The young physician took a look and felt something was wrong. She gestured for Uncle Meng to sit down and support the little novice, then jumped onto Uncle Meng's boat.
The two boats were linked bow to stern and rowed together toward the western side of Solitary Hill. The hill rose twenty to thirty feet above the water on its southeast, north, and south sides, all sheer cliffs.
The young physician was young, and with her inner power bolstering her, the two boats connected front to back moved even faster than the single boat Uncle Meng had arrived in.
When the boat reached the shore, Uncle Meng carried the little novice down and entered the woods, laying him face down on a massive boulder.
Uncle Meng was panting from carrying the little novice. Though the boy was only half-grown, he was plump and heavy.
The young physician tied the boat's rope to a rock, grabbed her wooden frame and backpack, and ran over. She pried open the little novice's eyes and mouth, then felt his pulse.
"Miss, can this person still be saved?"
"Uncle Meng, don't worry. He can be saved! First, go to the lake and fetch a pot of water. We'll clean his wounds in a moment."
Meng San nodded and went to the boat to get the water jug.
The young physician used a bone knife to cut open the little novice's clothing around his right shoulder. The place where the arrow had struck was swollen and black over a large area. She first drove seven silver needles in a circle around the wound to seal the acupoints.
After Uncle Meng returned, the two of them stretched out a windproof sheet, tied it to the trees, and set up a screen.
After wiping the bone knife clean, the young physician steadied the feathered arrow with her left hand. With the knife in her right, she made half-finger-deep cuts horizontally and vertically around the arrow wound, forming a cross-shaped incision.
Black blood gushed out at once. She gripped the arrowhead, pulled it upward, and removed it. A ring of barbs had grown around the iron arrowhead—a truly vicious killing weapon.
She held it beneath her nose and sniffed. The stench made her frown. It had definitely been coated with poison.
The young physician threw away the arrowhead and began washing the wound with clean water. She did not stop until red blood flowed out.
Next, she took a small flask of strong liquor from her medicine chest, poured it into her palm, and evenly smeared it over the wound. The little novice cried out in pain and fainted again.
The young physician took some detoxifying herbal paste from the medicine chest and applied it to the wound to stop the bleeding. She then threaded silk through a silver needle and quickly stitched the wound closed.
Her delicate jade fingers fluttered like butterflies dancing. After the time it took an incense stick to burn, a cross-shaped line of stitches remained on the surface of the flesh, while three layers had also been stitched beneath it.
Meng San stood to one side, so frightened that sweat beaded on his forehead. He did not dare even breathe loudly. When had he ever seen anything like this?
Once the wound was stitched, the young physician used liquor to wipe away the bloodstains around it, then applied a layer of herbal salve to help it heal. After carefully examining the wound, she took out strips of white cloth and wrapped them around the little novice's shoulder five or six times.
Seeing that the treatment was finished, Meng San finally asked in a small voice, "Miss, you truly have remarkable skills. Is the child saved?"
"Uncle Meng, his life is no longer in danger. However, the arrowhead was poisoned, and the poisoned blood has already seeped into his body. I need to go up the mountain and find several herbs for him to take," the young physician replied.
Meng San suggested, "Miss, the woods on the mountain are dense and unsafe. I'll go with you!"
The young physician smiled. "Uncle Meng, it's fine. When the little novice wakes up, don't let him run around. I'll be back soon."
Meng San did not try to persuade her again. He sat with his back against the rock, clutching a wooden stick. After rowing the boat all day, he soon grew drowsy.
Penglai Immortal Island, the garden of White Jade Palace.
"Saving the Saint of the Mortal Realm has increased the Karma Value by thirty thousand," the water mirror announced.
White Deer Immortal stood beside the recliner and clapped happily. "Bai Yu's Karma Value increased by so much this time!"
Behind her, Chen Renfeng was pondering, Bai Bingxue and Bai Xue look exactly like Bai Yu. Could there be some secret behind this? He paid no attention to the change in Karma Value.
True Martial Great Emperor reclined in his chair and casually replied, "Being able to save the Saint of the Mortal Realm—this is surely the will of Heaven's Dao."
Hearing this, Ancestor Lu laughed heartily. "Chen Tuan, did you intentionally arrange this when you edited the Karma Chart?"
Chen Renfeng hurriedly replied, "Ancestor Lu, this junior would never dare. It was the will of Heaven's Dao!"
"Emperor, let's continue watching," White Deer Immortal said, taking the opportunity to smooth things over.
Chen Renfeng sent her a grateful look.
Bai Bingxue was very familiar with the mountain. She gathered herbs along the way as she headed toward the houses north of the mountaintop. All she could hear were the waves, birdsong, and the wind. It all felt familiar, like something from another lifetime.
After walking for the time it took an incense stick to burn, Bai Bingxue saw smoke rising from the chimney of a distant house. It seemed someone was there.
She felt somewhat puzzled and quickened her pace. When she was twenty paces from the house, she heard the voices of two men.
"Sixth Junior Brother, this is the last dish, right?"
"Fifth Senior Brother, once I finish this Dongpo Roasted Oysters, our task will be complete."
"Sixth Junior Brother, these thirteen Dongpo dishes were personally assigned by Master. Before leaving, Eldest Senior Brother reminded us several times. You absolutely must not leave any out."
"Fifth Senior Brother, let me count them for you: the Dongpo Cold Pot Fish and Dongpo Five Willow Fish that swim in the water;
the Dongpo Pork Knuckle, Dongpo Leg, Dongpo Lamb Spine, and Dongpo Meat that run on land;
the Dongpo Braised Pigeon that flies in the sky;
the two vegetarian appetizers, Dongpo Jelly and Dongpo Tofu;
the two soups, Dongpo Soup and Dongpo Jade Rice Soup, plus Dongpo Cake;
and finally, this Dongpo Roasted Oysters. We have dishes from land, water, and air. Not one is missing."
"Good! Your cooking really is excellent. Every dish has superb color, aroma, and flavor. No wonder it's the direct culinary tradition of our Su Xian Sect's founding patriarch."
The young physician, hiding outside the door, heard them mention the Su Xian Sect but did not reveal herself at once. Through a crack, she saw two richly dressed young men preparing food in the kitchen and continued listening to what they said.
"Fifth Senior Brother, you said we had to travel thousands of miles and offer the Dongpo dishes today. But the person buried in the grave can't eat them anyway."
"Shut up! Showing disrespect to the dead—have you forgotten the sect rules, Sixth Junior Brother?"
"Fifth Senior Brother, I was just complaining. Why didn't we let the two chefs we brought for the King of Ziqi prepare these thirteen dishes? Why did I have to make them myself? I wanted to look around the mountain too."
"Sixth Junior Brother, you're acting spoiled after getting a benefit. Eldest Senior Brother did this because he favors you, so that Master would know how filial you are. Do you know who is buried in this tomb?"
"Fifth Senior Brother, who is it?"
"Ah, slap your own mouth! Eldest Senior Brother forbade me from telling anyone else. Are the oysters done roasting?"
"They're done. I'll put them on a plate right away."
The two men who had just spoken were Su Xue's fifth disciple, Su Jiangcheng, and sixth disciple, Su Dingfeng. Su Xue had founded the Su Xian Sect at Solitary Hill beside West Lake in Hangzhou City, Gongjiao Country.
The two men had come thousands of miles on Su Xue's orders to wish the King of Ziqi a happy birthday. More importantly, they had come to Solitary Hill by Luoqie Lake to pay respects to Bai Bing and offer the thirteen Dongpo dishes she loved.
After the two men came out, Su Jiangcheng walked in front with a treasured sword hanging at his waist, every step carrying him swiftly forward. Su Dingfeng followed behind, carrying a food box in his hand and a treasured sword on his back. He hurried after him, asking ingratiatingly, "Fifth Senior Brother, just tell me. I promise I won't tell anyone else."
Su Jiangcheng did not turn around, but said, "You have such a loose tongue. If I tell you today, who knows what trouble you'll cause in the future? Once this matter is settled and we've paid our respects to the King of Ziqi, we can go to Shànchǎn City and meet up with Second Senior Brother."
A short while later, the two men headed off into the west. Bai Bingxue emerged from behind the house, glanced after them, and pushed open the door.
She had returned to the little house from her dreams. The arrangement of the tables, chairs, cabinets, bed, and other furniture had not changed. Memories of the joy she had shared here with her mother surged into her heart, and her eyes stung as tears fell.
Bai Bingxue wiped away her tears with her sleeve and took a piece of white silk from her clothing. When she unfolded it, it was covered in writing.
She stared at the names of those she would take revenge on...
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