Chapter 34

Song Qing Shi picked up his brush, pondering for a long time about what to write in the letter.

He was a man of science. If it were a scientific paper, experimental data, or academic debate, he could effortlessly write thousands of words. But when it came to expressing feelings in a personal letter, it turned out as dry as a business email or a formal report.

His usual letters to An Long mainly focused on research findings and experimental observations...

Now, after racking his brains, he began the letter with "An Long, my friend," and then gave a plain account of his accidental injury from a thunder tribulation and Yue Wu Huan's reluctant concealment. The words "life-saving grace" were written in especially bold, dark strokes, lest the reader feign blindness. Finally, he thanked An Long for his concern for his well-being and requested him to stop dismantling the poison array and to please use the front door.

After checking the letter several times and getting Yue Wu Huan to review it for any needed additions, Song Qing Shi finally sealed it in an envelope. Still feeling a bit suffocated at the thought of the heap of spirit stones that were destroyed, and relying on An Long's ignorance, he spitefully drew an Alaska dog face next to the name on the envelope.

Yue Wu Huan glanced at the dog's head and chuckled, "Master Zun and Master An seem to share a good rapport."

He had long noticed that the dynamics between Song Qing Shi and An Long differed from others. They may fight and argue, but the bond between them was far deeper than it appeared.

Upon realizing that something had befallen Song Qing Shi, An Long went berserk, attacking Yao Wang Valley. Despite the traps and natural defenses, it took all their might just to restrain him. And Song Qing Shi himself never realized that his simple nicknames for An Long and their constant brawls—no matter how intense—never led to a falling out.

This revelation was somewhat disheartening…

Yue Wu Huan smiled softly, "You two must be great friends, aren't you?"

"I'm not sure," Song Qing Shi, whose memories had fully merged with his original self, pondered for a moment. Seeing Yue Wu Huan's curiosity, he elaborated, "I was born with dual spirit fires, which were prone to going out of control before my foundation was laid, especially the dark fire, which could harm people…"

In his youth, he was adopted by a kind old apothecary and lived far away from people, cultivating herbs in the mountains. After the old apothecary passed away, he read books and practiced alone. Once he laid his foundation and learned to control his spirit fires, he had finished reading all the books at home.

Plucking up courage, he left the mountains to explore the world described in the books.

Back then, he was rather unattractive, emaciated, and awkward in speech. His appearance was so off-putting that nobody wanted to approach him.

He got used to not initiating conversations and being disliked, having been met with disdainful gazes all too often…

After acquiring the Medicine King's inheritance and reaching the golden core stage, he improved his physique and became less unattractive. With his mastery in medicine, people gradually began to engage him, but he had no understanding of the beauty and wonders that others spoke of, nor did they understand the pharmaceutical, toxicological, or medical terminologies he used...

When paths diverge, there's no need to force others to walk alongside you.

Immersing oneself in a sea of knowledge could also bring happiness.

"People think I'm a weirdo," said Song Qing Shi awkwardly, "An Long is also a weirdo. He loves playing with bugs and always carries various insects with him. I find insects fascinating, but others seem terrified of them. We met in a secret realm, where he tried to scare me with an insect. Intrigued by its medical properties, we struck up a professional conversation, and he insisted that I visit Yao Wang Valley, to which I agreed…"

Yue Wu Huan listened with rapt attention.

Recalling past events, Song Qing Shi found it amusing, "For a long time, I struggled with a speech impediment and found it difficult to communicate with others. I managed well enough discussing poisons and medicinal theory, but often fumbled elsewhere. An Long, however, always seemed to understand me. As we grew familiar, he would intentionally provoke me or feign ignorance, forcing me to speak up and even curse at him. I once scolded him for a whole half hour without stopping. My speech has improved considerably since. Although I suspect he did it intentionally, he won't admit it. Maybe I'm just overthinking…"

Yue Wu Huan mused with intrigue, "Master An is truly an enigmatic individual."

"Yes, he frequently scouts out rare medicinal herbs and information from various places, then takes me along for the collection. He's also taught me many tactics for discerning malice and fending off enemies," said Song Qing Shi. Worried that Yue Wu Huan might misinterpret him as merely exploiting An Long, he added, "I've also contributed by finding him unusual insects and materials for raising them, taught him extensive pharmaceutical knowledge, and concocted various potions for him. I've helped him out when he's in trouble as well."

Yue Wu Huan chuckled, "Ah, Master Zun is truly the best," so delightful that one could almost wish to consume him.

"I never had any friends before, so I'm not exactly sure how people usually interact with their friends," Song Qing Shi, blushing from the praise, summed up, "People often call An Long and me an 'odd couple,' but I suppose we are rather good friends?"

Thus, no matter how furious he gets, he never contemplates burning this Alaskan Malamute to death. Even if he does hit it too hard, he would heal its injuries.

Yue Wu Huan picked up on the key phrase, "Before?"

Song Qing Shi happily responded, "Now, there's Wu Huan too!"

Yue Wu Huan was his favorite: beautiful, intelligent, gentle, considerate, good-natured, and understanding. He never took offense easily, nor did he provoke him. He was perfect in every way.

The curve of Yue Wu Huan's lips became even more captivating, "So, are we good friends?"

Song Qing Shi suddenly realized he'd made a unilateral decision without consulting Yue Wu Huan, which seemed inappropriate. Carefully, he asked, "Is that okay?"

"Of course," Yue Wu Huan's tendrils entwined around Song Qing Shi's feet again, giving them a gentle tug. Under the mask, his eyes gazed intently at Song Qing Shi, carrying an inexplicable hint of intimacy in his voice, "My feelings for you are the same as his..."

Song Qing Shi felt his heart skip a beat under that gaze, sensing something off about his primordial spirit. Quickly, he recited a few lines from medical literature to control his emotions and suppress the upheaval within him.

Upon waking this time, he realized that there was a serious issue with his primordial spirit. His cultivation level, which had been nearing perfection, had dropped significantly. After eliminating all other factors, he suspected an issue with his 'Dao heart.'

His physical body in this world lacked a heart, which led him to choose the Path of Emotionlessness, rendering him immune to desires and emotional disturbances.

Ever since he adopted the Path of Emotionlessness, he remained undeterred, even after hundreds of failed experiments.

He began to wonder if he had developed feelings for Yue Wu Huan. But he knew that a man's love and desire were interlinked, and he was quite certain that he had no such desires for Yue Wu Huan. Even the thought was off-limits, fearing it might psychologically affect him.

Upon rational analysis, his emotional instability after meeting Yue Wu Huan might have affected his Dao heart.

After some thought, Song Qing Shi activated the Cold Jade Technique and channeled some spiritual power to protect his primordial spirit, preventing it from dissipating. As long as he didn't deplete his spiritual energy, his cultivation wouldn't collapse due to emotional fluctuations. Immortal cultivators had long lifespans, and he had ample time to sort things out. His patience was among the best in the immortal realm.

Seeing him fall silent, Yue Wu Huan asked with concern, "My Lord, are you feeling unwell?"

Song Qing Shi shook his head with a smile, summoning a messenger bird and sending off the letter to An Long.

The messenger bird flapped its wings and soared into the sky.

As he watched the bird, Song Qing Shi suddenly remembered the children he had saved at Xie Que's place and still hadn't settled.

Yue Wu Huan, hearing him mention this, said, "Most of them chose to return home after the scare from the Cauldron incident and realizing the difficulties of ascending to immortality. They should lead good lives in the mortal realm, armed with the elixirs and a few spells we provided. Six who were either homeless or unwilling to go back stayed, along with about thirty hand-picked, clever medicinal servants who are learning medical techniques and pharmaceuticals. Among them, some show real promise and could become your lab assistants."

Song Qing Shi was overjoyed. He had long wanted to establish a school and train smart assistants but had never had the time. Most of the lab work had to be done by him, which was a great waste of time. Only after Yue Wu Huan began helping him did he realize the importance of having good assistants.

Yue Wu Huan had exceedingly high standards; if he said there were good prospects, then they were certainly better than any Song Qing Shi could have picked himself.

Bursting with excitement, Song Qing Shi pushed aside thoughts of An Long, eager to visit the academy.

Yue Wu Huan presented a robe crafted in the original style, then draped a beautiful white fox fur over it. "My Lord, it's spring outside; it's a bit chilly."

Fondly pinching the soft fur of the fox pelt, Song Qing Shi admired the fire-resistant array woven within it. Though he wasn't prone to the cold, he enjoyed being near warm things. He marveled at how Yue Wu Huan had uncovered this little secret of his.

His life-essence fire manifested in the air, taking the form of a red lotus.

Stepping onto the red lotus, Song Qing Shi, accompanied by Yue Wu Huan, leisurely flew out of his chamber.

A breathtaking vista unfolded before him. What used to be a yard haphazardly dotted with trees was now a lush garden, teeming with the beauty of wisteria, peonies, peach blossoms, pear blossoms, and apricot flowers.

Virtually every stunning spring flower had been artfully arranged to form a living tapestry of colors.

The pond, once only home to some koi, now also housed cranes and mandarin ducks, nestled elegantly among the rocks and chirping softly.

Astonished, Song Qing Shi turned back to confirm the name plaque above; it was indeed his chamber.

Yue Wu Huan explained, "The Valley of the Medicine King needed many renovations, and the increase in personnel required new courtyards. So I took the liberty of redesigning the landscape. If you don't like it, we can always revert it to its previous state…"

"I love it," Song Qing Shi quickly responded, sincerely praising, "It's exceptionally beautiful!"

The Valley of the Medicine King was originally occupied by an evil cult. When Song Qing Shi discovered they were using children to concoct medicines, he wiped them out. Finding the location to be particularly suitable for growing medicinal plants and well-equipped with alchemy furnaces, he decided to settle in and began renovations.

Most of the buildings were remnants of the evil cult. Any additional constructions had been practical and their names randomly picked from medical texts, with no consideration for aesthetics.

As a man of science, he may not have understood artistic design, but that didn't mean he didn't appreciate beauty.

He liked wearing white as it made his slender figure appear less so, but in truth, he had a soft spot for vibrant, life-affirming colors.

The current courtyard, in its unabashed brilliance, met every one of his tastes.

Yue Wu Huan watched him with satisfaction, licking his slightly dry lips that had become parched with desire. He felt incredibly fulfilled.

And so... little by little, he infused himself into those pure eyes.

Until it became a habit, a part of daily life.

Indelible and inseparable.