Su Li concocted the antidote with the herbs, and Jun Mo watched her from beside her, his expression relaxed. In less than a quarter of an hour, Su Li stopped her movements and handed a bowl containing a small amount of medicinal liquid to Jun Mo.
"Hahahaha, I'm dying of laughter! Everyone else's antidotes are pills, and you just mash a few herbs together? I'm telling you, you really don't take this man's life seriously. Just wait fifteen minutes, and he'll be dead with his intestines ruptured." Just as Su Li stopped, Zhao Hao's sarcastic voice rang out.
Jun Mo ignored him and, just as he had swallowed the poison, drank the medicinal liquid without hesitation. Su Li took his wrist to check his pulse. Only when she found that the poison was completely neutralized did she breathe a sigh of relief.
Although she was confident about this poison, she also feared that the opponent had added some hidden medicine that she hadn't detected. But now it seemed she had overestimated the opponent.
On the other side, Zhao Hao had also finished concocting his antidote. He confidently tilted his head back and swallowed it. At this moment, the Female Official approached with several elders.
The elder first took Zhao Hao's pulse, then cupped his hands and said, "Sir, this man's poison is cured." Zhao Hao glanced triumphantly at Su Li and Jun Mo, then said, "Of course. I've been concocting poisons for nearly forty years.
This small poison is nothing. It's just a pity for this man; his own wife doesn't care whether he lives or dies..." The Female Official interrupted him, telling the elder, "Examine him too." The elder gestured for Jun Mo to extend his hand, then took his pulse. Zhao Hao looked at Jun Mo triumphantly. "This poison is something I've spent my entire life studying to create. She cannot cure it."
"Sir, his poison is also cured."
"What?! Impossible!" Zhao Hao instantly looked at Su Li, whose expression was utterly calm. Zhao Hao didn't believe it and tried to step forward to take his pulse personally. Before he could get close, Jun Mo waved his hand, and Zhao Hao stumbled backward several steps, falling to the ground.
"Alright, since both your poisons have been cured, it's a draw. Proceed to the next round of competition." The crowd below immediately burst into chatter.
"I didn't expect this lady to truly have skill." "Fortunately, the poison was cured. This man is so devoted; it would have been a pity if he died." "This Zhao Hao also has skill. Today truly is filled with experts." Zhao Hao climbed up, letting out an unwilling cold snort.
Su Li watched him, a slight smile on her lips, and silently counted in her heart: three, two, one... Zhao Hao had just gotten up when he suddenly felt a cramping pain in his abdomen. At first, he didn't pay attention, wanting to leave quickly, but no sooner had he moved his foot than he fell to the ground again. "Ah! It hurts! It's killing me!" Zhao Hao writhed on the ground in pain. The crowd below stirred.
"What's going on? Didn't they say the poison was cured?" "Could it be that this Zhao Hao has some illness that just happened to act up?" "This Zhao Hao is truly detestable, arrogant and complacent. Now he's getting his comeuppance." The Female Official frowned and glanced at the elder. "Go see what's happening again?" The elder stepped forward.
Zhao Hao was rolling on the ground, making it impossible to even begin diagnosing him. Two soldiers came and held him down firmly. Only then did the elder step forward to take his pulse. His brows furrowed tightly.
"Strange." The Female Official asked, "What's wrong?" "He's poisoned, but this old man cannot diagnose what poison he's afflicted with." "Hiss!" The Female Official gasped. Not being able to diagnose the poison meant that the poisoner's skill was incredibly high.
The Female Official looked at Su Li and asked, "Li Su, did you administer this poison?" Su Li nodded, openly admitting, "Yes." Zhao Hao, his face pale from pain, cursed loudly, "You vicious wretch!" Su Li's face darkened. "You wanted my beloved to have his intestines ruptured. What right do you have to call me vicious? Besides, this is a poison duel. You're simply inferior in skill. Who's to blame?"
"Antidote! Give me the antidote!" Zhao Hao's eyes were venomous as he reached out to Su Li. Su Li curled her lips. "Aren't you very skilled? Concoct the antidote yourself. Like you, I didn't make an antidote either." Zhao Hao gritted his teeth. "You!"
Although a Life-and-Death Contract had been signed, the Female Official still didn't want a death to occur. Otherwise, fewer and fewer people would come to participate in poison duels in the future.
She looked at Su Li and said, "This is a human life, Madam. Do you truly have no antidote?" Su Li looked at Zhao Hao. "I can give him the antidote, but he must kneel and kowtow to my husband in apology."
Zhao Hao's face was grim, his eyes burning with venom as he looked at Su Li. Su Li curled her lips and chuckled. "Unwilling? Alright then, you can just suffer. This medicine won't take your life; it will only cause you pain for two hours each day." Then, she took Jun Mo's hand and said, "Let's go!" Jun Mo smiled and allowed her to lead him down.
"Wait... wait!" As the two were about to descend the steps, a voice from behind called out to them. Su Li turned around and saw Zhao Hao struggling to his feet. "I admit my mistake! Just... I hope you keep your word." Su Li nodded. "Wouldn't it have been better to do this earlier?"
Zhao Hao knelt down unwillingly, gritting his teeth, and kowtowed to Jun Mo. His lips moved slightly. Su Li frowned. "Who can hear your voice? You're not quietly cursing us, are you?" Zhao Hao said loudly,
"I'm sorry, I was wrong! Please forgive me this once!" Su Li asked, "What were you wrong about?" Zhao Hao stopped speaking, but the cramping pain in his abdomen made him break out in cold sweat.
"I... I was wrong to harbor malicious thoughts, to be arrogant, and to speak so wildly." Su Li nodded in satisfaction. She walked aside, picked a few herbs, and threw them to him. "Here, two leaves from each of these three herbs."
Zhao Hao was incredulous. "It's that simple?" Su Li nodded. "It's that simple. Poison isn't stronger just because it's flashier. Achieving the goal with the simplest means is what's truly good."
Zhao Hao picked a few leaves, chewed them, and swallowed. Soon, he felt the pain in his abdomen lessen. Su Li said, "Since our business here is done, let's go down." Su Li pulled Jun Mo and turned to leave. Zhao Hao looked up at Su Li's retreating back with hatred, a malicious smile on his face.
"Watch out!" Jun Mo pulled her into his embrace. Two silver needles flashed past Su Li's eyes. Su Li's face turned cold, and she said sharply, "Still haven't learned your lesson!" Two silver needles flew from her sleeve, straight towards Zhao Hao.
Zhao Hao felt a pang in his shoulder, but nothing else. Jun Mo turned and gave Zhao Hao a cold glance. Zhao Hao was so intimidated by that look that he dared not move. Finally, Su Li pulled Jun Mo down from the platform, waiting for the next match.
Zhao Hao was escorted out of the competition area by soldiers. "I'll have someone deal with him right away!" Jun Mo said coldly. Su Li stopped him. "No need. He won't live past tomorrow."
"Those two silver needles?" Su Li nodded. "I gave him a chance. He sought his own death." Jun Mo held her hand. "Li'er did well." If this wasn't Xichen, he wouldn't want to attract attention. Otherwise, that man would have already been splattered on the high platform. Su Li and he exchanged smiles.
She hadn't wanted to give Zhao Hao the antidote at first, but she was afraid of leaving a ruthless impression on the Female Official, which might prevent them from entering the Princess's Estate. A poison master with malicious intentions like Zhao Hao, left in the world, would undoubtedly cause harm to countless people.
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