Amidst the laughter and chatter on the streets of Mist Market, Auntie Zhang insisted on taking Qin Yu and Qin Yu to her house for a visit, saying, "Today, this old woman absolutely has to show her some hospitality!"
Qin Yu smiled and declined, but couldn't hide the warmth in her eyes. "Auntie Zhang, you're still as warm as ever, but... since you've said so, I'll gladly accept."
Qin Yu smiled and nodded, "Then we'll trouble Auntie Zhang for a simple home-cooked meal."
"Oh, what are you saying? I was worried I wouldn't have a chance to entertain you two if you hadn't come! Come, come, our house is just a short walk from the market, only about five miles away."
While holding her grandson's hand, Auntie Zhang chattered on about the changes in the market over the past ten years, talking about whose daughter got married and whose old man ascended to godhood. Her voice was kind and gentle, as if the past ten years were just a quiet reflection.
Before long, a quiet and elegant yet magnificent courtyard appeared before them.
Unlike the simple and dilapidated houses in the city, Auntie Zhang's home had a faint air of otherworldly charm. It was a three-courtyard house with upturned eaves and the words "Shuanglin Xiaozhu" (Frosty Forest Cottage) carved at the entrance. In front of the door grew an ancient "Liuyan Qingteng" (Flowing Smoke Green Vine), a vine that was spiritually connected, evergreen in all seasons, and surrounded by spiritual mist, which had the style of a Daoist practitioner.
As soon as they entered, the aroma of food wafted from the house. A middle-aged man quickly came out from the inner room to greet them; he was Zhang Xiuhe, Auntie Zhang's eldest son. Upon seeing Qin Yu and her son, he immediately bowed and greeted them.
"So it's Aunt Qin and Young Master Qin! My apologies for not recognizing you! My mother had been talking about you ever since she came in, saying she was overjoyed that you could come!"
A large round table had already been set up in the courtyard, with steaming hot delicacies on it: wild mushrooms, green fire pigeons, drunken moon spirit fish, and Zhang family's signature "Falling Star Steamed Buns" were emitting a fragrant aroma.
Auntie Zhang personally led them to their seats. Qin Yu was about to decline when Auntie Zhang waved her hand, saying, "Today is a day for family reunion. Whether it's immortals or mortals, gods or Gods and Devils, we have to eat to make it a true reunion."
Qin Yu stopped being polite and, smiling, took his mother's arm and sat down together.
During the meal, the chubby boy "Zhang Jingrui" insisted on sitting next to Qin Yu, eating candy while asking him all sorts of innocent questions, such as "Can you blow out a star in one breath?" and "Can you catch a dragon in the sky?" making everyone at the table laugh non-stop.
After the meal, Auntie Zhang specially brewed a pot of century-old Lingye tea and brought it to Qin Yu: "You love this slightly sweet tea the most. I've been saving a pot for myself, but I haven't been able to bring myself to drink it. Today you finally have the chance."
Qin Yu took it, her eyes slightly red. "Auntie Zhang, you haven't changed at all, not a single bit..."
Qin Yu quietly observed everything before him, a warmth spreading through his heart like a spring tide.
At this moment, there is no hostility, no killing, only the affection of old friends, the everyday warmth of cooking, and a mother's smile.
This human gentleness was the moment of tranquility he had longed for most during his years of conquering all corners of the world.
As everyone sat around chatting and laughing, a servant of the Zhang family, dressed in a plain blue short robe, strode into the courtyard. Though his steps were quick, they were extremely respectful. He walked to Zhang Xiuhe's side, bowed slightly, and said:
"Young Master Zhang, someone from the outer courtyard requests an audience. It's Old Master Lu from the neighboring village. He says his child has contracted a strange illness and suddenly fell into a coma three days ago. The elixirs he's taken haven't worked, and his condition is now extremely critical. He's come to earnestly request your presence."
Upon hearing this Zhang Xiuhe's expression hardened, and he immediately stood up, saying, "Is that so? Hurry, I'll grab my medical bag and go with you!"
He turned and took down the gold-threaded elixir pouch hanging on the wall, casually draped his physician's robe over his shoulders, and when he looked up, his expression was one of calm composure and serene composure. Turning to his mother and the others present, Zhang Xiuhe clasped his hands in a respectful greeting:
"Mother, Aunt Qin, Young Master Qin, Xiuhe has an urgent medical matter to attend to and needs to go out for treatment. I will be unable to keep you company any longer. Please forgive me."
Auntie Zhang nodded and said with concern, "Go ahead, go ahead. The Lu family has it tough too. The child is so sick; if you can save his life, it will be a good deed. Be careful on the road."
Qin Yu smiled gently and said, "Xiuhe, go ahead. Saving lives is the priority."
Qin Yu watched as Zhang Xiuhe's plain robe fluttered in the wind, his eyes flickered, and he secretly praised, "Brother Zhang is indeed a person of both virtue and talent. He truly deserves to be one of the most renowned spiritual healers in Mist Market. His medical skills are superb, and his heart is kind."
Zhang Xiuhe and his servants quickly stepped out of the courtyard and soon boarded the ethereal hearse leading to the neighboring village. A streak of golden-green light flashed by and then disappeared without a trace.
In the courtyard, Auntie Zhang sighed softly, "My son is too soft-hearted; he can't bear to see others in trouble. But it's good, helping others brings good fortune."
Qin Yu smiled and nodded, "This shows Brother Zhang's kindness; it's a good thing."
A moment later, the courtyard returned to tranquility. Qin Yu and his mother sat facing each other under the vines, while little Zhang Ning started playing around the yard again, shouting, "I want to learn from Uncle Qin to slay demons and monsters! When I grow up, I'll go out and fight bad guys too!"
The courtyard was filled with laughter, the warmth remained, but in Qin Yu's eyes, there was a trace of tranquility, peace, and a long-lost sense of security.
About three hours passed, and the sun began to set, casting slanting shadows of the trees across the stone-paved corridor. Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed from the outer courtyard, Zhang Xiuhe, travel-worn and sweating profusely, strode through the gate. Seeing this, Auntie Zhang quickly went to greet him, her face full of concern.
"Xiuhe, what's wrong? Why are you so panicked? How is the child?"
Zhang Xiuhe took a breath, but his face showed undisguised anxiety. "Mother, that child... something is very wrong."
He paused, wiped the sweat from his brow, and said, "I've tried all the techniques I know, such as acupuncture to regulate vital energy, elixirs to guide breath, and soul meridian unblocking, but the child's energy channels seem to be tightly suppressed by some 'invisible' force, blocked and disordered. It's not poisoning, nor is it a deficiency in his destiny."
His brow furrowed deeper as he spoke, "I suspect... it might be the 'Fate Consciousness Severance Mark' disease that my master once mentioned! But that's an extremely rare and strange disease, requiring a special 'Soul Causal Consciousness Technique' to deduce the source of the soul mark... I rushed back to find the 'Illustrated Record of Diagnosing Diseases of Ten Thousand Consciousnesses' left by my master, to see if it can provide any guidance."
Upon hearing this, Auntie Zhang's expression changed, and she quickly told her maid to go to the library to find books for Zhang Xiuhe.
Before long, several servants, sweating profusely, brought over a large stack of ancient medical scrolls and piled them on the table. Zhang Xiuhe flipped through them page by page, becoming increasingly frustrated, and by the time the sun was setting, he still hadn't found anything.
He walked out of the library dejectedly, rubbing his temples, and bumped into Qin Yu, who was sitting in the courtyard listening to everything.
Qin Yu's eyes were calm yet profound. He slowly stood up, walked to him, and said:
"Brother Fate Consciousness Severance Mark. Could you take me to see that child?"
Zhang Xiuhe was taken aback, then looked at Qin Yu with delight and bowed, saying, "If Brother Qin is willing to lend a hand, I will be extremely grateful. Please come with me!"
He immediately turned around and called a servant, "Prepare the hearse!" The group then set off within the magic array supported by the golden hearse, with Auntie Zhang and Qin Yu following along.
A few dozen breaths later, the hearse landed in front of a simple but clean courtyard in a neighboring village.
Several villagers were already waiting in the courtyard. When they saw Zhang Xiuhe return, they were all busy thanking him. However, when they saw Qin Yu, who was wearing a black robe with gold patterns, behind him, they all felt awe and unconsciously took a step back.
"Please take me to see the child," Qin Yu said calmly.
The old man in the courtyard, his eyes red, led Qin Yu and the others through the main hall and into the room.
Inside the room, a boy with a face as pale as paper lay quietly on the bed, his body devoid of any spiritual energy, his meridians seemingly broken, as if he were slumbering in a silent abyss. Even more strangely, a faint, intermittent mark of light appeared on his forehead, as if his soul and life force had been torn apart by some kind of "non-structural logic".
Zhang Xiuhe and said, "It's this mark that I can't touch no matter what methods I use, I can't even use my divine sense to observe the depths of his sea of consciousness..."
"This isn't an illness," Qin Yu suddenly said in a low voice.
Everyone was shocked.
"This is a 'non-fate track marking' constructed by some kind of force... His source of consciousness was never severed, but it was artificially torn away from the original flow of fate and hidden outside the blind spot of his sea of consciousness using some kind of dimensional technique."
After speaking, he slowly raised his hand, his five fingers like a pen, and with a burst of spiritual energy, the light in the entire room suddenly froze as the black and gold Soul Seal rotated.
"Let me try," he said softly, a profound meaning from the "Book of Fate Law" surging in his eyes.
The little house Silent Void, with only the sound of falling leaves outside the window and the gentle breeze of whispered prayers stirring the lamplight inside.
The child lay quietly on the bed, his expression pained, his face ashen, as if even his breathing was barely perceptible. His soul light was almost extinguished, and dark soul patterns, like chains, entwined his sea of consciousness and destiny, each one deeply engraved into his consciousness, as if even heaven and earth had lost their perception of him. Zhang Xiuhe looked worried and lowered his head in silence.
Qin Yu slowly stepped forward, gazing intently at the child's forehead, a barely perceptible surge of soul power quietly releasing within him. He whispered, "This child's soul is on the verge of shattering; his destiny was severed by the karmic impact at the age of five... If it were delayed by even half a day, his fate would completely collapse."
Everyone was shocked. The old man knelt down, choking back tears, and said, "Immortal Lord... please save him... He is the only heir of my family. He suddenly fell into a coma three days ago. Medical skills are ineffective, and all the talismans have shattered... I have no other choice..."
"No need for further words." Qin Yu slowly raised his hand, and a beam of azure light emanated from his palm. The Book of Fate Law emerged from the void of his sea of consciousness, its pages turning in the air like a judgment of destiny.
The next moment, he slowly grasped the main soul brush—"The Book of Fate Law: The Realm Severing Origin Brush".
"Soul guidance."
Qin Yu murmured, and with a stroke of his Origin Brush, a circle of azure soul light rippled out, instantly silencing the entire room as if time had been frozen. A faint light bloomed between the child's brows, and a thin, cicada-wing-like soul thread was slowly drawn out, its entire body mottled and broken, as if it would collapse at any moment.
"Fate Trajectory Profiling —You Didn't Speak, I've Already Sealed It."
Qin Yu wielded his brush with his right hand, and with a single stroke, the entire Consciousness Realm seemed to be rewritten. He no longer deduced from the future, but rewrote from the past, tracing the child's destiny line from the moment before the child Unborn. A destiny map constructed from cyan-gold script slowly unfolded in the air; it was the child's "draft of destiny," each stroke and line designed for his fate and forged by his soul.
Qin Yu immersed his Spiritual Sense into it, probing every twist, break, and alteration of the trajectory.
"Destiny Seal - Abyss-Turning Star Platform".
He put pen to paper again, and a star-shaped spiritual platform constructed from destiny inscriptions and Soul Seal appeared in the child's sea of consciousness. Within the spiritual platform, the light of Fate-Cause flowed, the galaxy spun, and the breath of the soul continued.
"With the pen of Fate Abyss, I turn the star platform and continue the orbit of fate."
The Fate Law Origin Brush once again swept across the child's broken Fate Soul, reconstructing it into a complete destiny trajectory through the logical structure of the "Abyss-Turning Star Platform." All the fractures in the soul were sealed and repaired by the flow of Fate-Cause light under the operation of the Star Platform, and the dying Soul Sea slowly rippled in the dim light.
"Orbit determination."
"Recognize."
"Sealing the Soul."
With each stroke, a soul lock broke, and a life line was reshaped. When the last stroke was made, the child trembled, a crimson light appeared between his brows, he took a deep breath, and his complexion gradually regained its color.
"He... is awake..."
"He's really awake!!!" The old man collapsed before the bed, tears streaming down his face, repeatedly kowtowing. "I can't thank you enough for your great kindness... Immortal Lord, I will repay your great virtue in my next life!"
Qin Yu shook his head and smiled faintly, "No need for that. This is the will of Heaven, Non-Self a gift from me." He casually took out a golden-patterned spirit pill, which emitted a rich aura of vitality, and gently placed it into the child's mouth.
"This pill is the Origin Heart Body-Fortifying Pill. After taking it, the soul and body will be stabilized, and there will be no hidden dangers for a hundred years."
The old man trembled as he accepted the spirit bottle from Qin Yu, his hands shaking violently. He almost knelt again, but Qin Yu gently lifted him up with a finger. "Don't kneel. I come from the mountain, not to receive offerings, but to save a life."
At this moment, Zhang Xiuhe and his mother, Aunt Auntie Zhang, were both filled with emotion. Everyone in the house was immersed in this miraculous reversal.
Outside, the first rays of dawn appeared, and the first light of day quietly arrived. The wind rustled the wooden door, as if whispering a wondrous tale of earthly romance.