Under One Person: The Taoist Priest Descends the Mountain

Cheng Mo and Xia He walked around the village, asking the villagers to borrow herbs.

Everyone was exceptionally generous when they heard that the village chief was to receive some health supplements.

"Brother Cheng, you can have this old ginseng!"

"I have some goji berries here; they're good for making tea!"

"I have some Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum sibiricum) here; it'll make a great

One grabbed a handful of dried ginseng rootlets, another stuffed a packet of Polygonum multiflorum slices into their hands, and still others dug up fresh yams and Rehmannia glutinosa directly from the ground. Before long, the two of them were carrying all sorts of medicinal herbs.

On the way, Cheng Mo ran into Ding Zihuan and casually asked, "Have you seen Qiu Rang?"

Ding Zihuan was pondering how to improve his newly designed animal trap when he heard this and looked up: "Grandpa Bi sent him to take care of the cult leader. What happened to the cult leader?"

"I'm tired," Cheng Mo mumbled, pulling Xia He back into the house.

As they came out again and were about to head into the woods, they ran into Ding Ziheng.

"Hunting? Perfect, try out my animal trap." Ding Ziheng's eyes lit up.

Cheng Mo stopped him: "Go to the nearby town and buy some piglets. Raise them in the village, and you won't have to worry about pork anymore. Besides, domestic pigs taste better than wild boars."

Ding Ziheng's eyes lit up even more: "That makes sense! Not only should we raise pigs, but also chickens, ducks, and geese! We won't have to worry about hunting every day anymore; we can just catch them ready-made."

He added in his mind: "Then take it to Brother Cheng so you can cook!"

The more he thought about it, the happier he became. He immediately threw down the animal trap in his hand and said, "I'm going right now!" Then he disappeared in a flash.

……

In the woods, Cheng Mo and Xia He searched for some wild vegetables and grasses—or more accurately, medicinal herbs.

Cheng Mo identified the plants, while Xia He harvested them, their cooperation seamless.

Back in the cabin, Cheng Mo lit a small stove, placed earthenware jars on the stove, and began to process the various medicinal herbs in an orderly manner, categorizing them by type.

The water in the jar quickly began to simmer, turning a dark brown color, and the rising steam carried an indescribable odor.

Xia He wrinkled her nose and poked Cheng Mo's back with her finger: "Little Mo... can this thing really be eaten?"

Cheng Mo slowly stirred the food with a chopstick: "Anyway, it's not for you to eat, why do you care so much?"

"I was thinking," Xia He said, resting her chin on her hand, "that if Village Chief Ma kicks the bucket after drinking it, will we still be able to leave this village?"

Cheng Mo didn't even look up: "Then you can rest assured, even if I really had to poison you, I would definitely choose a delayed-acting poison, the kind that only kills you after we leave."

Suddenly, a loud "bang" came from the doorway.

They both turned their heads at the same time.

Qiu Rang stood at the door with his mouth agape, an overturned bamboo basket at his feet, from which several mountain fruits had rolled all over the ground.

His finger trembled as he pointed at Cheng Mo: "You...you...you want to poison the cult leader?!"

Cheng Mo pointed at the pot without changing his expression: "Don't listen to her nonsense. This is a tonic I prepared for Old Ma. It's good for replenishing qi and blood, calming the mind, and nourishing the brain."

Qiu Rang took two steps forward, staring at the dark, murky broth in the pot, his expression conflicted: "...Are you sure this isn't poison?"

Cheng Mo picked up a spoon and took a spoonful: "Why don't you try the medicine on Old Ma?"

Qiu Rang immediately straightened his back, his face filled with righteous indignation: "How can this be! This is a tonic for the sect leader, how can I drink it? Not a single drop should be left, it must all be forced down the sect leader's throat!"

He spoke with a strong and resounding voice, but he quietly took a half-step back.

Cheng Mo smiled at him, scooped up a little with a spoon, took a sip, and smacked her lips: "Mmm, it tastes pretty good~"

Qiu Rang asked suspiciously, "Really?" He simply couldn't reconcile the pleasant taste with the contents of the pot.

Cheng Mo handed over the spoon: "Try it yourself."

Qiu Rang hesitated for two seconds, but curiosity overcame his wariness. He took the spoon, scooped up a little, brought it to his lips, sniffed it, and then slurped it into his mouth.

Qiu Rang's face instantly scrunched up like a walnut.

"Ugh! This taste... Ugh! It's awful!"

But he insisted on taking another spoonful, swallowing it with a pained expression: "Brother Cheng, you lied to me!"

Cheng Mo laughed heartily: "Who lied to you? Aren't all tonics like this? Good medicine tastes bitter, don't you understand?"

Qiu Rang scratched his head and chuckled sheepishly. Since they both drank it, the medicine must be fine.

Xia He pouted and muttered under her breath, "Honestly, how come there's no trust left between people?"

After simmering over a low flame for about twenty minutes, Cheng Mo removed the heat and waited for the medicinal soup to cool slightly. He then took a clean large earthenware pot, filtered out the dregs with gauze, and poured the soup into it.

Qiu Rang volunteered to clean the pottery jars, scrubbing them clean with great effort. The three of them then headed towards the Xiu Shen Tang (Hall of Self-Cultivation).

When they arrived at the destination, Ma Xianhong was still unconscious.

Cheng Mo opened the jar, moved close to Ma Xianhong's head, and fanned the smell with his hand.

Ma Xianhong twitched his nose twice, groaned, and slowly opened his eyes. Before his eyes were focused, he could only see a blurry, swaying light and shadow.

His mind was a blur, with fragments of memories creeping in—

The figure of Brother Cheng emerging from the cultivation furnace—earlier, he had placed his hand on the control panel, drawing in the Qi of heaven and earth into the furnace, and then…

Then comes that light, floating feeling, as if your soul has left your body, merging with the boundless天地 (heaven and earth)...

woohoo~~

Thinking of this, an indescribable pang of sorrow welled up in Ma Xianhong's nose, her eyes welled up, and tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably.

Beside the bed, Cheng Mo, Xia He, and Qiu Rang looked at each other in bewilderment.

Qiu Rang panicked: "Master...Master, what's wrong? Does it hurt anywhere?"

Cheng Mo looked at the medicine jar in his hand and pondered, "Perhaps... he was moved to tears by the aroma of this tonic."

Xia He glanced at Cheng Mo and said, "Little Mo, your joke isn't funny at all."

However, Cheng Mo roughly understood why Ma Xianhong shed tears. It was probably because after experiencing that vast state of mind where he connected with heaven and earth, the contrast with his physical body upon returning to reality was too intense, as if he had fallen straight from the clouds into the mud.

The initial feeling will be intense, but Ma Xianhong is determined. After a while, especially after he finds it difficult to enter that state again, his body will adapt and he will gradually recover. However, withdrawal symptoms are inevitable in the process.

"Chou Rang, help Old Ma up," Cheng Mo said, picking up the medicine pot. "Give him his medicine first."

Qiu Rang quickly stepped forward and supported Ma Xianhong's back to help him sit up: "Master, it's time to take your medicine."

Ma Xianhong's eyes remained unfocused, and tears flowed silently.

Cheng Mo scooped up a spoonful of warm medicinal soup and held it to his lips: "Old Ma, come on, open your mouth, ah—"

Ma Xianhong unconsciously uttered, "Ah..."

Cheng Mo fed him with a spoon.

Gurgle.

Ma Xianhong swallowed.

Cheng Mo took another spoonful: "Ah~"

Ma Xianhong: "Ah..."

Gurgle.

Xia He watched from the side, her heart pounding: Why is Village Chief Ma acting like a three-year-old who's lost his mind? Could it be that the furnace really messed up his brain? Hmm... should we consider running away tonight?

After being fed a bowl of medicine, Ma Xianhong was laid back down, and soon his breathing became long and even again as he fell asleep.

Cheng Mo instructed Qiu Rang, "Rang, you stay here and watch over Old Ma. Let me know when he wakes up. We'll head back now."

Qiu Rang patted his chest and said, "Brother Cheng, don't worry! I've got it covered!" He paused, then added, "Brother Cheng, don't take it too seriously. This isn't the first time the leader has acted like this; we're all used to it."