Chapter 34

Three days later, in the Jiang Mansion.

In the courtyard originally used for the wedding banquet, most of the lotus flowers had quietly withered. The fresh green Ginkgo tree nearby also had many leaves secretly turning yellow.

Early autumn has arrived.

In the corridor behind, the apothecaries rushed by, glancing at the girl flying around in the courtyard. They were no longer surprised and simply averted their gaze.

Jian Huan had been practicing swordsmanship here for days. Everyone had grown used to it.

A few days ago, Jian Huan, who frequently fell from mid-air, seemed slightly unstable but at least she had stopped falling.

Jian Huan still couldn’t fly too high.

She stepped on a bamboo pole pulled out from a broom, brushed past the large lotus leaves, flew from one side of the pond to the other, and then turned around to fly back.

When she was exhausted from flying back and forth, Jian Huan landed steadily, stepped on one end of the bamboo pole, and picked up the other end.

Her lotus-pink skirt swayed, enhancing the girl's fair complexion.

Today's swordsmanship practice was completed, and the results were pretty good.

Jian Huan's eyes were smiling as she held the bamboo pole, running up the corridor.

Following the corridor inside, led to the South Dust Immortal Island and the place where the Imperial Pacification Office cured and treated patients.

The puppet-like people poisoned by love fragrance and the children infected with parasitic insects were being treated in there.

Jian Huan would practice her swordsmanship here daily, and after finishing she would always visit the children, Chu Chu and Niu Niu.

Chu Chu and Niu Niu had just awoken yesterday. Today, they could stand up, but their little faces were still very pale.

Seeing Jian Huan, both greeted politely, "Sister Jian Huan!"n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Jian Huan, smiling, laid her hand on the two little one's heads, "How are you today, feeling better?"

Niu Niu nodded his head wisely for his young age, "Much better."

Chu Chu, who was sheltered from reality since birth, shook her head innocently, "No, sister, I'm still dizzy and want to throw up. Niu Niu feels the same, but he just won't admit!"

Upon hearing this, Niu Niu's face turned red.

"Alright then, your sister understands. I will go ask the apothecary."

Chu Chu nodded firmly, then asked, "Sister, when can we go home? I miss my grandfather."

Jian Huan gently touched Chu Chu's nose and sincerely replied, "It should be soon. I also eagerly want to see your grandpa."

…

"They can’t leave yet. Although the parasitic insects have been expelled, the toxins are still in their bodies. The children are too young and we dare not use strong medicine. We can only wait and nourish them for another three to five days," said the apothecary of the Imperial Pacification Office, who took over from Su Tian, who had brought the more serious patients back to South Dust Immortal Island.

It was the same apothecary who had examined Jian Huan and Shen Jizhi just a few days ago.

Upon hearing this, Jian Huan obediently nodded, said "Alright," then silently pulled a chair over, and moved it in front of the gray-haired apothecary.

She sat down, lifted her right hand and gently rolled up her sleeve revealing her fair wrist, which she extended towards him and sincerely requested, "Mr. Apothecary, I just stopped my medication yesterday and I am starting to feel uncomfortable. Could you please examine me? Could it be that I did not take enough of the medicine that nourishes the dantian?"

Hearing Jian Huan's words, the alchemist was surprised. He stroked his white beard and reached out, not to take her pulse, but to send a trace of spiritual energy into Jian Huan's body. "It's strange, your whole body seems to be in good condition. Your Dan Tian (energy center in the body) is fine as well; there's nothing wrong with you."

Jian Huan quietly withdrew her hand, "I really don't feel well. It started after I stopped taking the medicine yesterday. How about this? Could you please prescribe more restorative pills for me for a few more days?”

Alchemist: "???"

Suddenly, the alchemist seemed to understand. He fell silent, then asked, "Don't you find the restorative pills horribly bitter?"

For medicinal uses, the Imperial Pacification Office always used the cheapest spiritual grass, boiled like traditional medicine. Turning them into pills significantly increased the cost, and the annual allocations from the major sects and the court to the Imperial Pacification Office could not fund such extravagance.

Therefore, the medicine that was boiled was extremely bitter. The cultivators at the Imperial Pacification Office would dodge or spill the medicine whenever possible, and the subsequent complications often drove the alchemist mad.

As an alchemist, he most despised those who did not follow medical advice.

So people like Jian Huan, who were not satisfied even after the medicine was gone, were a first for the alchemist in his century-long career.

Jian Huan frowned upon hearing the alchemist: "Bitter."

Damn, it was really bitter.

In modern times, what Jian Huan dreaded most was Huoxiang Zhengqi water (Traditional Chinese Medicine drink), and this restorative pill was ten times more bitter than that.

But it was free!

Even bitterness tasted sweet when it was free!

Jian Huan was very sensible, "But I know that bitter medicine is good for the health."

These words hit the alchemist's heart. He sighed and glanced outside the courtyard.

Outside the courtyard, his young disciple was chasing a chubby child with a bowl in hand, persuading him as he ran, "Chubby, if you drink it, you won't feel dizzy. You can go home and see mommy..."

The chubby child shook his head like a rattle drum: "I won’t drink it. It’s so bitter. I want my mommy. The medicine mommy gives me is so much better..."

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The alchemist withdrew his gaze and gently sighed, "I wish they all had your enlightenment."

Jian Huan replied with a modest smile, her eyes sparkling with hope, "So, alchemist, what do you say? You can give me the medicine directly. I can brew it myself. You guys are busy, don't bother."

The alchemist didn’t refuse. This time Jian Huan and Shen Jizhi had done a great service.

Besides, these were the cheapest medicines, and no one liked to drink them.

He counted out nine packets from the basket beside him and handed them to Jian Huan, "Three days' worth. You cannot drink more than this." Overconsumption wasn’t good.

Jian Huan was overjoyed. She quickly held the packets close, then she added, "And there is one more thing. There’s also this guy who needs some."

The Alchemist: "..."

...

Humming a tune, Jian Huan left the corridor sprightly.

At the end of the corridor, Shen Jizhi, who had just finished his sword practice and still had some sweat on his forehead, was standing in a corner.

Hearing her coming, he looked up and moved closer, furrowing his brows and asking, "How did it go?"

The two had agreed that as a thank you for his mending her clothes, she would help him get some medicine too.

Shen Jizhi prefers solitude, as he's just not one for mingling with others.

Jian Huan flashed him an ‘ok’ sign: “Done.”

She handed him his portion from her mustard pouch, he accepted it, his eyes expressing thanks as they softened: “Thank you.”

Their health was actually very good, they had no intention of taking the medicine right away. It could come in handy later if they ever overuse their Dan Tian's spiritual power again. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, Jian Huan thought.

Chu Chu and Niu Niu were completely recovered four days later.

The group of kids, oblivious to how dangerous their ordeal had been, regained their lively nature once their strength returned. They would run around the courtyard every day, tugging and scratching at each other, breaking into tears from time to time.

The apothecaries, overwhelmed by the ruckus, urged Red Jade and Jian Huan to send the kids home.

The comfort of the present estate was quite satisfying, especially with the provided meals and drinks. However, Jian Huan and Shen Jizhi were more concerned about their rewards than the free provisions.

When the apothecary declared the children were healed, the two planned to return with them to Azure Dragon City early the next morning.

In the afternoon, as Jian Huan practiced as usual in the back garden, a disciple ran towards her: “Junior Sister Jian Huan!”

Jian Huan jumped down from the bamboo pole and recognized him as a senior brother from the Jade Clarity Sect who had come with Sister Bai Ying. He had been assisting Yu Qing all these days.

She asked, “Senior Brother, what can I do for you?”

He replied, “Elder Yu Qing is at the back mountain formation; he wants you to go find him right now.”

As Jian Huan landed from the wobbling bamboo pole, she saw Yu Qing standing outside the door of the formation.

He looked up at the two characters ‘Jiang Mansion’ written on the plaque.

Hearing some noise, he cast a glance, just in time to see Jian Huan put away her bamboo pole.

Involuntarily, Yu Qing looked at his own bamboo joint, floating emerald-green like jade, then at Jian Huan's brown pole: “Where did you get that from?”

Jian Huan gently wiped her pole: “I pulled it off a broom.”

Yu Qing: “......”

Yu Qing could only console her: “Continue working hard. All the sweets are yet to come in our amulet cultivation journey."

“Yes!” Jian Huan nodded, “Elder Yu Qing, did you need anything from me?”

Yu Qing turned his gaze back: “Heard from Bai Ying that you and Shen Jizhi will be leaving early tomorrow?”

Jian Huan: “Yes.”

After a little hesitation, she added: “We will take the children back first, fearing their families would be worried. We might return afterward...”

Yu Qing was puzzled: “Why would you return?”

Jian Huan was stunned: “......”

After all, they provided meals here for free.

But of course, Jian Huan didn’t say that out loud. She responded instead: “I'm afraid there might be something that we can assist with.”

“There’s no need for that.” Yu Qing interrupted, “Things are pretty much done here. In a few more days, we will disperse.”

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Jian Huan: “What?”

Yu Qing looked at her, chuckled: “Why is it that looking at you now, I sense a bit of reluctance to disperse?”

 

“No, I just think it's somewhat sudden.” Jian Huan replied solemnly, “Has everything been sorted out?”

 

How could they disperse if things weren’t sorted out?

"We have looked into everything we could. It's likely we won't find anything more." Yu Qing lifted his foot and walked towards the old Jiang family house, with Jian Huan following him. He recounted, "A hundred years ago, the Demon Clan wreaked havoc, and we, the leading sects, united to eradicate them. Since then, the Demon Clan almost disappeared without a trace, causing the sects to let down their guard. Little did we know that the Demon Clan has been hiding and plotting in the dark. If you and Shen Jizhi hadn't discovered Yujiang City, we wouldn't have known how serious the situation had become. That formation has provided the Demon Clan with so many gifted subordinates over the past sixteen years, it's terrifying to think about it."

The Demon Clan exploited Qi Wan's array. It served both to provide human resources to the Demon Clan and to accumulate large amounts of spirit stones for their comfortable survival.

Jian Huan did not interrupt, silently listening.

"The Demon Clan is very careful, they've left us very few clues. The personnel they assigned to this place all self-destructed causing serious injuries to two monks from the Imperial Pacification Office," Yu Qing sighed lightly.

Jian Huan asked, "So, do we just let the Demon Clan do as they please?"

"Certainly not," Yu Qing shook his head, "After the leading sects recuperate, we will unite and go to the Dark Abyss to investigate."

In this world, yin and yang complement each other. The yang exists endlessly within the yin, and the yin resides inseparably within the yang.

Therefore, where there are abundant mountains, forests, and lakes filled with spiritual power, naturally there would also be Dark Abysses filled with demonic energy.

The Dark Abysses are located throughout the nine provinces, like islands on the sea, varying in size, beyond count.

The large Dark Abysses were mostly sealed by the powerhouses of the cultivation world a hundred years ago, but there are too many medium and small ones, they can't all be sealed.

Jian Huan nodded. She stopped, thought for a moment, and tactfully reminded, "Elder Yu Qing, I always feel that if the Demon Clan can infiltrate Yujiang City, could they also plant spies in the leading sects?"

Just like her in the book, it's something to be wary of.

"We've considered that," said Yu Qing, "When we return this time, I will start working on a new Demon Mirror. The Demon Clan has changed a bit over the years, the old one doesn't work anymore."

This revelation is how the Demon Clan has been able to flourish in the shadows for so long.

"By the way," Yu Qing, who had been rambling on about various things, remembered the main point, "The reason I called you here was to tell you that it's likely the trunk of the Earth Fruit tree that caused you and Shen Jizhi to faint. Of course, this is just the opinion of other sect elders. I can't guarantee it."

"Brother Su Tian has told me before."

Jian Huan looked far away at the wall where the Earth Fruit tree had been, with a glint in her eyes.

Something still seemed off about this.

At the time, she and Shen Jizhi just stood under the tree, looking up at it.

How would its branches have bent down to hit them from behind?

Most importantly, that jelly clay is still with her.

However, Jian Huan didn't mention this to Yu Qing.

"That's good," Yu Qing turned his head away, "I don't have anything else for you, you are free to leave, we can meet back at the sect."

"Okay!" Jian Huan put down her bamboo stick, stepped lightly on the tip, raised her hands, and wobbling slightly, she rose into the air, about to fly down the mountain.

Yu Qing shook his head and chuckled. Suddenly remembering something, he said: "Jian Huan, wait, there's one more thing."

Jian Huan, perched on the bamboo stick, "......"

Alright, she was used to it.

Sometimes, when Elder Yu Qing ended the symbol class, the fast-footed disciples had already reached the door before he called them back.

All Jian Huan could do was to turn laboriously and return.

For a while, Yu Qing didn't say anything, he just continued walking towards the old house with Jian Huan, reminiscing about the past as they walked.

......

That year, like Jian Huan, Yu Qing and Qi Wan were first-year disciples.

Qi Wan was called Qi Wanyi back then, her real name. The name Qi Wan came about when she left the Jade Clarity Sect with Jiang Cheng, concealing their real identities.

Among that year's symbol cultivators, Yu Qing and Qi Wan were viewed as the two most promising by the elders.

But while Yu Qing followed the path of the Jade Clarity Sect step by step, Qi Wan obstinately tread on a path of her own, leaning towards the destructive path of sinister arrays.

In fact, for the first few years, he and Qi Wan got along well, the pair's talents for symbol magic complementing each other, making for fast and fruitful exchanges.

In hindsight, Qi Wan and Jiang Cheng's association benefitted from their association with Yu Qing.

Yu Qing was sharing quarters with Jiang Cheng.

Qi Wan would often run over to discuss symbol magecraft with Yu Qing, and that was how she got to know Jiang Cheng.

But eventually, Yu Qing found his principles diverging from theirs.

On a certain afternoon, Qi Wan approached him, “I have a great idea, would you like to try it with me?”

Yu Qing asked, “What is it?”

Qi Wan: “I want to research a formation that can revert the adult body, back to a child's form, then further back to an unborn state!”

Yu Qing instinctively rejected it: “This formation, it’s inhuman.”

Everything grows and evolves, abiding by the laws of nature. What Qi Wan intended to do contravened these laws, and annihilated human dignity.

“I want to know what it’s like before a person is born, during those nine plus months in their mother's womb.” Qi Wan said, “Yu Qing, don’t you find that intriguing?”

Yu Qing shook his head: “No, I’m not curious.”

Thinking it over, he advised, “It’s a dangerous notion, with long-ranging repercussions. How can you assure this won’t be used for evil purposes? Wanyi, I implore you, don’t proceed further with this, just stop.”

“You don’t have to comment if you’re not interested!” Qi Wan turned angrily and left.

Outside the door, Jiang Cheng was waiting for her. The woman didn't stop, she just passed by Jiang Cheng and ran off.

Jiang Cheng turned around, gave Yu Qing an awkward smile, bowed a little and chased after her, calling out, “Wanyi, Wanyi, wait for me……”

After that, Qi Wan came to see Yu Qing several times.

Each time, Yu Qing told her, "I believe this formation contravenes human nature, and your idea should never have come about.”

Refused time and time again, Qi Wan stopped asking, and even when she bumped into Yu Qing on the road, she would harrumph and move far away.

When Yu Qing left the mountain for practice, he no longer saw Qi Wan.

Upon his return, he heard from others that Qi Wan had been asked to leave the Jade Clarity Sect by the sect leader.

......

Yu Qing stopped before Qi Wan and Jiang Cheng’s bedroom, sighing softly.

Qi Wan had committed too many heinous deeds, her death was not mourned. Countless children who lost their lives, the parents that grieved for the loss of their children, those who were manipulated like puppets, the ever-growing demons; they were all the consequence of her actions, an insurmountable debt she could never settle, even across countless lifetimes. Fundamentally, she was flawed.

Yu Qing couldn't help but feel some regret. Had he, as a good friend, been more patient and given more advice those years ago? If the sect had not abandoned people after failed persuasion, had guided them more gently, been on constant alert, and had they taken Qi Wan down as soon as anything seemed wrong, would this tragic event have been avoided?

Ultimately, they, the Jade Clarity Sect, had also failed in their duties. Upon his return, he would need to discuss their shortcomings with the sect leader to improve and strengthen their methods.

He decided to start with the young disciple in front of him.

Yu Qing began with earnest instruction, "Jian Huan, learn from what happened to Qi Wan. Upholding the Tao isn’t just lip service, saying 'my Tao will never change' is not enough. If your Tao is truly righteous, you should be able to foresee the outcomes of your actions. You must be able to restrain your desires, do the right thing, and steer clear of actions that could lead to unforeseen harm in the future. That's the first thing."

"Secondly, the path of cultivation is long, and inevitably you will face the departure of those you love. Grief is natural, but it should not become a reason for you to harm others. As cultivators with talents far surpassing average people, we should use our abilities to protect them, and not use our strengths to harm them. Qi Wan's actions have brought shame upon the Jade Clarity Sect, and indeed to all the cultivators. Jian Huan, do you understand all this?"

Jian Huan was slightly stunned.

She turned to look at Yu Qing, her expression serious as she replied word by word, "Elder Yu Qing, I understand your intentions. I will remember what you've said."

The next morning, in a temporarily designated dining hall in the Jiang residence, Jian Huan and her group sat towards the rear, taking their breakfast.

The breakfast served to each person was the exact same: one spirit chicken egg, a bowl of spirit porridge, three spirit meat buns, and pickles that were common accompaniments with porridge in the homes of ordinary people.

The three adults finished quickly.

The two young children, however, took their time and only managed to eat an egg and half a bowl of porridge.

Niu Niu had eaten one more spirit meat bun.

Jian Huan watched Chu Chu put down her spoon and asked, "Are you done eating?"

Chu Chu shook her head, pushing the remnants of her meal to Jian Huan, "Sister, I'm full. You can take the leftovers."

On the side, Niu Niu also adeptly pushed his remaining food towards Shen Jizhi. Though he remained silent, he was slightly fearful of this cold brother.

These past few days, Jian Huan and Shen Jizhi took the two children with them for all meals.

As these young ones couldn't eat much, they kept the leftovers in their mustard pouch.

However, the overseer of the dining hall was very vigilant; when Jian Huan and Shen Jizhi initially tried getting a second serving after finishing their meals, they were sternly stared down.

"Alright, we should head back to Azure Dragon City now!" Having eaten their fill, Jian Huan asked the two children, "Do you want to ride Brother Bai Li's knife or Brother Shen Jizhi's sword?"

Chu Chu blinked her large eyes, "Can't I ride with you, sister?"

Jian Huan shook her head, refusing firmly, "No, I don't know how to carry passengers yet."

Shen Jizhi smirked in response to her answer, "Even if you could, your bamboo staff wouldn't be able to support anyone."

Jian Huan sincerely suggested to him, "I believe it's probably for the best that you speak less."

Shen Jizhi: “...”

Chu Chu sneaked a glance at Shen Jizhi and, pointing with her small hand, said, "Then I want to sit on Baili Dao's knife."

"Sure," Jian Huan looked towards Niu Niu.

Niu Niu also chimed in, "I also want to sit on Baili Dao's."

Baili Dao lifted his head in surprise, feeling flattered.

What? He assumed they wouldn't choose him!

That day, he and the master were fixing the carriage by the roadside. Now and then, young girls would pass by, but they were all vying for the attention of the master.

The master was more popular than him.

Among them, there was one that Baili Dao recognized, he had received the night fragrance from her home.

Zhao Shi later told him that she was the owner of a small tavern.

The tavern owner asked Shen Jizhi, her eyes sparkling as if she had seen a money tree, "Why are you fixing a carriage here? Does your family owe money?"

Without even raising his head, Shen Jizhi grunted in acknowledgment.

Even more energized, the tavern owner continued, "How much does the young master owe?" She could help pay it off, as long as this young master would sign a contract to sell his life to her!

Shen Jizhi replied indifferently, "Not much, just a few tens of millions."

Without uttering another word, the tavern owner turned and walked away.

How to make someone lose hope in one sentence (bushi

Note 1 comes from Baidu Encyclopedia.