In the private room upstairs, Qin Hui savored the finest Biluochun tea. Its rich aroma translated into a sweet, clear taste, truly a superior renowned tea.
Beside him, Zhou Qiming was in no mood for tea. His gaze remained fixed on Qin Hui, eagerly awaiting his next words.
Dr. Zhao also watched with anticipation, eager to witness how Qin Hui would dispel the蠱毒 (gǔdú - poisonous curse/parasite).
After finishing his tea, Qin Hui calmly said, "Bring a basin."
Zhao Wuji was momentarily stunned by the request but dutifully went to fetch one.
A short while later, Zhao Wuji returned with the basin.
Qin Hui nodded slightly, producing three silver needles.
"It will hurt a bit, bear with it," Qin Hui said with a composed expression. From yesterday's consultation, Qin Hui had already determined the cause of Zhou Qiming's ailment; today's treatment would be acupuncture.
"Alright," Zhou Qiming nodded hastily, his face full of expectation.
Soon, the three silver needles in Qin Hui's hand were inserted into acupoints on Zhou Qiming's head. One needle was directed towards Zhou Qiming's temple. Seeing this, Zhao Wuji was immediately startled. The temple was a critical acupoint; a single mistake could be fatal.
However, Qin Hui's technique was evidently precise. The three silver needles pierced three different acupoints. With a subtle movement of his true qi, all three needles emitted a faint hum.
Zhao Wuji stood by, meticulously observing. This acupuncture technique once again broadened his understanding of the world. As the needles vibrated, Zhou Qiming's complexion turned a deep red. His throat constricted, as if something were trying to force its way out.
"Pfft."
The next moment, Zhou Qiming spat out a large mouthful of black blood. Within the dark blood, a white worm writhed, a truly repulsive sight. Zhao Wuji was also startled. He had never seen such a creature. Could this be the蛊虫 (gǔchóng - curse worm)?
*Swoosh!*
Qin Hui plunged a silver needle, instantly killing the white worm. A foul odor immediately filled the air. Zhou Qiming, having expelled the black blood, took several deep breaths of fresh air and rinsed his mouth with water. As for the basin of black blood, Zhao Wuji carried it away; the stench was unbearable.
"Hoo, hoo." Zhou Qiming greedily inhaled the fresh air, feeling a sense of profound relief wash over him.
"Divine Doctor Qin, thank you for this," Zhou Qiming immediately bowed deeply to Qin Hui. Without Divine Doctor Qin's intervention, his life would likely have been lost.
Qin Hui waved his hand dismissively and said calmly, "I accept payment to resolve troubles. Although I've eliminated the 蠱毒 (gǔdú) within you, this 蠱毒 (gǔdú) requires long-term cultivation. Therefore, I can assert that there are still undispersed 蠱毒 (gǔdú) sources near you."
Zhou Qiming, who had been feeling a sense of relief, was instantly struck with fear by these words.
"Divine Doctor Qin, Master Qin, you must help me." Zhou Qiming immediately fell to his knees, pleading. He had initially dismissed such superstitious notions, but witnessing it firsthand today, Zhou Qiming could no longer deny it.
"I can help you, but I have a condition."
"I wish to open a clinic in the city. I see you have many hotels; perhaps you could gift me one, which I will convert into a clinic." Qin Hui stated his condition. Qin Hui knew that finding a suitable location to open a clinic would be nearly impossible, so he had to resort to converting an existing property. Whether Zhou Qiming agreed was his decision; Qin Hui could not force him.
"Alright, I agree." Zhou Qiming accepted without hesitation. Zhou Qiming was a shrewd man; exchanging a hotel for a chance at life was undoubtedly worthwhile. More importantly, he could use this opportunity to foster a relationship with Qin Hui, gaining the friendship of a divine doctor was equivalent to having an additional life insurance policy. By any calculation, this was a profitable transaction for him.
Qin Hui nodded slightly. Zhou Qiming's agreement was within his expectations. Afterward, Qin Hui turned his gaze to Zhao Wuji.
"Divine Doctor Zhao, when my clinic opens, there will inevitably be a shortage of staff. Perhaps you could help me find a team of medical professionals to treat patients."
"I won't have you labor in vain. I will give you the first three chapters of the Nine Yang Divine Needle technique. As for the latter three, your current strength is insufficient to comprehend them," Qin Hui stated truthfully.
"Alright, no problem." Zhao Wuji nodded eagerly. This was a simple task for him. Hospitals recruited a large number of new personnel annually; distributing a portion of them would be no issue. More importantly, he would receive the first three chapters of the Nine Yang Divine Needle technique, something Zhao Wuji had long dreamed of.
Seeing that both parties had agreed, a weight lifted from Qin Hui's heart. This also made Qin Hui realize the wisdom of having more people to accomplish tasks. Indeed, there was a reason the Qin family in Yan Jing could remain standing. Qin Hui also needed to gradually build his own influence; confronting that colossal entity would not be possible for Qin Hui alone!
After assigning the specific tasks, Qin Hui accompanied Zhou Qiming to his residence. Zhou Qiming spent most of his time at home, and the source of the 蠱毒 (gǔdú) was undoubtedly within his home. As for Zhao Wuji, he headed to the hospital to begin working on Qin Hui's requests.
Half an hour later, Qin Hui arrived at Zhou Qiming's villa. Upon entering, Qin Hui felt a wave of oppressive gloom wash over his heart. Clearly, the 蠱毒 (gǔdú) had taken root. Fortunately, he had discovered it early; otherwise, everyone in the villa would have suffered.
Qin Hui walked around the villa, eventually reaching Zhou Qiming's bedroom, where the aura was strongest. Qin Hui quickly opened the bedroom door, his gaze sharply scanning the surroundings. Locating the source of the 蠱毒 (gǔdú) was a perilous endeavor, as it was exceedingly mysterious. A single inadvertent contact could prove fatal to himself.
"Divine Doctor Qin, have you found anything?" Zhou Qiming asked with lingering fear, shuddering at the thought of sleeping alongside the curse worm every day.
"There's something wrong with this bed!" Qin Hui stepped back a couple of paces, pointing at the large bed and stating seriously.
"This bed?" Cold sweat broke out on Zhou Qiming's back.
"The 蠱蟲 (gǔchóng) must be hidden within this bed. If we can find out who gifted you this bed, we'll know who wishes to harm you," Qin Hui analyzed.
Zhou Qiming pondered for a moment before gritting his teeth and saying, "That wretch! To think she dared to harm me, and I was so good to her back then." Seeing Zhou Qiming's expression of deep hatred, Qin Hui remained calm. He had no desire to meddle in their affairs; his only task was to eradicate the 蠱蟲 (gǔchóng).
"Boss Zhou, do not make hasty decisions. Since the other party could obtain this 蠱蟲 (gǔchóng), they undoubtedly possess unfathomable power behind them. I advise you to be cautious," Qin Hui cautioned.
"Thank you for the reminder, Divine Doctor Qin. I understand." Zhou Qiming was now utterly in awe of Qin Hui, viewing him as nothing short of a divine being.
"The 蠱蟲 (gǔchóng) is inside the bed. Do you wish to investigate it? If not, you can simply have someone burn the bed. Also, it's best not to inhabit this villa for a month," Qin Hui suggested.
"Let's just burn it." Zhou Qiming was still shaken. To ask him to investigate those 蠱蟲 (gǔchóng) was essentially asking for his life. He no longer dared to look at such a thing.