, making its way towards him, re-coiling around his waist and legs, and persistently rubbing its head against his neck. Song Qingshi, helpless against this snake that demanded affection at every turn, whispered a warning, “Xiao Bai, behave. There are outsiders here.”

But the warning came too late…

All eyes followed Hao Long and converged on him.

Under the intense scrutiny, Song Qingshi’s social anxiety flared. His body tensed, his expression grew colder, and he reverted to the aloof and distant demeanor of the Medicine King Immortal, exuding an aura that kept others at a thousand miles’ distance.

The Xilin Gu King was infamous for his murderous rampages and brawls, and his fearsome beast, Hao Long, was equally renowned. Seeing Hao Long affectionately coil around Song Qingshi, the cultivators, though shocked, quickly began to analyze and deduce.

The entire immortal realm knew that the Xilin Gu King had a terrible temper but was madly devoted to the Medicine King Immortal, to the point of obsession.

If a secret realm contained spirit herbs suitable for Medicine King's Valley, he would surely act. If he encountered treasures fit for the Medicine King Immortal, he would kill to seize them. However, for reasons unknown, the Xilin Gu King adamantly forbade anyone from mentioning this. The seven words “Medicine King Immortal Song Qingshi” were taboo in his presence. If one spoke of his affection for Song Qingshi, one would be killed. If one spoke ill of Song Qingshi, even a single word, one would be killed even faster.

He was a top-tier Nascent Soul Ancestor, rumored to have once directly confronted a Soul Severing expert and emerged unscathed.

No cultivator, after witnessing the horrifying sight of Gu insects devouring a person, dared to provoke An Long’s violent temper.

An Long, following Hao Long, slowly entered the temple. His fierce eyes swept over the chaotic crowd, as if disdaining their presence for cluttering his view. Everyone was so terrified they didn't dare breathe, hastily retreating to either side. Only Song Qingshi, still holding Hao Long, remained stiff and stunned in place, unable to react.

Yue Wuhuan frowned slightly and stepped forward, subtly shielding Song Qingshi from some of the piercing gazes.

An Long, accustomed to being the center of attention, strode confidently to Song Qingshi’s side. The fierce expression on his face instantly transformed into a shameless, fawning one. Playing with Hao Long on his shoulder, he coaxed, “Qing Shi, what are you listening to?”

Song Qingshi’s face was cold as he reprimanded him in a low voice, “Stop fooling around.”

An Long was delighted by the scolding, grinning as he cajoled, “I didn’t mean to.”

By this point, who couldn’t guess Song Qingshi’s identity?

Rumors painted the Medicine King Immortal as eccentric, his body riddled with potent poisons, ready to drag anyone who displeased him into becoming a test subject. And the golden-masked beauty attending him was undoubtedly the disfigured, volatile, and cruel madman, Wuhuan. Add the ferocious and brutal Xilin Gu King to the mix, and the three most unreasonable scoundrels of the immortal realm were now gathered in one place.

The cultivators present, the strongest among them only at the Golden Core perfection stage, dared not provoke these fiends. Those who had been boasting moments ago now cowered like frightened quails, especially those who prided themselves on their beauty. They were even more terrified of Song Qingshi—if even the peerlessly beautiful Young Master Wuhuan could be disfigured and driven mad, this ruthless Nascent Soul Ancestor who destroyed beauty was truly inhuman!

The stares made Song Qingshi even more nervous, his expression growing increasingly unnatural…

To others, it looked like he was on the verge of murder.

An Long, familiar with his true nature, couldn't help but chuckle inwardly for a long time before quietly whispering in his ear, “Qing Shi, you’re so fierce.”

Song Qingshi, incensed, blasted a burst of Inner Fire at his forehead.

An Long howled and leaped away, repeatedly begging for mercy. He didn't mind the humiliation; in fact, he was somewhat pleased. In Xilin, it was natural for men to fear their wives or partners. Beatings and scoldings were signs of affection, and he particularly enjoyed being chastised by Song Qingshi. It not only declared his claim to the world but also helped Song Qingshi relieve his tension.

Yue Wuhuan had long seen through his childish antics and found them laughably naive, not worth his attention.

Since entering, part of Yue Wuhuan’s attention had been drawn to a familiar face in the corner—a rogue cultivator from overseas named Wu Jing, whose appearance was quite commanding and impressive. Memories of amusing past events stirred a surge of wicked delight in Yue Wuhuan, a craving to indulge in pleasures he hadn't experienced in a long time. While Song Qingshi was distracted, he subtly curved his alluring lips into a smile, his phoenix eyes behind the mask shimmering with a captivating charm.

Wu Jing was utterly mesmerized.

But Yue Wuhuan immediately reined in his smile, withdrew his gaze, and stood demurely by Song Qingshi’s side, behaving with such propriety and dignity that he seemed beyond reproach.

He was clearly a temptress, yet he feigned the purity of a saint. This stark contrast only made him more irresistibly alluring.

…

After burning An Long, Song Qingshi’s stiffness eased slightly. He coldly addressed the crowd, “Start from the beginning.”

An Long knew that when Song Qingshi was nervous, his thoughts tended to jump, often making his explanations incoherent. So, he completed the question for him, directly singling out two cultivators: “You two—the idiot in yellow and the rooster-combed Taoist. Yes, I’m talking about you two. Weren’t you just so talkative? Come here and explain everything thoroughly! If your explanation isn’t good enough, if it doesn’t satisfy Qing Shi, I’ll find someone else to speak.”

His “finding someone else” usually meant killing the current speaker and replacing them.

The two named cultivators dared not disobey. They quickly stepped forward and recounted the events in meticulous detail.

It turned out that a Water Monster had suddenly appeared in the nearby Moon Banquet River, devouring many fishermen and making the entire river impassable. Desperate, the fishermen sought help from nearby cultivation sects. The sect in question, the Red Dragon Sect, despite its imposing name, was actually an impoverished sect specializing in talismans. Its leader, though virtuous and peace-loving, was only a Golden Core cultivator who had built good relations with major sects by crafting talismans for them.

The Water Monster wasn’t particularly powerful, so the Red Dragon Sect leader took a few disciples to exterminate it—but they never returned. When other sects came to collect their pre-ordered talismans, they learned of the incident from the panicked and helpless junior disciples of the Red Dragon Sect. By then, three days had passed since the sect leader’s disappearance.

So, several sects conferred and dispatched their experts to investigate the river again.

The Water Monster, sensing danger, hid in an underwater cave. The experts pursued it and discovered that the cave held a unique realm. The rock walls bore several sword marks, each radiating boundless killing intent, seemingly left by the Mo Yuan Sword Sovereign himself. The deeper parts of the cave were pitch black, concealing unknown dangers. Fearing a trap, the experts dared not charge in blindly. They only searched the area near the entrance and managed to rescue a fortunate Red Dragon Sect disciple. However, this disciple was unconscious, his black hair turned snow-white, as if he had suffered an immense shock.

The cultivators debated for a long time. Some suggested returning to invite a Nascent Soul Ancestor, others proposed that everyone should brave the formation together, and some advocated for multiple cautious probes in batches to understand the situation… Finally, a few bold cultivators, unable to resist the allure of the Mo Yuan ruins, ventured into the water cave first… only to disappear as well.

“Save them first!” a Five Mountain Sect disciple cried. “My senior brother is trapped inside. If we delay, he might be in danger.”

A cultivator from the Melodic Sound Sect retorted angrily, “Bah! Is your senior brother’s life important, but others’ lives are not?”

The cultivators once again erupted into arguments.

Song Qingshi softly said, “Let me examine the unconscious disciple first.”

His voice was drowned out by the clamor, unheard by anyone. An Long, unable to bear it any longer, waved his hand, and thousands of Gu insects swarmed forth, terrifying everyone into fleeing. He then seized a junior Red Dragon Sect disciple and ordered him to lead the way to the patient.

The junior disciple, new to the immortal sect, was fearless in his ignorance and unafraid of scoundrels. Hearing that his senior brother could be saved, he immediately led them to the inner room of the backyard: “Senior Brother was just rescued and is in poor condition, so it’s not convenient to move him. Master Zhi Hui arranged for him to stay here until his condition improves before sending him back.”

Song Qingshi followed him into the inner room and saw that the patient on the bed indeed had white hair and beard. He extended his divine sense, circulating it within the patient’s body, confirming that there were no major injuries causing the unconsciousness, only some minor scrapes. He then took out golden needles and pricked several points on the patient’s head, guiding spiritual energy to slowly stimulate the acupoints. Noticing Yue Wuhuan was not present, he instructed An Long to dissolve a Calming Pill in water and administer it to the patient using a heron-spout vessel…

An Long obeyed his every command without question.

Under the stimulation of the golden needles, the patient awoke. He suddenly opened his eyes and let out a scream of extreme terror: “Snakes! So many snakes!”

Hao Long, hearing itself mentioned, curiously craned its head over.

The patient took one look at the enormous snake head by the bedside, his eyes rolled back, he foamed at the mouth, and fainted again.

The disciples of the Red Dragon Sect went from joy to despair, wailing in anguish.

“It’s nothing,” Song Qingshi said, feeling a little awkward. He picked up Hao Long, mentally rehearsed his diagnosis several times, and began to recite the medical report: “The patient’s sea of consciousness was thrown into chaos due to excessive fear, which caused him to fall unconscious. I have already sorted out his spiritual consciousness, and he will wake up again soon… I will leave some Calming Pills and Soul-Soothing Incense for you. With some rest and recuperation, he will recover. Additionally, the patient may develop a psychological fear of snakes, so please be mindful in daily life and try to avoid contact with triggering stimuli.”

The diagnosis from the foremost physician in the immortal realm was highly convincing.

The Red Dragon Sect disciples once again shifted from sorrow to joy, but then, remembering their master whose fate was unknown, they began to cry again.

“The water cave is full of snakes?” An Long was overjoyed. The Ten Thousand Gu Sect was the progenitor of snake handling. A group of snakes that could survive in an underwater cave must possess some unique qualities. He wanted to capture some to tame, so he pulled Song Qingshi aside to discuss: “Will you come with me? The Water Monster is yours, the snakes are mine. If there are any good things left by Mo Yuan, we’ll split them evenly.”

Song Qingshi thought for a moment and agreed: “It’s almost dark now, not suitable for entering the water. Let’s prepare first and go tomorrow.”

The Water Monster wasn’t a particularly powerful beast, but its body was almost transparent, making it impossible to find at night, which would significantly increase the danger.

The Red Dragon Sect disciples expressed their profound gratitude, tears streaming down their faces, kowtowing and pleading for their master’s rescue.

An Long had no interest in their master and happily ran off to prepare containers for the snakes. Once Song Qingshi confirmed the patient’s condition was stable, he eagerly went to find Yue Wuhuan to tell him about this matter and casually ask if he wanted to join them underwater for an adventure akin to *The Three Brothers Hunt a Tiger*, hoping to deepen their bond.

He found it a bit strange that Yue Wuhuan wasn't by his side. He released his divine sense and searched around, finding him in a secluded corner, seemingly talking to someone.

Song Qingshi hurried over—and froze…

He saw Yue Wuhuan, a smile playing on his lips, leaning against a tree with his arms crossed, idly playing with a fallen leaf. He seemed to be in an excellent mood. A tall, handsome male cultivator stood before him, blushing and stammering out a confession: “I’m so glad you’re willing… I—I don’t mind your disfigurement. I will treat you well…”

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**Author’s Note:**

**Mini-Scene**

**Bystander A:** “I heard the great beauty Wuhuan was not only disfigured but also driven mad! The person who did this is truly cruel and inhuman!”

**Bystander B:** “I heard that person grew tired of the beauty and deliberately ruined his looks!”

**Bystander C:** “I heard that person is a beast!”

**Song Qingshi:** “Who is that person???”