Upon hearing Han Li’s words, Fairy Yuehua was still bewildered, her heart filled with unease. She couldn’t fathom why this “Senior Han” placed such importance on Bai Guo’er.
However, after a moment’s thought, the young woman reasoned that given Bai Guo’er’s current condition—afflicted by the cold poison—things couldn’t possibly get any worse. Moreover, with the old woman beside her continuously signaling with her eyes, she gritted her teeth and replied, “Since Senior holds Guo’er in such high regard, this junior will lead the way.”
With that, she guided Han Li and the others toward the rear hall of the cave abode.
Passing through a side door and traversing a simple corridor, the group soon entered a bedroom.
On a pale-red wooden bed lay the unconscious girl named Bai Guo’er.
Her small face was slightly contorted in pain, tinged with a faint layer of bluish hue, and her lips bore a subtle purple tint.
As Han Li approached the bed, a wave of scorching heat rushed toward him, causing him to pause momentarily in surprise.
After a quick glance at the bed, however, he understood and shook his head. “Using flamewood as a means to ward off the cold may suppress some of the chill, but this girl’s cold poison has long since seeped into her meridians. This level of heat is practically useless.”
“I know that, Senior,” Fairy Yuehua admitted, standing nearby. “But I couldn’t help but cling to a sliver of hope, thinking that this flamewood bed might at least ease Guo’er’s suffering when the cold poison flares up.” Her gaze toward the girl was filled with deep affection.
Han Li nodded at first, then shook his head again. He stepped forward to the red wooden bed, grasped the girl’s wrist, and his pupils flickered with a blue glow.
The old woman and the others held their breaths, not daring to make a sound.
The middle-aged man and the young woman watched with hopeful expressions.
After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Han Li’s eyes flashed. Suddenly, his hand holding the girl’s arm radiated a five-colored cold light.
As the cold light swirled, the bluish mist covering the girl’s face flowed downward, converging toward Han Li’s grip. In moments, it condensed into a greenish mass the size of an egg, faintly pulsing at the girl’s wrist.
With a sharp glint in his eyes, Han Li flipped his other hand, producing a slender silver needle between his fingers. In a flash, he pricked the girl’s wrist.
“Ah!”
The young woman and the middle-aged man paled, barely restraining themselves from rushing forward to intervene.
A silver gleam flashed and vanished, leaving a tiny puncture on the girl’s wrist. Under Han Li’s urging, a single drop of bright red essence blood slowly emerged.
With a slight movement of his fingers, the silver needle disappeared, replaced by a palm-sized white jade plate—smooth, flawless, and exquisitely crafted.
Han Li placed the plate beneath the girl’s wrist, and the drop of blood fell onto it.
*Clink!*
The moment the blood touched the plate, it froze into ice, emitting a crisp, melodious sound.
At this sight, the old woman and the others all gasped in shock.
Han Li, however, wore an expression of confirmation. He retrieved the drop of blood and the jade plate, and the five-colored cold light in his hand flared brilliantly.
The greenish mist dissipated under the cold radiance, vanishing without a trace.
At that moment, the girl let out a soft moan and weakly opened her eyes.
Overjoyed, the young woman and the middle-aged man repeatedly thanked Han Li.
Han Li merely smiled. The cold light in his hand faded as he released the girl’s wrist, but he extended a finger and lightly tapped her forehead. A white incantation flashed and disappeared.
The newly awakened girl trembled slightly before falling back into unconsciousness.
The others were startled.
“Don’t worry. The cold poison has just been expelled, so her body is weak. Rest is best for her now.” Han Li offered a brief explanation before rising and walking away without another glance.
Though filled with questions, the old woman and the others naturally dared not disobey and quickly followed.
Soon after, Han Li was seated once more in the main hall, sipping a cup of spiritual tea, his eyes flickering as if wrestling with a difficult decision.
The others, seeing his solemn demeanor, remained silent out of respect, waiting for him to speak.
After an unknown length of time, Han Li’s brow twitched. He set down his teacup, seemingly having reached a conclusion.
“Fellow Daoist Bai, how much do you know about the cold poison in your daughter?” Han Li addressed the middle-aged man.
“This junior has consulted several experts. They claimed that Guo’er’s cold poison stems from an extremely rare type of subterranean lung chill, vastly different from ordinary frost toxins. Apart from a Body Integration cultivator forcibly expelling it with immense power, only a few legendary yang-attribute spiritual medicines could neutralize it.” Bai Huaji answered nervously, laying out all he knew.
“Hmph, no wonder they would say that.” Han Li chuckled faintly, neither confirming nor denying.
“Senior, is there something else wrong with Guo’er’s cold poison?” the young woman asked anxiously.
“When did you first discover the poison in this child?” Han Li countered instead of answering.
“At age nine! Guo’er collapsed during cultivation, and we found traces of the cold poison. At first, it was just a faint wisp, so we didn’t take it seriously. We tried common remedies, but they only worsened it. Within a few years, it escalated to this state. Yet when Guo’er was born, both my mother-in-law and I examined her thoroughly and found nothing amiss. We suspect some vile enemy must have poisoned her when we weren’t looking. If only we could find out who…” The middle-aged man’s face twisted with anguish and fury.
The young woman beside him also darkened with hatred for this unseen foe.
“An enemy? No. This cold poison was innate, carried from the womb. It isn’t subterranean lung chill—it’s something far more significant.” Han Li swept his gaze over them, speaking calmly.
“If Senior says so, it must be true. But could you enlighten us further?” the old woman interjected respectfully.
“Of course. This girl possesses a legendary spiritual constitution—the ‘Marrow-Penetrating Body.’ At birth, it’s undetectable. Only at age nine, during the yin hour, do signs emerge. The first flare-up is devastating; most with this constitution perish then. That’s why even ancient texts rarely mention it. Had I not known of it by chance, I too might have mistaken her condition for ordinary subterranean chill.” Han Li explained slowly.
“Marrow-Penetrating Body!”
The young woman and the middle-aged man exchanged shocked glances. They had never heard of such a constitution and couldn’t help but doubt its veracity.
The old woman, however, trembled at the name, her wrinkled face a mask of astonishment.
Hai Da Shao and the others, naturally, had never heard of the “Marrow-Penetrating Body” and could only gawk in confusion.
Han Li, having spoken, took another sip of tea, leaving it to them to believe or not.
“The Marrow-Penetrating Body… So Guo’er has this constitution. Whether it’s a blessing or a curse remains to be seen.” The old woman murmured to herself.
“Master, you know of this constitution?” the young woman asked in surprise.
“I didn’t, but an old friend once spoke of it—exactly as Senior Han described. Never did I imagine Guo’er would possess it. But whether this is fortunate or disastrous is hard to say.” The old woman glanced at Han Li before continuing.
“What do you mean, Master?” the young woman pressed, her face paling.
“My friend said that the Marrow-Penetrating Body not only begins its flare-ups at age nine but also intensifies yearly. By fifteen or sixteen, the host inevitably dies. Only two methods can save them.” The old woman sighed.
“What are they, Master?” the young woman urged eagerly.
“First, a Body Integration cultivator must annually expend great power to disperse the cold poison, then aid in marrow cleansing. After a century, the host adapts, and the chill no longer harms them. With cultivation, this extreme cold can even transform into a mighty ability—the ‘Marrow-Freezing Soul.’ Its power is unimaginable.” The old woman hesitated before answering.
“Then this constitution should be a supreme gift! Why call it a mixed blessing?” the middle-aged man asked, puzzled yet hopeful.
“Because suppressing this chill is no easy feat. The first few decades are manageable, but later, each suppression drains the cultivator’s essence irreparably. By the final years, the toll is immense—far beyond what meditation can restore. Moreover, throughout this period, the cultivator must also expend energy to cleanse the host’s meridians. All told, it would cost a Body Integration expert centuries of cultivation progress. Who would willingly sacrifice so much for another?” The old woman smiled bitterly.
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