Embers of Sword

Chapter 369 Taoyuan
"He is very ill."

"sick?"

"It's different from your 'broken leg disease'. His cold has invaded his bone marrow and his blood has almost coagulated... This is no longer a simple 'typhoid fever'. If you don't treat it in time, even if you recover temporarily, you may end up with a very serious disease in the future."

The boys' conversation passed through the wooden door dully and echoed in the dark little house.

"..."

Xie Xuanyi slowly opened his eyes.

It was pitch black.

For a moment, he felt like he was "living his life again for the third time."

After dozens of breaths, he finally got used to the darkness before his eyes. Fortunately, he was not lying in the coffin in Yuzhu Town.

The hut was very narrow and had only a wooden bed and a square wooden cabinet.

Apart from that, there is nothing.

"Uh……"

Xie Xuanyi sat up and let out an uncontrollable groan.

The divine sea was buzzing.

The pain came like a tide, and the details of the battle at Xiaohuangshan also flooded into my heart.

I managed to escape successfully.

But at this moment, Meng Kejian's Taoist spirit was wreaking havoc in the meridians, trying to destroy every inch of the meridians.

The Immortal Fountain is fighting against this chill...

This pain comes from the destruction and reconstruction of the "meridians".

"Squeak!"

At this moment, the door opened and light shone into the room.

Xie Xuanyi frowned and subconsciously reached out to block the strong light.

It was noon outside. After the door was opened, the sounds of wind, birds and cicadas poured into this dark and dilapidated little house, making him feel as if he had "come alive".

"My benefactor, are you awake?"

The person who said this was Miyun.

"He's awake now...Is he not going to suffer from any underlying illness?"

The person who asked the question was Deng Baiyi.

"what?"

The third voice was also that of a young man. He sounded very unfamiliar and immature. He should be about the same age as Miyun, only a few years older. However, his next words seemed very mature: "It's really strange. A lot of the coldness in his body has dissipated on its own... Logically, he should have to sleep for several days."

Xie Xuanyi looked towards the source of the voice.

He was a young man with a fair complexion and wearing a bright yellow cloth shirt. He sat down on a small stool by the doorstep, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan. Next to him was a stove where Chinese medicine was stewed.

A faint bitter smell of herbs wafted out with the fire.

Just one glance.

Xie Xuanyi couldn't take his eyes away.

It’s not because this boy is so handsome and eye-catching…

Instead.

This young man is really similar to the "little emperor" in the palace.

Whether it is facial features or temperament, it can correspond...

It is rare to have such a magical coincidence in this world.

With just one glance, Xie Xuanyi guessed the other party's true identity. Who could have thought that the clue that was lost and broken by accident would be completed at this moment?

All I can say is that the power of the law of cause and effect is truly beyond imagination.

Cause and effect, cause and effect…

It is indeed the most unfathomable yet real thing in the world.

"Well, that's a good thing..."

The young man stroked his chin, pondered for a moment, and said seriously: "But to be on the safe side, you still have to drink the medicine. Now that you are awake, it will save a lot of trouble to feed you the medicine later."

"Take half a pack three times a day. Be careful not to simmer for too long or too low a temperature. Rest well for the next few days. If you need to travel, it's best to use a wheelchair..."

The young man took out the medicine bag from his arms, handed it to Deng Baiyi, and reminded her of the precautions.

Deng Baiyi listened carefully and wrote down everything.

The young man suddenly looked at the black-shirted figure sitting up in the house and asked: "Do you have any doubts?"

After the figure sat up.

His eyes never left him.

"..."

Xie Xuanyi then realized that he had lost his composure. He lowered his eyes silently and spoke in a hoarse voice: "Sorry, I overslept. How long have I slept?"

"sleep?"

The young man said, "You were unconscious for thirty hours, two days and three nights... I have never seen anyone sleep for so long!"

There was a pause.

The young man sighed and said earnestly: "Do you know that your nephew has hardly slept a wink in order to make medicine for you? If you can recover from this illness, please don't let them down..."

"Stepsister? Nephew?"

Xie Xuanyi raised his eyelids and looked at Deng Baiyi and Miyun with a complicated expression.

"My benefactor, we are now fugitives."

Miyun coughed lightly and quickly transmitted a message: "When you are out, it would be better to make up a fake identity... There are many 'refugees' here, not just a few of us."

There was chaos in Yuanzhou and many people fled.

The end point of the teleportation array is a makeshift refugee village.

After Pingzhi City was captured, many people fled here and barely managed to survive.

"Hmm... I've got it in mind."

Xie Xuanyi touched his cheek and confirmed that the "All Living Beings" was still there, so he responded silently and remembered this identity.

He prepared to stand up.

But the next moment he fell heavily to the ground.

"Tsk, what did I say before...didn't I say I needed to rest?"

The young man sneered: "You like to show off your abilities, but don't like to listen to advice?"

"...?"

Xie Xuanyi frowned.

He didn't expect that after the fusion of Que Wu Dao's Bone Dissolving Powder and the Cold Blood Dao Realm, it would cause such great damage to his meridians!

He tried to stand up on his own.

But the part below the waist was out of control, and nearly half of the acupoints in the body could not even ignite the Yuan Fire!
"Your nephew said that you were hit by the bandits' sword energy and were seriously injured."

The young man said calmly, "But I think this is not an injury, but an illness. There are no wounds on your body, and your skin has healed like iron. The bandit who could cut you must be a master."

Xie Xuanyi narrowed his eyes and looked at the young man: "... Not bad."

"You can't get up now... The blade that pierced your body was just a trigger."

The young man sighed and said, "Most of the chronic diseases in this world are often hidden deep inside. They are invisible on weekdays, but once they break out, they will kill you directly... Take my advice, you should just lie down for a few days."

These words made Xie Xuanyi fall into deep thought.

After a moment's silence.

The young man stood up and prepared to leave.

"By the way...my last name is Chu, the clear Chu."

The young man turned half of his face and said calmly: "Since you are awake, I will go check on the others and come back in the evening."...

……

This refugee village is called "Taoyuan".

This is a name with a story.

It is said that hundreds of years ago, during a time of war, a fisherman was very lucky and accidentally entered an isolated village called "Taoyuan". The villagers living here were carefree and free from worries. They did not have to worry about war or hardship. Everyone lived in harmony and was self-sufficient. After the fisherman left, he reported the news to the court, but the cavalry searched everywhere but could not find this "paradise".

Whether you are from Chu or Li, you have heard this story when you were young...

The name is also ironic.

Yuanzhou has been in turmoil for many years. Although Chen Chong is now in charge, natural disasters and man-made disasters continue to occur.

Where is the paradise in Yuanzhou?
"My benefactor, I didn't expect you would use this thing."

After a while.

Miyun smiled and held his chin up, looking at Xie Zhen sitting in a wheelchair, and couldn't help but make a few teasing remarks.

Xie Xuanyi smiled bitterly and drank the Chinese medicine stewed by Deng Baiyi.

This medicine was very bitter, but it was very effective. After drinking it, the dried-up acupoint fire actually showed some signs of igniting again...

In this world, there is actually not much difference between practitioners and ordinary people.

The so-called natural treasures and rare elixirs.

Many of them were plundered from the mundane world.

"Mrs. Xiao Chu is very good."

Miyun smiled and said with a hint of boasting, "He said he had been learning medicine since he was young and had followed a very powerful master. His medical skills were amazing. These past few days, Sister Deng and I went to other parts of the village with him. He really had some skills and cured many people. He also helped me with my leg disease... But he didn't find anything special about it."

Miyun's legs were amputated by himself in order to practice the ability of divine feet.

Ordinary doctors, if they have not personally embarked on the path of practice.

Many phenomena cannot be explained.

Ordinary people with broken legs look pale and weak. Even if the wound is repaired, they still have to endure the pain of "phantom limb" all the time.

But Miyun was the opposite of them.

The pain of a broken leg is far less than the pain of practicing Taoism, and practicing Taoism... can bring rewards.

With the nourishment of "Tanluan Buddha Bones", it won't be long before Miyun's "broken" legs will grow back on their own.

So this is not a "disease" at all, but a "fate"!
Miyun sat on Xie Xuanyi's lap.

Deng Baiyi pushed the wheelchair.

The three of them left the simple hut and came to the so-called "Peach Blossom Land". The village was not big, but it was crowded with people... Broken legs and hands were not uncommon. The miserable conditions of the people in Yuanzhou during the years of turmoil and drought and famine were witnessed by the delegation when they traveled east. Only now that they experienced it "personally" could they feel the real hardship.

In this era, it is not easy to survive.

The village is not big, but there is a temple inside. The thatched hut where Xie Xuanyi lives and the residences of these refugees are all temporarily built by the monks in the temple. This temple is not very popular, and several monks are very old and weak, helping to treat the wounded.

"My benefactor..."

Miyun had long since taken off his Buddhist monk's robe and put on a washed-out blue shirt.

He sat in front of Xie Xuanyi's knees, looking somewhat reluctant: "Tell me, it has come to this point, why does Nalan Xuance still want to 'destroy Buddhism'? If he succeeds, will Liguo become better?"

"..."

Xie Xuanyi said nothing, but just silently looked at the Buddha statue enshrined in the dilapidated temple.

The turmoil in Li's country was more serious than he had imagined.

These refugees now at least have a hut to live in...

If the Yuanzhou cavalry wanted to destroy these Buddhist temples, then these thatched huts would definitely be destroyed as well.

"The tragic scene in Beijun is similar to that in Yuanzhou."

At this moment, Deng Baiyi also spoke.

She looked at the famine refugees and said sadly, "Earlier, the Taoist sect had sent real people to provide relief. But later, for some unknown reason, these real people stopped coming. Many people died in Beijun over the years... Later, everyone got used to it..."

Xie Xuanyi knew the reason.

The spiritual energy in North County is exhausted.

It is a loss for practitioners to go to Beijun.

In addition, with the Great Master Chongkan in power and making friends with the nobles of the imperial city, the stance of the Seven Taoists changed... After the Holy Queen took power, she dismissed the garrison commander, and the noble families of Northern County moved to the imperial city one after another, and lived in seclusion in the Dasui Sword Palace. At this juncture, the Taoists took the opportunity of "retreat" to recuperate and keep a low profile.

Rescuing Beijun will do more harm than good.

Chongkan would naturally not do such a thankless and difficult task. Even if there were disciples among his disciples who were willing to "sacrifice themselves", they would be expressly prohibited from doing so.

"Have you recognized them?"

Xie Xuanyi looked at the dilapidated temple not far away and asked.

"Nope."

Miyun shook his head and said, "My uncle told me that everyone in the world thinks that 'Fanyin Temple' is a Buddhist sect, but it's the opposite."

Deng Baiyi was a little confused: "What does this mean?"

"Fanyin Temple is just Fanyin Temple, with a mountain gate and a few bricks and tiles. It is far from the vast scope of the word 'Buddhism'."

Miyun said seriously: "As long as one has good thoughts in his heart, no matter he wears the cassock or not, he is in the Buddhist sect... The Fanyin Temple may only exist for a thousand years, but Buddhism can last forever."

"So you don't recognize them because you're afraid of getting them into trouble?"

Xie Xuanyi hit the nail on the head with one shot.

"……Yes."

Miyun lowered her head and said carefully, "My benefactor, we are now wanted by the Yuanzhou Iron Cavalry. Meng Kejian will not give up until he finds us... If... I mean if, the worst happens and I have never recognized them, then they may not be pursued by the Iron Cavalry."

"Not recognizing each other is a good thing."

Xie Xuanyi also lowered his eyes, and with a hint of praise, he said softly: "You are worthy of being my good nephew."

"?"

Miyun was stunned.

He has known Xie Zhen for a long time, and in his impression, Xie Zhen has always been a serious person who never smiles.

This is the first time I heard my benefactor say such words.

Is this an acknowledgement of the identity that you created yourself?

"The turmoil in Yuanzhou today, in the final analysis... comes from the struggle between the Crown Prince and the Ninth Prince."

"In the struggle for imperial power, millions of lives are reduced to nothing. This is just normal..."

Xie Xuanyi raised his head, his eyes fell on the temple, and said calmly: "Nalan Xuance is determined to push the prince to the top at all costs. If Fanyin Temple insists on standing on the side of the Ninth Prince, then there will be no room for mediation in the matter of destroying Buddhism. After the ambush at Qixia Mountain, the collapse of Buddhist temples in Yuanzhou is a matter of time."

Miyun followed Xie Zhen's gaze.

He saw the most conspicuous thing, the tall and old Buddha statue, which was a little rusty and crumbling.

He vaguely guessed what the other party wanted to say: "My benefactor, what do you mean?"

"Buddhism emphasizes fate."

Xie Xuanyi sighed and said, "I didn't believe in this before, but now I do... Cause and effect do exist in this world, and cause and effect need to be cultivated. If you plant good causes, you will get good results."

In the battle with Meng Kejian, Xie Xuanyi was seriously injured.

Now my body's meridians are cut off and I can't walk freely.

This should be terrible news.

But Xie Xuanyi's mood was extremely peaceful...

At this moment, it is very similar to the story I heard many years ago. The law of cause and effect has guided me to this unique "paradise".

He vaguely felt that this disaster might not be a disaster.

For me, this may very well be a blessing.

A breakthrough opportunity!

(End of this chapter)