Life and Death Hang on a Single Thought

"Seeking justice and revenge?"

Hearing Xiao Lili's sobs below the hall, the Lone Pavilion Master smiled slightly and said:

"I'm afraid your father didn't send you out here so you could take revenge. If you don't take revenge, you can live a little longer."

When Xiao Lili realized that the Lone Pavilion Master had seen through her, she didn't say anything more. Instead, she repeatedly banged her forehead against the floor tiles, pleading with him.

Upon seeing this, the Lone Pavilion Master sighed softly.

The old woman snapped her fingers, and a burst of energy flew out, landing on Xiao Lili and stopping her from kowtowing.

She said calmly, "My life is already hanging by a thread. If I get angry like this again, I might just die in my own home today."

Xiao Lili was frozen in place, unable to kowtow, so she could only whisper:

"My father sought death for me, and as his daughter, since I could not stop him, I must avenge him. If I cannot, I will die with him."

The Lone Pavilion Master glanced at the woman below him, and remained silent for a moment, lost in thought.

Standing beside her, Du Yu'er's expression grew increasingly reluctant. She wanted to say something, but since the situation was still unclear, Du Yu'er only whispered:

"Lili, this matter isn't urgent. You should rest and recover first."

Just then, the Lone Pavilion Master turned to the side, and a small insect flew by and crawled into her ear.

The old woman tilted her head, as if listening intently to someone speaking, and listened for quite a while.

After hearing what was said, the Lone Pavilion Master looked at Xiao Lili with even more pity.

Her face still held a mocking expression:

"Tsk! The reputation of the Scorched-Tail Hall is not bad."

Even now, people are still saying, "Your father was stupid. He should have just taken the medicine out of your body and swallowed it himself. Why did he have to be so reckless and try to kill himself?"

However, the Lone Pavilion Master did not agree to Xiao Lili's request for "revenge," but instead muttered to himself:

"If my guess is correct, the medicine in your body should have been planted using the method of ginseng cultivation. It can absorb a person's cultivation and flesh and blood to nourish a precious ginseng."

Logically speaking, you should have been depleted of blood and marrow long ago, and the precious ginseng in your body should have ripened and fallen.

But you haven't lost all your cultivation yet. It's clear that your father, Xiao Hu, used countless precious medicines and exerted immense effort to suppress the precious ginseng and keep you alive, allowing you to retain Bandit Cultivator and continue to linger on."

The Lone Pavilion Master then said, "Are you really going to leave such medicine in my inn and not try your luck elsewhere?"

She stared intently at Xiao Lili:

"Perhaps you could go back to the Scorched-Tail Hall. That Old Man Ling is a bit strange, but he wouldn't be so envious of this stuff."

And after what your father went through today, who knows Old Man Ling might soften and help you find medical treatment. At the very least, he can keep you feeling better for a while."

But upon hearing this, Xiao Lili's expression remained unchanged; only more tears streamed down her face as she said sadly:

"My father and I have repeatedly sought help, but only the Solitary Gu Hall has accepted me as a disciple. I would rather die here than return to that filthy place."

After hesitating for a moment, Xiao Lili looked dejected:

"If this puts Grandmother in a difficult position, I hope that after my death, Grandmother can take the ginseng from my body. If someone avenges my father in the future, Grandmother can secretly give this medicine to that person."

After these words were spoken, the hall fell silent, and Xiao Lili's resolve to die was now unequivocally revealed.

This made the Lone Pavilion Master hesitate for a long time before finally speaking, "Very well, I'll give you a chance, but whether you succeed or not depends on your fate."

Xiao Lili was overjoyed and hurriedly tried to kowtow again, but she still couldn't bring herself to do it.

"Yu'er, summon Fang Shu here."

Not long after, another figure appeared in the hall.

"Greetings, Master." Fang Shu entered the hall and paid his respects.

He then looked at Xiao Lili kneeling on the ground in surprise, and for a moment he couldn't recognize her.

It wasn't that he was face-blind; it was simply that Xiao Lili was now so thin she looked like a skeleton. There was no flesh on her face or hands, her limbs were slender, her face was sunken, and only her abdomen was greatly bulging, making her look extremely strange.

Without wasting words, the Lone Pavilion Master went straight to the point and explained how Xiao Lili had used the drugs in her body to offer a reward for her father's revenge.

The old woman chuckled and said:

"Unexpectedly, Xiao Hu, at the very end, showed a bit of ruthlessness for the sake of his daughter, even hindering the Ling Baiquan's efforts. And his daughter, for the sake of her father, also showed some spirit."

The Lone Pavilion Master looked at Fang Shu and asked, "Shu'er, what do you think?"

Upon hearing these words, Fang Shu's eyes merely flickered slightly, his expression remaining unchanged; instead, his brows furrowed slightly.

Instead of answering the Lone Pavilion Master's question, he directly cupped his hands and asked:

"May I ask, Master, do you mean that you hope your disciple will agree to this matter and take action against that Ling Baiquan during the Spring Examination?"

Hearing this, Xiao Lili, who was standing nearby, looked expectant.

The Lone Pavilion Master, upon hearing this, wore a half-smile.

Just as Fang Shu was pondering how to refuse, he heard the old woman speak:

"No, no."

He looked up in surprise.

Xiao Lili, standing beside her, was immediately taken aback.

The Lone Pavilion Master pointed at Xiao Lili below the hall and said to Fang Shu:

"This ginseng is cultivated within a woman's body, and its medicinal properties are yin. However, both Bao'er and Yu'er are women, so it would be difficult for them to assist this girl in cutting open her abdomen to obtain the medicine."

The reason I summoned you today is because you are exceptionally perceptive and quick to learn, and you can offer her some guidance. Furthermore, you can transfer some of your yang Qi and Blood to help balance the yin and yang of the medicinal ginseng within her body, allowing it to mature rapidly.

In this way, she could take the ginseng within a day and consume it herself, perhaps offering a glimmer of hope.

These words took everyone present by surprise.

Fang Shu, in particular, was just about to righteously refuse the Lone Pavilion Master, after all, he didn't want to get involved in such troublesome matters as revenge, which would hinder his path to immortality.

"Grandma Du..." Xiao Lili's expression was urgent; she wanted to say something.

But the Lone Pavilion Master reached out, stopping her from speaking, and looked at her calmly:

"Xiao Lili, the ginseng in your body has already penetrated to your internal organs, marrow, and brain. Even if Refining Qi Immortal cultivator were to try to extract the medicine, you would still face a near-death experience."

But precisely because of Xiao Hu's care over the past six months, it has become inseparable from you. If you were to remove it yourself, then take poison to refine and suppress it, you and the medicine might be able to coexist."

The Lone Pavilion Master paused for a moment. "At that time, your chances of survival, though still faint, were practically nonexistent, and you might even have a small stroke of luck."

After hearing this, Xiao Lili's eyes flickered, and she gave a bitter smile, as if she wanted to say something.

But the Lone Pavilion Master stared at her with a half-smile and said:

"Ni'er, God helps those who help themselves. If you really want revenge, instead of relying on others, you should fight your own way out."

Besides, you are your father's daughter. How can others not be my disciples?

That's all I have to say.

The Lone Pavilion Master closed her eyes slightly, uttered no more words, and released her hold on Xiao Lili.

If this woman is unwilling, even if she kowtows to death here, she will let the other party go.

For a moment, the hall was extremely quiet.

Xiao Lili's expression shifted constantly, her breathing became rapid, and slowly, her face finally hardened, and she no longer showed any signs of crying.

"Thank you for your guidance, Grandma."

The woman bowed to the Lone Pavilion Master, then turned and bowed deeply to Fang Shu beside her.

Her voice was hoarse:

"I beg Fellow Daoist Fang for your help. Regardless of life or death, I will forever remember your great kindness. I wish I could serve you as my servant!"

Fang Shu accepted the woman's kowtow, pondered for a few moments, and then sighed.

Helping this woman seek revenge would bring trouble and potentially jeopardize his own path to immortality, something he was unwilling to do, even if it meant disobeying his master's orders.

However, it's acceptable to simply help the poor girl get her medicine.

He returned the greeting with a cupped hand and a nod.

After this matter was settled.

The Lone Pavilion Master then gave the two of them detailed instructions in the hall, while telling Du Yu'er to quickly prepare a quiet room.

The room must contain a bucket large enough for two people to sit cross-legged, two gold knives and two silver scissors, seven feet of white cloth, thirty-six copper needles, a circle of silk thread, and so on—it's quite elaborate.

After giving the instructions, just as Fang Shu and Xiao Lili were about to leave, a voice transmission suddenly appeared in Fang Shu's ear:

"Shu'er, the ginseng in this girl's body already contains spiritual essence. It is considered ordinary for Refining Qi Immortal cultivator, but for Essence Refining Essence Immortal cultivator, it is a great tonic that can help people nourish their spirit and open their mind."

If her life is destined to end, you don't need to waste this spirit medicine; just give her a proper burial.

Upon hearing this, Fang Shu's eyes flickered.

He glanced up casually at the Lone Pavilion Master in the hall.

The old woman sat upright in a grand chair, her skin wrinkled and hair white, her eyelids drooping, sipping tea with a blank expression.