Free Web NovelChapter 317: Chapter 316: You Share Glory, I Share Spirit Medicine
"Martial Uncle Shen Hao?" Gu Zhao sent a message through the Five Thunders Order. "An old man has come to Sanmao Mountain looking for you."
"Who is it?" Taoist Shen Hao asked.
He was still at Black Rock Mountain with Taoist Yan Song, slowly grinding away the residual Demonic Qi that permeated the earth for tens, even hundreds of miles, an area nearly the size of a small grotto-heaven.
It was a slow task that required patient, meticulous effort. That’s why, even half a month after the great battle at Black Rock Mountain, he and Taoist Yan Song had only managed to clear about half of it.
"An old man named Chen, about your age. He’s likely an old soldier. Says you saved his life when he was young."
"I saved a lot of people when I was young." Taoist Shen Hao chuckled. "I lived through the war years, after all. Since ancient times, Daoism and medicine have gone hand in hand, so I ended up saving quite a few people."
"So, do you want to come see him?" Gu Zhao asked.
Taoist Han Zheng and the others hadn’t been able to contact Taoist Shen Hao, so they could only offer gentle words to Mr. Chen the Elder. But now that Gu Zhao had arrived on Sanmao Mountain, he could naturally relay the message with his Divine Sense.
Taoist Shen Hao thought for a moment, then nodded. "Since he’s an old acquaintance, I suppose I should see him."
"Alright. Head back to Daluo Palace," Gu Zhao replied.
The next moment, a flash of molten gold and fire appeared outside Black Rock Mountain. It became a streak of golden-red light, speeding westward.
...
Meanwhile, Mr. Chen the Elder was recalling how he had first met Taoist Shen Hao.
"I was just a teenager back then, not long after I’d joined the guerrilla squad. I had a captured Type 38 rifle and was issued five bullets," Mr. Chen the Elder reminisced. "It was during an ambush. We won, but I took a bullet."
"Later, the squad had to move out, and I was left in a nearby villager’s home to recover," Mr. Chen the Elder continued. "But conditions were poor back then. My wound soon got infected, and I started running a fever."
"In those days, an infected wound and a persistent high fever... that was basically a death sentence." Mr. Chen the Elder chuckled. "But as luck would have it, Taoist Shen Hao came to the village looking for lodging and saw me.
He said he knew medicine and could take a look at me, but the villager was worried he was a spy for the collaborationist army, scouting for information. He didn’t dare let him treat me, afraid he would discover my gunshot wound.
He just smiled without a word, then went outside the village to gather herbs and brew a decoction. He also took out a bottle of ointment and gave it to the villager, saying it was a secret golden wound medicine from the Shangqing Sect that worked wonders on blade and gunshot wounds."
"Taoist Shen Hao was the real deal. My fever broke that very day, and the inflammation in my wound subsided," said Mr. Chen the Elder. "I went to thank him the next day, and that’s when I learned his name and that he was a Daoist from the Sanmao Mountain Shangqing Sect.
But those were chaotic times of war. Seeing that I was getting better, he left on the third day. I spent another seven or eight days recovering at the villager’s home before rejoining my squad.
After that, I followed the squad all over, from south to north. I went everywhere, but I never made it to Sanmao Mountain. Later, I fought in another battle up in the Northeast against the foreigners, and I’ve stayed there ever since."
"Hahaha! So it was you!" Taoist Shen Hao’s laughter came from outside the room.
Then, he lifted the door curtain and strode inside. He looked at Mr. Chen the Elder, his white eyebrows rising slightly. After observing him for a moment, he finally nodded and smiled. "I can see a trace of the boy you were."
"Taoist Shen Hao!" Mr. Chen the Elder trembled as he tried to rise from his wheelchair. The young man and woman beside him rushed to support him.
"Sit, sit." Taoist Shen Hao took a step forward and gently pressed him back down. "At our age, there’s no need for such formalities."
Mr. Chen the Elder looked at Taoist Shen Hao with reverence. "It’s good to see you, Daoist. You’re still as hale and hearty as ever!"
Taoist Shen Hao stroked his beard, looking a bit sheepish. "I’m doing alright."
Before he met Gu Zhao, although his spirits had been good, he was still a man approaching his centenary. His body was much better off than Mr. Chen the Elder’s, but he certainly wasn’t like an ordinary person—and that was before his recent improvements.
But others didn’t know that. For example, the family members accompanying Mr. Chen the Elder were staring in utter shock at Taoist Shen Hao’s thick white hair, radiant complexion, ramrod straight posture, and vigorous presence.
’How the hell is this a man who’s almost a hundred years old?’
’At most, he looks like he’s in his sixties or seventies!’
But then Taoist Han Zheng and Taoist Han Xuan, both in their fifties or sixties, bowed in unison. "Master!" "Martial Uncle!"
Then they saw Gu Zhao, who had entered behind Taoist Shen Hao, and their eyes lit up. They bowed again. "Greetings, Mr. Gu!"
Gu Zhao smiled, nodded, and then stood off to the side.
Meanwhile, Taoist Shen Hao sat down next to Mr. Chen the Elder and took his hand. "We only met that one time, all those years ago. It’s very thoughtful of you to remember me and come visit."
"You saved my life. I’m ashamed it’s taken me this long to come," Mr. Chen the Elder said, shaking his head.
An older man of about sixty standing nearby interjected, "My father has been in the Northeast all these years. Even after retiring, he had many affairs to attend to."
Mr. Chen the Elder waved a hand, cutting off his son’s explanation.
Taoist Shen Hao paid it no mind either, simply asking, "So, did someone from your squad come get you, or did you make it back to them on your own?"
"I went back on my own," Mr. Chen the Elder replied. "Not long after, the main army forces arrived in the area. Our guerrilla squad was absorbed into the regular army, and we moved on with them."
The two old men chatted about the old days. Mr. Chen the Elder recounted the major campaigns he later participated in, including that final war in the Northeast.
At this point, Mr. Chen the Elder proudly took several medals from his pocket. The one on top, a First-Class Combat Hero medal, gleamed brilliantly.
"Heh heh. You saved my life back then, so a part of these service medals belongs to you," Mr. Chen the Elder said with a smile.
Taoist Shen Hao shook his head. "I only saved you once. Your comrades-in-arms, who knows how many times they saved you? What right do I have to a share of your medals?"
"But if you hadn’t saved me that one time, there would have been no later opportunities for anyone else to save me," Mr. Chen the Elder chuckled.
Taoist Shen Hao couldn’t help but stroke his beard and laugh heartily.
Although he had saved many people in his life, he was still quite moved to have someone he’d rescued come all the way up the mountain to thank him. "Alright, alright. I’ll take a share."
Mr. Chen the Elder clutched the Combat Hero medal in his hand, then pushed the others forward. "I’m taking this one to my grave, but you can pick one from the rest."
Taoist Shen Hao didn’t stand on ceremony and casually picked one.
Seeing the look of relief in Mr. Chen the Elder’s eyes, Taoist Shen Hao could feel that the old man’s Yang Qi had weakened another notch.
Taoist Shen Hao glanced back at Gu Zhao, who nodded in understanding. Shen Hao broke into a relieved smile, then turned and pointed to the young man and woman beside the old man. "Are these your grandson and granddaughter?"
"My great-grandchildren!" Mr. Chen the Elder laughed gleefully.
"Then would you like to see your great-grandchildren get married and have children of their own?" Taoist Shen Hao asked with a smile.
"I won’t live to see that!" Mr. Chen the Elder waved his hand. He was aware of his own physical condition and could feel his time was near.
Taoist Shen Hao shook his head. "If they hurry it up a bit, you might still have a chance."
The next moment, Taoist Shen Hao untied the gourd from his waist. "You gave me a service medal to let me share in your glory. In return, I’ll give you something to let you share in my harvest."
"Huh?" Mr. Chen the Elder was confused.
Then he saw Taoist Shen Hao remove the gourd’s stopper, give it a gentle shake, and pour out a pill as smooth and lustrous as jade.
In an instant, a medicinal fragrance filled the air.
"This is a Water and Fire Suppressing Spirit Pill. Its main ingredients are the secondary materials from two types of Spirit Medicine, combined with eighteen supplementary herbs. It balances the water and fire within the body, nourishing life and extending longevity," Taoist Shen Hao explained. "Mortals can consume it."
Mr. Chen the Elder’s son’s expression changed, and he was about to intervene when he saw Taoist Shen Hao gently raise a hand. The Elixir flew into Mr. Chen the Elder’s mouth, and he swallowed it in one gulp.
Everyone else was dumbfounded!
’What century are we in? Who still randomly eats elixirs given by a Daoist!’
But they never imagined that a venerable old Daoist from Wanfu Palace of the Sanmao Mountain Shangqing Sect would be so reckless as to feed someone an unknown elixir.
"You!"
But before they could cry out, they saw Taoist Shen Hao pat Mr. Chen the Elder on the chest. "You’re too old. I’ll help you absorb the medicinal energy."
Then, they swallowed whatever they were about to say, because they saw a red and black light begin to shine from Mr. Chen the Elder’s chest!
