Hidden Shadow – CH 069

Chapter Sixty-Nine: An Jiu’s Kindness

“Let me take your pulse.” Mo Sigui’s eyes gleamed. Ever since he learned to use true qi to take pulses, he had been searching everywhere for people to experiment with. This method was a thousand times more precise than simple pulse taking, and he was eager to know how the pulse of someone with dual souls would differ from that of an ordinary person.

Mo Sigui placed his fingers on An Jiu’s wrist, strands of true qi transforming into silken threads, slowly seeping in.

He carefully examined the entire meridian system, but found nothing different from that of ordinary people. Undeterred, he examined it again and again.

After the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, Mo Sigui finally discovered a subtle difference around the heart meridian. Some tiny fluctuations there were not as smooth as the rest of the meridian. He tried to approach it with his true qi, and those tiny fluctuations suddenly disappeared.

Seeing sweat beading on Mo Sigui’s temples and his face growing increasingly pale, An Jiu asked, “Are you done yet?”

Mo Sigui frowned slightly, without answering.

The only sound in the room was the bubbling of the medicine pot. An Jiu felt a slight movement in the air around her, and suddenly a fair and strong hand gripped Mo Sigui’s wrist.

An Jiu felt her internal energy rapidly dissipate. She looked up and saw Elder Qi’s face filled with rage.

A moment later, as Mo Sigui opened his eyes, Elder Qi slapped him on the back of the head, roaring, “You brat! Do you want to die? Get out of the medicine hut! I only admit people who come in sideways, not out sideways!”

Mo Sigui, used to being beaten, calmly smoothed his disheveled hair. “I am still alive and kicking.”

“Alive and kicking!” The renowned physician, who had cultivated his health for decades, was now panting heavily with anger. “Tell me! How many times have I pulled you back from the edge of the cliff these past few days? If you do not behave, get out of here!”

Elder Qi had just returned from gathering herbs in the back mountain when he found a guard unconscious on the beam in the corridor. Taking a few steps closer, he smelled a sedative mixed with a hallucinogenic drug, immediately guessing that it was Mo Sigui’s doing again!

Elder Qi deeply regretted teaching Mo Sigui the method of pulse diagnosis using internal energy. Mo Sigui was highly talented and had a strong grasp of the subject, initially making Elder Qi very pleased. However, after only a few days, Elder Qi realized he was in deep trouble—this brat was trying it on everyone he met! He was treating internal energy like trash picked up off the street!

It was important to understand that pulse diagnosis using internal energy was extremely taxing on both internal and mental strength. Occasional use could temper mental strength, which was beneficial in the long run, but excessive use in a short period would lead to depletion of internal energy and decline in mental strength, potentially even resulting in sudden death.

Elder Qi tried reasoning with him and appealing to his emotions, and repeatedly warned Mo Sigui seriously, but to no avail, because he simply could not control his curiosity!

Elder Qi slowly calmed his anger and warned him again. “You better shut up, or I will break your damn hands!”

Mo Sigui leaned lazily against the medicine cabinet beside him, his chin resting on his folding fan, grinning. “I’ve been obedient. It’s been three hours since I last tried. There’s a special situation, you know.”

“Three hours! That’s a long time!” Elder Qi kicked him away impatiently.

Mo Sigui had been with Elder Qi for a long time and knew what he meant, so he quickly jumped up. He fawned over Elder Qi, vigorously wiping the stool with his sleeve, then fanned him with his folding fan, and reached out to help Elder Qi sit down. “Please sit down, please sit down.”

“Sigh!” Elder Qi sighed helplessly.

Elder Qi had a strange temper. But he was helpless against Mo Sigui. Sometimes, when he was really angry, he wanted to just kick him out, but thinking of Mo Sigui’s exceptional talent, he could not bear to.

Imagine… Who else in this world could earn the title of “miracle physician” in Bianjing at the age of twelve or thirteen? Even if most people admired him because of his youth and gave him some credit, without genuine talent and skill, he would not deserve such a great reputation.

Even Elder Qi admired Mo Sigui’s aptitude for medicine. His curiosity and focus on medicine were qualities Elder Qi appreciates, but this was also what made him a headache.

“Is something wrong?” Elder Qi asked An Jiu.

Before An Jiu could speak, Mo Sigui interjected, “She said the weaker one’s spiritual power is stagnant; she does not know if it disappeared or what.”

An Jiu nodded.

Elder Qi glared at him and asked, “What were the results of your pulse diagnosis?”

“The other spiritual force has only weakened, but has not disappeared yet,” Mo Sigui added. “I am not entirely sure, but I am about 70-80% certain.”

“I’ve never encountered two souls in one body before, but in the past few days I’ve read through ancient books and found a few fragmentary records,” Elder Qi said. “I’ve pondered this for a long time and believe this situation will not last long. Two tigers cannot share one mountain. If nothing unexpected happens, the strong will eventually devour the weak.”

Elder Qi placed his fingers on An Jiu’s wrist, taking her pulse for a while, and slowly said, “Survival of the fittest, whether you like it or not.”

“How is she now?” An Jiu asked.

Elder Qi shook his head, his face expressionless. “Such matters are extremely mysterious; I cannot possibly understand them.”

Knowing she would not get any answers, An Jiu stood up and said, “Thank you.”

“Mm,” Elder Qi accepted readily.

Seeing An Jiu about to leave, Mo Sigui jumped up. “Let me see you off!”

“Sigui!” Elder Qi called out to him.

“Do not worry, I will not kill myself,” Mo Sigui said, then went out of the house first.

The sun was shining brightly outside, the icicles on the eaves reflecting golden light, the snow dazzlingly white.

An Jiu squinted.

“Since you are not the same person as Fourteenth, do you have a name?” Mo Sigui asked.

An Jiu walked silently towards the door, only saying “An Jiu” when she was almost out.

She acknowledged Mo Sigui because she had not given up on the idea of ​​self-destruction. Elder Qi was not very cooperative, but Mo Sigui seemed quite interested in the matter.

“An?” Mo Sigui pondered, hands clasped. “You even have a name. Are you a wandering spirit? Did you do too many wicked things to be reincarnated? Should I find some monks to chant sutras for you?”

“You can prepare that first.” An Jiu did not even glance at him, turning and leaving the room. “I think someone of your character is probably capable of many wicked deeds. When you are about to die, have hundreds of monks chant sutras for a hundred days, and you might end up like me.”

“I am just trying to be kind; can you not appreciate it a little?” Mo Sigui was anxious for a while, but seeing no reaction, he scurried back, trying to smooth things over, “Fine, I am a kind-hearted person. Tell me, what good deeds have you done? I will have a high-ranking monk chant before Buddha from time to time; maybe it will help.”

Some things were mysterious. An Jiu, erring on the side of caution, thought carefully, “I let the neighbor’s kid play with my favorite toy for three days.”

Although she gave the kid a good beating when he broke the toy.

“…”

Mo Sigui’s eyes widened, and after a long pause, she said, “Is there anything bigger, more meaningful?”

An Jiu pondered for a while before her furrowed brows relaxed. “When I was volunteering in the community, I helped an old lady feed her dog for a month.”

“You…” Mo Sigui met her icy gaze. “That’s quite a great deed.”

“Are you really unable to find out Mei Jiu’s condition?” An Jiu asked.