85: Chapter 85 Qin Mu was accepted as a disciple of the Emperor for his meritorious service in detoxifying Empress Dowager Yan Kang.

"Hahaha!"

"Watch me!"

Qin Mu was overjoyed and immediately whipped out a dozen different kinds of colored medicinal powders and Spiritual Plants from the worn-out cloth bag he carried with him.

He didn't even use a Pill Furnace, instead using his profound Origin Qi from the Great Wilderness to forcibly crush, fuse, and refine these medicinal materials in mid-air!

In just a few breaths, a black pill emitting an extremely pungent and nauseating odor took shape in his hand.

"Sister-in-law, have the Empress Dowager take this medicine!"

Qin Mu handed the pill to Ling Yuxiu.

"This first layer of medicinal power is called 'Stealing the Heavens and Exchanging the Day'!"

Qin Mu's expression became incomparably grave: "I will use the toxicity of this pill to forcibly replace the 'Monarch Poison' of the Thousand Machine Poison inside the Empress Dowager's body!"

"But this process is extremely dangerous.

Once the Monarch Poison is replaced, the one thousand and twenty-two toxins it originally controlled will be leaderless, causing an extremely violent counterattack and riot!

The Empress Dowager will endure pain like having her skin peeled and tendons pulled; you must hold her down!"

Ling Yuxiu gritted her teeth, steeled her heart, and stuffed the foul-smelling pill into the Empress Dowager's mouth, washing it down with water.

As soon as the pill went down.

"Boom!"

The Empress Dowager on the Phoenix bed suddenly arched her body like a bow!

She, who had been breathing faintly, suddenly opened her eyes.

Her whites were covered with terrifying bloodshot veins, and a shrill, beast-like scream erupted from her throat!

"Ah—!!!"

On the Empress Dowager's originally plump face, egg-sized blue-purple toxic tumors began to bulge continuously.

It was as if tens of thousands of poisonous insects were frantically crawling, biting, and colliding beneath her skin!

"Hold the Empress Dowager down!"

Qin Mu roared.

Ye Xiu was quick-witted; he stepped forward and pressed down with one hand in the void.

A gentle yet immovable purple-gold Dragon Qi instantly pinned the Empress Dowager's violently convulsing body firmly to the bed.

"Now! The second layer of medicinal power, 'Breaking the Cauldrons and Sinking the Boats'!"

Seizing the moment when the toxins were rioting to the extreme, Qin Mu gathered all his Origin Qi into his hands and slammed his palm heavily onto the Empress Dowager's chest!

"Force it out for me!"

Qin Mu's Origin Qi was like a bursting flood, instantly coursing through the Empress Dowager's eight extraordinary meridians.

It forcibly pushed out the out-of-control toxins along with the lingering foul Qi inside her body in an extremely domineering manner!

"Pfft—!"

The Empress Dowager suddenly threw her head back, and a mouthful of extremely foul, ink-like black toxic blood sprayed out like a fountain!

The scene that followed left all the imperial physicians and palace maids in the great hall paralyzed with fear on the floor.

The sprayed black toxic blood, the moment it hit the ground, transformed into thousands of tiny, phantom-like poisonous creatures in the air!

There were hissing poisonous snakes, multi-legged crawling centipedes, and poisonous scorpions waving their pincers...

These phantom poisonous creatures, formed from a mixture of toxic gas and Origin Qi, frantically devoured and fought each other on the golden brick floor of Cining Palace.

Finally, they turned into a pool of highly toxic black water emitting pungent white smoke, which forcibly corroded a deep pit into the floor!

"Phew... the toxins have been forced out."

Qin Mu wiped the sweat from his face, but he didn't stop; instead, he took out an extremely ugly toad from his tattered cloth bag.

This toad was emerald green all over, its back covered in poison glands, but its eyes were like two brilliant rubies.

It was the priceless treasure given to him by Blind Grandpa from Canlao Village—the Emerald-Eyed Toad!

Qin Mu placed the Emerald-Eyed Toad by the Empress Dowager's pillow.

The toad let out a "croak," opened its mouth with great excitement.

And sucked hard at a wisp of transparent saliva that remained at the corner of the Empress Dowager's mouth after she had spat out the toxic blood.

"Whoosh!"

An extremely tiny, almost transparent, and barely visible Gu-like toxin.

Was actually sucked straight out of the Empress Dowager's mouth by it and swallowed into its stomach!

"Hiccup—"

The Emerald-Eyed Toad burped with satisfaction and jumped back into Qin Mu's hand.

"The true 'Central Poison' of the Thousand Machine Poison has been eaten by it.

There will be no possibility of mutation or relapse. The Empress Dowager's poison is now completely neutralized."

Qin Mu put away the Emerald-Eyed Toad and exhaled a long breath of foul air.

On the Phoenix bed, although the Empress Dowager was drenched in sweat and extremely weak, the purple-black color on her face had completely faded.

Her breathing had become long and steady, and even the roots of her originally white hair were faintly showing a hint of luster.

"Neutralized... it's really neutralized!"

The Head of the Imperial Academy of Medicine and the group of imperial physicians watched this scene as if they had seen a ghost.

Their eyes were filled with undisguised shock and fanaticism as they looked at Qin Mu.

Using thousands of palace maids to deduce toxicology, using highly toxic substances to 'Stealing the Heavens and Exchanging the Day' to replace the Monarch Poison, and finally forcing it out along with Origin Qi...

Such medical skill that seizes the creation of heaven and earth—let alone the Imperial Academy of Medicine, even the greatest masters of the past would likely have to admit defeat!

"Grandmother Empress!"

Ling Yuxiu threw herself by the bedside, weeping with joy.

She turned her head, looked at the Cowherd Boy wiping his sweat, then looked at the calm Ye Xiu beside him, her eyes filled with gratitude.

Ye Xiu stood with his hands behind his back, his deep gaze passing through the carved lattice windows of Cining Palace, looking toward the direction of the Imperial Palace's main hall.

"Thousand Machine Poison, Little Poison King Fu Yuanqing..."

A cold smile curled the corners of Ye Xiu's lips.

It seems it really is exactly as described in the original work.

Within the palace, there are many factions.

Even if they are family, as long as they block the way, they will be inexplicably taken out!

Is this what the old saying means by 'accompanying the emperor is like accompanying a tiger'?

But what is even more surprising is yet to come!

Just as Ye Xiu was sneering inwardly, calculating how to ferret out the mastermind behind this deep palace plot.

A rush of footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall, accompanied by a sharp, high-pitched announcement: "The Imperial Edict has arrived—!"

The head eunuch, Eunuch Li, who had just run to the front court to report, was now holding a roll of bright yellow imperial edict high with both hands.

His face flushed, panting, he stepped quickly into Cining Palace.

The Head of the Imperial Academy of Medicine and the group of imperial physicians had just climbed up from the floor.

Hearing this, their legs went weak with fright, and they immediately knelt down again in unison, their foreheads pressed tightly against the golden bricks.

Ling Yuxiu also quickly wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and stood up solemnly.

Only Ye Xiu remained standing in place, arms crossed, posture straight.

His eyes of different gold and silver colors were filled with wild arrogance, without the slightest intention of kneeling to receive the edict.

Eunuch Li naturally dared not put on airs in front of this "Prince Consort" who had just crippled a Divine Bridge Realm expert and was ferociously imposing.

He didn't even dare to look at Ye Xiu more than necessary; he just smiled fawningly, cleared his throat, and unfurled the imperial edict.

"By the order of the Emperor, it is decreed:"

"The Empress Dowager has suddenly contracted a strange illness, the physicians are helpless, and her life is in critical danger.

Now there is a great talent from the countryside, Qin Mu, whose medical skills are divine, bringing the dying back to life, neutralizing the Empress Dowager's Thousand Machine Poison, a great merit in saving the imperial life!"

Eunuch Li's voice echoed in the spacious hall; he paused, his tone becoming extremely high-pitched:

"Specially granted ten thousand taels of gold, ten chests of Heaven And Earth Treasure!

Furthermore, considering his youth and achievement, and his outstanding talent, Our heart is greatly gratified. We specially promote him, accepting Qin Mu as—Disciple of the Son of Heaven!

Bestowed with a purple-gold fish bag, he may enter and exit the Imperial Academy and the inner court freely! This is the decree—!"

Boom!

When the words "Disciple of the Son of Heaven" were spoken, a collective gasp of air instantly rang out throughout the hall of Cining Palace.

The Head of the Imperial Academy of Medicine, kneeling on the ground, looked as if his eyes were about to pop out from jealousy, his old face flushed red.

What is a Disciple of the Son of Heaven?

That is a Disciple personally accepted by the current Emperor!

It represents the absolute recognition and supreme protection of imperial power!

In Yankang Kingdom, this is simply a step to the heavens; the future prospects are limitless!

It is an honor that the Young Masters of countless aristocratic clans would break their heads and spend all their family fortune to obtain.

Yet it fell so lightly onto the head of a Cowherd Boy from the Great Wilderness!

However, the reaction of the person involved, Qin Mu, was extremely unexpected.

This kid not only didn't kowtow in gratitude, flattered and honored, but instead scratched the back of his head with a blank face and turned to look at Ye Xiu:

"Brother Ye, what kind of job is this 'Disciple of the Son of Heaven'?"

"Is the old Emperor planning to send me to the inner court to herd cattle for him? Does it include meals or not?"

"Pfft..."

The Seventh Princess, Ling Yuxiu, who had been immersed in sadness and lingering fear, was directly amused to laughter through her tears by this rustic, simple-minded question from Qin Mu.

She rolled her eyes at Qin Mu in annoyance and coquettishly scolded: "You silly Cowherd Boy!"

"Disciple of the Son of Heaven is simply the personal student of the Emperor; from now on in this capital, whoever sees you must respectfully address you as Young Master Qin!"

"It doesn't just include meals; as long as you don't rebel, you can practically walk sideways!"

Ye Xiu listened from the side, the smile in his eyes deepening.

As expected of someone who can be an emperor, Emperor Yankang's political instinct and calculations are truly sharp.

The Empress Dowager's poison was just neutralized, and the imperial edict arrived right on its heels.

On the surface, it is a heavy reward for Qin Mu, but in reality, it kills three birds with one stone!

The art of kingship; indeed, there is not a single wasted move.

"What are you dazing for? Hurry up and receive the edict."

Ye Xiu extended his foot and kicked Qin Mu's butt very casually, laughing and scolding:

"This is a golden rice bowl that the Emperor is offering you on his own initiative."

"With this status, in the future, you won't have to pay for reading books, borrowing Cultivation Technique, or getting Spirit Medicine in the Imperial Academy."

Upon hearing the four words "don't have to pay".

The Cowherd Boy, who was used to being thrifty in Canlao Village and was afraid of being poor, had his eyes light up like two little lanterns, and his previous hesitation vanished in an instant.

"Commoner Qin Mu, thank you, Your Majesty, for the reward! This Disciple of the Son of Heaven, I accept it!"