Myriad Spirit Pill

Xu Qing's latest job had been quite lucrative. The scattered silver and gold leaf money packets he received for officiating funerals were, of course, to be expected.

But the biggest reward, by far, was the information and rewards he gained after helping the old physician pass on.

This physician, who was later recognized as a godson by Fourth Master Li after his death, was no ordinary man.

His original name was Yang Chunfu. He came from a wealthy family and, from a young age, enjoyed reading Taoist scriptures and medical texts. He made his aspirations known at thirteen and, at fifteen, bid farewell to his parents to seek knowledge and enlightenment on Mount Henglu.

Mount Henglu was home to Songyun Temple, whose abbot, Ge Hongwen, possessed profound Taoist wisdom. He could make withered branches sprout green leaves in the dead of winter and keep the mountain streams flowing during a drought, ensuring the wells at the foot of the mountain remained full.

After hearing of Immortal Master Ge's many deeds in the villages below the mountain, Yang Chunfu resolved to become his disciple.

However, when he coincidentally met Abbot Ge Hongwen on the mountain path, the latter told him he had destiny but no immortal connection, advising him to return and not waste his prime years on the illusory Immortal Way.

Ge Hongwen claimed that there were no such enlightened masters in the world, nor any divine powers or immortal techniques as people spoke of.

Though Ge Hongwen said this, as he turned away, he moved like a cloud crane in a clear breeze, effortlessly leaping over a mountain crevice tens of feet wide and soaring directly towards the temple on the mountainside.

Yang Chunfu was dumbfounded. If that wasn't an immortal technique, what was?

He had always been captivated by such things. Now that profound and wondrous paths were within his reach, how could he easily give up!

Faced with Yang Chunfu's persistence, Daoist Priest Ge let him be, allowing him to build a hut at the foot of the mountain and paying no mind to his daily visits to the temple.

Three springs and autumns passed. Seeing that Yang Chunfu was truly stubborn, Daoist Priest Ge finally summoned him to the temple and taught him the introductory methods of cultivation.

Yang Chunfu was overjoyed, but after three years of arduous practice, his heart was filled with great sorrow.

In three years of cultivation, he hadn't managed to touch even a sliver of the profound mysteries of the Tao.

It turned out he truly had no affinity for immortal cultivation!

Daoist Priest Ge hadn't lied to him back then.

Seeing that the stubborn stone had finally opened its mind, Ge Hongwen showed a gratified smile. Before Yang Chunfu left, he passed him a medical book and some methods for treating illnesses and saving people, then sent him down the mountain to return home and not let his years slip away in vain.

From then on, Yang Chunfu returned home to care for his parents until their deaths. Afterward, he scattered his family fortune and traveled far and wide as a physician, offering his services to the needy.

During this time, he encountered many strange and unusual events, but what he saw more often were natural disasters and man-made calamities.

Man-made calamities were even more frequent than natural ones.

He traveled to the northwest and happened upon a mutiny by the soldiers of Beizhao Prefecture. The unburied bodies piled up like mountains, and a raging plague claimed the lives of over a hundred thousand people.

Passing through Yaozhou, an earthquake struck, and the dikes, filled with rice stalks, could not withstand the surging floodwaters. In just a few days, the flood inundated five commanderies and thirty-six counties.

Later, as he traveled to Quyang, Hejing, and Jiangning, he found many people with malicious intentions establishing cults, spreading heresy, and inciting unrest among the populace.

Yang Chunfu dedicated himself to saving lives and practicing medicine for over sixty years. In the end, despite his utmost efforts, he could not save those who died of hunger and disease.

He had learned medical arts, but he hadn't learned the immortal techniques to fill people's stomachs or satisfy their desires.

In this year, Yang Chunfu was eighty-nine years old. Daoist Priest Ge had calculated his fate, saying he would not live past "nine."

It wasn't until a group of ruffians from the Jinmen Gang told him he couldn't cure illnesses and save people that he suddenly understood: in a chaotic world, learning medicine couldn't save the common people.

"If I had known, I should have studied for the imperial examinations instead."

Yang Chunfu's life touched Xu Qing far more than anyone he had helped pass on before.

Through the old physician's perspective, he gained a new understanding of this world.

Besides the fleeting glimpse of immortal techniques, what existed here was more often endless strife.

The old physician likely never understood the truth behind the Jinmen Gang's troublemaking until his death.

Endless wars; greedy, predatory officials who plundered the people for wealth; insidious cults that corrupted minds and harbored ill intentions.

Whether the culprits were the Jinmen Gang or the Tianxin Cult seemed to no longer matter.

The information gathered this time only made Xu Qing realize one thing: if he wanted to quietly lie down and be left alone in this chaotic world, he had to cultivate immortality, just like that Daoist Priest Ge.

If that wasn't enough, then it must be that his cultivation wasn't deep enough!

Both Master Liu and Yang Chunfu received guidance from enlightened cultivators, yet their lives were vastly different, though they ended up in similar predicaments.

The former pursued self-interest his entire life but met a tragic end.

The latter dedicated himself to others, giving his all, yet still failed to achieve his ultimate wish.

But this did not prevent Xu Qing from admiring Yang Chunfu.

This was why he was willing to meticulously handle his funeral rites.

Yang Chunfu spent his life helping people; it would be too bleak if no one he had saved came to see him off after his death.

Fortunately, Fourth Master Li did not disappoint him.

After this matter, as Xu Qing tallied the rewards for helping the old physician pass on, he found that the skills and items obtained were also mostly related to medicine.

He received Herbal Compendium, a Human-grade Upper-tier skill, the Jia Yi Acupuncture Method, a Human-grade Middle-tier skill, and three Myriad Spirit Pills, Earth-grade Lower-tier items.

Among these, Herbal Compendium could identify most common herbs in the secular world.

Ancient Shennong tasted hundreds of herbs, identifying their properties and clarifying their medicinal principles. Now, with Herbal Compendium, future generations could use it to cure diseases and strengthen their bodies.

Xu Qing pondered for a moment and ultimately set aside this skill, which was suitable for opening a pharmacy.

He had no intention of changing his profession to become an apothecary. Compared to gathering and selling herbs, he preferred to be around the dead.

The Jia Yi Acupuncture Method is also a miraculous technique for doctors to treat illnesses and save lives. Many diseases that don't require medicinal treatment can be cured with a single needle using this method.

Of course, for patients who do need medication, this set of acupuncture techniques can also be used for auxiliary healing.

Xu Qing looked at his Corpse Driver's Shop. It seemed the people lying there like corpses wouldn't need this acupuncture method.

As for the last three Myriad Spirit Pills, he was quite interested.

Unlike common pills with a single purpose, each of these three Myriad Spirit Pills could be used in different scenarios.

For example, if placed in a bowl of diluted arsenic, it could neutralize the poison.

If fed to someone who was like a decaying tree, nearing the end of their lifespan or dying from illness, it could extend their life by ten years or cure their serious illness!

Even for the Prefect, who had unspeakable troubles, a single pill could restore his vigor, allowing him to fight for three days and three nights in the brothels and pleasure houses of Changdeng Street without issue.

However, there were only three Myriad Spirit Pills. After much thought, Xu Qing decided to seal them up properly. Such unreasonable pills were often more effective when produced at a critical moment.

The next morning, Xu Qing, having absorbed the moonlight's yin energy all night, removed the door panel and exited the shop.

The matter with the old physician was settled. Today, he was going to the brokerage to inquire about purchasing a residence.

He walked through several streets and alleys, arriving at the entrance of the brokerage. Before Xu Qing could even enter, he spotted a figure that was bound to annoy him.

It's said that enemies often cross paths.

Zhao Zhonghe, who was in conversation with Third Master Huang, seemed to sense something. He turned his head and saw Xu Qing's look of disdain.

"Huang San, I'll deal with your matters later. I need to handle mine first!"

With that, Zhao Zhonghe moved sideways, drawing his saber, and directly blocked Xu Qing's path.

"How dare you steal my things!"

Xu Qing frowned. "What do you mean, Captain? What did I steal from you?"

Zhao Zhonghe reached for his waist. The place where his Dog Beating Staff used to be was now empty.

"Don't play dumb with me. You must have stolen my staff!"

Xu Qing sidestepped, creating distance, and said impatiently, "I don't have the stick you're looking for. If you really need a stick, why are you looking for me? I don't have that kind of hobby. If you're looking for one, go to the gentlemen's club; they have plenty of troublemakers there."