Immortalis

White Dog 5

Early the next morning, when Zhou Huai came downstairs yawning, Yang Wujian and Shen Qingshi were preparing the horses while Song Lan sat in a corner of the inn. For some reason, seven or eight people had formed a long queue in front of him, waiting for pulse diagnosis and consultation.

"Blame it on Elder Song Lan's attire being far too recognizable," Yang Wujian said helplessly. "We were about to leave when he got cornered in the inn."

"After all, this elder is from the Eleventh Medicine Hall of Medicine King Mountain. Hundreds and thousands of people seek their prescriptions every year. To run into him this time is truly tremendous luck," the innkeeper, who had just obtained a prescription for his elderly mother, chimed in cheerfully.

"Young heroes might not know this," the innkeeper added, "though Medicine King Mountain often holds free clinics, many still miss the dates and can't get treated. Take that spot where the elder is diagnosing—there used to be a girl with facial injuries who'd sit there all day, but she never managed to get treated every time."

By the time Song Lan finished writing prescriptions for all the villagers who came for consultation, another half hour had passed.

He quickly packed his belongings and left the inn, smiling wryly, "When I return, I must speak with the sect leader about arranging more people for the free clinics recently.""

Worried that Song Lan might get intercepted again midway, the group hurried onto their horses. Only after leaving the town did Song Lan look back, relieved to see no one following. "We should be fine from here," he sighed.

Zhou Huai couldn't help but express his astonishment, "I've visited Medicine King Mountain so many times since childhood, yet this is the first time I've learned how sought-after the Eleventh Medicine Hall is..."

Yang Wujian chuckled, "That's you, young master. When people see you have the White Rainbow Tower token, you can freely ascend Medicine King Mountain. But these common folks are different. Didn't you hear what the innkeeper said? Even those with disfigured faces come over a dozen times without success."

The group stopped outside the town for a brief rest.

While fetching tea at a roadside stall, Song Lan handed Shen Qingshi a ginseng pill. "Young Hero Shen, it's normal to feel lethargic after recovering. This ginseng pill will help clear your mind."

"Thank you..." Shen Qingshi hesitated but eventually took the pill. Seeing this, Yang Wujian laughed, "It seems we've hit the jackpot by bringing Elder Song Lan along. The Eleventh Medicine Hall's ginseng pills probably aren't something you can easily get, right?"

"Miss Yang, you flatter me. The Eleventh Medicine Hall's ginseng pills merely contain two additional herbs compared to ordinary physicians' prescriptions," Song Lan replied, taking one himself before offering pills to Yang Wujian and Zhou Huai.

He sighed, "Although the Eleventh Medicine Hall has a renowned reputation, it's truly a demanding position. These ginseng pills were initially created for the hall's own members because the work is excessively arduous. Many disciples train rigorously for years to enter the Eleventh Medicine Hall, only to resign within six months of becoming elders due to exhaustion.As he spoke, he produced a leave permit from his robe, evidence of how difficult it had been to get approval for this herb-gathering trip.

The pill indeed refreshed the mind. When Yang Wujian took it, the bitter taste invigorated her spirits, and it seemed perfectly fine.

Yet for some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something odd about Song Lan.

Wasn't he being unusually kind to Shen Qingshi?

By dinnertime, even Zhou Huai had noticed something amiss.They caught several fish in the nearby stream, each taking two. Having been out for so long, both Zhou Huai and Yang Wujian had learned that Shen Qingshi didn't eat hot food. Therefore, the grilled fish intended for Shen Qingshi was simply stuck aside and left to cool before being given to him.

That was how things should have been, until... Song Lan pulled a pouch of medicinal powder from his pocket.

"Young Hero Shen, I know you can't eat hot food. Coincidentally, I have some cloves with me, originally intended for making Qi-boosting pills. Let me sprinkle some on your fish so it won't be fishy after cooling down."

While Song Lan was seasoning the grilled fish, Shen Qingshi truly didn't know how to respond. After hesitating for a long time, she ultimately only managed to say, "Thank you."

Zhou Huai, sitting across from them, kept shifting his gaze between the two as if suddenly realizing something.

"Honestly, Miss Yang, don't you think..." After finishing the fish, when Zhou Huai and Yang Wujian went to gather firewood nearby, the young master finally couldn't resist speaking after struggling internally: "Elder Song Lan, does he have that..."

"Homosexual tendencies?"

Yang Wujian rolled her eyes, immediately knowing what he was going to say.

Anyone who wasn't blind could see how attentively Song Lan cared for Shen Qingshi. However, unlike Zhou Huai, Song Lan actually knew Shen Qingshi's true background.

This was precisely why Yang Wujian suspected Song Lan's intentions weren't pure.

After all, how could an ordinary person fall in love at first sight upon seeing Shen Qingshi's aloof and unapproachable demeanor?

Not to mention that Shen Qingshi's situation was special - calling her female was rather forced.

While Yang Wujian was still full of suspicion, she didn't realize that Zhou Huai beside her actually breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing her words.

He had originally thought Shen Qingshi was interested in Yang Wujian, but throughout their journey, Song Lan had been offering Shen Qingshi cool tea and ginseng pills, and Shen Qingshi didn't seem to dislike it. Perhaps she preferred this type instead.

Suddenly, Zhou Huai seemed to have an epiphany and sighed: "No wonder Young Master Shen looks so delicate and refined. Sometimes I can't even bring myself to speak harshly to him when I see his sickly appearance. So that's how it is..."

Who knew whether this was good or bad now.

Yang Wujian merely felt a headache coming on and said helplessly: "Feeling relieved now? Young Master Shen isn't interested in me at all. If he were interested in anyone, it would be you."

The two gathered firewood and returned to find Song Lan checking Shen Qingshi's pulse again, saying: "Your pulse has stabilized considerably, Young Hero Shen. It appears the ice pill is indeed effective for you."

"I..." Shen Qingshi was still adapting to how to respond to others' kindness.

She had already said thank you too many times over the past two days. While she was struggling over what to say, Yang Wujian had already walked over and thrown the branches in her hand into the campfire.

She smilingly inserted herself into their conversation: "No wonder the common folk down the mountain all like Elder Song Lan so much. Not only does he treat illnesses, but he guarantees cures too. If I were sick, I'd also want to see a physician like Elder Song Lan."

Song Lan also smiled: "Miss Yang, if you wish, I can check your pulse as well."

Yang Wujian raised her eyebrows: "Your usual consultation fee is three taels of silver. The three of us have already been monopolizing Elder Song Lan's time for several days without paying a single coin - that's quite presumptuous enough. I wouldn't want to trouble the elder further."

"Miss Yang, you're joking again. To be honest, being able to accompany you on this journey - I should be the one saying thank you."As if oblivious to the sarcasm in Yang Wujian's words, Song Lan gazed at the crackling fire before him, a faint bitterness surfacing on his face.

"I mentioned earlier that the Eleventh Medicine Hall is a demanding post. People often lose heart and withdraw—even those who've attained elder status feel this way, let alone ordinary medicine apprentices."

Song Lan smiled wryly. "Yin Quer served as my medicine apprentice for nearly six years. The hardships she endured are hard for outsiders to imagine. Over the years, her name has become taboo on the mountain. I truly couldn't bear to see it happen, so..."

He trailed off, silently hugging his arms tighter.

So, was it because Shen Qingshi bore such a striking resemblance to Yin Quer that he showed her such special care?

Yang Wujian narrowed his eyes, pondering the connections, but Zhou Huai had already proactively seated himself beside Song Lan.

"Elder Song Lan, why not examine me? I've visited Medicine King Mountain many times since childhood, but this Evil Sickness of mine remains uncured."

"Young Master Zhou, there's no need to rush. Let me check your pulse."

Song Lan didn't hesitate, immediately placing his fingers on Zhou Huai's wrist.

After a long silence, he asked, "I'd heard about Young Master Zhou's condition on the mountain before. May I ask—did you ever visit the Hero's Tomb as a child?"

Zhou Huai shook his head. "Certainly not after turning eight. That place is too sinister, unfathomably deep. My father sent people to investigate it for my treatment, but ordinary individuals who enter lose all rationality. Even if dragged out by ropes, they only recall seeing thousands of eyes staring at them inside before descending into madness and complete memory loss."

Releasing Zhou Huai's wrist, Song Lan said, "Young Master Zhou's illness is indeed unusual. Your pulse shows no abnormalities. I can only speculate it's a psychological ailment, and its origin lies within the Hero's Tomb."

"Many physicians have said the same before..."

Zhou Huai sighed, unsurprised by this conclusion.

Though his home stood right beside the Hero's Tomb, the inability to descend into that place frustrated him deeply.

"Wasn't there a Meat Well near White Dog Village similar to the Hero's Tomb?"

Shen Qingshi, who had been silent until now, suddenly asked: "Those who descend into the Meat Well lose their minds completely—doesn't that resemble Yin Quer's condition? Could the people of White Dog Village have suffered the same fate as Yin Quer?"

Song Lan shook his head. "I don't know the specifics. After returning, they only said White Dog Village resembled a living hell that day. Later, the sect leader and several elders deliberated through the night and ultimately concluded it was the work of Longevity Palace."

"Decided in just one night—quite rash indeed."

Yang Wujian chuckled coldly.

Just observing the expressions of those on the mountain told him everything: pinning this on Longevity Palace was merely because Yin Quer had been brought in by the sect leader himself.

Unless they framed Yin Quer as being seduced by a cult, investigating her murder of six people would inevitably implicate Sect Leader Danyuan Bai.

With all renowned physicians gathered on this mountain, and Danyuan Bai's medical skills being less than exceptional, any misstep could cost him his position as sect leader.

At this thought, he couldn't help another cold laugh. "Better get some rest early. The sooner we reach White Dog Village, the sooner we uncover the truth."With that, Yang Wujian found a tree of moderate height, leaped onto a branch, and settled down to rest.

As the night deepened and silence fell, the wilderness gradually grew still until only the chirping of insects remained.

Yang Wujian was accustomed to sleeping in trees when outdoors. Unaware of how much time had passed, he groggily opened his eyes and discovered Song Lan standing inexplicably beneath the tree beside the sleeping Shen Qingshi, staring intently at her face.

What was he trying to do?

Yang Wujian felt paralyzed as if pinned by a ghost, forced to watch helplessly as Song Lan lifted Shen Qingshi and wordlessly carried her toward the nearby fire that had not yet fully died out.

And that fire was the Alchemy Furnace.

In an instant, Yang Wujian jolted awake drenched in cold sweat, instinctively glancing downward.

The fire had gone out. Zhou Huai and Song Lan were sleeping under two separate trees not far away. Suddenly, the branch beneath Yang Wujian shifted, and he whipped his head around to see Shen Qingshi standing on another branch nearby, silent as a night owl.

"I can't sleep. May I come up here?" Shen Qingshi asked him in a voice barely audible.