Repaying debts is a matter of basic integrity.
Song Qing Shi is particularly averse to being in debt, especially a life-saving debt. He earnestly tries to explain to the older man, who seems to be a senior relative of Song Jin Cheng, that he is trustworthy and would never default on medical fees. Whether it's through alchemy, adventuring, working a job, or setting up a stall, he will earn money to repay his debt!
Not eloquent in speech, he stammers his way through the explanation…
Mr. Yue's demeanor turns increasingly somber; one can feel his displeasure even through his mask.
Song Qing Shi becomes more anxious. Top-grade spirit stones are incredibly valuable currency. For a regular Qi Cultivation practitioner without exceptional opportunities or skills, earning a few dozen a year would be the limit. Song Jin Cheng is an inexperienced rich young master, and so he could afford to use an expensive elixir worth 800 spirit stones. Now, an elder has confronted him, treating him like a scam artist—what should he do?
He recalls that there are no legal protections in the cultivation world; fraudsters could be beaten to death without any recourse.
"Don't panic," Song Jin Cheng, although petrified of his elder, speaks out in defense of the anxious Song Qing Shi. "The Valley of the Medicine King would not kill someone over unpaid medical fees, and the medicine was mine. No one will hold you responsible for the medical expenses. My elder didn't come for you; he came for me..."
Mr. Yue finally turns to give this underachieving student a look: "Explain."
"I encountered this young man at Min Mountain. It was raining, and he was severely injured," Song Jin Cheng knows he can't escape punishment but tries to lighten it by demonstrating his compassion and medical skills. "I accurately diagnosed his condition and used a treasured Eight Treasures Heart-Protecting Pill to save his life. Because his injuries were serious, I stayed here to care for him. Elder, I only failed an exam and took a walk to clear my mind. I didn't run away from school!"
Failing an exam, taking one's belongings and savings, and going for a "walk" for days without sending any messages? Do you take the elders for fools?
Honesty will be rewarded with leniency; resistance will result in severity—lying will only worsen the punishment.
From the moment he heard the words "young man," Mr. Yue's aura sank further, tinged with a rising fury that seemed ready to explode.
Clueless, Song Jin Cheng continues to struggle: "Elder, I was wrong."
Song Qing Shi watches his desperate attempts at pleading for mercy and feels a sense of pity. Trying to divert the subject, he asks: "Jin Cheng, who is this person…?"
Realizing he hadn't introduced his elder, Song Jin Cheng hurriedly lavished praise on Mr. Yue, tactfully omitting his elder's peculiar fondness for raising lab mice. He described Mr. Yue as a venerable figure of great moral standing and benevolence, widely respected in the Valley of the Medicine King, hoping his flattery would earn him some leniency.
Whether it's modern medical professors or legendary pharmacologists in the cultivation world, they are all figures to be looked up to.
The more Song Qing Shi listened, the more respectful he became, adopting the posture of a junior in the presence of a senior.
Unable to tolerate any more, Mr. Yue admonished Song Jin Cheng: "Silence!"
He feared that if he continued listening, he'd lose his temper and butcher Qing Luan's junior, who he'd promised to care for, hanging the remains at the peak of Immortality.
Song Jin Cheng had no idea what he'd said wrong and closed his mouth, feeling aggrieved.
Noticing Song Qing Shi attempting to get out of bed to bow, Mr. Yue disregarded the fool, briskly stepping forward to steady him. Halting the chaotic motion, he took a deep breath and softly said, "There's no need for formalities; let me assess your injuries."
Song Qing Shi found Mr. Yue's voice captivatingly elegant, imbued with an indescribable allure that tickled his heart. It seemed familiar, yet he couldn't quite place it.
Seeing him lost in thought, Mr. Yue smiled and took the liberty of examining him with his spiritual sense.
Although prepared, Mr. Yue was still heartbroken to see Song Qing Shi's empty Dantian, missing Primordial Spirit, and multiple bone fractures, not to mention numerous injuries. He yearned to dismember Heaven and the System, the true culprits, into thousands of pieces.
The only consolation was that Song Qing Shi's body remained the same, his aptitude and inner dual fires intact. In the future, various methods could be used to restore his cultivation.
Song Qing Shi's treatment methods were impeccable but lacked the necessary medicines. Recovery would be slow, requiring him to endure many days of suffering.
Mr. Yue took out a small porcelain bottle from his sachet, poured out a pill, and placed it into Song Qing Shi's unsuspecting mouth. Before he could react, the pill melted between his lips and tongue and slid down his throat. It was a Ten-Turn Golden Marrow Spirit Pill, the best for treating physical injuries, capable of resuscitating even those at death's door.
Though he could concoct such a pill, it required the Core of a Golden Crow, a rare and ferocious spiritual beast, alongside a complex alchemy process taking several days.
The price for a Golden Crow's Core alone at auctions would be over ten thousand spirit stones, not to mention the supplementary materials costing thousands more. Plus labor costs—so, he just swallowed twenty thousand spirit stones' worth for injuries that would naturally heal over a few days?
His physical injuries started to heal, confirming the Ten-Turn Golden Marrow Spirit Pill's genuine potency.
Realizing his debt had surged by more than twenty thousand, Song Qing Shi was dumbstruck. Clinging to Mr. Yue's sleeve, he stuttered, "I'm really poor right now, it will take time to earn the spirit stones..."
Nine-Turn Blood Lotus Pills, Myriad Spirit Marrow, and numerous other elixirs—weren't they all more valuable than this little pill?
When he had sacrificed for himself in the past, had he ever hesitated?
"Don't worry, all of this is yours," Mr. Yue looked at Song Qing Shi's fearful expression and wanted to smile but couldn't. His heart was filled with bitterness. This man had once had everything but had given it all to him, leaving nothing behind when he departed. Concealing his sorrow, he softly added, "Whatever you desire, I will provide."
A hundredfold, a thousandfold, ten thousandfold—I will give it to you.
"You've been so kind to me. Do we know each other?" Song Qing Shi felt an aura of familiarity once again. Suspecting that the man before him might be the one who had given him spending money, he considered his recent conversations with Song Jin Cheng and ruled out the possibility of a biological father or relative. Taking a bold guess, he asked, "Are you my godfather?"
Mr. Yue: "???"
Song Jin Cheng's eyes widened in shock, "Elder Uncle, is he your godson?"
He had been surreptitiously observing and sensed something amiss. His elder uncle rarely showed warmth to anyone, yet now he seemed remarkably solicitous towards this young man. This, along with the freely dispensed money and medicine, made him wonder if his elder uncle had come here not to apprehend him, but to find a long-lost godson.
Saving the godson of his elder uncle would likely lessen his own impending punishment and spare his hair, right?
Song Jin Cheng felt a renewed hope for survival.
Mr. Yue turned again to give him a cold glance. He quickly assessed the situation and felt an increasing urge to execute this fool. However, Song Qing Shi's cultivation was only at the Foundation Establishment level, inadequate to control the sprawling empire that was the Valley of the Medicine King. Declaring the end of his seclusion would bring unnecessary risks. It would be best to wait until Song Qing Shi advanced to the Nascent Soul stage before returning control of the Valley.
Mr. Yue also wished to avoid reminding Song Qing Shi of anything related to Yue Wu Huan. Therefore, he planned to find alternative justifications for his generous gifts, which included spirit stones, medicinal herbs, magical treasures, and even Immortal Peak itself.
The term "godfather" was slightly provocative; he preferred it to be used casually in moments of levity, not as a serious familial term.
Fortunately, this was just an incarnation that could be discarded at any time.
Used and then conveniently disposed of when the time was right.
After much contemplation, Mr. Yue still found himself uncomfortable but decided not to chastise this fool in front of Song Qing Shi. Donning black gloves, he walked over, grabbed Song Jin Cheng by the collar, and hurled him out of the window. He commanded, "Go to the East Market's pharmacy and purchase two pounds each of tiger bone, Dan grass, and Green Spider pills! Also, buy three Fire Talismans from the West Market's rune shop! Collect five pounds of Jun Xin Spring water from Min Mountain and four ounces of lotus stamens from Mo Ming Lake. Now go!"
Song Jin Cheng found himself flung unceremoniously to the ground, grimy and in pain. Hearing the orders and noticing the late hour, he hurriedly scrambled to his feet and sprinted off to complete the tasks, fearing further penalties for tardiness.
With the noisy fellow gone, tranquility finally returned.
Mr. Yue looked into Song Qing Shi's eyes, brimming with a childlike reverence that evoked an emotional turmoil he hadn't felt for millennia. He quickly weighed his options and clarified, "No need for formalities. We're old acquaintances, not familial elders."
Song Qing Shi seemed puzzled, "A transcendent friendship?"
"Even deeper than that," Mr. Yue sighed, finding this term preferable to any muddled familial relationship. He then asked, "Qing Shi, are you experiencing any issues with your memory?"
Eager to climb the proverbial ladder, Song Qing Shi responded, "It seems I've forgotten a lot, including how we met. Could you enlighten me?"
"I'm sorry, I've been in seclusion at the Valley of the Medicine King for years and can't be certain what has transpired with you. You've just consumed a Ten-Turn Golden Marrow Spirit Pill, which might cloud your mind as it takes effect. It's best to rest." Mr. Yue apologetically smiled, lit a Sweet Dream incense stick, and casually inquired, "Can you tell me what you've forgotten?"
The Sweet Dream incense was a harmless, calming agent. Song Qing Shi sensed that Mr. Yue had modified the original formula, making him feel drowsy and foggy. He sleepily recounted the conclusions he'd drawn recently, omitting any mention of time travel and the system.
He spoke a lot, for a long time, until he lost track of what he was saying.
In a daze, he heard Mr. Yue whispering in his ear. The voice was so soft it felt like a dream: "Do you have a new mission?"
As if under hypnosis, Song Qing Shi responded truthfully: "Yes."
It seemed as if Mr. Yue had asked about the nature of the mission, but even Song Qing Shi was unclear about it. He pondered carefully for a long time for an answer...
But before he could respond, he lost consciousness and fell into a deep sleep.
Seeing him asleep, Mr. Yue removed his silver mask, revealing a beautiful face. He leaned in, gently caressing the face he had yearned for. As much as he wanted to cradle it, he feared causing harm. He was reluctant to use any harmful substances or techniques on him, so he settled for gathering some truths through a basic dream hypnosis.
Although Song Qing Shi was reluctant to disclose details, it was already enough...
The answer was within Mr. Yue's expectations.
Gently parting Song Qing Shi's clothes to inspect his injuries, Mr. Yue discovered a familiar, not fully faded, love mark near his chest. Song Qing Shi's skin was sensitive in moments of intimacy; he couldn't resist leaving distinct marks that would take several days to fade.
The faint love marks on him were in the exact spots as they were the night he had left him.
He had not gone on any redemption missions for others, nor had he taken a liking to anyone else.
He hadn't been tormented by three thousand years of yearning; he had returned to this world soon after disappearing...
A tear fell onto the faint love mark.
It was hard to say whether the feeling was one of joy or sorrow.
He had waited for far too long, so long that he couldn't articulate the depth and complexity of his emotions.
"I hate you," he murmured, leaning down to kiss the lips he'd longed for, savoring the sweet taste, repeating over and over, "I hate you, I hate you…"
He lifted his head, his face already stained with tear marks.
"But, you're back. And for that, I forgive everything."