Chapter 110: Disemboweling For Medicine, Ruthless Maiden Seeks Life From Death
What is meant by naturally formed secret script.
It refers to secret script patterns that have not been carved by essence refining immortals or fang shi, but are naturally generated through the good fortune of heaven and earth among all things.
Their forms of appearance vary endlessly: cloud patterns, lightning patterns, fire patterns, water patterns… and all sorts of others.
This kind of secret script has no difference in use from the secret scripts painstakingly researched by fang shi. It could even be said that they are often less refined than immortal secret scripts, containing quite a bit of repetition and confusion in their meanings.
However, this type of secret script, being naturally generated, inherently possesses a beauty of natural good fortune. It is a thing of heaven, not man-made.
Observing such secret script patterns can inspire essence refining immortals and fang shi to comprehend the natural world, or even capture the rumored great dao rules.
Fang Shu stared fixedly at the pattern inside Xiao Li Li’s body. After repeatedly confirming it several times, he was certain he was not mistaken—he had seen a naturally formed secret script pattern today!
This caused a surge of joy to rise in his heart.
Such an opportunity to observe a naturally formed secret script was undoubtedly a tremendous boost to his secret script studies.
Especially since Xiao Li Li’s cultivation was merely that of an essence refining immortal, the secret script appearing in her body correspondingly carried magic power and mysteries at the essence refining level.
This was just right for Fang Shu, an essence refining immortal himself.
If the secret script’s level were too high, he would instead feel a sense of “gazing at the ocean and sighing in vain,” unable to comprehend it.
Thus, after examining the secret script pattern from various angles and having the dao talisman fully record it, he immediately immersed himself in comprehending it.
Gradually, Fang Shu comprehended a certain profound mystery of life and death, a feeling of parasitic struggle, from this secret script.
The reason this secret script appeared in Xiao Li Li’s body was that, under long-term torment by illness, this woman’s physical body harbored a desire to survive, while the medicine ginseng inside her yearned to grow.
In their conflict, they became inextricably entangled, resulting in Xiao Li Li’s current ghostly appearance.
A realization arose in Fang Shu’s heart: “Perhaps this secret script can be used to improve that ginseng method.
To make the cultivation method more refined, or possess stronger corrosiveness, or coexist better with the host…”
Numerous ingenious ideas bubbled up in his mind at once.
Moreover, he realized that given Xiao Li Li’s current condition, because a naturally formed secret script existed on her body.
Once she encountered someone knowledgeable, they would surely see her as a rare collection item, and the price she could fetch would likely far exceed that of a medicine ginseng spiritual medicine.
Fang Shu pondered, his thoughts drifting, even imagining potential buyers.
He mused inwardly: “If I seal this woman’s physical body and encase it in amber to make a specimen-like object, it would surely be a fine collection. The Monster Market’s Mountain Lord Lingzhi would definitely be willing to collect it…”
But soon, Xiao Li Li in the bath tub trembled and moved, instantly snapping Fang Shu out of his various fantasies.
Having stood rigidly motionless for so long and been repeatedly impacted by Fang Shu’s qi and blood, this woman finally could not endure it, her whole body itching and trembling.
After shuddering for a bit, Xiao Li Li endured it and said softly: “Sorry to disturb you, Fellow Daoist Fang.”
She forcibly endured the discomfort, secretly pressing against the inner wall of the bath tub, tensing her body to continue remaining still.
In his hesitation, looking at the restless woman before him, Fang Shu chose to withdraw the qi and blood he had sent out, giving her a moment to breathe.
The next moment, without the interference of external qi and blood, the heat and crawling sensation on Xiao Li Li’s body greatly lessened, allowing her to catch her breath for a moment.
After resting briefly, this woman was about to say something, but Fang Shu calmly interjected:
“I have fully examined the medicine ginseng situation in your body. As Master said, this ginseng is deeply rooted inside you, having eroded your five viscera and six bowels, bone marrow, and brain.
Once it is removed, you will be in a nine-deaths-and-one-life situation. Are you truly determined to have me help you remove it?”
His voice was flat, spoken very slowly, as if deliberately giving Xiao Li Li time to think.
But upon hearing this, hesitation flashed across the emaciated little face of Xiao Li Li, only for her to grit her teeth and nod immediately:
“Determined! Please help me, Fellow Daoist Fang. Whether I live or die, it is Li Li’s fate—I have no complaints!”
This woman’s voice was weak, but her words were resolute, without the slightest hesitation.
Seeing this, Fang Shu’s gaze flickered, and he said in a low voice:
“Very well. Heaven helps those who help themselves—I will help you!”
He gave the naturally formed secret script in Xiao Li Li’s body one last look, then suppressed the stray thoughts in his heart.
The dao talisman had already recorded this secret script pattern, which he could comprehend later. There was no real need to turn Xiao Li Li into a collection.
Instead, next, by personally helping her remove the medicine, he would destroy this naturally formed secret script on one hand, and on the other, gain even deeper comprehension of it through its destruction.
After all, this secret script was alive, a product of the conflict and entanglement between the medicine ginseng’s roots and Xiao Li Li’s flesh.
Personally removing it was akin to dissecting flesh and bone, allowing even deeper insight into its mysteries.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
The next moment, Fang Shu roused all the qi and blood in his body. His qi and blood wrapped around the bath tub like a jar, enclosing both of them inside.
Xiao Li Li immediately felt a heat even more majestic than before surging around her, as if it could rush apart her body at any moment.
Fang Shu was now exerting all his strength to help this woman extract the medicine ginseng from her body.
Beyond mobilizing his full qi and blood, his mind was racing, with lines of text surging in the dao talisman.
This focused him entirely on Xiao Li Li’s body, single-mindedly and frantically calculating how to proceed and how to preserve her vital energies as much as possible.
This action of Fang Shu’s was not only his best effort but also his heartfelt one.
The reason was both to explore that secret script pattern and to repay the opportunity to observe it.
Amid the scorching heat, Xiao Li Li sensed Fang Shu’s seriousness.
She tensed her body, striving to suppress the discomfort throughout her, steadying herself not to disturb Fang Shu.
Finally, Fang Shu made his move.
He did not use the prepared golden knife or silver scissors. Instead, he parted his lips slightly, extending his tongue sword, sliding it across Xiao Li Li’s back.
A shocking sensation immediately appeared on Xiao Li Li’s body surface, making her expression dazed.
Feeling the tongue sword’s movement, this woman found it quite strange.
But Fang Shu paid no attention to her expression. He was fully focused on controlling the flow of qi and blood inside Xiao Li Li’s body.
The reason for using the tongue sword was that it fused with his qi and blood, feeling like an extension of his limbs, most capable of sensing qi and blood.
The next moment, he wiped his hand across his mouth and removed the tongue sword.
Holding the long tongue sword, he swiftly slashed across Xiao Li Li’s wrists, ankles, and neck, severing several of her meridians.
With a slithering sound, Xiao Li Li’s eyes widened.
She not only felt her limbs and body go limp but also sensed something like hemp rope binding her body, tying her up tightly, arching her back and forcing her chest and abdomen to be exposed.
This was Fang Shu extending the tongue sword, binding Xiao Li Li like a crab to facilitate his operation.
But next, Fang Shu still did not rush to act.
He first took copper needles, groped for acupoints, and inserted copper needles longer than fingers all into Xiao Li Li’s body.
This sealed her physical body’s vital energies, preventing her life force from cutting off before the medicine ginseng could be removed.
He then took a charcoal pen and sketched on Xiao Li Li’s body, outlining the steps for extraction…
In this extremely tedious process, only Xiao Li Li’s two eyes could still move. She vaguely sensed that she was now like a piece of meat on a chopping board, being casually prepared.
But this did not bring her fear.
Compared to years of accumulated pain, Fang Shu’s meticulous and tedious actions instead made her feel his care, stirring a sense of being valued in her heart.
After all this, Fang Shu finally took up the knife and incised Xiao Li Li’s membrane.
But this cut did not go straight to her abdomen; instead, he opened a slit under her armpit.
Then, with a slither, Fang Shu thrust his right hand into Xiao Li Li’s chest and abdomen, groping inside her thoracic cavity until he touched a throbbing object.
He slightly closed his eyes, slowed his breathing, focused his mind even more, sensed the object’s pulsations, and carefully infused his own qi and blood.
At this moment, Xiao Li Li’s entire body and mind were completely in Fang Shu’s grasp.
Thump thump thump!
Qi and blood thick as lead and mercury poured into this woman’s body, rapidly reddening her pale skin, even plumping up her shriveled surface muscles somewhat.
The medicine ginseng hidden in her body detected the continuous qi and blood and immediately became active, voraciously devouring it.
This situation was precisely Fang Shu feeding his qi and blood to Xiao Li Li and the medicine ginseng in her body, urging the medicine ginseng to mature.
This urging lasted a full three hours.
Over this long time, the aura on Xiao Li Li’s body grew stronger, her breathing more powerful, light returning to her eyes, as if she had been reborn.
What felt even more wondrous to her was that she felt her entire body and mind being tenderly cared for by Fang Shu.
This wondrous sensation immersed her, hard to extricate herself from, and she did not wish to— as if she had already fused as one with Fang Shu.
This was not her illusion.
Fang Shu’s qi and blood had unilaterally invaded her body, leaving indelible traces everywhere on her body and mind.
Precisely because of this, Fang Shu’s qi and blood could revive her vitality, support her physical body, and even help reinvigorate and refine her own weak intrinsic qi and blood.
Just as Xiao Li Li was immersed in this dazed feeling, a sharp stab suddenly pierced her chest and abdomen, followed by tearing pain, as if her entire body was being ripped open, making her groan inwardly.
This too was not her illusion.
Fang Shu had one hand pinching her heart orifice and the other holding the knife, having sliced open her chest and abdomen layer by layer, exposing the medicine ginseng on the verge of maturity.
The bright red medicine ginseng resembled an exquisite coral, its beard and hair fully spread, displayed before both of them.
Seeing this, Fang Shu became even more cautious yet bolder, steadily, accurately, and ruthlessly cutting the roots of the medicine ginseng embedded in Xiao Li Li’s body.
As he wielded the knife, fine lines appeared on his forehead. He activated his natal gu embryo ability, clearly overlooking the qi and blood flow in Xiao Li Li’s physical body and the changes in the medicine ginseng’s roots.
With all this, Fang Shu carved on the medicine ginseng like sculpting on tofu, his craftsmanship exquisite, his movements like cutting and grinding, without any sloppiness.
If the Dojo Master were present and saw this, he would likely sigh in admiration. Even with spiritual sense as aid, what he could achieve might not surpass Fang Shu’s.
Another three or four hours passed.
A medicine ginseng with dense roots, resembling a human form, was finally excised from Xiao Li Li’s abdomen.
It had only one last main root still embedded in Xiao Li Li’s heart orifice, not yet severed.
At this point, what Fang Shu could assist with was essentially done.
Sizzle! He released the long tongue sword, loosening Xiao Li Li’s body, then nimbly leaped out of the bath tub and put on his clothes.
In the bath tub remained only the medicine ginseng, floating on the blood-colored medicinal liquid, accompanying Xiao Li Li.
Xiao Li Li was still in shock, unable to recover for a long time.
Until Fang Shu wearily spoke:
“The medicine ginseng has been removed for you. We’ve completed more than half the task; the rest is up to you.”
He instructed Xiao Li Li to, once mentally prepared, use the silver scissors to sever the final root and consume the medicine to refine it.
This step was beyond human control—one cut life, one cut death, a true nine-deaths-and-one-life choice.
After explaining, Fang Shu slowly added:
“You have three hours to decide. If you change your mind, I can still help reinsert the medicine ginseng. But if three hours pass and your qi and blood decline, it will be difficult…”
Before he finished, a muffled grunt sounded in the bath tub.
Xiao Li Li did not use the scissors at all; instead, she directly bit through with her teeth the final root, indistinguishable as medicine ginseng root or her own meridian.
Xiao Li Li’s gaze was dazed. She raised her hands, trembling as she held the medicine ginseng, murmuring:
“It is this thing that ate my flesh, drank my blood, harmed my father… It has grown… so ugly.”
Fang Shu stood by, staring fixedly at this woman with a puzzled expression.
According to the Dojo Master’s instructions and his own groping knowledge, severing the final root should provoke the medicine ginseng’s full counterattack.
Moreover, this root was embedded in Xiao Li Li’s heart orifice, connected to her bone marrow and brain. Severing it would affect her entire nervous system, with pain far exceeding broken bones or ruined organs.
“Could Master and I both have misjudged?” he thought inwardly.
But his sharp eyes soon noticed.
Xiao Li Li’s pupils were trembling, and the qi and blood on her body was roiling. Clearly, she was just holding on; in reality, soul-splitting agony raged inside her.
This made Fang Shu inwardly praise: “What a ruthless woman.”
The next moment, the medicine ginseng reacted.
Splash! Water splashed chaotically in the bath tub.
The medicine ginseng’s roots thrashed wildly. It finally realized it had left its host and began frantically extending roots to return.
Rustling, it grabbed Xiao Li Li’s arm and pounced onto her face, clinging like an insect.
Facing this change, Xiao Li Li showed no fear. Instead, she proactively opened her mouth, seized the medicine ginseng, and stuffed it into her mouth.
Sounds of wriggling and chewing echoed loudly in the bath tub.
A scene even more horrifying than the extraction appeared before Fang Shu, making his face twitch.
In the blood tub, on one side the flesh ginseng, greedy for life like an insect, madly burrowed into the human body, ravaging flesh; on the other, the ghostly emaciated woman with mouth agape, gnawing the bloody living ginseng.
The two mutually devoured each other.
“Hee hee…”
Amid it all, even as her skin tore and eye sockets were drilled, Xiao Li Li kept going, emitting strange laughter from her mouth.
A full half hour later, this bloodied and mangled woman finally collapsed in the bath tub, with many roots still wriggling on her body, half-human half-ginseng.
At the same time, a unique vitality sprouted and rose in the bath tub!
Amid the steaming heat, spiritual energy even surged above the tub, condensing into a more intricate and complex pattern, astonishing Fang Shu.
