Noticing Ren Woxing’s exaggerated reaction, Song Qingshu smiled faintly. “Father-in-law, you misunderstand. This antidote isn’t for me; it’s to detoxify Miss Zhao.”
“She’s been poisoned by the Three Corpse Brain Holy Pill?” Ren Woxing recalled Zhao Min’s frail appearance. He had assumed she was merely severely injured but hadn’t expected her to also be poisoned.
Ren Woxing felt a chill in his heart. After all, the Three Corpse Brain Holy Pill wasn’t an ordinary poison. Usually, only the leader of the Sun and Moon Sect possessed it. Could it be Dongfang Bubai’s doing?
Seeing Ren Woxing’s flickering gaze, Song Qingshu understood his thoughts and explained directly, “It was the so-called ‘Killer Physician,’ Ping Yizhi, who poisoned her…” He then provided a brief account of the incident, even revealing Ping Yizhi’s other identity.
“Murong Jingyue?” Ren Woxing’s expression turned grim as he realized he had been entirely unaware of this hidden figure in the sect. A chill ran down his spine.
“Back then, when I was crafting the Three Corpse Brain Holy Pill, I did seek his help. He must have deduced the refining method during that time,” Ren Woxing said, frowning deeply. “The formula for crafting the Three Corpse Brain Holy Pill and its antidote is known only to the successive leaders of the sect. The fact that this secret has leaked is a grave matter.”
Song Qingshu asked the pressing question, “Do you think your antidote could counteract the poison in Miss Zhao?”
Ren Woxing shook his head. “The Three Corpse Brain Holy Pill is refined using three types of corpse insects. There are countless such insects in the world, and each leader selects three according to personal preference to create their unique version of the pill. Different insects require different antidotes. Since Ping Yizhi is both a medical sage and a disciple of the Poison King, he would naturally use different corpse insects than I did. He might even have innovated further, making the antidote even more complex.”
Song Qingshu sighed deeply. “Even though I was prepared for this outcome before coming to Heimuya, I’m still disappointed to hear it.”
The Sun and Moon Sect had a unique method for testing the toxicity of the Three Corpse Brain Holy Pill, which involved mixing the poisoned person’s blood with a special reagent to determine whether the poison was still active or neutralized.
“Thank you, Father-in-law,” Song Qingshu said. Though he knew the chances were slim, he couldn’t help but hold on to a shred of hope.
Ren Woxing snorted in annoyance. “I never thought the day would come when I’d have to help my daughter’s romantic rival. This Miss Zhao—is she the Mongol princess who once swept through the six great sects of the Central Plains?”
Back when they were in the Jin Empire, Ren Yingying hadn’t initially known Zhao Min’s identity. However, after encountering various grandmasters from Prince Ruyang’s manor, she had reported back to Ren Woxing, who deduced Zhao Min’s identity.
Seeing Song Qingshu nod, Ren Woxing was momentarily stunned. He glanced at him with a complicated expression. “You really are something. Not only are all the women around you peerless beauties, but each one of them is powerful enough to shake the world. It’s a good thing I’m old now, or I’d be driven mad by your luck.”
“Father-in-law, you flatter me. Someone as devoted as you would surely disdain a philanderer like me,” Song Qingshu replied, throwing in some flattery of his own. Given Ren Woxing’s status, the fact that he had only one daughter, Ren Yingying, and no other wife after her mother’s passing suggested he wasn’t a womanizer.
Ren Woxing, clearly pleased, burst into laughter. “If Yingying’s mother were still alive, she’d never have agreed to let her marry a flirt like you.”
Though Ren Woxing wasn’t exactly devoted, he didn’t see anything wrong with Song Qingshu’s behavior. As two cunning foxes, they shared an ambiguous smile.
Later, Ren Woxing hosted a grand feast at the Blackwood Cliff to welcome Song Qingshu and his companions. During the banquet, Ren Yingying blushed deeply and avoided meeting Song Qingshu’s gaze. Whenever her eyes landed on Zhao Min, she quickly looked away.
Song Qingshu couldn’t help but find it amusing, wondering what Zhao Min might have asked her earlier to make her act like this.
After the feast, Ren Woxing summoned several skilled physicians from the sect to detoxify Zhao Min. However, he didn’t hand over the antidote to Song Qingshu, fearing it might be tampered with, which could jeopardize his rule. Song Qingshu understood his concerns and didn’t press the matter.
After Zhao Min consumed the antidote, three sticks of incense passed. The physicians tested her blood but eventually shook their heads in unison. Zhao Min turned pale, and Song Qingshu’s brow furrowed deeply.
“Try this,” Song Qingshu said, handing over a box of rouge he had found in Dongfang Muxue’s quarters. The physicians initially dismissed it, but after examining it closely, their expressions turned to shock. “This… this is also an antidote for the Three Corpse Brain Holy Pill!”
Ren Woxing’s gaze snapped to Song Qingshu. The only person who could have given him such an antidote was Dongfang Bubai. He couldn’t help but feel he had underestimated the relationship between the two. As someone unwilling to give Song Qingshu the antidote, yet knowing Dongfang Bubai had shared it, Ren Woxing’s mind raced with possibilities.
Recalling Dongfang Bubai’s notorious penchant for male lovers, Ren Woxing’s expression grew even more peculiar as he looked at Song Qingshu.
Focused on whether Dongfang Muxue’s antidote would work, Song Qingshu didn’t notice Ren Woxing’s gaze. If he had known he was being compared to Yang Lianting, he might have been thoroughly disgusted.
The physicians tested Zhao Min’s blood again, but after a long while, they shook their heads once more. Zhao Min trembled with despair, but Song Qingshu gently patted her back to comfort her. “This outcome was within our expectations. We’ll think of another way. With our intelligence and resources, there’s little in this world we can’t achieve.”
Thinking of the insects in her body, Zhao Min felt a surge of fear. However, hearing Song Qingshu’s comforting words, she couldn’t help but chuckle. “Your shameless self-praise knows no bounds. I don’t have a face as thick as yours.” Yet, beneath her smile, her brows furrowed in worry.
Song Qingshu fell into deep thought. Bing Xue’er had been tracking Murong Jingyue’s whereabouts, and both the Murong family and Ren Woxing were bound to pursue someone who possessed the secrets of the Three Corpse Brain Holy Pill. With the forces of Prince Ruyang’s manor and the Golden Serpent Camp also in play, Murong Jingyue would be found no matter where he hid.
Still, Song Qingshu knew he couldn’t pin all his hopes on finding Murong Jingyue. After much deliberation, he realized the only others who might be able to resolve this poison were the Poison King and the future medical genius Cheng Lingsu.
Two more chapters incoming!
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