https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-312-The-Path-of-Cultivation-Returning-to-Qinglong-City/12624202/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-314-Entering-the-City-An-Unexpected-Encounter/12624204/
Chapter 313: Rumors and Legends
Chapter 313: Rumors and Legends
August 17, 2024
Lu Qing glanced over and noticed a group of people gathered in the distance, engaged in casual conversation. From their attire, they appeared to be traveling merchants.
Although he was surprised that news from the Holy City had spread so quickly across Zhongzhou, he understood when he thought about the jade tablet Lin Zhirui had given to his master.
With the revival of spiritual energy, many cultivation techniques and abilities were starting to resurface. It was likely that many major sects possessed communication jade talismans or other similar artifacts.
Even if they didn't, there were certainly some exotic birds capable of rapid flight, able to deliver messages swiftly.
The white vortex that had appeared above the Holy Mountain that day was truly awe-inspiring and massive. It was only natural that news of it would spread throughout Zhongzhou in such a short time.
With these thoughts in mind, Lu Qing walked forward.
"Greetings, gentlemen," he said in a voice as smooth as pearls.
The group, who had been deep in conversation, paused momentarily upon hearing Lu Qing's voice before turning to face him. And when they saw him, they were taken aback once again.
The current Lu Qing, having transcended the tribulation of thunder and entered the Xiantian realm, was now a true cultivator. Although he had retracted his aura, he couldn't hide the transcendent quality that came with being a cultivator.
This immediately stirred the hearts of the merchant group, leaving them in awe.
Perceiving Lu Qing's extraordinary demeanor, they realized that his status was no ordinary one. He was either a direct descendant of a prominent family or a disciple of a sect.
Not daring to be impolite, they quickly returned his greeting. "Our apologies, young master. We offer our respects."
"Gentlemen, I couldn't help but overhear your fascinating discussion about the strange occurrences in the Holy City and the tales of the white wolf and white elephant. I'm quite intrigued. May I ask you to elaborate?" Lu Qing asked politely.
"Of course, young master. Please, take a seat," one of them said, offering his small folding stool to Lu Qing.
Lu Qing didn't decline and took a seat.
"What would you like to know, young master?" another merchant asked.
"I've heard some rumors about the Holy City on my way here," Lu Qing replied. "But the stories you gentlemen mentioned earlier about the white wolf and the white elephant are new to me. May I trouble you to share more details?"
"Of course, young master. We can tell you about the unusual beasts," they replied.
"I'm always curious about strange and wondrous events in the world," Lu Qing said.
One of the merchants, clearly a talkative and boastful sort, was eager to showcase his knowledge to such a distinguished-looking young man. His vanity got the better of him, and he began to narrate enthusiastically.
"Some days ago, a white wolf appeared in the northern regions of Zhongzhou. This wolf stood at a height of ten zhang and was entirely snow-white, without a single stray hair of a different color. Not only was it incredibly fast, moving like the wind, but it also had the ability to command a pack of wolves. It directed their movements with precision, as if they were a well-trained army.
Not long ago, this white wolf led a pack of wolves to attack a small city in the north, which was under the jurisdiction of the Guiyuan Zong. The sect dispatched numerous elders and elite disciples to surround and suppress the wolf. However, not only did they fail to capture it, but several of their elders were also injured by the wolf, which then escaped with ease."
Even though they had heard a brief mention of this earlier, the group was still astonished as they listened to the detailed account.
"As for the white elephant, I heard about it from the townspeople of a southern town I visited," the merchant who had been to the south began his tale.
"According to the locals, a white giant elephant appeared in the mountains some time ago. This elephant was of unimaginable size, almost as tall as half a small mountain. Someone claimed to have witnessed it using its trunk to effortlessly flick a boulder the size of a small hill, shattering it to pieces. Fortunately, this white elephant doesn't seem to have a violent nature, and it hasn't shown any intention to harm humans, sparing the townspeople from disaster."
"Half the size of a small mountain? Just how tall is that elephant?!" The group was once again shocked by this revelation, struggling to imagine the sheer magnitude of the white elephant.
Lu Qing, on the other hand, fell into deep thought. If what these merchants were saying was true, then the changes occurring in the world since the revival of spiritual energy were even more profound than he had anticipated.
The white wolf and white elephant they spoke of were undoubtedly aberrant beasts born from the changes in the heavens and the earth. The question now was whether they were innate spiritual beasts like Xiao Li or if they had undergone a sudden transformation due to some fortuitous opportunity.
With these thoughts in mind, Lu Qing smiled and said, "Thank you, gentlemen, for sharing these fascinating stories. By the way, I noticed that this gentleman here seems to be having some trouble with his legs." Lu Qing gestured toward the merchant who had narrated the story of the white elephant—a middle-aged man with streaks of white in his hair.
The man was initially taken aback but soon wore an expression of surprise.
"How did the young master figure it out?" The merchant asked, his eyes lighting up with curiosity.
"I have some basic knowledge of medicine," Lu Qing replied with a smile. "If you don't mind, let me try to help you with your condition as a token of gratitude for the knowledge you shared earlier."
"Please, go right ahead! Even if you mess it up, I won't blame you!" the merchant quickly agreed.
"I won't make it worse, but I can't guarantee a complete cure," Lu Qing said humbly. He then took out a needle pouch from his pocket.
"Please remove your shoes and roll up your pants, sir," Lu Qing requested.
The merchant hastily complied, and as he did, everyone present drew a sharp breath. The merchant's legs, from the knees down, were a dark shade of bruise, and a faint bruise-colored aura extended above the knees. It was a frightening sight.
Even Lu Qing was surprised by the severity of the cold venom, wondering how the merchant could still walk and only experience minor discomfort. The man was not a cultivator but merely an ordinary person with a strong physique. His willpower impressed Lu Qing.
"Sir, I will use acupuncture to help expel the cold venom from your body. It might be a little uncomfortable, so please bear with it," Lu Qing explained.
"Go right ahead, young master. It can't be worse than the pain I endure every night. As long as you don't cut off my legs, do as you please," the merchant said nonchalantly, surprising the group with his bold statement.
Lu Qing nodded and took out several silver needles from the pouch. He began to insert them into the merchant's legs with slow and deliberate movements. His actions were graceful and natural, displaying his proficiency in acupuncture.
The merchant, expecting discomfort, was surprised to feel only a slight prick at the beginning and nothing more. Compared to the agony he had endured, this was nothing.
Lu Qing worked slowly but with precise accuracy. Soon, he had inserted eighteen needles into each of the merchant's legs—thirty-six needles in total. With a gentle wave of his hand, Lu Qing released a hint of spiritual energy that guided the needles.
The merchant's eyes widened as he felt his legs turn sore and swollen, as if filled with scorching heat. He gritted his teeth to endure the pain.
However, the others witnessed a different scene. They saw the bruise-colored aura on the merchant's legs being gradually driven downward by the silver light until it gathered at the big toes, forming two black bumps the size of mung beans.
As the bumps formed, Lu Qing quickly grabbed another needle and pierced them. Puchi! Puchi! Two jets of black blood spurted out, falling to the ground and emitting a faint bruise-colored aura that soon dissipated in the sunlight.
The merchant, gritting his teeth and bearing the pain, finally relaxed his tense expression as the two jets of black blood spurted out.
His face now showed absolute relief, free from any trace of pain.
Seeing that the merchant's legs were free from the dark aura, Lu Qing began to remove the needles.
He did this much quicker than he had inserted them.
In the blink of an eye, all the silver needles were back in their pouch.
"Uncle, please try standing up and walking to see if you feel any discomfort," Lu Qing said.
Without hesitation, the merchant stood up and began walking barefoot on the ground.
Soon, a look of delight appeared on his face.
He felt an incredible sense of relief in his legs, except for a slight sting in the thumbs where the wounds were.
Compared to before, it was like night and day.
Forgetting his manners, the merchant immediately knelt down and kowtowed to Lu Qing.
"Thank you, young master, for saving my life!"
Lu Qing was startled and quickly helped him up. "Uncle, you're too kind. I merely treated your leg ailment; there's no need for such grand gestures."
With Lu Qing's cultivation, the merchant naturally couldn't resist his strength and was gently lifted up.
However, the grateful look in his eyes remained.
Tears welling up, he began to pour out his woes to Lu Qing.
"Young master, you don't know the suffering I've endured since this leg pain started.
Every night, as darkness falls, the pain in my legs begins.
And as the night progresses, the pain gradually intensifies.
By midnight, it's so excruciating that I feel like biting my teeth to pieces.
To be blunt, there have been times when the pain was so unbearable that I wanted to take a knife and cut off my own legs.
I've sought help from many physicians during this time, but not one of them could cure my legs.
Some even said that my leg ailment is too bizarre and that only Xiantian realm warriors would have the ability to solve it.
But I'm just an ordinary merchant. What right do I have to trouble those high and mighty Xiantian realm warriors to cure my legs?
So, I had already given up.
I planned to go home and arrange my affairs, find a place, and end my life.
I didn't want to suffer through that unbearable pain anymore."
Hearing the merchant's sob story, the crowd felt a mix of sadness and shock.
They couldn't believe that the so-called cold venom was so terrifying.
This merchant seemed to have a strong character, yet he was driven to the point of wanting to end his own life.
It was hard to imagine just how excruciating the pain must have been.
"That's why I said you saved my life," the merchant added.
He tried to kneel again, but Lu Qing stopped him.
"I merely did what any healer should do. Uncle, there's no need for further courtesy."
Realizing that he couldn't kneel, the merchant understood that Lu Qing was no ordinary person but a powerful warrior.
He reached for his money pouch and said, "Right, young master, I want to pay you for your medical services."
"There's no need, uncle," Lu Qing shook his head and smiled. "Consider it my thanks for telling me about the white elephant earlier. It's not easy for any of us out here.
Besides, I didn't use any medicine, so there's no need for payment.
By the way, the city gates are about to open, and my companions are waiting for me. I must go now."
Without giving the merchant another chance, Lu Qing's figure flashed, and he was out of the crowd, making his way back to the carriage.
The onlookers watched with admiration, their eyes filled with respect for this extraordinary young man who had suddenly appeared.
"Brother, were you treating that uncle's illness just now?" Xiao Yan asked curiously.
She had witnessed Lu Qing's needlework.
"Yes, I went to inquire about some matters, and when I saw that the uncle was having difficulty with his legs, I treated him," Lu Qing nodded.
Hu Zezhi looked at him with admiration in her eyes.
In her eyes, Lu Qing was always so kind and helpful, a person of such high character that she felt she could never match up to him.
The old physician also wore an approving expression.
He was most pleased that Lu Qing hadn't forgotten the heart of a healer.
"By the way, Master, you heard what those two merchants said, right?" Lu Qing asked.
The old physician's expression turned solemn as he nodded. "Yes, I did. I never expected that there would be so many exotic beasts outside."
(End of Chapter)
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