What he meant was that it was a last-ditch effort, but if he’d actually said it like that, Lu Tianchou would have likely flown into a rage on the spot.

Lu Tianchou’s expression wavered, but he finally said coldly, "Hmph. Fine, I’ll give you a chance. If you can cure her, I will naturally reward you handsomely."

With that, he stepped aside, clearing the path.

It just went to show how important it was to have real ability. Anyone else would have been beaten to a pulp by Chi Huo Old Ghost long ago.

"Do you want to come in with me?" Song Changsheng asked, looking at the group behind him.

Song Qingxing didn’t answer, simply cradling his sword as he walked off to one side.

Song Qingxi glanced at Little Lingyun in her arms and said with a pained expression, "We’ll just stay out here."

"Alright. Chi Huo, you stay out here too. Don’t cause any trouble." As he spoke, Song Changsheng shot him a warning glance. The man used to be a gangster, and Song Changsheng was worried he might stir something up.

As he stepped into the courtyard, Song Changsheng took a breath and immediately frowned. The air was thick with the heavy scent of medicine. He glanced toward a hidden corner and saw a large pile of medicinal dregs.

’The situation looks far from ideal,’ Song Changsheng thought to himself.

"You’re the one who brought him here. You take him," Lu Tianchou snapped irritably at Li Anmin behind him, his eyes completely bloodshot.

Li Anmin nodded meekly. It was obvious he was terrified of Lu Tianchou.

’Then again, given Lu Tianchou’s personality, it would be strange if he *wasn’t* scared, wouldn’t it?’

"Elder Song, please follow me."

Following behind Li Anmin, Song Changsheng entered a pavilion. The decor here was clearly different from the outside, opulent in every detail.

Only, the medicinal scent in the air was even more pungent here.

He parted a translucent curtain, and a white Jade Bed crafted from Warm Jade appeared before him.

Lying on the Jade Bed was a delicate and lovely young woman.

She lay quietly on her back, covered by an expensive Spiritual Silk Quilt. Her face was deathly pale, completely devoid of color, and her delicate brows were knitted together as if she were enduring immense pain.

A look of heartache crossed Li Anmin’s face. "This is my junior, Lu Yuxiu."

"Let me take a look at Miss Lu."

"Thank you for your trouble, Elder." Li Anmin immediately bowed.

Song Changsheng sat down by the bed and placed his fingers on her wrist.

It looked like he was taking her pulse, but in reality, he was using his Divine Sense to inspect her condition.

His Divine Sense circulated through her Meridians but found nothing wrong. Everything was normal, except for the fact that her body was extremely weak.

’Could she have been afflicted with a Gu?’

Having just dealt with Feng Wuming, Song Changsheng had gained a deeper understanding of the bizarre methods employed by Gu Masters. If she truly had been afflicted with a Gu, it would be perfectly normal for ordinary detection methods to fail, so long as the user’s techniques were sufficiently advanced.

Thinking of this, Song Changsheng closed his eyes. When he opened them again, an uncanny pattern had appeared deep within his pupils.

Empowered by the Pupil Technique, Song Changsheng looked toward Lu Yuxiu.

After years of use and the growth of his Cultivation, Song Changsheng’s Eye of Truth was now far more effective than before.

When he first started using it, he could only see auras of different colors emanating from others, with no fine details—just a hazy blur.

Now, however, was different. He could see many faint, dim lines spread throughout Lu Yuxiu’s body, flowing slowly like gentle currents.

This was the Spiritual Power within Lu Yuxiu’s Meridians, far weaker than that of an average Qi Cultivator.

He shifted his gaze to her Lower Dantian and found the light there was also exceedingly dim. This defied logic. Even though she hadn’t cultivated while bedridden all these years, every single Pill and medicinal broth Lu Tianchou had given her must have been rich with Spiritual Qi.

As this Spiritual Qi entered her body, even if most of it went to waste, a large amount should have been passively converted into Spiritual Power.

’Where did all this Spiritual Power go?’ A flicker of doubt crossed Song Changsheng’s mind. Her Dantian and Meridians were both perfectly intact. Logically, a situation like this shouldn’t occur.

After a moment of thought, Song Changsheng gripped her slender wrist and slowly began to channel his Spiritual Power into her.

The moment his Spiritual Power entered her body, a powerful suction force suddenly emanated from Lu Yuxiu. To his shock, Song Changsheng discovered that his own Spiritual Power was being absorbed by her at an astonishing rate.

Before long, Song Changsheng felt as if he were being drained dry. Startled, he hastily released her wrist and stumbled back several steps, his now pale face a mask of shock and uncertainty.

Li Anmin, who was standing by, had no idea what just happened. Seeing the awful expression on Song Changsheng’s face, his heart sank. "Elder Song, did you find something?" he asked urgently.

Song Changsheng turned to him, his expression and tone severe. "I’m asking you, has anyone ever said that she devours Spiritual Power?"

The question completely baffled Li Anmin, who shook his head instinctively.

Song Changsheng’s expression softened slightly. "Place your hand on her wrist," he told Li Anmin, "and channel some of your Spiritual Power into her."

Song Changsheng’s demeanor made Li Anmin’s hair stand on end, but for the sake of his junior, he didn’t hesitate. He did exactly as instructed.

This time, nothing unexpected happened. Within Song Changsheng’s field of vision, Li Anmin’s Spiritual Power entered Lu Yuxiu’s body and, instead of disappearing, lingered in her Meridians.

Seeing the two starkly different outcomes, Song Changsheng frowned. He placed his fingers on her wrist once more, and the familiar suction returned, ravenously devouring his Spiritual Power.

Song Changsheng hastily pulled his hand away.

’Li Anmin wasn’t lying. This must be the first time this has happened. So why is it only a problem when I do it? Is there some specific reason?’

He racked his brain until he suddenly remembered something that set him apart from others. After he "consumed" the Law Spirit Fruit, his Spiritual Power became imbued with the Power of Life Law, granting it potent healing properties.

’Life... could it be that what she’s actually devouring is Life Force?’ Song Changsheng smacked his fist into his palm, suddenly seeing everything clearly.

He looked at the bewildered Li Anmin and asked, "Do you have any Spiritual Objects with a powerful Life Force?"

An embarrassed look appeared on Li Anmin’s face. "Elder, could you be more specific?"

"Go to your master. He’ll understand what I mean. Hurry."

"Oh, oh, right." Snapping out of his daze, Li Anmin hurried out.

A moment later, he returned, holding a Jade Box. "Elder Song, the item you requested."

Song Changsheng took the box, but out of the corner of his eye, he keenly noticed Lu Tianchou had also slipped quietly to the doorway. He was staring intently in their direction, his expression a mixture of anticipation and anxiety.

’Such is a parent’s love,’ he mused, opening the box. His eyes immediately lit up. Inside was a Tier Three Low Grade Celestial Cyan Snow Lotus. This Spirit Medicine possessed immense Life Force and was a Top Grade ingredient for Healing Medicine—incredibly expensive and extremely rare.

Using it for an experiment was rather extravagant, but since Lu Tianchou didn’t seem to mind, Song Changsheng wasn’t about to say anything.

He picked up the Snow Lotus. With a surge of his Spiritual Power, the flower instantly shattered, dissolving into a pale green liquid from which he could feel an immense vitality radiating.

He reached over, gently pried open Lu Yuxiu’s mouth, and poured the liquid down her throat.

Lu Tianchou instinctively moved to stop him. After all, the Spiritual Power contained within a Tier Three Low Grade Spirit Medicine was immense; Lu Yuxiu, who was merely an Early-stage Qi Refining Cultivator, couldn’t possibly withstand it.

In the end, however, he restrained himself, his eyes fixed on the scene before him.

As the liquid entered her body, Song Changsheng could clearly see a new power flow into her, manifesting as a jade-green light.

Soon, Song Changsheng discovered this power was being drawn by something, surging wildly toward Lu Yuxiu’s Dantian. It was like pouring water into a bottomless pit; it vanished without a trace in an instant.

In less than a quarter of an hour, it was completely absorbed, and a peculiar light manifested within her Dantian.

Seeing this, a sharp glint flashed in Song Changsheng’s eyes. ’There really is something strange going on!’

...