Han Yunxi had an ironclad grip on Gu Qishao’s clenched fist as he turned to murmur in a low voice. “Poison lass, be good and let go.”
If this was the past, he’d be thrilled that Han Yunxi had moved first to hold his hand. But now he was suppressing his own rage to speak to her rationally. Despite being on the edge of losing it, his voice to her was still gentle and soft. Just how much did he dote on her?
“I won’t!” Han Yunxi not only kept holding his hand, she pried open his fist to intertwine their fingers together. Gu Qishao’s heart lurched as he stared at their hands in shock. If this moment could last forever, then he could even accept the repeated cries of “monster.” Unfortunately, he didn’t have that chance.
Quickly recovering his senses, he steeled his heart and prepared to break free when he suddenly realized that Gu Beiyue had taken his other hand. He too, held him as tightly as Han Yunxi, enough for one to feel that he’d never let go.
“Old Fiend, don’t fall for the trap,” Gu Beiyue murmured softly.
“Old Fiend, let me protect you this time! Trust me!” Han Yunxi’s eyes flashed with a sinister light as she spoke.
Gu Qishao finally calmed down. No one had ever held his hand so tightly before, much less both at once. “Old Fiend” was Gu Qi Sha, the man who feared nothing and did as he likes; “Little Qi” was the freak of the Medical Academy. By calling him one and not the other, they were telling him that no matter who he was, what his past was like, or how strange his body could be, he would forever be the Gu Qishao they knew--that Gu Qi Sha.
This was the first time in his life that he realized there were people who were willing to protect him. How could he disappoint friends like these?
He smiled.
Then he squeezed Han Yunxi and Gu Beiyue’s hands. Although he was reluctant to let hers go, he still released them both at the same time.
Friends, there’s no need for you to prop me up. It’s enough if we’re standing together, shoulder-to-shoulder!
How could he not know what those people were playing at? This was an obvious trap meticulously prepared ahead of time just for him. It was also meant to snare Han Yunxi and Gu Beiyue. People’s eyes had been on him long after his origins were exposed. Gu Beiyue had used the trial to return him to his roots in Medical City, so if he moved to kill anyone today, it’d cause a huge fuss. The sinister methods of these people might even paint him as a fearsome monster who threatened Cloud Realm Continent’s safety. They might even discover that his current body was incapable of death. Once that secret was exposed, the Poison Sect’s attempt to raise Poison Gu Humans would be substantiated, leaving both it and the medical academy hard-pressed to escape censure.
Gu Qishao had no idea why he had this undying body, nor did he know what a true Poison Gu Human looked like and whether he qualified as one. He only knew that his current immortality had to be kept under wraps. It used to be for his own sake, but now it was for the sake of the Poison Sect and Medical City too, as well as Han Yunxi and Gu Beiyue.
Remaining silent was his best choice for now. He even smiled at the Northern Li imperial physician and the rest of the crowd raising a hue. Seeing his simple expression, the hecklers shriveled up, but the Northern Li imperial physician spoke up again. “Looks like Gu Yuntian can’t explain Little Qi’s body either. Academy Head Gu, this old man suggests that the medical academy should do special research--”
“What’s your name?” Han Yunxi interrupted coldly. She wasn’t going to let him finish his sentence. He wasn’t concerned about Cloud Realm Continent’s safety at all, but only using it as an excuse to look into Gu Qishao’s body. How was that any different from Gu Yuntian? Gu Yuntian could do anything for the sake of medical research because he was infatuated with science, but this imperial physician had put up a noble front to seek what he wanted. Both men were equally selfish! The vicious gleam in her eye was just as evil as Gu Qishao’s when she stared at the Northern Li physician.
Although Bai Yanqing had only decided to pass himself off as Northern Li’s Imperial Physician Nazha Delin after arriving at Medical City, the real Nazha Delin was a man who lived in seclusion in Northern Li and rarely showed his face. Bai Yanqing himself had disguised his looks so it’d be difficult to see though him. Still, he felt conscience-stricken when Han Yunxi glared at him. Avoiding her gaze, he straightened up and made a polite bow. “This one is Northern Li imperial physician, Nazha Delin.”
Han Yunxi’s face was expressionless. “What’s your rank?”
“Fifth rank Divine Doctor,” Bai Yanqing replied.
Han Yunxi suddenly broke into a cold laugh. “Fifth rank Divine Doctor? Very good! Have you ever heard of ‘suspended animation?’”
Suspended animation?
“This one doesn’t understand what esteemed wangfei means?” Bai Yanqing was completely at a loss.
“You don’t understand the state of suspended animation?” Han Yunxi asked again.
“This…” Bai Yanqing finally realized that he’d fallen into a trap. Still, he remained calm. “This is the first time I’ve heard of it. May esteemed wangfei condescend to grant instruction.”
“The state of suspended animation is also called faint death. It’s not true mortality. To put it simply, it’s just appearing to be dead without actually dying. Gu Yuntian’s records stated that they tested Gu Qishao’s breathing and realized he’d stopped, the checked his pulse and found none. They determined he was dead after that, but he was actually under a state of false death. There’s no such thing as reviving from the dead in this world!”
Bai Yanqing laughed out loud. “Esteemed wangfei, was Gu Qishao in suspended animation just because you said so? How could a prim and proper medical academy head misdiagnose him? Gu Yuntian might be a criminal, but slandering him like this is no good, is it?”
None of the crowd believed Han Yunxi’s words, either. All of them laughed out loud with Bai Yanqing before the hecklers started crowing again.
“Esteemed wangfei, who’s going to believe that Gu Yuntian can’t even tell the dead from the living? Gu Qishao clearly died once!”
“That’s right, he’s not simple as someone who revived from the dead!”
“Of course freaks aren’t simple, as I see it…”
Before the voices finished, Han Yunxi shot out a needle at one of the person’s stomachs. He opened his mouth, but before he could speak, he suddenly crumpled motionlessly to the ground. No one expected her to use poisons here. Even Gu Beiyue and Gu Qishao were caught off guard.
“Han Yunxi, what are you doing?” the man’s companion cried.
Han Yunxi’s face was filled with ice, keeping people at a distance. “Murder!” she exclaimed.
Silence greeted her words. The companion quickly went to check on his unconscious friend and withdrew his fingers from the man’s nose in a hurry.
“He’s really dead! He’s not breathing!”
“She...she k-killed someone! Murderer!”
Han Yunxi looked towards Bai Yanqing. “Say it, do you think he’s dead or alive?”
Bai Yanqing hastily went to check the man’s breathing, then his pulse. He not only tried the man’s wrist, but his neck as well. He was sure that Han Yunxi wanted to prove the state of suspended animation, but this person had clearly stopping breathing or showing a pulse. How could this be a false death? It was clear he was gone.
“What, can’t a fifth rank Divine Doctor tell if a person’s living or dead?” Han Yunxi asked.
Bai Yanqing hesitated before he replied, “He’s dead!”
Han Yunxi laughed coldly and glanced towards Gu Yuntian, who was kneeling silently on the side. “Gu Yuntian, would you say he’s dead or alive?”
Gu Yuntian was still lost in his own world, so he didn’t reply.
“Gu Yuntian, will you believe me when I say he’s still alive? Or that I say your initial diagnosis of Gu Qishao’s death was wrong?” Han Yunxi goaded.
Gu Yuntian’s head whipped up at the words. He knitted his brows, his expression serious as he raced like a madman towards the “dead man.” First he tested the man’s breathing, then his pulse. How could he make such a mistake? He’d never believe it!
“He’s dead!” he said with conviction. He was certain that Little Qi had died back then too. It was his body that allowed him to revive. He looked at Han Yunxi with scorn and repeated himself. “He’s dead! I wouldn’t be wrong! Little Qi died back then too!”
Han Yunxi’s eyes were cold enough to kill. She wished she could step on this deviant and end him right there. He had tormented Little Qi so thoroughly, but it still wasn’t enough? He still wanted to find trouble for him?
Looks like Gu Beiyue didn’t deal with Gu Yuntian harshly enough!
“You’re wrong! Nazha Delin, you’re wrong too! Everyone watch!” As Han Yunxi spoke, she crouched by the “dead man” and pressed on his eyelids until they changed shape. Then she released her fingers and the “dead man’s” pupils returned to normal.
“The dead have dilated pupils, but his eyes can still move. He’s not dead!” Han Yunxi enunciated word by word.
Dead people had wandering eyes because the muscles had relaxed, but this “dead man’s” eyes could still return to normal after she pressed them out of shape. It was clear that he was still living. Gu Yuntian was all shock as he shoved Han Yunxi aside to check for himself. Bai Yanqing drew forward as well. Once both men confirmed the truth, they were stunned.
Han Yunxi’s rage finally calmed down as she shoved Gu Yuntian back. Seeing this, Bai Yanqing quickly moved out of range. Meanwhile, Han Yunxi took a hair tie and tied it around the “dead man’s” finger. Soon enough, the finger showed signs of hyperaemia and began to turn green and purple.
“Blood is still circulating in the body, so how can he be dead?” Han Yunxi looked disdainfully at Gu Yuntian and Bai Yanqing. “Don’t you two have basic knowledge like this?”
Both men were rendered speechless. Bai Yanqing’s expression grew complicated, while Gu Yuntian couldn’t stop shaking his head and muttering unintelligibly to himself. Next, Han Yunxi had someone fetch her a chicken feather and placed it under the victim’s nose. “The two of you, look closely.”
Besides Gu Yuntian and Bai Yanqing, the whole crowd leaned in to look. The feather was moving slightly from the air coming out of the victim’s nose!
Heavens! He’s really not dead!
“Impossible...impossible…” Gu Yuntian plopped straight onto the ground, dazed and in denial.
Bai Yanqing stared at Han Yunxi and prepared to defend himself. Han Yunxi threw one of the thick books of evidence reports at Bai Yanqing’s face and shouted...