Chapter 15: The Ghost Doctor's Strange Temper

As the people from the Divine Medicine Workshop escorted him into the back courtyard, Sikong Qimo was settled into an exquisite private booth.

He sized up the decorations of the Divine Medicine Workshop unobtrusively, remaining cautiously alert to any sounds outside the room. In this undercover visit, there were so many people seeking his life; it truly felt like a failure on his part as an Emperor.

At this thought, a flash of coldness appeared in his eyes.

If they wanted his life, they should do it sooner rather than later. If this trip failed to claim the life of Sikong Qimo, then they could look forward to his retaliation.

However...

Sikong Qimo toyed with the jade pendant in his hand. It remained an unknown variable as to exactly what kind of help the person who gave him this pendant—his Imperial Mother—could command from the Divine Medicine Workshop. Just as he was deep in thought, a figure blocked the light streaming in through the doorway of the booth.

"I am Zhuge Longqi, the Master of the Heavenly Medicine Workshop. May I ask your honorable name?" The newcomer possessed a commanding physique and a serious expression.

"It seems you are not the owner of this jade pendant." Without directly answering Zhuge Longqi's question, Sikong Qimo pressed his lips thin. "I only speak with the owner of the pendant."

Domineering and uncompromising, Sikong Qimo rose abruptly and strode toward Zhuge Longqi, stopping nearly a meter away from him.

"If the manager is not here, then I have no need to waste my time here." Staring unblinkingly into Zhuge Longqi's eyes, he fell silent for a moment before stepping past him to leave.

"The owner of the jade pendant is my Master. Master once instructed that if anyone arrived at the Divine Medicine Workshop with this pendant, they must be treated as a distinguished guest and notified of his return." Zhuge Longqi was clearly displeased by Sikong Qimo's domineering and arrogant behavior. However, remembering his Master's instructions, he naturally suppressed his temper.

Hearing Zhuge Longqi's words, the man walking away paused and slowly turned around.

"In that case, arrange it quickly," Sikong Qimo said in a commanding tone.

Watching him walk slowly back into the booth, Zhuge Longqi suppressed the urge to explode in his heart and lowered his gaze. "Based on what you just said, this pendant must have been handed over to you by someone. If I am to notify my Master, should I not also inform him of your honorable name?"

"Furthermore, according to the disciples of the Divine Medicine Workshop, you are also hiding from someone, are you not?" Zhuge Longqi pointed out directly. "If there are difficult circumstances necessitating secrecy, I can understand. However, no matter how urgent the situation is, I still need to know. My Master's whereabouts are unpredictable, and his temperament is eccentric; if I do not know the urgency of the matter, I fear I might interfere with your important affairs."

With a solemn expression, he stared at Sikong Qimo, showing no fear of his sharp gaze. The two remained in a stalemate.

After a long while, Sikong Qimo finally spat out three cold words: "Sikong Qi."

Having concealed his true name, Sikong Qimo became as stingy with his words as gold, refusing to say more. He naturally understood Zhuge Longqi's displeasure toward him. In fact, that previous speech had carried a subtle, veiled threat not to be too arrogant.

The manager of the Divine Medicine Workshop indeed possessed some skill.

Zhuge Longqi nodded slightly to maintain politeness, but his face remained serious. "Please rest assured, Young Master Sikong. Before Master arrives, no one will be allowed to disturb you in the slightest, nor will a single shred of information regarding you be leaked."

Sitting upright in his seat, Sikong Qimo merely nodded expressionlessly upon hearing the implication. The owner of the pendant was not him, and Zhuge Longqi could not be certain if he was indeed the person entrusted by the owner. Providing protection before everything was settled was a necessity, but if the Ghost Doctor, Yao Ze, returned and confirmed that he was not the holder of the pendant, he naturally wouldn't bother exerting extra effort to protect him. Zhuge Longqi's words were indirect and subtle, yet they carried the intent to intimidate.

A person with such character gave him a modicum of peace of mind.

After leaving the booth, Zhuge Longqi sent out a signal to find the Ghost Doctor, but unexpectedly, the responding signal came from the Spirit Control Sect.

Listening to the disciple's report, a look of confusion flashed across Zhuge Longqi's face.

Why would Master have gone to the Spirit Control Sect?

Recalling his Master's previous instructions, his brow furrowed deeply.

The Ghost Doctor's words echoed in his mind: *Should anyone bearing this jade pendant come seeking help, you must treat them as if you were meeting me personally.*

Exhaling a long breath, he gave instructions to the Left Protector of the Heavenly Medicine Workshop for a moment, and then watched as the Left Protector headed toward the Spirit Control Sect.

Jun Liuyi, Shangguan Jun, and the others had just arrived at the Spirit Control Sect when they heard the bad news from the Ghost Doctor. Currently, both were gathered in Shangguan Keng's room. Yao Ze looked extremely solemn.

"Master, what exactly is happening?" Jun Liuyi frowned.

"There are two other latent toxins within Sect Leader Shangguan's body. The Cold Jade Pillow is both a lifesaver and a death sentence!" Yao Ze also looked frustrated.

Unfamiliar with the Ghost Doctor's personality, Shangguan Jun could not restrain his temperament upon hearing of his father's danger. He asked urgently, "I beg Elder Yao to exert your full strength to save him. My Spirit Control Sect will spare no expense..."

Halfway through his sentence, Jun Liuyi shot him a meaningful look.

By the time Jun Liuyi tried to stop him, it was already too late.

Sure enough...

"What do you mean 'spare no expense'? Do you think this old man is a vegetarian?" Suddenly, Elder Yao flew into a rage.

"Kid Shangguan, let me tell you, your old man isn't worth me exerting my full strength, do you understand...?" Elder Yao's rambling, furious voice filled the room.

Jun Liuyi rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on; she knew it would be like this.

Sighing helplessly in her heart, the corners of her mouth twitched slightly. Her Master's eccentric temperament was as much a headache as ever. For incurable, complex diseases that he had no solution for, he would work desperately, day and night, to figure them out. But for things he *could* handle but required a massive amount of time and energy—even requiring him to watch over them without sleep—he would become incredibly frustrated and irritable.

From his words just now, she knew that the Sect Leader's poison could be cured by her Master, but it would inevitably require him to spend a vast amount of time tinkering and monitoring. In such a situation, his impatient nature would lead to agitation and frustration. If anyone were to make him feel as though they doubted his ability to handle the poison at that moment, the consequence would inevitably be his rambling lectures and venting.

Watching Shangguan Jun accept Yao Ze's scolding with an awkward, forced smile, Jun Liuyi shook her head helplessly. In a situation like this, her Master wouldn't care who the other party was; he would likely dare to lecture even the Jade Emperor himself.

Seeing the pleading look in Shangguan Jun's eyes, Jun Liuyi raised an eyebrow. Once she was certain her Master had vented enough, she finally spoke: "Master, Liuyi knows that no little ghost would dare to snatch away what you intend to save."

"Is there even a need to say that!" Yao Ze said with a proud expression.

"That's why Master can discover toxins that this disciple cannot," Jun Liuyi said coquettishly. "But what kind of poison is it exactly? Why couldn't I diagnose it?"

While flattering him, Jun Liuyi steered the topic back.