Chapter 105: Healing the Sick and Saving Lives

Chapter 105: Healing the Sick and Saving Lives

“Did you find anything good this time?” Ignoring the old man still trembling with excitement, Ye Tian asked.

“Heh heh, I guarantee you’ll be satisfied.” The old man carefully put away the purple gold coins.

“Oh, by the way, what did you do with those herbs? Did you make any finished products?”

“Mm, take this.” After thinking for a moment, Ye Tian tossed him a bottle of wound medicine.

“What is this?” the old man asked.

“Wound medicine. It treats injuries.”

“Oh? That powerful?” Old Ralph immediately grew interested. “I’ve got to study this carefully!”

“By the way, is there a blacksmith’s shop around here?” Ye Tian asked.

“What, you want to forge a magic wand? No need, I can just give you mine.” The old man laughed.

“No, I want to see if he can forge a pill furnace.”

“Exactly! Why didn’t I think of that?” The old man slapped his thigh. “If we don’t have one of those, why not make our own? Right, I’ll write you a note. Go to the river northwest of town. There’s an old fellow there with pretty good craftsmanship; he should be able to forge it. Oh, and do you know how that thing is constructed?”

“I know a little. I just don’t know whether it’ll work.”

“That’s enough. Leave everything to him!” the old man said with a hearty laugh. “I’m looking forward to it, really looking forward to what good stuff you’ll bring me.”

“Who knows?” Ye Tian curled his lip. He knew the general steps of pill refinement, but he had no confidence in what would actually come out in the end.

“Never mind. Hurry up and go.” The old man hurried to the counter and wrote something on a sheet of parchment with a quill. “Keep this safe. Oh, and that old fellow likes wine. Buy him a couple bottles of good stuff when you go.”

“Got it.” Ye Tian waved a hand, preparing to leave.

“Oh, and the seeds you wanted, I’ve got them. Come by when you have time.” The old man grabbed him.

“You got them? A lot?” Ye Tian asked.

“Plenty!” The old man grinned.

“I’ll come by in the next few days.”

“Make it soon. I’m almost too impatient to wait.” The old man was practically bouncing.

“Do you really need to get that worked up?” Seeing the old man acting like a madman, Ye Tian curled his lip and hurried off, afraid the old man would drag him into the madness too.

“Northwest riverbank.” Ye Tian checked the direction, then looked up at the sun. Still early; there was time.

“Let’s go take a look.” With that thought, he stepped onto the town’s stone-paved road and set off.

Leaving the town’s scenery behind, it felt as if he had returned to the western regions. Everything was lively, everything prosperous, yet the cries of unfamiliar speech reminded him that he was still in this unknown world. If this was a dream, then let him wake from it soon.

Bustling, simple, warm-these were the impressions the town gave him. Ye Tian strolled idly along the stone road. How long had it been since he had paused to truly take in the scenery around him? Even if, to this place, he was only a passing traveler.

“Sir, would you like to buy a flower?”

At that moment, a little girl in very old but very clean clothes lifted a yellow blossom and asked timidly.

“Oh, thank you. It’s beautiful.” Ye Tian took out a silver coin and handed it to her, then casually tucked the flower beside the girl’s ear. “And so are you.”

“Thank you. Please wait a moment while I get your change.” Looking at the silver coin in her hand, the little girl bit her lip.

“No need.” Ye Tian touched the girl’s cheek. “This flower is enough.”

“That won’t do. Please wait a moment; I’ll go change it for you.” The girl turned and ran off, then soon came back. “Could you help me watch my basket for a moment?”

Ye Tian smiled and took it. The girl smiled back, turned, and ran away.

As the sun slanted low in the west, more than half an hour had passed before Ye Tian realized the girl might not be coming back. He gently placed the basket beside the stone wall and was about to head back to the academy.

“Sir, wait, wait!”

Just then, a girl of sixteen or seventeen came hurrying over.

“I’m sorry, sir, I’m so sorry.” Panting hard, she stopped in front of Ye Tian. “May I ask, did you buy my little sister’s flower?”

“I suppose so.” Ye Tian looked at her.

“Where is she?” he asked.

“I’m sorry, truly sorry.” The girl lifted a pile of loose change in both hands. “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting so long.”

“Where is she?” Ye Tian had a bad feeling.

“I’m sorry. When my little sister was changing the money, she was hit by a carriage. Now...” Her voice dropped.

“Is she dead?” Ye Tian asked urgently.

“No, but the priest refuses to come.” The girl looked desolate. “He said my sister is nearly dead, and he doesn’t want to waste divine power.”

“Nonsense!” Ye Tian swore angrily. He lifted the girl onto his shoulder. “Shut up. Which way is your home?”

The girl, who had been about to cry out, immediately clapped a hand over her mouth.

“Where is it? Hurry!” Ye Tian demanded.

The girl pointed in a direction. In a flash, Ye Tian shot off, then immediately doubled back, grabbed the basket beside him, and raced in the direction she had indicated.

“Left, left!” the girl on his shoulder said, trembling.

He was too fast. Even a horse probably wouldn’t be this quick.

Ye Tian moved like a phantom, hurtling down the road and startling the passersby until their eyes nearly fell from their heads.

“Turn right up ahead,” the girl said, her voice shaking.

The wind howled in her ears, and she felt as if even her words were being carried away.

“That one, that one.” The girl pointed to a house.

Bang!

Ye Tian kicked the door open, frightening everyone inside.

“Who are you?” a matron asked, rising to her feet.

“Auntie Rom.” Ye Tian gently set the girl on the ground, and she immediately lunged forward.

“It’s all right, it’s all right.” The woman hugged the girl at once. “It’s all right. That damned man has gone to fetch a priest. This time he’ll definitely bring one back.”

“Let me have a look, all right?” Ye Tian asked.

The ring of matrons looked at one another, then stepped aside.

“Thank you.” In a blur, Ye Tian appeared before the girl and laid a hand on her pulse.

“Fortunately, fortunately.” Ye Tian breathed a sigh of relief. The girl looked terribly injured, but in truth it was only an external wound. Her internal organs were not badly hurt; she had merely been vomiting blood, which had terrified those who did not understand and made them think she was beyond saving.

“Could you all leave for a moment?” Ye Tian said. “You there, go fetch a basin of hot water.”

“Are you a priest?” one of the matrons asked in confusion.

“No, but I can heal her.” Ye Tian smiled faintly. “Please leave. I need complete silence.”

The matrons looked at one another.

“Do you want her to die?” Ye Tian snapped.

They all started and, gritting their teeth, went outside. At this point, they could only treat a dead horse as a living one and hope for a miracle. One by one, they left the room.

“Go close the door. Don’t let anyone in.” Ye Tian said to the girl who had set down the basin.

“O-okay.” She hurried to the door, but in her flustered state she tripped over the basin. Ye Tian moved instantly, caught her, and said softly near her ear, “Don’t worry. Your sister won’t die. I promise. So don’t panic now. Just do whatever I tell you.”

The girl nodded, her face turning red.

Ye Tian let her go. “Close the door. No matter who comes, don’t open it. Remember that.”

The girl nodded again and went to shut the door.

Ye Tian quickly undid the little girl’s clothes and examined her. No bruises, only a severe abrasion at the waist. It seemed the carriage had been moving very fast.

First, he brought over the basin, soaked a towel in the remaining hot water, and gently wiped the child clean.

“You’re not allowed to shout. No matter what you see, don’t tell anyone. Remember that.” Ye Tian warned her.

The girl nodded, trembling. “Please, save my little sister.”

“Don’t worry. She’s definitely not going to die. I guarantee it.”

Ye Tian gently cleaned the girl’s body, then sprinkled wound medicine over the injured area.

“Bandages.” Ye Tian said softly.

The girl grit her teeth and tore a strip from her own clothing to hand over.

Ye Tian glanced at her, then wrapped the bandage on. Fortunately it was clean, not dirty at all.

“More.” Ye Tian frowned.

By the end, the girl was left wearing only her undergarment, her faintly developing figure fully visible.

Ye Tian stood and removed his own outer robe, draping it gently over the girl. Then, with a swift motion, he pulled out several concealed golden needles.

“No screaming. Remember that.” Ye Tian continued to instruct her.

“Mhm.” The girl nodded softly, then watched as Ye Tian inserted the golden needles into her sister’s body.

“Mmph!” She clapped both hands over her mouth at once.

“It’s all right.”

After speaking, Ye Tian helped her sister sit up slightly, then slowly gathered his energy and pressed his palm to the girl’s back.

Vital energy flowed little by little through the Jianjing point. The girl’s face gradually turned red.

“Ah!” A mouthful of blood was spat out. The older sister let out a muffled groan, while blood dripped in a thin line from Ye Tian’s palm.

“Looks good.” Ye Tian quietly withdrew his inner force, retrieved the golden needles from the girl’s body, and laid the little girl flat on the bed.

“Big sister.” Suddenly, in her confusion, the little girl murmured those words.

“Waaah!” The girl burst into tears.

“It’s all right. I promise,” Ye Tian said with a smile.

“Thank you! Thank you!” the girl cried.

“Shh. Don’t wake her.” Ye Tian gently wiped the tears from the corner of the girl’s eyes.

“Thank you, thank you!” The girl seemed ready to kneel and kowtow.

“Get up. This is what I should do.” Ye Tian held her up. “Go buy your sister some nourishing food. Remember that.”

Then he stretched lazily. “I should be going.”

“Benefactor,” the girl said anxiously, “please let me wash my sister. Also, you should eat something too and build up your strength.”

Ye Tian said, “You’re already a grown person, but not even fully developed where it counts.”

The girl’s face turned bright red.

“Go fetch some water and wash your sister. And remember, don’t tell anyone about what just happened.”

“Mhm, thank you!” The girl bowed deeply, then went to draw hot water for her sister.

Ye Tian smiled, then turned to open the door.

Outside, a group of anxious matrons immediately asked, “Is she all right?”

At once, he was surrounded.

“Why don’t you go see for yourselves?” Ye Tian said with a smile, tilting his chin toward the room. “I guarantee she’ll be lively and well from now on.”

“Elia!” The matrons rushed joyfully into the room.

Ye Tian smiled, then turned and left.