A Fine Patch of Moss (Part 2)

Five young men and women in coarse Daoist Robes, carrying firewood knives and tiny bundles of firewood on their backs, strolled lazily along the path toward the rear mountain. They were Princess Xiu and the other four, who had bullied Qingchu last time, only to be beaten half to death by Lin Xiao. They had spent several months bedridden recovering from their injuries, and the moment they had healed, Yi Yi had assigned them to chop firewood. After all, they had people backing them. Though Yi Yi had punished them and forced them to serve as firewood-chopping menials, their full sets of teeth had been reattached with spiritual medicine, even whiter and cleaner than before. Not a breath leaked when they spoke.

"Qingchu, that little bitch!" Princess Xiu cursed Qingchu all the way, casually hacking at roadside branches and thatch with the flimsy iron-sheet firewood knife in her hand, which weighed less than a couple of ounces. A stream of filthy abuse poured from her mouth. When had she ever suffered such a loss in all her life? A dignified princess of the Qi Dynasty had actually had every tooth in her mouth knocked out! And in front of hundreds of fellow disciples! Worse still, Qingchu had received no punishment afterward, while the five of them had been punished with the duty of chopping firewood! That was a crude chore reserved for menial disciples who had only just entered the sect!

"Qingchu, that little bitch! If she falls into my hands, hmph hmph!" Princess Xiu snarled viciously. "I'll show her what it means to beg for life but be unable to live, to beg for death but be unable to die! That little bitch, she, she, she has truly angered me to death! Hmph, but she actually climbed up Attendant Lin's high branch and wrapped herself around Attendant Lin's thigh! Damned little bitch! Now, even if Ancestor Yi Xuan wants to vent our anger for us, he has to fear Lin Xiao seven parts out of ten. It truly infuriates me to death!"

The five of them happened to stop right before the clump of grass where Qingchu was hiding. County Princess Jie gave a delicate, timid sigh and said softly, "Sister Xiu, there's no need to be angry. Qingchu was merely lucky! She's just an ugly little freak. Could Attendant Lin truly take a liking to her? With Sister Xiu's beauty and learning, and Sister Xiu's birth and family background~~~could you possibly be inferior to an ugly girl of lowly birth?"

Miss Ya humbly flattered her, "Exactly! Ancestor Yi Xuan himself said that Your Highness is a cultivation genius seen only once in a hundred years! With Your Highness's bones and talent, and Your Highness's beauty and learning, hehe, although Attendant Lin is a true grandmaster in the path of alchemy, how could he resist Your Highness's affection?" Miss Ya chuckled, "Hehe, hehe. If Your Highness can join Attendant Lin in bliss and become dual-cultivation Dao companions, then Your Highness would be~~~"

Princess Xiu's face flushed with excitement. She proudly raised her head and said smugly, "That does make sense. Among the tens of thousands of newly initiated disciples of the Origin Sect, who can compare with me? Not to mention that ragged, ugly little girl Qingchu. Lin Xiao, hmph hmph, Attendant Lin! Hmm~~~ If I ask Ancestor Yi Xuan to introduce me to Attendant Lin, then this matter~~~" Princess Xiu's eyes spun rapidly, and she trembled all over with excitement. "With Attendant Lin's support, it will be as easy as turning over a hand for my Third Brother to take the throne."

Hidden in the grass nest, Qingchu stared foolishly through gaps between the blades at Princess Xiu, unable to understand what scheme she was turning over in her mind. From her words, it seemed that she wanted to approach Lin Xiao and grow close to him, but how had that somehow become entangled with the succession to the Qi Dynasty's throne? With Qingchu's experience, she could not figure out the key to it. She only instinctively felt that Princess Xiu wanting to approach Lin Xiao made her deeply uncomfortable. An indescribably strange emotion churned in her heart, sour and sharp, along with an instinctive wariness.

On the path, the five people's conversation suddenly shifted to the Beauty-Nourishing Pill.

Princess Xiu clenched her fists and shouted through gritted teeth, "Beauty-Nourishing Pills! Beauty-Nourishing Pills that can preserve a woman's youth forever! Beauty-Nourishing Pills personally refined by Attendant Lin! Heavens! Of the seventy-one Beauty-Nourishing Pills consigned at the medicine shop, even the cheapest one was traded for fifteen high-grade spirit stones and a low-grade Precious Artifact-level flying sword! I must be with Attendant Lin~~~" Princess Xiu bit her lip tightly, and the flush on her face deepened.

A rosy glow also spread across County Princess Jie's timid face. She nearly moaned as she sighed, "Beauty-Nourishing Pills! There are actually such miraculous pills in this world! Seventy-one Beauty-Nourishing Pills were snatched clean in just the time it took to burn an incense stick! I heard that Ancestor Yi Yi stood laughing wildly outside the medicine shop for the time it took to drink a cup of tea, then ordered the managers of Medicine Mountain to open up a thousand mu of medicinal fields specifically to plant Midnight Orchids!"

County Princess Jie lowered her head and smiled softly. "Attendant Lin is truly amazing."

Princess Xiu's expression changed. The thin iron-sheet firewood knife in her hand suddenly pressed against County Princess Jie's neck. She snarled, "Don't forget your status! Attendant Lin belongs to me!" County Princess Jie shuddered and abruptly dropped to her knees. She pressed both hands onto Princess Xiu's feet and forcefully knocked her forehead against the path. Only then did Princess Xiu nod in satisfaction, smiling softly. "That's my good cousin. Hmph, if there are things you cannot touch, then you'd better learn to be clever!"

Curled up in the grass nest, Qingchu watched in confusion as a flash of savage mockery appeared on County Princess Jie's face while she pounded her head against the ground. County Princess Jie was always so timid and delicate, and would scream in fright at the sight of a bug. How could she wear such a terrifying smile? Qingchu trembled slightly and closed her eyes, not daring to look at County Princess Jie's dreadful smile again. That smile instinctively reminded Qingchu of a poisonous snake she had encountered on Medicine Mountain when she was young—snow-white as fresh snow, yet terrifyingly venomous.

Princess Xiu fiercely berated County Princess Jie for a while. Only then did she give a satisfied snort and lead County Princess Jie, Miss Ya, and the two attendants onward toward the rear mountain, cursing and grumbling all the way.

Qingchu waited until Princess Xiu and the others had gone far away. Estimating that they had already traveled two or three li, she finally scrambled out of the grass nest. She carelessly brushed dust and grass fragments from herself, looked up at the sun, and cried out, "Oh no, oh no, Little Qing~~~"

Breaking into a run, Qingchu hurried toward the nearest flying vessel docking point.

Just then, a flying vessel landed. Qingchu showed her identity token and boarded it. Standing aboard the vessel, she hopped anxiously in place, muttering incomprehensibly beneath her breath.

Unfortunately, although the flying vessel was headed toward Medicine Mountain, it would turn back halfway there. Qingchu could only wait at another docking point for half a shichen until another flying vessel bound directly for Medicine Mountain landed, then continued on her way. But now Qingchu no longer even had the strength to stamp her feet. She simply sat blankly on the vessel's deck and moaned weakly, "Poor Little Qing, how much will be left of you this time? Wuwu, why won't you listen at all? Why can't you remember anything I told you?"

The flying vessel landed before Medicine Mountain. Qingchu leaped down, staggered several steps forward, then shot into Medicine Mountain like a wisp of smoke.

Li Le, who was squatting before the main courtyard gate with a dry tobacco pipe between his teeth, puffing out clouds of smoke, stared in astonishment at Qingchu rushing into Medicine Mountain. He asked a steward disciple beside him in surprise, "Strange. That figure looked like Qingchu, but when did Qingchu become so beautiful? It's only been a few months, hasn't it? Er, go ask the boy who checked her token just now. Who was that girl?"

Qingchu had no idea what Li Le was muttering about. Familiar with the route, she rushed into Medicine Mountain, wound around several valleys, swiftly crossed two mountains, and slipped through a hidden crack in a cliff face before finally reaching a concealed cave.

The cave was extremely damp. It was roughly a hundred zhang across and shaped like a steamed bun, its ground covered in an exceedingly thin layer of pale green growth. At the center of the cave was a pool several feet wide, filled with spiritual spring water that carried a rich medicinal fragrance. There were also several naturally formed water channels within the cave. These channels connected to an underground yin river beside the stone cave, drawing part of its water into the cave. The river water was mixed with a faint medicinal scent as well. Thick green moss covered the channels, and once the river water, originally muddied with countless mixed colors, passed through them, it became crystal clear, while the trace of medicinal scent vanished without a shadow.

The moss in the water channels drew out the essence of the medicinal juice from the river water, transforming it into drops of viscous mucus reeking of medicinal vapors. It was transmitted through the thin green growth across the ground and gathered into the pool at the center of the cave, deepening the color of the spiritual spring water within.

The moment Qingchu rushed into the cave, the thin green growth on the ground and the moss in the channels began to dance joyfully. At the same time, a sound like an infant crying came from the pool. Amid the "waah, waah" cries, the water surface rippled gently, and a thumb-sized clump of purplish-green moss slowly rose from the pool.

Qingchu abruptly covered her mouth and let out a shriek. "Heavens~~~ Little Qing! The last time I saw you, you were already two feet across. How did you end up with only this little bit left today?"

A faint voice like an infant's crying drifted from the moss. "Wuwu, bad people~ They cut me~ One piece, two pieces, three pieces~ I ran for my life, but they ran faster than me~ One piece, two pieces, three pieces. They cut me into one thousand and eighty pieces, and only this tiny piece escaped back~~~"

Qingchu's face twitched a few times. She stared blankly at that tiny clump of moss as tears fell with soft patters.

"Little Qing! You're so pitiful!" Qingchu cried for a while, then slowly wiped away her tears with her sleeve. She slowly walked to the pool's edge, crouched down, and gently poked the floating moss with a finger. "But every two months, the senior brothers patrolling the mountain chop you a few times with their swords. I'm already used to you growing bigger and shrinking smaller again. As long as you aren't chopped to death on the spot~ it doesn't really matter!"

The clump of moss hummed aggrievedly as it slowly spun circles in the pool. It muttered miserably, "It doesn't hurt, but it feels awful~ Wuwu, I finally grew that big, then got chopped apart again~ I only wanted to suck up a few drops of Purple Ganoderma's spiritual liquid. So stingy~ They wouldn't let me drink it~ They're all bad people, bad people~ They wouldn't let me drink spiritual liquid, and they cut me too~ They're all bad people~ Only Qingchu is a good person!"

Gently stirring the small piece of moss, Qingchu sighed. "Little Qing, stay hidden here obediently. The medicinal power the yin river brings from the waste liquid of the Alchemy Hall is already enough for your cultivation. Why must you run to Medicine Mountain to steal food every two months? Purple Ganoderma is a top-grade spirit medicine, and the senior brothers patrolling the mountain guard that place most closely."

"I, I don't know~" The moss hummed softly. "So hot, so burning, so uncomfortable~ I want to drink Purple Ganoderma's spiritual liquid!"

"Uncomfortable? How are you uncomfortable?" Qingchu looked at Little Qing in confusion, unable to understand what had gone wrong with it.

Little Qing spun desperately in the pool, wailing, "I want Purple Ganoderma's spiritual liquid, I want Purple Ganoderma's spiritual liquid~ I'm so hot, so uncomfortable! I want Purple Ganoderma's spiritual liquid! Wuwu, so hot, so uncomfortable~ I want Purple Ganoderma's spiritual liquid!"

Suddenly, a wisp of flame flashed across Little Qing's body, and a pungent smell of scorching instantly filled the cave. The thin green growth across the cave floor was all transformed from Little Qing's body. A large patch was burned into black ash by flames that rose from nowhere. Little Qing screamed, "Wuwu~~~ Waah waah~~~ It hurts, it burns, it feels awful!"

The water in the pool surged violently as Little Qing spun around inside like a headless fly. Patches of green growth across the cave floor were burned into black ash, then grew back in patches, and the scorched smell stung the nose. As the green growth continued regenerating, Little Qing's body shrank bit by bit.

"This, this!" Flames sprang up beneath Qingchu's feet, startling her into jumping away. In a flurry, she smothered the burning corners of her skirt and trouser legs. Watching Little Qing emit sharp cries of pain in the pool, a flash of insight suddenly struck her. She cried, "Big Brother Lin~ Big Brother Lin will definitely have a way~ Little Qing has eaten too much medicine!"

Qingchu turned and ran for the cave entrance. As she sprinted, she shouted, "Little Qing, endure it! Don't let yourself burn to death! I, I'll get someone to save you right away!"

Rushing out of the cave, Qingchu fumbled frantically through her belt until she finally pulled out a leaf carved from green jade and forcefully twisted it into powder.

A thin streak of green light shot into the sky, flying straight toward the secluded residence where Lin Xiao lived.