Chapter 172 - Four Pillars Harmonious Unity

Looking at the four Master Physicians, a rare spark of interest flashed in Bai Qingxian’s eyes.

When she first arrived at the Heavenly Cloud Sect, she had quietly believed that their standards lagged far behind the heritage of the Medicine Valley.

The Heavenly Cloud Sect was vast, even by her standards. Because of its sheer size, it was filled with countless ordinary disciples, which could easily give an outsider the wrong impression. But when it came to the higher echelons of the sect, their foundation and skill were not inferior.

It was the same for the Medicine Hall. They might have had less exposure compared to the Medicine Valley, but their understanding of medicine was profound.

Question one had seemed ordinary enough. But as the dialectic progressed from the second question through the eighth, the depth and knowledge that the examiners expected had steadily risen, easily matching the standards of the Medicine Valley.

And this ninth question was on another level entirely.

Even within the Medicine Valley, a case like this would be presented to Grandmasters, not ordinary Master Physicians. But she was not an ordinary physician. With the inheritance of the Medicine Valley, this was not enough to stump her.

Bai Qingxian stood calmly in the center of the hall.

"Physician Lu is correct about the contradictions," Bai Qingxian said, her voice clear and measured. "The elder’s heart vitality is too weak. Direct stimulation might cause cardiac collapse. The blood vessels are brittle, meaning purging will rupture the pathways. Furthermore, the corpse poison thrives on raw life energy, while the calcified pill toxins will tear the blood vessels."

Hearing her words, Lu Feng let out a loud scoff.

"See?" Lu Feng sneered, looking around the hall with open triumph. "Even Physician Bai admits the contradiction is absolute! You are merely repeating what I just declared!"

"Physician Lu, shut your mouth!" Master Gu He snapped, his cold voice echoing across the stone floor.

"Learn to listen before you speak in this hall," Master Lu Song added with a stern frown.

The hall fell silent once more. Lu Feng swallowed hard, his face reddening as he took a step back.

Master Lu Song turned his gaze to Bai Qingxian, his expression serious. "Physician Bai, since you understand the full depth of this dilemma, do you have a solution?"

Bai Qingxian met his gaze serenely. "Of course I do."

A pin-drop silence descended upon the Grand Sanctum. Elders and disciples leaned forward, their eyes locked on the young woman standing at the centre of the grand hall.

Up on the hidden balcony, Grandmaster Yao narrowed her eyes, leaning forward slightly.

"For this affliction," Bai Qingxian said calmly, "I propose the Four Pillars Harmonious Unity Method."

A ripple of quiet murmurs swept through the older physicians in the spectator seats.

The Four Pillars Harmonious Unity was a complex concept. In traditional medical records, it was a legendary procedure where four physicians, each specializing in one of the Four Pillars, combined their skills to work in a flawless manner.

Yet the way Bai Qingxian stood, completely composed, carried an unmistakable aura of confidence.

"Explain," Master Su Wen asked with anticipation.

"First, the heart vessels cannot endure direct needles, so we leave the heart untouched," Bai Qingxian explained. "We seal the surrounding collateral channels through the Neiguan and Ximen points with silver needles, forming a temporary bypass. This preserves the elder’s remaining life essence and diverts his circulation around the damaged heart."

Master Lu Song nodded slowly.

"Second, we nourish the blood pathways with Cold Jade Dew to strengthen the weakened vessels. Only then can we begin clearing the obstruction."

She continued.

"Third, we guide a thread of spiritual flame along the needles and into the blocked pathways. The flame must be weak enough not to damage the vessels, yet precise enough to melt the calcified pill toxins."

Master Yan Zhen and Master Su Wen held their breath.

"Finally, we do not attempt to purge the corpse poison."

Bai Qingxian’s eyes sharpened.

"We first seal its connection to the heart. Then, once the pill toxins have softened, we guide a controlled portion of the corpse poison toward them."

"Corpse poison and calcified pill toxins cannot coexist in concentration. Once brought together, their opposing medicinal properties will trigger a chain reaction, causing both toxins to exhaust their potency."

She paused.

"Once they have exhausted each other, we can guide the remaining foul qi out through the Quchi and Hegu points."

***

The entire grand hall froze in silence.

What Lu Feng had called an impossible death sentence had become a precise sequence of containment, separation, and purification.

Up on the hidden balcony, Grandmaster Yao sat motionless.

A long time ago, she had lost someone dear to this exact affliction. She had deduced the solution in her seclusion long after the tragedy, but the painful memory had remained as an immovable knot in her Dao Heart. It had weighed down her spirit and delayed her breakthrough for centuries.

Hearing this young woman speak that exact truth with such clarity, the lingering chains around Grandmaster Yao’s Dao Heart shattered.

A wave of profound clarity washed over her soul.

*Clatter.*

The white porcelain teacup slipped from her fingers, shattering on the stone floor.

Grand Elder Gu turned in shock. He could feel a subtle yet vast change surging within her aura.

Grandmaster Yao opened her eyes, speaking softly as they shone with renewed resolve.

"I have made my decision. Prepare for my Saint Rank promotion. Take care of the official matters. That girl will be my successor."

She paused, looking down at the stage. "And I will participate in the affairs of the Medicine Hall once again."

Grand Elder Gu stared at her, his eyes widening with sheer excitement. Seizing the moment, he leaned closer with a broad grin.

"On that note, can we finally discuss that other matter? The ten—"

Grandmaster Yao cut him off with a cold glare. "I am in a good mood today. Do not ruin it, old man."

Grand Elder Gu coughed awkwardly, quickly stroking his beard and shutting his mouth.

’Well, I had to try,’ he mumbled under his breath.