Chapter 53 – Astray Demon Lord’s Son (11)
The clean clothes were delivered, and this time Zhou Ji helped him change into them.
From their first meeting until now, in a very short time, Qi Ming had realized that this person had two faces.
The person who skillfully helped Chen Luosong change clothes and spoke in a low, gentle voice seemed entirely different from the one who had just looked at him with a cold gaze.
After that, a maid entered the room carrying the prepared medicine and congee.
First, Chen Luosong drank the congee and then took the medicine. As he was taking the medicine, the elder of the Medicine Valley entered the room.
The other two people in the room looked at him and then averted their gaze, ultimately not saying much.
As expected, the Elder had come to discuss the matter of going to Medicine Valley.
After drinking the medicine, Chen Luosong took a sip of warm water, put down the cup, and turned to look at the person sitting next to him.
Following his gaze, Zhou Ji looked back and said, “I can look after the pharmacy.”
This was a suggestion for him to go.
Chen Luosong withdrew his gaze, looked at the white-haired old man, smiled, and said, “Then, thank you very much.”
He agreed.
Zhou Ji sat to the side, looking down at the slightly rippling surface of the water in the cup, unconsciously raising his hand to touch his chest.
Something was not quite right.
It was the same feeling as that night when the incident occurred.
This should be the most correct choice.
He had to go to the extreme north of the demon realm to get the medicine. Once he went, he would no longer be able to seal his demonic energy like this, and those people would eventually become aware of his presence.
The demon realm had inherently weak familial bonds. Since his birth, he had rarely seen the so-called Demon Lord, his father, who often lingered among the women of the harem. He had no attachment to that seemingly luxurious life. Compared to fighting his way back to the demon realm, he preferred to stay by this person’s side.
But this time, he had no choice but to go. Once his presence was discovered, those people would certainly trace it back to the other party. Medicine Valley was home to ancient scrolls passed down for millennia and was more heavily guarded than any other place. As long as he went to Medicine Valley, the Demon Sect’s reach would never be able to touch him.
That should be the safest place.
…But why did he feel so uneasy?
The person wearing the newly donned sky-blue robe looked at him and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Zhou Ji tore his gaze away from the now-still surface of the water and said, “Nothing.”
一一
The matter of going to Medicine Valley was thus decided.
Not wanting to delay, they set out as soon as his health improved. Chen Luosong and the Elder departed.
Every year, disciples of Medicine Valley would descend the mountain to train, treating the illnesses of mortals, and would return to Medicine Valley once their training was complete. They happened to depart just as the disciples were finishing their training, so they returned together.
Zhou Ji escorted them to the furthest point he could, then stopped and watched their figures fade into the distance.
As the clouds dispersed and the rain cleared, the world felt vast and open.
Sitting on the Medicine Valley’s boat, Chen Luosong withdrew his gaze from the shore and turned back, seeing the Elder’s face.
The Elder sat down next to him and pulled something out of his pocket, handing it to him.
It was a blood-red jade pendant, and even a cursory glance revealed its excellent quality.
“This is what that person gave me.”
The Elder, uncertain how to describe the relationship between the two, simply referred to him as “that person” and said, “He gave me a spiritual herb along with this jade pendant. I accepted the herb and now give this to you.”
This jade pendant was exceedingly precious, possessing significant value even for a cultivator. It was worth far more than the assistance he could provide, and he could not accept it.
The Elder would only accept what he deemed acceptable, and anything else he would not take. Chen Luosong knew this, so he said no more, accepting the pendant and glancing down at it.
He had never seen this item before; it must have been something the other person carried with him before coming here.
Even while being hunted, he didn’t forget to bring it, so it must be very precious.
Casually putting the jade pendant away and slightly tightening his robe, he asked the Elder, “What is he going to do?”
The Elder’s actions paused.
This person always smiled, but he was unexpectedly perceptive.
Meeting the Elder’s somewhat surprised gaze, Chen Luosong smiled and said, “He can’t hide things from me.”
Zhou Ji’s claim that he would look after the pharmacy was likely only half true. He would look after it, but by having others do it while he went off to handle something else.
“Indeed.”
Since it had already been noticed, there was no need to hide it. The Elder responded directly, then asked, “How did you figure it out?”
This matter had only been mentioned privately once before, never openly, yet this person had still sensed it.
Resting a hand against his cheek, Chen Luosong looked towards the surrounding clouds and mist, smiling as he said, “I’ve known him for many years.”
When he said this, his long eyelashes lowered, obscuring his emotions from the Elder.
一一
The journey from the capital to Medicine Valley was long and unceasing. After several days, they finally arrived.
Medicine Valley lived up to its name, situated on the high mountains at the edge of a deep valley. The area was uninhabited, with one side being a sheer cliff and the peak reaching into the clouds, making it a highly defensible location.
Passing through the sect’s protective formation and officially entering the sect, the air suddenly became refreshingly clean.
Though not common, from time to time, patients were brought back to the sect. The disciples of Medicine Valley, seeing a stranger, were not overly surprised, merely giving him a few extra glances.
The Elder was the Grand Elder of Medicine Valley and had his own independent peak, where most of his disciples usually stayed, rising early each day to cultivate medicinal herbs.
Chen Luosong settled down there.
He had his own reasons for coming to Medicine Valley. Not fond of socializing or tending to flowers and plants, he spent most of his time sitting in the courtyard of his residence, occasionally chatting with the Elder, and often gazing into the vast empty valley when the mountain mist was thin.
When he first arrived, he had nothing to do besides taking his medicine. Later, while writing, he happened to meet the Elder, who was looking for him. With just a few conversations, he became a half-teacher of calligraphy on this mountain.
The disciples on the mountain ranged in age, with some having high talent and beginning their studies at a young age. Like ordinary students, before they could handle medicinal herbs, they had to learn basic knowledge and practice calligraphy to cultivate patience.
There had always been a shortage of a calligraphy teacher on the mountain, with the Elder himself having to teach when he had time. Now, this gap was conveniently filled.
The disciples were quite good—obedient and respectful. Although Chen Luosong was not an expert in calligraphy, he taught what he knew, and the disciples seemed quite happy with that.
Perhaps it was because there were indeed few people to talk to on this mountain, the Elder frequently came to have tea and chat with him when he had free time. Whenever the topic turned to the well-behaved disciples, the Elder’s eyebrows would involuntarily twitch.
Those brats were not like that when he was teaching them.
While outsiders often believed that the disciples of Medicine Valley, who studied medicine, had good temperaments and were calm and composed, in reality, only they knew how difficult these supposedly well-behaved individuals were to manage.
They respected him as the Elder but didn’t hesitate to cause all sorts of trouble.
Holding a teacup, Chen Luosong smiled.
“……”
Caught off guard by that smile, the Elder looked at the quietly sitting person before him and suddenly understood why the disciples had two faces.
This person wasn’t wearing the luxurious clothes given by Young Master Qi, just a simple white robe. His hair was half-tied with a simple band, and his calm eyes carried a trace of weariness. Even so, it was hard to look away from him.
…Those stinky brats who judge people based on their appearance.
Thinking of Qi Ming, the Elder finally remembered the reason for his visit today and said, “The young master will come to Medicine Valley in a few days. He won’t stay here but on the Sect Master’s Peak. However, he will probably come here to take a look.”
Chen Luosong slightly raised his eyes.
For a moment, the Elder couldn’t decipher the emotions in his eyes.
He looked up only briefly before responding and then lowered his head to take another sip of tea.
Qi Ming was still around, which meant the emotional tribulation hadn’t been overcome.
“Recently, there have been disturbances among the demonic cultivators. The royal lineage, which was supposed to be broken, has reappeared, causing internal chaos,” the Elder said. “The turmoil has spilled over to the capital, so Prince Duan sent him here.”
The Demon Sect’s internal strife, with factions vying for power, had some taking advantage of the chaos. Some demonic cultivators infiltrated the capital, attempting to drag the nobility into the conflict and involve the mortals to counter opposing forces.
For safety, most noble children were sent to the safest places, like the Immortal Sect and Medicine Valley. Qi Ming didn’t go to the Immortal Sect; anticipating his relocation, he contacted this place in advance and chose to come to Medicine Valley.
Chen Luosong put down his teacup. After a moment of silence, he spoke two sentences and then asked, “Are there only two methods to overcome the emotional tribulation?”
“Yes,” the Elder replied, “but I am unlikely to ever reach the stage where I face the emotional tribulation.”
Cultivation depended on talent, and he was destined to stop at this level. He had long come to terms with this and didn’t feel particularly sad, even smiling a bit, “At my age, trying to overcome the emotional tribulation would be laughable.”
He found it more surprising that this seemingly serious person was interested in these matters.
After taking another sip of tea, he set down his cup and stood up, saying, “There have been some disturbances at the bottom of the nearby valley. I need to go check it out with the Sect Master Senior Sister.”
The tea gradually cooled, and a leaf from the ancient tree beside them drifted down slowly, landing on the ground.
As the Elder had said, a few days later, a new group of unfamiliar faces arrived at Medicine Valley.
Having been here a few times before, Qi Ming had a decent memory and roughly remembered the way. After settling in, just as the Elder had predicted, he immediately requested to visit the mountain where Chen Luosong was staying.
He claimed he wanted to revisit old places and see what had changed. Though the Elder’s eyes were old, they could still discern such obvious intentions. He didn’t expose him and instructed a disciple to guide him.
Following their master’s instructions, the disciple didn’t let him wander around the mountain aimlessly but took him straight to the academy halfway up the mountain.
It was morning, and the sunlight was bright and dazzling. The area around the academy, usually filled with the sound of students reading aloud, was quiet today, with only the rustling of leaves in the wind.
The disciple explained, “Today, the teacher is giving a calligraphy lesson.”
Turning a corner, they reached the academy, with its wooden corridors and bright windows. Sunlight streamed into the room, creating a bright scene.
Qi Ming immediately spotted the figure standing by the window, his footsteps halting as his eyes involuntarily brightened.
