Chapter Forty-Nine: The Great Plague of Jiangzhou and the Marvels of Heavenly Craft

Under Linghuzi’s somewhat uneasy gaze, Lin You received the gourd seed from his hand.

The moment it touched his palm, he felt a sudden heaviness. Its shrunken silver-white shell glimmered with a metallic luster beneath the moonlight. As soon as Lin You’s hand made contact, he even sensed a trace of coldness seeping in. Were it not for the nearly imperceptible hint of vitality within, one might well believe it was cast from pure metal.

Lin You reached out with his mind to commune with the little jade tree, hoping to learn the seed’s origins. Yet the tree showed little interest; clearly, this object, devoid of any trace of spiritual essence, held no appeal for it. Instead, the Sword Dao Seed nestled among its branches trembled slightly in response, as if faintly sensing something, but the reaction was not pronounced.

Lin You pondered this with mild intrigue. This situation was curious indeed. Regardless of whether this gourd seed was truly the spiritual seed the old Daoist claimed, it was certainly no ordinary item, and well worth the exchange.

After all, refining Nourishing Essence Pills was not particularly challenging for him at present.

Having considered this, Lin You said to Linghuzi, “Fellow Daoist, I am willing to exchange a bottle of Nourishing Essence Pills for your spiritual seed. What do you think?”

This was also, in a sense, compensation for the old Daoist. After all, the jade cup the man had presented earlier was no ordinary object—if it could stir the little tree, it must contain some spiritual essence worth absorbing.

Linghuzi, having received the bottle of pills from Lin You, was momentarily stunned, an odd sense of unreality rising in his heart. He had not held out much hope for the trade, thinking that even a single pill would have been a windfall. He had not expected Lin You to be so generous, offering a whole bottle at once!

He stammered, “Isn’t this too much, fellow Daoist?”

Lin You smiled. “A willing buyer meets a willing seller—fair exchange, nothing more. There’s no need for courtesy.”

“Well then! I accept your kindness. If you ever need my help in the future, just say the word! I will do my utmost!” Linghuzi bowed deeply to Lin You.

Lin You rose and returned the gesture. Although precious, the pills meant little to someone who now possessed his own spiritual land. On the contrary, these items others deemed useless in an age bereft of spiritual energy still held considerable value for him.

Thus, both sides were well pleased with the trade.

They then turned their attention to the only woman present, Fu Nishang.

Fu Nishang rose and bowed to Lin You. “Might I ask, Fellow Daoist Yuchen, whether you can refine some pills to dispel plague and cure disease?”

At her question, Lin You considered for a moment. “Plagues come in many forms, and remedies must be tailored to the illness. Is the plague you speak of a cold poison or a heat poison?”

Fu Nishang frowned. “After my father and brother returned from business in Jiangzhou, they fell ill. Though we summoned renowned physicians, none could cure them. According to the doctors, this plague is unheard of and difficult to classify.”

Chiyunzi, standing by, listened thoughtfully and asked, “Do your father and brother display symptoms of listlessness, emaciation, and bluish-purple lips, as though poisoned?”

Fu Nishang nodded quickly. “Exactly! How did you know?”

Chiyunzi sighed. “I passed through Jiangzhou not long ago and found the region suffering from a drought three months long. Now, plague runs rampant. Those infected show the same symptoms as your family.”

A heaviness settled over the group at his words. What had the common folk done to deserve such suffering? In a year of calamity, how much harder it was with plague compounding the misery.

By the way, Fellow Daoist Yuchen,” Chiyunzi said, slapping his forehead, “something just came to mind as I heard Fu Nishang speak. I should warn you: On my way here, I saw thousands of refugees from Jiangzhou heading toward Jinhua Prefecture, some already infected. If you encounter them, take care!”

Lin You’s brow furrowed. The land of Jinzhou was usually blessed with favorable weather—he had not expected conditions in neighboring regions to be so dire.

He thanked Chiyunzi. “Thank you, Fellow Daoist, for the warning.”

“It’s a small matter, not worth mentioning,” Chiyunzi replied, waving a hand.

Then Lin You turned to Bai Yi at his side. “Fellow Daoist Bai, would you please fetch three apricots from the valley for Fu Nishang?”

“At once!” Bai Yi replied, rising and leaving promptly.

The others were surprised—this white fox could speak! Was it truly a spirit beast? Who was this Fellow Daoist Yuchen to command such a creature?

While they marveled, Bai Yi soon returned, bearing three apricots. Lin You thanked her, then handed the fruits to Fu Nishang.

“Fellow Daoist Fu, these spirit fruits can neutralize all manner of plague. You may take them home and try them. Their stones can also be planted at your residence to ward off pestilence.”

Fu Nishang was astonished. She had not realized the fruit she had just eaten was so miraculous! Her heart was filled with both regret and gratitude.

She hurriedly expressed her thanks. “Thank you, Fellow Daoist. In return, I offer you a Daoist technique.”

She produced a scroll and handed it to Lin You. He saw that it was an ancient text, the title “Heavenly Craft” inscribed on the cover. To bear such a name, this art must be remarkable—he wondered what it could do.

Seeing Lin You’s momentary daze, Fu Nishang thought he might be dissatisfied. She quickly explained, “Fellow Daoist Yuchen, this is the legacy of Master Gongye from six centuries ago. It is said to imbue wood with spirit, and rivals Fellow Daoist Jiang’s paper-crafting art. If you are not content, I can offer additional compensation.”

Lin You shook his head and smiled. “It is not dissatisfaction, but rather I feel you’re giving too much, Fellow Daoist.”

Fu Nishang sighed in relief. “Your spirit fruit can save my family—what is one Daoist art in comparison? As long as you accept it, I am grateful and will find a way to repay you in the future.”

Now that she had the spirit fruit, a weight was lifted from her heart. She stood, apologetic, and bowed to all present. “Fellow Daoists, it is rare for us to gather together, and I should have stayed to discuss the Dao with you, but my father and brother are still gravely ill. My heart aches to return home. I hope you can forgive my early departure.”

The others rose and returned her bow. “There is no need for apology, Fellow Daoist. The Dao may be discussed another day—saving lives is more urgent.”

At this, the rest also felt the urge to leave. Having obtained the Nourishing Essence Pills, they all wished to return and take them at once, eager to begin their cultivation in seclusion. After all, with such precious pills, one could never feel at ease until they were safely consumed.

Seeing this, Lin You smiled gently. “Today I burned incense atop the mountain to summon you, and by fate we have gathered here. By fate, too, we part. Though we have all enjoyed this meeting, no banquet lasts forever. I propose we end our little gathering here—what do you say?”

The others all bowed in thanks. “Thank you, Fellow Daoist Yuchen, for your hospitality! We will never forget your generosity. Next time we meet, let us discuss the Dao once more.”

As the guests departed, Bai Yi nestled at Lin You’s feet, swishing her snow-white fox tail, and asked, “Master, did we lose or gain from this gathering?”

She had just watched Lin You trade away a great many pills and felt a pang of heartache, for in her mind, such pills were exceedingly precious.

Lin You smiled, stroked her head, and replied, “Everyone has received what they need. How can profit and loss be the measure?”

“Oh, I see!” Bai Yi answered, half-understanding.