Chapter 107: A Diary Appears in the Storage Room (10,000-word update, please subscribe)

The night was as dark as ink, and the waning moon hung high.

Baima Town, situated at the edge under the jurisdiction of Yu State City, leaned against Mount Baima and was thus named after it.

As the old saying goes, “rely on the mountains to feed off the mountains, and the waters for water,” Baima Town, built against the mountains, naturally depended on these mountains for sustenance.

With the rich resources of Mount Baima, the town was home to many hunters, medicinal farmers, and woodcutters, all quite renowned throughout the outskirts of Yu State City.

But at this moment, Baima Town was not as bustling as usual. A deathly silence had fallen over the town, and all the townspeople had been gathered, bewilderedly making their way to the town’s entrance.

Some had faces blackened, leaning against the walls, gasping for breath; others were scattered around, laying on the ground unattended.

The head constable, Qin, was also sitting at a distance, his face too was covered in a dark aura. The two constables who had accompanied him had already collapsed, showing symptoms identical to the early days of Chen Er.

In just three days, the previously lively and prosperous Baima Town had turned into a living hell, its horrifying rate of infection far surpassing the epidemic from ten years ago by an unknown degree.

“Mom, I’m scared…”

In a corner, a young child, upon witnessing the scene, showed a trace of fear in his eyes.

“Don’t be afraid, these government officials are here to investigate, it will be over soon,” the woman reassured her child in a gentle voice as she picked him up.

Just then, a strange, nauseating smell wafted over from a distance, causing many to frown.

“That’s kerosene!” someone exclaimed in shock. “Someone is pouring kerosene!”

What is kerosene?

The hunters present were not unclear about this; it was extracted from animals and then sold to the court for use in warfare.

As this voice rose, the once-silent Baima Town suddenly erupted into chaos.

“Kerosene!? Are they trying to burn us all alive?”

“What!?”

…….

The able-bodied people hurriedly stood up, their eyes looking towards the distance.

They saw in front of the archway, dozens of government officials bearing kerosene cans, pouring kerosene over the houses, wooden archways, and even on the bodies of the collapsed townspeople.

“Prepare to set fire.”

Following a clear shout, three or four strong men with torches in hand stepped forward.

“They are going to burn us alive!”

A hunter cried out in disbelief upon seeing this.

No one in the crowd could have imagined that one day the kerosene would be used against themselves.

“Whoever dares to step forward, kill without mercy!”

A middle-aged scholar took a slow step forward, a cold smile on his lips.

This man was Lang Qi, the judge of Yu State City.

“Clatter!” “Clatter!”

The strong men behind him also drew their blades, coldly watching the front as the hunters instinctively retreated several steps upon seeing this.

“Hmph!”

Seeing this, the scholar slowly stretched out his arm.

“We’re dead either way; might as well fight them!”

Seeing this, the hunter’s eyes reddened, and he stared intensely at the strong men ahead.

“That’s right, it’s death either way.”

“Let’s fight them!”

“Heavenly Lord above, do you see this? These officials are inhumane; they actually want to burn us alive.”

….

Seeing this, the able-bodied townspeople of Baima stood up one after another, filled with righteous indignation.

To think they would burn the entire Baima Town just because of the few who were infected with the epidemic.

The atmosphere became tense and delicate as both sides faced off.

“Lord Lang, I fail to understand why this has to happen…” An elder from Baima Town couldn’t help but feel sorrow rise from his heart upon seeing this.

With nearly a thousand people in Baima Town, they were about to be burned alive…

Lang Qi took a deep breath and said, “The Magistrate has ordered that Baima Town, including all its people, be burned.”

The elder opened his mouth to speak but paused, stopping himself.

Upon hearing this, a deathly silence fell over the scene.

Lang Qi stretched out his hand again, and everyone present felt their minds tense up, their breathing seemingly stopping at that moment.

“Wait!”

Suddenly, a cold shout came from afar.

“Da da da! Da da da!”

The sound of horse hooves arose from all around, as An Jing and Han Wenxin, along with a group of constables, rushed over.

“Hold! Master Lang, please wait!”

Han Wenxin shouted loudly, then hurriedly dismounted from his horse.

“Arrest officer Han?”

Lang Qi saw the visitor and slightly furrowed his eyebrows, “What brings you here?”

The constables, led by Officer Qin, came to investigate the matter, but they had been trapped by the epidemic. To prevent future troubles, the newly appointed Magistrate ordered a halt to the investigation, sending them directly to burn down Baima Town to prevent the disease from spreading and causing adverse effects.

Han Wenxin took a deep breath and said, “Burning down Baima Town is premature. I have invited the most renowned doctor from Yu State City to take a look…”

The most renowned doctor!?

Lang Qi glanced at An Jing beside Han Wenxin. He had heard of Doctor An of Jishi Hall, one of the most famous doctors in Yu State City.

Beyond his excellent medical skills, he was also one of the few benevolent doctors who cared deeply about healing hearts. The only criticism was his youth and limited experience.

Lang Qi spoke slowly, “But, Arrest Officer Han, the orders I received were to burn down Baima Town, and they did not mention waiting for Doctor An to treat it.”

“Master Lang, is there no room for flexibility?” Han Wenxin frowned.

“If this epidemic spreads, and it reaches the entire Yu State City, can you bear the responsibility?”

“Give Doctor An a chance. Perhaps this epidemic is not as terrifying as we imagined, like a rampant flood or beast, and we might be able to save all these hundreds of civilians.”

“Impossible!”

“What if I insist on saving them?”

Lang Qi gave Han Wenxin a cold look, “Officer Han, you have great prospects. Don’t ruin them for yourself.”

Han Wenxin was quite capable, and if Officer Qin were to perish in Baima Town, then he would be the only arrest officer left in Yu State City, with an immeasurable future. If he acted impulsively now, it would undoubtedly ruin his promising prospects.

Han Wenxin’s heart chilled, and he shouted, “Are you truly intent on burning alive the hundreds of households in Baima Town, Master Lang?”

“Han Wenxin, you are mistaken.”

Lang Qi, somewhat displeased, said, “It’s not I who want to burn them alive, but it is the order from the Magistrate. I am merely carrying out my orders.”

Upon hearing this, An Jing gave Lang Qi a contemplative look.

“So you mean to say, if there were no orders from the Magistrate, you would definitely have burned down Baima Town today?”

“Correct.”

“Then, I will not be polite.”

“What are you going to do!?”

Upon hearing Han Wenxin’s words, Lang Qi immediately sensed something ominous.

He saw Han Wenxin step forward and throw a punch directly at Lang Qi’s face.

“Thump!”

Lang Qi only saw a blur before him, then a wave of dizziness overcame him and he staggered backward, ultimately falling onto the ground.

“Master Lang!” “Master Lang!”

The surrounding men hastily cried out.

“Han… Han Wenxin, you have a lot of nerve! You dare to strike me!? This is treason!”

Lang Qi touched his nose and mouth, which were covered in fresh blood.

Everyone at the scene was utterly stunned; none had expected Han Wenxin to throw a punch and knock down Lang Qi, an up-and-comer in the Magistrate’s eyes and the third highest authority in Yu State City.

“This is for your medical expenses.”

Han Wenxin took out three silver coins from his purse and threw them into Lang Qi’s lap.

“Very well.”

Lang Qi, furious and embarrassed, spoke venomously: “Han Wenxin, let’s wait and see. I will definitely report this matter to the Magistrate.”

“Let’s go!”

Saying this, Lang Qi, led by a few men, got up and shakily walked away into the distance.

“Master Lang, is your injury alright? Shall we visit a doctor now?” one of the men whispered.

“But isn’t the best doctor in Yu State City right behind us?” another man couldn’t help but mutter.

“Look at what doctor?”

Lang Qi’s brow furrowed, and he took out three silver coins, saying, “Why not go to the brothel to listen to music and see beauties at this late hour instead of seeing a doctor?”

The men, upon hearing Lang Qi’s words, were all stunned.

Knowing Lang Qi’s temperament, they would have expected him to be ready to retaliate against Han Wenxin, but at this moment, he seemed inclined to visit a brothel to listen to music?

“Hurry, let’s go, let’s leave this place.”

Lang Qi impatiently said, “That fellow Han Wenxin, he really does hit hard. Tonight, I need to… I… drown my sorrows.”

……..

“Huff!”

Watching Lang Qi lead the people away, the citizens of Baima Town all breathed a sigh of relief, but their hearts soon filled with even more worry.

Lang Qi had left, but everyone knew he would come back.

Besides, even if Lang Qi wouldn’t come, what would they do?

That silver could only sustain them for half a month…

With a pained expression, Han Wenxin watched Lang Qi’s departing figure then turned to look at An Jing, pausing before saying, “Brother An, it’s all up to you now.”

“Leave it to me.”

An Jing nodded his head and then took the lead toward Constable Qin.

“This is Doctor An from Yu State City.”

“Can he handle it?”

“Ah, he’s the only doctor who dares to come to Baima Town to treat us now.”

…..

The surrounding citizens of Baima Town, upon seeing this, all started whispering among themselves.

“Doctor An.” Constable Qin prepared to stand up, but as soon as he tried to do so, he felt utterly weak.

“Please sit.”

An Jing quickly said, “Let me check your pulse first.”

“Can Doctor An diagnose by sensing the pulse through the air?” Constable Qin said with a wry smile, “If not, it might be better not to treat us; I fear you might contract the epidemic too.”

“Don’t worry.”

An Jing waved his hand and said, “Lie down, and then show me your pulse.”

Seeing An Jing insist, Constable Qin could only lie down and then stretched out his right wrist.

Diagnosing the pulse was not something casually done, as the wrist had to be in line with the heart to minimize any discrepancies.

An Jing’s fingers rested on the pulse points, feeling the rhythm of the qi within the body.

The depth denotes Yin, the surface Yang.

Constable Qin’s pulse fluctuated widely and sporadically, an excess of Yin fire, with a notably short pulse—had it not been for that force of qi supporting him from within, he might have ended up like the other constables, turned into restless spirits.

“Hmm?”

An Jing noticed this and felt a flicker of recognition in the qi force within Constable Qin; it seemed similar to what he had felt with Shui Zhongyue. And although Han Wenxin had mentioned that Constable Qin’s cultivation was Fifth Grade, his qi currently felt significantly stronger than that.

This Constable Qin was not as simple as he appeared on the surface.

“Brother An, what is it?”

Han Wenxin interrupted An Jing’s contemplation by his side.

Seeing that An Jing had been silent for so long, his heart sank to rock bottom—could it be that An Jing also had no solution?

The surrounding citizens of Baima Town were also holding their breath, extremely anxious.

It seemed as if An Jing’s words were about to dictate their life or death.

An Jing slowly said, “If I’m not mistaken, it should be Corpse Qi.”

“Corpse Qi!?”

Upon hearing this, Han Wenxin was utterly bewildered, “Brother An, do you have a way?”

He didn’t understand all these intricate details; he just wanted a result.

An Jing chuckled and said, “Don’t worry, dealing with Corpse Qi is much more difficult than with Yin Energy, but it’s not impossible to cleanse.”

Ordinary doctors definitely couldn’t treat Corpse Qi, but An Jing had considerable experience with it.

“Whew!”

Hearing An Jing say this, Han Wenxin felt a massive weight lift off his chest.

“Can Doctor An treat it?” Constable Qin’s eyes also lit up.

He had been ready to meet his end, but unexpectedly, the doctor Han Wenxin asked for, An Jing, could actually treat it.

He truly was not an ordinary doctor; the Sect Master was indeed seeking someone extraordinary.

“It’s possible.”

An Jing nodded his head.

“Doctor An can treat it?”

“That’s wonderful! We still have a hope to live.”

“Doctor An is really a living Bodhisattva who relieves suffering!”

…..

Upon hearing An Jing’s words, the gathered citizens immediately wept for joy, overwhelmed with emotion.

“I’ll start with Constable Qin first.”

As An Jing spoke, he took out several silver needles from his medicine box.

In the human body, the balance between the Yin and Yang energies must be achieved for a naturally healthy state.

Yin energy imbalance can lead to severe illness, but similarly, an excess of Yang energy is not necessarily a good thing either.

Monk Fa Zhi sensed that An Jing’s Yang energy was quite strong, largely because he had refined the Buddhist treasure, the Bodhi Bead, leading him to mistakenly believe that An Jing was born with Pure Yang Qi and possessed extremely high qualifications.

In a normal human body, Yin and Yang energies are more or less balanced.

The characteristics of Corpse Qi are somewhat similar to Yin energy, yet many differences exist. Both are Yin in nature, but Yin energy is relatively more forceful compared to Corpse Qi. If these ordinary people were infected with Yin energy, they would likely perish within a day of consultation, but Corpse Qi is much gentler by comparison.

Although it won’t quickly cause death, it lingers in the body like a festering maggot, hard to be rid of.

An Jing’s purpose in taking out the silver needle was naturally to channel his Inner Strength into the needle and draw out the Corpse Qi from his body.

Guiding Corpse Qi requires not only Inner Strength but also knowledge of the human body’s various acupoints, including some that do not involve the operation of Inner Strength.

Thus, this task cannot be done by just anyone.

“Tss!”

The silver needle targeted the Heavenly Spirit Acupoint on Magistrate Qin’s head, and a threadlike Qi Force also surged in.

This Qi Force was not profound, its only purpose being guidance.

Instantaneously, Magistrate Qin felt a warm sensation spread from the top of his head downwards, causing his previously groggy mind to clear up by a third.

He could distinctly feel, the Qi Mechanism that had troubled him for a long time being gradually drawn out by the silver needle.

Seeing this, An Jing secretly nodded.

The reason why it went so smoothly was largely that Magistrate Qin possessed strong Inner Strength, which could resist the Corpse Qi. If it were an ordinary person, the process might take longer and might even leave some lingering ailments in their body.

Silver streams of black Qi flowed up the needle, afterward drifting into the air and completely dissipating.

“Is this really Corpse Qi?”

Upon seeing this, Han Wenxin couldn’t help but marvel quietly.

About the time it takes for one stick of incense to burn later, An Jing finally retracted the silver needle.

“How is it now?” Han Wenxin quickly asked.

“It’s not a big issue, but he needs to recover for a month.”

An Jing pondered for a while and said, “The same could be done for these common folks, but their Inner Strength isn’t as profound as Magistrate Qin’s, and it would take longer, possibly leaving some lingering ailments in their bodies.”

An Jing was not an immortal; his healing relied on a combination of extensive medical knowledge and the dual approach of guiding with Inner Strength.

Han Wenxin nodded in understanding, feeling impressed that they could save these patients at all; as for any lingering ailments, that depended on their own fate.

Meanwhile, after adjusting his breath for a while, Magistrate Qin opened his eyes and couldn’t help but praise, “Doctor An truly deserves his reputation as a famous physician in Yu State City, I am impressed.”

“It’s too early to say these things now. Brother Han, what you need to do now is to cremate all the dead bodies, and you must be quick.”

An Jing then turned to look at the villagers from Baima Town nearby, heaving a long sigh, “And these several dozens who have been infected by Corpse Qi, have them line up, one by one.”

“Okay!”

Upon hearing this, Han Wenxin nodded.

Because of the Corpse Qi, more than thirty ordinary villagers in Baima Town had died, including two constables; cremating these bodies was not an easy task.

……

Jishi Hall.

The autumn sky was too clear, the sunlight from Chaoyang fell undisturbed by dust, glare was somewhat harsh, yet so pure.

Tan Yun got up groggily, proceeded to wash up and then prepared to clean her clothes from yesterday at the river dock.

“Ao… woof!”

Xiao Heizi, seeing Tan Yun walk out of her room, scampered to her feet, continuously licking her embroidered shoes as a way to please her.

“Go away.”

Tan Yun, annoyed by Xiao Heizi licking her shoes, kicked him away seeing this.

The kick wasn’t strong; Xiao Heizi rolled on the ground twice and then got up again, still happily circling around Tan Yun.

“Don’t you believe I might just chop you up soon?”

Seeing this, Tan Yun raised the hammer in her hand and sneered coldly.

Xiao Heizi’s tail drooped; perhaps remembering the rabbit that jumped into the pot that day, or maybe intimidated by Tan Yun’s demeanor, his steps involuntarily retreated.

“Ao… woof.”

Xiao Heizi whimpered softly, then quickly ran towards a distant place.

“You come back here!”

Seeing Xiao Heizi escaping, Tan Yun couldn’t help but shout, “Did I say you could leave?”

Every time they went to the river dock to wash clothes, Xiao Heizi would obediently follow behind her. Today, however, he decided not to follow, and she couldn’t bear it.

She couldn’t stand Xiao Heizi licking her, and she couldn’t accept him not licking her either.

Xiao Heizi made a full loop along the corridor and went to the corner of the back yard, which was a narrow storeroom.

“Little rascal, let’s see where you can run now?”

Tan Yun quickly followed him, then licked her red lips, “You should know what happened to those rabbits, right?”

“Woof, woof, woof!”

Xiao Heizi barked furiously at a wooden door nearby.

“Hmm!?”

Tan Yun couldn’t help but look towards the wooden door next to her, her brows slightly furrowing. She had hardly ever been to this place, only hearing from An Jing that it was used for storing miscellaneous items and had not been used for a long time.

“These past few months, An Jing himself seems to have never entered this storeroom….”

Seeing Xiao Hei constantly barking at the storeroom, a trace of curiosity arose in Tan Yun’s mind.

What exactly was stored inside this storeroom?

At the moment, the wooden door was still locked, but the lock, weathered by wind and rain, was covered in rust.

Who was Tan Yun? She was the only disciple of Li Fuzhou, the Sect Master of the Demon Sect.

The Demon Sect specialized in investigation, theft, and tracking, and Tan Yun was extremely adept at these skills, very proficient even with rusty locks, not to mention new ones, which she could pick within ten breaths.

“What’s inside here?”

Thinking this, Tan Yun reached the wooden door and placed her palm on the rusty iron lock. Before she even began to pick it, the lock opened by itself.

The wooden door gradually opened, and the long-sealed darkness welcomed its first ray of light.

“Woof woof woof!”

Xiao Hei, like a tiger pouncing on its prey, dashed in with lightning speed.

Tan Yun also walked in.

The storeroom was small, but there didn’t seem to be many items stored therein.

Inside were all sorts of wooden boxes, miscellaneous items, chairs, and desks—everything that one might expect in a storage area, just as An Jing had mentioned.

“Awoo, woof!”

At that moment, Xiao Hei burrowed in further and then emerged shaking his tail, seemingly carrying something in his mouth.

“What is this….?”

Tan Yun saw this and revealed a touch of confusion.

What Xiao Hei was holding in his mouth was not something else but a black tight-fitting garment.

As a master of the Human Sect, Tan Yun was naturally familiar with such attire.

Night clothes!

Mainly used for moving unnoticed at night.

They had a wide range of uses, generally for conducting covert activities such as reconnaissance, theft, and more.

In Jianghu, many people kept a set of night clothes, ready to engage in disgraceful deeds at any moment.

“An Jing… he’s just a doctor, why would he have night clothes?”

Tan Yun’s adorable eyes widened, and she couldn’t help but mutter to herself.

An Jing was but an ordinary doctor, and his cultivation was merely at the Ninth Grade; what did he need night clothes for?

If Han Wenxin could handle ordinary fish and shrimp of Jianghu, then An Jing’s strength was at the bottom among those of Jianghu.

Xiao Hei barked once and continued burrowing inside, soon emerging with another piece of night clothing.

Seeing this, Tan Yun couldn’t sit still any longer. She moved a couple of boxes in front of her, and the scene behind those boxes made her gasp.

There were dozens of sets of night clothes!

“An Jing, he actually has so many night clothes, what on earth is he planning to do?”

Tan Yun’s heart filled with confusion and bewilderment.

An ordinary doctor hoarding so many night clothes, could it be some kind of peculiar fetish?

“Could it be… An Jing enjoys wearing night clothes….?”

Suddenly, as if realizing something, Tan Yun’s face turned red.

…….

Zhao Qingmei, like usual, woke up early, then sat in front of the dressing table to get ready, staring at the bronze mirror in front of her, her heart suddenly felt a bit empty.

These past three peaceful months, she had almost forgotten that she was still the Sect Hierarch of the Demon Sect.

She had completely fallen in love with this lifestyle, these peaceful days, and the person who awaited her every day.

Just one night without An Jing, and she started to feel worried and empty.

“Miss!”

In that moment, Tan Yun’s voice sounded from outside the door.

“Come in.”

Zhao Qingmei secured her silver hairpin then said,

Hearing this, Tan Yun slowly pushed the door open and hesitated momentarily before saying, “Miss, I’ve discovered something related to An Jing.”

I don’t know if Miss is aware of this matter but thought it’s better to report to you.

“What is it?” Zhao Qingmei, hearing it was related to An Jing, immediately furrowed her brows.

“In the storage room, I found some strange items.”

“What items?”

“Dark-clothed suits, dozens of them.”

“Oh? Take me to see them.”

Zhao Qingmei, hearing this, was also moved.

Dark clothes were only used by those who roamed Jianghu. Her husband was merely a common doctor, so why would he have so many dark suits? This was somewhat strange.

Afterward, Tan Yun led Zhao Qingmei into a storeroom.

“Miss, look, all these are…”

Tan Yun pointed at the dark clothes scattered on the ground.

Zhao Qingmei bent down and then picked up a suit of dark clothes to examine closely, her eyebrows slightly knitted.

She was all too familiar with An Jing’s size. These dark clothes were not much different from his size, the only difference being slightly smaller.

Tan Yun cautiously asked, “Miss, why do you think the master kept so many dark clothes?”

Normally, she wouldn’t inquire about everyday sect matters, but when it came to matters related to An Jing, Tan Yun was quite curious.

“I’m not too sure either.”

Zhao Qingmei shook her head.

The miss doesn’t know either?

Could these be the master’s personal secrets?

“Could it be…”

Upon hearing this, Tan Yun couldn’t help but think of something. In Jianghu, there were people everyone sought to punish — the Flower-thieves.

These Flower-thieves, because of their exceptional strength, often engaged in acts that violated stringent laws and morals by stealthily pursing lustful pleasures, tarnishing the chastity of women. Not to mention the common folk in the streets, even fellow Jianghu people viewed them with disdain.

Could the master have been a Flower-thief in the past?

At this thought, Tan Yun’s expression turned to disbelief; then she shook her head repeatedly, “The master is just a common doctor with no real strength. How could he possibly be a Flower-thief? That’s absolutely impossible.”

Zhao Qingmei’s brows furrowed tightly, her heart filled with confusion and perplexity.

An Jing had no trace of inner strength fluctuations on his body. Even if he had learned some basic martial arts, in the eyes of Jianghu people, his cultivation was only at the Ninth Grade, barely enough to handle ordinary folk who knew nothing of martial arts, let alone someone modestly skilled.

Since he had not learned martial arts, why did he keep all these dark clothes?

She had been with An Jing for so long, not once feeling any fluctuation of inner strength; unless An Jing was a Grandmaster, it was impossible to hide this from her.

Could it be…

Zhao Qingmei also thought of something, her cheeks blushing slightly.

Tan Yun continued to rummage through the boxes and cabinets, seemingly in search of other interesting items.

“Miss, look, there are also books. Oh…it seems to be a martial arts heart method…”

At that moment, she found a wooden box stuffed full of books.

“Rustle, rustle!”

Books tumbled out from within the box.

Tan Yun picked up a book, then stuttered, “Is this the Qing… Heart Technique?”

She didn’t recognize the middle character.

“That’s the Qingfu Heart Technique.”

Zhao Qingmei said solemnly.

Hearing this, Tan Yun’s eyes widened; “Qingfu Heart Technique? Could it be the heart method of the Qingfu Sect? But wasn’t the Qingfu Sect a sect from the time of the Nine Kingdoms, long destroyed?”

The Qingfu Sect, not considered a major sect, was just a minor one during the turmoil of the Nine Kingdoms. Its core heart method was the Xuanwu Level Qingfu Heart Technique.

Only with a heart method of Xuanwu Level could a martial arts practitioner elevate their cultivation to the First Grade, and the Qingfu Sect attracted many disciples with this Xuanwu Level Qingfu Heart Technique. However, under the conflicts of the Nine Kingdoms, even the top sects like the Lifeless Sect were destroyed, let alone this minor one.

A Xuanwu Level heart method wasn’t much in their eyes.

Zhao Qingmei practiced the Heavenly Martial Level Heavenly Demon Technique, and Tan Yun practiced the True Martial Level Earth Demon Technique, both their heart methods were higher than this Qingfu Heart Technique.

But for them, two experts from the Demon Sect, one even being the Sect leader, having such heart methods was normal.

This Qingfu Heart Technique was not appealing to them, but to ordinary Jianghu practitioners, this heart method was a treasure. If released into Jianghu, it could cause great strife and contention.

“Master has such a heart method and yet doesn’t cultivate it?” Tan Yun murmured, somewhat incredulously.

For those who practiced martial arts, such a martial arts heart method was comparable to a peerless beauty; was there really someone who could resist and remain unmoved?

If An Jing were here, he would earnestly tell Tan Yun that he really hadn’t practiced it, because the level of this Qingfu Heart Technique was too low.

Why did he come to possess this Qingfu Heart Technique? It was all due to his ‘Favorable Star Shining’ life chart and the guidance of the Earth Book.

Initially, An Jing followed the guidance of the Earth Book, seizing any opportunities that appeared nearby, but as his cultivation progressed, he found that red and yellow opportunities mostly no longer helped him, which led him to gradually cease his efforts.

Zhao Qingmei bent down, looking at the pile of books, “‘Spiritual Snake Palm,’ ‘Star-picking Hand,’ ‘Stepping Snow Traceless’….”

While these martial arts were ordinary in Zhao Qingmei’s eyes, they were considered first-rate in Jianghu, especially with so many gathered together — even an average noble house couldn’t present as much.

Even if sold, these martial arts, if offered to the gentry of Jiangnan Dao, would amount to a vast fortune.

But at that moment, all these martial arts were stored haphazardly in this wooden box, almost as if they were trash, truly baffling.

“Miss, why do you think the master doesn’t practice these martial arts?”

Tan Yun picked up the Star-picking Hand and looked at it twice before asking.

The preciousness of these martial arts could no longer be described in terms of silver coins.

“I don’t know either.”

Zhao Qingmei’s brow furrowed, and at that moment, she sensed that An Jing might still have some secrets he hadn’t told her.

“What martial arts is this?”

Suddenly, Tan Yun picked up a book and spoke in a somewhat strange manner.

“Diary?”

Zhao Qingmei took the book and gently mumbled the words on it.

“What is ‘Diary’?” Tan Yun asked.

“It probably isn’t a martial art, open it and see.”

Zhao Qingmei said and gently flipped through the book called Diary.

…….

The sun was just rising, and the Earth was greeted with new vitality.

In the early and icy cold morning, beads of sweat covered An Jing’s forehead and his clothes were soaking wet.

“Hoo!”

As the last silver needle was slowly pulled out from the elder, An Jing couldn’t help but exhale deeply.

“Brother An, it’s over.”

Han Wenxin walked over with a bowl of water and smiled, “You should also rest a bit.”

Throughout the night, dozens of patients in Baima Town had been treated successfully, and now most of the people had returned home to rest.

As for those bodies that had been infected with corpse qi, Han Wenxin had also burned them to ashes overnight.

“Hmm, send someone to Jishi Hall to fetch some herbs, then boil them for the people in the town to drink. As for what herbs, I will write it on paper later.”

An Jing took the large bowl and drank all the water inside it.

“Alright,” Han Wenxin nodded.

“The old man, on behalf of hundreds of households in Baima Town, expresses gratitude to Doctor An.”

At this moment, the elder also opened his eyes, extremely moved, and immediately bowed to An Jing in gratitude.

This night had been full of ups and downs. If it weren’t for Han Wenxin and An Jing’s appearance, Baima Town might now be in ruins, and the hundreds of families could have been reduced to ashes like Baima Town.

For the Bai family of Baima Town, the two men before them undoubtedly had immense grace.

“You are too kind.”

An Jing helped the elder up, “Saving lives and helping the injured is the duty of a doctor; such kneeling is not suitable.”

“Absolutely, this is what we ought to do,” Han Wenxin coughed twice and stated seriously.

“The two of you are truly patriots of the nation.”

The elder quickly said, “Doctor An and Lord Han have not rested well all night, the elderly here will lead you to rest.”

“That would be appreciated.”

Han Wenxin did not refuse.

He had spent the first half of the night burning bodies, and the latter half taking care of the people of Baima Town without a wink of sleep.

“That would be good.”

An Jing wasn’t tired, but was rather curious about this corpse qi.

This contagion of corpse qi seemed to have originated from Chen Er, who had been infected upon hunting at Baima Mountain. This meant that there must be a source of corpse qi on Baima Mountain.

If this corpse qi was not eliminated, surely others like Chen Er might inadvertently enter and cause trouble.

Moreover, An Jing was also full of curiosity about the formation of this qi mechanism.

Subsequently, the elder arranged for An Jing, Han Wenxin, and two constables to stay at his home.

An Jing and Han Wenxin shared a room.

“Brother An, are you uncomfortable without your younger sister by your side?”

Han Wenxin chuckled.

“Do you think I am like you?”

An Jing picked up a lamp and said indifferently, “Thinking every day of giving injections to others?”

“Giving injections?”

Han Wenxin was puzzled, pondered for a moment, then angrily retorted, “You are talking nonsense, confusing and deceiving, slandering…”

“Besides, one has to rest occasionally to avoid addiction.”

An Jing placed the small medicine box by the bed, then touched his lower back.

This night had been much easier than before, he was not only not tired but felt incredibly relaxed.

Hearing An Jing’s words, Han Wenxin suddenly felt a twinge of jealousy, as he had planned to enjoy music and relax that evening, but now he had neither the silver nor the leisure to do so.

“Sleep, sleep.”

As Han Wenxin’s fury grew, he suddenly threw off the covers, covered his head, and fell onto the bed, beginning to snore loudly.

“Sleep, sleep, you’ll have everything in your dreams.”

An Jing walked to the desk, first using a lamp to burn, then wiping his silver needle with strong alcohol before burning it again.

A moment later, An Jing had sterilized all his silver needles, when suddenly, a thunderous snoring sound echoed by his ear.

Becoming a treasure overnight in the same room, admired for life by those who share the bed.

“This snoring sound…”

An Jing clicked his tongue.

It was hard to imagine who would be so unfortunate as to rest night after night amidst this tempest.

After putting away all the silver needles, An Jing picked up his small medicine box, changed his clothes, and drew out a soft sword from a compartment, then prepared to head out to explore the mountains of Baima.

….

When Shui Zhongyue saw An Jing and Han Wenxin step into the room, he also let out a slight sigh of relief.

Although he was a peak Second Grade expert, he was by no means made of iron, especially protecting and tracking was mentally draining, requiring constant alertness.

“Swoosh!” “Swoosh!”

Just as Shui Zhongyue briefly opened and closed his eyes, a figure leaped out from the house.

It was An Jing.

“This Shui Zhongyue really is a competent henchman; it would be great if he could work for me.”

As An Jing vaulted into the air, he couldn’t help but admire Shui Zhongyue’s determination.

He himself hadn’t slept all night, neither had he, and even when he slept, Shui Zhongyue still secretly watched over him.

Apparently, once outside Li Fuzhou’s line of sight, Shui Zhongyue would be all-encompassing in his surveillance and tracking of him, the Demon Sect’s capability to become a towering giant in the Great Yan Martial World was indeed not without reason.

Such a henchman is really handy, I want one too.

With a sigh, An Jing’s body moved like a breeze, instantly rushing toward Baima Mountain.

It was now autumn, and most of the trees had withered, leaving the mountain full of bare branches and a ground covered with dry leaves, giving it a desolate and arid look.

A ray of morning sunlight shed warmth and pleasantness.

An Jing vaulted onto the branches, scanning the surroundings with his eyes.

Entering into the forest, he had experience, and since he had often come to Baima Mountain to gather herbs before, he could be said to be very familiar with the surrounding area.

However, when he used to go up the mountain to collect herbs, he hadn’t noticed anything unusual or sensed the presence of corpse qi, suggesting that this must have emerged recently.

The early morning in Baima Mountain was completely silent, An Jing followed the traces of the hunter’s movements, hoping to find some clues.

Baima Mountain wasn’t large, and with most branches and leaves fallen in autumn, standing at the top of a withered tree allowed for a full view of the surroundings, which made searching considerably easier.

But An Jing had already searched Baima Mountain twice to no avail, finding only some traces of hunters and wild animals, without discovering anything unusual.

“Hmm? Could it be on the cliff?”

An Jing thought to himself.

Herbs were hard to find, especially precious ones that grew in remote areas like cliffs, where ordinary people would not venture, but in recent years after An Jing bought herbs from hunters, they too began to notice the herbs on Baima Mountain, making it possible that they searched the cliffs as well.

Thinking this, An Jing quickly headed towards the cliff.

Soon, he arrived at the cliff of Baima Mountain.

Below the cliffhead, bizarre rocks jutted out starkly, the crevices hosting some withered wild grasses.

An Jing looked downwards.

Just then, he suddenly noticed what appeared to be a dark cave below, its depths unclear.

“Could it be there?”

An Jing’s heart stirred, and he descended to the entrance of the cave.

“Rustle rustle!” “Rustle rustle!”

Just at that moment, a large flock of birds, as if startled, flew out from the cave.

An Jing quickly leapt to avoid the birds and then looked closely, noticing that most of them were crows, among which were a few black pigeons.

“This is odd.”

Seeing this, his mind stirred.

The dome of the cave was very high, almost ten meters.

Just then, the Earth Book in his mind blossomed with several rays of light, even more numerous and of a higher grade than those he had seen on Three Temple Mountain.

“Tip Three: There is an unknown blue fortune within the cave.”

“Tip Four: There is an unknown blue fortune within the cave.”

“Tip Five: There is an unknown green fortune within the cave.”

“Tip Six: There is a black fortune within the cave.”

…….