Chaotic Times and Disasters: I Hunt Down Martial Arts Masters and Become a God

When Fu Qing pushed open the courtyard gate, most of the green dates on the jujube tree had turned red, and the bamboo recliner in the courtyard was empty, with a few withered leaves on it.

Song Yawei sat on the doorstep, holding her child. She had lost weight, her chin was sharper, and there were faint dark circles under her eyes. When she heard the gate open, she looked up and froze.

Fu Qing stared at her intently, his heart filled with tenderness.

After a while, Song Yawei moved the child to the crook of her left arm and stood up, supporting herself on the door frame with her right hand.

Fu Qing walked over, squatted down, and reached out to touch her face. "I'm back."

Her face was cold and dry.

Song Yawei's tears finally fell, one by one landing on the back of Fu Qing's hand. She raised her hand and grasped the hand that Fu Qing had pressed against her face.

"I knew it, I knew it, I knew you'd come back!"

Fu Qing took the baby and held him in his arms. The baby was pitifully small, smaller than a normal full-term baby, but the baby's fingers were held very tightly.

The little guy had his eyes closed, his mouth slightly open, and his breathing was light and even, completely unaware that he was in his father's arms.

Fu Qing looked down at her son's wrinkled little face, reached out and gently poked his cheek with her finger, "He looks like you."

Song Yawei leaned on his shoulder and smiled softly, "Nonsense, those eyebrows and that chin are exactly like yours."

Just then, Song Nini came out of the kitchen with her big pregnant belly, holding a bowl in her hand. She saw Fu Qing squatting in front of her sister, holding the baby. The bowl in her hand wobbled and almost fell to the ground.

Fu Qing stood up, took the bowl from her hand, and placed it on the stone table. Her eyes were red, and she held back her tears for a long time.

"Brother-in-law! Why are you only just getting back? My sister and I were so worried!"

"It's my fault, it's all my fault."

Fu Qing wiped away her tears. "The baby didn't kick you?"

Song Nini pouted and burst into tears, "He kicks me every day! He kicks so fiercely when you're not here, but he stopped kicking as soon as you came back. This little thing knows how to be afraid of his dad."

"Ha...just as smart as you!"

Fu Qing reached out and pulled her over, letting her lean on his other shoulder, which calmed him down.

...

Suwen temporarily stayed at Shen's Pharmacy.

When Mr. Shen met the younger generation of the Medicine Palace, he unusually spoke a few more words. He asked about the recent situation of the Medicine Palace, and Suwen answered them one by one, her tone still calm.

Mr. Shen didn't mind—he had spent half his life in the Medicine Palace and knew that most of the geniuses who came out of the Medicine Palace were like this.

Suwen took Song Yawei's pulse and confirmed that she was recovering well after childbirth. She also took Song Nini's pulse and said that the fetus was healthy and the due date was a month later.

Then, a simple examination was performed on Fu Qing's son. "Although the baby is premature, he is very healthy, with normal cardiopulmonary function and good bone development."

Song Nini sat beside Su Wen, curiously observing her.

From the moment Suwen entered until now, she had never seen any expression on the face of this goddess of the Medicine Palace.

She finally couldn't hold back anymore, "Sister Suwen, do you have facial paralysis?"

Fu Qing reached out and covered her mouth, then chuckled dryly at Su Wen, "She's just a kid, she doesn't know any better and is just talking nonsense, don't mind her."

Su Wen glanced at Song Nini expressionlessly.

"No, I just don't like wasting my energy on unnecessary expressions."

...

After a three-day rest, Tian Jingming presided over a victory celebration at the drill ground.

All the border troops of Ironblood City gathered at the drill ground. When Fu Qing stepped onto the stage, the thousands of people below fell silent.

Tian Jingming personally read out the military merit list—slaying several centurions at the Tongmai realm, leading eight hundred cavalry to sweep through multiple supply depots in the rear of the Di Kingdom, and breaking through the outer defenses of the royal court to capture the grassland king's uncle alive. His military merits accumulated to the rank of deputy commander.

Tian Jingming handed the deputy commander's seal to Fu Qing.

"Young man, you have a bright future ahead of you!"

Fu Qing accepted the seal and grinned.

...

After the victory banquet, Fu Qing asked Tian Jingming about the remains of the Medicine Immortal's heart in his military tent.

After pondering for a moment, Tian Jingming took out a roll of yellowed parchment from his desk and spread it out on the table. On the paper was a rough map of nine countries. Tian Jingming picked up a vermilion pen and marked it with five marks.

"The remains of the five internal organs of the Medicine Immortal are indeed a priceless treasure, but the Jingguo Imperial Family only preserved the heart, which has been personally kept by successive empresses. The other four organs..."

The liver is in the Valley of Ten Thousand Gu in Yue Kingdom, the spleen is in the Jiangshan Pavilion in Kang Kingdom, the lungs were taken by the demons of the Northern Ice Plains, and the whereabouts of the kidneys are unknown.

He rolled up the parchment and handed it to Fu Qing.

"You told me about the Gu poison in your body. I never imagined you were a descendant of Prince Feng. It's hateful that the Li Kingdom used this Gu poison to get rid of Prince Feng, causing the entire lineage of the Prince of Zhenbei to perish. Although our founding emperor tried every means to save him, he still couldn't save the Feng family lineage..."

Hearing these words, Fu Qing's mind went blank, and he didn't know how to respond.

Suwen told him that the Five Internal Organs Temple was originally placed by Emperor Jing to eliminate the Prince of Zhenbei. At this moment, Tian Jingming actually told him that the Gu was placed on the Feng family by the Li Kingdom, and Emperor Jing actually tried his best to save the Feng family lineage!

Tian Jingming didn't notice his change and continued talking to himself.

"After you've recovered, go to Jingjing. His Majesty is quite interested in your battle physique, and there might be other opportunities."

Fu Qing composed himself and nodded. "Thank you, General Tian."

...

A month later, Song Nini gave birth to a daughter. The delivery process was much smoother than Song Yawei's. As soon as Mr. Shen finished taking her pulse, he said that the baby was in the correct position, and the baby was born in less than half an hour.

Song Nini leaned against the headboard holding her daughter, while Song Yawei sat on the edge of the bed holding her son; one baby was crying and the other was sleeping.

Song Nini gently poked her daughter's cheek with her finger.

"My daughter is definitely smarter than your son."

Song Yawei rolled her eyes at her, "You're already competing before you've even finished your postpartum confinement period."

...

When her daughter turned one month old, Fu Qing held a grand celebration for both children.

Several tables were set up in the courtyard, and the number of people who came was several times more than Fu Qing had expected.

Ma Xiong carried a whole roasted lamb, Lao Qian brought two jars of old wine, and Ding Meng moved a baby cradle he made himself.

Han Yue sat in the corner with his left sleeve empty, a rare look of relaxation on his face.

Zhou Tie brought a jar of specially supplied aged wine and poured a full bowl for Fu Qing.

Xu Heng also came and gave him two pairs of calming medicinal pillows that he had personally prepared.

Fu Qing accepted the medicine pillow and thanked him. Old Master Shen took out a pair of silver bracelets from the pharmacy, saying that they were made for his Daoist partner when he was in the Medicine Palace. They had been sitting in the cabinet collecting dust for decades, and today he could finally give them away.

Fu Qing thanked him again.

Suwen stood on the outermost edge of the crowd, holding a cup of tea and watching the lively crowd in the courtyard with a blank expression.

Song Yawei brought the child out for everyone to see, and Song Nini followed behind, carrying her daughter.

This was the happiest day of Fu Qing's life, without a doubt!

...

Thus, Fu Qing has been in Ironblood City for a year.

With parting imminent, he went to the military camp to find Zhou Tie, only to be told that Zhou Tie had gone to patrol Bald Mountain outside the city.

He walked along the mountain path toward the summit. The bare, rocky mountain looked particularly desolate in the cold winter wind, and the withered grass trembled in the wind.

Upon reaching the summit, they discovered Zhou Tie and Tian Jingming standing side by side on the edge of the cliff.

Tian Jingming was whispering something to Zhou Tie, who was holding a letter and listening quietly. Both of them were dressed in military uniforms, their cloaks fluttering in the wind.

Hearing footsteps, Zhou Tie turned around and saw Fu Qing. He paused for a moment, then grinned.

"You're here? Are you leaving already?"

Fu Qing raised an eyebrow. "You're quite clever. You're preparing to go to the capital, so you've come to say goodbye."

Zhou Tie slammed his broadsword on the ground, then patted Fu Qing hard on the shoulder.

"I knew this day would come. You won't last long in Ironblood City. I knew from the beginning that this lousy place couldn't keep you."

"Go, but don't forget your brothers in Ironblood City."

Fu Qing shook his head, "Of course, I will never forget every person here, and every battle."

It was the winter month, and the first heavy snow of the year was falling from the sky.

Snowflakes fell from the gray sky, landing on the bare rocks of Bald Mountain, on Tian Jingming and Zhou Tie's cloaks, and on Fu Qing's shoulders.

Standing on the edge of the cliff, Tian Jingming reached out and caught a snowflake, watching it melt into water in his palm. Suddenly, he turned around.

"I've long heard of your poem 'Song of Joining the Army,' it's been circulating throughout Ironblood City, and even Jingjing is asking who wrote it. It's a pity I've never had the chance to witness your poetic talent firsthand..."

"How about it? Before we part ways, show us what you've got to see?"