When Gu Qingli and Shao Yan entered the room, Shao Lan was curled up on the bed, eyes tightly shut, his complexion pale and translucent.
"小蓝."
Shao Yan's heart ached deeply.
"Master, Xiao Li."
Shao Lan opened his eyes, glanced at them, and forced a faint smile, though his brows remained furrowed. Glancing at the sky outside, a trace of anguish lingered in his expression.
The Fifteenth Night had always been the source of Shao Lan's deepest torment since childhood.
In Shao Lan's chamber, a massive wooden tub had already been prepared according to Gu Qingli's instructions, filled to the brim with clear water.
"There's no time to lose, Xiao Lan. Nightfall is imminent; you should get in now."
Gu Qingli glanced outside, sensing the timing was just right.
Even if the medicine's effect was not absolute, it surely would have some influence—unless Gu Qingli's entire theory was flawed.
Whether the special energy within Shao Lan's blood could suppress the poison on the Fifteenth Night now rested entirely on the accuracy of her experiment.
"Do I have to strip completely?"
Shao Lan hesitated, casting a shy glance at Gu Qingli, a faint blush blooming on his pale cheeks.
Only then did Gu Qingli realize she hadn't considered this detail earlier.
"Ah, yes, you must be bare. I need to examine your body and perform acupuncture—clothing would only interfere with the treatment."
Gu Qingli spoke matter-of-factly, but Shao Lan's embarrassment deepened; his cheeks flushed a deeper red, his silver eyes shimmering with an almost startling brilliance.
For over a decade, Shao Yan had witnessed Shao Lan's dread of the Fifteenth Night, but this was the first time he nearly burst into laughter.
Especially seeing Gu Qingli's composed demeanor contrasted with his young disciple's awkwardness—it was truly amusing.
"Ahem, Xiao Li, are you sure? You're a young lady after all."
Gu Qingli remained unfazed. Having lived on Earth, she had seen men in the nude countless times—and even watched certain films from islands afar...
Though, of course, she refrained from mentioning that.
Shao Yan, noticing Shao Lan's flushed face, suddenly had a whimsical idea.
"Perhaps I should speak with the Gu family patriarch and arrange a betrothal, so none of this would be awkward!"
Both Gu Qingli and Shao Lan were stunned by the suggestion.
Gu Qingli thought, Seriously? Curing an illness and now I'm getting roped into an engagement? What a raw deal!
Shao Lan's face turned as red as a ripe apple.
Shao Yan, however, grew more delighted the more he pondered it.
"Uncle Shao, you're overthinking! 'Doctors are like parents,' haven't you heard? I don't mind at all!"
Gu Qingli hurriedly dashed away Shao Yan's fanciful notions.
"But—"
"There's no 'but.' I'm not going to see Shao Lan undress. Once he's in the tub, I'll pour in the medicine I prepared. The water will be so dark, nothing will be visible. So it's perfectly fine!"
Gu Qingli said with exasperation, having barely said anything herself.
"Master, it's fine. Xiao Li doesn't mind at all."
Shao Lan turned away, cheeks still flushed, beginning to undress. In his silver gaze flickered a faint trace of melancholy.
Gu Qingli averted her eyes slightly as the soft rustle of clothing being removed filled the room, soon followed by the sound of flowing water.
"Xiao Li, I'm already in."
"Alright."
Gu Qingli turned silently, witnessing Shao Lan fully submerged in the water.
"Uncle Shao, please pour in the medicinal mixture."
The concoction Gu Qingli prepared contained numerous herbal essences along with some of Shao Lan's own blood.
Shao Yan carefully poured the mixture into the tub, which instantly transformed into a reddish-brown hue, resembling traditional medicinal water, with only Shao Lan's snow-white skin exposed above the surface.
Night had fully fallen; Shao Lan's face no longer flushed but remained as pale as parchment, his body trembling faintly.
Gu Qingli's expression grew solemn—she knew the poison was about to surge!
"小蓝! Open your mouth!"
She stepped forward, extracting a pill from her hand. Shao Lan, trembling, obeyed and parted his lips as she dropped the pill inside.
Shao Yan watched anxiously, and Gu Qingli's eyes never wavered from Shao Lan's condition.
After swallowing the pill, Shao Lan's face gradually regained some color, and his expression softened, the pain seemingly lessened.
"小蓝! Is it working?"
Shao Yan couldn't help but inquire.
"Yes! Master, the pain in my body has vanished, though I still cannot summon my strength."
Shao Lan's keen senses caught the instant the pill entered his body.
A scorching warmth surged within him—an energy that felt strangely familiar. At the same time, the healing waters enveloping his body seemed to suppress the poison's spread.
Gu Qingli smiled with satisfaction; this confirmed her hypothesis was sound.
Since the venom of the serpent's gall could bring one back from the brink of death, it must possess immense power, yet its toxicity was equally formidable.
Over the years, the poison had permeated Shao Lan's very being, rendering the affliction quite severe.
But Gu Qingli's dual approach managed to exert some control.
That was why Shao Lan no longer felt pain, though he remained unable to wield his power, as the poison's stronghold lay deep within his meridians and dantian.
However, as night deepened, the mysterious energy within Shao Lan began to wane, and the poison grew more aggressive, trying desperately to infiltrate his body.
His changing expression revealed his growing suffering.
Gu Qingli summoned a handful of silver needles, their tips glistening faintly with a brown hue—the needles coated with a medicinal mixture infused with Shao Lan's blood.
Her strategy was not merely dual but triple-pronged: if Shao Lan's pain became unbearable, she would insert these needles into his vital acupoints.
Everything she did aimed to harness both the medicine and the mysterious power within Shao Lan's blood to imprison the poison.
As long as the toxin could not ravage his body, Shao Lan would be spared agony.
Once the Fifteenth Night passed and his mysterious energy returned, the poison would retreat once more into his dantian.
Shao Yan's heart was stirred; in past Fifteenth Nights, Shao Lan endured excruciating agony, his entire body wracked with unbearable pain as if being slowly tortured to death—almost driving him to madness.
Yet now, Shao Lan only furrowed his brow slightly, clearly bearing the discomfort with far more resilience.
Gu Qingli remained silent, intently monitoring his condition, the silver needles poised and ready to act at a moment's notice.