Bai Buyu checked Qiu Yurong's condition. The poison had invaded her heart meridians, making her truly difficult to save. She first pulled two heart-protecting pills from her small pouch for Qiu Yurong to swallow, and then applied acupuncture to several major pressure points around Qiu Yurong's heart.
After all this, Qiu Yurong's complexion eased slightly compared to before.
"Come here." Bai Buyu let out a heavy sigh, drew out the Fujiang Bone Jade, and pondered for a long time as if finally making up her mind. With a strong flick of her fingertips, she actually split the bone jade in her hand into two. Bai Buyu carefully put away the piece with the carved characters and shoved the other piece into Qiu Yucheng's hand.
"This young lady can only do this much. Whether your sister lives or dies is up to you now."
Qiu Yucheng stared blankly at the half-section of bone jade in his hand. When he came to his senses, he was about to drop to his knees without a word, but was stopped by a single glance from Bai Buyu.
"There's no need to kneel. This young lady isn't your parent, and I can't afford to accept that."
"Miss Buyu and the young master saved both my sister and me today. If by some chance Yurong survives, both Yucheng and I will place ourselves at the service of you two to repay this lifesaving grace." Though still weak, Qiu Yurong's words were resonant and powerful, worthy of a well-known heroine on the pugilistic rankings.
"What is Miss Qiu saying? As the saying goes, kindness is rendered without seeking reward. With Miss Buyu's noble and unyielding character, how could she possibly be the kind of person who leverages kindness to demand a reward?" Li Lianhua slowly paced over to interject, then curved his brows and smiled as he looked at Bai Buyu. "Am I right, Miss Buyu?"
"Naturally." Bai Buyu picked up the thread smoothly. "Since Master Li has put it thus, Miss Qiu need not take it to heart. I naturally have places to log the debts you owe."
Hearing this, the smile on Li Lianhua's face stiffened for a fraction of a second.
"Yurong is slow-witted. If the two of you ever have need of our brother and sister in the future, the two of us will certainly weave grass in gratitude and lay down our lives without hesitation."
Not catching the subtext in the two people's words, Qiu Yurong suddenly remembered that she had yet to ask the honorable names of her two benefactors, and hastily bowed respectfully. "It is shameful to say, but Yurong has yet to ask the names of our two benefactors. Might I be told?"
"This young lady is called Bai Buyu, and this fellow is called Li..."
"Li Ahua," Li Lianhua said in a ringing voice. "I am Li Ahua."
"Li... Ahua?" Qiu Yurong was thoroughly bewildered. It was truly rare for martial arts heroes to choose such... approachable names.
"Li Ahua?" Even Bai Buyu nearly broke character on the spot upon hearing this name.
"Miss Buyu, how do you plan to deal with this Mu Qianli?" Not wishing to dwell on this topic, Li Lianhua had no choice but to rack his brains to steer the conversation elsewhere.
"He has been hit with the Purple Fragrance Soul-Bewitching Powder, which I specially concocted for him and Feng Wuqi. After inhaling this bewitching smoke, his limbs will be weak, he will be unable to see, and he will be unable to speak, but his consciousness alone remains completely clear. Simply put, he is a living corpse."
Bai Buyu glanced at Mu Qianli as if looking at something filthy. "Living such a life worse than death—well, let him live. That old bastard is somewhat troublesome, though."
"Indeed," Li Lianhua nodded. "If Old Prince Yongjing's corpse poison is allowed to spread, I fear it might harm innocent people."
"It's a pity I didn't bring any Corpse-Dissolving Powder with me, or else dissolving this old bastard would be a clean and simple end."
"Dissolving corpses is somewhat vulgar," Li Lianhua said with a deadpan expression. "It damages one's karmic merit."
"Fine," Bai Buyu agreed. "I see his stone coffin is quite sturdy. I'll go fetch some fire ant oil and cremate him on the spot."
Qiu Yurong frowned slightly, seemingly not understanding the difference between dissolving and cremating.
She looked in confusion toward Young Master Li Ahua, only to see him acting as if he had no objections to the suggestion, and instead starting to seriously appraise whether the thickness of the stone coffin would truly allow for a safe cremation.
When the four of them emerged from the tomb, the sky was already beginning to break into dawn.
The Qiu siblings expressed their utmost gratitude and bade farewell to Bai Buyu and Li Lianhua. The very first thing Li Lianhua did upon returning to the inn was go downstairs to have the attendant boil hot water, loudly demanding to bathe.
By the time Bai Buyu had snatched a rough hour of sleep and went to look for Li Lianhua, he had already scrubbed himself spotless and changed into a clean, light cyan long gown, looking refined and scholarly all over.
In contrast, Bai Buyu standing at his side looked rather like a maidservant doing manual labor.
"Young Master Li, this is the bill my mother asked me to deliver. She also asked me to ask if this garment fits well and whether you are satisfied?" The inn attendant walked in holding the bill, bypassed Bai Buyu, and handed it to Li Lianhua with a smile and a respectful bow.
"Satisfied, satisfied." Li Lianhua inspected his new clothes and praised, "The stitching is fine and dense, and it fits very well. The craftsmanship is naturally top-notch."
With that, he made a motion to search his waist as if reaching for money, while Bai Buyu simply stood there watching to see what he would do.
"Aiya, look at my memory." Li Lianhua felt around left and right, naturally failing to produce even half a tael of silver.
The attendant, who had been waiting eagerly for him to produce silver and settle the bill, gradually grew a confused expression.
"Cough, cough... Miss Buyu." Li Lianhua cast a glance at Bai Buyu. "You settle the account with this..."
"Wang Xiaoer," Wang Xiaoer hastily replied.
"With this brother Wang Xiaoer."
With a half-smile, Bai Buyu fished five taels of silver from her purse and tossed them to Wang Xiaoer. Wang Xiaoer caught the silver and happily went off to find his mother, leaving Li Lianhua and Bai Buyu alone in the room. Li Lianhua unconsciously rubbed his nose and was about to speak when Bai Buyu cut him off first.
"Li Ahua, is it?" Bai Buyu stared at Li Lianhua, her face full of teasing.
"Since you're so afraid of Qiu Yurong knowing your name, you must be quite famous, and you must be afraid that telling her would make Qiu Yurong and Qiu Yucheng recognize your identity. That's why you didn't dare give your real name. Last night I was too sleepy to think it over carefully, but this morning I pondered it closely. Although I haven't been wandering the pugilistic world for very long, I vaguely seem to remember that there is a divine doctor in the pugilistic world also named Li Lianhua?"