Under One Person: The Taoist Priest Descends the Mountain

That evening, Liao Zhong rushed back to the hospital from the bunker, went straight to the doctor's office, and slammed a stack of documents on the table.

"We have news about the children's parents."

Old Meng's eyes lit up: "So fast?"

Several doctors gathered around the office and looked through the documents.

Liao Zhong leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples: "This time, the higher-ups really took it seriously. They compared all the family tracing systems across the country for more than twenty days, and finally got the results. The parents of all twenty-six children are still alive."

He paused, then continued, "Including the three who were quarantined."

Old Meng was very pleased: "Twenty-six is ​​already a lot." He originally thought he could only find a dozen or so.

Liao Zhong scratched his head. He had held several meetings with his superiors and finally decided: "Let's notify the parents of the ordinary children first. As for the three in isolation, we'll talk about it after the treatment plan is determined."

Old Meng asked, "How are you planning to hand over the work? This place is somewhat special after all."

Liao Zhong had already planned this: "Right over on the playground, we must make sure the other children see those parents and relatives being affectionate, so they don't think they've been arrested again."

After a moment's thought, Lao Meng understood what Liao Zhong meant. The children's experiences instilled in them an instinctive fear of their companions being taken away.

If the scene is too sudden when the parents come to pick them up, other children may think that a new round of torment has begun when they see their companion being taken away by strangers.

Old Meng suggested, "Why don't we give all these children telephones? They can exchange numbers so they can stay in touch even when they go home."

Liao Zhong's eyes lit up: "That's feasible."

He immediately summoned his men and gave them instructions.

After his men left, Liao Zhong turned to Lao Meng: "How are the four children?"

Old Meng smiled more: "The situation is very good. Master Cheng's technique has such a miraculous effect."

Liao Zhong became interested: "What exactly is going on?"

Old Meng handed him the latest test report: "The infection of the Gu poison in the children's bodies has shrunk significantly. Several doctors in the hospital have discussed it and believe that if we perform the excision surgery now, as long as we do a good job of postoperative protection, there is a great chance of recovery."

Liao Zhong flipped through the report, his brows relaxing.

He put down the report and thought for a moment: "Since it's effective, let's continue it for a longer period of time. Wouldn't it be even better if we could completely expel the Gu poison using only the cultivation technique?"

Old Meng pushed up his glasses and continued, "Several doctors and I share the same opinion. However, this matter depends on Master Cheng. We don't know if he's willing to spend more time here."

Liao Zhong nodded: "I'll talk to him."

Old Meng opened his mouth, but still didn't say anything.

In fact, Hua Feng had called him. Master Cheng had spoken with the higher-ups at Na Du Tong, and although Hua Feng didn't know exactly what they had discussed, the decision had been made that Master Cheng's affairs were entirely up to him.

Liao Zhong didn't notice Lao Meng's hesitation; he was already thinking about how to bring it up with Cheng Mo.

……

At this moment, Cheng Mo was standing by the small playground, watching Xia He teach the children the Qi circulation route.

Xia He stood in front of the four children, who were quite a distance apart. She gestured to their names and shouted, "The Qi starts from the dantian, goes upwards, passes here, here, then moves to the arms, and finally comes out from the fingertips. Do you understand?"

The four children nodded in unison.

Xia He said with a smile, "Okay, let's do it together."

She began to move slowly, circulating her Qi to practice her exercises.

The children followed her example.

Cheng Mo felt very gratified as he watched this scene; the legacy of their Liangyi Temple had finally expanded.

"Little Taoist priest!" Xia He suddenly turned around and called out to him, "Come on, let's practice together~"

Cheng Mo agreed, walked to the front, stood among the children, and led everyone in practicing their skills.

Begin with the Eight Pieces of Brocade.

The children immediately adjusted their postures and followed his lead, their movements synchronized and their breathing even, showing that they had already practiced it very well.

A light, faint pink mist began to spread, emanating from Xia He and slowly enveloping everyone.

Cheng Mo closed his eyes.

These days, my practice has been completely different from when I was on the mountain. Every movement seems to have gained a new rhythm, a stronger connection with the five people in front of me, and a greater harmony with nature.

His soul seemed to be refined in each of these actions, becoming clearer and more transparent.

Cheng Mo was immersed in that mysterious rhythm.

But the knowledge I had learned these past few days flashed through my mind.

These days, he has been reading the books that Lao Meng recommended.

Cell structure, tissue composition, organ function, and system operation.

The words were reassembled in his mind, corresponding to what he had observed in recent days.

What is Gu poison?

It is a living organism, a tiny life form capable of self-replication.

They invade the human body, parasitize tissues, compete with the host for nutrients, and damage the host's functions.

This is essentially no different from the parasites and germs described in those books, except that Gu poison is more sophisticated, more concealed, and more deeply integrated with Qi.

And what is Qi?

Qi is life energy and the fundamental driving force for maintaining the functioning of the human body.

Can we use a biological framework to understand Qi?

For example, if we consider the human body as an ecosystem, then Qi is the energy flowing within this system.

Meridians are channels, acupoints are nodes, and the dantian is a storage reservoir.

In a healthy system, Qi flows smoothly and is balanced throughout.

In a malfunctioning system, Qi will become stagnant, unbalanced, and disordered.

Gu poison is an alien species that invades this system.

It will seize resources, destroy structures, and alter the environment.

The process of children practicing martial arts is a process of strengthening their own immune system and gradually suppressing and expelling invaders.

These ideas cannot be found in the books recommended by Lao Meng, but those books provide tools for thinking.

It is about Qi, about life, and about the connection between humanity and the universe.

Cheng Mo felt like he had finally grasped the basics.

The pink mist grew thicker and thicker.

Cheng Mo was immersed in that wonderful rhythm, his every move flowing smoothly like clouds and water.

……

Liao Zhong arrived at the edge of the small playground by car.

As soon as he got out of the car, he saw a cloud of pink mist not far away.

I had heard from the staff that there was Qi mist when Cheng Mo and Xia He practiced their skills, and now that I've seen it with my own eyes, it's truly amazing.

He didn't go up to disturb them, but stood by the car and waited.

The wisp of mist thickened and thinned intermittently, and several figures could be vaguely seen moving within it.

After about fifteen minutes, the Qi mist began to thin out.

Cheng Mo finished his practice and slowly lowered his hands.

Xia He then finished her practice, and the pink mist was absorbed into her body as she moved.

The children stopped what they were doing, stood still, and were breathing a little rapidly.

Liao Zhong then stepped forward: "Brother Cheng."

Cheng Mo turned his head and saw Liao Zhong, asking with a smile, "Old Liao, what's up?"

Liao Zhong nodded: "There's something I'd like to discuss with you."

Cheng Mo: "Please speak."

Liao Zhong briefly explained the children's progress, and concluded, "So, I'd like to ask Brother Cheng to stay a little longer, is that alright?"

Upon hearing Liao Zhong's words, the four children looked at Cheng Mo expectantly.

Cheng Mo looked at them and smiled: "Of course, no problem. They are all my junior brothers and sisters now. As their senior brother, it is my duty to take responsibility for them."

The children's faces lit up with smiles, genuine smiles shining through their eyes.

Xia He smiled too.

Over this period of time, she has grown closer to these children. If it weren't for the Gu poison, she could be holding them and spinning them around right now.

Liao Zhong pulled Cheng Mo aside and lowered his voice: "Now that your three children have found their parents, you can just call them by their names from now on."

Cheng Mo nodded.

Liao Zhong pointed to the little girl standing at the front: "Her nickname is Yueyue."

He then pointed to the little boy next to him: "That's Guoguo."

Then, pointing to another little boy, he said, "He is Xiaoguang."

Cheng Mo wrote them down one by one, then asked, "Can I name the last child? If the other children have names but she doesn't, she'll feel isolated."

Liao Zhong nodded: "Of course."

Cheng Mo looked at the little girl standing at the very back and said with a smile, "Then let's call her Duoduo."

Duoduo.

The Medicine Immortal Society cultivates Gu-bodied Saint Children, and the one who survives in the end is named Chen Duo.

This child is different; she has senior classmates, companions, and hope.

She will live a good life.