Chapter 15

Zhu Yun's expression remained unchanged: "A fake."

Luo Yan didn't believe it and snatched it from his hand. Seeing that the paper was brand new, her doubts were reduced by seven or eight parts: "You dare to look at a fake? Aren't you afraid of learning the wrong thing and going astray?"

"Even if you learn the method of poisoning incorrectly, it will not become a good remedy."

"That's true." She casually tossed the book back and yawned. "Where did you get the tonics you usually take and the wound medicine you give me?"

She never asked about these things, assuming it was a tacit understanding, but it turns out she never even thought to ask.

Zhu Yun's lips twitched slightly, and she replied truthfully, "It was a gift from the old man."

The old man was referring to the deputy head of Lan Yue Lou, known in the martial arts world as the "Divine Doctor." He didn't earn this title because of his miraculous medical skills; it was a nickname he gave himself.

Since others couldn't find out his background or name, and most of them needed his help, they didn't want to address him as "Hey" or "that guy," so over time they accepted calling him the "miracle doctor."

But Zhu Yun knew that the divine doctor came from Fangcao Mountain and was a disciple of the Medicine King Sun and the Poison King Qin. He guessed that the divine doctor's skills were not as good as the Medicine King's, but he took advantage of the Medicine King's thin skin and preemptively claimed the title of "divine doctor".

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.

Within two days, Zhu Yun saw the incense lit by the divine physician, found a veil to cover Luo Yan's face, and took her with him to the appointment.

The legendary doctor, disguised as a fortune teller, sat fishing by the river. Ever since Zhu Yun came into view, his neck had been tilted at a peculiar angle.

The next moment, when she witnessed the boy landing on the horse with great energy, revealing Luo Yan behind him, she was so shocked that she dropped her fishing rod.

"Ah Yun, Ah Yun." Luo Yan, with her sharp eyes, gestured for Zhu Yun to pick up the fishing rod. "That old man seems to have Parkinson's disease. Let's go ask him."

"What forest?"

She scratched her head: "Epilepsy? Epilepsy? See for yourself."

The old man's cheeks twitched, and the way he turned his head was very strange. Luo Yan was worried that he was having an attack. There was no village or shop in sight, so she couldn't just ignore him.

Zhu Yun gave her a strange look after hearing this, suppressing a laugh: "It is indeed an attack."

Miracle Doctor: "?"

That brat is deliberately raising his voice; is he talking about him?

But the divine physician wasn't stupid. Zhu Yun was able to leave a survivor to return to the building and send a message, even specifically asking him to keep the appointment, clearly because of the delicate young lady behind him.

So he stopped looking her over and said, "Please, lend me a drink of water."

Luo Yan lowered her eyes to untie the gourd from Zhu Yun's waist, but he stopped her, saying with some displeasure, "I bought this especially for you."

The renowned healer chuckled and fanned the flames, saying, "Thank you, young lady. Cough cough, I'm going to die."

As expected, Luo Yan was taken aback, and she asked helplessly, "What should I do?"

"Don't be afraid." Zhu Yun strode over and took off the old man's straw raincoat, then grinned wickedly. "Are you still thirsty? I'll fetch you some water."

"......"

The sun was so strong that the doctor's forehead was immediately covered in sweat. He had no choice but to pick up his water pouch and clear his throat awkwardly, "Oh, I brought water with me. There's no need for you two to trouble yourselves."

Luo Yan had read many news reports about elderly parents being abandoned by their children and forced to wander the streets during the day. She hid behind Zhu Yun and timidly asked, "Grandpa, do you live nearby? Do you need us to take you home?"

The doctor, who usually only dealt with the brats in the building, was suddenly greeted by a kind and caring young girl. His heart softened: "Good girl, come here quickly, let me tell your fortune."

She immediately tried to remove her veil, but Zhu Yun pinched her hand hard: "Don't believe just any Tom, Dick, or Harry."

"Okay." Luo Yan obediently stepped back.

The miracle doctor almost cursed out loud, thinking to himself, "Isn't it you who invited me here?"

However, his martial arts skills were no match for Zhu Yun's, especially since the brat had refined the Mandarin Duck Warmth, and now even poison couldn't cure him. He could only calm down and say to the girl, "Come over and write a word."

Luo Yan glanced quickly at Zhu Yun, and only dared to go over after receiving confirmation, writing the character "book" with a wooden stick.

"The character 'shu' is good." The divine physician stroked his beard, pretending to be profound. "Its goodness lies in its excellence. Hmm, a person with a wealth of knowledge naturally exudes elegance."

She unconsciously widened her eyes, her unspoken words of anger written all over them.

The doctor choked for a moment, then turned to Zhu Yun and said, "Young brother, help me over to relieve myself."

Instead of getting angry, the boy stepped forward and, with two fingers, pulled the old man by the arm toward the water.

"Gently, gently." The miracle doctor quickly broke free, rubbing his arm as he said, "It's outrageous that you're still alive after all this."

Zhu Yun scoffed: "Didn't you leak the information?"

"Don't slander people."

The divine physician told him that although the Mandarin Duck Warmth was a sacred object of Fangcao Mountain, it had no antidote and burned people alive to death, so it had long been taken to the grave by his master.

"Master Zhu has some impressive skills. Not only did he hide a box of lovebirds, but he also hid my master's notes. I guess he told them to Master Meng before he died. I even heard about it from her."

As for why Meng Jing wanted to kill Zhu Yun but chose to poison him, as the deputy leader, he knew perfectly well. But Zhu Yun didn't care at the moment, and there was no need for him to say anything more; he only talked about Luo Yan's illness.

"The young girl has a very beautiful face, with clear and bright eyes and full earlobes, but her pulse..." the doctor said regretfully, "will be short-lived."

Zhu Yun immediately drew his sword: "I'll kill you, you quack doctor."

"Brother!"

Luo Yan waited for them for a long time but they didn't return, so she had no choice but to follow them. As she got closer, she was startled and turned her face away by the cold light of the sword blade. She was both surprised and frightened. "What are you going to do?"

The divine physician smiled, took out a newly refined pill from his sleeve, and said to her, "Let this kid feed you some good pills to keep you alive, and the rest is up to fate."

While Luo Yan was studying the porcelain vase, the divine doctor gestured for Zhu Yun to come over and talk to her. He lowered his voice and exclaimed, "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed that you were such a romantic."

Zhu Yun looked confused: "What is that?"

"...Pretend I didn't say anything." After all, he had watched Zhu Yun grow up. Seeing that he cared about the sickly little girl, the divine doctor said before leaving, "I studied physiognomy with my grandmaster for two years, and this is the first time I've encountered a lucky face with a short life pulse. Perhaps he is a freak like you."

Everyone thought Zhu Yun was dead, but he is still alive. I hope the little girl will also have such a destiny.

Unexpectedly, Zhu Yun ignored his melancholy: "Don't you boast that you can refine the best elixir in the world? Send me a bottle on the tenth of every month."

"?"

The doctor was so angry that his eyebrows and beard flew wildly. "Why didn't I let Meng Jing strangle you back then?"

"If you strangle me, who will bail you out of Old Master Sun's clutches?" Zhu Yun smirked. "I'm leaving."

The boy helped the little girl onto the horse and left without looking back, leaving the divine physician with a back view that seemed familiar at first glance but strange upon closer inspection.

Back then, he only felt sorry for Xiao Zhu Yun, so he offered a few words of advice when Meng Jing had a fit, and then casually gave her a piece of cake that had already gone cold.

Later, he was chased and beaten by his senior brother several times, but the immature boy would draw his sword to buy him time.

Oh well, what's one bottle a month?

He was more worried that the little girl would die young, and then Zhu Yun would really be beyond saving.

*

Luo Yan was very interested in the frost-colored pills in the porcelain bottle. They smelled faintly of flowers and herbs, and she licked her lips greedily: "Can I eat them?"

"..." Zhu Yun snatched one and fed it to her by hand, then put it in his sleeve so that she wouldn't eat it all like a candy.

She squinted, savoring the memory: "It's quite sweet, like the flower cakes I've had before."

Luo Yan must have heard the divine doctor say "hanging on by a thread" just now, but her mind was unaffected, clearly she was used to her illness.

But Zhu Yun still wanted to comfort her. He rested his chin on Luo Yan's shoulder and said lazily, "The old man is familiar with me. He is usually very stingy. The fact that he is willing to give me medicine means that it is the right medicine for the condition."

"Really?" Luo Yan's tone became lighter. "I knew you two were old acquaintances. Thanks to A-Yun, I met a benefactor today."

Zhu Yun breathed a slight sigh of relief, led her to the roadside to change into a carriage, and leisurely headed towards Hanmei Town.

This was Luo Yan's first time traveling far from home.

Through the gauze window, you can see the ferry crossing and small boats. Many boatmen are shouting loudly, some ferrying passengers across the river, and others carrying baskets of seasonal fruits downstream.

"Yanyan." The boy lifted the carriage curtain. "What do you want to eat? I'll go buy it for you."

He was dressed in a black, close-fitting outfit, wearing a straw raincoat and only revealing a small section of his chin, looking exactly like a chivalrous swordsman. The townspeople had never seen anything like him before and quickly gave him a wide berth.

Luo Yan didn't want to scare passersby: "No need, we won't be able to answer if Grandmother asks later."

Zhu Yun hummed in response, but instead of lowering the curtain, she turned her head to speak to her: "Does your leg still hurt?"

She rarely rides horses, so her skin is inevitably chafed, but she has already applied ointment, and it is estimated that it has healed like the wound on her neck.

The poisons and medicines in the world of martial arts are truly magical.

Luo Yan moved the cushion forward to shorten the distance between them, and asked while suppressing a laugh, "I don't usually see you being this thoughtful. Are you bored on the way?"

"Um......"

Once they entered Hanmei Town, they switched back to riding horses and continued until they reached a farmer's house, where Zhu Yun carried her up the mountain. Without the carriage curtain to obscure their view, their expressions and tones became clearer, and he finally stopped making small talk.

The scenery along the way was familiar, and this time it was Luo Yan's turn to keep her mouth shut.

She asked, "You specifically sought out someone to treat my illness, right? I told him he put a lot of effort into composing the divination, and even touched my wrist with it."

"Hmm." Zhu Yun's voice was tinged with laughter. "He always loves to play tricks."

Touched, Luo Yan poked his cheek with her finger: "Ah Yun, are you afraid I'll suddenly die?"

Upon hearing this, he stopped in his tracks and looked into Luo Yan's eyes: "I hope you live to be a hundred years old."

His voice was very soft and gentle, completely unlike the Zhu Yun she knew, so much so that Luo Yan was momentarily stunned, thinking it was the hallucinogenic effect of the pill.

He chuckled at Luo Yan's dazed expression: "Shouldn't family members always be together? Only living to a ripe old age counts as forever."

"Who said that?" She had already come to her senses and joked, "You don't need to get married? If you get married, you should separate the family."

This is indeed the case in Qingyuan Village.

Zhu Yun thought for a moment and said, "Then let's not get married."

"Huh?" She bit her lower lip, then released it after a long while, her voice filled with confusion, "I haven't thought that far ahead."

He remembered that being buried together after a couple's death seemed to prolong life than living to a hundred, so he changed his mind and said, "You can marry me."