Chapter 14: Medical Advice
Inside the bedroom.
Calming Incense burned in the censer. The bamboo blinds in front of the window were all lowered, making the room dim. The dark-colored large bed was hidden in the shadows, creating a very solemn atmosphere.
Most of the bed curtains were let down, obscuring the view inside. Only the gauze near the head of the bed was tied up with red string, revealing a small opening.
A thin arm extended from the opening, resting flat on the edge of the bed. The dark wood grain accentuated the wrist’s skin, pale as snow, with blue veins clearly visible like paths in the snow.
The person lying in the bed was Rong Xie, who had fainted in the armory.
Cui Xingmiao sat upright by the bed, her eyes slightly lowered. Her fingers skillfully found the pulse at Rong Xie’s wrist, sliding occasionally. Threads of pale green light flowed upward through the meridians on the inner side of his wrist. These green lights entered the sea of qi through the heart meridian, circulated a small cycle, and returned to Cui Xingmiao’s fingertips.
When the pulse diagnosis ended, seven sticks of Calming Incense had burned out in the censer. The fine hair on Cui Xingmiao’s forehead was also soaked with sweat, sticking to her forehead strand by strand.
She closed her eyes, exhaled gently, and leaned back into the armchair.
A slight noise came from beside her ear, the sound of tea being poured into a cup. The aroma of Spirit Cage Grass and Jasmine spread out.
Cui Xingmiao lifted her eyelids and saw a certain Great Sword Saint pouring tea for her. The sun really rose from the west today.
Just now in the armory, when Rong Xie suddenly fainted, before Cui Xingmiao could react, Shen Bingsi had already thrown away the Photoelectric White Orchid in his hand and flew over to catch Rong Xie. His expression was terrifying; Cui Xingmiao thought he was going to kill someone.
Cui Xingmiao took the teacup and took a sip. The temperature was just right, very refreshing.
“As expected of a Nascent Soul grandmaster with Water and Fire spiritual roots, you have quite a hand at brewing tea,” Cui Xingmiao chuckled lightly.
Shen Bingsi calmly accepted Cui Xingmiao’s sarcasm. He even adjusted the cushion of her chair with a good attitude and took away the burnt-out Calming Incense. He had promptly replaced the previous six sticks of Calming Incense when they were about to burn out.
“Wake him up,” Cui Xingmiao looked into the bed at the person still sleeping on the pillow.
Rong Xie’s breathing was steady, and his complexion was much better than when he first fainted.
Shen Bingsi made a “please” gesture.
Cui Xingmiao thought, you are too careful. She placed her hand on Rong Xie’s wrist again. This time, instead of checking the pulse, she gently shook his hand.
“Rong Xie, Rong Xie?” Cui Xingmiao called softly.
“Mmh…” Rong Xie frowned and slowly woke up from his sleep. His long eyelashes trembled slightly and lifted upward. His glazed eyes were blank, staring dully at the top of the bed.
For quite a while, Rong Xie didn’t know where he was.
This bed canopy was familiar, but it wasn’t his bed. He thought hard for a while before remembering that this was Shen Bingsi’s bed.
Why was he in Shen Bingsi’s bed?
Fragmented memories flooded his mind. The unbearable scenes replayed in Rong Xie’s brain. He couldn’t help covering his forehead: “Ugh… it hurts…”
Thud!
Something crashed into the edge of the bed like a cannonball, shaking the entire bed.
Rong Xie felt a shadow covering his face, blocking out the already meager light. He looked up and saw a big face.
Things blur when they get too close. Rong Xie was startled and reached out to push that big face away, but his arm was caught by a hand like an iron pincer.
“You’re awake. Don’t move.” The big face spoke. It was Shen Bingsi’s voice. So it was Shen Bingsi.
Rong Xie saw Shen Bingsi’s eyes constantly moving, scrutinizing his face as if there was some secret text written on it that required getting very close to decipher.
“How do you feel? Where does it hurt?” Shen Bingsi asked softly. “Don’t worry, Cui Xingmiao is a medical cultivator, having received the true teachings of the Yunshan Sect Master. She’ll cure you even if she has to bet her ancestors’ legacy.”
“Pfft.” Cui Xingmiao patted Shen Bingsi from behind. “Move aside, will you? Are you the medical cultivator or am I?”
The mountain that was Shen Bingsi finally moved away from Rong Xie.
Rong Xie breathed a sigh of relief. When Shen Bingsi spoke just now, although his voice was soft, his warm breath directly touched his skin, making him subconsciously hold his breath.
“Brother Rong, I just diagnosed you using our Yunshan Sect’s unique ‘Spirit Probing’ technique.” Cui Xingmiao said seriously. “I’ll give you the result directly. The root of the problem lies in the spiritual roots.”
“Spiritual roots?” Rong Xie was stunned. “Is there something wrong with my spiritual roots?”
Shen Bingsi took out an image stone that recorded sound and visuals, injected spiritual power into it, and recorded Cui Xingmiao’s diagnosis.
“Three types of spiritual roots: Water, Wood, and Thunder. They are all consumption-type. Used for a long time, the ability to absorb external spiritual power and store it in the sea of qi will become worse and worse.”
“In this situation, the best solution is to use less spiritual power. Each time you use spiritual power, do not exceed the body’s load. That is to say, do not continue to use spiritual power when you feel tired.”
Cui Xingmiao finished speaking, and the room fell into silence.
“That’s it?” Shen Bingsi couldn’t help asking.
“That’s it,” Cui Xingmiao answered.
“How to treat it? If he rests usually and uses as little spiritual power as possible, can his spiritual power return to its previous state?” Shen Bingsi fired questions rapidly.
“No. Didn’t I say? Brother Rong has consumption-type spiritual roots. As long as he uses spiritual power beyond the load, the spiritual roots will be consumed… He must have pushed himself for a period of time, right? The spiritual roots are severely consumed and definitely cannot return to the previous state.”
“You mean, he couldn’t reach Foundation Establishment before, and he won’t be able to in the future either? And the harder he cultivates, the faster his spiritual power depletes?” Shen Bingsi frowned deeply.
“That’s what I mean. Even the Spirit Gathering Stone cannot repair spiritual roots…” Cui Xingmiao noticed Shen Bingsi’s obviously dissatisfied expression and sighed. “Not everyone is as gifted as you, Great Sword Saint Shen. Brother Rong represents the state of most people. If you don’t believe me, you can go ask in your inner sect. How many people who fail Foundation Establishment are dismissed every year? Are there more people who reach Foundation Establishment or more who fail?”
“But…”
Shen Bingsi wanted to say something more, but he saw Rong Xie propping himself up. He stopped talking, telekinetically grabbed a cushion, placed it at the head of the bed, and helped Rong Xie lean against it.
Rong Xie sat properly, calmed his breathing, looked up at Cui Xingmiao and said: “Miss Cui is indeed a divine doctor. Everything you said is correct.”
Cui Xingmiao glanced at Shen Bingsi with an expression that said “See, I was right.”
Shen Bingsi had no intention of responding to her. His gaze was locked tightly on Rong Xie’s face.
Rong Xie smiled warmly, showing no worry or depression, as if he had long accepted such a result.
“I know, I am an ordinary person. Ordinary people experience birth, aging, sickness, and death. I was fortunate enough to test for spiritual roots when I was young and enter the Lingjing Sect inner sect with Bingsi. I was already very lucky,” he said. “I don’t ask to reach Foundation Establishment, only that my current state can be maintained for a longer time. Can Miss Cui tell me what to do?”
“Of course!” Cui Xingmiao liked patients who could quickly accept reality the most. Of course, Rong Xie couldn’t really be counted as a patient, just an ordinary person.
“Before coming here, I agreed to three conditions with Shen Bingsi. He asked me not to tell you that I came to treat you, and not to interrupt when I talked to you. I can tell you now that I did this to see your true condition with my own eyes.”
Cui Xingmiao confessed honestly.
Rong Xie raised his eyebrows slightly. So that was it. No wonder Shen Bingsi acted so strangely… He couldn’t help but turn to look at Shen Bingsi, who nodded heavily.
“Of course, I also had some other selfish motives… causing things to go a bit too far and making Brother Rong faint in the armory. I’m sorry.” Cui Xingmiao lowered her head and apologized to Rong Xie.
“No, Miss Cui, I didn’t faint because of you…” Rong Xie waved his hands repeatedly, wanting to explain, but found that this matter couldn’t be explained. “Anyway, it wasn’t because of you.”
“It was me, Brother Rong. I knew you were already very tired. You made so many preparations to welcome me, consuming more than half of your spiritual power, yet I still argued with Shen Bingsi over a trivial matter in the armory…” Halfway through admitting her mistake, Cui Xingmiao suddenly added indignantly, “But you can’t blame it all on me. Shen Bingsi lied first; he has to bear at least half the responsibility!”
Shen Bingsi, who was usually quick to retort, didn’t refute this time. He quietly tucked in Rong Xie’s quilt, with a disdainful expression of “I won’t argue with you.”
“Hmph.” After venting, Cui Xingmiao continued, “Brother Rong, according to my observation, although you look fine in the villa, there are actually many potential dangers of excessive spiritual power consumption. For example, organizing heavenly treasures. This is such a dangerous task. You shouldn’t do it yourself in the future. Let Shen Bingsi do it himself, or find someone else. Anyway, you can’t do it.”
“This…” Rong Xie actually liked doing this very much. Although he was tired every time he finished, he felt a sense of accomplishment and could learn a lot. He also wanted to find time to make a general catalog of the various heavenly treasures, magical artifacts, and weapons in the villa.
“Don’t do it anymore.” Shen Bingsi said decisively. “I’ll find someone from the inner sect to do it.”
“Ah.” Rong Xie couldn’t help showing disappointment.
“You just supervise from the side,” Shen Bingsi added.
“My suggestion is, don’t even supervise. Especially that armory of yours. Brother Rong shouldn’t even go near it. In a place where treasures gather and spiritual pressure is strong, just standing there consumes spiritual power. It does no good for Brother Rong.” Cui Xingmiao poured a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the lucky mentality of the two.
“…Understood.” Shen Bingsi responded.
“Also, the daily maintenance of the villa requires spiritual power in many places. My suggestion is, Brother Rong can do some, but don’t do it all. And it’s best to use the power of talismans and magical artifacts, don’t use your own spiritual power directly. Reduce the usage of spiritual power to one-third of before.”
“This is no problem. You can use my spiritual power to write talismans. Write more at a time.” Shen Bingsi nodded.
“Very good. Remember these two things: what not to do and what to do less. I’ll prescribe some formulas for nourishing the body and clearing the meridians. Take them on time and in the right amount. Keep a happy mood usually, sleep early and get up early. Maintaining the current state for more than ten years shouldn’t be a problem,” Cui Xingmiao said.
“What about after ten years?” Shen Bingsi asked hurriedly.
“Spiritual power will naturally be exhausted, becoming like an ordinary person,” Cui Xingmiao said as if it were a matter of course.
“…” Shen Bingsi’s eyelid twitched. “Isn’t that the same as saying nothing? Did you actually learn medicine properly from your Sect Master?”
“If you don’t believe me, find another medical cultivator! See if they say the same thing as me!” Cui Xingmiao couldn’t help rolling her eyes. “Medical cultivators aren’t gods who can reverse natural laws. If you don’t believe in bad luck, just let him continue using spiritual power to organize heavenly treasures for you, continue taking him to the armory to show off your trophies. See if his spiritual power will be exhausted within three years and suffer backlash from the Heavenly Dao! The result then won’t be as simple as aging naturally like an ordinary person!”
“…”
Shen Bingsi was speechless, but it was obvious he wasn’t convinced.
“Alright, you go out. I still have something to say to Brother Rong alone.” Cui Xingmiao waved her hand, signaling Shen Bingsi to leave quickly and stop being in the way.
“What is it that you can’t say in front of me?” Shen Bingsi instantly became alert.
“Some special medical advice just can’t be known by you,” Cui Xingmiao tapped her chin. “Oh, right, I remember you have keen ears. Remember to close your ears. If you eavesdrop, my prescription won’t work.”
“…” This light threat hit Shen Bingsi’s weak spot exactly. Although he was annoyed, he still got up and went out, closing the door behind him.
Only Cui Xingmiao and Rong Xie remained in the room.
Rong Xie was actually very confused inside, not as calm as he appeared on the surface. After all, he had just decided to work hard on cultivation, and Cui Xingmiao told him that he would never reach Foundation Establishment in this life, and he had to use less spiritual power in the future… Even so, there was only ten years. After ten years, he would lose all his magic power and become a superfluous person in Huanxue Villa, Shen Bingsi’s “forgotten friend.”
This was too terrible. He couldn’t say which was more terrible, this or the ending in the prophetic dream.
Before, Rong Xie thought the prophetic dream was more terrible. Now, another ending became clear and concrete, and even closer. Rong Xie began to feel lost and helpless, even thinking that at least dual cultivation with Shen Bingsi could delay the time for three thousand chapters. Although the ending was a bit tragic, the process was still very good.
“Brother Rong?” Cui Xingmiao’s voice woke up Rong Xie from his frantic struggle.
“Miss Cui, sorry, please speak.” Rong Xie looked at Cui Xingmiao.
Cui Xingmiao lowered her head slightly, seeming a bit shy. She pondered for a moment before saying: “Brother Rong, promise me first, never tell anyone what I’m about to tell you, okay?”
“…Huh?” Rong Xie was surprised. Was it because she didn’t want the secret recipe leaked? “Okay, I promise you.”
“You can’t tell Shen Bingsi either.”
“I won’t tell Shen Bingsi either.”
“Mm…” Cui Xingmiao clasped her hands on her knees, twirling her fingers around each other. Seeming to have made up her mind, she looked up at Rong Xie with bright eyes. “Actually, I like Shen Bingsi!”
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