After settling the matter, the group followed the young man riding the ox along a narrow mountain path.
Old Ghost Redfire had originally planned to fly up the mountain on his sword, but Song Changsheng stopped him. After all, they were going to visit a master craftsman; rushing in like that would be far too disrespectful.
Along the way, Song Changsheng looked at the boy and smiled, "Little Daoist friend, may I ask your name?"
The boy looked surprised and flattered. Though he was Master Lu's disciple, this was the first time a Foundation Establishment cultivator had spoken to him so courteously.
He quickly cupped his hands and responded, "Replying to Senior Song, this junior's name is Li Anmin."
"Fellow Daoist Li," Song Changsheng said kindly, "could you tell me more about your junior sister's condition? It's best if I'm prepared in advance."
Song Changsheng had some confidence in his ability to treat injuries after all; he had healed even the grave wounds of Old Ghost Redfire and Xia Qingxue.
But given Master Lu's status, for him to be completely at a loss likely meant that his daughter's condition was anything but ordinary. It was wise to get a clear understanding first and prepare mentally.
Li Anmin quickly nodded. "Of course.
My junior sister is our master's only daughter. She's just fourteen this year, clever, sweet, and dearly beloved by the old master. When her spiritual roots were discovered six years ago, he practically treated her like a precious gem, afraid even to breathe too close.
But a year ago, when Master and I weren't paying attention, she stole a token, activated the formation, and ran down the mountain. Master was frantic. He went looking for her and finally found her by the riverbank.
After bringing her back, she has remained unconscious until now. During this time, Master invited every renowned alchemist and healer from the surrounding regions. They tried everything, every pill, every method, but none of it worked.
Eventually, Master even issued a bounty: anyone who could cure his daughter would receive a personally crafted tier-two high-grade flying boat as a reward.
That attracted quite a few experts. One of them was even a tier-three low-grade healer, but even he couldn't do anything…"
At this point, Li Anmin sighed, his eyes dimming.
Song Qingxi, who had been cradling little Lingyun in her arms all this time, couldn't help but ask, "What kind of injury did Miss Lu suffer to leave so many people helpless?"
Li Anmin's eyes flickered with confusion as he said, "No one knows for sure. When she was found, she was lying in a pool of blood.
Though her injuries were severe, with Master's tireless care, her body eventually recovered. But for some reason… she just wouldn't wake up.
That tier-three healer said that her body is fine now, just a little weak from blood loss…"
Li Anmin didn't say more, but Song Changsheng understood. This girl's condition wasn't that simple.
If it were truly just weakness from blood loss, and even all those renowned alchemists couldn't fix it, then they might as well give up cultivation and start selling grilled skewers instead.
"Looks like this trip won't be easy," Song Changsheng thought to himself.
Although he was quite confident in the secret techniques he had derived from the Daoist Sutras, most of his experience was in treating external injuries. A bizarre case like Miss Lu's was something he had only encountered once on Xia Qingxue.
Xia Qingxue's situation stemmed from her unique physique, which triggered a self-protection mechanism that sent her soul into dormancy. Rare, but well-documented.
Even someone like Song Changsheng, who wasn't a specialist, could find clues about it in ancient texts. There was no reason why real healers and alchemists wouldn't be able to recognize such a case.
So it was safe to rule that out.
"Well, regardless, I have to try." Song Changsheng set his thoughts aside and continued silently up the mountain path.
Under Li Anmin's guidance, they reached the summit of Artisan's Peak, where a sprawling courtyard stood. The surrounding area was planted full of lush Clarity Grass, filling the air with a fragrance that calmed the mind.
"Senior Song, this is my master's cultivation abode. Please wait here a moment while I announce your arrival."
Li Anmin cupped his hands respectfully, then walked to the gate. His lips moved soundlessly, as though reciting a silent spell.
Moments later, the tightly closed gate creaked open.
Out stepped an elderly man with disheveled hair, bloodshot eyes, and a haggard expression. His face clearly said "keep away," and his gaze skipped right past Li Anmin, landing sharply on Song Changsheng.
In a hoarse voice, he said, "You're Song Changsheng?"
In the cultivation world, addressing someone by their full name was considered extremely rude. But Lu Tianchou didn't care, not even when facing someone with a fearsome reputation like Song Changsheng.
Unbothered, Song Changsheng cupped his hands and replied, "I am."
"You think you can heal my daughter?" Lu Tianchou's gaze turned piercing.
"I'll have to see her first before I can say," Song Changsheng replied evenly. He might not be sure deep down, but he couldn't afford to show weakness now.
"You may have a bit of a name, but I've never heard of you being able to heal injuries. Are you a healer?"
"No," Song Changsheng admitted honestly, shaking his head.
"An alchemist then?"
"No."
With two blunt rejections in a row, Lu Tianchou's expression darkened. He turned angrily to Li Anmin and snapped, "This is who you brought me? Have you lost your mind?!"
Li Anmin broke into a cold sweat. He kept his head down, not daring to argue in the slightest. He had believed in Song Changsheng's confidence and didn't think to press further. Who would've guessed it would end like this?
A deep sense of grievance welled up inside him.
Song Changsheng couldn't bear it anymore. He frowned and said,
"Master Lu, I've come to understand your daughter's condition; it's no longer something conventional methods can solve. Rather than sitting here helpless, why not let me give it a try?"
What he meant was essentially "treat the dead horse as if it were alive," but he knew better than to say it outright. If he had, Lu Tianchou might have flipped the table on the spot.
Lu Tianchou's expression shifted unpredictably before he finally said coldly,
"Hmph. Very well, I'll give you a chance. If you can cure her, I'll reward you handsomely."
As he spoke, he stepped aside to make way.
That's the power of skill and reputation. If it were anyone else, Old Ghost Redfire might've already beaten them so badly even their grandmother wouldn't recognize them.
Song Changsheng turned to his group and asked,
"Are you all coming in with me?"
Song Qingxing said nothing, simply holding his sword and walking off to the side.
Song Qingxi looked down at the little Lingyun in her arms and pulled a face, "We'll stay out here."
"Alright. Redfire, you stay out here, too. Don't cause any trouble."
Song Changsheng shot him a warning glance. This guy used to run with the underworld, and who knows what kind of mess he might stir up.
As he stepped into the courtyard, Song Changsheng took a breath and immediately frowned. The air was thick with the pungent scent of medicine. In a secluded corner, piles of used herbs had accumulated.
"This isn't looking good," he thought.
Lu Tianchou turned to the uneasy Li Anmin and barked,
"You brought him. You take him."
He was in no mood for pleasantries. Li Anmin gave a meek nod, visibly afraid of him.
Honestly, with a temper like Lu Tianchou's, not being scared would be the strange part.
"Senior Song, this way, please."
Following behind Li Anmin, Song Changsheng entered a tall pavilion. The interior was different from the outside, elegant and refined.
But the medicinal smell was even stronger here, nearly suffocating.
Pulling aside a semi-transparent curtain revealed a white jade bed made from warm jade.
On it lay a delicate and beautiful girl.
She lay silently, wrapped in a luxurious silkworm-spun blanket. Her face was pale as paper, completely devoid of color. Her brows were furrowed, as if enduring great pain even in her sleep.
Li Anmin's face showed a trace of sorrow as he said,
"This is my junior sister, Lu Yuxiu."
"Let me take a look at her first," Song Changsheng said gently.
"Many thanks, Senior," Li Anmin replied, bowing deeply.
Song Changsheng sat by the bed and placed his fingers on her wrist.
It looked like he was checking her pulse, but in reality, he was using his spiritual sense to probe her condition.
His spiritual sense traveled through her meridians. Everything appeared normal, just weakness and fatigue, nothing else.
"Could it be some sort of curse or parasite?"
Having just dealt with Feng Wuming, Song Changsheng had gained a deeper understanding of Gu techniques and the strange methods used by insect masters. If someone had cursed her with a Gu parasite, and the caster was skilled enough, then it was no surprise that ordinary methods failed to detect it.
With that thought, Song Changsheng closed his eyes. When he opened them again, a strange, mystical symbol had appeared in his pupils.
With the aid of his "True Sight Eye", Song Changsheng gazed at Lu Yuxiu.
Over the years, his control over this technique had improved significantly thanks to both experience and cultivation. In the past, all he could see were blurry auras, faint colored glows without detail.
But now, he could make out faint, dim lines running through her body, like streams slowly flowing through her.
These were the traces of spiritual energy within Lu Yuxiu's meridians, much weaker than what even a basic Qi Cultivator should have.
He turned his gaze toward her lower dantian and found it equally dim. That didn't make sense. Sure, she hadn't cultivated in years, but Master Lu had surely given her potent medicinal elixirs, each one packed with spiritual energy.
Even if most of that energy was wasted, a small portion should've been absorbed and converted.
"So where did all that spiritual energy go?"
Song Changsheng frowned. Her dantian and meridians were perfectly intact; there was no reason for her to be this empty.
He thought for a moment, then gently gripped her slender wrist and began slowly channeling his spiritual power into her body.
The moment the energy entered her…
A powerful suction force suddenly burst from Lu Yuxiu's body, and Song Changsheng's eyes widened in shock.
His spiritual energy was being drained at an alarming rate.
Within moments, he felt like he was about to be sucked dry. Frightened, he immediately let go of her wrist and staggered back several steps, his face pale and filled with disbelief.
Li Anmin, standing to the side, hadn't seen what happened. But seeing the change in Song Changsheng's expression, his heart sank.
"Senior Song, did you discover something?" he asked nervously.
Song Changsheng turned toward him, his expression grave and his voice stern:
"Let me ask you, has anyone ever said she absorbs spiritual energy?"
Li Anmin was completely stunned by the question and instinctively shook his head.
Song Changsheng's expression softened slightly as he said,
"Place your hand on her wrist and try transferring some of your spiritual energy into her."
Something in his tone made Li Anmin uneasy, but for the sake of his junior sister, he didn't hesitate. He followed Song Changsheng's instructions without question.
This time, nothing unusual happened. From Song Changsheng's perspective, the spiritual energy Li Anmin transferred into Lu Yuxiu's body lingered peacefully in her meridians without vanishing.
Seeing the stark contrast, Song Changsheng frowned, then reached out to place his fingers on her wrist again.
Sure enough, that now-familiar suction force instantly returned fiercely devouring his spiritual energy.
Startled, Song Changsheng quickly pulled his hand back.
"Li Anmin wasn't lying. This never happened before. But why is it happening now, and only to me? Could there be something unique about my energy?"
He thought for a moment, then suddenly remembered something unusual about himself: his spiritual energy had changed after consuming the Law Fruit, gaining attributes of the Law of Life. It carried powerful restorative properties.
"Life… Could it be that what she's absorbing isn't just spiritual energy but life force itself?"
Song Changsheng slapped his palm in realization, a spark of clarity lighting up in his mind.
He turned to the still-bewildered Li Anmin and asked,
"Do you have any spiritual items rich in life energy?"
Li Anmin looked embarrassed.
"Senior, could you be a little more specific?"
"Go ask your master. He'll understand what I mean. Quickly."
"Oh! Right!"
Suddenly enlightened, Li Anmin dashed off.
In no time at all, he returned holding a jade box.
"Senior Song, this is what you asked for."
Song Changsheng accepted it casually, but from the corner of his eye, he keenly noticed that Lu Tianchou had quietly approached the doorway. He was staring unblinkingly at the scene, his face tense with both hope and anxiety.
"A parent's heart… truly, nothing compares."
Song Changsheng sighed inwardly.
He opened the box and was immediately struck by the sight inside: a Tier-3, Low-Grade Skyblue Snow Lotus.
This rare spiritual herb was rich in life essence, a top-tier healing treasure with tremendous value.
It was extravagant to use something like this just for a test, but if Lu Tianchou didn't mind, Song Changsheng certainly wasn't going to object.
He picked up the snow lotus. As spiritual energy flowed through it, the herb instantly crumbled into a pale green liquid, brimming with life force so intense it almost radiated from the air itself.
He gently pried open Lu Yuxiu's mouth and fed her the liquid.
Lu Tianchou instinctively wanted to stop him. After all, a Tier-3 herb held immense power. Lu Yuxiu was only in the early stages of Qi Refining and might not be able to withstand it.
But in the end, he restrained himself and just watched, eyes fixed and unmoving.
Once the juice entered her body, Song Changsheng could see a stream of vibrant green energy surging into her.
Moments later, it was as though some hidden force had suddenly activated, drawing the energy straight toward Lu Yuxiu's dantian like water rushing into a bottomless abyss.
It vanished completely in less than fifteen minutes.
And then something strange happened.
A mysterious light flickered inside her dantian.
At that moment, Song Changsheng's eyes lit up.
"So there is something unusual going on!"
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