Xue Xingyue was truly surprised. She had never expected the Ghost Doctor to be Li Xingqing's elder brother, Mu Xingzhi.
However, looking at Mu Xingzhi's now unremarkable face, she presumed he was wearing a human skin mask, just like Song Xiuyuan. Otherwise, there would still be a trace of resemblance to Mu Xingqing. Since Song Xiuyuan and Mu Xingzhi exchanged glances, they must have known Mu Xingqing. Suddenly, she recalled that in the Qi Kingdom's imperial palace, someone would always remind her, and it was clearly Mu Xingqing.
Then, she couldn't help but think of something: when did Song Xiuyuan and Mu Xingqing meet? Was it in Sword Country or Qi Country?
With this thought, she feigned casualness and asked, "When did you meet him?"
Upon hearing this, Mu Xingzhi looked up, smiled at her, his smile carrying an indescribable quality, "Ask him yourself when he wakes up!"
She looked at Mu Xingzhi. Mu Xingzhi lowered his head and said, "I'm going to start the acupuncture now. Watch and learn."
She nodded, "Okay." Since Mu Xingzhi was unwilling to say, she would have to wait for Song Xiuyuan to wake up and ask him.
Mu Xingzhi took out longer silver needles from the brocade pouch and quickly yet accurately inserted them into Song Xiuyuan's acupoints. His movements were so fast that it seemed he could find the right spots even with his eyes closed. The Ghost Doctor truly lived up to his name.
After the time it took for an incense stick to burn, Mu Xingzhi inserted the last silver needle, then let go of his hands and sat on the floor beside the bed. He seemed to heave a sigh of relief and then looked at her with a tired expression, "Did you learn it?"
She nodded, "More or less."
Mu Xingzhi smiled upon hearing this, "That's good enough." To learn more or less from his incredibly fast movements was indeed commendable.
She turned, took a cloth from the water basin, and handed it to Mu Xingzhi. Mu Xingzhi was momentarily stunned, then took it and wiped the sweat from his brow. "Thank you."
"When will he wake up?"
"From one day at the earliest to half a month at the latest," Mu Xingzhi said indifferently.
"He's quite seriously injured, isn't he?" she asked, looking at Song Xiuyuan's pale, bloodless face.
"New injuries and old ones," Mu Xingzhi replied.
Old injuries? She narrowed her eyes and looked at Mu Xingzhi, "Old injuries? How could he have old injuries?"
Mu Xingzhi smiled and remained silent.
Suddenly, an idea flashed through her mind, "Xingzhi, I want to ask you something." Da Feng Novel Network.
"Speak," Mu Xingzhi stood up from the floor, walked to a chair, and sat down, gesturing for her to sit as well.
She came to sit opposite Mu Xingzhi, "I want to ask about the Soft Bone Powder."
"Soft Bone Powder?" She saw Mu Xingzhi's expression change slightly, a subtle shift she still managed to catch.
"Yes."
"Soft Bone Powder is the culmination of the life's work of the past pharmacists of my sect, Ghost King Valley. Unfortunately, the rules of Ghost King Valley dictate that Soft Bone Powder is only passed down to the successive sect leaders," Mu Xingzhi said slowly, looking at her.
"Is Mu Shi the sect leader of Ghost King Valley?" she asked.
Mu Xingzhi nodded, "The next sect leader." Da Feng Novel.
"You know it too?"
Mu Xingzhi paused, and she saw a flicker of coldness in his gaze, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared, returning to normal, "Yes, but I never make poisons. I only detoxify."
"I've heard that to detoxify this Soft Bone Powder, one needs the recognition of the Ghost Doctor and must willingly become the Ghost Doctor's test subject."
"Yes."
She fell silent. She had been poisoned by Soft Bone Powder twice, and both times she was rescued. She didn't know who saved her the first time, and the second time it was Song Xiuyuan. Thinking of this, she looked at Mu Xingzhi and asked, "How many people have you treated who were poisoned by Soft Bone Powder?"
Mu Xingzhi looked at her and said, "Twice."
Her heart skipped a beat. She quickly asked, "And who were they?"
Mu Xingzhi smiled, turned around, and pointed to the person on the ice bed, "It was him." Then he turned back and muttered to himself, "Tell me, isn't he lucky? Fortunately, he met me. Anyone else would have probably died several times over."
"You... are you sure?" She felt her body trembling, her heart as if it were about to suffocate.
Mu Xingzhi also noticed her state and couldn't help but ask, "You... what's wrong?"
She shook her head, took a deep breath, and said, "Then can you tell me, when was the first time he was poisoned by Soft Bone Powder?"
Mu Xingzhi scratched his head, "What time? I really don't remember."
"Please think about it again," she looked at Mu Xingzhi nervously.
"Is it that important to you? Are you jealous?" Mu Xingzhi suddenly looked at her with a knowing smile.
"Tell me," in her urgency, she grabbed Mu Xingzhi's hand.
Mu Xingzhi trembled all over and quickly pulled his hand back, instinctively lowering his head, "You... you shouldn't be so forward." He didn't want to die young; he wanted to live a few more years.
Seemingly sensing Mu Xingzhi's weakness, she looked at him intently, "Tell me, or I'll dare to do even bolder things."
Seeing her about to untie her belt, Mu Xingzhi exclaimed, "Oh my dear mother! Please don't! I still want to live a few more years. Alright, you must let me think, it's been so many years."
Many years? She seemed to have grasped a key point and asked, "Ten years ago?"
Mu Xingzhi thought for a moment and nodded, "Around that time, perhaps even longer. Anyway, back then, I was only fourteen and had just learned Soft Bone Powder by stealing the knowledge."
"How old are you now?"
"You... what are you doing?" Mu Xingzhi looked at her vigilantly, then added, "I'm telling you, I... I don't want to get married."
"Will you tell me or not?" She rolled up her sleeves, revealing her fair and slender arms.
"Oh, my heavens and my grandmother, you are as shameless as the one on the bed," Mu Xingzhi said angrily.
"Will you tell me or not?" she asked.
"I'll tell you, I'll tell you, I'm twenty-four this year," Mu Xingzhi said, puffing out his cheeks in anger.