bookbashuk Chapter 326 Whispers in the Back Mountain
Chapter 326 Whispers in the Back Mountain
The herb-gathering path on the back mountain was hidden deep in the dense forest, rarely visited by people. Chen Anran and Wei Qingyi walked lightly through it, one after the other.
"Let's go to Guangshi together after this is over," Wei Qingyi suddenly said.
Chen Anran pushed aside a clump of overgrown branches and stepped aside to let her pass: "Senior sister, do you want to go back to school?"
Wei Qingyi nodded. "It's not good for those houses to be empty for too long." She paused slightly, then continued, "This time, let's all come together, including Senior Sister, Xiao Lu, Xiao Ling'er, Xiao Man, Meng Meng, and Hui Ming."
Upon hearing this, Chen Anran realized she had misunderstood, so she half-jokingly said, "I thought it was just the two of us."
Wei Qingyi remained silent for a long while before speaking softly, her voice even lighter than the wind in the forest: "...It's not impossible."
Chen Anran paused slightly and turned to look. Wei Qingyi followed without changing her expression, but a faint blush appeared at the base of her ears, which she quickly avoided by turning her head away.
A subtle silence fell between the two, with only the sound of footsteps echoing in the woods.
About half an incense stick later, the path gradually narrowed, and the rooftops of the resort below could be seen. Chen Anran stopped and gestured for Wei Qingyi to hide. The two concealed themselves behind a thicket of bushes and looked down.
From this angle on the back hill, you can get a perfect view of the backyard of "Feng's Hundred Herbs Pavilion".
The courtyard wall was high, and the branches of several ancient trees peeked over it. At this moment, there was no one around, only the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves.
The backyard door was ajar, and a faint, bitter medicinal scent wafted out from the crack. Chen Anran gently pushed the door open, only to find that the backyard was more spacious than he had imagined.
In the corner, there were bamboo trays for drying herbs. Directly opposite the courtyard gate was a detached small house with blue tiles, its doors and windows tightly closed, and it was completely silent.
Feng Changyuan was already waiting in the courtyard. When he saw the two of them enter, he immediately stepped forward and said, "Fellow Daoist Chen, Fellow Daoist Wei, Xiao Lu just called and told me. Please come in."
The quiet room was small and simply furnished. Against the wall was a hardwood couch, on which Mo Han lay, dressed in a clean, plain-colored undergarment, her long hair carefully gathered to one side. She was still unconscious, her face even paler than when she was in the attic, her lips chapped, and her breathing so shallow it was almost inaudible.
Feng Changyuan lit the oil lamp on the table, and the dim yellow light dispelled the shadows in the corner.
"After moving her over, I fed her some warm water and changed her dressing. Her external injuries are not serious for now, but her internal energy... is still very weak and chaotic."
Feng Changyuan took a soft towel and handed it to Wei Qingyi: "Fellow Daoist Wei, Fellow Daoist Mo Han has several external injuries on her shoulders, back, and ribs. Although they have been treated and bandaged, they may need to be cleaned and treated again. I only treated them roughly before, and I was afraid it might not be appropriate. Since you are a woman, it is more convenient for you."
Wei Qingyi took the soft towel and nodded, "Thank you for your trouble, Senior Brother Feng." She walked to the bedside, gently lifted a corner of the thin blanket, and checked the bandages on Mo Han's body.
Upon seeing this, Chen Anran and Feng Changyuan went outside the quiet room.
Feng Changyuan took out a flat metal cigarette case from his pocket, flicked it open, and took out a cigarette, offering it to Chen Anran first.
Chen Anran was slightly surprised, but still accepted it. Feng Changyuan also lit one up, rubbed his thumb on the small roller on the side of the cigarette pack, and a small cluster of orange-red flames lit up. He lit his own cigarette and then offered the flame to Chen Anran.
Chen Anran lowered his head slightly, lit a cigarette by the flame, took a deep breath, and felt the pungent smoke fill his lungs, bringing a slight dizziness, but also strangely relieving his tense nerves.
"Don't you smoke often?" Feng Changyuan noticed his reaction, took a drag himself, and slowly exhaled a grayish-white smoke ring. The smoke rose gently in the afternoon light, then was lightly dispersed by the breeze.
"Rarely." Chen Anran held a cigarette between his fingers, watching the flickering red light at his fingertips. "I'll have one occasionally when I'm feeling down."
Feng Changyuan nodded, leaning against the mottled brick wall outside the quiet room, his gaze fixed on the faint outline of the mountains and forests visible beyond the courtyard wall. "I didn't touch it when I was young, but later I took on more and more household chores..." He smiled, "Sometimes, this stuff is more effective than elixirs; at least it can calm you down for a while."
The two men silently took a few puffs of their cigarettes, and the atmosphere became slightly more relaxed amidst the swirling smoke.
"Regarding Fellow Daoist Mo Han's injuries," Chen Anran began, his voice low, "what does Senior Brother Feng think?"
Feng Changyuan flicked his cigarette ash. "The external injuries were caused by sharp weapons, at least two different kinds. The technique was ruthless, but it avoided vital points, more like... forced confession or punishment. The internal injuries are more troublesome. There are several foreign true essences remaining in her meridians, clashing with each other, as if she was attacked by at least two or three experts. The most troublesome thing is that her consciousness is blocked. She herself is refusing to wake up, or rather... she is running away from something."
"What makes her want to run away like this..." Chen Anran didn't finish her sentence, but both of them understood what she meant.
Feng Changyuan took another drag of his cigarette and slowly said, "Fellow Daoist Chen, although our Feng family isn't a top-tier sect, we've weathered many storms over the years. This matter... the waters are too murky. There's probably something wrong within Longhu Mountain; otherwise, how could Zhang Tianshi's personal disciple have fallen to such a state, having to hide in a medicine box to escape?"
Chen Anran didn't speak, but listened quietly.
"Our Feng family," Feng Changyuan turned his head, looking frankly at Chen Anran, "since Xiaolu is here, then we will stand on the side of Yunyin Sect. This is not just polite talk. My father often said that to judge a sect, one should not only look at how glorious it was at its peak, but also how it takes responsibility in times of trouble and how its disciples get along. These days, I have come to understand this."
He threw the cigarette butt on the ground and crushed it out with his toe: "So, if there's anything the Feng family needs our help with, just say the word. Hundred Herbs Pavilion is relatively secluded, and we have reliable manpower. Fellow Daoist Mo Han is at least safe here for the time being."
Chen Anran felt a warmth in his heart and extinguished his cigarette. "Thank you, Senior Brother Feng. The most important thing right now is to wake up Fellow Daoist Mo Han. The secret she holds may be the key to unraveling all of this." He paused, "Also, the various sects' 'undercover investigations' are still ongoing. The Feng family must also be careful in their actions, lest we cause unnecessary trouble for ourselves."
"Don't worry, we know what we're doing." Feng Changyuan waved his hand. "It's you, Fellow Daoist Chen, and Sect Leader Su and Fellow Daoist Wei who are in the eye of the storm. The Han family..." He hesitated for a moment, then said, "I've heard some rumors that Han Bailian has been inquiring about Sect Leader Su's whereabouts far too frequently. It's not normal. Keep a close eye on things."
Chen Anran nodded with a serious expression: "I will be careful."
At this moment, the door to the quiet room was gently pulled open, and Wei Qingyi came out, carrying a blood-stained gauze and a small basin of slightly reddish water.