"Your Excellency Zhi Rui, please."
Lu Qing presented a cup of plum blossom tea to the young man in plain clothes.
Thank you.
The young man in plain clothes took the tea, sipped it gently, and his eyes immediately narrowed.
He closed his eyes and quietly savored it for a while. When he opened his eyes, they were full of praise: "What a wonderful flower tea! It makes my mouth water and has a wonderful fragrance. It truly lives up to its name as plum tea, which is nourished by the vital energy of heaven and earth!"
"If Zhi Rui likes them, he might as well take some back with him when he goes back."
The old doctor was also a tea enthusiast, and he was pleased to see the young man in plain clothes giving such high praise to the flower tea he had carefully prepared.
"Then thank you very much, Senior Chen," the young man in plain clothes said happily.
So Lu Qing went inside and brought out another small packet of flower tea.
After finishing a cup of plum tea, the young man in plain clothes put down the cup, and his face suddenly became serious.
"I think Senior Chen must be very curious about how I knew that you had broken through to the Innate Realm."
"Indeed, there are some things I can't figure out," the old doctor said truthfully.
When he broke through to the next level, he did not sense anyone watching him. After breaking through, he never revealed his innate realm techniques to others.
It's truly baffling how the young man in plain clothes learned of his breakthrough.
"Senior Chen, please don't take it to heart. It was purely by chance that I learned about your breakthrough. I did not intend to spy on you."
"When you broke through, I was in the county town, carrying a sect treasure. I happened to sense the changes in the energy of heaven and earth here, and that's how I learned that there was a martial arts master who was comprehending the energy of heaven and earth a hundred miles away, drawing energy into his body to achieve innate mastery."
"However, the situation in the county has been somewhat tense these days, and I have been unable to leave for the time being. It is only today that I have been able to pay my respects to you, Senior Chen."
The young man in plain clothes explained.
Besides being unable to leave, he was probably also investigating his master's background.
Lu Qing thought to himself.
However, he suddenly understood why the other party knew so much about his master.
My master frequently traveled to and from the county town, and had even met the county magistrate. It was no secret that he lived among the nobles in the town.
Given the identity of this young man in plain clothes, it would not be difficult for him to investigate the matter thoroughly.
However, the extraordinary treasure on the young man in plain clothes was able to detect changes in the energy of heaven and earth even from a hundred miles away, which was truly terrifying.
"No wonder, I never imagined there were such wondrous treasures in the world. I was truly ignorant," the old doctor exclaimed.
"This is a rare treasure of our sect, known to few. Senior Chen is a kind-hearted person who only wants to cure diseases and save lives, so it's normal that he hasn't heard of it," the young man in plain clothes said with a smile.
"What kind of virtuous person? I am just an itinerant doctor. Treating the sick and saving lives is just my duty. I don't deserve such high praise." The old doctor quickly waved his hand.
The young man in plain clothes smiled and did not argue with the old doctor.
If someone who possesses the light of merit cannot be called a truly virtuous person, then there are no good people in the world.
To be honest, the hearts of the young people in plain clothes are still somewhat shaken.
That is the light of merit, something that can only be formed by those who have done countless good deeds and accumulated countless merits.
Although the light of merit emanating from the old doctor was faint, the light of merit is still the light of merit, and it is not so easy to condense.
Even in those mysterious places, the Hanging Temple is a place where very few people possess such a precious light.
He never expected to see it in a little-known itinerant doctor.
How many illnesses must have been cured and how many people saved to accumulate so much merit!
"Senior Chen, besides asking you for a cup of flower tea, I have another matter I would like to discuss with you."
"Please speak frankly," the old doctor gestured.
Lu Qing's heart skipped a beat, knowing that they were finally getting to the point.
"I wonder if Senior Chen has ever heard of the Holy Mountain?" the young man in plain clothes asked.
"The old man is ignorant and has never heard of it," the old doctor shook his head.
"The Holy Mountain is a mysterious and great place, responsible for maintaining the order of this continent. Even the most mysterious places such as the Hanging Temple, the Cold Water Palace, and the Green Sheep Temple acknowledge its status."
"Even the most powerful families and sects in the world hold it in the highest esteem..."
As the young man in plain clothes recounted his story, the old doctor and Lu Qing finally gained a general understanding of the so-called sacred mountain.
The Holy Mountain is a very special force.
Unlike typical sectarian forces.
It was an organization jointly selected a thousand years ago by several mysterious lands and numerous sects and families across the land, responsible for discussing and maintaining order on this continent.
In Lu Qing's understanding, it was similar to the organization with the name "United" in the world he lived in his previous life.
However, unlike that organization that can only argue and bicker, the Holy Mountain itself possesses powerful martial arts strength.
The power it wields is unmatched, even by the major sects, except for a few other mysterious places.
The sacred mountain holds a transcendent position and has never participated in the struggles between various forces.
Even if war breaks out between countries, it will only stand by and watch, and will not intervene.
The sacred mountain generally maintains order that can affect the overall situation of the human race.
For example, the order between those at the Innate Realm and ordinary martial artists, or even ordinary people.
The Innate Realm is incredibly powerful. Once a martial artist enters the Innate Realm and is able to refine the primordial energy of heaven and earth, their strength will increase rapidly.
Ordinary martial artists who have acquired their skills are not much different from ordinary people when facing them.
The fighting style of those in the Innate Realm is no longer limited to fighting with punches, kicks, swords, or blades.
Instead, a casual flick of a sword or blade could easily kill dozens or even hundreds of people.
A powerful Innate Realm cultivator can slaughter the entire population of an entire city in a short period of time.
Such a powerful force, if left unchecked, would have unimaginable consequences.
There are more than one historical record of people at the Innate Realm getting into fights in the city over some arguments.
By the time they decided who would win, the small town had been almost completely destroyed, and its inhabitants suffered immensely.
As such incidents occurred more frequently, the major families and sects realized that continuing in this manner was unacceptable.
While those at the Innate Realm are indeed high above, ordinary people are also the foundation of humanity and should not be slaughtered so innocently.
Therefore, after discussion, the Holy Mountain issued a ban.
Those who are at the Innate Realm are not allowed to attack humans below the Innate Realm at will, and are even less allowed to start Innate Realm battles in the city.
Those who violate this rule will be imprisoned on the sacred mountain to reflect on their mistakes, or, in serious cases, killed without exception!
“Senior Chen, I know you have never liked fighting, but now that you are a martial artist at the Innate Realm, this prohibition also applies to you,” said the young man in plain clothes. “I have come here to inform you of this matter.”
"I didn't expect there to be such a ban. Don't worry, this is a great act of kindness, and I will abide by it."
The old doctor stroked his beard and readily agreed.
Seeing that the old doctor agreed, the young man in plain clothes also smiled.
"Of course, this prohibition states that those at the Innate Realm must not arbitrarily attack humans below the Innate Realm, but Grandmasters must not be insulted. If someone deliberately offends or provokes them, even if that Innate Realm expert kills them, they will not be punished."
Lu Qing nodded.
That's how it should be; in this world, the strong are ultimately respected.
How could a martial arts expert who has cultivated to the Innate Realm possibly become a tortoise?
If you can't fight back when provoked or offended by someone much weaker than yourself, what's the point of cultivating to such a high level?
In that case, this so-called ban would have no chance of gaining the approval of the major powers.
"Moreover, the Holy Mountain will not allow those at the Innate Realm to abide by this prohibition in vain," the young man in plain clothes continued.
"Every newly promoted Innate Realm cultivator, as long as they are willing to abide by this prohibition, will be given an opportunity to cultivate for three days at the Sacred Pool of the Holy Mountain during their lifetime. This opportunity is valid indefinitely."
“Senior Chen, this is a great opportunity for you.”
"Oh, what do you mean?" the old doctor asked.
"The Holy Mountain is a mysterious and magnificent place, containing many opportunities and adventures. Among them, one of the greatest opportunities is the sacred pool at the summit of the Holy Mountain."
"The Sacred Pool is mysterious and wondrous, possessing incredible abilities that can help people achieve enlightenment and break through bottlenecks; it is extremely miraculous."
"Even the most dull-witted martial artist can make rapid progress if they can cultivate within it; it is truly miraculous."
Hearing the words of the young man in plain clothes, even the old doctor couldn't help but feel a sense of longing.
"This world is indeed vast and full of wonders. What Zhi Rui said is something I have never heard of or seen before. This time, I have truly broadened my horizons," the old doctor exclaimed.
"Senior Chen, this jade token is the proof of the Holy Mountain's recognition. I will inform your sect of your information and pass it on to the Holy Mountain. When you arrive in Zhongzhou, you can use this jade token to inquire about the location of the Holy Mountain from my Tianji Tower."
The young man in plain clothes handed a small jade pendant to the old doctor.
The old doctor took the jade pendant, a slight thought stirring in his heart.
The quality of this jade pendant is almost identical to the inheritance jade slip that Lu Qing had given him before.
After presenting the jade token, the young man in plain clothes stood up and said, "Senior Chen, the main purpose of my trip was to inform you of some information about the prohibition. Now that this matter is settled, I should take my leave."
"Zhi Rui is leaving so soon, why don't you stay for a meal?" the old doctor urged.
"No, the situation in the city has not yet fully eased, and it is not appropriate for me to leave for too long. I still need to go back," the young man in plain clothes refused.
"Speaking of this, I've heard about what happened in the county town. May I ask, Zhi Rui, when will the crisis in the Wei family be resolved?" the old doctor asked.
Unexpectedly, the young man in plain clothes shook his head: "The crisis facing the Wei family is probably difficult to resolve."
It's not surprising that the old doctor would ask this.
The old doctor was startled: "What do you mean?"
"Although the Wei family patriarch has returned, his heart meridian was injured by the sword energy of Elder Wang Cangyi of the Tiancang Sect. Now the sword energy is stagnant and difficult to remove. If the sword energy is allowed to remain in his heart meridian, with his cultivation level, I'm afraid he won't be able to survive for more than a year."
"If Wang Cangyi has enough patience and endures a year of hardship, the day the Wei family patriarch dies will probably be the day the Wei family is wiped out."
"Zhi Rui, can't you stop all of this?" the old doctor asked hurriedly.
The young man in plain clothes shook his head: "My Tianji Tower has its own principles and never gets involved in the struggles between various forces. Unless Wang Cangyi takes action himself, I have no reason to interfere in this matter."
The old doctor remained silent for a long time after hearing this.
Seeing the old doctor remain silent, the young man in plain clothes said meaningfully:
"The key to the life and death of the Wei family now lies in the injury of the Wei family's ancestor. If he can fully recover from his injuries, the Wei family will naturally be safe. If he dies from exhaustion, the Wei family will be in danger."
The old doctor's heart stirred, and he fell into deep thought.
Seeing that the old doctor understood his meaning, the young man in plain clothes smiled.
He nodded to Lu Qing, then picked up the small bag of plum blossom tea from the table, gracefully walked out of the courtyard, and headed down the mountain.
After confirming that the young man in plain clothes had left, Lu Qing asked, "Master, what should we do now?"
Although not explicitly stated, the old doctor knew that Lu Qing was referring to the Wei family's affairs.
The old doctor sighed, "It seems I can't avoid this this time."
"Master, do you intend to go to the Wei residence to treat the injuries of that Wei family patriarch?"
"After hearing what Zhi Rui just said, I'm afraid only I can heal the Wei family patriarch's injuries. You and I have met the Wei family members that day, and they are not evil people. I really can't bear to watch them be slaughtered."
Seeing his master's somber expression, Lu Qing knew that if his master didn't go on this trip, he would probably feel guilty for the rest of his life if the Wei family were really wiped out.
If he didn't know about the serious injuries to the Wei family's ancestor, it would be fine, but now that he does, he can no longer deceive himself.
There's nothing I can do; that's just how kind-hearted my master is.
Looking back now, that young man in plain clothes must have known his master's temperament before deliberately saying those words before leaving.
“Since Master wants to go, then go ahead. I support you,” Lu Qing said. “However, how does Master plan to go? Will you sneak into the Wei residence?”
"I'm afraid it won't work." The old doctor shook his head. "The injury to the Wei family patriarch is in his heart meridian, such a vital point. How could they possibly trust me, a complete stranger in the Innate Realm, to treat him?"
"Moreover, after cultivating to the Innate Realm, we need to frequently use the power of our soul to merge with the primordial energy of heaven and earth, drawing the energy into our bodies and refining it into our own innate true energy."
"Over time, one will naturally acquire a trace of the aura of heaven and earth. This aura is difficult to hide. You acquired martial artists cannot detect it, but it cannot be hidden from martial artists who are also innate."
"If I infiltrate the Wei family mansion and am misunderstood by the Wei family patriarch, causing a fight, I will truly be unable to defend myself."
He might not understand other senior doctors, but when it comes to all sorts of difficult patients, he knows them all too well.
Lu Qing recalled what the young man in plain clothes had said earlier. If this really caused a battle at the Innate level in the city, it would be too unfair.
"Therefore, only someone the Wei family trusts enough to act as an introducer can avoid such unnecessary conflict." A thought flashed through Lu Qing's mind, "Madam Wei and Young Master Wei!"
"That's a good idea, but I'm afraid it will put the mother and child at some risk," the old doctor said.
“We are doing this to save the Wei family, and I believe Madam Wei will understand,” Lu Qing said.
Based on his understanding of Madam Wei, if she knew the reason, she would probably be much more anxious than he and his master.
“Alright, then go and fetch them from the mountains. We’ll set off for the county town this afternoon.” The old doctor nodded.
So Lu Qing took Xiao Li and headed into the mountains.
After the young man in plain clothes arrived, he specifically instructed Xiao Li to hide and not to meet him.
After all, the young man in plain clothes possessed an extraordinary treasure that was so powerful that it could even detect changes in the energy of heaven and earth a hundred miles away.
Although I don't know if hiding will work, it's still best to avoid running into her.
However, it seemed that the young man in plain clothes did not realize that he had cultivated the power of the soul.
This shows that his extraordinary treasure was not omnipotent.
At least not all information can be discovered.
Unfortunately, the young man in plain clothes did not display the extraordinary treasure, leaving Lu Qing with no opportunity to use his special abilities and unable to discover what kind of treasure it was.
Carrying Xiao Li, Lu Qing sped along and soon arrived at the cave where Ma Gu and the others were hiding.
As it happened, all three of them were inside the cave.
"Brother Lu Qing, what happened?"
When they saw Lu Qing enter, Ma Gu and the other two were all taken aback.
No one expected that Lu Qing, who had just left yesterday, would return so quickly.
"Let's talk about it on the way. You guys pack your things first, and we'll get ready to leave the mountains."
