The Five Corpse Heart Sutra

Two days passed.

The commotion outside Yifang Hall’s entrance had largely subsided.

Luo Yifang was quite pleased with Ye Di’s efficiency.

He then penned a prescription, handing it to Ye Di as he spoke:

“It has been arduous for you these past few days, acting as the villain. It is not that this old man is unwilling to treat them, but rather that I am truly powerless. Everything I know about this peculiar illness has been meticulously inscribed upon this very prescription.”

Ye Di unfurled the paper, reading its contents, and his brows furrowed deeply as he uttered:

“The Five Corpse Heart Sutra?”

“Indeed.”

Luo Yifang gently stroked his long beard, his voice calm.

“This is a formidable evil art, originating from the Zhaixing Pavilion. Those who fall victim to it will transform into mindless corpse puppets within seven days, utterly losing their sanity and becoming mere instruments to be driven by others.”

Ye Di said:

“If it is indeed a poisonous art, then surely the practitioner carries its antidote…”

Luo Yifang shook his head, saying:

“Ah, if only matters were so straightforward. This ‘Five Corpse Heart Sutra’ surfaced in the martial world years ago, rumored to have been stolen by Kong Xiuwen, a traitor from the Zhaixing Pavilion. Even the Heavenly-rank assassins of the Zhaixing Pavilion could not trace his whereabouts; what hope do we have?”

Ye Di tightened his grip on the rolled paper, declaring:

“Since Doctor Luo has confirmed these symptoms are indeed from the ‘Five Corpse Heart Sutra,’ then the path forward becomes clearer. With such a multitude of poisoned individuals appearing within Quzhou City, the practitioner must undoubtedly be lurking nearby.”

Luo Yifang said:

“While your reasoning holds true, Kong Xiuwen has vanished without a trace for many years, suggesting his concealment techniques are exceptionally refined. As for this ‘Five Corpse Heart Sutra,’ after seven days, even immortals would be powerless to save the afflicted. The situation is, to put it mildly, dire.”

Ye Di cast a sharp glance at him, then spoke:

“Doctor Luo, you are aware of the urgency, yet you deliberately placed obstacles, delaying our progress by two precious days. What, precisely, was your intention?”

Luo Yifang chuckled, saying:

“Two days or two months, it matters little to this old man. Either way, it simply hastens one’s journey to the coffin.”

Observing Luo Yifang’s profound negativity regarding the entire affair,

Ye Di could not help but voice a cutting remark:

“Doctor Luo, your apprehension toward this ‘Five Corpse Heart Sutra’ is so profound. Could it be that you, too, once fell prey to Kong Xiuwen’s machinations?”

Luo Yifang, far from taking offense, merely sighed leisurely:

“Alas, these are but ancient tales, best left undisturbed. However, I find both of you rather agreeable, so allow me a benevolent warning: do not carelessly ingest medicines prescribed by other physicians outside. They are prone to counter-effects.”

Ye Di mused for a moment, then a sudden realization dawned upon him:

“The prescription states that the ‘Five Corpse Heart Sutra’ necessitates the refinement of human blood, which is then transformed into the venomous blood of a corpse puppet. If a patient consumes herbs that replenish qi and invigorate blood, this process will, in fact, accelerate—is that your implication, Doctor Luo?”

Luo Yifang’s eyes narrowed in a smile, and he ceaselessly stroked his long beard.

“Precisely, precisely. Hence, my assertion: the other physicians in the city, unable to diagnose this peculiar ailment, wisely refrained from indiscriminately prescribing treatments. This, at least, speaks to a modicum of medical ethics. Otherwise, every soul in this city would perish by their hands in an instant.”

After a brief moment of contemplation, Ye Di spoke:

“Doctor Luo, to speak plainly, I also possess a modest grasp of martial arts. Now, by all estimations, only five days remain; the situation is dire. I intend to depart Quzhou City at once. Should I be fortunate enough to capture Kong Xiuwen, or perhaps seize the ‘Five Corpse Heart Sutra,’ might I then implore you to examine it and devise an antidote?”

Luo Yifang sighed, saying:

“Alas, if this old man were to agree to your proposition, would not the esteemed name of [Yifang Hall] truly be utterly ruined?”

Ye Di smiled lightly, saying:

“I am not requesting Doctor Luo’s medical expertise, but rather appealing to you as a friend.”

“Enough, enough, enough!”

Luo Yifang said,

“Then go. This old man’s integrity in his twilight years is already compromised; I am not afraid to pen yet another prescription for you.”

With a stoop, he ambled back to the center of the main hall, then hunched over his desk, swiftly scribbling a few more lines.

He handed a sheet of Xuan paper to Ye Di:

“These few medicinal herbs, once consumed, should help regulate the young lady’s constitution. However, this old man’s pharmacy has been open for many years, and my legs are no longer nimble, so I cannot fully restock any missing ingredients. Other apothecaries in the city should still possess them; you may procure some to brew. It might just be able to retard the poison’s progression.”

Ye Di expressed his gratitude and accepted the prescription.

Xu Niantang, who had been quietly curled up on a wooden chair in the main hall,

Upon seeing the ‘bad guy’ about to depart, she swiftly leaped down with a decisive ‘thump!’

However, her eagerness caused a slight dizziness, and she swayed unsteadily for a moment.

Ye Di, a touch exasperated, knelt before her, gesturing for the little girl to quickly climb onto his back.

Though illness had rendered Xu Niantang quiet, her expressions remained remarkably vivid.

Her apricot-shaped eyes sparkled with vibrant light, and with a slight upward curve of her small mouth, she launched herself forward.

She nearly sent Ye Di, a man capable of lifting two stone lions bare-handed, sprawling to the ground.

“Xu Niantang, what on earth have you been consuming these past few days? Only two days ago, I remarked on your thinness, but today you resemble a lioness carrying two stone lions!”

****

The two navigated through several winding streets and narrow alleys,

intending to first visit an apothecary to procure the herbs specified in Luo Yifang’s prescription.

Along their journey, they encountered numerous individuals,

all appearing sickly, their complexions utterly devoid of vitality.

A sudden thought struck Ye Di.

It seemed the number of patients seeking consultation at Yifang Hall had drastically dwindled of late.

While his formidable presence might have contributed to this,

the sheer speed of the decline was truly alarming.

In merely two days’ time,

what was once a bustling, crowded entrance had, in the blink of an eye, become utterly deserted.

A glance at the main thoroughfare revealed that the number of ailing individuals had clearly not diminished; countless people still suffered the torments of sickness.

Why, then, were they no longer seeking aid at Yifang Hall?

Before Ye Di could fully comprehend this anomaly,

a rough voice beside him interjected:

“Young brother, I presume you, too, are off to procure some medicine to brew and drink at home?”

Ye Di turned his head, observing the speaker.

It was a robust, middle-aged man, powerfully built.

Slung across his back was a half-grown child, still wailing incessantly.

Ye Di collected his thoughts and responded aloud:

“Procuring medicine? May I inquire, my friend, what exactly do you mean by that?”

The middle-aged man appeared somewhat taken aback.

“Young brother, can it be that you are truly unaware of such a significant development?”

For the past two days, Ye Di had been stationed at Luo Yifang’s entrance,

and thus, he possessed little knowledge of the happenings in the streets.

He nodded honestly, admitting:

“I truly do not know…”

The middle-aged man said:

“Ah, then you have truly missed out on a magnificent event! Let me tell you, a white-robed fairy maiden recently arrived in our Quzhou City—a woman of exquisite beauty and profound kindness. Though she hails from another land, upon witnessing our city’s affliction with this peculiar illness, and observing how many physicians were unwilling to treat due to meager consultation fees, she, the fairy maiden, generously lavished a fortune! She rented every apothecary, large and small, within Quzhou City, and even hired their proprietors and assistants to dispense medicine and treat everyone free of charge!”

A white-robed fairy maiden? Lavished a fortune?

Ye Di paused, a flicker of surprise crossing his face at the mention.

“Oh, I cannot linger chatting with you. I must also hurry to procure some medicine, to brew and give to my child. Young brother, do take care.”

With that parting remark, the middle-aged man quickly departed.

Ye Di wondered silently, ‘Could such an extraordinary coincidence truly exist in this world?’

Regardless, procuring the medicine was the most pressing matter at hand.

Dismissing these extraneous thoughts, he carried Xu Niantang on his back, navigating through several more streets and alleys.

An apothecary’s sign board came into view, and Ye Di turned to the little girl, saying:

“This is the place. I will go show Doctor Luo’s prescription to the shopkeeper.”

The area was similarly congested, with a throng of people queuing before the entrance, awaiting their turn to collect medicine.

The moment Ye Di settled, Xu Niantang still on his back,

someone abruptly seemed to recognize him, shouting loudly:

“Hey, look! That fellow is the very scoundrel who obstructed the entrance of Yifang Hall two days ago!”

At once, every gaze in the crowd swiveled in their direction.

Another voice joined in, confirming:

“Precisely! It is this scoundrel! He previously claimed to be afflicted with some incurable, contagious illness, terrifying everyone into retreating. Yet, behold him today—is he not still vibrant and perfectly healthy, damn him?!”

“So it’s this wretched bastard! No wonder he seemed so familiar! Damn it, the mere thought of him ignites my fury!”

Ye Di feigned deafness to the torrent of malicious insults,

and quietly joined the queue, Xu Niantang still upon his back.

Someone said:

“What is the meaning of this beast? Does he also dare to seek medicine here? Bah! Are the Murong Fairy Maiden’s remedies meant for the likes of him? Is he not afraid of forfeiting his blessings?”

“Precisely! This harbinger of misfortune, he blocked the entrance of Yifang Hall for two days, and even after consuming all the medicine at home, his high fever persisted; he nearly didn’t make it! Fortunately, the Murong Fairy Maiden, with her boundless generosity and benevolent spirit, saved us, the people of Quzhou, from such dire straits!”

“Begone, begone! The Murong Fairy Maiden would never save a wolf-hearted wretch like you!”

In truth, Ye Di had harbored suspicions from the very beginning.

It was only when they uttered ‘Murong Fairy Maiden’ that his doubts finally dissipated.

Ye Di smiled inwardly, thinking to himself,

‘To lavish a fortune, renting every apothecary in the city, hiring staff, and offering free treatment and medicine to the populace…’

‘Indeed, that is precisely the kind of behavior that person would exhibit. It has not changed in a hundred years.’

Suddenly, his ears were gently covered.

Ye Di paused, turning his head,

only to find Xu Niantang gazing at him with profound stillness.

The warm touch of her palms resonated against his earlobes.

Those venomous curses and maledictions receded into a faint, distant whisper, like the smoke from a stick of incense.

The cacophony blurred,

yet her trembling eyes, filled with tender concern, remained strikingly clear.

Ye Di chuckled:

“Xu Niantang, I am fine. Besides, it is only natural for them to curse me.”

Xu Niantang shook her head vigorously.

She herself could not bear to scold him; how could she not feel pain hearing such words?

Originally, Xu Niantang had intended to cover her own ears,

but her hands had instinctively reached out to cover his instead,

leaving her to listen to the vicious words with a heart twisted in anguish.

Ye Di said:

“Xu Niantang, if you cover my ears, I cannot hear others speak, but I also cannot hear you. What if you want to tell me something?”

Xu Niantang froze, then furrowed her brows, pondering this dilemma intently.

Finally, she devised a solution.

She would quietly loosen her hands, creating a small gap,

then lean her mouth close to his ear to whisper to him.

She thought it, and then she acted upon it.

At the very instant she leaned in, Ye Di turned his head and said:

“By the way, Xu Nian…”

It was a windless afternoon, the sunlight perfectly warm.

Xu Niantang, caught completely off guard, kissed Ye Di on the corner of his lips.

Both of their eyes widened,

watching their own reflections shimmer in the other’s startled pupils.

Xu Niantang’s face flushed scarlet in an instant, the color spreading all the way down to her neck.

She had never been so red, not even when she had her highest fever.

As their lips parted, Xu Niantang desperately tried to keep her small face composed,

fearing she might otherwise faint.

“…Xu Niantang, was that intentional?”

The soft warmth of her lips still lingered on Ye Di’s mouth,

and he stared at her with a somewhat serious expression, asking.

Xu Niantang’s mind felt as though it were about to explode from panic.

She truly hadn’t meant to, so her first instinct was to quickly shake her head.

But for some inexplicable reason, a sudden pang struck her heart.

She remembered.

He would occasionally fall into distant memories, as if mercilessly reopening his old wounds;

his brows would sometimes furrow, as if he were fleeing from the lingering shadows of his past;

occasionally, that once vibrant and animated expression would abruptly turn weary and aged, as if he had weathered countless years of turmoil;

and now,

the ceaseless barrage of insults and attacks aimed at him still echoed in her ears.

“Quickly, chase this beast out! Don’t needlessly defile the Murong Fairy Maiden’s sacred ground!”

“Don’t be reckless! That scoundrel displayed some skill before; he’s not easily subdued!”

“What if he is skilled? Can he stand against a hundred or so of us? Moreover, we now have the Murong Fairy Maiden supporting us; we are not afraid of this son of a b*tch!”

Xu Niantang thought,

‘At the very least, this is what I want to do for him right now.’

So, she nodded, a subtle but firm gesture.

Ye Di, despite having asked the question himself,

upon seeing her nod,

was momentarily slow to grasp its meaning.

The consequence of his delayed reaction was swift.

She gently leaned down, and kissed his lips, so vibrant and enticing in the sunlight.