Chapter Eighteen: Home Remedies—I Want Them Too (Please Keep Reading)

The two who were in confrontation paused their aggressive posture when they saw the young woman approach. She walked up to the man’s side and spoke softly, “Brother, look at yourself. He’s right; a man should acknowledge his shortcomings. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Have you forgotten what the head of the family once said?”

“A gentleman should not be troubled by trifles.”

Her words were like a calming tonic, settling the man’s agitation. He slowly stepped forward, standing before Xu Xing, and with a gentle clasp of his hands, addressed the imposing Xu Xing, “Forgive me, it was my fault earlier. My words were too harsh.”

“It’s no matter,” Xu Xing replied with a faint smile. Peaceful dialogue is precious—why resort to violence?

Thinking thus, Xu Xing looked at the man with interest and asked, “May I know your name?”

“Zhou Yuan. And you?”

“Xu Xing, younger brother to Xu Hai.”

“Good, good—we wouldn’t be acquainted if we hadn’t fought.”

With a few brief exchanges, Xu Xing came to understand Zhou Yuan’s troubles.

Cultivation relies on five basic spiritual roots, each with its own attributes, which interact and counteract each other. Zhou Yuan possessed the Wood Root among the Five Elements, but over time, this led to an imbalance—an excess of yin and a deficiency of yang—leaving him unable at times to restore his masculine vigor. After half a year of suffering, he had come here to seek medicine.

Yet in the present era of Great Shu, the renowned old physicians had all but vanished. Only basic healing techniques remained, with the art of treating monsters flourishing, while many remedies were lost to time.

Because Xu Hai had some connection to Zhou Yuan, he kept silent and turned his gaze elsewhere. Unlike Xu Xing, Xu Hai could not let go and naturally harbored resentment.

They sat together, with Xu Xing between Xu Hai and Zhou Yuan.

“How hateful, that physician doesn’t understand my pain. The prescription he gave is useless to me,” Zhou Yuan lamented, unlocking memories buried deep within him and sparking a thought in Xu Xing.

In his previous life, Xu Xing had learned a little about such matters, though he’d never needed to use the knowledge thanks to his own robust health.

“In fact, I have a folk remedy told to me by a friend. I haven’t tried it myself, so I can’t vouch for its efficacy. Would you dare to try?”

“What kind of remedy? If it works, I’ll take it. I was once a rising star at Nanshan Academy, climbed the Immortal Severing Cliff, and made it onto the Academy’s Heavenly Ranking, but a fierce tiger at home keeps me from leaving my bed. Sometimes, I can’t even raise my head before her...” Zhou Yuan sighed as he gazed at the long-leaved fir, as if his wound was different from others.

“Brother, it’s all right. One minute is actually quite impressive. Sister-in-law thinks highly of you,” the young woman teased tenderly, flashing a smile as radiant as autumn jade.

“What do you know? This is a man’s pain!” Xu Xing spoke up, his voice earnest and resolute.

The young woman pouted, unable to comprehend the fuss—wasn’t it simply a matter of being lacking in strength and stamina?

Then, Xu Xing leaned in and whispered to Zhou Yuan, “This remedy never fails: three drachms each of Morinda Root, Cynomorium, and Cistanche; six drachms each of wolfberry and dried longan; one hundred and fifty drachms of lamb, three slices of fresh ginger, salt to taste. Simmer for a day—guaranteed effective!”

For a cultivator, their minds gradually develop, and their memory improves. Zhou Yuan took careful note and gratefully replied, “Though I don’t know if it will work, I’ll remember your kindness.”

“If it proves useful, the Zhou family will surely support the Xu family! By the way, who passed on this remedy?”

“Brother Wei!”

Later, at Xu Xing’s urging, Xu Hai and Zhou Yuan reconciled, resolving a feud that had lasted a year or two—all thanks to Xu Xing’s prescription and his commanding presence.

After hours of lively conversation, with no more common topics, they listened to music drifting in from outside the courtyard. Zhou Yuan rose to depart, bidding farewell, as Xu Xing and Xu Hai watched them go.

“If I meet you at Beihai Academy, I’ll treat you as one of my own!” Zhou Yuan called out as he left.

Once they were gone, the young woman returned, smiling at Xu Xing as she tossed him a jade bracelet. She teased, “My brother wanted to thank you. He worried you’d refuse, so he asked me to give it to you.” Xu Xing accepted without hesitation, not one for unnecessary fuss.

Just as the young woman was about to step through the doorway, she turned back, her glance full of charm and meaning, and left Xu Xing with two heartfelt sentences:

“Your past commands my respect. If only I could see you at Beihai Academy.”

“Our experiences are much alike—I can relate to everything you say. The heavens are as deep as the dark shades; you can enter those depths, places where even sunlight cannot reach. Brother, you can do it!”

Zhou Yuan and his sister departed, leaving Xu Xing and Xu Hai in the courtyard, gazing at each other and laughing.

As the laughter faded, Xu Hai felt a sudden, inexplicable sadness and gazed out at the blue sky above the rippling waves.

He recalled Xu Xing’s journey—so much more turbulent and difficult than his own—and in his heart he felt he had let Xu Xing down, unable to protect him.

“Brother, it’s fine. Look what I have!”

Xu Xing pulled a letter from his pocket and unfolded it.

“This? Is this—”

Xu Hai read it carefully—it was indeed a letter from Beihai Academy.

After reading, he was so overwhelmed he could hardly speak, his hands trembling, tears welling in his eyes as he embraced Xu Xing, a grown man moved to tears.

Once he had calmed, Xu Hai’s face brimmed with pride. “Brother, you make me so proud. Now you can cultivate again—maybe our Xu family will finally produce a monster hunter.”

Seeing Xu Hai’s pride, Xu Xing felt deeply fulfilled—he was proud of himself.

“When do you plan to go to Beihai Academy? You must hurry; if the enrollment period passes, the invitation will expire,” Xu Hai pressed anxiously.

“I don’t intend to go. I want to stay here and do what little I can for the suffering people, hoping to change their plight,” Xu Xing replied gently.

Hearing this, Xu Hai grew furious. His voice thickened with emotion as he looked at Xu Xing, saying, “Your vision is too narrow. You can’t be so short-sighted. If you truly want to be like Father, you must first strengthen yourself—only then will you have the means.”

“But... those people are so miserable. I want to help them,” Xu Xing replied, sounding pitiful.

“When you are in the river, if you don’t swim upstream to the sea, your vision will only grow narrower,” Xu Hai declared forcefully, revealing his extraordinary insight and ambition.

“All right, I’ll go... Let me think it over,” Xu Xing replied, dazed.

“By the way, does your remedy actually work?” Xu Hai leaned in, nudging Xu Xing as he asked.

“Brother? What do you mean... I don’t understand. Are you saying you—?” Xu Xing was confused.

“Oh, we’re all family. I never expected you to have such skills. Between husband and wife, endurance is key. Over time, everyone has to bow their head, doesn’t matter who it is. Brother, save a remedy for me as well.”