Inside Baigu Cliff, medicinal herbs could be seen everywhere. Many medicine boys were busy picking and drying them.
Winter came slightly later here, and it still hadn’t snowed yet.
Miao Yunzhi led Di Yiqiu and Huang Rang inside, saying, “The Soul-Coiling Bone-Fixing Needle—this old man has indeed studied it before.” These words lifted Huang Rang’s spirits. He hadn’t even approached Huang Rang closely, merely glancing casually, yet clearly his knowledge of this needle ran deep.
Di Yiqiu immediately pressed, “I wonder if the senior has made any progress?”
Miao Yunzhi’s expression was grave. After a long moment, he said, “Give up. This needle has no cure.”
With one sentence, for Huang Rang it was the final verdict. For a moment, even Di Yiqiu fell silent. Miao Yunzhi said, “You’re skilled in crafting artifacts, so you should understand the formation arrays on the needle. When this needle is in the skull, though she cannot speak or move, she also doesn’t age or die. But if it’s removed, she won’t be able to withstand the sudden flow of time and will immediately scatter into ash and vanish.”
“Is there… no better method?” Di Yiqiu’s voice was low.
Miao Yunzhi shook his head and answered, “The best method is to remove both the Soul-Coiling and Bone-Fixing needles for her.”
Only then did Huang Rang return to her senses. Hope rose and fell in an instant. She even felt that Miao Yunzhi was right. If there was already no hope at all, who would want to continue living like this?
An endless existence, never to be reborn.
“Last night’s strange dream—the senior at Baigu Cliff must have dreamed it too, yes?” Di Yiqiu suddenly said.
Miao Yunzhi’s expression immediately became serious. He asked, “This matter is related to you?”
Di Yiqiu shook his head and said, “Si Tianjian is also investigating, but there are no leads yet. In last night’s dream, I saw Miss Huang Rang. She could speak and move, no different from before.”
Miao Yunzhi brought him to the inner hall, raised his hand to let him sit, and said, “Last night’s dream returning to ten years ago—this old man is also quite puzzled.”
Di Yiqiu immediately followed up, “Is there some magical treasure that can reverse time and heal injuries and illnesses?”
Miao Yunzhi was unusually serious, saying, “Even if there were, it absolutely must not be done. Where the Way exists, chaos brings calamity. You surely don’t want to overturn the world and bring unrest to all living beings just for one woman, do you?”
Di Yiqiu said nothing more. Miao Yunzhi said, “If you’re willing, you might as well leave her at Baigu Cliff. We don’t lack patients here, and naturally someone will look after her.”
Ah… Huang Rang couldn’t quite describe what she felt. Things had already deteriorated to this point. It seemed staying anywhere wouldn’t make much difference.
Di Yiqiu pondered for a while and said, “She is after all a woman. Having others care for her would be quite inconvenient.”
Miao Yunzhi said, “And having you personally care for her is convenient?” The question was awkward, but Miao Yunzhi seemed to feel it wasn’t awkward enough, so he asked again, “Speaking of which, isn’t she Xie Hongchen’s wife?”
Uh… indeed, even a sage of medicine was fond of gossip. Huang Rang averted her gaze to look elsewhere. Di Yiqiu said, “An old friend has fallen on hard times. I cannot bear to stand by and do nothing.”
“Hahahaha.” Miao Yunzhi laughed with an ambiguous expression, a look of “this old man understands,” and said, “If you leave her here, this old man will naturally protect her completely. Though the Soul-Coiling Bone-Fixing Needle has no cure, if we want to alleviate her condition, there are still some methods.”
With him saying this, Huang Rang was actually somewhat moved. Di Yiqiu hesitated for a while and finally said, “May this junior come visit at any time?”
Upon hearing this, Miao Yunzhi’s eyebrows began to stand on end again: “Boy, you don’t trust this old man?”
Di Yiqiu could only say, “Naturally not. It’s just… it’s just that since I’ve sent her here, I should at least confirm she’s safe and sound.”
“Hahahaha.” Miao Yunzhi wore a mischievous smile. “Don’t think that just because I’m old, I don’t understand you young people’s thoughts. Fine, I’ll permit you to visit.”
Only then did Di Yiqiu bow formally again, making a solemn salute to him.
Baigu Cliff had rooms specially prepared for patients, each with medicine boys specifically assigned to care for them.
A young man dressed in physician’s robes came over, casually pointed to a room, and said impatiently, “She can stay here.”
Di Yiqiu pushed Huang Rang into the room. Seeing it was clean and tidy, he felt slightly reassured. Medicine boys came in with him to attend to her, but they were short-staffed here—one medicine boy often had to care for three to five patients. Di Yiqiu frowned and asked, “Are there no women here?”
The man in physician’s robes rolled his eyes and said, “No. If you won’t accept treatment, then leave!”
That attitude was really something else.
The Jianzheng didn’t mind. He pulled out four wooden figures from his storage artifact. The wooden figures were only half the height of a person, but they had all four limbs intact. When placed on the ground, they stared ahead with vacant expressions, indescribably eerie.
The medicine boy was startled back a step. It was still the man in physician’s robes who asked, “What are these? Don’t play tricks at Baigu Cliff!”
“When one is ignorant, one should speak less.” Di Yiqiu showed him no courtesy either. Having said this, the Jianzheng pulled out a silver key, inserted it into a small hole at the wooden figure’s waist, and turned it several times.
A clicking sound came from inside the four wooden figures, and then they began making beds, folding blankets, and tidying the room.
The medicine boy’s mouth dropped open in shock, unable to speak for a long time.
Di Yiqiu waved the key in his hand to the two of them, saying, “They can also cook food, brew medicine, wash clothes, and tend sheep.”
“I… this!!” It took the medicine boy quite a while to close his mouth. At Baigu Cliff, rare treasures weren’t unusual at all. Those who came seeking medical treatment and medicine—what noble personages hadn’t they seen? When it came to preserving their lives, people were willing to give up anything.
Even if Xie Lingbi came in person, he wouldn’t dare be presumptuous.
But this thing—now this was truly rare.
After all, personally crafted by the Jianzheng of Si Tianjian, unique in all the world.
The medicine boy rubbed his eyes with both hands. The man in physician’s robes rubbed his face. Suddenly, he revealed an unusual smiling face. Then he asked in a gentle tone, “Brother, can these puppets really brew medicine?”
The Jianzheng lightly flicked the wooden figure’s earlobe, and it immediately began sweeping the floor. Its movements were actually quite nimble. The medicine boy’s eyes nearly bulged from their sockets, and the man also wore a thoughtful expression. The Jianzheng said lazily, “As long as I have the intention, what can’t they do?”
Uh…
The corners of the man’s mouth lifted, revealing a face full of kind and approachable warmth. He bowed to Di Yiqiu and said, “Look at my memory—I actually forgot to introduce myself. I’m Master’s eldest disciple, named He Shouwu. Ah, this name is because on the day Master found me, he just happened to dig up a thousand-year-old He Shouwu root.”
“So it’s Brother He. My respects, my respects.” Di Yiqiu returned the courtesy appropriately.
He Shouwu’s gaze finally tore away from those wooden figures busily working at miscellaneous tasks. He looked at Di Yiqiu, his eyes full of light: “The moment I saw the Jianzheng, I felt very familiar. I suppose this is what they mean by an instant connection.”
The Jianzheng responded with equal warmth, saying, “How could it not be the same for me? Meeting Brother He for the first time today, yet it feels like reuniting with a brother—it must be a bond from a previous life.”
“Then this humble one must presume to call you Brother Qiu!” He Shouwu took it a step further.
The Jianzheng patted his shoulder and said affectionately, “Worthy brother!”
“…” Huang Rang watched them recognize each other as relatives with her own eyes. It was utterly absurd. And He Shouwu was already saying, “This young lady staying here—elder brother can rest assured. In a moment, little brother will find a junior sister to specially care for her, ensuring elder brother need not worry!”
The Jianzheng walked arm in arm with him, quite moved, saying, “Worthy brother’s kindness—elder brother has no way to repay. When elder brother has leisure, he enjoys making some useless little trinkets. Puppets like these—Zhuque Si still has several. Tomorrow elder brother will select a few good ones to present to worthy brother.”
“Elder brother!”
“Worthy brother!”
The two clasped hands, gazing at each other with deep affection, like newlyweds after a brief separation, like love at first sight. Huang Rang no longer wanted to speak.
Di Yiqiu didn’t linger at Baigu Cliff. He left quite soon.
He Shouwu pushed Huang Rang, seeing him all the way to the base of Baigu Cliff. Di Yiqiu walked several meters away, then turned back. Huang Rang’s gaze met his, one glance of concentrated attention holding countless unspoken words. He quickly averted his gaze and waved to He Shouwu.
Only after he had completely disappeared from sight did He Shouwu finally push Huang Rang back.
“He’s quite worried about you.” He Shouwu said as he pushed the wheelchair. Huang Rang naturally couldn’t respond. He continued, “But don’t worry. You’re so beautiful, and you can’t speak or move around—everyone will like you.”
Did you hear that? Is that even human speech? Huang Rang cursed in her heart. For some reason, she felt rather empty inside. So her mood wasn’t good either.
He Shouwu pushed her to a cliff edge and said, “The sunlight is quite nice today. Get some good sun.”
Huang Rang’s gaze unconsciously followed the direction Di Yiqiu had left.
Baigu Cliff was lush with trees. She didn’t know if that tiny black dot in the distance was him walking away. She didn’t know if he would come again. Perhaps not—after all, Si Tianjian was busy with numerous affairs, and Baigu Cliff was quite remote.
Huang Rang sighed in her heart. For a moment, the sunlight was meaningless, the flowers and plants were meaningless, and living was meaningless.
He Shouwu was clearly behind her, yet seemed to see through her thoughts and said, “Don’t be sad. He’s so reluctant to part—he’ll definitely come back soon.”
And you know this how? Huang Rang closed her eyes, simply deciding not to look at anything.
That very afternoon, Si Tianjian specially dispatched the Bixiao Treasure Ship to deliver Huang Rang’s clothes, jewelry, and shoes. Along with them came twelve puppets personally crafted by the Jianzheng.
These puppets could not only sweep and cook, but also read commonly used characters. So they really could gather herbs and brew medicine. Everyone at Baigu Cliff gathered around, watching for an entire afternoon, clicking their tongues in wonder, marveling endlessly.
Thus, caring for Huang Rang became something everyone competed for. Huang Rang was fought over by several junior sisters at Baigu Cliff. On just her first day, she was bathed three times.
Huang Rang felt that she was destined to be locked in battle with bathing for the rest of her life.
Si Tianjian. Zhuque Si.
The Nine-Bend Spirit Eye divided the scene at Baigu Cliff into twelve images, projecting them separately onto the snow satin on the wall. Di Yiqiu was reviewing official documents, occasionally looking up to scan the images. In one puppet’s line of sight, several medical women from Baigu Cliff were pushing Huang Rang out to gather medicine. They placed Huang Rang by the medicinal field, chattering away while picking herbs.
A small gray dog ran a circle around Huang Rang and finally lay down at her feet. The sunlight at Baigu Cliff was pale and white. Half her face bathed in sunlight, she was heartbreakingly beautiful.
“Jianzheng!” Baowu entered and immediately spotted the images on the wall, finding it quite strange.
Di Yiqiu asked, “What is it?”
Baowu quickly said, “Those thieves impersonating the immortal sects to abduct children have appeared again! Damn it, they’ve finally stuck their heads out of their hole this time!”
Di Yiqiu stood up, closed the Nine-Bend Spirit Eye, and said, “Let’s go.”
At this time, Si Tianjian wasn’t the only one to receive the news.
After learning that Si Tianjian had found traces of the fraudsters, the three—He Xijin, Zhang Shujiu, and Wu Zichou—also immediately notified Xie Hongchen.
A group of fraudsters at Luotuo Fort were wearing Yuhu Xuanzong disciple robes, carrying Yuhu Xuanzong magical artifacts, going door to door to “test children’s spiritual roots.” The local authorities had long received secret orders from Si Tianjian to watch carefully in secret.
At this time, no one alerted the enemy.
Sure enough, this group of fraudsters tested and tested, finally selecting several children, each one the apple of their parents’ eyes, their treasured jewels. The authorities remained impassive, treating them as immortal masters and hosting them with great hospitality.
Having gained these benefits, the fraudsters drank themselves thoroughly drunk and naturally decided to stay the night before leaving.
That night, wind and snow mingled. The entire Luotuo Fort was half-buried in snow. Di Yiqiu arrived with over ten officers from Baihu Si, braving the snow. The Bixiao Treasure Ship stopped in the distant snowfield. The officers all wore black uniforms, golden hooks at their waists and command flags on their backs—precisely the attire of Si Tianjian.
Just as he arrived at Luotuo Fort, another group also arrived soon after.
The three—He Xijin, Zhang Shujiu, and Wu Zichou—brought Xie Hongchen, all arriving together. Xie Hongchen’s eyes were sensitive to light, so he could only cover them with a strip of plain gauze. Behind him followed over ten disciples of Yuhu Xuanzong, also dressed in white like snow, swords strapped diagonally across their backs, jade at their waists.
When the two groups encountered each other, the atmosphere immediately became quite tense. Sparks seemed to crackle in the air.
To ease the atmosphere, Zhang Shujiu said with a smile, “Yuhu Xuanzong and Si Tianjian are both pillars of the immortal sects. Now that everyone is joining hands to solve this case, it’s also a good story to tell.”
The words were insincere, but at least they were kind words.
Xie Hongchen said, “Such villains dare to impersonate Yuhu Xuanzong. We naturally cannot stand by and watch.”
He Xijin and the others turned to look at Di Yiqiu—the other party had stated their position, so you should at least say something.
The Jianzheng stared at Xie Hongchen’s eyes covered with plain silk and indeed said something. He said considerately, “For Sect Master Xie to brave the snow to come here while his eyes are blind and sightless—truly hard work.”
…