Chapter 254 - 253: Yin Sha Qi

"Miss Zhao, may I take your pulse?"

Yang Xun spoke as gently as he could, afraid of startling her.

Zhao Linglong nodded, extending a fair, slender wrist from beneath the covers.

Her fingers were long and her skin was so thin one could almost see the faint blue network of veins beneath it.

Yang Xun sat down on the edge of the bed and gently placed three fingers on her pulse.

The moment the pads of his fingers touched her skin, a bone-chilling coldness traveled up his fingertips.

It wasn’t a normal chill; the coldness carried a gloomy, cloying sensation, as if some living thing were slithering beneath her skin.

Yang Xun focused his mind and sent a sliver of True Qi from his fingertips into Zhao Linglong’s meridians.

The moment the True Qi entered, he felt a distinct sense of resistance.

The circulation of her qi and blood was extremely slow, as if something were dragging it down, preventing it from moving any faster.

After leaving Zhao Linglong’s room, Yang Xun’s brow remained tightly furrowed.

Zhao Hongshan, walking beside him, grew anxious seeing his expression. "Dr. Yang, my daughter’s illness... what exactly is it?"

"Mr. Zhao, your daughter isn’t suffering from a normal illness."

Yang Xun stopped at the end of the hallway, turned to face Zhao Hongshan, and said seriously, "She has a strand of Yin Sha Qi in her body. She picked it up from outside, most likely when she visited that ancestral hall in the old town a few months ago."

"Yin Sha Qi?"

Zhao Hongshan was visibly stunned. This explanation was clearly beyond his realm of understanding.

He subconsciously glanced at Zhou Yuan, as if to confirm he hadn’t misheard.

Zhou Yuan shrugged. "Mr. Zhao, I’ve witnessed Mr. Yang’s medical skills firsthand. You’d best believe what he says."

Zhao Hongshan was silent for a moment before finally nodding. "Then... what must be done to cure Linglong?"

"First, I’ll try to use acupuncture combined with True Qi to force the Yin Sha Qi out of her body."

As he spoke, Yang Xun took out his set of Silver Needles from his backpack. "However, this method might not be completely effective. If the Yin Sha Qi has already seeped deep into her marrow, we’ll need to solve it at the source."

"Solve it at the source?"

"Yes."

Yang Xun nodded. "Take me to that ancestral hall in the old town. I suspect something there is causing this. If we don’t eliminate the source, she might have a relapse in the future, even if I cure her this time."

Zhao Hongshan hesitated for a moment but ultimately agreed. "Alright. Try the acupuncture first. I’ll arrange for someone to take you there."

Returning to Zhao Linglong’s room, Yang Xun had her lie flat on the bed and began the acupuncture.

One by one, the Silver Needles pierced the corresponding acupoints, accompanied by wisps of warm True Qi seeping into her body.

Zhao Linglong’s eyes were closed, her long lashes trembling slightly. Her face had grown even paler than before.

Yang Xun’s True Qi flowed down the Silver Needles and into her meridians, like a gentle stream flowing slowly toward the acupoints blocked by the Yin Sha Qi.

He could clearly sense the existence of that cold, sinister qi within Zhao Linglong’s body. A mass of black mist was coiled inside her—not too dense, but very stubborn.

Yang Xun tried to envelop the mass of Yin Sha Qi with his True Qi, attempting to force it out of her body.

But every time he was on the verge of success, the Yin Sha Qi would suddenly disperse like a living creature, only to quickly recoalesce, as if it were deliberately playing hide-and-seek with him.

Yang Xun’s frown deepened, and a fine sheen of sweat broke out on his forehead.

He increased the output of his True Qi and tried again to expel the Yin Sha Qi.

This time, a portion of the Yin Sha Qi was finally forced out. It surged up through her meridians and began to slowly seep out from Zhao Linglong’s fingertips.

But just as it was about to be completely expelled, the mass of Yin Sha Qi suddenly churned violently. As if enraged, it abruptly retracted, pulling back into the depths of her Dantian.

Zhao Linglong let out a pained groan, her body suddenly arching. Cold sweat trickled down her cheeks.

Yang Xun quickly withdrew his True Qi and stabilized the energy within her body again.

He slowly removed the Silver Needles, his brow knitted tightly.

This Yin Sha Qi was far more stubborn than he had imagined. It was as if something was secretly tethering it, refusing to let it leave Zhao Linglong’s body.

"How is it?"

Zhao Hongshan stood at the door, his face tense with worry.

Yang Xun shook his head. "I can’t force it out for now. It looks like we’ll have to use the other method."

The color drained from Zhao Hongshan’s face.

Yang Xun stood up, looked at Zhao Linglong on the bed, and asked softly, "The ancestral hall in the old town you visited... where exactly is it located?"

Zhao Linglong weakly opened her eyes, her voice faint. "It’s... it’s thirty li west of the city, in a place called Bluestone Town. The ancestral hall is on the easternmost edge of town. It’s been abandoned for years."

"Alright, I’m going to check it out now."

Just as he was about to turn and leave, a commotion erupted from downstairs, followed by the sound of a butler rushing up the stairs.

"Master! The Madam has returned! She brought a doctor with her, says he’s a famous physician from the provincial capital!"

Zhao Hongshan froze for a second, then turned to Yang Xun with a look of embarrassment.

Before he could speak, a lavishly dressed middle-aged woman had already strode up the stairs.

Madam Zhao was well-maintained, looking to be just over forty. She wore a tailored, dark green qipao, and an ice-type jadeite bangle adorned her wrist. She exuded an air of pampered superiority.

Following behind her was a white-haired elder in a dark gray changshan, carrying a medicine box on his back. He had the air of a sagely, transcendent master.

"Old Zhao, is this the Divine Doctor you were talking about?"

Madam Zhao’s gaze fell on Yang Xun, sweeping over him from head to toe. Her tone was filled with unconcealed doubt. "So young. What kind of Divine Doctor could he be? He looks more like a fraud to me."

Yang Xun’s expression didn’t change at all, but Zhou Yuan’s face instantly darkened.

"Madam Zhao, watch your words!"

Zhou Yuan took a step forward, his voice tinged with cold. "I was the one who invited Mr. Yang. If you don’t trust him, I’ll take him and leave."

Madam Zhao clearly recognized Zhou Yuan. His retort made her flinch, but she quickly recovered her condescending attitude.

"Young Master Zhou, I’m not questioning you. It’s just that there are too many charlatans running around these days, claiming to be divine doctors. I’m just worried you’ve been fooled."

"After all, Linglong’s health is at stake. We can’t afford to be careless."

Zhou Yuan couldn’t be bothered to respond to her and just snorted coldly.

Caught in the middle, Zhao Hongshan wanted neither to offend Zhou Yuan nor to undermine his wife. He hesitated, then shot Yang Xun an apologetic look.

"Divine Doctor Yang, how about... we let this doctor take a look first?"

Yang Xun, however, was unconcerned. He calmly stepped aside. "Be my guest."