Chapter Fifty-Nine: Valley of Ten Thousand Remedies

Seeing her innocent yet nervous expression, Li Xingyu couldn’t help but smile. This little girl was truly naive and adorable. Her grandfather might be a skilled figure with some influence in the Divine Gift Empire, but compared to the Tianfeng family, his standing was likely far inferior. That much was clear: the young master from the Tianfeng family hadn’t dared to act out in front of her grandfather, but he had no qualms about lying in ambush nearby and resorting to violence. Such scions of great families, though often wastrels with little learning and less virtue, were products of powerful clans. They bullied the weak and feared the strong, acting on whim toward those without backing, yet rarely overstepped their bounds with those of equal power, unless there was a blood feud to justify it.

When she saw him smile, the young girl thought he was reassured by her words and beamed herself. “Sir, please come back with me right away. I’m worried they’ll return with reinforcements and cause trouble. Hmph! I’ll be sure to have Grandfather teach them a lesson.” With that, she set aside all propriety, grabbing his hand to lead him through the forest. Li Xingyu hesitated only a moment before letting her pull him along. He found himself enjoying her company, the ease and joy it brought, and was curious to meet this grandfather she so revered. From her words, the old man seemed a master of medicine and alchemy. One thing puzzled him, though—why did she mention only her grandfather and not her parents?

As they walked, Li Xingyu guided the conversation and soon learned her name was Zhong Ling, the only granddaughter of Zhong Xuanhuang, master of the Valley of Ten Thousand Medicines. Her grandfather doted on her endlessly. Li Xingyu knew of the Valley and its master. Since taking over, Zhong Xuanhuang had gained fame throughout the Divine Gift Empire for his peerless medical skill and alchemical expertise, as well as his cultivation, which had reached the late stages of the innate realm. Strictly speaking, the Valley wasn’t a true power; including the master and disciples, they numbered fewer than ten. True to his name, Zhong Xuanhuang had devoted his life to medicine and the art of elixirs, caring little for worldly rank or riches. Generous and righteous, he treated all who came—whether noble, martial artist, or commoner—and accepted whatever payment they could offer, or none at all if need be. Thus his reputation soared, and countless owed him favors. With his high cultivation, few dared to cross him.

Li Xingyu held such a man in deep respect. He knew he could never be so selfless, but that did nothing to diminish his admiration. It surprised him that the Tianfeng family’s young master would dare prey upon such a person’s granddaughter. Perhaps the young master lacked real power, but his influence was substantial—did he not fear destroying his family’s reputation across the empire and beyond? Then another thought occurred to Li Xingyu: if this man was truly so foolish, the ancient Tianfeng clan would never have made him heir. Was it possible he’d planned to silence her after his crime, so there’d be no evidence? Even if the Valley suspected, without proof they could do nothing. Clearly, the young master was not much of a man, which perhaps explained why the Mu clan had refused to marry Mu Xueqing to him.

When Li Xingyu and Zhong Ling entered the Valley, he saw that it was quite small—a humble mountain hollow with a dozen or so houses on the flatland, surrounded by patches of medicinal herbs. An old man was tending the herbs near the entrance. He had already sensed their approach: his granddaughter and a stranger of considerable skill. But feeling no threat, he continued his work until they came close, then finally rose to greet them. At the sight of his granddaughter—her hair in disarray, flecked with leaves and twigs, wrapped in a man’s coat with her own clothing torn beneath—he felt a jolt of alarm. Before he could speak, Zhong Ling threw herself into his arms, sobbing as she poured out the whole story.

The old man simply held her, gently patting her back and listening in silence. But the moment she mentioned the Tianfeng young master’s assault, Li Xingyu sensed a sharp pause in the old man’s touch, and an overwhelming aura flared from within him—a hallmark of late-stage innate masters. Though furious, he controlled his power perfectly, not letting it disturb his granddaughter or betray his emotions. When she finished, he shot Li Xingyu a grateful look and said softly, “There, Ling’er, don’t cry. Now that you’re with Grandfather, no one will ever hurt you again.”

Comforted by her grandfather’s embrace and words, Zhong Ling calmed down, then added, “Grandfather, you mustn’t let that scoundrel go unpunished. How dare he do this to me?”

“Don’t worry, child. Grandfather knows what must be done; I won’t let him off so easily. Go wash up and change—then we’ll talk more, all right?” Zhong Xuanhuang coaxed her gently.

“Grandfather, Brother Li saved me just now. You must thank him properly and make sure the Tianfeng clan can’t hurt him,” Zhong Ling said, still anxious as she prepared to go.

“I promise, child. Go on now.” Watching her run toward the house after a hasty farewell to Li Xingyu, Zhong Xuanhuang exchanged a helpless glance with him, a mix of pride and worry for his granddaughter’s innocence and kindness.

Li Xingyu stood quietly, smiling as he watched the affectionate exchange, then turned his attention to Zhong Xuanhuang, waiting for him to speak.

“Master Li, I believe you already know who I am. I am deeply grateful you saved Ling’er. Had any harm befallen her, I would have been unable to face her parents in the afterlife,” Zhong Xuanhuang said without preamble.

“You’re too kind, Valley Master Zhong. Anyone with the ability would have acted the same in such circumstances. For me, it was nothing more than a simple effort,” Li Xingyu replied modestly, wisely avoiding mention of Zhong Ling’s parents.

“Such a small effort, you say? For me, it is a tremendous favor. I know your cultivation is profound, but you must also recognize who those people were. Given their background, you should be cautious. You have gravely injured the Tianfeng young master, and though this matter began because of us, the Valley of Ten Thousand Medicines, your safety is now involved. While you may not fear the Tianfeng clan, I still hope you’ll stay here for a while. I’ll call on friends to negotiate with them, and I will not let this matter rest.”

“Valley Master, you needn’t worry about my safety, nor feel guilty about this situation. In fact, I already had enmity with the Tianfeng family, so whether this happened or not, they would likely come after me anyway,” Li Xingyu replied, neither accepting nor refusing the old man’s hospitality, simply explaining himself.

“So your name is Li Xingyu, and you too are an innate master. Then you must be the young cultivator the rumors speak of, the one who saved the Mu family’s young lady and the head of the Free Wanderer Sect. Regardless, you have done both Ling’er and myself a great service. I still hope you’ll stay a while,” Zhong Xuanhuang said, his doubts about Li Xingyu’s intentions now all but dispelled.

With this, the third chapter of the day is complete. The author finally breathes a sigh of relief, and humbly requests your support—please bookmark and recommend!

Jointly recommended by the editors at Rising Waves: an exciting collection of popular novels is now online—click to add to your favorites!