Chapter 63: The Great Buddha Temple Again

"Humph, a mere wandering ghost, and you dare to act so presumptuously!"

Xie Ning let out a cold snort, giving it no chance whatsoever.

He channeled the Innate Bagua and pointed his finger from afar toward the eerie doll in mid-air!

A ray of golden light, seemingly weak yet brimming with a supreme, righteous, and masculine energy, burst forth from Xie Ning's fingertips and struck the clay doll with pinpoint accuracy.

"Ah!"

A shrill, unearthly scream burst suddenly from within the doll, so piercing it almost shattered human eardrums.

"Bang!"

Under the illumination of the golden light, that malevolent clay doll melted like snow under the scorching sun. Not lasting even a single breath, it exploded with a loud bang in mid-air, transforming into a puff of black dust that drifted away with the wind.

On the bed, Imperial Physician Gong let out a heart-wrenching scream at the same time, his body arching violently as he opened his mouth and spat out a large mouthful of foul, black blood. Then, rolling his eyes back, he collapsed straight onto the bed and passed out cold.

The chilly, baleful atmosphere in the room instantly vanished without a trace.

Xie Ning took a deep breath and dusted off his hands with a calm expression.

"Alright, the evil qi has been removed, and he is safe. It's just that his vital energy is severely depleted; without a year or half of careful recuperation, I'm afraid he won't recover."

Imperial Physician Gong trembled as he stepped forward, reaching out to test his son's breathing. Though weak, it was steady and long.

He looked at his son's face again. Although pale as paper, that eerie and frantic madness had completely vanished.

He knew his son was saved!

Imperial Physician Gong turned back, no longer able to suppress the emotion and gratitude in his heart, and bowed deeply to Xie Ning with a long obeisance that touched the floor.

"Thank you, Your Grace, for saving his life. Gong will never forget this kindness for the rest of my days!"

"From this day on, whenever Your Grace has any command, even if Gong must climb mountains of daggers or plunge into seas of fire, I will not hesitate even in death!"

Such a promise from a senior imperial physician of the Imperial Hospital—someone who wielded countless interpersonal resources and could even influence the political situation within the palace—carried an immense weight.

Xie Ning accepted the bow with poise. He knew that from today onward, he had placed yet another crucial chess piece on this board.

He helped Imperial Physician Gong up and smiled. "Imperial Physician Gong exaggerates. However, there is indeed one matter I would like to consult you about."

"Please speak, Your Grace. Gong will tell you everything he knows!"

Xie Ning's gaze grew profound as he slowly began, "I have heard that there is a kind of sorcery in this world that can silently drain a person's vital energy and fortune, eventually turning them into a living corpse. I wonder if Imperial Physician Gong has ever heard of similar cases?"

Upon hearing this, Imperial Physician Gong trembled all over.

Could... could this be describing the Empress Dowager's illness?

He understood instantly that Xie Ning was dropping a hint for him!

"Does Your Grace mean..."

"That's right." Xie Ning nodded. "The Empress Dowager's condition is somewhat similar to your son's, but the method used is far more sophisticated and much more covert. The culprit doesn't want the Empress Dowager's life; they want to keep her in this sickly state indefinitely."

Imperial Physician Gong broke out in a cold sweat.

He immediately said, "Your Grace, rest assured, Gong understands this matter thoroughly. From today onward, if there is the slightest disturbance in the Cining Palace, Gong will report it to Your Grace at the very first moment!"

"In that case, I will have to trouble Imperial Physician Gong." Xie Ning nodded with satisfaction.

One good turn deserves another. He had saved Imperial Physician Gong's son, and Imperial Physician Gong would act as his eyes within the palace. This was a profitable trade.

Declining Imperial Physician Gong's profuse thanks and heavy monetary rewards, Xie Ning brought Mingyue back to the Marquis of Dingyuan's Mansion when the night was already deep.

As soon as he stepped through the courtyard gate, Qingfeng came forward to greet them, his expression carrying a hint of solemnity.

"Young Master, the matters you entrusted me with have all yielded news."

Xie Ning nodded, motioning for him to enter the room to talk in detail.

The three of them took their seats, and Mingyue spoke first, though the expression on his face carried an indescribable sense of strangeness and amusement.

"Young Master, the men monitoring Jia Huizu report that he didn't leave his mansion the entire day. But by afternoon, he stealthily sent a page boy to run through several apothecary shops, finally picking up several doses of medicine at an inconspicuous little shop."

"Your subordinate managed to get a copy of the prescription. Have a look."

Mingyue pulled a slip of paper from his bosom and handed it over.

Xie Ning took it and saw that it was filled with ingredients like tiger penis, antler velvet, and dog kidneys. The prescription was fiercely formulated—a potent medicine fit for fierce tigers and wolves.

He almost laughed out loud.

"That fool, cursed by me, has had his vital energy and spirit nearly hollowed out. Instead of thinking about consolidating his foundation and nurturing his vitality, he still wants to take these things to show off in brothels?"

Xie Ning shook his head, clicking his tongue in wonder.

"That is truly lighting a lantern in an outhouse—courting death. Let him be. The more he tosses and turns, the more trouble he saves me."

A worthless piece of trash was no longer worth his time and effort.

"What about Ouyue?" Xie Ning casually tossed the prescription aside and asked again.

"Ouyue..." Qingfeng took over the conversation, his tone tinged with a hint of emotion. "Ever since the poetry gathering, he has locked himself in his study and hasn't stepped out for many days."

"This afternoon, the servants in his mansion saw thick smoke rising from his study, thinking it had caught fire. When they broke in, they discovered that he was actually burning all the poetry and prose he had written in the past."

"It is said that he even snapped his favorite purple-hairs writing brush, which had been with him for over a decade, into two pieces right on the spot."

Upon hearing this, Xie Ning merely picked up his teacup and gently blew away the floating tea leaves, his face devoid of much expression.

"Ouyue's ambitions are higher than the heavens, but his life is thinner than paper. I'm afraid his path ends here for this lifetime."

Just as Xie Ning finished speaking, Qingfeng added, "Young Master, the most important news is from the Wise Prince's Mansion."

Qingfeng gathered his thoughts, his expression finally turning serious.

"Our men kept watch from afar and discovered that this afternoon, an extremely low-key carriage drove out from the side door of the Wise Prince's Mansion. Moving with extreme caution all the way, it finally went to the Great Buddha Temple in the suburban outskirts."

"The Great Buddha Temple?" Xie Ning's movement paused, his hand holding the teacup freezing mid-air.

"That's not all."

Qingfeng continued, "Our men also picked up another piece of news: these past few days, a rumor has suddenly begun circulating around the capital that a new statue of the Child-Bringing Guanyin has been consecrated at the suburban Great Buddha Temple, and praying for offspring there is exceptionally miraculous."

"Quite a few matrons from high-ranking aristocratic households have believed the rumor and sneaked off to the Great Buddha Temple, making the incense offerings suddenly flourish."

The Great Buddha Temple again!

Xie Ning's eyes narrowed slightly.

Recently, the Great Buddha Temple seemed unusually turbulent.

The Wise Prince's Mansion's carriage had also gone to the Great Buddha Temple.

And now, the Great Buddha Temple was suddenly peddling some gimmick about "miraculous prayers for offspring."

If all of this were mere coincidence, it was far too coincidental!

He remembered the Four-Yin Extinction Formation inflicted on Li Qingning, and the eerie sorcery slowly draining the Empress Dowager's vitality.

Such vicious magical arts required a steady stream of dark, malevolent energy to sustain them.

So, where did that energy come from?

A terrifying conjecture surfaced in his mind.