Time flies.
Another three days have passed since the Little Fairy Doctor was in danger.
In Misty Cloud Sect, within Gu He's courtyard.
"Teacher, you're increasing the dosage again today..." Liu Ling was completely soaked in a large tub, looking bitterly at Gu He as he poured another bottle of Burning Blood Powder into the water.
This was already the fourth bottle Gu He had added.
The water in the tub had turned a deep crimson, and dense bubbles rose to the surface, as if it were about to boil.
After soaking for just a few minutes, Liu Ling felt a sharp, tingling pain all over her body, as if he was rolling on a mountain of knives.
Hearing his complaint, Gu He glanced at him, his hands never stopping as he replied flatly, "Are you sure you don't want to keep up? The Little Fairy Doctor broke through to the five-star Dou Master yesterday."
Perhaps due to the life-and-death battle she had endured, the Little Fairy Doctor had made another breakthrough after recovering, without even needing to consume any poison.
Now, she had already reached the five-star Dou Master.
When Liu Ling heard this, a flash of horror crossed his eyes. After a moment of hesitation, his expression gradually hardened. "Teacher, add it! Add it all! And after this bottle, give me another one!"
Liu Ling's face showed a ruthless determination.
If things continued like this, he would never be able to catch up to his junior sister's strength.
The thought of being overshadowed by his junior sister from now on was unbearable for Liu Ling, who had always prided himself on his pride and dignity.
Gu He paused and looked at him again. "Are you sure? This bottle is already your limit. Adding another one might damage your body, and in the worst case, you could become completely useless."
"W-what?!"
Liu Ling exclaimed in shock, his face turning pale. "Teacher, forget it! I think four bottles are enough."
"Haste makes waste. If you want to catch up to your junior sister's level, just keep taking these powders diligently every day," Gu He said lightly, pouring the fourth bottle of Burning Blood Powder into the tub. Then, he slowly walked toward the gazebo.
Just as Liu Ling was about to say something, his expression suddenly changed.
The moment the fourth bottle of Burning Blood Powder was added, the crimson liquid in the tub seemed to undergo a qualitative change, boiling violently.
A more intense pain than before quickly swept through Liu Ling's body.
"Ahhh!"
His agonized wails echoed through the courtyard.
Gu He, however, was unfazed. He sat calmly in the gazebo, leisurely sipping his tea.
An hour later, the tea in Gu He's pot was finished.
By then, Liu Ling could no longer scream; only weak moans escaped his lips.
His body, from the neck down, was covered in sores, and his skin had begun to ulcerate.
Gu He set down his teacup and walked over to inspect him.
Seeing that the water in the tub had returned to its normal color, he glanced at Liu Ling, who was now unconscious, and a hint of approval flashed in his eyes.
Although his talent wasn't as exceptional as the Little Fairy Doctor's, her perseverance was commendable. With time, he might truly be able to bridge the gap.
As if sensing Gu He's presence, Liu Ling's eyes fluttered open. He managed a weak smile and said, "Teacher, I have successfully endured again."
Gu He nodded, his expression softening. "Not bad. You've got some grit."
He then reached into his spatial ring and pulled out a jade bottle.
Seeing the bottle, Liu Ling's eyes widened in panic. "Teacher, not again! I really can't take any more! I'll die!"
Gu He chuckled and scolded her lightly, "Why are you so jumpy? This is for your wounds. With your current state, how do you expect to continue training tomorrow? If you don't want it, I'll take it back."
As he made a move to retrieve the bottle, Liu Ling quickly changed her tune. "No, no, no! Teacher, I was wrong!"
Gu He opened the jade bottle and poured a stream of emerald-green liquid into the tub.
As soon as the liquid touched the water, it transformed into a mist that spread throughout the tub.
Liu Ling immediately felt a cooling sensation sweep through his body.
"Mmm..."
A refreshing feeling washed over him, and he couldn't help but let out a soft moan.
"Teacher, what kind of medicine is this? It's so comfortable. Can I have another bottle?" Liu Ling asked with a cheeky grin.
Gu He snorted. "Dream on. This bottle costs a million gold coins. Do you think it's for your pleasure?"
"What? A million gold coins?!" Liu Ling was stunned, staring at the jade bottle in disbelief.
Gu He nodded. "This is Spiritual Recovery Purple Liquid, a fifth-grade healing medicinal liquid. If it weren't for your perseverance today, I wouldn't have been willing to give it to you."
"Fifth-grade Spiritual Recovery Purple Liquid! No wonder it's so expensive!"
Liu Ling's eyes widened in understanding. He thought about the four bottles of Burning Blood Powder he had used today. Burning Blood Powder was a fourth-grade spiritual liquid, with each bottle costing around 50,000 gold coins. Four bottles amounted to 200,000 gold coins, and now this bottle of Spiritual Recovery Purple Liquid was worth a million...
Liu Ling couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. This single day of training had cost a total of 1.2 million gold coins!
His family's annual income was only around six to seven million gold coins.
In other words, just two days of her training had consumed nearly a fifth of his family's yearly earnings.
The thought weighed heavily on his heart. He looked at Gu He, who appeared calm and unfazed, and felt a surge of gratitude mixed with guilt.
Though he often seemed carefree and unreliable, his actions spoke volumes about his care and dedication.
Seeing Liu Ling fall silent, Gu He assumed he was overwhelmed by the cost of the Spiritual Recovery Purple Liquid. He chuckled and said, "Don't worry. Your teacher has a mine at home. A little spiritual liquid is nothing. Just focus on improving."
Thinking of the over 200 billion gold coins in his unlimited gold card, Gu He felt completely at ease.
Liu Ling, however, was deeply moved. "Teacher, thank you."
Gu He smiled gently. "As long as you make progress, that's the greatest gratitude I can receive."
With that, he turned to return to the gazebo.
"Teacher..."
Liu Ling suddenly spoke up again, his expression slightly awkward.
Gu He turned back, thinking he had more words of gratitude. He felt a sense of pride. 'Although this kid seems scatterbrained, he's quite filial...'
"Do you have something else to say?" he asked calmly.
Liu Ling glanced at the jade bottle in his hand and said slowly, "Teacher, can you give me that jade bottle?"
Gu He was puzzled but handed it over without question.
Liu Ling took the bottle, stared at it for a moment, and then, to Gu He's astonishment, brought it to his mouth and used his tongue to lick every last drop of the remaining spiritual liquid from the bottle.
After thoroughly cleaning the bottle, he looked up at Gu He's stunned expression. Though he felt a bit embarrassed, the thought of the million gold liquid gave him confidence.
"Teacher," he declared with a grin, "waste is shameful!"
…
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