She wasn't angry. She understood that people who suffered from chronic illness could become eccentric. Imperial Consort Xi had actually been very refined.

"Sure. However, I must remind you not to reveal any emotions that shouldn't be shown. I have a bad temper and might get angry," Imperial Consort Xi warned in a soft and gentle voice.

"Okay."

Ye Jiuge had seen all kinds of violent storms and waves, and Imperial Consort Xi's words did not frighten her. Imperial Consort Xi lifted her white jade-like hand and grasped the b.u.t.tons on the left side of her veil. Slowly, she removed it. As the veil parted, the left side of Imperial Consort Xi's face was revealed. Her skin was as smooth as jade, with no hint of wrinkles, and her face was beautifully n.o.ble and elegant. She was like a sacred fairy.

Ye Jiuge's line of sight moved with the veil. When she saw the right side of Imperial Consort Xi's face, she shuddered even though she had already mentally prepared herself. A nauseous feeling rushed up to her throat, but Ye Jiuge forcefully suppressed it. The right side of Imperial Consort Xi's face was covered with yellow, pus-filled tumors. Many of them had already ruptured, secreting yellowish-white pus with a hint of blood. One part of her face was festering, and it emitted the pungent stench of rotten flesh in stinking gutters. The right side of her face was just as repulsive as the left side was beautiful. The sharp contrast prevented anyone from looking at her directly.

Ye Jiuge quickly composed her emotions. She opened her Spiritual Eye and scrutinized Imperial Consort Xi's face. Within the field of view of her Spiritual Eye, she could see green-colored Spiritual Power flowing underneath the left side of Imperial Consort Xi's face. On the right side, the Spiritual Channels had been entirely blocked by black-colored particles. Blood was unable to flow through, let alone Spiritual Power. If not for a pale violet Spiritual Light in her aorta, which continuously transported a mysterious power, Imperial Consort Xi's face would have already turned into a white skull.

Imperial Consort Xi stared unblinking at Ye Jiuge, waiting for her to reveal any hint of disgust, revulsion, or shock. She did not expect Ye Jiuge to curb her emotions so quickly and observe her face clinically. She had only seen that kind of composed reaction in an elderly Spiritual Doctor. At that time, he'd been diagnosing a child who had fallen ill. The elderly Spiritual Doctor had also been the only person capable of suppressing her illness. It was unfortunate that he pa.s.sed away not long after. His disciple, who had inherited his medical skill, was the one who had continued her medical treatment. Although the disciple's medical ability was mediocre, it had sufficed.

Imperial Consort Xi was surprised; Ye Jiuge was so young, and yet, she had the elderly Spiritual Doctor's bearing. This caused hope to twinge in her heart.

"Imperial Consort, may I venture to ask about the medicine that you have been consuming?"

Ye Jiuge was finally sure of the root of the illness. She closed her Spiritual Eye and inquired attentively. Her cultivation was insufficient, and it would harm her body to open her Spiritual Eye for too long.

"I've been eating pills that activate blood circulation to dissipate blood stasis, as well as applying an ointment on my face."

The elderly Spiritual Doctor had prescribed them for her. Although they could not eradicate the root of her illness, they brought great relief to her pain. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to bear it for so many years.

"Can you show me the ointment?" Ye Jiuge asked.

"Sure."

Imperial Consort Xi rose and retrieved an exquisite white porcelain bottle from a cabinet and placed it in front of Ye Jiuge. Ye Jiuge opened the bottle and looked inside. It was filled with a dark green ointment that gave off a faint smell of gra.s.s. She sniffed carefully before scooping some of it up with her fingers. Finally, she said with certainty, "This ointment is the reason your illness has worsened."

"What?" Imperial Consort Xi thought that she had misheard.

"I don't know who prescribed this ointment for you. I can only say that they were trying to harm you and not save you," Ye Jiuge said slowly.

"How can that be?" Imperial Consort Xi was not convinced. She said, "Before, my face was rotting terribly, and I felt soreness and pain in my entire body. It was after I started using this Spiritual Doctor's prescription that my condition slowly began to improve."

"Did these symptoms only appear after you ate the pills my grandfather gave you?" Ye Jiuge asked.

"Yes." Imperial Consort Xi nodded slowly, as though she had realized something.

"The pills that my grandfather gave you could have cured the poison. Had you waited for the rotten flesh to fall off before seeking a reliable Spiritual Doctor to purge the remaining toxins, your condition would have gradually got better."

Ye Jiuge sighed. Imperial Consort Xi had not needed to bear this pain for so many years. Because she hadn't believed in Ye Jiuge's grandfather and sought out other Spiritual Doctors, she'd caused her own treatment to fall short.

Imperial Consort Xi was stupefied. She recalled the elderly Spiritual Doctor on his deathbed. He had looked at her with worry and sadness, but he was unable to say a single word. She had thought that he was regretting that he was unable to continue treating her. Now that she thought of it, the elderly Spiritual Doctor was repenting before his death. That's not right, either! Imperial Consort Xi frowned. She remembered that, when she had started using the elderly Spiritual Doctor's medicine, her face had continued to fester. It had just been a little less itchy. Later, the elderly Spiritual Doctor had suddenly changed his prescription. A few days later, he'd died, and his disciple had popped up to treat her using the elderly Spiritual Doctor's modified prescription. Meaning, the elderly Spiritual Doctor was killed because of her, and the disciple was the main culprit behind her worsening illness.

That d*mned b*tch, Xue Mingzhu! She'd dared to follow her to the Emperor Temple and continued actively plotting to harm her.

"Xue Mingzhu, I will not die in peace until your death!"

Imperial Consort Xi gritted her teeth, and her facial features became wrenched. The boils on the right side of her face immediately ruptured, and blood and pus splattered everywhere. It was a horrifying sight. Ye Jiuge realized that something was wrong with Imperial Consort Xi; she seemed to be having a sudden heart attack. She hurriedly applied a few needles to Imperial Consort Xi's various acupuncture points.

Imperial Consort Xi opened her mouth and spewed out blood. Her expression became calmer. She took out a handkerchief to wipe away the blood on the corners of her mouth, looked at Ye Jiuge with grat.i.tude, and said in a soft voice, "Thank you!"

Had Ye Jiuge not helped her force out this mouthful of clotted blood, she would have fainted on the spot.

"Imperial Consort, for a n.o.ble to take revenge, ten years is not so long. If you gradually recuperate, there is hope for you to restore your looks. Then, you will be able to seek revenge," Ye Jiuge advised.

"You can treat my illness?" Imperial Consort Xi was in a daze.

From Ye Jiuge's tone before, she had thought that her illness was incurable since she'd missed her opportunity when Great Master Yun had given her the antidote.

"Although it will be slightly more difficult, it's not impossible. If you believe in me, I am willing to give it a try."

Ye Jiuge was deliberately misleading Imperial Consort Xi into believing that her illness was incurable.

Imperial Consort Xi was too haughty, and Ye Jiuge feared that she would not listen to her unless suppressed. Treating such a difficult patient was going to be a challenge.