60 - The Divine Physician’s Overbearing Wife

Mid-Summer Novel Chapter 60 "Turn on the light Small Medium Large Previous Chapter: Chapter 59 Next Chapter: Chapter 61" "The entire Qiao family's branch was massacred overnight?!" Yan Zhuguang frowned. "Though the branch can't compare with the main lineage's power, it's still a significant part of the family with considerable strength. Who could so easily wipe out an entire branch? Did no one escape?" Yun Mixue shook her head. "So far, we've found no survivors left at the branch residence." "According to Sister Chu, the entire Qiao family branch was leveled, leaving nothing behind. The only ones alive are the Qiao clan members who were fortunately outside the branch and the branch head dealing with Qiuming Pill Hall's affairs in Danye City." "In that case, it must have been the work of a cultivator at the Divided Spirit stage or higher." To level a place completely flat, it would take someone of that power level. Of course, there are certain special formations that could achieve the same effect, but they come at a high cost. Unless there is a deep-seated grudge, it's a losing proposition. "What about Su Qian'er?" Yan Zhuguang answered her own question without waiting for Yun Mixue to reply. "She should be fine; otherwise, the elders wouldn't have called me to treat her." Yun Mixue nodded. "She was with the branch head and is safe." Yan Zhuguang nodded. "Do we have any leads on the branch's extermination?" Yun Mixue said, "We've only detected remnants of demonic energy, initially suspecting it was the work of a demonic cultivator. However, we can't determine the specific reason or which faction is responsible." "Demonic cultivators again... Could it be from the Blood Dripping Demonic Realm?" "No," Yun Mixue replied. "I suspected them initially, but this doesn't fit their usual methods. There were no signs left by the Blood Dripping Demonic Realm." The Blood Dripping Demonic Realm operates as its name suggests, with every action drenched in blood. They act with brutality, killing in ways that ensure their victims bleed out completely. The people from the Blood Dripping Demonic Realm are shrouded in an unmistakable aura of blood and death. Moreover, the Blood Dripping Demonic Realm always acts flamboyantly, never clandestine. Whenever they do something evil, they love leaving a mark to announce to the world, provoking righteous cultivators to the point of gnashing their teeth. That's why Yun Mixue could recognize the Blood Dripping Demonic Realm's emblem. The Qiao family branch's extermination seemed unlike any act by the Blood Dripping Demonic Realm's usual methods. The system gave a rueful sigh. What exactly did the Qiao family branch do wrong? Not only did they inexplicably raise someone else's illegitimate daughter, but they also faced total extermination. Though these two events may not be related, it's still exceedingly tragic. Yan Zhuguang showed no reaction. The Qiao family branch's matters had no bearing on her unless it was related to her senior sister's investigation into the former sect master's death. Otherwise, she was unconcerned. "One more piece of news," Yun Mixue said. "The elders have calculated the possible place where the sect master fell." "Where?" "Just outside that secret realm, in those barren mountains." "Somewhere so close?" Yan Zhuguang pondered. "I had thought earlier, the collapse at that secret realm's entrance seemed artificially caused. Could it have been when the former sect master was dueling someone, accidentally collapsing it?" "That's possible." Yan Zhuguang continued, "The barren mountain isn't large. Before we left the secret realm, the elders had already investigated it. Why didn't they find that peculiar pit?" "I find it strange as well." Yun Mixue thought that such an abrupt pit was indeed suspicious. How could the elders not have noticed it? "But the elders did not discover any unusual pit during their mountain search. When they arrived, it was a complete valley floor without anomalies." The elders, using their Nascent Soul stage spiritual sense and even Divided Spirit stage divine sense, searched inch by inch but found nothing unusual, so they temporarily left the mountain. They intended to send a sound transmission to Yun Mixue about the matter, but unexpectedly, they couldn't reach the usually reliable Yun Mixue, and stayed by the small courtyard for several days until Yun Mixue and her companion returned. Could that pit appear and disappear at will? And the elders wouldn't lie to them, right? "Could there be some artificial manipulation involved?" "Zhuguang, do you mean someone deliberately let us, Qiuchiao, and the others in but kept the elders out?" Yan Zhuguang nodded. It seemed she had guessed incorrectly earlier. The former sect master might have used the Yuanfeng Array to monitor those in contact with the formations, and it's possible the Blood Dripping Demonic Realm also left surveillance measures that she hadn't discovered. Perhaps initially allowing Qiuchiao and others to enter was due to Qiuchiao being Su Qian'er's fiancé, hoping he would inform Su Qian'er about the secret realm's condition to bring Su Qian'er there to acquire the Celestial Heart Five-Flower Lotus? Yan Zhuguang speculated that the Su family cultivator hadn't appeared for a long time, likely encountering some mishap. Su Qian'er's mother couldn't find anyone else to trust to acquire the elixir, so she relied on Su Qian'er's fiancé. As for allowing Yan Zhuguang and Yun Mixue entry, it might have been due to the senior sister's good reputation, trusting them as disciples of the Fenghua Immortal Sect? Regardless, whoever obtained the spirit medicine—Qiuchiao or them—once outside, a swift attack would suffice to claim the elixir. But it was unexpected that Qiuchiao turned out to be a scoundrel, attempting to kill Su Qian'er for secrecy. However, if this was their plan, why did they return to Tianyu City unscathed? Wait! Yan Zhuguang recalled something else. If, as she speculated previously, the pit was a result of a duel involving the former sect master, the means to conceal the pit must have been deployed afterward. A newly appeared and peculiar pit would likely attract the killer of the former sect master, someone capable of slaying the head of Fenghua Immortal Sect would fear no ordinary demonic stone door. But when they went, the stone door was intact, and the demonic energy within was untouched. That left three possibilities: one, she was wrong, and the pit's collapse had another cause. Two, the killer didn't investigate the pit, and it was hidden afterward. Three, the killer belonged to the Blood Dripping Demonic Realm, hiding the pit after killing the former sect master. Following her prior assumption, if the person hiding the pit allowed Qiuchiao and them to enter for Su Qian'er's sake, the third scenario seemed likely. In other words, the person who killed the former sect master was Su Qian'er's mother or her confidant. "Zhuguang?" Yun Mixue called several times, but Yan Zhuguang seemed lost in thought, eventually snapping back to focus on Yun Mixue's gaze. "What were you thinking about, so absorbed?" Yan Zhuguang hadn't yet told Yun Mixue her suspicion that Su Qian'er might be the child of the sect master and a demonic cultivator. Now that her senior sister asked, Yan Zhuguang hesitated. She considered for a moment before speaking. "Senior Sister, I suspect the one who killed the former sect master is someone from the Blood Dripping Demonic Realm." Yun Mixue was puzzled. "Someone from the Blood Dripping Demonic Realm? What makes you think that, Zhuguang?" Yun Mixue hadn't connected the Blood Dripping Demonic Realm to Su Qian'er's mother, and without knowledge of the "Celestial-Demonic Child" secret, most wouldn't think that way. Could it be linked to the traces of the demonic cultivator where the former sect master once visited the secret realm, leading to the assumption of a connection with a demonic lineage? Yan Zhuguang didn't know if in this world, a child of a high-level immortal and demonic cultivator would be called a "Celestial-Demonic Child," so she couldn't disclose this information easily. However... "The former sect master entered that secret realm at least ten years ago, and three years ago, he returned to find a stone door built by demonic cultivators as a defense outside. Could it be that while investigating this stone door, it attracted someone from the Blood Dripping Demonic Realm, resulting in him being killed to silence him?" Yun Mixue pondered. "Perhaps it's possible." As Yun Mixue spoke, Yan Zhuguang's assistance task suddenly changed from (Five) to (Final), and a line of small characters appeared at the bottom of the task—"Assist Yun Mixue in identifying the specific identity of the culprit." "Wow, Host, you guessed it right," the system excitedly told Yan Zhuguang. Yan Zhuguang hadn't anticipated guessing correctly with her speculative reasoning. Yet thinking about it, while bypassing Su Qian'er's background, simply investigating the stone door, it made sense the former sect master could have been killed by someone from the Blood Dripping Demonic Realm to avoid disclosure. She had inadvertently taken the longer way around by overthinking. As Yun Mixue considered the approach offered by Yan Zhuguang, she mused, "If indeed it's the work of someone from the Blood Dripping Demonic Realm... there aren't many within their ranks capable of effortlessly killing a previous Divided Spirit stage sect master. We might narrow it down to a few demonic experts." Yan Zhuguang thought, if the one who killed the former sect master was an old lover, perhaps it didn't require formidable methods. Yun Mixue sighed softly, "The elders have already gone to investigate that secret realm, perhaps they will uncover some clues. First, let's proceed with treating Miss Su. That oath remains a concern to me." Yan Zhuguang clasped Yun Mixue's hand. "I worried Senior Sister. Alright, let's go now." Whether by coincidence or design, as Yun Mixue and Yan Zhuguang left their room, they encountered Yun Changyue and Chu Ningyan. Yan Zhuguang's gaze flicked between the two women. They were always together, yet there was no closeness between them. Yan Zhuguang could even detect a subtle wariness Chu Ningyan held towards Yun Changyue. Could it be that Chu Ningyan also suspected Yun Changyue of ulterior motives? "Sister and little Zhuguang, are you heading out?" Yun Changyue inquired. Yun Mixue nodded. "Miss Su has suffered a misfortune at her home. Since we know her, it's only right to pay her a visit." The fact that Su Qian'er is the daughter of the former sect master was shared only with the elders by Yun Mixue, who tacitly agreed to keep this a secret—especially the part about the former sect master's quest for a cure for his daughter. "We should go along as well," Yun Changyue suggested. "After all Miss Su has endured, and now with this tragedy at home, she's surely devastated." "But we don't know Miss Su," Chu Ningyan objected. "Why trouble her more by going? We'd only be adding to her burdens." Yun Mixue also declined politely, "It would be best if fewer people visited. Zhuguang and I can manage. I'll convey your thoughts to Miss Su." The matter of delivering the medicine was best kept with as few people aware as possible. Yun Changyue pressed her lips together, conceding defeat. Uncertain of Su Qian'er's current whereabouts, Yun Mixue and Yan Zhuguang headed first to Qiuming Pill Hall and unexpectedly found her there. Qiao Zhenbang had returned to the Qiao family branch to manage family affairs but had left Su Qian'er under the watchful eyes of trusted aides at the Pill Hall. With the Qiao family on edge, the two barely avoided being met with drawn swords upon arrival. But once it was clear they were from Fenghua Immortal Sect and had helped Su Qian'er before, the hostility subsided. Hearing of their wish to see Su Qian'er, there was a moment of hesitance before they were led inside. Su Qian'er was resting inside. Since the incident with Qiuchiao, her spirits had been low. Yet upon seeing Yun Mixue and Yan Zhuguang, she seemed calmer than before. With some surprise and joy, she asked, "Are you here to see me?" "Yes, how have you been?" Yun Mixue looked her over. Su Qian'er nodded. "I'm much better now, but as for my family..." She sighed deeply, tears glistening in her eyes. Yan Zhuguang thought for a moment and said, "Miss Su, I'm sure Master Qiao will uncover the truth and avenge them. Don't be too sad. The living must take precedence." The member of the Qiao family who had brought them in seemed uncomfortable with the topic and discreetly wiped at their eyes. "Please, go ahead and chat. I'll step outside." After they left, the three talked a bit more before Yun Mixue spoke. "There's another reason for our visit, besides just checking on you. We're here on behalf of an old friend, concerning your health." Su Qian'er looked puzzled. "An old friend?" Yan Zhuguang nodded. "Someone asked us to bring you a rare medicine. It will restore your health." Under Su Qian'er's skeptical but hopeful gaze, Yan Zhuguang produced a small, dark pill. Yun Mixue couldn't help but glance over at Yan Zhuguang. Feigning ignorance of Yun Mixue’s look, Yan Zhuguang addressed Su Qian'er, "Miss Su, do you trust me?"