The Aloof Immortal Venerable is Pregnant with My Fox Cub - Chapter 72

Chapter 72

Only three people came from the Myriad Medicine Sect. If Cang Ran hadn’t seen Shui Shaoyi, she wouldn’t have recognized any of them as alchemists.

They didn’t wear unified sect robes like other factions, looking more like rogue cultivators, each dressed in her own style of modest, simple clothing. The only common feature was a brown medicine chest, engraved with complex arrays, slung over their shoulders.

The person in the lead, who was presumably the Sect Leader of the Myriad Medicine Sect, Zuo Chunli, wore a high ponytail with a loose strand of hair dyed light blue falling across her forehead. She looked very young.

Zuo Chunli, upon seeing Tan Qingxuan, first bowed respectfully, “Venerable Qingxuan, I have received your sect’s letter. We are deeply grateful for your help in defending our sect against the demon race last time. The consultation fee will be waived this time, and we will offer an 80% discount on all medicinal herbs used by the Myriad Medicine Sect.”

Tan Qingxuan quickly helped her up, already accustomed to the Myriad Medicine Sect’s style. She took a gold token from her sleeve and handed it to Lin Mingyue, “Thank you, Sect Leader Zuo. Mingyue, take the others to the sect treasury and withdraw 100,000 top-grade spirit stones from the account. Venerable Yuheng’s condition is critical. I ask Sect Leader Zuo to spare no effort in the treatment.”

Zuo Chunli knew that the Grand Mystic Sect was wealthy and never short on money. Her gentle smile became more sincere, “Of course. We will definitely do our utmost to treat the patient. Shaoyi, come with me to treat Venerable Yuheng. Wan’er, you go with Senior Sister Mingyue to fetch the funds for the medicine.”

Shui Shaoyi was surprised to see Cang Ran at the Grand Mystic Sect, but since saving lives was paramount, she adjusted her medicine chest and quickly followed Sect Leader Zuo.

Tan Qingxuan and Venerable Yaoguang led Zuo Chunli and Shui Shaoyi into the Frigid Essence Cave. Inside, Song Zhen’s poison was rapidly spreading to her vital organs. Zuo Chunli saw how serious the condition was and immediately instructed Shui Shaoyi to put down her medicine chest and apply acupuncture to control the toxin. Then, Zuo Chunli performed the sect’s unique technique, the Spring-Aid Art, to salvage Song Zhen’s rapidly dissipating life force.

Pale green light emanated from the hands of Zuo Chunli and Shui Shaoyi, applying itself to Song Zhen. The light flowed over Song Zhen like layers of water ripples, and Song Zhen’s vital energy began to recover very slowly.

The interior of the Frigid Essence Cave was not large, and with the increased number of people, it felt even narrower. To allow the medical cultivators space to work, Chu Mingyu and Zheng Mingxin did not stay by Song Zhen’s side as before but waited outside with Cang Ran, sitting on stone seats by a nearby stream.

Zheng Mingxin, being the youngest, stood on tiptoes and looked around, her fingers tightly clasped, nervously saying, “I hope the Sect Leader of the Myriad Medicine Sect can cure Master this time, so Master doesn’t have to suffer the pain of the poison invading her body anymore.”

Chu Mingyu comforted Zheng Mingxin, “The Myriad Medicine Sect’s Spring-Aid Art is very powerful. This time, the Sect Leader and her most talented senior disciple, Shui Shaoyi, are here. Master should recover.”

Zheng Mingxin nodded, quiet for a moment, then curiously asked Chu Mingyu, “Senior Sister Mingyu, the medical cultivators said they don’t want a consultation fee, so why are the medicinal herbs so expensive? It costs 100,000 top-grade spirit stones! That’s enough to buy a whole city where we come from!”

Cang Ran was also curious. She put the polished divine sword aside, perked up her fox ears, and listened to find out what kind of medicinal herbs were so expensive.

Chu Mingyu whispered, “Did you forget their sect’s nickname is the ‘Life-Taking Money-Grabbers’? The first thing they ask for when they meet is the consultation fee. Last time, I met a Myriad Medicine Sect disciple in a secret realm. She said that whenever they go out for training, it’s always related to medicinal herbs. They treat every herb in their sect like their own daughter, sleeping on straw mats beside the medicinal fields every day. It’s totally different from how we cultivate spirit herbs here.”

Zheng Mingxin’s eyes widened, “So are we buying and eating the spirit herbs that they treat like their own daughters? No wonder they’re so expensive.”

Chu Mingyu paused, “Well, not exactly. Last time I met a female cultivator from the Myriad Medicine Sect, she even gave me a few of her cultivated spirit radishes to quench my thirst. I asked her why, if they value the spirit herbs so much. She secretly told me that sometimes they say that to sell the medicinal materials for a higher price.”

Zheng Mingxin bit her finger, “That’s too much! Black-hearted medical cultivators.”

Chu Mingyu nodded, “Their first sect rule is ‘Money over life.’ Your wife and husband can be snatched away, but spirit stones must be firmly grasped.”

Even after Chu Mingyu’s explanation, Zheng Mingxin still felt the Myriad Medicine Sect’s herbs were expensive, and she felt the pain for her sect, “It’s still so expensive.”

Cang Ran looked down and thought. Tan Qingxuan likely included the consultation fee and the herbs together. It wasn’t that someone said no and she truly wouldn’t give anything. Tan Qingxuan genuinely cared about Song Zhen, which is why she was willing to spend so much money to ensure the Myriad Medicine Sect used all their skill to treat her.

Zuo Chunli and Shui Shaoyi only emerged from the Frigid Essence Cave with Tan Qingxuan after treating Song Zhen for three hours.

Cang Ran quickly followed by Tan Qingxuan’s side, emanating heat to warm her body.

Zheng Mingxin and Chu Mingyu went up to them together, looking tense.

Zuo Chunli instructed, “Venerable Qingxuan, Venerable Yuheng should wake up in about two days. The toxins in her body are extremely complex. We have only managed to sustain her life and suppress the toxins. As for the specific cure, we will need to test more medicine on Venerable Yuheng over these two days. She can be moved to a normal dwelling in the meantime.”

Tan Qingxuan, standing with Cang Ran, felt the chill from the Frigid Essence Cave quickly receding. She nodded to Zuo Chunli, “Very well. Thank you for your hard work, Sect Leader Zuo. We will trouble you to stay at the Grand Mystic Sect for these few days. I will have a room prepared in Cuiwei Palace for your residence.”

She turned to Zheng Mingxin and Chu Mingyu, instructing, “Mingyu, Mingxin, you two must host Sect Leader Zuo and her disciples well. Do not neglect the three of them. Your Master will be in Cuiwei Palace for the next two days. Report any changes to me promptly.”

Zheng Mingxin and Chu Mingyu immediately bowed in agreement. One of them led the three people from the Myriad Medicine Sect to Cuiwei Palace, and the other entered the Frigid Essence Cave to move Song Zhen onto a flying artifact with Venerable Yaoguang, also returning to Cuiwei Palace.

Once everyone had left, Cang Ran hugged Tan Qingxuan, wrapping her fox tail around her and rubbing her hands, “You’ve been in there for so long. Your body is frozen. Why didn’t you come out and wait for a bit?”

Tan Qingxuan felt pleasantly warm. She patted Cang Ran’s hand with her slender fingers and said softly, “I have spiritual energy protection, so the cold won’t invade my body. I just stayed for a long time, so my skin absorbed some of the chill. She suffered for my sake; I should at least stay by her side.”

Cang Ran sighed inwardly, holding Tan Qingxuan’s hand and worrying, “You still need to be careful. You have the baby in your belly.”

Tan Qingxuan stroked her lower abdomen, her eyes full of tenderness, “With you by my side, the baby has been very well-behaved these past few days. I haven’t been constantly retching like before.”

Cang Ran’s expression relaxed upon hearing this. She bent down, reached out, and also touched Tan Qingxuan’s lower abdomen, saying softly, “Good little baby. Keep it up and don’t make your mother uncomfortable anymore. If you’re good, I’ll love you very much. If you’re not good, I’ll spank your butt when you’re born.”

A smile floated onto Tan Qingxuan’s face, “You’re such a big fox, and you bully the little fox cub? Why are you so naughty?”

Cang Ran coldly snorted, “It’s because this little naughty cub keeps tormenting my wife every day! If it’s not well-behaved, I’ll carry it by the scruff of its neck and walk around everywhere, forcing it to huddle up miserably in my fox mouth.”

Their child was not an ordinary cub. How could it be so weak? When the time comes, the big fox will carry the little fox around, and the little fox will twist its body to resist, eventually tumbling into the big fox’s soft “fox cushion” and leaving a few paw prints on the big fox instead.

Tan Qingxuan’s eyes twinkled with a smile, “You are not allowed to bully the cub. If you dare to spank its butt, I’ll throw the big fox out of the house.”

Cang Ran pouted, “Now that you have the cub, you don’t want the big fox anymore. If you don’t take the big fox’s side, the big fox will be sad. Then the big fox will secretly steal the little fox’s milk to drink.”

Tan Qingxuan’s earlobes turned slightly red. She pushed Cang Ran away, “The big fox can continue to be sad. I’m going back to Fuyue Palace.”

Cang Ran didn’t understand why Tan Qingxuan suddenly pushed her. When she saw Tan Qingxuan turn her face away, with a rosy flush on her neck, her own cheeks also blushingly turned red. She didn’t mean it that way just now.

Cang Ran licked her dry lips and explained softly, “I meant the bowl of milk.”

Tan Qingxuan’s gaze fell coolly upon Cang Ran. She pinched her cheek, “Naughty fox.”

After pinching her, Tan Qingxuan left immediately. The pinch hurt a little; Cang Ran’s fair, tender cheek was red, and crystal tears welled up in her eyes.

The ‘bowl of milk’ she mentioned was spirit cow milk or spirit goat milk. She hadn’t said anything wrong. What was Tan Qingxuan thinking?

Cang Ran picked up the two divine swords from the stone seat and quickly followed Tan Qingxuan, returning to Fuyue Palace together.

Two days later, Song Zhen finally woke up. Her three disciples, who had been guarding her and attending to her, quickly sent a message to Tan Qingxuan and the Sect Leader of the Myriad Medicine Sect.

The three disciples’ eyes were red, “Master, you’re finally awake! We’ve been worried sick these past few days. The Sect Leader of the Myriad Medicine Sect came in person to treat you.”

Song Zhen still had residual poison and was somewhat weak. She raised her hand and patted each of her three disciples’ heads, “It’s alright. This time, your Master just got a little poisoned. The Sect Leader of the Myriad Medicine Sect is here. How much consultation fee did she ask for this time?”

Zheng Mingxin, whose mouth was quicker than her two senior sisters, said with a pained expression, “Venerable Qingxuan spent 100,000 top-grade spirit stones to have the Myriad Medicine Sect people stay here and treat you, Master.”

Song Zhen was originally very touched, but upon hearing the 100,000 top-grade spirit stones consultation fee, her heart seized up, and she suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Senior Sister has never cared about spirit stones. If the treatment cost so much money, she’d rather have been poisoned to death.

They quickly helped Song Zhen lean back on her pillow and fed her some medicinal pills and spirit liquid.

Just then, the people from the Myriad Medicine Sect, along with Tan Qingxuan and Cang Ran, arrived together. Song Zhen had just caught her breath, lying on the sickbed, and her gaze towards everyone was tinged with resentment.

Cang Ran noticed as soon as she entered that something was off about Song Zhen. She looked half-dead, but her eyes were strange—why did she look like a resentful woman?

Aha, she must be thinking about killing the little bird demon again.

Tan Qingxuan’s mood lightened considerably upon seeing Song Zhen awake. She said warmly to Sect Leader Zuo, “Venerable Yuheng’s recovery this time is all thanks to Sect Leader Zuo’s miraculous skills.”

Zuo Chunli smiled warmly and took out a jade slip, saying, “Practicing medicine and saving lives is the duty of us medical cultivators, especially since Venerable Yuheng and I are old acquaintances. It’s only right. However, Venerable, please don’t be too quick to thank me. This is the prescription my disciple and I came up with for Venerable Yuheng’s treatment. It is missing two herbs that our sect does not possess, and we need you to send people to search for them.”

Even the Myriad Medicine Sect, with its vast collection of medicinal materials, claimed to be missing herbs. Tan Qingxuan couldn’t help but frown and ask, “What are the herbs, and where can they be found?”

Seeing Zuo Chunli trying to extort more money and deceive her Senior Sister, Song Zhen tightly clutched the bedsheet, the veins on the back of her hands bulging. But because her injury was too severe, she could only shake her hand and pat the blanket.

Lin Mingyue noticed and immediately interrupted, “Venerable, I think my Master has something to say.”

Tan Qingxuan and Zuo Chunli went over together, only to see Song Zhen’s hand shakily pointing at the prescription, her voice weak, “Give me the prescription.”

Zuo Chunli handed the jade slip to Lin Mingyue, who showed it to Song Zhen, chuckling lightly, “I almost forgot that Venerable Yuheng is also skilled in medicine. Do you see anything in my prescription that needs to be added?”

Lin Mingyue opened the jade slip. Song Zhen scanned the text on the jade slip at a glance. Her chest rose and fell with anger. Covering her mouth with a handkerchief, she began coughing up brownish-green toxic blood again.

Before Song Zhen could speak, Zuo Chunli spoke to Tan Qingxuan first, “Venerable Qingxuan, look how well I treated the illness. The toxic blood is being expelled so quickly and cleanly.

Venerable Yuheng has been too overworked these past years, so I took the opportunity to prescribe a few nourishing tonics for her. These are all included in the consultation fee, so there will be no extra charge.”

Song Zhen coughed even harder. She was about to erase a few lines on the prescription, but seeing the crafty look on Zuo Chunli’s face, she knew that the money had already been collected. She fell backward onto her pillow in anger.

Zuo Chunli sat by the bed and actively helped Song Zhen up, “Look how touched you are. No need to thank me; it’s what I should do.”

Song Zhen was furious. She coldly shot Zuo Chunli a dagger stare, “Who is thanking you… Cough, cough… cough, cough, cough… Give… give the money back…”

Song Zhen coughed even more violently, and Lin Mingyue immediately moved Zuo Chunli aside.

Zuo Chunli curved her lips, took back the prescription, and was about to discuss where to retrieve the missing herbs with Tan Qingxuan.

Song Zhen’s coughing finally stopped. She managed to stabilize the churning poison in her body. Thinking of something, she said to Lin Mingyue with a pale face, “Mingyue, take your two junior sisters out first. Take the two disciples from the Myriad Medicine Sect to visit the Lotus Pond.”

Lin Mingyue followed her Master’s command and left with the others. Only Tan Qingxuan, Song Zhen, Cang Ran, and Zuo Chunli remained in Cuiwei Palace.

Cang Ran saw the situation and thought Song Zhen was about to make a dying request, but Song Zhen wiped the blood from her lips and weakly said to Zuo Chunli, “You’ve taken so many spirit stones from our Grand Mystic Sect. Give my Senior Sister a peace and safety pulse diagnosis as well.”

Zuo Chunli saw her old friend acting this way and knew that Song Zhen’s stingy old habits had resurfaced. Besides, Song Zhen was also a skilled medical cultivator; why would she need her to diagnose a safety pulse?

But since she was already there, Zuo Chunli sat down and diagnosed Tan Qingxuan as well.

The moment she felt the pulse, she was first surprised, then she looked enlightened. She diagnosed for a little longer, but her brows furrowed tighter and tighter.

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