On the country path, fine grass swayed slightly between the ridges of the fields, already reaching past the ankles. A few red dragonflies circled over the rice fields, occasionally skimming the water's surface and creating ripples. Sunlight spilled through the gaps in the rice stalks, reflecting a mix of gold and green. In the distance, the mountain silhouettes were like dark pigment, and the sound of frogs rose and fell. The wind brushed over the field plots, kicking up layers of rice waves. Farther away, a farmer bent over his work, his face beneath the bamboo hat darkened by the sun. Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps approached from afar, breaking this tranquility.
Dust flew along the field ridges as two figures dashed forward, one after the other, enveloped in dust with heavy and urgent steps. The leading boy in cloth clothes carried a girl on his back, while another boy in blue followed closely behind, limbs flailing and panting like an ox. Where the three passed, the rushing wind they created bent the rice seedlings, startling the frogs by the field into jumping into the water with a splash, kicking up several streaks of white light-like spray.
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"It's the Lin boy from the dyehouse and the Liu boy from the west of the village!" "...Why such a hurry?" an old farmer straightened his back, squinting at the receding figures. "There seems to be a girl on his back, and she looks like a stranger..." A farmer nearby put down his hoe and shouted, "Lin boy, what happened?"
Lin Dalu didn't have time to answer, only lowering his head to run frantically, sweat dripping from his temples. The girl on his back was pale, her breathing weak. Liu Hai, however, slowed his pace slightly and replied while gasping for air, "It's an emergency! We'll talk later!"
"Strange..." the old farmer muttered, leaning on his hoe. "That Lin boy is usually very steady; why is he so agitated today? Something must have happened..." "Could it really be something serious?" The farmers shook their heads as they watched their receding backs.
Another gust of field wind blew past, and a rice leaf whirled up with the wind, slowly falling to the ground.
At this moment, Lin Dalu only felt Xiang'er leaning on his shoulder, her breath weak. Her pale cheek pressed against his neck, and her head sank slightly. A bone-chilling coldness made his heart tighten suddenly.
"Hey, Brother Dalu!" Liu Hai shouted, out of breath.
Lin Dalu stopped at the sound. "Brother Dalu!" Liu Hai signaled toward Xiang'er.
Lin Dalu understood immediately. He gently hoisted Xiang'er higher and asked softly, "Xiang'er, how do you feel?" Xiang'er's eyelashes trembled, her lips bloodless. She panted a few times, her voice as thin as a silk thread, yet she still forced a faint smile. "I'm fine... It's truly a bother for Young Master Lin."
Liu Hai stepped forward, wiping sweat and waving his hand while pointing toward the town faintly visible ahead. "Three more li and we reach Guangde Town. The Cloth Shop is at the southern street entrance. Lin Dalu is famous in our village for his fast feet. Xiang'er, don't worry, we'll be there in a flash." Xiang'er nodded slightly. "Thank you both, young masters..." Before Xiang'er could finish, Lin Dalu hoisted her again and set off. He held Xiang'er steadily with one hand, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and quickened his pace, running even more steadily.
Liu Hai watched his rock-steady pace and marveled inwardly. "He's speeding up again..." "Yesterday you said you felt weak lately, fearing a lack of strength, but... you are clearly a bull reincarnated." He could only smile helplessly, his own feet feeling light. "Brother Dalu—wait for me—!"
The wind whistled past, and dust flew as the two figures crossed the gold and green field ridges, heading straight for the town entrance.
Before long, the entrance to Guangde Town was before them. The three characters for "Guangde Town" on the stone archway were mottled by years of wind and rain. On the streets, the noise of people and horses was deafening. Lin Dalu stopped at the town entrance, his gaze landing on an imposing pharmacy nearby. A plaque with gold characters on a black background hung on the red-lacquered lintel, bearing three powerful characters—"Spring Harmony Hall." In front of the pharmacy, wind chimes under the eaves tinkled, and the scent of medicine mixed with the smell of old wood was refreshing.
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Xiang'er raised her head slightly to look at this unfamiliar town. Lin Dalu looked at the sign for Spring Harmony Hall and suddenly frowned slightly. When Liu Hai caught up, he murmured, "In the rush just now, there was one thing I forgot to consider." "What is it?" Liu Hai came forward, hands on his knees, gasping for air. "Bro... Brother Dalu... You're going to... take my life..." Lin Dalu wiped the sweat from his forehead, his expression settling, but he whispered with a frown, "It's Xiang'er..." "Xiang'er... what about her?" Liu Hai was puzzled, glancing again at the weak Xiang'er on Lin Dalu's back. Lin Dalu pondered for a moment and said, "Since ancient times, there have been Immortals saving Mortals, and Mortals treating mortal illnesses. But if an Immortal falls ill, can a mundane Physician truly treat them?" Liu Hai was stunned. "This..." "Normally, we only hear of Immortals using magic to save Mortals, but I've never heard of a mundane Physician being able to treat an Immortal?" Lin Dalu added. Liu Hai smiled bitterly. "I only remember my mother's illness got better after taking a prescription from Spring Harmony Hall. But if Xiang'er is an Immortal..." He scratched his head. "Since we're already here, why not let the Physician take a look? Perhaps there is a turning point."
Lin Dalu glared at him, then asked Xiang'er warmly, "Xiang'er, what do you think?" Liu Hai gave a sheepish smile, rubbing his nose and looking down.
Xiang'er thought for a moment, her voice weak. "Although I can cast spells and have white qi threads flowing inside me, except for the moment of casting, I am no different from an ordinary person. Perhaps... letting a Physician have a look would be fine." Xiang'er had a bitter smile on her lips. "Now the qi threads are about to dissipate, it's just..." Her voice faded. "I have no silver on me..." "Xiang'er, don't worry about... that," Lin Dalu comforted her softly. "Just restrain those qi threads and don't let them escape. We're going in now."
The three walked into Spring Harmony Hall, where the hall was spacious. Facing them was a row of towering medicine cabinets reaching the roof beams, with hundreds of drawers labeled with herb names like "Chuanxiong," "Astragalus," and "Angelica." The air was filled with the characteristic bitter fragrance of herbs. Behind the counter, an assistant was weighing medicine with a copper scale, and the sound of the grinding trough was steady. A plaque hung in the hall with four gilded characters, "Immortal Formulas Serving the World." Standing beneath it was a man in his fifties, with a fair face and a beard, wearing a silk robe and an Abacus hanging at his waist.
Seeing Liu Hai, the man stepped forward with a smile. "This Young Master Liu was here just now to get medicine for a lady." "Shopkeeper Tian," Liu Hai bowed. "It is indeed I." "Oh, the master just left and has now returned. Has the lady's condition changed?" Shopkeeper Tian asked hurriedly. Liu Hai grunted and looked at Lin Dalu. Shopkeeper Tian's gaze swept over Xiang'er on Lin Dalu's back, then he asked Liu Hai again, "Has the lady taken the medicine?" Lin Dalu stepped forward and took over the conversation, his tone steady yet urgent. "She hasn't taken it yet, because my brother said the prescription was missing a primary herb, and I feared the effect would be incomplete. This lady on my back is gravely ill, and I didn't dare be careless, so I brought her here to ask your hall's Physician to diagnose her and see if there's a better prescription." "Oh?" Shopkeeper Tian's eyebrows arched, his expression changing slightly.
"Let this old man have a look." Shopkeeper Tian gestured for Lin Dalu to set her down, then approached Xiang'er to examine her closely. He saw that Xiang'er's face was like snow-white paper, her breath weak, and even her fingertips had a layer of pale green. Shopkeeper Tian took her pulse for a while, his brow tightening bit by bit, and his expression grew solemn. "This lady's pulse is erratic, and her qi and blood are both deficient, as if from a major injury..." He pointed at Liu Hai. "The previous medicine was indeed insufficient. Even if the primary herb wasn't missing, its effect would be limited, as the supplementary herbs were only matched to trigger three levels of the primary herb's power. It's fortunate you brought her here, though with my medical skills, I'm afraid I'm still lacking."
Lin Dalu asked urgently, "Then what should be done?" Shopkeeper Tian smiled, a hint of shrewdness in his eyes. "Only my master might be able to save her. My master, in his youth, was once taught by an Immortal and has several Immortal Formulas in his hand. But now that he is old, he rarely sees patients." Shopkeeper Tian stroked his beard. "May I ask Shopkeeper Tian, where is your master now?" Lin Dalu asked respectfully. Shopkeeper Tian smiled. "It's a coincidence; you all truly have great fortune. My master is resting in the back hall."
Lin Dalu immediately bowed. "I beg the shopkeeper to report this and ask the old gentleman to lend a hand. If he can save her, I will be eternally grateful." After speaking, Lin Dalu took out a silver ingot from his robe and quietly pushed it over.
Shopkeeper Tian's eyes flashed, and he made a feigned gesture of refusal. "Oh, how can I—" but he subconsciously weighed the silver and smiled. "Presumably this lady is Young Master Lin's betrothed? Seeing your deep affection, this old man will help you once today. Just..." He paused and smiled again. "My master has a strange temperament. If he is to provide treatment, I'm afraid some sincerity is needed—five taels of silver..."
——(To be continued)