No, I am not
The treetop gently shook, and the slender branches were bent under the pressure.
The shoes perched on the treetop were brand new, although their style appeared ordinary and could be found in any random market. However, the stitching on the soles and uppers was finely detailed. Perhaps they weren’t as extravagant as the shoes in the capital city’s shops, but they were exceptionally comfortable.
The hem of the robe fluttered in the wind, and the indigo fabric was somewhat coarse. However, the fabric was woven well, with almost no irregularities, and the dyeing was even.
–cheap coarse woven materials often have these two problems. If you want such high-quality products, you not only have to pay a few more copper coins, but the buyer also has to spend time and carefully select them.
The owner of these shoes and this clothing could make plain attire stand out with exceptional grace.
He stood on the treetop with his right hand resting behind him, exuding an air of leisure.
Surrounded by an endless forest, distant cliffs had waterfalls cascading down, and the mountain peaks on the side resembled a woman draped in green silk, forming the appearance of a celestial maiden holding a bottle.
Amidst such exquisite scenery, Meng Qi remained expressionless, gazing ahead.
In front of him, a pigeon was flying.
The pigeon was flying slower and slower, flapping its wings and beginning to hover in circles above the trees.
Meng Qi had no intention of capturing it because he felt that this pigeon had lost its way!
In fact, this was no longer Dragon Claw Peak; it was another mountain entirely.
Initially, the pigeon had been flying rapidly forward, following the same direction as the two pigeons Meng Qi had seen earlier.
Meng Qi had no doubts and had directly pursued it.
The pigeon was flying swiftly, and the terrain in the mountains was complex, with numerous trees obstructing the line of sight. Even for a martial artist with exceptional lightness skills, it was possible to lose track, but Meng Qi, in the Shangyun Mountain, could sense spiritual energy at any time, so he wasn’t worried about that.
At first, Meng Qi thought that Ancestor Qingwu was being cunning, using pigeons to establish contact not on Dragon Claw Peak, but hidden on another mountain.
But the more he pursued, the more things seemed off…
Meng Qi had previously estimated that Gong Jun might return to Liuhe Temple, thinking that Ancestor Qingwu might not spare anyone who knew the truth. However, he hadn’t expected Ancestor Qingwu to act so quickly and directly attack the group of Imperial Guards on the mountain path.
His audacity was a bit too much.
The Imperial Guards had left Liuhe Temple not long ago. Even if they were fast, they shouldn’t have left Dragon Claw Peak. So, Meng Qi concluded that this attack must have occurred on the mountain path.
Not to mention, Gong Jun had also immediately returned, moving even faster than he had anticipated. It was undoubtedly because he had encountered a formidable enemy! An enemy that Gong Jun considered himself no match for and greatly feared, forcing him to turn back to find his formidable adversary!
This formidable adversary could only be none other than Ancestor Qingwu, Zhao Cangfeng!
It was definitely Ancestor Qingwu himself!
Meng Qi was certain of this. It seemed that this conspiracy was about to move to the next stage. Ancestor Qingwu’s appearance was likely aimed at controlling all the movements around Liuhe Temple to ensure that the plan proceeded flawlessly.
But what exactly was this plan?
As Meng Qi pondered this, he suddenly realized that the path he was on was getting farther and farther away.
What was going on with that pigeon ahead?
Meng Qi’s heart skipped a beat, but he remained expressionless and stood on the treetop, watching the pigeon continue flying ahead.
Long ago, during military campaigns, they had begun using carrier pigeons for messaging. During the Chu Dynasty, there were dedicated pigeon trainers in the capital city, and even wealthy individuals, especially merchants, started raising pigeons. Pigeons could often be seen flying around the docks, transmitting price information from nearby towns around the capital. They would report shortages of cloth or demand for tea, and everything was crystal clear.
Although Meng Qi had never raised them, he had seen many pigeons.
The pigeon he had captured earlier was of the finest quality. It excelled in physique, feather color, and demeanor, making it a top-tier choice. Therefore, Meng Qi had never expected it to get lost, especially since it was not a young pigeon!
“Hmm.”
Meng Qi suddenly remembered how his old friend, General Song, had forbidden him to touch the cage of pigeons many years ago.
General Song liked clever and intelligent birds, and he had some pigeons at home. The garden at General Song’s house was especially beautiful. Once, a fat rat had scared the parrot in General Song’s house, causing it to drop a pine nut on Meng Qi’s head.
General Song cherished his pigeons so much that not only did he forbid Meng Qi from touching them, but he also prohibited anyone else from approaching them. Every time he opened the cage to let them out, even he had to keep his distance, allowing only his pigeon trainers to handle them.
“…When pigeons are frightened while flying, they might fly in a panic and get lost,” Meng Qi said.
“We are all military men, and we possess a murderous aura that scares them.”
General Song and Meng Qi had used this explanation with Prime Minister Deng and others. They had talked about ‘aura relocation’ and ‘cultivating an aura,’ as the officials were too influential, and they might frighten these pigeons who had never seen the world.
Prime Minister Deng was furious, and they conspired to steal two pigeons from General Song’s house.
Originally, they had planned to write a note and have the pigeons carry it back to prove that the pigeons knew the way. They were afraid the pigeons might not return, so the neighboring Duke Jingyuan came up with an idea. They erected a ladder on the courtyard wall, climbed up, and released the pigeons from there.
Then the pigeons successfully carried the message back, and everyone was delighted. They removed the ladder and pretended that they had never climbed over the wall. The next day, they put on a righteous demeanor and coldly harrumphed at General Song.
So, had they wrongly accused General Song all those years ago?
“…”
Meng Qi recalled the pigeon trainers in the capital city and the pigeons used for messaging in the military. He felt that it wasn’t the case. Tens of thousands of soldiers shouting together wouldn’t have frightened the pigeons to the point of losing their way. It was clear that Ancestor Qingwu’s subordinates had not taken proper care of the pigeons!
Suddenly, a shadow ahead flashed, and a large brown eagle swooped down toward the trees.
Meng Qi: “…”
He hurriedly used his lightness skills to catch up and pushed the brown eagle, which was attempting to capture the pigeon, far away with a gentle and round palm strike.
The eagle was unharmed but lost two feathers and let out an annoyed cry.
“Sorry about that. If you had eaten it, the letter would have been written in vain,” Meng Qi said, grabbing the trembling pigeon in his hand and sighing.
The old eagle circled angrily in the sky above the trees.
Meng Qi placed the pigeon back on the tree branch, and the pigeon immediately stumbled into a tree hollow. It was then chased out by a squirrel inside the hollow, which was squeaking and hopping around.
The pigeon took off again in a panicked frenzy and crashed straight into a tree trunk, falling down.
Meng Qi silently reached out to catch the pigeon.
He had only intended to startle Ancestor Qingwu a bit and let those people know that State Teacher Meng Qi was not dead and would come to trouble them. Wasn’t it an unexpected turn of events?
Even sending a letter with a pigeon was so difficult.
Fortunately, he had followed along; otherwise, wouldn’t the note that the physician had praised end up discarded in the eagle’s nest along with the pigeon’s remains? That would have been a shame!
Never mind, this wasn’t the first time he had helped a pigeon complete its ‘delivery’ mission.
“Let’s go back to Dragon Claw Peak first.”
Meng Qi’s figure expanded, and he set off with the dazed pigeon in tow.
Surprisingly, the eagle above them flapped its wings and followed Meng Qi.
***
“Ah!”
Gong Jun cried out in pain and then spat out several mouthfuls of blood.
“Alright, stand up,” Mo Li withdrew his hand and began re-examining Gong Jun’s pulse.
The stagnant and oppressive Qi pathways were suddenly clear, and Gong Jun felt much better. He gazed at Mo Li with a more complex expression.
Where had State Teacher Meng Qi found such a physician? Not only was his medical skill outstanding, but he also possessed profound inner strength, and he looked to be only in his twenties. At this age, even the most outstanding martial artists in the Jianghu couldn’t compare, let alone his standing among the ranks of renowned physicians.
Wait a minute, State Teacher Meng Qi also looked very young!
Gong Jun’s expression shifted slightly. A highly skilled physician who seemed proficient in martial arts…
“Concentrate,” Mo Li frowned as he continued to check Gong Jun’s pulse, “What are you thinking? Acting startled and panicking like this?”
Both the pulse and aura were reactions to the shock, and Mo Li could not be deceived.
Gong Jun steadied his mind, appearing calmer.
Mo Li, still feeling Gong Jun’s pulse, contemplated, “The person who injured you used the ‘Shattered Organ Fist,’ am I correct?”
“Yes,” Gong Jun hadn’t expected Mo Li to deduce the assailant’s technique so quickly.
He felt that his suspicion might just be true!
“The ‘Shattered Organ Fist’ is an extremely difficult martial art. It appears fierce but is, in fact, a subtle technique that harms the opponent with hidden force, making it exceptionally treacherous. To an untrained eye, the injuries may not seem severe, and it is challenging for a physician who lacks martial arts knowledge to pinpoint the underlying issue. However, the hidden force has already damaged the meridians and organs. In severe cases, the victim will spit blood to death within three days, while in milder cases, they will remain bedridden, worsening their condition over several months, eventually becoming fatal.”
Gong Jun listened attentively and thought about being bedridden. He had a good reason to shake off the trouble!
“Thank you, doctor,” Gong Jun weakly replied.
After spitting blood, he had turned pale, and now, he deliberately portrayed himself as feeble and weak, even controlling his internal energy. His expression carried a sense of trepidation, annoyance, desolation, and resignation. In any case, no matter how you looked at it, he appeared to be a person lamenting his lack of martial strength.
“So, Physician, you have saved a life,” he self-deprecatingly said.
Several Jinyiwei stood nearby, and upon hearing this, they were about to offer consolation, but Mo Li calmly said, “No, Deputy Commander Gong has excellent lightness skills, and his opponent couldn’t land a hit. He was only injured by the residual force of this sinister martial art. It’s quite easy to treat, especially with Deputy Commander’s martial skills. You can recover through self-regulation. I’ll prescribe a remedy just in case. Don’t worry; it won’t be expensive. You don’t even need ginseng, just some ordinary Astragalus slices to boost your Qi for a few days. No need for other medicines.”
Gong Jun: “…”
He was putting on a naturally weak facade, but it seemed like Mo Li wasn’t buying it. The soldier named Xiao stood up abruptly and said, “Doctor, our Deputy Commander has spit so much blood. Are you sure it’s not severe? And he doesn’t need any medicine?”
Mo Li remained unruffled and said gently, “You’re right. Since he has spit blood, how about I prescribe a blood-replenishing remedy?”
Gong Jun quickly tried to salvage the situation, saying, “Doctor, I was feeling extremely dizzy earlier, and I could barely stand.”
This was not a lie. When he had brought the Jinyiwei to the Liuhe Temple’s entrance, he had almost fainted, with his vision blurring. However, lying down now, especially after Mo Li had expelled the blood from his body using inner energy, he felt much better. He was not lying, and more questions wouldn’t hurt. There might be hidden dangers after all.
Mo Li withdrew his pulse-checking hand and contemplated, “Do you really want to know the reason?”
“Well… of course,”
Gong Jun felt something was amiss, but with his subordinates around, he couldn’t just stop listening midway. Moreover, he was genuinely concerned that he might die suddenly, leaving his pet Liri without a guardian.
Mo Li nodded and said naturally, “You had a false perception of your injuries earlier because you were running too fast. Coupled with blood congestion and blocked Qi pathways, you felt dizzy and weak. Lying down will help.”
Everyone: “…”
“Alright, ten taels of silver, plus the injuries of those two men from earlier, make it fifteen taels in total.”
“What?” Gong Jun was shocked.
Those two Jinyiwei had severe injuries, with limbs missing, and it added up to only five taels of silver?
“Doctor, is the compensation you’re asking for reasonable?” Xiao, the corporal, couldn’t help but ask.
Gong Jun looked at his capable subordinate with satisfaction. It seemed that Xiao had grown well under his guidance.
“The doctor just said that Deputy Commander’s injuries are not severe,” another Jinyiwei interjected.
“That’s right, he’s not seriously injured, nor is it life-threatening,” Mo Li nodded, speaking seriously. “But the nature of the ‘Shattered Organ Fist’ is troublesome. Even if it’s just a bit of congestion, it requires stronger inner energy to expel it. Otherwise, Deputy Commander Gong will suffer from lingering illness, with frequent coughing fits every day, occurring at certain hours until his inner strength surpasses the opponent’s. We roughly calculated it, and it would take at least ten years. Is ten taels of silver expensive?”
Mo Li, upholding his master’s teachings, never extorted money when treating patients.
“But the injuries of those two Jinyiwei could be treated by an experienced physician or someone with martial arts knowledge. Moreover, no matter how they are treated, they cannot fully restore their missing limbs. Deputy Commander Gong, on the other hand, can get out of bed tomorrow, fully recover within five days, and all it costs is ten taels of silver.”
After Mo Li finished speaking, he noticed that the expressions of Gong Jun, Xiao, and the Jinyiwei were indescribable.
“What’s wrong?” Mo Li asked with confusion.
Gong Jun reluctantly took out his money pouch, which was embroidered with an active and lively pattern of a Liri, currently pushing a ball with its paws.
Xiao, on the other hand, belatedly realized that he had lost his money pouch during the recent attack and found himself with empty pockets.
Gong Jun took out a twenty-tael silver note, saying in a helpless tone, “No need to find it.”
Mo Li calmly accepted the silver note. Five taels of silver were within his acceptable range, not excessively charging. Besides, he and Meng Qi had arrived in the capital, where there were money shops everywhere.
“Deputy Commander Gong, please rest. I’ll check outside,” Mo Li left casually.
Once he stepped out, Xiao couldn’t help but say, “Wasn’t that doctor showing off his high martial arts skills earlier?”
Mo Li paused in his steps.
“…Right? What does he mean by ‘requiring stronger inner energy to expel congestion’ and ‘it might take ten years for self-recovery’? Is this medical treatment or boasting?”
Gong Jun was infuriated.
—Couldn’t you have waited a bit longer before speaking? We were so close; do you think the doctor couldn’t hear you?
Mo Li didn’t look back and continued walking.
As he went, he pondered why his words sounded that way. He had spoken the truth, so why did it come across differently? Could it be that spending too much time with Meng Qi had been a bad influence?
Mo Li went to the front yard to find the old abbot, who was currently wearing a worried expression.
“The doctor is here!” The old abbot quickly stood up and asked anxiously, “What should we do now? They even dared to attack the Jinyiwei. If we try to leave the temple, our chances of survival are slim.”
Mo Li thought for a moment and then asked, “Where is the entrance to the Emperor’s Tomb treasure?”
“Well… I can’t say for sure,” the old abbot said with a troubled expression. “Previously, they dug in the back yard and indeed broke through the sealed earth layer, but they encountered quicksilver shortly after. I didn’t go down, so I don’t know the current situation.”
“In that case, don’t go to the back yard. The abbot should gather all the monks in the main hall. If you need to rest, just make do with the floor. I will talk to Deputy Commander Gong and have the Jinyiwei stay in the front yard to avoid any complications. Don’t act alone, and if you get the opportunity, leave the temple immediately.”
The old abbot agreed repeatedly and immediately went to find people.
In addition to gathering people, they also moved bedding, pillows, blankets, food, and water pitchers to the front yard.
The Liuhe Temple was bustling with activity, and several Jinyiwei nervously guarded the temple gate, not even daring to sheathe their swords, fearing that the masked men might appear.
Mo Li circled the temple and then went to find Gong Jun. As he approached the courtyard, he suddenly heard Xiao Baihu saying,
“Are you suggesting that the doctor just now might be the Xuanhu Divine Physician…”
Hmm? Quite perceptive!
Mo Li had already changed back into his outer robe. His fingers lightly touched the sword hidden in his sleeve as he wondered if it was this sword that made Gong Jun realize his identity. To be able to discern his identity from his medical skills showed great insight. His reputation as the bamboo sword practitioner was not unfounded.
“…You’re saying it’s me?”
Wait a minute, what did Xiao Baihu just say?
Mo Li absentmindedly connected the sentence together and thought it over. He is the Xuanhu Divine Physician himself?
How did they figure that out?
He could not be the master!
Elder Qin was already eighty years old! Did he look like he was eighty years old?
Mo Li was perplexed, and Xiao Baihu had similar doubts.
“But… Isn’t the Xuanhu Divine Physician already famous for many years? Shouldn’t he be very old, with white hair and all? The doctor we just saw seemed to be younger than my subordinates.”
“Did you think of Meng Qi when you said that?” Gong Jun retorted.
This statement caused silence both inside and outside the room.
Indeed, Meng Qi appeared to be young and seemingly never aged. Jinyiwei generally believed that he practiced some evil technique, like the ones depicted in popular stories—techniques that involved consuming human hearts and drinking human blood. Such characters were known to be immortal in the stories.
Seductive and alluring women who seduced young heroes in the Jianghu, righteous and upright young heroes who naturally resisted temptation. However, avid listeners of the stories enjoyed these scenes while cursing the characters at the same time. It was a vivid imagination.
But then, the storytellers would change the narrative. The young, beautiful woman’s martial arts were revealed and broken, her face instantly aged, her hair fell out, and she transformed into a hundred-year-old crone. The enchanting and alluring ambiance vanished instantly, and those who had indulged in such thoughts felt as if they had eaten a bug. This scenario was quite common in teahouses and taverns.
With such thoughts in mind, the Jinyiwei naturally feared Meng Qi.
“Are you suggesting that the doctor also practices some evil technique?”
Xiao Baihu asked, and Mo Li’s anger surged. He couldn’t let these people slander Elder Qin’s reputation.
“Gah!” Gong Jun sneezed forcefully, his hair standing on end.
He abruptly pushed open the window and saw Mo Li, who had a cold and stern expression.
Everyone: “…”
“No, what I meant was that the Xuanhu Divine Physician is renowned for his remarkable medical skills, and it’s well-known that he might possess a secret to eternal youth,” Gong Jun said with a wry smile. He really thought this way, but why was he so sensitive, pushing the window shut mid-sentence?
It would have been better to finish his thought sincerely!
“You got it wrong; my last name isn’t Qin!” Mo Li said coldly and turned to leave.
At this moment, the Jinyiwei who had been guarding the yard returned. Xiao Baihu redirected his frustration, saying, “Where did you all run off to? Deputy Commander Gong is seriously injured, and you can’t even watch over the courtyard?”
The two Jinyiwei who had been outside looked somewhat dazed. “Deputy Commander, we were trying to find a way to contact the capital.”
“Forget it, come inside,” Gong Jun called them over, then asked sternly, “What’s the situation?”
“Reporting to Deputy Commander, it’s not looking good; there hasn’t been any sign of movement.”
The Jinyiwei had a base up on the mountain, and upon receiving a smoke signal, they should have either descended the mountain immediately or made contact. However, they had waited for a joss stick’s worth of time and saw nothing.
“What does this Ancestor Qingwu really want?” Gong Jun muttered in frustration, and in the process, he started coughing again.
Meanwhile, Meng Qi had arrived behind a nearby Taoist temple.
It was the temple situated in the valley near the Liuhe Temple, and Meng Qi had considered that there were eagles in the mountains, so the messenger pigeons wouldn’t have been released too far. Thus, he had come to test his luck.
His luck wasn’t bad at all. Before he even entered the temple, he sensed the presence of a strong martial artist.
It was a rather mystical feeling. Outside of Shangyun Mountain, he couldn’t sense such things. Yet here, he could “see” the appearances of the people inside the temple from quite a distance away.
Inside the temple, there were many black-clad masked individuals, and the original Taoist priests of the temple had been locked in the cellar.
Among the masked individuals, two wore Zhong Kui masks—one man and one woman. They were not young, but their martial skills were not bad.
Meng Qi’s “gaze” landed on the elderly Taoist in the center.
He was holding a whisk and had his eyes half-closed. The outer layer of his Daoist robe was extremely exquisite, adorned with the patterns of the sun, moon, stars, and eight trigrams.
“Who?”
The elderly Taoist seemed to have sensed something and suddenly opened his eyes.
At that moment, Meng Qi had nudged the pigeon, prompting it to fly off.
The pigeon clumsily rotated in place before recognizing that it had returned to the vicinity of the temple and quickly flew inside.
“Master, it’s a messenger pigeon from the Liuhe Temple.” The masked woman leaped up to catch the pigeon.
Ancestor Qingwu still stared suspiciously outside.
His female disciple dismantled the bamboo tube and unfolded the note.
“Ah!”
Qingwu Ancestor glared at her and snatched the note away with the whisk.
Without making physical contact, he just cast his gaze over, and his expression immediately changed.
“So, it’s the State Teacher who’s come to visit. I have been disrespectful,” Ancestor Qingwu said, waving his sleeve. The main hall of the Xianyue Taoist temple, where the Three Pure Ones were enshrined, the Daoist temple’s main gate, and the three outer gates were all simultaneously opened by his inner strength.
Ancestor Qingwu walked out of the gate with a stern face, and Meng Qi calmly strolled out of the bamboo forest and entered the main gate of the Taoist temple.
The black-clad masked individuals retreated, while the two mask-wearing figures followed Ancestor Qingwu. They immediately spotted Meng Qi.
At that moment, an old eagle suddenly flew in from the woods, folded its wings, and landed gracefully on a nearby rock behind Meng Qi, looking exceptionally majestic.
“This…”
Gazing at the green bamboo swaying in the breeze, its leaves shining like gold and silver, round and smooth like precious jade, even though he was not adorned in elegant attire or wore a high hat, he exuded an aura that dared not be underestimated.
Such a distinguished figure, with a majestic eagle by his side, walked leisurely, his demeanor aloof.
It seemed as if he held the world in the palm of his hand. Why would he need elaborate garments to make him stand out?
“I’ve come uninvited, and I hope the host won’t take offense,” Meng Qi suddenly smiled with an air of indifference. “Indeed, you are not the owner of this temple, and like magpies building their nests in a pigeon’s abode, you have ulterior motives.”
As Meng Qi uttered the last word, his voice suddenly became heavier, and his advancing steps paused.
In an instant, a surging inner force erupted, sweeping through the black-clad figures in the courtyard like a fierce storm.
By the time he completed the word “motives,” there were groans of pain everywhere. Their masks had been blown away, and the two Zhong Kui-masked figures were struggling to stay on their feet, pressed against the wall of the Three Pure Ones’ main hall with astonished expressions.
When Meng Qi unleashed his power, most people hadn’t reacted in time.
They had been distracted by Meng Qi’s sudden smile and hadn’t heard what he said clearly.
Ancestor Qingwu, however, was not among those caught off guard. He had only retreated three steps, and his hair and Daoist robe were somewhat disheveled, but he ultimately withstood the blow.
His expression had turned gloomy, and his previously composed demeanor had vanished, leaving only a fierce air.
Author’s Note:
Gazing at the green bamboo swaying in the breeze,
Its leaves shining like gold and silver.
From “Guofeng, Weifeng, Qi Ao” in the Book of Songs.
—
Readers: He strolled leisurely… Why does he need to dress up in extravagant attire?
Meng Qi: The clothes I’m wearing were bought by the physician for me at the market. (Confidence.jpg)
Readers: Such a distinguished figure, with a majestic eagle by his side.
Old Eagle: What about the pigeon?
No, I am not
The treetop gently shook, and the slender branches were bent under the pressure.
The shoes perched on the treetop were brand new, although their style appeared ordinary and could be found in any random market. However, the stitching on the soles and uppers was finely detailed. Perhaps they weren’t as extravagant as the shoes in the capital city’s shops, but they were exceptionally comfortable.
The hem of the robe fluttered in the wind, and the indigo fabric was somewhat coarse. However, the fabric was woven well, with almost no irregularities, and the dyeing was even.
–cheap coarse woven materials often have these two problems. If you want such high-quality products, you not only have to pay a few more copper coins, but the buyer also has to spend time and carefully select them.
The owner of these shoes and this clothing could make plain attire stand out with exceptional grace.
He stood on the treetop with his right hand resting behind him, exuding an air of leisure.
Surrounded by an endless forest, distant cliffs had waterfalls cascading down, and the mountain peaks on the side resembled a woman draped in green silk, forming the appearance of a celestial maiden holding a bottle.
Amidst such exquisite scenery, Meng Qi remained expressionless, gazing ahead.
In front of him, a pigeon was flying.
The pigeon was flying slower and slower, flapping its wings and beginning to hover in circles above the trees.
Meng Qi had no intention of capturing it because he felt that this pigeon had lost its way!
In fact, this was no longer Dragon Claw Peak; it was another mountain entirely.
Initially, the pigeon had been flying rapidly forward, following the same direction as the two pigeons Meng Qi had seen earlier.
Meng Qi had no doubts and had directly pursued it.
The pigeon was flying swiftly, and the terrain in the mountains was complex, with numerous trees obstructing the line of sight. Even for a martial artist with exceptional lightness skills, it was possible to lose track, but Meng Qi, in the Shangyun Mountain, could sense spiritual energy at any time, so he wasn’t worried about that.
At first, Meng Qi thought that Ancestor Qingwu was being cunning, using pigeons to establish contact not on Dragon Claw Peak, but hidden on another mountain.
But the more he pursued, the more things seemed off…
Meng Qi had previously estimated that Gong Jun might return to Liuhe Temple, thinking that Ancestor Qingwu might not spare anyone who knew the truth. However, he hadn’t expected Ancestor Qingwu to act so quickly and directly attack the group of Imperial Guards on the mountain path.
His audacity was a bit too much.
The Imperial Guards had left Liuhe Temple not long ago. Even if they were fast, they shouldn’t have left Dragon Claw Peak. So, Meng Qi concluded that this attack must have occurred on the mountain path.
Not to mention, Gong Jun had also immediately returned, moving even faster than he had anticipated. It was undoubtedly because he had encountered a formidable enemy! An enemy that Gong Jun considered himself no match for and greatly feared, forcing him to turn back to find his formidable adversary!
This formidable adversary could only be none other than Ancestor Qingwu, Zhao Cangfeng!
It was definitely Ancestor Qingwu himself!
Meng Qi was certain of this. It seemed that this conspiracy was about to move to the next stage. Ancestor Qingwu’s appearance was likely aimed at controlling all the movements around Liuhe Temple to ensure that the plan proceeded flawlessly.
But what exactly was this plan?
As Meng Qi pondered this, he suddenly realized that the path he was on was getting farther and farther away.
What was going on with that pigeon ahead?
Meng Qi’s heart skipped a beat, but he remained expressionless and stood on the treetop, watching the pigeon continue flying ahead.
Long ago, during military campaigns, they had begun using carrier pigeons for messaging. During the Chu Dynasty, there were dedicated pigeon trainers in the capital city, and even wealthy individuals, especially merchants, started raising pigeons. Pigeons could often be seen flying around the docks, transmitting price information from nearby towns around the capital. They would report shortages of cloth or demand for tea, and everything was crystal clear.
Although Meng Qi had never raised them, he had seen many pigeons.
The pigeon he had captured earlier was of the finest quality. It excelled in physique, feather color, and demeanor, making it a top-tier choice. Therefore, Meng Qi had never expected it to get lost, especially since it was not a young pigeon!
“Hmm.”
Meng Qi suddenly remembered how his old friend, General Song, had forbidden him to touch the cage of pigeons many years ago.
General Song liked clever and intelligent birds, and he had some pigeons at home. The garden at General Song’s house was especially beautiful. Once, a fat rat had scared the parrot in General Song’s house, causing it to drop a pine nut on Meng Qi’s head.
General Song cherished his pigeons so much that not only did he forbid Meng Qi from touching them, but he also prohibited anyone else from approaching them. Every time he opened the cage to let them out, even he had to keep his distance, allowing only his pigeon trainers to handle them.
“…When pigeons are frightened while flying, they might fly in a panic and get lost,” Meng Qi said.
“We are all military men, and we possess a murderous aura that scares them.”
General Song and Meng Qi had used this explanation with Prime Minister Deng and others. They had talked about ‘aura relocation’ and ‘cultivating an aura,’ as the officials were too influential, and they might frighten these pigeons who had never seen the world.
Prime Minister Deng was furious, and they conspired to steal two pigeons from General Song’s house.
Originally, they had planned to write a note and have the pigeons carry it back to prove that the pigeons knew the way. They were afraid the pigeons might not return, so the neighboring Duke Jingyuan came up with an idea. They erected a ladder on the courtyard wall, climbed up, and released the pigeons from there.
Then the pigeons successfully carried the message back, and everyone was delighted. They removed the ladder and pretended that they had never climbed over the wall. The next day, they put on a righteous demeanor and coldly harrumphed at General Song.
So, had they wrongly accused General Song all those years ago?
“…”
Meng Qi recalled the pigeon trainers in the capital city and the pigeons used for messaging in the military. He felt that it wasn’t the case. Tens of thousands of soldiers shouting together wouldn’t have frightened the pigeons to the point of losing their way. It was clear that Ancestor Qingwu’s subordinates had not taken proper care of the pigeons!
Suddenly, a shadow ahead flashed, and a large brown eagle swooped down toward the trees.
Meng Qi: “…”
He hurriedly used his lightness skills to catch up and pushed the brown eagle, which was attempting to capture the pigeon, far away with a gentle and round palm strike.
The eagle was unharmed but lost two feathers and let out an annoyed cry.
“Sorry about that. If you had eaten it, the letter would have been written in vain,” Meng Qi said, grabbing the trembling pigeon in his hand and sighing.
The old eagle circled angrily in the sky above the trees.
Meng Qi placed the pigeon back on the tree branch, and the pigeon immediately stumbled into a tree hollow. It was then chased out by a squirrel inside the hollow, which was squeaking and hopping around.
The pigeon took off again in a panicked frenzy and crashed straight into a tree trunk, falling down.
Meng Qi silently reached out to catch the pigeon.
He had only intended to startle Ancestor Qingwu a bit and let those people know that State Teacher Meng Qi was not dead and would come to trouble them. Wasn’t it an unexpected turn of events?
Even sending a letter with a pigeon was so difficult.
Fortunately, he had followed along; otherwise, wouldn’t the note that the physician had praised end up discarded in the eagle’s nest along with the pigeon’s remains? That would have been a shame!
Never mind, this wasn’t the first time he had helped a pigeon complete its ‘delivery’ mission.
“Let’s go back to Dragon Claw Peak first.”
Meng Qi’s figure expanded, and he set off with the dazed pigeon in tow.
Surprisingly, the eagle above them flapped its wings and followed Meng Qi.
***
“Ah!”
Gong Jun cried out in pain and then spat out several mouthfuls of blood.
“Alright, stand up,” Mo Li withdrew his hand and began re-examining Gong Jun’s pulse.
The stagnant and oppressive Qi pathways were suddenly clear, and Gong Jun felt much better. He gazed at Mo Li with a more complex expression.
Where had State Teacher Meng Qi found such a physician? Not only was his medical skill outstanding, but he also possessed profound inner strength, and he looked to be only in his twenties. At this age, even the most outstanding martial artists in the Jianghu couldn’t compare, let alone his standing among the ranks of renowned physicians.
Wait a minute, State Teacher Meng Qi also looked very young!
Gong Jun’s expression shifted slightly. A highly skilled physician who seemed proficient in martial arts…
“Concentrate,” Mo Li frowned as he continued to check Gong Jun’s pulse, “What are you thinking? Acting startled and panicking like this?”
Both the pulse and aura were reactions to the shock, and Mo Li could not be deceived.
Gong Jun steadied his mind, appearing calmer.
Mo Li, still feeling Gong Jun’s pulse, contemplated, “The person who injured you used the ‘Shattered Organ Fist,’ am I correct?”
“Yes,” Gong Jun hadn’t expected Mo Li to deduce the assailant’s technique so quickly.
He felt that his suspicion might just be true!
“The ‘Shattered Organ Fist’ is an extremely difficult martial art. It appears fierce but is, in fact, a subtle technique that harms the opponent with hidden force, making it exceptionally treacherous. To an untrained eye, the injuries may not seem severe, and it is challenging for a physician who lacks martial arts knowledge to pinpoint the underlying issue. However, the hidden force has already damaged the meridians and organs. In severe cases, the victim will spit blood to death within three days, while in milder cases, they will remain bedridden, worsening their condition over several months, eventually becoming fatal.”
Gong Jun listened attentively and thought about being bedridden. He had a good reason to shake off the trouble!
“Thank you, doctor,” Gong Jun weakly replied.
After spitting blood, he had turned pale, and now, he deliberately portrayed himself as feeble and weak, even controlling his internal energy. His expression carried a sense of trepidation, annoyance, desolation, and resignation. In any case, no matter how you looked at it, he appeared to be a person lamenting his lack of martial strength.
“So, Physician, you have saved a life,” he self-deprecatingly said.
Several Jinyiwei stood nearby, and upon hearing this, they were about to offer consolation, but Mo Li calmly said, “No, Deputy Commander Gong has excellent lightness skills, and his opponent couldn’t land a hit. He was only injured by the residual force of this sinister martial art. It’s quite easy to treat, especially with Deputy Commander’s martial skills. You can recover through self-regulation. I’ll prescribe a remedy just in case. Don’t worry; it won’t be expensive. You don’t even need ginseng, just some ordinary Astragalus slices to boost your Qi for a few days. No need for other medicines.”
Gong Jun: “…”
He was putting on a naturally weak facade, but it seemed like Mo Li wasn’t buying it. The soldier named Xiao stood up abruptly and said, “Doctor, our Deputy Commander has spit so much blood. Are you sure it’s not severe? And he doesn’t need any medicine?”
Mo Li remained unruffled and said gently, “You’re right. Since he has spit blood, how about I prescribe a blood-replenishing remedy?”
Gong Jun quickly tried to salvage the situation, saying, “Doctor, I was feeling extremely dizzy earlier, and I could barely stand.”
This was not a lie. When he had brought the Jinyiwei to the Liuhe Temple’s entrance, he had almost fainted, with his vision blurring. However, lying down now, especially after Mo Li had expelled the blood from his body using inner energy, he felt much better. He was not lying, and more questions wouldn’t hurt. There might be hidden dangers after all.
Mo Li withdrew his pulse-checking hand and contemplated, “Do you really want to know the reason?”
“Well… of course,”
Gong Jun felt something was amiss, but with his subordinates around, he couldn’t just stop listening midway. Moreover, he was genuinely concerned that he might die suddenly, leaving his pet Liri without a guardian.
Mo Li nodded and said naturally, “You had a false perception of your injuries earlier because you were running too fast. Coupled with blood congestion and blocked Qi pathways, you felt dizzy and weak. Lying down will help.”
Everyone: “…”
“Alright, ten taels of silver, plus the injuries of those two men from earlier, make it fifteen taels in total.”
“What?” Gong Jun was shocked.
Those two Jinyiwei had severe injuries, with limbs missing, and it added up to only five taels of silver?
“Doctor, is the compensation you’re asking for reasonable?” Xiao, the corporal, couldn’t help but ask.
Gong Jun looked at his capable subordinate with satisfaction. It seemed that Xiao had grown well under his guidance.
“The doctor just said that Deputy Commander’s injuries are not severe,” another Jinyiwei interjected.
“That’s right, he’s not seriously injured, nor is it life-threatening,” Mo Li nodded, speaking seriously. “But the nature of the ‘Shattered Organ Fist’ is troublesome. Even if it’s just a bit of congestion, it requires stronger inner energy to expel it. Otherwise, Deputy Commander Gong will suffer from lingering illness, with frequent coughing fits every day, occurring at certain hours until his inner strength surpasses the opponent’s. We roughly calculated it, and it would take at least ten years. Is ten taels of silver expensive?”
Mo Li, upholding his master’s teachings, never extorted money when treating patients.
“But the injuries of those two Jinyiwei could be treated by an experienced physician or someone with martial arts knowledge. Moreover, no matter how they are treated, they cannot fully restore their missing limbs. Deputy Commander Gong, on the other hand, can get out of bed tomorrow, fully recover within five days, and all it costs is ten taels of silver.”
After Mo Li finished speaking, he noticed that the expressions of Gong Jun, Xiao, and the Jinyiwei were indescribable.
“What’s wrong?” Mo Li asked with confusion.
Gong Jun reluctantly took out his money pouch, which was embroidered with an active and lively pattern of a Liri, currently pushing a ball with its paws.
Xiao, on the other hand, belatedly realized that he had lost his money pouch during the recent attack and found himself with empty pockets.
Gong Jun took out a twenty-tael silver note, saying in a helpless tone, “No need to find it.”
Mo Li calmly accepted the silver note. Five taels of silver were within his acceptable range, not excessively charging. Besides, he and Meng Qi had arrived in the capital, where there were money shops everywhere.
“Deputy Commander Gong, please rest. I’ll check outside,” Mo Li left casually.
Once he stepped out, Xiao couldn’t help but say, “Wasn’t that doctor showing off his high martial arts skills earlier?”
Mo Li paused in his steps.
“…Right? What does he mean by ‘requiring stronger inner energy to expel congestion’ and ‘it might take ten years for self-recovery’? Is this medical treatment or boasting?”
Gong Jun was infuriated.
—Couldn’t you have waited a bit longer before speaking? We were so close; do you think the doctor couldn’t hear you?
Mo Li didn’t look back and continued walking.
As he went, he pondered why his words sounded that way. He had spoken the truth, so why did it come across differently? Could it be that spending too much time with Meng Qi had been a bad influence?
Mo Li went to the front yard to find the old abbot, who was currently wearing a worried expression.
“The doctor is here!” The old abbot quickly stood up and asked anxiously, “What should we do now? They even dared to attack the Jinyiwei. If we try to leave the temple, our chances of survival are slim.”
Mo Li thought for a moment and then asked, “Where is the entrance to the Emperor’s Tomb treasure?”
“Well… I can’t say for sure,” the old abbot said with a troubled expression. “Previously, they dug in the back yard and indeed broke through the sealed earth layer, but they encountered quicksilver shortly after. I didn’t go down, so I don’t know the current situation.”
“In that case, don’t go to the back yard. The abbot should gather all the monks in the main hall. If you need to rest, just make do with the floor. I will talk to Deputy Commander Gong and have the Jinyiwei stay in the front yard to avoid any complications. Don’t act alone, and if you get the opportunity, leave the temple immediately.”
The old abbot agreed repeatedly and immediately went to find people.
In addition to gathering people, they also moved bedding, pillows, blankets, food, and water pitchers to the front yard.
The Liuhe Temple was bustling with activity, and several Jinyiwei nervously guarded the temple gate, not even daring to sheathe their swords, fearing that the masked men might appear.
Mo Li circled the temple and then went to find Gong Jun. As he approached the courtyard, he suddenly heard Xiao Baihu saying,
“Are you suggesting that the doctor just now might be the Xuanhu Divine Physician…”
Hmm? Quite perceptive!
Mo Li had already changed back into his outer robe. His fingers lightly touched the sword hidden in his sleeve as he wondered if it was this sword that made Gong Jun realize his identity. To be able to discern his identity from his medical skills showed great insight. His reputation as the bamboo sword practitioner was not unfounded.
“…You’re saying it’s me?”
Wait a minute, what did Xiao Baihu just say?
Mo Li absentmindedly connected the sentence together and thought it over. He is the Xuanhu Divine Physician himself?
How did they figure that out?
He could not be the master!
Elder Qin was already eighty years old! Did he look like he was eighty years old?
Mo Li was perplexed, and Xiao Baihu had similar doubts.
“But… Isn’t the Xuanhu Divine Physician already famous for many years? Shouldn’t he be very old, with white hair and all? The doctor we just saw seemed to be younger than my subordinates.”
“Did you think of Meng Qi when you said that?” Gong Jun retorted.
This statement caused silence both inside and outside the room.
Indeed, Meng Qi appeared to be young and seemingly never aged. Jinyiwei generally believed that he practiced some evil technique, like the ones depicted in popular stories—techniques that involved consuming human hearts and drinking human blood. Such characters were known to be immortal in the stories.
Seductive and alluring women who seduced young heroes in the Jianghu, righteous and upright young heroes who naturally resisted temptation. However, avid listeners of the stories enjoyed these scenes while cursing the characters at the same time. It was a vivid imagination.
But then, the storytellers would change the narrative. The young, beautiful woman’s martial arts were revealed and broken, her face instantly aged, her hair fell out, and she transformed into a hundred-year-old crone. The enchanting and alluring ambiance vanished instantly, and those who had indulged in such thoughts felt as if they had eaten a bug. This scenario was quite common in teahouses and taverns.
With such thoughts in mind, the Jinyiwei naturally feared Meng Qi.
“Are you suggesting that the doctor also practices some evil technique?”
Xiao Baihu asked, and Mo Li’s anger surged. He couldn’t let these people slander Elder Qin’s reputation.
“Gah!” Gong Jun sneezed forcefully, his hair standing on end.
He abruptly pushed open the window and saw Mo Li, who had a cold and stern expression.
Everyone: “…”
“No, what I meant was that the Xuanhu Divine Physician is renowned for his remarkable medical skills, and it’s well-known that he might possess a secret to eternal youth,” Gong Jun said with a wry smile. He really thought this way, but why was he so sensitive, pushing the window shut mid-sentence?
It would have been better to finish his thought sincerely!
“You got it wrong; my last name isn’t Qin!” Mo Li said coldly and turned to leave.
At this moment, the Jinyiwei who had been guarding the yard returned. Xiao Baihu redirected his frustration, saying, “Where did you all run off to? Deputy Commander Gong is seriously injured, and you can’t even watch over the courtyard?”
The two Jinyiwei who had been outside looked somewhat dazed. “Deputy Commander, we were trying to find a way to contact the capital.”
“Forget it, come inside,” Gong Jun called them over, then asked sternly, “What’s the situation?”
“Reporting to Deputy Commander, it’s not looking good; there hasn’t been any sign of movement.”
The Jinyiwei had a base up on the mountain, and upon receiving a smoke signal, they should have either descended the mountain immediately or made contact. However, they had waited for a joss stick’s worth of time and saw nothing.
“What does this Ancestor Qingwu really want?” Gong Jun muttered in frustration, and in the process, he started coughing again.
Meanwhile, Meng Qi had arrived behind a nearby Taoist temple.
It was the temple situated in the valley near the Liuhe Temple, and Meng Qi had considered that there were eagles in the mountains, so the messenger pigeons wouldn’t have been released too far. Thus, he had come to test his luck.
His luck wasn’t bad at all. Before he even entered the temple, he sensed the presence of a strong martial artist.
It was a rather mystical feeling. Outside of Shangyun Mountain, he couldn’t sense such things. Yet here, he could “see” the appearances of the people inside the temple from quite a distance away.
Inside the temple, there were many black-clad masked individuals, and the original Taoist priests of the temple had been locked in the cellar.
Among the masked individuals, two wore Zhong Kui masks—one man and one woman. They were not young, but their martial skills were not bad.
Meng Qi’s “gaze” landed on the elderly Taoist in the center.
He was holding a whisk and had his eyes half-closed. The outer layer of his Daoist robe was extremely exquisite, adorned with the patterns of the sun, moon, stars, and eight trigrams.
“Who?”
The elderly Taoist seemed to have sensed something and suddenly opened his eyes.
At that moment, Meng Qi had nudged the pigeon, prompting it to fly off.
The pigeon clumsily rotated in place before recognizing that it had returned to the vicinity of the temple and quickly flew inside.
“Master, it’s a messenger pigeon from the Liuhe Temple.” The masked woman leaped up to catch the pigeon.
Ancestor Qingwu still stared suspiciously outside.
His female disciple dismantled the bamboo tube and unfolded the note.
“Ah!”
Qingwu Ancestor glared at her and snatched the note away with the whisk.
Without making physical contact, he just cast his gaze over, and his expression immediately changed.
“So, it’s the State Teacher who’s come to visit. I have been disrespectful,” Ancestor Qingwu said, waving his sleeve. The main hall of the Xianyue Taoist temple, where the Three Pure Ones were enshrined, the Daoist temple’s main gate, and the three outer gates were all simultaneously opened by his inner strength.
Ancestor Qingwu walked out of the gate with a stern face, and Meng Qi calmly strolled out of the bamboo forest and entered the main gate of the Taoist temple.
The black-clad masked individuals retreated, while the two mask-wearing figures followed Ancestor Qingwu. They immediately spotted Meng Qi.
At that moment, an old eagle suddenly flew in from the woods, folded its wings, and landed gracefully on a nearby rock behind Meng Qi, looking exceptionally majestic.
“This…”
Gazing at the green bamboo swaying in the breeze, its leaves shining like gold and silver, round and smooth like precious jade, even though he was not adorned in elegant attire or wore a high hat, he exuded an aura that dared not be underestimated.
Such a distinguished figure, with a majestic eagle by his side, walked leisurely, his demeanor aloof.
It seemed as if he held the world in the palm of his hand. Why would he need elaborate garments to make him stand out?
“I’ve come uninvited, and I hope the host won’t take offense,” Meng Qi suddenly smiled with an air of indifference. “Indeed, you are not the owner of this temple, and like magpies building their nests in a pigeon’s abode, you have ulterior motives.”
As Meng Qi uttered the last word, his voice suddenly became heavier, and his advancing steps paused.
In an instant, a surging inner force erupted, sweeping through the black-clad figures in the courtyard like a fierce storm.
By the time he completed the word “motives,” there were groans of pain everywhere. Their masks had been blown away, and the two Zhong Kui-masked figures were struggling to stay on their feet, pressed against the wall of the Three Pure Ones’ main hall with astonished expressions.
When Meng Qi unleashed his power, most people hadn’t reacted in time.
They had been distracted by Meng Qi’s sudden smile and hadn’t heard what he said clearly.
Ancestor Qingwu, however, was not among those caught off guard. He had only retreated three steps, and his hair and Daoist robe were somewhat disheveled, but he ultimately withstood the blow.
His expression had turned gloomy, and his previously composed demeanor had vanished, leaving only a fierce air.
Author’s Note:
Gazing at the green bamboo swaying in the breeze,
Its leaves shining like gold and silver.
From “Guofeng, Weifeng, Qi Ao” in the Book of Songs.
—
Readers: He strolled leisurely… Why does he need to dress up in extravagant attire?
Meng Qi: The clothes I’m wearing were bought by the physician for me at the market. (Confidence.jpg)
Readers: Such a distinguished figure, with a majestic eagle by his side.
Old Eagle: What about the pigeon?
