Chapter 569: The Old Man and the Girl
"The green hills remain as before, where now are the heroic ambitions of youth!"
"In younger days, we set our aspirations high, vowing to trample these Nine Heavens mountains and rivers!"
"But alas, heaven and earth are filled with sorrow; youth has passed, leaving only empty grief, clutching wine to recall the past, recall the past..."
A melodious tune echoed endlessly across a desolate wilderness within Heavenly Dragon City. Amidst the grassy fields and along a small path, an old man and a young girl walked, both carrying medicine baskets on their backs. The old man's body was slightly hunched, his eyes filled with the weariness of time. The song that emerged from his lips carried a hint of helplessness and sorrow.
The younger one was a girl of fourteen or fifteen, with a ponytail and a simple face that seemed untouched by the world's complexities. Yet, hearing the old man's song, a trace of sadness flickered in her eyes.
"Grandfather, you're starting again."
The girl's voice was crisp and pure, without impurity. Though not enchanting, it was pleasant to the ear.
"Xiao Ya, do you miss your brother?"
The old man's weathered eyes looked at the girl, filled with deep affection. But as he spoke, he could not hide the hint of grief in his gaze.
"Grandfather, please don't say that, okay?"
A hint of reproach flashed in the girl's clear eyes. She turned her head away, tears swirling in her eyes once more.
"Xiao Ya, Grandfather won't say it... won't say it anymore."
The old man patted the girl's head and sighed. The image of a spirited yet honest and simple young man seemed to linger in his mind, but now, he could only reminisce about the past.
A gentle breeze brushed by. The old man and the girl fell silent, each carrying their large and small medicine baskets as they continued forward, both seemingly lost in memory.
Crossing the grass and passing through the path, they arrived before a lake.
"Grandfather, so many dead people."
Seeing the corpses lying on the ground by the lake, a strange light flickered in the girl's eyes as she murmured softly.
The old man's brow furrowed slightly, then he shook his head.
"There's one more person there." The girl pointed to a figure floating in the lake, motionless, devoid of life.
"Xiao Ya, let's go."
The old man took the girl's hand, as if unwilling to let her see these scenes of death.
But though the girl was pulled along, she seemed reluctant to look away, her clear eyes fixed on the figure in the lake.
"Grandfather, wait a moment," the girl called out, but the old man continued pulling her. "Xiao Ya, let's go."
"Wait, Grandfather. He looks like brother."
The girl still refused to leave, her gaze locked on the figure in the lake.
Hearing the girl's words, the old man's eyes also turned to the figure in the water. It was a young man, with clean, sharp features and a delicate appearance. He did bear a slight resemblance to his grandson.
The same age, the same clean face. He just wondered if his smile could be as pure and sunny as his grandson's.
The old man loosened his grip. The girl's figure moved slightly, and she stepped directly onto the lake's surface, her toes lightly touching the water as she walked across the waves. This required at least the Spirit Martial Realm to accomplish.
In moments, the girl reached the figure in the lake. She lifted the young man's body, then stepped across the waves again, returning to the shore.
"Grandfather, he's still alive."
The girl gently set the young man down. Bloodstains were visible on his body, and his clean face, having been soaked in the water for so long, bore a pale, bloated look.
The old man glanced at the young man and nodded. "Indeed, he still has a breath left."
"Then, Grandfather, please save him."
The girl's clear eyes looked at the old man, filled with anticipation.
The old man's gaze flickered with hesitation. He shook his head slightly. "Xiao Ya, after your brother left, Grandfather swore that, except for you, I would never save anyone again in this life."
"Grandfather, that was just angry words. You are an apothecary, a healer who saves lives and cures the wounded—the most benevolent of people. How can you stand by and watch someone die? Besides, haven't you noticed how much he looks like brother?"
The girl urged, her voice tinged with earnestness.
"Xiao Ya, but he is not your brother after all." The old man smiled bitterly and shook his head.
"I don't care. You must save him!" The girl said coquettishly, as if throwing a tantrum, leaving the old man momentarily speechless. After his grandson left, in this world, he only had this granddaughter left to accompany him—his only family.
"Just this once!"
The old man held up one finger to the girl. The girl's face immediately lit up with a smile, and she nodded emphatically. "Thank you, Grandfather."
The old man shook his head, crouched down, and placed his fingers on the young man's wrist.
But in an instant, the old man's entire body trembled. He abruptly withdrew his hand, a look of shock flashing in his eyes.
"Grandfather, what's wrong?"
The girl noticed the old man's reaction and asked in confusion.
"Xiao Ya, no. This person, we cannot save." The old man looked at the girl, his gaze sharp and his eyes resolute.
"Why?" The girl was puzzled.
"We just can't save him, that's all. Xiao Ya, let's go."
The old man took the girl's hand, intending to leave. The girl was confused, her eyes fixed on the young man lying there.
"Cough, cough!"
A cough escaped the young man's lips, blood mixed with lake water flowing from his mouth, startling the girl.
"No, Grandfather. He's still alive. If we don't save him, he'll die."
The girl broke free from the old man's hand, refusing to leave.
"Xiao Ya, this person truly cannot be saved," the old man pleaded.
"Why can't he be saved? Grandfather, your medical skills are so incredible. You know all herbs and can heal any injury. I know you swore never to save anyone again because you couldn't save brother back then. But now, he's like brother—about to die. You clearly can save him, so why won't you?"
The girl seemed a bit angry, shouting at the old man. The old man trembled slightly, staring blankly at the girl.
After a moment of silence, the old man sighed. In the end, he couldn't win against the girl. He set down his medicine basket, handed it to her, then crouched down and took out a small box from his person.
He opened the box. Inside were rows of gleaming golden needles—acupuncture needles.
The human body's limbs, bones, meridians, and flesh are all interconnected. Through the technique of golden needle acupoint stimulation, one can unblock the flow of Qi, invigorate blood circulation, clear meridians, and break through all obstructions.
Removing the young man's clothes, a flame appeared in the old man's hand, swirling around the golden needles. The flaming golden needles slowly pierced the young man's skin, emitting faint sizzling sounds.
The old man focused all his mind on the young man, inserting a total of eighty-one needles, covering the young man's body with golden needles.
Watching this, the girl's eyes widened in shock. Her grandfather's principle was "nine needles, one life," meaning nine needles could extend a person's life by one span.
But now, the old man had inserted eighty-one needles, showing that the young man's condition was far from ordinary.
After the eighty-one needles were embedded in the young man's body, the old man conjured another flame in his hand, running it over the needles to keep the fire alive. The needles continuously pierced the young man's skin, causing his entire body to turn red. The blocked blood and meridians gradually began to open.
From the needle insertion points, traces of blackish blood seeped out, quickly evaporated by the flame.
At the same time, a mist of water vapor rose from the young man's body, being evaporated away. This vapor was the lake water that had entered his body, not expelled from his mouth but steamed out.
Seeing the young man's pale face gradually regain a hint of color, the girl felt a slight relief. Nine needles for one life; eighty-one needles could sustain nine lives. There was no way this young man wouldn't be revived.
The young man's body grew redder, as if about to catch fire, his entire form radiating a fiery glow.
"Cough, cough!"
Another cough emerged, now carrying a faint breath of life, making the girl's smile grow brighter.
"Rise."
The old man's hand trembled, and instantly, all eighty-one golden needles leaped out of the young man's body. The old man scorched them all with flame, then placed them back into his wooden box and put it away.
"Grandfather, why hasn't he woken up yet?"
The girl asked the old man. With nine needles for one life and eighty-one needles already applied, the young man should have awakened.
"I don't want him to wake up just yet."
The old man said, then lifted the young man's body and placed it on his back. He said to the girl, "Xiao Ya, carry my medicine basket along with yours. Let's go back. His injuries are not that simple."
"Alright."
The girl nodded. Though she didn't fully understand the old man's meaning, since her grandfather had agreed to save the young man, she had no doubt he would bring him back to life.