Chapter 222: Caoxin Hall
Chapter 222: Caoxin Hall
"Taken away?"
Hu Ma listened, feeling a bit puzzled by the sudden and unexplained statement.
The old steward seemed equally frightened, his face anxious. He was about to step forward when Hu Ma suddenly glanced at him. Hu Ma wasn't completely trusting this unverified old steward and didn't want him to get too close.
The old steward, understanding the situation, quickly stopped and said to Hu Ma, "Please, kind sir, try first."
"Try to check my young miss's pulse. First, observe her palm, then test the roots of her index and middle fingers, and finally, the roots of her ring and little fingers to see if there are any abnormalities."
"..."
"No need to test!"
At this moment, the doctor standing nearby interjected, "I've already taken her pulse. It's very strange. Her palm is icy cold, and her pulse is almost non-existent. However, her palm occasionally moves, and her index and middle fingers twitch from time to time."
He hadn't left yet, wanting to see how Hu Ma would treat her, hoping to learn something new.
Moreover, it was already dark, and he didn't dare to go back alone, as doctors also fear evil spirits. He needed to wait until the work was done and someone could escort him back with a lantern.
"Then it's true..."
Hearing this, the old steward's expression turned ashen, and he murmured, "Miss, she has indeed been detained by something, but..."
"Who has the power to take her away?"
"..."
Hu Ma had been listening quietly and now looked at him, asking, "What do you mean by 'taken away'?"
"Lost her soul."
The old steward's eyes were fixed on the unconscious Fragrant Girl on the bed. "A person has three souls and seven spirits. Miss is showing symptoms of her soul and spirit leaving her body and not returning."
"Her soul and spirit leaving her body isn't that normal?"
Hu Ma thought to himself, even considering that she might be guiding other souls...
But he had long known that Fragrant Girl had some special background, so he didn't reveal this. Instead, he looked at the old steward and said, "Since she's lost her soul, we should call a Ghost Walker to help check?"
Normally, calling back a lost soul is a technique of the Soul Punishment Sect.
However, Ghost Walkers, who treat illnesses and exorcise evil spirits, deal with various situations, so they have a broader range of skills. When ordinary families encounter symptoms of a lost soul, they instinctively call a Ghost Walker.
"It won't work, it won't work."
Hu Ma's suggestion was reasonable, but the old steward immediately shook his head. "Miss is different from others. Her soul not returning to her body indicates a serious problem."
"The most urgent task is to protect Miss's vital points. Otherwise, after twelve hours, she... she won't make it."
"..."
"Hmm?"
Hu Ma sensed that the old steward knew something and quietly looked at him.
But the old steward's expression was slightly awkward, and he avoided Hu Ma's gaze, focusing anxiously on Fragrant Girl, his forehead breaking out in a fine sweat.
"Caoxin Hall."
At this moment, the doctor, who had been following along and trying to understand, seemed to grasp what the old steward meant. He quickly said, "If her soul can't be called back, it's a case of soul loss."
"In that case, we need to go to the city and find someone from Caoxin Hall. They are the best at treating such complex conditions, but their rules are strict, and they don't easily treat people..."
"..."
"There's a Caoxin Hall here?"
The old steward was taken aback for a moment, then he was overjoyed. "That's great. We can only rely on them."
"Miss White Wine's Caoxin Hall?"
Hu Ma was also slightly stunned and didn't offer an opinion.
He wasn't fully aware of Fragrant Girl's condition yet, and the old steward seemed to be holding back some information, which was unsettling. But saving her was the priority, so he didn't press further.
He immediately had a carriage prepared to rush to Mingzhou City that night.
Seeing that Fragrant Girl was in trouble, all the apprentices were very concerned, but they couldn't all abandon the village and go to the city. So Hu Ma only took Zhou Datong and Zhao Zhu, leaving Zhou Liang to watch over the village in case anything happened.
"Sent a message to the Mule and Horse Shop at Great Stone Cliff, but no one from the Li Family came. Instead, Fragrant Girl suddenly fell ill..."
"This old steward came on his own and immediately determined that her soul couldn't be called back..."
"Or was it detained by something?"
"Who is the Li Family from Great Stone Cliff?"
"When the old steward mentioned this family, saying that even the Red Lantern Lady couldn't handle it, was he bluffing or did he really have the confidence?"
"..."
On the way, Hu Ma, driving the carriage, had many questions.
However, he could tell that the old steward didn't want to talk about it. Perhaps he didn't trust Hu Ma, and Hu Ma didn't fully trust him either. So he decided not to force the issue and would first go to Caoxin Hall to get help stabilizing Fragrant Girl's condition.
As he thought, Hu Ma pretended to doze off in the front of the carriage, looking as if he had fallen asleep, but in reality, he was entering a deep sleep.
In his Life-bound Spirit Temple, Hu Ma placed his hand on the incense burner and called out softly a few times.
Soon, the Life Incense responded, passing through the dark red mist and connecting with Miss White Wine. She sounded a bit surprised and happy:
"Did you complete it so quickly?"
"..."
Hu Ma was taken aback for a moment, then he remembered that he had agreed to contact her once he had refined the three organs.
Actually, I have already refined my five internal organs, but I haven’t had the chance to look for her. So, I hurriedly said, “I’m almost done with the third organ, but that’s not why I’m here today. I actually wanted to ask if Caoxin Hall can treat someone with a lost soul condition?”
Miss White Wine was taken aback for a moment: “Is it a lost soul, or a detached soul?”
Hu Ma thought for a moment and then understood the difference. A detached soul is simply a lost soul that can be called back by a Ghost Walker. A condition where the soul cannot be called back is considered a lost soul condition.
He quickly said, “It’s a lost soul. It’s a friend of mine. The doctors all say that we need to bring them to Caoxin Hall for a proper examination, but I heard that Caoxin Hall has very strict rules, and since it’s your place, I thought I’d ask first to avoid any trouble.”
Miss White Wine fell silent for a moment and then said, “If it’s a genuine lost soul condition, ordinary doctors won’t be able to handle it. Someone from the Inner Circle would need to intervene.”
“But Caoxin Hall doesn’t easily treat such conditions. Diguashao has already come around twice, but because the Blood Food preparations were insufficient, she couldn’t be treated.”
“...”
Hearing her words, Hu Ma knew he had come to the right place.
He didn’t press his request but waited patiently for Miss White Wine to decide. She pondered for a moment and then said, “Here’s what I suggest. If you come, try to arrive after dawn but before noon. You might be able to find someone who can help.”
Hu Ma was curious, “Why?”
“Because there’s someone you know who will be sitting in consultation at that time. If you come then, you might catch him. Given your old acquaintance, he might help you out.”
Miss White Wine continued, “Of course, if the matter is serious, he might not interfere. Your current status gives you face with others, but it’s not enough to command respect from him.”
“However, you needn’t worry. If necessary, I’ll come and take a look.”
“...”
Hearing this, Hu Ma was relieved.
He couldn’t help but reflect on the difference between knowing the details and not knowing them.
Diguashao didn’t know Miss White Wine’s background, so Miss White Wine didn’t feel compelled to give her the green light.
But since Hu Ma was acquainted with her, Miss White Wine, out of consideration, was willing to lend a hand in certain matters.
After making the arrangement, they left the Life-bound Spirit Temple and continued their journey, the night road now clear and quiet. By the time the sky was just beginning to lighten, they had already arrived. Hu Ma and his companions joined the crowd of people entering the city gates, including those selling vegetables and fruits, and traveling merchants.
Logically, upon arriving in Mingzhou City, he should visit his friends from various paths. However, since he was here to see a doctor, he didn’t have time for that. He directly asked a passerby for directions to Caoxin Hall and easily found it, soon arriving at a rather grand building.
The building had three stories and two entrances, both with long queues.
One entrance was for the Herbal Medicine Shop, and the other for the Clinic, where doctors were in consultation.
Even early in the morning, there were already many people waiting. Hu Ma quickly had Zhou Datong get a number ticket and wait in line. From a distance, he could see the busy scene inside. The doctors were diagnosing patients, feeling their pulses, and singing out their symptoms and prescriptions in a melodic tone:
“The pulse is floating, large, and rapid, indicating internal toxins that haven’t dispersed…”
“Use four qian of Coptis and support with honeysuckle…”
“…”
As they diagnosed, they sang out the symptoms and prescriptions, and the apprentices learned and dispensed medicine while calculating the cost, all in an orderly manner.
The people waiting for their turn were careful not to make noise, even covering their mouths when they coughed.
Unexpectedly, just after Hu Ma and his companions got their number ticket and before they brought in the sick girl, the old steward slid down from the carriage and rushed into the clinic, shouting at the apprentices, “Is there a Life Commander from Caoxin Hall here?”
His shout caused a commotion in the clinic.
Two apprentices immediately rushed over, pushing and shouting, “Go get a number ticket first.”
“What are you shouting for?”
“...”
The old steward, in a hurry, quickly bowed and said, “I’m not shouting. Ordinary doctors can’t treat our condition. Please have your Life Commanders come out; I need to speak with them directly…”
“What Life Commanders? We don’t have any.”
But his ragged clothes and confused appearance made no one pay him much attention. The apprentices just pushed him around.
Hu Ma frowned, about to have someone pull him out, when the small commotion caught the attention of someone from the other entrance, the Herbal Medicine Shop.
Compared to the clinic, the Herbal Medicine Shop was quieter, with fewer people. Seeing the commotion, the apprentices there naturally came over to help. Behind them, an old man in a long robe and small hat followed, holding a tobacco pipe, taking a look at the commotion. His eyes met Hu Ma’s at the clinic entrance.
Both were taken aback.
---
New Year’s first day, how can I not update?
Anyway, I won’t be burning out today. I will do my best to write more!
(End of Chapter)
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