Chapter 163: The Old Man Gives Medicine

After the old man finished laughing loudly, he flicked his sleeves and actually intended to leave proudly.

"Senior, please save my life!" At the critical moment, I knelt down toward the old man's direction.

Although I didn't know the name of this terrifyingly powerful old man, a thought kept repeating in my mind amidst his speech and bearing.

This old man... must be related to Wudang Mountain.

From his appearance to now, what he chanted was the Wudang Sect's founding ancestor Zhang Sanfeng's "Rootless Tree"; although his appearance was not striking, his presence felt like merging with nature, every movement like a gentle breeze, utterly natural.

This old man must be a Taiji master. Since Taiji originates from Wudang Mountain, combined with the factor of the Rootless Tree, I guess this old man certainly has deep ties to Wudang Mountain, or he is from Wudang Mountain.

Seeing me kneel, the old man smiled slightly, nodded, and asked me: "Do you want to ask me for three Eight Treasure Blossoms?"

His blunt question left me stunned for a moment,

Soon, my heart was filled with joy; since the old man dared to ask me that, he must have Purple Gold Blossoms in his hand. Moreover, this old man is formidable, being an outsider yet perceiving all cause and effect; even without asking, he knows what I want to ask and say.

Thinking this, I felt solemn, nodded and replied: "Indeed... this junior has two friends in imminent danger, and another needs Purple Gold Blossom to cleanse marrow and sustain life; I beseech you, senior..."

Before I finished speaking, the old man stroked his beard and laughed loudly; his laughter interrupted me, leaving me naturally doubtful. But not long after, the old man laughed and said to me: "What you seek is already in your embrace; why bother borrowing it from me?"

What does that mean in my embrace? Doubtful, I instinctively slipped my hand into my clothing. Just then, I felt a rectangular hard object at my chest, startled, I immediately put my hand into the inner pocket of my coat.

Next, I actually pulled out a rectangular hard box from the inner pocket of my outer coat; the box was made of purple sandalwood, its surface pattern antiquated; inside the jar were three square small boxes; upon opening them, I involuntarily froze.

Each small box held a purplish-red pill, emitting a familiar fresh fragrance; I recognized this scent, which was very similar to the smell on Xiao Changsheng's body.

In an instant, I finally understood what these three pills were called; they were undoubtedly the legendary Daoist Sect spirit pill, the Eight Treasure Purple Gold Blossom.

At that moment, my heart overflowed with joy; after regaining my composure, I immediately prepared to kowtow and thank the old man, but the instant I lifted my head, I saw the old man gradually walking away,

Though it was only the blink of an eye, he had already walked to a point three meters ahead of me.

"One kalpa to become Buddha or demon, determined by the mind, born of thought, alas..." the old man's voice came faintly from afar, and he began to mutter to himself again.

After a moment of bewilderment, I, having regained my senses, quickly raised my head and called out to the departing figure: "May I ask your dharma name, senior? Where is your immortal abode? After I save my friends, I wish to go and express my gratitude."

The old man waved his hand at the senior, not turning back, and said: "On Mount Pingling grows a green pine; an old man whistles and sings amid the pepper."

This poem left me fuzzy and confused, I didn't understand it.

Then, at that moment, the old man actually turned around, stood not far away, paused a moment, and pointed at himself asking me: "Do you really want to know who I am?"

My head bobbed like pounding garlic, nodding repeatedly,

"I also don't know," the old man spread his hands, very honestly speaking of the Great Dao.

"Eh..."

I was instantly stunned; if I hadn't experienced this before, I would surely have thought, like an ordinary person, that this old man was a lunatic—otherwise how could it be so strange as to forget who he himself is?

While I was dazed, the old man slowly extended three fingers, counting them on his hand and sighing: "Actually, there are three questions that have constantly lingered in my mind, and I have been asking myself them.

"Oh," I said, curious, craning my neck, "for such a mighty being to be stumped by a problem, how difficult must this problem be?"

The old man pondered for a moment, then slowly said: "These three questions are: Who am I? Where do I come from? Where am I going?"

I "..."

After finishing his self-talk, the old man completely ignored me, fingers counting as he walked away lost in thought, shaking his head and swaying, exactly like a philosopher pondering life.

……

Long after the old man left, I sat alone deserted on the empty mountaintop, still unable to recover, my thoughts scattered in the wind……

A master is a master; his manner of speech is nothing like that of an ordinary person.

…………………………………………

Standing on the deserted mountaintop, I blankly stared at Xiao Changsheng for a long time and let out a soft sigh.

Perhaps, just as that old man said, this fleeting affinity is merely a segment of karma on Xiao Changsheng's cultivation path.

But no matter what, I hope Xiao Changsheng can have a good ending.

"You have just made a good new start; you must cultivate well, become a fine spirit! Keep going, Xiao Changsheng," I silently murmured in my heart toward Xiao Changsheng's direction.

The way down the mountain was much simpler than the ascent; the round-trip journey was nearly an hour and a half faster than the way up.

I dared not hesitate, with no stops along the way, clutching the Purple Gold Blossom I rushed nonstop back to the hospital.

Yet what struck me as odd was that, seeing me return, Pangzi's face, though somewhat thin, showed no joy at all; indeed, there was no fluctuation, he remained worried.

I immediately jumped in fright, thinking the lotus lamp's petals had burned out completely; who knew Pangzi would sigh and say: "The wick of the lotus lamp has already lost four petals, and as time drags on, my father's pressure keeps growing; I fear we can only delay things for at most three days."

"Three days—how could that be enough for us to refine such a sacred medicine as the Eight Treasure Purple Gold Blossom!" Pangzi sighed helplessly, his face a deathly gray.

"Eh... within just a few days, it's indeed impossible to refine Eight Treasure Purple Gold Blossom. But if I said I have ready-made Purple Gold Blossom in my hand, would you believe me?" I leaned close to Pangzi's ear, speaking mysteriously.

Pangzi shuddered all over, looking at me suspiciously: "Are you joking with me, or are you serious?"

"Hurry up and take it, don't keep QingSongShu waiting anxiously." I took out the purple sandalwood box from my embrace, handed it to Pangzi, and urged him to quickly bring it into the ward.

Pangzi's face was blank with bewilderment, his mouth wide open, wanting to ask me something, but I shoved him straight into the ward regardless.

Since the ward was set up with the Splendid Light Sect's formation, besides Pangzi, anyone else entering would encounter some trouble; therefore, I decisively handed the Purple Gold Blossom to Pangzi and pushed him inside.

About ten minutes later, Pangzi came out holding the purple sandalwood box; watching him emerge with the box, I thought the medicine had failed and couldn't help feeling doubtful.

Could it be that the Purple Gold Blossom the old man gave me is fake?

Suddenly, Pangzi, holding the box, burst into loud laughter; then, excitedly grabbing my arm, he shouted joyfully: "Great, Zheng Ge is saved, the sister-in-law is saved..."

Only then did I relax my breath.

Before a moment had passed, Pangzi's laughter abruptly stopped; he then eyed me up and down suspiciously, shaking the empty box, and asked doubtfully: "This Purple Gold Blossom? How did you obtain it? Even if you won the lottery, such a pill is priceless—money can't buy it."

I had intended to keep Pangzi in suspense, but this guy has a bad habit: if you keep him hanging, he immediately grabs your shoulders and shakes them hard, all the while coquettishly saying: "Come on, tell me."

First of all, I couldn't withstand that force; even if my body could bear it, my spirit could not tolerate his nauseating tone. So, within just a few minutes I gave in, laying out everything from climbing the mountain to meeting that old man in full detail.

After hearing that, Pangzi slapped his thigh and exclaimed "How splendid!" Then he stroked his chin, curiously asking me: "Do you know who that old man who gave you the Purple Gold Blossom is? Damn, so generous, able to produce three Purple Gold Blossoms at once—such a mighty person is a treasure trove; if we don't get close and leech off his aura, we'd truly be failing the ancestors of our Old Wang family."

Although Pangzi wore a serious expression while asking me, his lecherous tone fully revealed his petty, sordid little thoughts……

Normally I might have laughed and scolded him a sentence or two, but now I cannot bring myself to do so, because what he asked is exactly what I have been wondering about.

I too am curious about that old man's identity.

He gave me a feeling too terrifying; his methods were almost divine—right from his appearance, he seemed to have perceived all causality, even slipping the Eight Treasures Purple Gold Split into my pocket beforehand.

Someone like him would certainly not be an obscure nobody.

But after thinking for a long time, I have no memory of anyone similar to that figure.

Finally, I could only shake my head and tell Pangzi, 'I don't know his name, nor where he came from. But before he left, I had once asked him a question. And he merely left me with half a poem that isn't really a poem.'

"What poem did he leave behind?" Pangzi stared at me curiously.

"On Screen Ridge Mountain, green pines grow; whistling pepper sings, an old man." I repeated the old man's final words.

After hearing it, Pangzi also muttered to himself several times: "Screen Ridge... green pines!"

I faintly heard Pangzi repeating those words.

After a moment, Pangzi stood up, pacing back and forth, walking while muttering to himself, "Could it be him?"

Seeing his expression, it seemed he already had an answer, so I gave him a push and asked curiously, "Who is the person you're talking about? Do you know this old man's identity?"

Pangzi didn't answer me; instead, lost in thought, he took the sandalwood box that originally held the purple gold split from my hand again.

After picking up the sandalwood box, Pangzi turned it inside out, seemingly trying to find something on the box; suddenly he froze, then his eyes burned hot as he stared at the box, his hands uncontrollably trembling slightly.

"He really is him!" Pangzi's chest rose and fell like waves, showing he was very excited, very excited.