Chapter 34: Please Senior, Take Me as Your Disciple!
In the basin, a thumb-sized, blood-red insect struggled. It was shaped like a centipede and covered in bristling barbs, giving it a fierce and terrifying appearance.
"Azure Dragon Gu!" Lin Mu’s eyebrow twitched in surprise.
"Senior, what is an Azure Dragon Gu?" Sun Tianyang asked.
Lin Mu explained, "Gu Insects are generally divided into two categories. One is the ’Dragon Gu,’ which resemble dragons and are cultivated from long-bodied reptiles like poisonous snakes or centipedes. The other is the ’Qilin Gu,’ which take their form from short-bodied reptiles like frogs and lizards."
"But this Gu Insect is clearly red," Sun Tianyang said. "Why is it called the Azure Dragon Gu?"
"That’s because this Azure Dragon Gu has consumed too much human blood essence and is slowly evolving," Lin Mu stated indifferently. "It only needs to completely devour one person’s lifeblood to turn fully azure. By then, even you might not be its match."
"That powerful?" Sun Tianyang was shocked.
Lin Mu continued dispassionately, "Though the use of Gu is an unorthodox path, the fact that it has been passed down since ancient times is a testament to its power. Many who seek shortcuts are fond of such methods."
"Even so, it’s just too vicious and unconscionable," Sun Tianyang said angrily.
"In the eyes of a Gu cultivator, the Gu Insect’s life is more important than anyone else’s," Lin Mu said coldly.
"Then what should we do with this one? Just throw it away?" Sun Tianyang asked, looking at the Azure Dragon Gu in the basin.
"This Azure Dragon Gu was raised from a centipede, one of the five great poisons. From birth, it has consumed all manner of the world’s deadliest venoms. If you were to discard it carelessly, that area would become a nesting ground for countless poisonous creatures within two days. Any human who passed through would be poisoned to death."
"Furthermore, that’s not even its most terrifying aspect. It emits toxins that affect the human brain and nervous system. Even from a hundred meters away, a person would be fatally poisoned. After it dies, its corpse will spawn innumerable poisonous insects, causing immense destruction," Lin Mu explained.
"That horrifying?" Sun Tianyang’s face turned grim. It seemed the Gu’s master had no concern for how many people might die.
"Dealing with this Azure Dragon Gu is simple. Just throw it into the lime," Lin Mu said, gesturing to the lime on the ground.
Sun Tianyang’s eyes widened in realization. Senior had already thought of the solution before he even extracted the Gu. This only deepened his admiration for Lin Mu’s methods.
Sun Tianyang immediately poured the lime into the basin. The lime and water instantly erupted in a violent chemical reaction, producing a pungent odor and terrifyingly high temperatures.
The blood-red Gu Insect struggled frantically in the boiling water, even opening a mouth filled with sharp teeth to emit a piercing shriek.
But it was all in vain; within just a few minutes, the Gu Insect stopped struggling and slowly dissolved in the lime water.
"It’s done."
"Pour this lime water somewhere uninhabited," Lin Mu instructed. "Remember, you must dig a deep pit to bury it. Then, sprinkle realgar and lime, along with other repellents, around the area to keep ordinary venomous creatures away."
Sun Tianyang did exactly as he was told.
When he returned, he saw Lin Mu writing something. Glancing over, he realized Lin Mu was writing a prescription. It was a formula for conditioning the body.
All the medicinal herbs listed were simple and common, yet their combination was exquisite, and the precision of their use was something Sun Tianyang had never before witnessed in his life.
"The patient was tormented by the Gu Insect for half a year, so her body is severely depleted. She is in no condition for strong tonics, so the medicine cannot be too potent. A gentle approach is best," Lin Mu explained as he wrote. "Only after one course of treatment can we introduce a balance of potent and gentle methods, along with a harmony of Yin and Yang. This will not only condition her body more effectively but will also prevent any adverse side effects."
Sun Tianyang listened intently, knowing Lin Mu was instructing him. He had long admired Lin Mu’s mastery of The Way of Medicine, and receiving guidance from such an expert was an incredible stroke of fortune.
Next, Lin Mu began to write a second prescription, and then a third.
For each formula, Lin Mu meticulously explained the purpose and method for every ingredient, even specifying the herbs’ age, place of origin, and the precise heat control required during decoction. He explained everything without a hint of impatience.
Sun Tianyang himself was a renowned master of The Way of Medicine and had deeply researched pharmacology. Had anyone else tried to lecture him on the subject, he would have scoffed. But in front of Lin Mu, his attitude was utterly humble, even reverent.
Every word Lin Mu spoke was a revelation, as if a new door had been opened for him.
When the explanation reached a crucial point, Sun Tianyang would slap his thigh and exclaim, "A stroke of genius!"
Lin Mu’s understanding of pharmacology had reached an unbelievable peak. His grasp of each medicinal herb could only be described as terrifyingly profound.
Sun Tianyang simply couldn’t imagine what kind of master could have produced such an exceptional disciple.
Looking at the three prescriptions in his hands, Sun Tianyang sighed. "If these prescriptions ever got out, it would cause a bloody scramble."
The first prescription was specifically for Mother Liu’s condition, but the other two could be used by anyone. For those whose bodies were depleted and in need of conditioning, these prescriptions were nothing short of a lifesaver.
Many masters of The Way of Medicine jealously guarded their unique prescriptions, rarely sharing them with others. That Lin Mu could casually write down three such formulas and explain their intricacies proved he didn’t care about keeping them secret at all. Such generosity was weightier than Mount Taishan!
"Sun Tianyang begs for Senior’s forgiveness," he said, laying down the prescriptions and bowing deeply to Lin Mu.
"Speak," Lin Mu said, sitting with an unchanged expression.
"It’s laughable that I once harbored the thought of taking Senior as my disciple," Sun Tianyang said respectfully. "Having now witnessed your miraculous medical skills and marvelous prescriptions, I realize just how foolish and naive that idea was. You not only overlooked my previous disrespect but have even repaid my grievance with virtue by imparting The Way of Medicine. Such a great kindness is weightier than Mount Taishan! Please, Senior, accept my bow of gratitude!"
With that, Sun Tianyang knelt and kowtowed deeply to Lin Mu three times. His forehead struck the ground with three heavy thuds.
This time, Lin Mu did not stop him, accepting the gesture with grace. Heaven is vast and the earth is broad, but the grace of teaching is greater than them all.
Sun Tianyang’s actions slightly improved Lin Mu’s opinion of him. The man might be arrogant, but his heart was pure when it came to The Way of Medicine.
"Rise," Lin Mu said.
"I have one more, impertinent request," Sun Tianyang said, his expression wavering before he finally spoke with grim determination.
"Let’s hear it."
Sun Tianyang kowtowed once more. "Please, Senior, accept me as your disciple!"