MD Ch4 Part 5

Although Ah Jiu had told me about the beautiful scenery between the Dragon Nightmare Domain and the Valley of Ghosts, I was still awestruck when I saw it with my own eyes.

Amidst a range of towering mountains that pierced through the clouds, lay an ethereal azure lake. Despite being winter, lush evergreen trees surrounded the lake. Mist rising from the water enveloped the mountains, creating a natural barrier. Unless one looked closely, this place would remain undiscovered.

I instructed the two-headed lion to stop by the lake, then disembarked with Song Qiyuan, neither of us bothering with outer robes. While the air had been frigid when the carriage was in the sky, it was surprisingly warm down below. That explained why the evergreen trees remained vibrant.

Yu Ke’s small cabin was built beside a waterfall. Crystal-clear water trickled from between the rocks, flowing down to meet the lake, creating a scene of tranquility and peace.

I hadn’t realized Yu Ke had such a refined taste. To choose such a beautiful location…

However…

“How long has it been since I last came here?”

A sense of melancholy washed over me as I looked at the overgrown weeds, taller than a man, and the decaying roof of the cabin.

After a long silence, Ah Jiu replied,

“You never remember these things, Lord, but Ah Jiu does. Give me a moment to think. Hmm… Roughly three or four years, I believe.”

As if sensing my displeasure, Ah Jiu added consolingly,

“You only stayed for a few days back then, Lord. You were bored and didn’t even bother setting up any protective spells when you left. But it’s not too bad, considering.”

“…Shizun, where are we?”

Song Qiyuan, who had been sulking the entire time, clutched my robe tightly, relying on me to guide him, since he couldn’t see. He must have sensed the change in air and temperature.

I bent down slightly, looked into his vacant eyes, and felt a pang of sympathy. The Song Qiyuan I wrote was someone who could handle everything on his own. He never showed weakness, enduring injuries silently, gritting his teeth through the pain. Perhaps I was the only one who would ever see him so vulnerable.

I stroked his dark, thick hair and smiled.

“This is where you and I will live from now on. I will heal your eyes, restore your meridians, and help you walk the path of cultivation again.”

I felt a tug on my robe. Before I could react, Song Qiyuan had already knelt down. He prostrated himself before me, his small body bowed low, then raised his head and said respectfully,

“I, Song Qiyuan, will never forget Shizun’s grace. If you ever need me in the future, I will go through fire and water for you.”

His eyes glistened with sincerity. He had truly accepted me as his Shizun.

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t touched. But along with the warmth came a sense of unease. For some reason, I felt that life wouldn’t be smooth sailing for Song Qiyuan and me.

Right now, he was grateful to me for saving him and giving him the chance for revenge. But the enemy he wanted to kill was me.

I wondered if I could escape his wrath.

“Get up. The longer the Coexistent Ice Lotus is away from the Snow Demon Clan, the weaker its potency becomes. Let’s unpack and heal your eyes tonight.”

There was no point in dwelling on it. I decided to keep things simple for now.

He was my disciple, and I was his Shizun.

After clearing the weeds around the cabin and repairing the roof with a spell, I built another wooden house of the same size next to the cabin for Song Qiyuan.

I furnished the room with a table and a bed; that was the best I could do. It was simple, but sufficient for living.

While I was working, Song Qiyuan sat silently on a tree stump, head lowered. Ah Jiu, disliking the boy’s gloomy demeanor, tried to cheer him up with a few playful jabs before coming to help me. The boy sat alone, occasionally touching the stone around his neck.

Having been imprisoned by Yu Ke for so long, and still reeling from the trauma of his clan’s annihilation, the boy always seemed shrouded in a dark cloud.

***

The thickening mist signaled the approach of evening. After tidying up the room and lighting a lamp, I called for Song Qiyuan. I had him sit cross-legged on the wooden bed, and I sat facing him in the same position.

I ordered Ah Jiu to guard the door, wary of demonic beast disturbances. The Coexistent Ice Lotus, being a divine object, possessed potent spiritual energy that would attract many covetous beasts. Ah Jiu’s imposing presence and vigilance would deter them, saving us a lot of trouble.

“Close your eyes, focus your mind, regulate your breathing, and embrace simplicity. Cultivate your spirit.”

Song Qiyuan obediently followed my instructions. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to remain calm. I was terrified of making a mistake while healing his eyes. Eyes were incredibly important; I couldn’t afford any carelessness.

I retrieved the Coexistent Ice Lotus from my ring. Its white petals shimmered beautifully in the lamplight. As I gently touched the lotus, its petals emitted a bright white light and floated into the air.

“Open your mouth, Qiyuan.”

As the boy opened his mouth, I guided the white light inside and quickly gathered profound energy in my hands. I swiftly struck several major acupoints on his body, turned him around, and placed my hands on his back. Closing my eyes, I channeled the white light into his eyes, meticulously repairing the damaged nerves.

I couldn’t relax for a moment. After about two hours, as the lamplight began to dim, I carefully repaired the last nerve. I finally breathed a sigh of relief.

As I slowly lowered my hands, exhaustion washed over me. I rubbed my temples, turned Song Qiyuan around, and smiled.

“Open your eyes, Qiyuan.”

Song Qiyuan’s first reaction wasn’t to open his eyes. His body stiff, he raised his hands and gently touched his closed eyelids, his hands and body trembling slightly.

“Shizun, I…”

He slowly opened his eyes, and the vacant look was gone. Clear, dark pupils reflected my masked face. I knew instantly that his eyes were healed. Just as I was about to congratulate him, Song Qiyuan suddenly threw his arms around me, sobbing uncontrollably.

“Shizun, I can see! I can see…!”

A pang of sympathy resonated within me.

Yes, you can see. That’s wonderful.

Awkwardly patting his back, I said,

“I’m glad you can see again. Rest well tonight. In two days, we’ll go to the Valley of Ghosts to heal your meridians.”

My touch seemed to bring him back to his senses. He quickly pulled away, wiping his tears with his hands, his face flushed, and returned to his sitting position.

“I’m sorry. I was just… too excited, Shizun.”

He then bowed deeply.

“Thank you, Shizun!”

In the novel, Song Qiyuan received help from many people during his cultivation journey, and he repaid every single one of them. However, he was never able to repay Ye Wangzhi, even after achieving fame. There was no specific reason; he simply couldn’t find him.

This was one of Song Qiyuan’s lifelong regrets.

“Get up. It’s enough that you’re alive and well. Doing what you want to do is the best way to repay me.”

My own words embarrassed me. Why did it sound like something a father would say to his son? I scratched my face awkwardly, avoiding Song Qiyuan’s teary gaze.

My heart was pounding again.

I quickly stood up, told him to rest, and left the room. I went to find Ah Jiu, who was dozing outside.

Was this obedient, glutinous rice ball of a child really the same Song Qiyuan?

As the wooden door closed, a flicker of suspicion crossed Song Qiyuan’s eyes, but it was quickly replaced by the joy of regaining his sight.

I wasn’t sleepy, so I just laid Ah Jiu on the bed. I planned to visit the Ten Thousand Bones Cave tonight to scout the route, just in case I couldn’t find the Blood Pool later.

***