Ripples in the heart of Tao

After it was confirmed that they were about to go to Liangshan, life in Zixu Temple seemed to be accelerated.

Gongsun Sheng's outings became noticeably more frequent, and upon his return, the aura of the outside world's turmoil grew stronger. He was no longer merely participating in the schemes of Chao Gai and the others; he also seemed to be taking on more "head and tail" tasks, such as eliminating government spies near Jizhou and mitigating potential threats to Erxian Mountain's safety.

I focused even more on my cultivation. With my persistent breathing, the energy within me flowed like a steady stream. While I wasn't yet capable of casting spells, my hearing and vision were sharp, and my energy was abundant. The clarity of mind I gained from reciting the Heart Purification Mantra was becoming increasingly noticeable. While I still couldn't control the "soul sound" with complete ease, at least it wouldn't backfire on me as easily as it did the first time.

I knew that if I wanted to gain a foothold in the future of Liangshan, relying solely on a little "prophecy" and uncontrolled "soul sound" would be far from enough. I had to improve myself as quickly as possible, even if it was just to gain a little more self-protection.

That night, the mountain wind howled, stirring the pine trees. I had just finished my evening lessons and was about to rest when I heard a deeply suppressed groan from Gongsun Sheng's meditation room next door.

The sound was so soft that it would be almost imperceptible if I didn't have such keen senses now.

My heart tightened. What happened to him? Was he injured? Or did something go wrong with his training?

After hesitating for a moment, I was still worried, so I put on my clothes, stood up, walked to his meditation room, and knocked gently on the door: "Master? Are you okay?"

There was silence for a moment before his slightly low voice was heard: "Nothing."

But his voice clearly revealed a hint of fatigue that was difficult to conceal, even...weakness?

"I'm coming in." I was worried that he would show off, so I said this and pushed the door open.

The quiet room was dimly lit by a single oil lamp. Gongsun Sheng remained seated cross-legged on his cushion, but his complexion was paler than usual, with fine, cold sweat oozing from his forehead. A small, dark patch of wetness could be vaguely seen on the front of his Taoist robe.

He was injured! And seriously!

"Master!" I exclaimed, stepping forward quickly. "Are you injured? Is it serious? Where is the injury?"

I subconsciously reached out to check the wet marks on his collar, but he raised his hand and gently blocked it.

"It's just a minor injury, nothing serious." He closed his eyes and tried to restore his usual calm tone, but his slightly furrowed brows and slightly rapid breathing betrayed him.

"You've lost so much blood, how could it be a minor injury!" I was anxious, and regardless of etiquette, I insisted, "Let me take a look! At least... let me help you treat the wound!"

Perhaps it was the weakness caused by blood loss, or perhaps it was the insistence in my tone that could not be refused, he was silent for a moment, and finally slowly released his hand that was blocking his way.

I carefully untied the ties of his robe and opened the front. I saw a wound about an inch long just below his left shoulder blade. The flesh was turned outward, dark in color, and slowly oozing black blood! The skin around the wound was also an abnormal bluish-purple color!

"Poison?!" I gasped. This wasn't just any ordinary sword wound!

"Hmm." Gongsun Sheng replied softly, "I've been having some trouble tempering the 'Bone Erosion Powder'."

Bone-Eroding Powder! Just hearing the name, you know it's an extremely vicious poison! And he actually said it so lightly!

I was both anxious and angry. I was angry that he didn't take care of himself, and I was also anxious that I didn't know any medical skills and couldn't help him. But I knew now was not the time to complain.

"The Heart Purification Mantra! Yes, can the Heart Purification Mantra force out the poison?" A light bulb went off in my head, and I remembered that the Heart Purification Mantra has the effect of stabilizing the soul and expelling inner demons and external evil. Maybe it also has some effect on toxins?

"It's not very effective." Gongsun Sheng shook his head. "This poison has already penetrated the meridians. It requires pure yang internal energy or a specific antidote to dissolve it. I have sealed the acupoints, so it's safe for now. Wait until tomorrow..."

"What if the poison spreads further tomorrow?" I interrupted him, looking at his pale face and the hideous wound. An indescribable emotion surged in my heart, which was heartache, anger, and unwillingness.

I can't just stand there and watch!

Suddenly, I remembered my uncontrolled "soul sound." Soul sound originates from emotion and impacts the soul. So what if... I channeled my emotions to "dispel" or "purify" them? Since music could soothe Mother Li's soul, could it also... vibrate and expel invading alien energies, such as toxins?

This idea is extremely bold, even risky, but right now, there seems to be no better way.

"Master, trust me this time." I looked at him with an extremely serious expression, "Let me try using the rhythm. Maybe... it will have some effect."

Gongsun Sheng opened his eyes, his deep gaze gazing at me in the dim light, a hint of inquiry, a hint of surprise, and ultimately a complex mix of emotions. He didn't ask me what I should do, but simply nodded slowly.

"good."

With his permission, I immediately fetched my pipa and sat down before him. I played no intense music, not even a set melody. I closed my eyes and concentrated my attention on the idea of ​​"dispelling" and "purifying." I imagined the music transforming into invisible ripples, like a gentle breeze sweeping across the hills, cleansing away all impurities.

My fingers began to pluck the strings.

This time, the piano music was no longer soothing and ethereal, nor was it sharp and impactful. Instead, it was a low humming sound with a strange oscillating frequency. Each note seemed to carry a subtle tremor, attempting to resonate with the insidious poison that had invaded his body and "shake" it out.

I was completely focused, my mental energy being consumed at an unprecedented rate. Sweat trickled down my forehead, but I dared not lose focus for even a moment.

The music continued.

At first, Gongsun Sheng didn't react much. But gradually, I noticed that the black blood oozing from his wound seemed to speed up a bit, and the purple area seemed to have stopped spreading!

efficient!

I was excited and tried harder to play the music.

However, this kind of delicate manipulation consumes a huge amount of mental energy. Within a stick of incense, I felt dizzy, my vision went black, my fingers began to tremble uncontrollably, and the sound of the piano became chaotic.

Just when I was about to collapse, a slightly cool hand gently covered the back of my hand that was plucking the strings.

It’s Gongsun Sheng.

He opened his eyes at some point, looked at my exhausted appearance, and whispered, "It's okay."

His palm had a strange stabilizing power, as if it penetrated through my skin and slightly soothed my mental restlessness and overdraft.

I stopped playing, feeling so exhausted that I could barely sit still.

Gongsun Sheng withdrew his hand, practicing Qigong and regulating his breathing for a moment. When he looked at the wound again, a flicker of surprise flashed in his eyes. Although the poison had not been completely eliminated, its spread had been curbed, and the color of the wound seemed to have faded.

"This method... actually works," he muttered to himself. When he looked at me again, his eyes were completely different. No longer just one of approval or inquiry, but with a hint of... shock, and a look of almost gentleness I had never seen before.

"You..." He looked at my pale, sweaty face, paused, took out a porcelain bottle from his sleeve, poured out a fragrant pill and handed it to me, "Take it and restore your vitality."

This was the first time I'd seen him offer something to me. I took the pill and swallowed it as instructed. A warm current immediately spread throughout my body and bones, relieving me of my mental fatigue.

"Thank you, Taoist priest." I said softly.

He shook his head, his eyes fixed on my fingers that were trembling slightly from overexertion, and suddenly asked, "Why are you working so hard?"

His question was light, but it was like a feather, gently scratching my heart.

Why?

Because I'm worried about you? Because I don't want to see you get hurt? Because... to me, you're no longer just a target to be "captured," but... a very important person?

These words swirled in my heart, but I couldn't bring myself to speak them. Finally, I simply lowered my head and whispered, "Master, you have taken me in and taught me, and you are... the only person I can rely on in this world. I don't want to see you in trouble."

These words were half true and half false, expressing gratitude and dependence while carefully hiding the inappropriate throbbing.

The quiet room fell into a long silence, with only the occasional crackling sound of the oil lamp flames.

After a long time, I heard him sigh almost inaudibly.

"In the future... don't be so reckless." His voice was still calm, but it seemed to have lost its usual coldness and had a hint of indescribable... warmth? "Your safety is equally important."

Your safety is equally important.

These words, like thunder, exploded in my heart.

Is he... is he really concerned about me? Ruyunlong, the aloof and unconcerned Ruyunlong, would actually say something like this to me?

I suddenly raised my head and looked at him in disbelief.

In the candlelight, a faint, unnatural expression seemed to pass across his pale face, and then he returned to his usual calm. But he did not avoid my gaze. His deep eyes reflected the flickering candlelight and my stunned look.

An indescribable subtle emotion quietly grows and flows silently in this quiet night, in this quiet room filled with the faint smell of blood and medicine.

I know, some things are different.

The seemingly unbridgeable gap between us seemed to have been quietly filled up an inch because of this accident tonight, because of my "recklessness" and his words "equally important".

The heart of Tao is slightly moved, and ripples have already appeared.