readytorunbook Chapter 87, 9th Lifetime: Who says a madman who practices medicine and poison has to be ruthless? He
Chapter 87, 9th Lifetime: Who says a madman who practices medicine and poison has to be ruthless? He
Chapter 87 Who says a mad, poisonous doctor has to be ruthless? He'll use a dimensional-lowering attack to dominate the entire arena!
In this bloody and dog-eat-dog world, Luo Qingci shines like a bright star. Her name is known to everyone. When she is mentioned, both the ruthless underworld and the righteous sects have their own opinions. She is both righteous and evil, and people both respect and fear her.
Look at her, tall and slender, with a lithe figure like a nimble cheetah. Her black outfit perfectly hugs her curvaceous figure, showcasing her heroic spirit to the fullest.
The flowing cloud-patterned cloak she wore resembled a mysterious banner in the night, fluttering wildly with every movement, as if boldly proclaiming her unique and powerful aura to the world.
Her high ponytail was jet black and glossy, full of vitality, with a few wisps of hair playfully falling beside her fair, jade-like cheeks, adding just the right amount of liveliness and playfulness to her cool and aloof face.
Her eyes were like the brightest stars in the cold night, deep as a still pool, sharp as a hawk's, exuding an innate untamed and carefree spirit. A single glance was enough to take in everything around her, as if she could see through the deepest, most hidden thoughts, leaving no one able to hide under her gaze. Her high-bridged nose and her perpetually smiling, thin, rosy lips, with their slightly upturned curve, seemed to conceal endless cunning and wisdom, making her enigmatic and seemingly ready to utter either brilliant words or chillingly ruthless threats at any moment. The simple medicine pouch hanging at her waist, seemingly inconspicuous, was in fact a unique marker of her identity. It contained not only miraculous medicines capable of bringing the dead back to life and creating miracles, but also deadly poisons that inspired fear and dread. Silently yet powerfully, it showcased her extraordinary skill in both medicine and poison, as if declaring to the entire martial world: she, Luo Qingci, is the rule-maker.
On this day, warm sunlight, like golden threads, streamed through the carved window lattices, gently illuminating the extravagantly luxurious private room of Piaoxiang Tower. Inside, the sandalwood tables and chairs, exuding a rich aroma, were arranged neatly. The walls were adorned with priceless calligraphy and paintings by renowned artists, each piece radiating a profound artistic atmosphere, as if telling stories of bygone eras. A faint scent of ambergris permeated the air, subtly creating a sense of relaxation and tranquility, as if one were in a paradise on earth. Amidst this luxurious serenity, Luo Qingci casually propped her legs up on the table, completely disregarding her image, fully enjoying this moment of leisure. Before her lay a dazzling array of delicacies, among which a glistening, fragrant roast chicken particularly caught her eye, seemingly extending the most enticing invitation. She grabbed a plump chicken leg with one hand, took a big bite, and ate until her mouth was dripping with oil, which slid down the corner of her mouth without her noticing. With her other hand, she would occasionally grab a handful of peanuts and toss them into her mouth with perfect precision, her cheeks puffing out like a greedy little hamster. She was cute and carefree, which contrasted sharply with the elegant environment, yet somehow they were inexplicably harmonious.
As she chewed her food, she gazed at the bustling street scene outside the window, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. She thought to herself, "Hmph, I wonder which unlucky bastard is so blind to come and give me this amusement. Hopefully, they're not too weak, or I won't be interested at all, and that would be too boring. I'm hoping for a formidable opponent to add some excitement to this bland, uneventful life. If it's just some small fry, it'll be a waste of my time. I'd rather just eat a few more roast chickens." With that thought, she took another big bite of her chicken leg, as if the chicken leg itself represented those overconfident challengers.
A deafening crash, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, shattered the tranquility and comfort of the private room. A gust of cold wind rushed in, instantly dropping the temperature several degrees, causing everyone to shiver. A burly, rugged man with a face full of scars stood menacingly in the doorway, like an imposing, unshakeable mountain. The hideous scar on his face, winding from the corner of his eye to the corner of his mouth, resembled an ugly centipede crawling across his face. Combined with his ferocious, almost predatory expression, he looked like a demon crawling out of the deepest abyss of hell, sending chills down everyone's spines, as if they were about to be dragged into an endless abyss of darkness. Behind him followed a large group of seven or eight henchmen, each with a different appearance. Some were as thin as sticks, seemingly blown over by a slight gust of wind, swaying precariously as they stood; others were as fat as small mountains, panting heavily with every step, their heavy footsteps sounding like muffled war drums. Yet they all tried their best to appear fierce and menacing, baring their teeth and grinning, looking exactly like a group of ignorant and arrogant amateur performers, making one want to laugh, as if they were a group of comical clowns putting on a farce.
The burly man at the head of the group crossed his arms, his nostrils practically pointing to the sky, and roared in a hoarse voice, "So you're Luoqing Porcelain? If you know what's good for you, hand over that 'Rejuvenation Manual' right now, or today will be your death day!" His voice was sharp and piercing, like a sharp knife slicing through the air, making people's ears ache and wishing they could cover them immediately.
Luo Qingci didn't even lift her eyelids, continuing to slowly gnaw on her chicken leg. She casually tossed the finished bone aside with a "thud," and it landed precisely in the nearby trash can, just like her precise attack. She reached up and casually wiped her greasy mouth with her sleeve, inwardly rolling her eyes and muttering, "These few shrimps dare to cause trouble here? They must have gotten their heads caught in a door, kicked by a donkey, hit by stones, and finally squeezed by a door before leaving home! What a bunch of clueless fools! They're tired of living and want some thrills here, so I'll play with them." Her face instantly adopted an innocent expression, more wronged than Dou E, blinking her large, watery eyes, pure as a clear spring, as she said with a guileless smile, "This..." "Brother, please don't have the wrong idea. I'm just an ordinary itinerant doctor, busy treating patients every day. I'm so tired my back aches, my legs cramp, I'm constantly on the go. I've never even heard of any 'Rejuvenation Manual.' Why don't you ask someone else? Maybe you've come to the wrong place or mistaken me for someone else. I think you should hurry back and not waste your time here, or you'll regret it later. If something really happens to you, your family will worry so much." Her expression and tone made her seem like an innocent and pitiful little thing, as if she were a weak woman being bullied for no reason.
Upon hearing this, the burly man's eyes widened like copper bells, and his anger flared up instantly, like a volcano about to erupt. He slammed his hand on the table, sending the bowls and chopsticks bouncing wildly, splattering soup everywhere, some even landing on his own face. His disheveled appearance was almost comical. "Stop playing dumb with me! Someone saw you come out of the ancient tomb with their own eyes. Don't even think about keeping the treasure for yourself! Brothers, get her! Search her thoroughly!" With that, he waved his hand, and his henchmen pounced on her like a pack of hungry wolves, completely surrounding Luo Qingci. They rubbed their hands together, their faces gleaming with greed, as if they could already see the legendary "Rejuvenation Scripture" right before their eyes, within easy reach. Their eyes were like those of hungry wolves eyeing their prized prey.
Luo Qingci stood up leisurely, stretched, and deliberately let out a loud burp that made everyone around her ears ring, as if announcing her leisure and confidence to these overconfident fools. She stretched her limbs, her joints cracking, and a playful smile appeared on her face, as if looking at a group of presumptuous ants: "Since you insist on causing trouble, don't blame me for being impolite. Don't come crying to your mother later! I won't have any candy to appease you then; I might even have to add some 'spice' to show you how powerful I am, making you cry incoherently. Let's see if you'll still be so arrogant then." Her smile held a hint of cunning, as if telling these people that they were about to face a terrible nightmare, and she was the master of this nightmare.
As soon as she finished speaking, she flashed through the crowd with the speed of a black lightning bolt or a shooting star across the night sky. With a left punch, she sent one of the henchmen flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing into several tables and shattering cups and plates, spilling drinks everywhere – a scene of utter chaos. With a right kick, she sent another rolling on the floor clutching his stomach, yelling, "Ouch! That hurts so much! I'll never do anything stupid with the boss again! This is deadly! I have a whole family to support! I don't want to die!" Her movements were fluid and seamless, each strike hitting the vital points with pinpoint accuracy. Before the henchmen could even react, they were sprawled on the ground, screaming in pain, like a herd of piglets waiting to be slaughtered, a chaotic mess like a destroyed beehive. Some of the henchmen were in so much pain that tears and snot streamed down their faces, crying pitifully; others rolled on the ground, cursing and swearing, but their voices were filled with fear. The entire private room was in complete chaos, like a chaotic battlefield.
Upon seeing this, the burly man's heart skipped a beat. His face flushed and paled in turns, like a chaotic mix of colors on a palette. He hadn't expected this seemingly delicate woman to be so formidable. But he remained defiant: "Hmph, you've got some skill! But you think you can take me down like this? You're too naive! If I fall into your hands today, I'll change the name of my 'Black Wind Stronghold'!" With that, he drew a large sword from his waist with a whoosh. The sword gleamed coldly in the sunlight, as if proclaiming its sharpness. He wielded it with ferocious power, creating a whistling sound, and slashed at Luo Qingci relentlessly. His stance suggested he wanted to cleave her in two to vent his hatred; his fierce eyes seemed to want to devour her alive.
Luo Qingci's lips curled into a mocking smile, her eyes filled with disdain, as if she were looking at a comical clown: "With your skills, you think you can hurt me? You're dreaming! Your level isn't even as good as the old hen in my backyard flapping its wings. I suggest you go home and find your mother, instead of making a fool of yourself here. Your swordsmanship is just a farce." She neither dodged nor flinched, standing calmly in place, her confident demeanor as if everything around her was irrelevant. Just as the broadsword was about to strike her head, she suddenly extended two fingers, and with lightning speed, gently pinched the incredibly sharp blade, preventing it from moving an inch, as if frozen in place. Her action stunned everyone present. Their eyes widened in disbelief, as if they had witnessed something unbelievable, their jaws nearly dropping to the floor.
The burly man's eyes widened, almost popping out of their sockets, his face filled with disbelief. He nearly dropped his knife with a clatter. "This...how is this possible? You...are you a human or a ghost? Are you a martial arts master descended to earth? Or have you secretly practiced some unparalleled skill?" Luo Qingci, seeing his comical appearance, couldn't help but burst into laughter. Her laughter echoed in the room, so loud it hurt the ears, as if trying to break free of the room's confines. "Your knife isn't even as good as my vegetable knife! With your skill level, you dare to roam the martial world? I think you should go home and farm. Don't embarrass yourself here, or you'll get beaten up and crying for your parents, unable to even find your way home. You'd better go back and practice properly, don't come out here making a fool of yourself." With that, he exerted a little force, and with a crisp "crack," the imposing broadsword snapped in two, falling to the ground with a clattering sound, as if lamenting its tragic fate. The clear sound seemed to mock the burly man, and it made the henchmen present tremble with fear, like leaves shivering in the autumn wind.
The burly man turned deathly pale, his legs trembling like leaves. He collapsed to his knees with a thud, his head banging against the floor with a deafening thud, the sound like the beat of a desperate drum. He pleaded incessantly, "Great hero, spare my life! I was blind and didn't recognize your greatness! Please, have mercy on me this time! I promise I'll never do it again! I have an eighty-year-old mother and a three-year-old child. My whole family depends on me. Please, just treat me like a fart and let me go!" Looking at his pathetic state, Luo Qingci felt a surge of satisfaction, like eating an ice-cold watermelon on a sweltering summer day with double the ice, and then winning the lottery. The feeling was indescribable. "Hmph, now you're scared? Too late! Where did all that arrogance go? What were you doing before? Begging for mercy now, isn't it a bit too late? You think begging will make me let you go? How naive!" Having said that, she took out a delicate little bottle from her bosom, waved it in front of the burly man, and deliberately poured out a dark, murky pill. The pill shimmered eerily in the sunlight, as if foreshadowing the burly man's impending tragic fate. With a flick of her finger, the pill, as if it had eyes, accurately flew into the burly man's mouth.
"What...what did you feed me?" The big man stared wide-eyed in terror, his voice trembling with fear, his body shaking uncontrollably like a lamb to the slaughter. Luo Qingci smiled and approached him, like a cunning fox, her smile full of calculation: "Don't worry, it's just a small 'obedience pill.' Take it, and you'll be my super little follower. If I tell you to go east, you'll never dare to go west. If you dare to disobey, hehe... then you'll know how powerful this medicine is. Maybe you'll be forced to perform operas every day, and the kind of operas that are so off-key they'll sound like they're from outer space, making you the biggest laughing stock in the martial arts world. Everyone in the martial arts world will laugh at you to death. Just wait and see how obediently you listen to me." Upon hearing this, the burly man was so frightened that he almost fainted. At this moment, he could already feel a strange power surging through his body, as if a million ants were gnawing at his body. He knew that he was completely doomed this time and could only obediently accept his fate. He was filled with regret. He should have never provoked this evil star. Now he had gotten himself into trouble and didn't know how much suffering he would have to endure in the future. His face was filled with despair, as if he could already see his tragic future; his eyes were empty and helpless.
After dealing with these minor troubles, Luo Qingci clapped her hands, straightened her slightly disheveled clothes, and her face regained its usual nonchalant and arrogant expression: "What a bunch of overconfident fools! They wasted my precious time eating roast chicken. This meal was such a hassle; I even had to clean up the mess myself. My lovely afternoon was ruined by you all. I need to go buy another roast chicken to soothe my wounded heart." She swaggered to the window, gazing at the azure sky outside, arms crossed, and thought to herself, "Who will be the next one to be so clueless? I hope it's not too boring; I'm looking forward to some fun! Something challenging would be best, otherwise it won't pique my interest. If it's like these people today, it'll be too dull. I'm already looking forward to the next farce." Just then, a melodious zither tune drifted down from downstairs. The music was like a clear mountain spring, or a gentle breeze, like an invisible hand softly tugging at her heartstrings… A woman dressed in a moon-white gauze dress moved gracefully and slowly entered. Her face was exquisitely beautiful, like a fairy descended from heaven; her skin was as white as snow, and her eyes were like pools of autumn water, clear and bright. Yet, a faint sorrow lingered between her brows, as if concealing endless unspoken thoughts.
Luo Qingci raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. She thought to herself, "This woman looks unfamiliar, possesses an extraordinary air, yet appears somewhat haggard. What brings her here? Perhaps another interesting challenge? Intriguing. I'll see what tricks she has up her sleeve." Her face, however, remained veiled in a half-smile as she leaned lazily against the window, casually asking, "Young lady, what brings you here so abruptly?" Her tone seemed indifferent, yet subtly revealed a hint of curiosity, like a lazy cat filled with a desire to explore new things.