Chapter 268: Questioning (Fourth Update)

Yang Jianqing was instantly dumbfounded.

"You... you—you're playing me!?"

The expression on his face turned somewhat ferocious, as if he were prepared to charge at Chu Liuyue and fight to the death at any moment!

To be made a fool like this in front of so many people, losing all his dignity and face—and yet Chu Liuyue had actually just tossed out such a casual remark!?

"I only asked you to hand over the Blood Red Gu; I didn't demand to search your body, nor did I ask you to strip."

"You!"

Yang Jianqing was so angry he nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood!

With great difficulty, he managed to reclaim his last shred of sanity and said sternly

"Regardless, I have already proven to everyone that I do not have the Blood Red Gu on me! Since you have slandered me like this, I will absolutely not let this matter slide!"

Chu Liuyue gave a half-smile

"Just because you don't have it on you, does that prove you aren't carrying it?"

Yang Jianqing froze. "What do you mean?"

Chu Liuyue raised her hand and pointed toward the overturned medicinal tripod on the arena floor.

"Whether or not you are actually connected to the Blood Red Gu will be known very soon."

As she spoke, she actually headed toward the tripod again!

Yang Jianqing's heart went hollow!

"No!"

Without thinking, he ran in front of Chu Liuyue to block her.

Chu Liuyue raised an eyebrow

"What do you mean 'no'? I am merely going to inspect that tripod. If you have done nothing wrong, why are you so nervous?"

Having had his secret exposed, Yang Jianqing became even more panicked.

He wanted to continue obstructing Chu Liuyue, but the gazes of many people around them had already turned suspicious.

He himself realized that acting this way would only make him appear even more strange.

His legs trembled; he refused to back down, yet he didn't dare move forward, only muttering under his breath

"No, no..."

Seeing his reaction, the crowd also sensed that something was wrong.

Anxiety surged in Cheng Han's heart.

This scene looked far too familiar!

It seemed just like this when Chu Liuyue had exposed Heng Jingchuo before!

Chu Liuyue shot a mocking glance at Yang Jianqing.

With just him, he thought he could stop her?

With a movement of her feet and a flicker of her figure, she silently bypassed Yang Jianqing! She rushed toward the arena!

In the blink of an eye, she had reached the side of the medicinal tripod!

She leaned down, dagger in hand, and lightly scraped the edge of the tripod.

A clump of crimson powder appeared on the bright, snowy blade of the dagger.

Under the sunlight, it shimmered with a cold, eerie light.

Yang Jianqing's face turned deathly pale!

His previous movement had been so concealed that even the many Heavenly Physicians present had failed to notice it; how on earth had Chu Liuyue detected it!?

"This is the Blood Red Gu."

Chu Liuyue scrutinized the crimson powder on the dagger.

"If I am not mistaken, you took the opportunity to put this thing inside while you were refining the Red Root in the tripod, didn't you? As the Red Root burns inside the tripod, it quickly turns into red powder, mixing with this Blood Red Gu, making them difficult to distinguish. Furthermore, the high heat causes this substance to automatically scatter onto the inner walls of the tripod; from the outside, it is impossible to detect."

"If the burning time is sufficient—for example, by the time you finish forming the pill, enough time will have passed for these Blood Red Gu to burn completely and disperse."

Chu Liuyue's tone was calm, as if she were discussing something trivial, but the content she spoke stirred a tempest in everyone's hearts!

"Yang Jianqing! Is what Liuyue saying true!?"

Sun Zhongyan demanded with a sharp shout.

If this were true, then Yang Jianqing was prepared to strike at everyone here!

The severity of this matter far exceeded that of Heng Jingchuo!

Yang Jianqing's lips trembled, and he struggled to force out a single sentence.

"That... that is not the Blood Red Gu..."

"It isn't? Then why don't you come and try it yourself?" Chu Liuyue suggested.

Yang Jianqing immediately retreated several steps

"No!"

"Hmm? Didn't you say this wasn't the Blood Red Gu? Why are you so fearful? It just so happens that so many people here haven't seen this thing; why not give everyone an eye-opening experience?"

As she spoke, Chu Liuyue's gaze sharpened, and she flicked her hand, throwing the dagger!

*Swish!*

The dagger carved a bright, straight line through the air, flying directly toward Yang Jianqing!

Yang Jianqing immediately tried to dodge, but how could he be a match for Chu Liuyue!?

Before he could run more than a few steps, the dagger pierced directly through his calf!

"Ah!"

Yang Jianqing let out a cry of pain and stumbled to his knees!

Blood was already gushing from his calf!

"Chu Liuyue! You are insolent!"

Cheng Han was about to act, but he was quietly restrained by Sun Zhongyan.

"Brother Cheng Han, Yang Jianqing himself said it isn't that. What is your haste? Rest assured, Liuyue knows her limits; the wound on his calf will not be fatal. Our academy will provide the medicinal herbs for healing. If that truly is not the Blood Red Gu, I will apologize personally."

Since things had been said to this extent, Cheng Han had no choice.

"Look! His leg!"

Someone suddenly shouted.

Cheng Han focused his gaze and was startled.

Yang Jianqing's calf was actually swelling rapidly! Moreover, the blood flowing from the wound was gradually turning an eerie black!

The aura on his body rapidly withered.

If that substance were harmless, simply being pierced by a dagger would never cause such a situation!

Sun Zhongyan sneered

"Brother Cheng Han, as a Heavenly Physician, you should know better than I whether this is the Blood Red Gu, right?"

Cheng Han was speechless, feeling as though his skin had been torn off and trampled upon!

Yang Jianqing was shaking like a sieve, consumed by terror.

Chu Liuyue's dagger had just been coated in far too much Blood Red Gu!

Such a large amount had now been transferred onto his body!

Furthermore, it was penetrating directly into his body through the wound, spreading extremely fast!

Clutching his leg, he could no longer keep up the act and began to plead in sheer terror

"No! I don't want to die! Dean! Elders! Save me! I don't want to die!"

At this point, was there anything left to misunderstand?

He crawled toward the Taiyan Academy side, covered in tears and snot, drenched in blood, looking utterly wretched.

"Stop him!"

Cheng Han practically screamed in a harsh voice!

An arbitration teacher immediately acted, throwing out a rope and binding Yang Jianqing tightly!

Chu Liuyue walked toward him.

"Liuyue, be careful!"

Sun Zhongyan reminded her.

Chu Liuyue's pace did not falter.

"Don't worry, Elder Sun. I merely have a few things I wish to ask him."

As she spoke, she had already reached Yang Jianqing's front.

She looked down at him and asked, word by word

"Who sent you?"

Yang Jianqing sobbed, not daring to look at her, nor speaking.

Chu Liuyue leaned in closer, her voice barely audible.

"If you speak, I can help you detoxify."

Yang Jianqing froze.

"Otherwise, how do you think Liao Zhongshu has managed to survive until now?" Chu Liuyue said softly.

A flash of struggle crossed Yang Jianqing's eyes.

Chu Liuyue's heart stirred.

Yang Jianqing clearly knew more than Chu Xianmin!

If he were willing to talk—

Yang Jianqing opened his mouth, seemingly intending to speak, but suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood!

Thinking something was wrong, Chu Liuyue immediately retreated!

A terrifyingly powerful force suddenly surged from within Yang Jianqing's body!

*Boom!*