Chapter 1957: Tea House

The young man surnamed Shi flipped his hand and produced two book boxes. One contained martial arts manuals, and the other held various classics of the sages. Each time he returned to Qingyang Temple, he never forgot to bring these for Yulang.

"Thank you, Brother Shi!"

Yulang joyfully accepted them and eagerly opened the boxes. Indeed, there were many books he had not seen before.

Just then, a fragrant breeze suddenly wafted from a distance. Yin Qiao'er, returning from who knew where, landed in front of the temple. She hurried inside and immediately saw the young man surnamed Shi in the courtyard.

Sensing a presence behind him, the young man surnamed Shi turned around and said with a faint smile, "So it's Miss Yin. I didn't expect to meet you at Qingyang Temple again. I hope you've been well."

"Fellow... Fellow Daoist Shi, I hope you've been well."

Yin Qiao'er unconsciously softened her footsteps. She glanced at her aunt, who was holding the doorframe, nodded to the young man surnamed Shi, walked around to the front, gently supported her aunt, and then couldn't help but look back at the young man.

"Brother Shi, Fellow Daoists, let's go inside and talk." Yulang invited them enthusiastically.

However, the two women did not enter. Their gazes followed the young man surnamed Shi as he walked to the front of the hall. The young man surnamed Shi stopped and looked at Nianhui, asking, "Is this Fellow Daoist a friend of Miss Yin?"

"Uh!"

Yin Qiao'er's expression was a bit odd. She looked at the young man surnamed Shi, then at her aunt, before saying, "She is my aunt."

"Oh? So she is also a Miss Yin. This Shi has been rude," the young man surnamed Shi said, clasping his fist in a salute towards Nianhui.

"My aunt's Dharma name is Nianhui," Yin Qiao'er interjected.

"Nianhui..."

The young man surnamed Shi's expression remained unchanged; he merely nodded faintly.

At this moment, Nianhui's hand, which had been gripping the doorframe, also relaxed. She asked in a low voice, "Is Fellow Daoist surnamed Shi?"

"Indeed." The young man surnamed Shi nodded.

Yin Qiao'er looked at her aunt with anticipation, but saw her aunt merely nod gently and ask no further questions. She couldn't help but feel a little anxious and gently tugged at her aunt's sleeve.

As if he hadn't noticed, the young man surnamed Shi extended his hand forward, inviting them. "It's rare for the Daoist priest to emerge from seclusion; don't miss this opportunity. You two Fellow Daoists must have arrived earlier. As it's first come, first served, please, both of you."

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Shi." Nianhui turned and entered the main hall. Yin Qiao'er, having no choice, could only follow her inside.

Qin Sang, as usual, sat behind the table, flipping through the account books, waiting for those seeking medicine to arrive.

After the three exchanged greetings, Nianhui sat opposite Qin Sang, placing her arm on the table, revealing her fair wrist. Normally, cultivators could discern a person's condition with a sweep of their spiritual sense, rendering pulse diagnosis unnecessary. However, Qin Sang still extended his fingers, placing them on Nianhui's wrist. He immediately sensed something, his expression shifted slightly, and he instructed, "Suppress your true essence; do not resist."

Nianhui hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement. Qin Sang channeled a wisp of true essence, which traveled along her meridians, entering her body to ascertain the cause of her illness.

A quiet stillness filled the hall. Yulang picked up a book and began to flip through it, unable to put it down. Xiao Wu was replacing the offerings on the altar. Yin Qiao'er and the young man surnamed Shi both stood to the side, watching Qin Sang treat Nianhui.

Time slowly passed. Nianhui closed her eyes, and her breathing became increasingly gentle, as if she had fallen into a deep sleep. Yin Qiao'er felt restless. She took a step back and, after some hesitation, said to the young man surnamed Shi, "Auntie once had a... uh... a fellow Daoist. I saw a portrait of him in Auntie's room. The space between his eyebrows looked somewhat similar to yours, Fellow Daoist Shi."

The young man surnamed Shi gave a dry laugh. "Outside of Yan Kingdom, numerous other countries stand. Counting mortals, no one could possibly count how many people there are. Even if two strangers look exactly alike, as if they were born from the same mother, it's not unusual, is it?"

"You're right, Fellow Daoist." Yin Qiao'er lowered her head. "It's just that the last time I saw you, Fellow Daoist Shi, I suddenly thought of that portrait."

"Oh? I wonder how much my appearance resembles that fellow Daoist? What sect or school was he from? Was he also a cultivator from Yan Kingdom?" The young man surnamed Shi showed a flicker of interest.

Yin Qiao'er looked up and openly scrutinized the young man surnamed Shi, then suddenly hesitated again. "Their facial features don't seem to be alike. I... I can't quite explain it. I've never met him. I asked Auntie, and she only said that person was surnamed Sha. It seemed something happened to his family, and they lost contact later, but Auntie has always kept that portrait by her side."

The young man surnamed Shi's eyes flickered. "Is that so? It seems Fellow Daoist Nianhui must have been very close to that person."

"Perhaps! Fellow Daoist Shi, was your previous place of cultivation not in Yan Kingdom?" Yin Qiao'er persisted, unwilling to give up.

The young man surnamed Shi shook his head and said meaningfully, "The place where I cultivated before is far more distant than you can imagine, Miss."

Yin Qiao'er's eyes widened. She found it hard to imagine just how distant. Could it be those legendary places spoken of by the elders?

As the two were whispering, Qin Sang removed his fingers from Nianhui's wrist and said, "Your illness is a congenital deficiency, forming the root of your ailment. You were treated before, but why was it interrupted halfway? If you had continued the treatment then, you would surely have fully recovered. You fell short of success, missed the best opportunity, and have idled until now. Even with your Golden Core stage cultivation, curing it now will be at least ten times harder than it was then."

Upon hearing this, Nianhui's expression turned to one of shock. She hadn't come specifically for treatment, but the other party not only identified the cause of her illness but also spoke of past events in a single sentence. Nianhui couldn't help but glance back at Yin Qiao'er.

"I haven't told the Senior about this." Yin Qiao'er shook her head repeatedly, then her face lit up with joy, and she said quickly, "Senior, can you cure my aunt? Two hundred years ago, our family invited a master alchemist to prescribe a formula for my aunt. However, our Yin family wasn't as prosperous then as it is now, and we couldn't refine enough spiritual pills. My father said that this time, as long as Auntie can be cured, whatever is needed, our Yin family will spare no effort, and we absolutely will not repeat the same mistake!"

"Not enough spiritual pills?" Qin Sang shook his head, a meaningful smile on his face. "In my humble opinion, Lay Practitioner, you not only have a physical illness but also a heart ailment. If the patient herself is unwilling to be cured, even if I had the power to bring the dead back to life and mend broken bones, I couldn't cure you."

"No! No! Auntie will definitely be willing!" Yin Qiao'er was greatly agitated.

Nianhui, however, remained silent. The young man surnamed Shi silently gazed at Nianhui's back. After a while, he suddenly looked at the deity statue. Under the lamplight, the statue appeared mottled. The young man surnamed Shi's eyes were dim, and it was unclear what he was thinking.

After a long silence, Nianhui finally made her decision and said in a deep voice, "I am willing. Please, Daoist priest, save me."

Qin Sang's gaze was like a sword, and Nianhui met his gaze calmly. A moment later, Qin Sang unfolded a piece of paper and swiftly wrote down some names of medicinal herbs. "Return and collect three sets of these spiritual herbs. Come back to Qingyang Temple in six months. Below is the consultation fee."

Yin Qiao'er took the paper with both hands, thanking Qin Sang profusely. She helped Nianhui up and asked hesitantly, "Auntie, shall we go home now?" As they passed the young man surnamed Shi, Yin Qiao'er glanced at her aunt and couldn't help but ask, "Fellow Daoist Shi, may I ask where you are cultivating now?"

"This Shi has no fixed abode and drifts everywhere," the young man surnamed Shi replied calmly.

"If you have some free time, Fellow Daoist Shi, you might consider visiting Yinping Mountain. My father met you last time and was very impressed by you; he has mentioned you many times," Yin Qiao'er invited.

Watching the two women leave, the young man surnamed Shi also sat before Qin Sang and respectfully said, "I was not injured this time, but I wish to ask the Daoist priest for a certain medicine. May I ask if the Daoist priest can accommodate my request?"

This time, the young man surnamed Shi stayed at Qingyang Temple for a longer period and only departed the next morning.

"No need to see me off, brother. The capital city isn't far from where I usually operate. Next time, I'll come directly to the capital to find you." Outside the temple, the young man surnamed Shi cupped his hands in farewell to Yulang and carefully advised him. "This descent from the mountain is your first time going out for experience. Be careful in all things. The cultivation world is not like Qingyang Temple; its cruelty far surpasses the mortal realm. And those ghosts and spirits might not be trustworthy. If you encounter difficulties, try not to bother the Daoist priest, lest he be disappointed in you. If anyone dares to make trouble for you, send word to your elder brother. Your elder brother will resolve it for you! Mere ghosts and spirits of Yan Kingdom are nothing to this Shi!"

A fierce glint flashed in the young man surnamed Shi's eyes, and a murderous aura surged. Yulang was secretly startled. Brother Shi had always been gentle in front of him, and it was the first time he felt such astonishing murderous intent and malevolence from him. He wondered how many killings Brother Shi had experienced! In the capital of Yan Kingdom, there was no lack of Nascent Soul-level ghosts and spirits. But Yulang inexplicably believed that Brother Shi truly dared to commit a grave transgression and kill in the capital of Yan Kingdom!

He quickly tried to dissuade the young man surnamed Shi. "I wish to enter the mortal world and experience human affairs. Naturally, I must follow the rules of the mortal world. If I ask for Brother Shi's help every time something doesn't go my way, I'll lose the meaning of my experience."

"Haha! Good, your elder brother will wait and see what great achievements you can accomplish, brother!" The young man surnamed Shi laughed heartily and rode the wind away.

Not long after flying off, the young man surnamed Shi suddenly saw someone standing on a mountain peak ahead. His heart startled, he quickly descended and bowed, saying, "Daoist priest, what are your instructions?"

Qin Sang looked at him and said lightly, "You haven't thought of using Yulang. That's very good."

A jolt of fear ran through the young man surnamed Shi. In an instant, the blood in his body seemed to freeze, and his body trembled slightly. He wasn't sure how much the Daoist priest in front of him knew. The other's gaze seemed to pierce into the depths of his heart, leaving him nowhere to hide.

After a long silence, the young man surnamed Shi said with conviction, "Daoist priest, you see clearly. I am genuinely befriending Yulang. He is my brother, and I will never use him!"

Qin Sang grunted in acknowledgment and tossed out a jade bottle. "This is the medicinal pill you requested."

"Thank you for your generosity, Daoist priest. I will certainly look after Yulang and the others well." The young man surnamed Shi tightly clutched the jade bottle. After waiting for a moment and seeing Qin Sang had no other instructions, he bowed and took his leave.

Six months later, at the start of the new year, on the third day of the Lunar New Year. The mountain was still bitterly cold, with no sign of spring. A heavy snow had fallen before the New Year, and the snow hadn't fully melted, but Xiao Wu and Yulang were about to embark on their journey.

In front of Qingyang Temple, Xiao Wu and Yulang, dressed in Daoist robes and carrying bundles, turned to face their master. They both knelt in kowtow. "Master, we are descending the mountain."

Qin Sang gave no special instructions. He merely nodded and said, "Go." He watched his two disciples descend the mountain. Until their figures were out of sight, Qin Sang turned and returned to the underground chamber.

Thereafter, people discovered that both the temple and the academy had new proprietors. Doctor Liu from the town took charge of the temple, and the academy also had a new teacher. The temple still treated illnesses, and the academy still taught, seemingly unchanged. However, the Daoist priests of Qingyang Temple became increasingly rare to see, gradually turning into a legend.

Outside Jin County, two horses walked steadily along the official road. Yulang suggested, "Senior Sister, let's not use our spiritual power and just ride horses to the capital, shall we? The capital's imperial examination is this year, and there should be many scholars heading to the capital for the exams along the way."

"Okay!"

The road was wide and sparsely populated. They reined in their horses and galloped. Even on horseback, their speed was far greater than that of ordinary mortals. These two horses were gifts from Chen Zhenqing before he left; they had been fed spiritual herbs and grew stout and strong.

They crossed mountains and ridges and traveled by boat. Having resided in the temple, Yulang was intimately familiar with the geography, prefectures, and county towns of Yan Kingdom. He had long planned their route. They first went to the prefectural city, without stopping, then to the prefectural capital of Nanshu Prefecture, where they toured for a few days before continuing north.

Along the way, unlike in books, where Daoist priests descend mountains to slay demons and monsters all the way, Yan Kingdom was relatively peaceful. They befriended many talented scholars. Although the two were dressed as Daoist priests, their scholarship was no less impressive than that of the scholars, and they could easily win over others.

After leaving Nanshu Prefecture, they did not head straight for the capital. Yulang also wanted to emulate Tao Teng and travel around, taking the opportunity to visit Chen Zhenqing. After roughly traveling through three prefectures, they rode east until they reached the border between Yan Kingdom and Daliang. Traveling north along the border would lead them to Luzhou. Yulang deliberately slowed their pace.

In the mortal world, no calamity is fiercer than war, and the devastation of war is especially pronounced in border regions. In books, Yulang had read too many tragic descriptions. Nanshu Prefecture bordered several smaller nations, but Daliang was a large country comparable in size to Yan Kingdom. That war, which had lasted for decades years ago, was thoroughly documented in books. The two countries had been at peace for many years, yet the border regions remained desolate. The wounds left by war were not easily healed. Some prefectural cities were even less prosperous than inland county towns. Moreover, while officially at peace, there were still covert frictions, and disputes arose from time to time.

As they slowly journeyed north, Yulang saw many things, and his heart grew heavier. He thought of what Senior Qingyuan had said: conflicts would never disappear, and oppression was omnipresent. Even without cultivators, the world would not be peaceful. There would always be countless innocent people, countless weak, swept up and trampled upon. What Tao Teng intended to do was truly not simple at all!

In Zhongning Prefecture, Luzhou, Yulang and Xiao Wu met their teacher, whom they had not seen for many years. Learning that they were going to the capital, Chen Zhenqing was overjoyed and strongly urged Yulang to participate in the imperial examinations.

Yulang shook his head. "I still want to travel and see more before making a decision."

"Very well," Chen Zhenqing said, leading them to his study. He took out a stack of manuscripts. "These are my insights from years of serving as an official. If you wish to participate in court politics, even if you don't become an official, you must understand these things." Yulang solemnly accepted them. Human affairs and social etiquette were precisely what he lacked.

After staying in Zhongning Prefecture for a period and visiting the local ghosts and spirits, they bid farewell to Chen Zhenqing. After that, they traveled intermittently, taking almost a year to finally arrive at the capital of Yan Kingdom. From a distance, they saw the city walls of the capital, stretching like a mountain range before them. They were majestic and extremely grand.

Yulang gazed at them for a while, then turned his head and asked, "Senior Sister, what do you plan to do after we enter the capital?" He would definitely go to the Tao family first to discuss the next steps with Tao Teng, but he was just worried that his Senior Sister might not like the scheming and politicking.

"I'll acquire a teahouse," Xiao Wu said.