Immortalis

White Dog I

When Shen Qingshi went to change her dressing, only Yang Wujian and Zhou Huai remained by the campfire once again.

"See, Miss Yang? It's not just me being overly sensitive. Wouldn't it be faster if I changed his dressing? Yet he insists on doing it himself and claims he doesn't hold grudges?"

Zhou Huai grumbled angrily, but Yang Wujian had grown accustomed to this by now.

They had been traveling for four days since leaving Jingyang City.

Taking the main road, Medicine King Mountain was about four to five days' journey from Jingyang by carriage. However, worried about being pursued by the Zhaoming Guard, they had to take smaller paths, which would delay them by another day or two.

Initially, Yang Wujian had been concerned that Zhou Huai and Shen Qingshi wouldn't get along on the road. But it turned out that Zhou Huai was indeed a child taught by a renowned martial arts family—though sharp-tongued, seeing that Shen Qingshi had a shoulder injury and was often in a daze, he had hardly made her drive the carriage these past four days. Instead, he and Yang Wujian took turns on duty, allowing Shen Qingshi to rest inside the carriage.

As for Shen Qingshi...

The changes brought by the Blood Cleansing Pill were quite subtle.

Apart from that one day when her emotions were visibly exposed, Shen Qingshi had returned to her previous stagnant state. Only in very minor details could one tell that she had indeed changed.

For instance, not long ago, the three of them hunted a rabbit in the wild. Naturally, they couldn't expect the young master to roast it, so Yang Wujian took on the task. However, by the time he had the fire going, Shen Qingshi, who had gone to the river to skin the rabbit, hadn't returned.

Yang Wujian found it strange and went over to check. He then noticed Shen Qingshi still holding the dead rabbit by the river, lost in thought, as if she were seeing a rabbit for the first time in her life, repeatedly stroking its fur.

"What's wrong?"

Yang Wujian thought to himself, this person who hadn't even flinched at the sight of a skinned human in the secret room of that haunted house couldn't possibly have suddenly developed a soft spot for a rabbit.

Shen Qingshi snapped out of her trance at his call. She looked down at the rabbit in her hands and thought for a long while before saying, "I just realized its fur is very soft."

With that, she carried the rabbit to the riverbank and swiftly removed its skin and entrails.

Similar incidents happened two or three more times afterward. Shen Qingshi was like a child experiencing the world for the first time, occasionally staring blankly at things like caterpillars on the ground or sparrows taking flight.

Probably, she had just never experienced such feelings before.

Thinking of this, Yang Wujian smiled and handed the toasted mantou slice in his hand to Zhou Huai. "Isn't it because you're always scowling at him? Would Young Master Shen dare to let you dress his wound?"

"You think too little of me, Miss Yang."

Zhou Huai took a bite of the mantou slice. "I dare say among the three of us, I'm the most knowledgeable about medicine. It should be me dressing the wound, right? That day too, when he was poisoned, you should've just come to me. I've had so many dealings with Medicine King Mountain since I was young—I've become my own doctor from long illness."

Just then, Shen Qingshi returned. Yang Wujian handed her a cooled mantou slice and said helplessly, "Young Master Shen, someone here is very eager to dress your wound and won't stop talking about it."

"Who wants to dress his wound..."

"You said you've had many dealings with Medicine King Mountain. Then you must have heard of the White Dog Case?"

Shen Qingshi directly interrupted Zhou Huai's incessant chatter.These past few days, perhaps due to the Blood Cleansing Pill, she often felt utterly exhausted. Moreover, after leaving Jingyang City, they had been constantly on the move to evade capture, so the three of them had never sat down to properly discuss the matter.

"What? Feeling better now? Then you can take over driving the carriage tomorrow."

Zhou Huai felt his temper flare the moment he met Shen Qingshi's expressionless face. Unexpectedly, across the campfire, Shen Qingshi suddenly looked over and said calmly, "Thank you these past few days. My injuries are indeed almost healed. I'll drive tomorrow."

"You..."

Zhou Huai was taken aback.

In the past, Shen Qingshi had always been like an unyielding stone, so hearing words of gratitude from him made Zhou Huai doubt his own ears.

Yang Wujian caught Zhou Huai's stunned expression and thought to himself that the young master truly responded better to softness than harshness. If Shen Qingshi could smile more in the future, perhaps Zhou Huai would even feel too embarrassed to act jealous.

He chuckled and said, "Alright, let's get down to business, young master. How much have you heard about the White Dog Case?"

Zhou Huai thought for a moment. "The White Dog Case happened six years ago. When I went to Medicine King Mountain to get medicine, I heard bits and pieces. It seems one of their female disciples went out to gather herbs and returned completely changed, killing six fellow disciples. Before she was executed, she kept repeating the words 'white dog.'"

"White dog..." Shen Qingshi murmured. "Isn't white dog just White Dog? The Northern Desert people worship this. There are rumors that Emperor Beixiang dug twelve Meat Wells to worship ghosts and deities, with White Dogs guarding them."

"Meat Wells? Now that you mention it, the Hero's Tomb is also a Meat Well."

Having read many related legends while treating his Evil Sickness since childhood, Zhou Huai recalled this.

Yang Wujian said, "But the 'white dog' mentioned by that murderous female disciple back then was actually a place name—a remote village, reportedly. That female disciple, named Yin Quer, had gone there to gather herbs. For some unknown reason, she returned insane. Medicine King Mountain must have investigated the matter but never publicly disclosed the results, simply insisting that Yin Quer must have been brainwashed by a heretical sect."

"Hearing this, it sounds quite similar to the Yin House Case—both jumping to conclusions without solid evidence. Could it be that, in the end, it wasn't Longevity Palace's doing either?"

Zhou Huai couldn't help but feel uneasy.

After all, he was the young master of White Rainbow Tower. To join the Four Seas Alliance, he had already dismantled the foundations of several other factions. If this reached Zhou Jinglei's ears, he didn't even dare to think about what would happen upon his return.

Yang Wujian sneered inwardly, thinking, "Isn't that obvious?"

If there had been any evidence of Longevity Palace's involvement, Medicine King Mountain would have convened a martial arts conference six years ago to condemn them. The fact that they investigated but kept the results secret, while adamantly blaming Longevity Palace, could only mean that Medicine King Mountain itself had something to hide. Knowing Longevity Palace wouldn't step forward to refute the accusations, they pinned all the blame on them.

Considering they would soon arrive at Medicine King Mountain, where they likely wouldn't be welcomed, Yang Wujian smiled and said, "When we go to Medicine King Mountain, it's better not to mention the Yin House Case. Let them think we couldn't uncover anything—they might cooperate more willingly that way."

Hearing this, the other two nodded in agreement and finished their roasted flatbread.

Late at night, Zhou Huai, full and satisfied, fell asleep as soon as he lay down. Yang Wujian closed his eyes but soon felt a strange sensation. Opening his eyes, he realized Shen Qingshi, leaning against the other side of the carriage, was staring fixedly at him in the dim darkness.

Has she remembered something?Yang Wujian suddenly realized the reason he hadn't recognized Shen Qingshi earlier was because back then, she had been covered in blood and grime inside the Black Iron Cage. Fifteen years had passed, and she had even transformed into a "man" - Yang Wujian would never have dreamed that Shen Qingshi was the little girl he had set free.

Yet Shen Qingshi had seen him before.

In the darkness, Yang Wujian and Shen Qingshi stared at each other for a long moment. Before he could reach any conclusion, the person opposite him had already closed their eyes.

The next day, true to her word, Shen Qingshi rose early to drive the carriage, and they soon arrived at the foot of Medicine King Mountain.

Within the Four Seas Alliance, Medicine King Mountain was the sect with the most senior standing.

During the Northern Xiang era, when the Northern Desert people ruled the Central Plains with an iron fist, many earlier-established martial sects had been suppressed into obscurity, gradually disbanding over time. Yet Medicine King Mountain was an exception.

As early as the Crimson Gold era, Medicine King Mountain already existed. There were even rumors that its founding sect leader, Yonglezi, was originally a Taoist priest. In the final years of Crimson Gold, strange celestial phenomena occurred with countless falling stars, and Yonglezi suddenly went mad. He traveled everywhere searching for rare herbs, claiming heaven and earth were dying and he was seeking these to cure the world's illness.

Strangely enough, though Yonglezi acted madly, he actually attracted a group of followers. Thus Medicine King Mountain was established, becoming famous for scouring the world for rare treasures. Later, even the Northern Xiang royalty, who suppressed many Central Plains sects, gave Medicine King Mountain wide berth because of its virtue in "saving heaven and earth."

"It's only because this mountain has many physicians that Medicine King Mountain was spared."

Standing at the mountain's base, Yang Wujian sneered while looking up at the towering peak.

"What virtue in saving heaven and earth? I think it's just that all the famous doctors in the world are gathered here. Even if someone becomes emperor, as long as they eat the five grains, they'll eventually face their mortality. When that time comes, they still have to rely on these people to save them."

The three began ascending the mountain, but for some reason, disciples coming down the mountain acted as if they'd seen a ghost when they spotted Shen Qingshi, not daring to approach and quickly detouring around them.

"Young Master Shen, have you been here before?"

After several such encounters, Yang Wujian also sensed something amiss.

Logically, Shen Qingshi was unknown in the martial world, so no one should recognize her.

Unless they knew she was from the Zhaoming Guard?

Hearing this, Shen Qingshi shook her head: "I've never been here before. Perhaps they saw me at the martial arts gathering and know we're here to investigate old cases?"

"Impossible. Although Medicine King Mountain is part of the Four Seas Alliance, most of its disciples practice medicine. Martial competitions aren't their specialty, so though they sent representatives, that day they were all setting up stalls at the mountain's base offering free medical treatment."

Yang Wujian also found it strange and couldn't help feeling this trip probably wouldn't go smoothly. Sure enough, as soon as the three reached the mountain gate, they were stopped by guarding disciples. One said coldly: "Without an invitation, Medicine King Mountain doesn't receive outside guests. If you're here for medical treatment, elders will descend the mountain for free consultations in three days."

"Invitation?"

Now that it was mentioned, Yang Wujian had indeed heard that because Medicine King Mountain housed many rare herbs, to prevent thieves, no one could ascend without an invitation.

He directly pulled out the alliance document given by Immeasurable Manor from his robe and smiled: "No invitation, but we have this. Is it enough for you to let us through?"

When the disciple saw the signatures of the Four Seas Alliance's four families on it, his expression changed dramatically, allowing them through the mountain gate. But from start to finish, his eyes remained fixed intently on Shen Qingshi, as if words were written on her back.

"You really haven't made any enemies with Medicine King Mountain before, have you..."Zhou Huai grew increasingly perplexed the more he thought about it.

Over the years, he had visited Medicine King Mountain numerous times, yet the mountain-guarding disciples might not even recognize him. However, they seemed to recognize Shen Qingshi—this was truly peculiar.

"Anyway, once we're up the mountain, we'll cross the bridge when we come to it."

Yang Wujian recalled that their investigations along the way had hardly ever gone smoothly. He feared that this time, the troubles would only be more, not less. The three of them, holding the alliance document, strode directly into the Pharmaceutical King Hall, where the mountain elders convened.

There, the current sect leader of Medicine King Mountain, Pill Immortal Danyuan Bai, was waiting for them.

Rumors said that although Danyuan Bai's medical skills were not as exceptional as those of his master—the divine physician Miaochengzi, who could revive the dead and regenerate flesh and bone—he possessed a sharp business acumen, much like Zhou Jinglei.

In search of more rare medicines, he ordered his disciples to offer free clinics down the mountain. Even renowned physicians would set up stalls where a mere three taels of silver could secure a consultation, all to build rapport with the common folk below the mountain, hoping for future convenience in gathering herbs.

Just as they had anticipated, even with the alliance document personally signed by Danyuan Bai in hand, this ethereal-looking sect leader remained exceedingly cold toward them.

"The matter from six years ago has already been concluded on the mountain. Investigate if you must, but if you stir up trouble like at Boundless Sword Manor, don't blame me for turning you away."

It seemed he had already heard about the chaos at Immeasurable Manor.

Yang Wujian sneered inwardly. Clearly, he didn’t want them to investigate, yet he had trapped himself and had no choice but to uphold the greater cause of eradicating evil and defending righteousness.

Though he thought this, his face remained amiable as he smiled and said, "Of course, Sect Leader Dan, there's no need to worry. Right now, we only wish to know what exactly happened to Yin Quer six years ago?"