Chapter Ninety-Seven: In Search of Healers and Remedies

When Gale saw that Zhou Yi had fainted, he hurried over and licked at Zhou Yi’s cheek, letting out soft whimpering cries now and then.

In these dark times, where would ordinary people find spare coin to seek out gods, burn incense, and make offerings? Life on Mount Mao had never been easy, but after this incident the villagers nearby all learned that there truly were immortals upon the mountain. In the days that followed, many more benefactors came up the mountain to present petitions and receive blessings.

Three days later, a young gentleman arrived at Mount Mao, followed by a servant. Upon arriving, he directly placed a thousand-tael banknote into the merit box.

The young novice guarding the merit box saw that a distinguished guest had arrived, and hurried forward with a bow. “Infinite Heavenly Venerable. You are most generous, benefactor. A simple meal and guest room have already been prepared in the rear hall. Please come with me.”

“I...”

Just then, the attendant behind him gave a slight cough. The young gentleman froze, then covered his mouth in embarrassment before continuing.

“No, no simple meal is necessary. I trouble you, Daoist, to take me to see your sect master. I have matters I wish to discuss with him.”

The young gentleman’s voice was delicate, and with every gesture there came a faint orchid fragrance.

The scent was fresh and elegant, refreshing the spirit and clearing the mind. The young novice could not help sniffing, then realized his lapse and quickly averted his gaze. “If you wish to see the sect master, I must first report it. Please come with me to the guest hall for tea.”

After speaking, the novice led the young gentleman to the guest hall, then turned and said to the servant behind him, “You’ve followed us all the way here. Sit down and rest. There’s no need to keep standing.”

“How could I? This servant is fine standing.”

“We agreed when we left that, once outside, the two of us would address each other as brothers. If you break that again, then go back to the capital.”

The young gentleman said this with feigned irritation.

“Understood. This servant will not dare again.”

The servant pouted, but when a servant and master have been together for so long, how could their manner of address be changed in an instant?

The young gentleman pursed his lips, and in that movement two faint dimples showed at his cheeks. His eyes were bright and gentle, and with those dimples he looked every inch a beautiful maiden, not a young man at all.

“Infinite Heavenly Venerable. Yuan Tingyu greets you.” Entering the guest hall, Yuan Tingyu went straight to the point and asked what business the visitor had.

“Master Yuan’s great name has long echoed like thunder in my ears. To be fortunate enough to meet your immortal countenance is truly a blessing from three lifetimes of good fortune.” As he spoke, the young gentleman cupped his fists in salute, though the gesture looked awkward no matter how one viewed it.

Yuan Tingyu smiled faintly. “It is all but a hollow reputation. Your generosity is much appreciated; on behalf of all the disciples of Mount Mao, I thank the two of you.” From the moment they entered, Yuan Tingyu had already seen that both of them were women disguised as men, but he did not expose them. Instead, he simply sat opposite them and lifted his tea to drink.

To be honest, I came to Mount Mao to find someone.” The young gentleman thought for a moment before speaking. Before he had even finished, a flush had already risen to his cheeks, making him all the more lovely to behold.

Yuan Tingyu set down his teacup and asked, “May I ask whom the benefactor seeks? If that person is here on Mount Mao, this poor Daoist will naturally have them brought before you.”

“The one I am looking for is called Zhou Yi. Is he on Mount Mao?”

In Zhou Yi’s room.

Zhou Yi had already awakened, and Precious was feeding him plain rice porridge. At present, Zhou Yi had no spiritual energy at all. It was not that his cultivation had been ruined, but that his qi had been exhausted completely. Even the trace of spiritual energy within his blood was gone.

It would take Zhou Yi days and nights of cultivation to recover it. But the spiritual energy within the blood was the innate qi of the human body; after it was spent, how could it possibly be replenished so easily? Three days had already passed, and he could not even get out of bed.

His scalp itched. He reached up to scratch it, and when he opened his hand, he found several strands of white hair caught between his fingers.

At the sight of the white hair, Zhou Yi frowned and pushed away the porridge Precious was offering again. “Precious, find me a mirror.”

Precious pouted. “This is Mount Mao. Where would we get a mirror?”

Zhou Yi looked at Precious but did not answer. Instead, he braced himself with both hands and tried to sit up.

Precious hurried forward to support him, but Zhou Yi shoved him aside. After pushing Precious away, Zhou Yi tried to put on his shoes and get down from the bed, but in his present weakness he had no hope of walking.

Ignoring Zhou Yi’s displeasure, Precious helped him back onto the bed. “Lie still. I’ll go find you a mirror. Don’t move, all right?”

With that, Precious turned and went out to look for one. Ever since Zhou Yi had awakened and learned the state of his body, his temper had grown increasingly fierce. That morning, Precious had helped him sit up so he could cross his legs and cultivate for two hours, but the results were meager; he had not even recovered one percent of his former spiritual energy.

Yet once spiritual energy returned, hope remained. Zhou Yi had been overjoyed, only to watch that tiny bit of energy be absorbed by his own blood, leaving his meridians and dantian empty once more.

A person with even the faintest hope still has the strength to persevere. But when there is not even the slightest hope left, the courage to continue simply vanishes. He had lain back down on the bed, and that was how the scene from before had come to pass.

A moment later, Precious returned with the mirror. Zhou Yi looked at himself in it, at the full head of white hair and the deep wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, and remained strangely calm.

He handed the mirror back to Precious, then sat cross-legged again and resumed cultivation.

The result needs no explanation. Less than an hour later, Zhou Yi opened his eyes, and they were filled with savage fury. He wrapped the pillow and quilt together at random and hurled them forcefully to the floor. Even this small motion left him gasping for breath.

Breathing heavily, he lay back on the bed of bare wooden planks and stared up at the ceiling, his gaze dull and scattered. He had done all he could. Proud as he was, he had never known how to yield, but now he was utterly without recourse, and this was the only way he had to vent his frustration.

“Brother Yi, don’t be like this. I’ll get the carriage ready right now, and we can go down the mountain and head home.”

Tears in his eyes, Precious spoke these words.

Zhou Yi drew back his unfocused gaze and turned to look at him. “Yes. Home. We’re going home right now.”

As he spoke, he began to get out of bed and put on his shoes.

Just as Precious was helping Zhou Yi to the doorway, Yuan Tingyu pushed the door open and entered with the young gentleman beside him. “And where is True Man Zhou off to?”

Seeing the bundles on the backs of the two men, Yuan Tingyu could tell at once that they were leaving Mount Mao, though he still asked the question all the same.

Zhou Yi’s mouth curved into a faint, bitter smile. “We have troubled Mount Mao for many days. I already feel deeply ashamed. The two of us are leaving now, to return to the Northeast.”

Hearing this, Yuan Tingyu quickly took hold of Zhou Yi’s other arm and said in urgent tones, “This injury of yours came about entirely because of Mount Mao. You are a great benefactor to our sect. How can you speak of troubling us? The day before yesterday, Muchen left Mount Mao specifically to search for doctors and medicine on your behalf.”

With his heart, which had already resigned itself to death, reignited by hope, Zhou Yi’s face lit up with delight. “Are you saying that, Master Yuan?”

Yuan Tingyu nodded. “How would this poor Daoist dare deceive True Man Zhou? It’s just that the person who can cure you lives very far from Mount Mao. If the journey is not delayed, it will still take two more days before he can return.”

With hope restored, the gloom in Zhou Yi’s heart lifted at once, and a smile returned to his face. “You have truly gone to great trouble on my account, Master Yuan. I thank you again here and now. And these two are...”