Chapter 29

Xie Que was a liar through and through; none of his words were worth listening to.

Song Qing Shi didn't want to talk to him at all. The Black Lotus in his palm bloomed once more, and four poisonous flames wound around Xie Que's limbs, intending to corrode his flesh. Xie Que swiftly pulled off his jade amulet; a golden defense barrier unfolded, blocking most of the attack. The amulet turned black from the poison and crumbled into dust. The residual flames continued to eat away at his legs, creating numerous black spots that gradually spread.

Xie Que's cultivation talents were mediocre, but his years of slave trading had given him some valuable protective treasures.

He collapsed on the ground, slowly dragging himself backward with trembling hands, pleading incessantly, "Master, spare me. Everything I have is yours... If you have a liking for Wu Huan... this child named Ming Hong looks very much like Wu Huan as a child. You can take him back to raise..."

Ming Hong was stunned, not understanding the meaning behind these words.

Sensing Song Qing Shi's thoughts, Xie Que slowly backed away, tempting, "Wu Huan looked just like this when he was his age—seemingly well-behaved but actually mischievous. Look closely at Ming Hong's face; aside from the eyes, they are strikingly similar. Do you want to know about Wu Huan's past?"

Under the corrosion of the poisonous flames, his spiritual energy was growing weaker and weaker.

The delicate young woman hiding in the shadows finally broke free from the internal constraints holding her back. With a sudden burst of energy, she lunged forward, ripping away the scroll hanging behind Xie Que. The scroll depicted a meticulously crafted teleportation rune array—Xie Que's last-ditch safeguard.

Spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood in his anger, Xie Que roared, "Traitor!"

Song Qing Shi also understood. Xie Que kept mentioning Yue Wu Huan merely to distract him and seize an opportunity to escape.

Even if bound by the Hellfire of the Underworld, Xie Que's escape would lead him nowhere but to death—yet it would thwart Song Qing Shi's plans.

In the realm of immortals, death was far from the most terrifying outcome.

The Black Lotus in Song Qing Shi's hand bloomed again, incinerating Xie Que's hands and feet to disable him. Song Qing Shi then projected his consciousness into Xie Que's sea of knowledge, rummaging for secret commands associated with the Slave Seal. Despite the immense amount of stored information and his limited power to probe only a few years back, Song Qing Shi reasoned that he only needed to find the most recent slave-branding process, given Xie Que's frequent transactions.

Images quickly materialized in the sea of knowledge:

The young girl had overheard talk of being sold, and when she tried to escape, she was caught by a spiritual hound and shackled in a magic circle. Tears flowed down her cheeks as a demon painstakingly etched the intricate patterns of the Slave Seal onto her back. Despite her pleading, she was met with no mercy until the final secret command was branded—a name, "Xie Que," restructured from ancient runes. Xie Que watched her tears as if inspecting livestock ready for market.

After finding the answer, Song Qing Shi withdrew his consciousness and annihilated the vile psychic space. He then drew out Xie Que's soul and placed it in a prepared container.

He looked up at the young woman beside him and softly asked, "Did you know all along?"

This young woman, named Qing Luan, was the very person he had just seen in the sea of knowledge.

Collapsing onto the ground and staring blankly for a moment, Qing Luan finally realized she had escaped the hellish control of Xie Que. Her long-repressed emotions erupted, and she broke into uncontrollable sobs. Seeing her emotional breakdown, Song Qing Shi reached out with his spiritual energy to try to calm her.

"Evil man!" Ming Hong rushed up and embraced him, crying inconsolably, "You've already killed my master; don't kill Sister Qing Luan!"

Although he found his master's words questionable, Ming Hong couldn't bring himself to believe that the man who had picked him up from the streets, raised him, and taught him the ways of the immortals could harm him. Therefore, his master must have been terrified by this evil man into abandoning him and fleeing.

Song Qing Shi looked helplessly at the stubborn child; he wasn't good at explaining such matters.

Slowly, Qing Luan rose to her feet, walked over to Ming Hong, and slapped him across the face, shrieking, "Don't call that beast 'Master'!"

Ming Hong fell to the ground, clutching his face, unable to believe the gentle sister who had always cared for him could do this.

With tears streaming down her face, Qing Luan looked at him for a long moment before slowly starting to disrobe.

Ming Hong screamed, "Sister, have you gone mad? There's a man here! Why are you undressing?"

Song Qing Shi had already averted his gaze, adhering to the principle of 'look not upon impropriety.'

Qing Luan turned her back to him, lifted her long hair, and revealed the seductive Slave Seal imprinted on her back to Ming Hong.

Ming Hong asked, stunned, "What... what is this?"

"Xie Que told you I would soon go to the Miao Yin Sect to study music," Qing Luan began softly. "That was a lie. I've been sold by him to the Ming Yue Tower. This brand on my back is what turns humans into livestock... Do you know what the Ming Yue Tower is?"

Ming Hong shook his head, a vague fear dawning on him.

"Ming Yue Tower is the largest brothel in the celestial realm. Soon, I will be one of the courtesans smiling behind its doors," Qing Luan said with a self-deprecating laugh, even as endless tears of sorrow filled her eyes. "Do you know what a courtesan is? It's a slave who exists to please men in bed every day."

Ming Hong shook his head vigorously, trembling all over. "No, that can't be true..."

"Why not?" Qing Luan said, re-clothing herself and walking toward him with a smile. "Silly boy, do you know? Being sold to the Ming Yue Tower is something I traded for by behaving obediently! Because they are a brothel with some rules, the torture won't be excessive! I curried favor with that beast and begged and begged just so I could be a shameless woman. Is it ridiculous? Don't rush to sympathize with me; do you know what your fate is?"

Ming Hong stared at the near-hysterical Qing Luan, too frightened even to cry.

"Ming Hong, you bear some resemblance to Wu Huan, which is why that beast values you," Qing Luan tenderly touched his handsome face, her voice choked with emotion. "Wu Huan hasn't returned not because he's heartless but because he's been tortured in a hellish place called Jin Feng Mountain Villa. They've placed an order for another beautiful person who looks like Wu Huan—you've been selected for this."

Ming Hong cautiously asked, "Selected for what?"

Qing Luan gave a cold laugh, "To serve men with your body, just like me."

Ming Hong couldn't believe it. "I'm a man! How can I serve men?"

Qing Luan pondered for a moment before leaning in to whisper something into his ear.

Ming Hong couldn't take it. His eyes flooded with tears, and he began to retch.

Song Qing Shi didn't stop Qing Luan. These pretty, mortal children did not deserve innocence.

After venting her emotions, Qing Luan regained her composure. She brought the listless Ming Hong to Song Qing Shi and deeply bowed to thank him for saving her life. She also voluntarily revealed the location of Xie Que's mustard seed bag and hidden treasures.

Inside Xie Que's mustard seed bag were tens of thousands of spirit stones and two consciousness beads, one of which belonged to Qing Luan. In addition, there were several account books and thick contracts, each soaked with blood and tears. Song Qing Shi found the down payment contract from Ming Yue Tower and returned the consciousness bead to Qing Luan, who held onto it while crying inconsolably.

Song Qing Shi also found Wu Huan's name in the account books—his entire life sold for a mere thirty bushels of Jiao Ren pearls.

He never knew that mere words could sting his eyes so painfully.

Song Qing Shi had initially planned to kill Xie Que and leave. Now, as he looked at the kneeling Ming Hong and Qing Luan, he was reminded of Wu Huan from years past and couldn't bring himself to abandon them. So he instructed Qing Luan to gather others and tell them the truth about Xie Que's evil deeds and lies. Those who wished to return to the mortal world would be provided with life-extending elixirs, a celestial favor granted. Those who had nowhere to go could opt to work as medicine servants in the Medicine King Valley.

Despite her frail appearance, Qing Luan was efficient in action. She gathered everyone in the square and quickly made them understand the truth by using her own branding, the account books, and contracts as evidence. She even controlled another young man branded with the Slave Seal through a consciousness bead, further substantiating her claims.

The children were in disarray—some were crying, others were vomiting.

The servants, also mortals and unaware of the situation, were terrified after hearing the revelations.

Qing Luan, accompanied by a few children who had managed to remain calm, took the time to comfort each of them.

Song Qing Shi sat alone in a distant library and penned a letter to Ye Lin of the Ye Yu Pavilion, asking him to hire a magical beast-drawn ship from the Celestial Beast Gate to transport all the children back to the Medicine King Valley for further arrangements. Celestial Beast Gate had a reputable standing for transportation services within the celestial realm. Though pricey, the cost could be covered using the spirit stones taken from Xie Que.

The messenger bird was sent out, and a reply was expected by the next day.

Song Qing Shi couldn't resist penning another letter to Wu Huan. He hesitated for a long time, unsure how to begin. After multiple revisions, he finally settled on informing him that he would return a day later, reassuring him that he was safe and not to worry.

After settling all affairs, Qing Luan instructed the children to pack their belongings and then personally reported back to her master.

As Song Qing Shi watched the lamps being lit one by one across Yan Shan Gate, he couldn't help but ask, "You've met Wu Huan before, haven't you?"

Qing Luan cautiously replied, "To answer Master, I came here when I was just six years old. Brother Wu Huan was sent away half a year later."

Gesturing for her to sit, Song Qing Shi hesitated for a moment before asking, "Can you tell me about Wu Huan from that time?"

Qing Luan pondered for a while, choosing her words carefully. "I was too young then and didn't understand many things. Brother Wu Huan was a good person. He often took care of us newcomers, teaching us how to read and write..."

Her recollections were sporadic, but Song Qing Shi listened intently, jotting down the youthful image of Wu Huan she conjured.

"Whenever there was something good, Brother Wu Huan would always offer it to us first. Even when we made mistakes, he would never get angry."

"Brother Wu Huan was both intelligent and skilled, an object of our admiration. We mourned for a long time after he left."

"Everyone loved sneaking glances at him because he was just too handsome..."

"Brother Wu Huan liked the color red. Many of his clothes were red."

"Brother Wu Huan loved to sit on the branches of the Chinese parasol tree and practice his flute. He played so well that even birds would land to listen."

"When Brother Wu Huan smiled, it was as if all the light in the sky had concentrated on him, making it impossible to look away."

　"..."

Song Qing Shi recorded each piece of information and then asked from his notes, "Do you know what Wu Huan likes to eat?"

"Brother Wu Huan wasn't picky about food but was particularly fastidious about cleanliness," Qing Luan began, suddenly recalling a bygone anecdote. "He would never eat anything that had been touched by someone else or was dirty. Even if it was just a cup of water, if someone else had touched it, he wouldn't drink it. He never voiced this out loud to avoid troubling others, choosing instead to go hungry or thirsty. We all slowly discovered this about him... He also didn't like people touching his things or sitting on his bed. Even though he wouldn't get mad if someone did, he would quietly clean it afterward..."

So Yue Wuhuan's penchant for cleanliness wasn't something that began with his medical studies. Does his obsession with cleanliness make it even harder for him to tolerate uncleanliness?

Song Qingshi paused his note-taking and thought for a moment. He suddenly remembered that Yue Wuhuan had drunk his water several times, eaten his leftover food, and never once complained about entering his room or sleeping in his bed. Had Yue Wuhuan's cleanliness compulsion lessened? Or was he simply bearing it so as not to inconvenience Song Qingshi? He'd have to ask when he got back to avoid unintentionally offending him.

Song Qingshi then asked, "Do you know what Yue Wuhuan likes?"

Qingluan suddenly paused in her torrent of words. After a long while, she couldn't help but laugh, "Beautiful stones..."

Song Qingshi was surprised, "Stones?"

"Please follow me," said Qingluan, rising to her feet. She led Song Qingshi into a dusty storeroom filled with assorted unwanted items—broken balls, snapped swings, tattered stuffed tigers, and old practice notebooks. They all seemed like remnants left by children. After rummaging through the clutter for a while, Qingluan pulled out an old wooden box and handed it to Song Qingshi.

The wooden box was homemade and rather crude, featuring clumsily carved bird designs on the lid. Inside were several inexpensive but beautiful stones: pebbles covered in golden granules, greenish-blue glass beads, and black stones with intricate landscapes...

"There used to be many more, probably some gems as well," Qingluan said, her voice tinged with sadness. "After Wuhuan left, the valuable stones disappeared, leaving only these. I hid the box here, fearing he wouldn't find it upon his return. Now it can go back to its rightful owner..."

Holding the lightweight box, Song Qingshi questioned, "This belongs to him?"

Qingluan nodded, "I once saw Wuhuan secretly picking stones by the river. He'd carefully select them, thousands upon thousands, until he found the most beautiful ones to place in the box. It was filled with vividly colorful stones. When he realized I was watching, he looked a bit embarrassed and gave me lots of candies, asking me not to tell anyone..."

"Wuhuan really cherished this box, keeping it by his pillow and not letting anyone see it," Qingluan's voice became sadder as she reminisced. "After he left, I found the box at Xie Que's place. He had distributed the worthless stones among the children as toys. I couldn't believe Wuhuan would abandon something so important, which made me suspicious. That's when I started to secretly investigate his whereabouts, eventually discovering he had been sold into slavery..."

Suddenly, the box in Song Qingshi's hands felt immensely heavy, a weight that tugged at his heart.

He slowly turned and began to walk away...

"My Lord," Qingluan suddenly stopped him, wiping the tears from her face to reveal a smile. She bowed slightly and said, "Thank you for saving Wuhuan. I'm truly glad he's alive. He's such a good person, deserving of the world's kindness. My Lord, you must be quite fond of him, right?"

Taken aback, Song Qingshi asked, "Fond?"

Qingluan said with anticipation, "Only if you're fond of someone would you go to such lengths for them."

Her response left Song Qingshi emotionally unsettled.

He had come to this world to fulfill a task set by his system teacher, but at some point, he found himself unable to regard the people here as mere virtual entities. His kindness towards Yue Wuhuan felt like an instinct etched into his very bones. He wished he could offer him all the world had, to help him forget his suffering and find happiness again.

The fondness in Qingluan's eyes differed from any form of 'fondness' he had previously understood.

He wasn't entirely sure what this form of fondness entailed. Was it an increase in phenylethylamine? Medical texts stated that phenylethylamine acted as a stimulant for the mind, causing an accelerated heartbeat, flushed face, and, as a side effect, the capacity for bias and obsession, compromising one's ability for objective thinking...

He didn't feel that there was any issue with his analytical judgment.

Wasn't he simply dedicated to healing and saving lives?

Doctors shouldn't harbor other intentions towards their patients; doing so would be a breach of professional ethics.

As Song Qingshi pondered these thoughts, he found himself by the riverbank. Staring blankly at the stones scattered all around, he bent down to sift through them—one by one, thousands upon thousands. Despite his long search, he couldn't find a single stone worthy of Yue Wuhuan. Yet, time was on his side, allowing for a continued, unhurried search...