Hua Yunfei felt somewhat relieved when he heard Jiang Ming's words, but he did not fully believe him. He was no fool who believed everything Jiang Ming said. On the contrary, he had some shrewdness, though not much. In the end, he could not keep his composure and had walked step by step onto a dead end.
Jiang Ming did not care whether Hua Yunfei believed him or not. He truly harbored little malice and merely wanted the spiritual medicine he needed.
Just then, Hua Yunfei froze slightly. He received a voice transmission concerning certain events that had occurred after Jiang Ming appeared in Flame City.
Flame City was a city near the Fire Domain, a gathering place for Rogue Cultivators and also an asset of the Taixuan Sect.
An elder of the Dao Palace Secret Realm had sent him word that this monk Sanzang had indeed come in search of Blood Pill Ginseng, primarily because he was preparing to enter seclusion and break through to the Liver Divine Treasure.
At present, he had already completed the cultivation of his heart and lungs in the Dao Palace Secret Realm.
"Brother Sanzang, I happen to have a Blood Pill Ginseng here. Please accept it."
With a thought, Hua Yunfei took a jade box from his Sea of Bitterness. Inside lay a Blood Pill Ginseng. When the box opened, the spiritual medicine, which looked like a crystal humanoid doll, emitted faint crimson radiance and a fragrant scent. It was precisely the final spiritual medicine Jiang Ming needed.
With a gentle push from Hua Yunfei, the jade box was borne by a soft glow of starlight and floated before Jiang Ming.
"Thank you, Brother Yunfei. Then I'll accept it."
Jiang Ming did not stand on ceremony. He directly took the jade box and stored it in his palm.
Next, Hua Yunfei instructed someone to prepare medicinal dishes made from spiritual rice and spiritual vegetables, inviting Jiang Ming and Xiao Nannan to dine with him as he continued probing them over the meal.
Naturally, he learned nothing. Jiang Ming, meanwhile, had his eyes opened. It was his first time eating such high-grade ingredients. He hugged a crystal pork knuckle and ate until his mouth was slick with grease. This was the flesh of a pig-like savage beast at the Dao Palace Secret Realm level.
"Brother Sanzang, are you satisfied with my hospitality?"
Hua Yunfei lifted a cup of golden apricot wine, took a sip, and smiled warmly.
"Satisfied. Extremely satisfied.
Meat and wine may pass through the intestines, but Buddha remains in the heart."
Jiang Ming raised his cup and drank with Hua Yunfei, speaking with a solemn, treasure-like expression.
"Brother Sanzang truly deserves to be called an eminent monk of the Western Desert. Every word you speak contains Zen wisdom. Yunfei admires you."
Hua Yunfei no longer doubted whether Jiang Ming was an eminent monk of the Western Desert. If a fraud possessed such combat power and such profound Buddhist teachings, he would still make friends with him.
Compared with the man before him, what could genuine eminent monks of the Western Desert amount to?
Instead, from Dharma Master Sanzang, he sensed an unrestrained spirit, great freedom, and great wisdom.
"Nannan, are you enjoying your food?"
Jiang Ming saw Nannan concentrating on eating a red carp. This little one looked utterly ordinary, with such a tiny body, yet her appetite was astonishing. She could be filled by ordinary steamed buns, and she could also digest medicinal dishes made from heavenly treasures.
"Forgive my presumption, but what is this little sister's background? She seems not to cultivate, yet she also feels quite extraordinary."
Hua Yunfei had wanted to ask this long ago. Unable to restrain himself any longer, he voiced his doubts.
"She is a pitiful little girl I met in Flame City. I could not bear to see her begging in the streets, so I simply brought her along.
Nannan and I are fated. I encountered her once before, and this is our second meeting. Buddha saves those with affinity."
Jiang Ming stroked the little girl's head and spoke seriously.
"Brother, you won't abandon Nannan again, will you?"
Nannan did not quite understand what he meant. She immediately stopped eating her fish and looked at him with watery eyes.
"I won't, unless Nannan no longer wants her brother."
Jiang Ming smiled warmly and promised her.
"I won't. Nannan likes being with you, Brother."
Nannan promised earnestly.
Yet Jiang Ming knew clearly that when the Red Dust Dao Fruit restarted next time, she would fly away again, vanish into the Void, and appear somewhere in Great Yan, waiting for her true brother to return.
Hua Yunfei watched this scene quietly. He also had a younger sister, but because her cultivation talent was ordinary, he only went to see her occasionally.
"Brother Yunfei, I plan to enter seclusion for a few days shortly. I'll have to trouble you to look after Nannan.
Please prepare a cave dwelling where I can cultivate in seclusion without worry."
Jiang Ming stroked Nannan's head and looked at Hua Yunfei.
"Brother Sanzang, Nannan... I don't know how to look after little girls."
Hua Yunfei felt his head ache at once upon hearing the request. Preparing a cave dwelling for seclusion was a minor matter, but caring for a child was simply too difficult.
"Nannan is very well-behaved and easy to feed. Just give Nannan one steamed bun each day. I can drink the spring water here myself and wait for Brother."
Nannan immediately blinked her large eyes, looked at Hua Yunfei, and spoke.
"I understand. I will look after Nannan properly for you, Brother Sanzang."
Hua Yunfei felt one of his heartstrings stir. He understood why Dharma Master Sanzang had kept Nannan by his side. This little girl was truly too heartbreaking.
"Forget it, Brother Yunfei. Just prepare a cave dwelling for my seclusion, along with some food. Let Nannan remain by my side instead."
Jiang Ming was still worried, so he said this.
"Of course. Follow me."
Hua Yunfei personally led the way, taking Jiang Ming to the place where he would rest, which was also the cave dwelling he had prepared for Jiang Ming's seclusion.
Before long, Hua Yunfei brought them to a place bearing the three words "Star Moon Cave." He took out a golden token inscribed with the words Star Moon. "Brother Sanzang, simply cultivate inside. I'll arrange for someone to deliver food every day and leave it at the cave entrance."
"Thank you, Brother Yunfei. I acknowledge you as a friend."
Jiang Ming accepted the token and spoke.
"You are too polite, Brother Sanzang. Once you emerge from seclusion, let us discuss the Dao properly again."
Hua Yunfei also spoke with lofty enthusiasm.
Though they had not known each other long, they both felt as if they had met far too late.
"Good. When the time comes, I'll also play a piece for Brother Yunfei to appreciate."
Jiang Ming had learned the qin in his previous life, and his skill had been quite profound. Nü Yuan had loved listening to him play.
"It's a promise."
Hua Yunfei's eyes lit up. A melody was easy to play, but a kindred listener was hard to find. That was why Yu Boya smashed his qin and never played again after Zhong Ziqi died. Though Hua Yunfei did not know this tale, as someone who had loved playing the qin since childhood, this was the first time he had heard someone say they would play for him.
"It's a promise."
Jiang Ming picked up Nannan and spoke solemnly.
Then, he activated the token and opened the cave dwelling. With a rumble, its stone gate swung open. He strode inside, where spiritual energy swirled thickly through the air. It was an excellent place for cultivation and even contained the powers of starlight and moonlight.
Past the entrance was a simple stone chamber. A clear spring trickled softly, and three spiritual herbs grew beside the pool. From the ceiling hung pendants of Star Iron, which, together with chunks of Source Stone, formed Formation Patterns capable of drawing down the power of stars and moonlight.
"Nannan, play near that spring. There are fish inside too.
Brother is going to start refining pills."
Jiang Ming set Nannan down and spoke.
"Don't worry, Brother. Nannan will take good care of herself. You don't need to worry about me."
Nannan immediately replied obediently.
She was truly too sensible—so sensible that it made one's heart ache.
Perhaps, when the Ruthless Empress had been young and depended on her brother for survival, before she was separated from her true brother, she had always been this clever and sensible.
Readers who enjoy the story may check out Longevity Begins with a Martial Dao Sect.