C6 I Can Cure This Poison!

"I can help you draw out the corpse poison!" Qiao Gao added, his voice carrying a quiet confidence. Though not loud, his words hit everyone like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples of shock.

Hwang Ningxue's usually composed and aloof demeanor was shattered, her exquisite features now marked by panic. Normally, she could handle herself with ease, but now she had to suppress the corpse poison while leading a group of trainees through their assessment. If the Corpse King found them, the consequences would be dire...

Upon hearing this, Ningxue instinctively blurted out, "You can really help me get rid of the corpse poison?" As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt a wave of disbelief. How could she place her hopes on someone who hadn't even entered the academy yet? Even if Qiao Gao could tell she was infected, it might just be a stroke of luck.

"Roar!" The Corpse King bellowed again, shaking the ground with a terrifying sonic wave. Dust and debris flew as the temperature dropped, and the air was filled with a chilling sense of dread, making everyone feel as if they were trapped in an icebox. Meanwhile, a dark shadow rapidly approached, bringing with it a nauseating stench.

"Oh my gosh, what is that?" a female student screamed.

"Be quiet, silence!"

Bai Jutian glanced at the dark mass, his expression turning grim.

"It's corpse bugs. The Corpse King might be nearby."

Corpse bugs are the minions of the undead, driven by them. Generally speaking, the more undead there are, the more corpse bugs they command. Such a large swarm of corpse bugs can't be driven by ordinary undead. It's most likely that enraged Corpse King, searching for the thief who stole its cultivated Blood Soul Flower.

"What's the big deal?" Qiao Gao said nonchalantly, his eyes sharp and an aura of a peerless expert subtly emanating from him. It made Hwang Ningxue's heart flutter, captivated by the sight.

Seeing the way Hwang Ningxue looked at Qiao Gao, especially with a hint of admiration, Bai Jutian felt a surge of anger. He quickly stepped in front of Hwang Ningxue, masking his fury with a gentle expression, and said, "Ningxue, I'll distract the Corpse King. You lead the students away."

"Bai Jutian is a master of the nine paths, with immense energy and immunity to all poisons. I'm sure he can lead the Corpse King away."

"Yeah, don't listen to what Qiao Gao says. He's just ordinary; how could he possibly cure corpse poison?"

"Senior, please get us out of here!" Bai Jutian's followers shouted in unison.

"The fact that the Corpse King can cultivate the Blood Soul Flower means it has developed self-awareness and is far stronger than an ordinary Vein Connecting Stage expert. With your limited strength, you're just asking for trouble," Qiao Gao said with a look of disdain.

"You!" Jutian's eyes blazed with anger, and his sword hummed with tension.

Ignoring Jutian's murderous glare, Qiao Gao calmly picked some luminescent sunflowers from the mine, crushed them, sprinkled sulfur on top, and set them alight. The mine was instantly filled with a foul odor.

Then, something astonishing happened. The aggressive corpse bugs, as if encountering a natural enemy, shrieked and fled.

"Oh my gosh, what did you do to make the corpse bugs run away?" one of the students asked, both shocked and curious.

Qiao Gao shrugged and explained, "Luminescent sunflowers contain a cold flame, and when combined with sulfur, they ignite. This cold flame is something decaying corpses hate, and it's a natural enemy to corpse bugs."

"You didn't know?" The group shook their heads. With so many herbs and mystical plants in the world, even the basics number over ten thousand types. Even students with a knack for alchemy might not have heard of luminescent sunflowers, let alone know they repel corpse bugs.

Hwang Ningxue looked shocked, then bit her lip and said, "I trust you. Please help me detoxify."

Ningxue had studied alchemy before and knew that the Night Glow Flower was highly toxic and not to be touched casually. She had no idea that combining it with sulfur could expel corpse worms.

Qiao Gao's eyes lit up with excitement, knowing he had business at hand. "I only need fifteen minutes to remove all the Corpse King Poison from your body," he declared confidently. Having absorbed the memories of the Myriad Tribulation Pill Monarch, crafting any medicine pill below Grade Three was a breeze for him. Removing this poison was child's play.

"But first, payment before the cure," Qiao Gao said nonchalantly. "I need the Blood Soul Flower you have as my fee."

"What? You want to charge me?"

"You money-grubbing scoundrel! At a life-and-death moment, you're still trying to profit!"

"Helping a fellow student is your good fortune, and yet you charge for it."

The crowd couldn't believe their ears, fuming with anger and disdain for Qiao Gao's behavior.

Qiao Gao glanced at them sideways and scoffed, "Do you not pay when you see a doctor? Or when you buy medicine?"

"Since when do you get treated for free?"

The crowd was left speechless...

"Enough!"

Bai Jutian shouted, drawing his sword, its blade gleaming with a fierce light. His eyes, filled with anger, locked onto Qiao Gao. "Cure Ningxue of the poison right now, and I'll pay you when we get back to the academy."

His tone left no room for argument, as if the mere hint of refusal from Qiao Gao would lead to immediate consequences. Bai Jutian had been holding back his frustration for quite some time.

Qiao Gao stood with his hands behind his back, responding coolly, "Oh, someone wants a free ride, huh? Go ahead, try and touch me."

"The Blood Soul Flower is useful to me, so I'll only give you half. How about trading the other half for this bottle of Royal Body Ointment?"

Hwang Ningxue was straightforward. Coming from a secretive family, she wasn't one to take advantage of others.

Seeing the opportunity, Qiao Gao nodded in agreement.

"Senior, come with me."

After receiving his payment, Qiao Gao quickly headed into the mine.

Bai Jutian wanted to follow. He didn't trust that Qiao Gao, whom he considered useless, could truly cure the Corpse King Poison. Moreover, he didn't want Ningxue alone with him, as it could harm her reputation if word got back to the academy.

This was something Bai Jutian was determined to prevent.

"Why are you coming in?"

Qiao Gao blocked Bai Jutian with one hand. "Stay outside and keep watch."

Bai Jutian was so furious his nose almost twisted, nearly breathing fire, and he wished he could slap Qiao Gao right then and there.

Hwang Ningxue furrowed her brows, clearly displeased with Bai Jutian following her inside. Their relationship wasn't close enough for him to accompany her during treatment, so she maintained a cool demeanor, leaving him to wait outside.

Bai Jutian stood there awkwardly, too frustrated to speak up.

After they went in, Bai Tianyu hesitated before approaching and whispered, "Bro, it's just the two of them in there. Aren't you worried Ningxue might be taken advantage of?"

"Smack!"

Bai Jutian, furious, slapped Bai Tianyu.

Glaring at him with disappointment, Bai Jutian scolded his inept cousin, "I told you to get a Scorpion Tail Tiger's beast egg and pin it on the Qiao family's heir."

"Now, not only is Qiao Gao still alive, but he's also been causing trouble for me. You're the real failure here!"