Chapter 90 - The Pill Master (Part Three)
Chapter 90 - The Pill Master (Part Three)
At the same time, within the Xinglin Pavilion, Old Man Feng had just finished seeing a patient and was sipping tea in the hall.
Several cultivators entered and bowed respectfully to him. "Our clan has a severely injured member, and we humbly request Old Man Feng's assistance."
Old Man Feng glanced at the light yellow robes they wore, embroidered with golden threads, and asked, "Are you from the Qian family?"
"Yes," they replied.
"How severe are the injuries?" he inquired.
One of the Qian family cultivators hesitated before answering, "It seems to be caused by a powerful fire-attributed spiritual power. His flesh is charred, his meridians are damaged, and his life force is faint..."
Old Man Feng frowned, "Is it that serious?"
"Our clan has invited several pill masters to treat him, but they disagree and are unsure of what to do. That's why we sought your help, Old Man Feng. Your pill concocting skills are unparalleled in Tongxian City."
"You flatter me," Old Man Feng said humbly. "Let's not delay. I'll gather my things and come with you immediately."
Old Man Feng was known for his willingness to help others, regardless of their status or wealth. Whether they were solitary cultivators or clan cultivators, if they were truly in need, he would lend a hand.
The Qian family cultivators bowed again, expressing their gratitude. "Thank you, Old Man Feng."
Old Man Feng selected several medicinal herbs, bottles of pills, and a few pill manuals to bring with him. After instructing his apprentices, he accompanied the cultivators to the Qian family residence.
Upon arriving, he learned that the person they wanted him to save was Qian Xing. Old Man Feng furrowed his brows, a hint of displeasure in his eyes.
He had heard of Qian Xing's behavior—bullying others with his family's influence and acting arrogantly.
However, he thought to himself that these were merely rumors, and he had not witnessed them firsthand. Perhaps they weren't entirely true. Moreover, while Qian Xing was unruly, he had not, to his knowledge, committed any heinous acts. He couldn't just let him die without trying to help.
The atmosphere in the Qian family was gloomy, with female family members sobbing and elders looking grave.
Old Man Feng sighed. Cultivators, as long as they hadn't achieved immortality, were still humans. And humans were subject to birth, aging, sickness, and death. Though he had witnessed such scenes countless times, he still felt compassion. If there was a chance to save someone, he would try.
Old Man Feng entered the room to assess Qian Xing's injuries and then discussed treatment methods with the other pill masters.
One of them suggested, "Young Master Qian's injuries are too severe. We should focus on nourishment. Using wood-attributed spiritual objects along with pills will gradually restore his physical body."
Another pill master disagreed. "Nourishment alone won't cure him. He's been injured by fire-attributed spiritual power, and the residual spiritual power in his body will form fire poison. If we don't eradicate it completely, it will damage his meridians and dantian, causing endless troubles."
"How do you propose to eradicate it?" asked the first pill master.
"With Tian Yuan water and Shui Ling pills," came the reply. "By balancing water and fire, we can thoroughly eliminate the fire poison. Once the fire poison is gone, his damaged meridians and physical body will gradually recover."
"Using water and fire together is too aggressive," argued the first pill master. "If the fire poison isn't eliminated in time, Young Master Qian's life will be at stake!"
...
The pill masters debated endlessly, each sticking to their own opinion and unable to convince the others.
Old Man Feng coughed, and the pill masters fell silent.
Old Man Feng had been healing and saving people in Tongxian City for over a hundred years. Though he appeared unassuming and held no official power, his reputation was formidable.
Most cultivators in the city, even if they hadn't been personally treated by him, would likely have friends or relatives who had benefited from his skills. Moreover, the path of cultivation was unpredictable, and one might need his help in the future.
The pill masters present held Old Man Feng in high regard and respected him greatly. Some of them had even sought his guidance before achieving their current level of mastery.
With another cough, Old Man Feng silenced the group.
"The fire poison must be cleansed," he affirmed, and the pill master who had suggested cleansing the fire poison looked pleased.
"However," Old Man Feng continued, "Tian Yuan water is too aggressive..."
"Old Master, you are absolutely right," the pill master quickly agreed.
"Nourishment is a valid approach," Old Man Feng said, turning to the other pill master, "but it must be done with caution. Otherwise, you'll just be nurturing the poison..." He then listed several spiritual herbs and pills, analyzed the specific injuries, and explained how the pills should be used and in what amounts, adjusting the dosage according to the severity of the symptoms.
Finally, Old Man Feng said, "Pill concocting is an art that benefits from mutual exchange and discussion. It's good to have your own ideas, but don't be stubborn and refuse to listen to others.
The other Pill Masters huddled together, discussing the treatment plan in hushed tones. They had a direction to work with, but the specifics of which pills and medicines to use still required careful consideration and deliberation. It would take some time to finalize the treatment plan entirely.
As he sipped his tea, Old Man Feng suddenly asked, "By the way, why is Qian Xing so severely injured?"
The Pill Masters paused their discussion, unsure of how to respond. After all, it wasn't exactly pleasant news, especially since they were in the Qian family's residence.
One of the Pill Masters, noticing that no members of the Qian family were within earshot, whispered, "I heard that Young Master Qian bullied someone, but ended up getting injured himself when the other person fought back."
Old Man Feng frowned.
"It's not that he was injured by someone else," another Pill Master chimed in. "He tried to use a new spell he had learned, but because he hadn't mastered it properly, the spell backfired and caused this injury..."
"Nonsense! How could a spell backfire result in such an injury?" another Pill Master refuted.
"Injuries from spell backfires start from the inside and manifest outwardly. His injuries are clearly the result of an external attack," the first Pill Master argued.
"Indeed, he must have been ambushed by a fire-attributed spell," another agreed.
"Doesn't casting a spell take time? In the time it takes to cast, he could have easily dodged. Young Master Qian isn't stupid; why would he just stand there and take the hit?"
"How do you know he isn't stupid?"
"Maybe he was careless and didn't dodge in time..."
"None of you are correct," another Pill Master cut in. "It must have been a fire-attributed talisman, and not a cheap one-time use either..."
...
The Pill Masters continued their lively discussion, full of enthusiasm for the topic.
Discussing treatment plans and racking their brains for the right combination of pills and medicines was a tedious task, but when it came to gossip, their interest was piqued.
Old Man Feng was left speechless by their behavior. He asked again, "Who did he bully?"
"It seems it was a child," one of the Pill Masters replied. "There was another cultivator who couldn't stand by and watch, so he stepped in to help. A fight broke out between the two sides, and it caused quite a stir. Even in these times, there are still cultivators brave enough to stand up for what's right."
A guess formed in Old Man Feng's mind, and his expression gradually turned cold. "Do you know who that child is?" he asked.
"That's not clear," the Pill Master replied. "I only heard that the one who helped was a disciple of Chen Shi's alchemy shop. As for the child who was bullied, I think his surname is Mo..."
Old Man Feng put down his teacup, stood up, and strode out, his sleeves billowing behind him.
"Old Man Feng..." The Pill Masters hurriedly got to their feet and followed him.
The members of the Qian family, seeing this, also rushed forward anxiously. "Old Master, where are you going?"
"Back!" Old Man Feng declared.
"But Young Master's injuries are severe, we're counting on you to treat him..." one of the Qian disciples said, panic creeping into his voice.
"I won't treat him!" Old Man Feng stated firmly, leaving no room for argument.
"Wh-what...? You..." The Qian disciples were at a loss for what to do or say.
A Qian family elder with deep wrinkles and a profound aura, indicating his advanced cultivation base at the Foundation Establishment stage, stepped forward and blocked Old Man Feng's path. "Old Man Feng, please go back and save Young Master. Our family head will definitely reward you handsomely!"
Foundation Establishment stage! The Pill Masters were secretly startled, exchanging glances with one another.
Old Man Feng glanced at the elder, his gaze steady. "Are you trying to tell me what to do?"
"I dare not," the elder said, bowing his hands together. "I humbly request that you save Young Master."
Old Man Feng snorted coldly. "In my life, I have refined pills and healed people to save lives, not to bring harm. What kind of person is your young master? Is he worth me saving?"
The elder fell silent, unable to refute Old Man Feng's words. He knew very well what kind of person his young master was, and he also knew that with Old Man Feng's temperament, he wouldn't agree to help once he learned the truth.
Old Man Feng's expression was as still as a calm lake. "Are you going to let me pass or not?"
The elder, despite having reached the Foundation Establishment stage, felt a twinge of guilt under Old Man Feng's unwavering gaze. He hesitated for a moment before stepping aside.
Old Man Feng flicked his sleeves and left the Qian family residence. Several of the Pill Masters took this opportunity to take their leave as well, not wanting to offend the powerful family. Only a few who couldn't afford to offend the Qiangs remained, gritting their teeth and enduring the situation.
One of the Qian disciples asked the elder, "Elder, why didn't you stop Old Man Feng?"
The elder glared at him. "How could I stop him? Years ago, he saved my father's life. I don't have the face to stop him. The fact that he didn't scold me is already a favor to me!"
(End of Chapter)
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