Chapter 32
The next day, the group finally returned to Medicine Valley.
Jinbao, who had followed his young master on travels around the world in his early years, had heard many legends about Medicine Valley in the martial arts world.
It was said that the master of Medicine Valley, Que Linpei, was the fourth-generation successor of the Que family. Each member of the Que family possessed extraordinary medical skills, and their disciples and followers were spread across the world. Even the imperial physicians in the royal palace were influenced by the Que family’s medical teachings.
For hundreds of years, the Que family had held an extremely revered position in the martial arts world, with no one daring to offend them. After all, who in the martial world hasn’t been injured or fallen ill? People from all walks of life, from great martial families to royal nobles, had received the Que family’s help. With the prestige of the Que family head, even those from the highest echelons of society had to show them respect.
Jinbao was thrilled at the thought of visiting such an extraordinary place and witnessing the legendary Medicine Valley, which was said to be the epitome of all medical knowledge in the world.
He had always imagined Medicine Valley to be a mysterious valley filled with rare flowers and herbs, inhabited by many reclusive experts.
But upon arrival, his first impression was one of slight disappointment—Medicine Valley appeared to be just a very large manor with the name “Medicine Valley.”
It wasn’t until they entered the manor that he realized, with dawning awe, that the vast, majestic mountain range behind the estate was actually the backyard of Medicine Valley.
This revelation left the young boy utterly stunned.
Jinbao had always thought that he had seen more of the world than most people.
He had been the personal attendant to the only son of the richest man in Jiangnan, and had seen all sorts of rare treasures and delicacies. The Jin family’s mansion occupied hundreds of acres with thousands of servants, and he had thought it was on par with the imperial palace.
But now, seeing the Que family using several mountains as their backyard, he realized how narrow his experience had been.
He stole a glance at Que Siming and suddenly felt as if he had taken advantage of him. If he had known that Que Siming came from such a vast and wealthy family, he wouldn’t have repeatedly flaunted the cart of betrothal gifts his young master had prepared for Que Siming.
The group entered the inner courtyard from the main gate, riding for the time it took an incense stick to burn.
From a distance, they saw a middle-aged man with snow-white temples standing with his hands behind his back at the door.
Que Siming was the first to dismount. “Master.”
Jinbao, hearing that this was the legendary head of the Que family, the renowned “Immortal Doctor” Que Linpei, quickly jumped off his horse and looked at him with wide-eyed admiration and a bit of nervousness.
Que Linpei was not tall and was slender, his long robe hanging loosely on his frame, giving him an ethereal and scholarly air. His face was gentle and kind, making him seem very approachable. However, despite his warm and loving appearance, no one in the martial arts world dared to underestimate him. His family’s “Ghostly Hands” technique was powerful enough to shatter stone and metal, and it was the only non-physical weapon ranked in the top five of the weapons manual.
Que Linpei laughed heartily, “Siming, come here and let your master see you—no missing arms or legs, I hope?”
Que Siming smiled and said, “Your disciple has returned safe and sound.”
Que Qingyuan was also helped down from his horse and slowly walked to stand beside Que Linpei, his gentle voice calling out, “Father, your son has returned.”
“Ah, Qingyuan has returned too. Good, very good!” Que Linpei laughed heartily, patting their arms. “My children have all come home. It’s rare for you two brothers to be together these days. Let’s go inside and talk.”
Que Siming quickly added, “Master, let me introduce someone to you.”
He pulled over Jinbao, who had been standing there in a daze. Suddenly being brought in front of Que Linpei, Jinbao’s face turned bright red—partly from the nervous excitement of meeting a legendary figure of the martial world, and partly because he felt as though he were meeting his future father-in-law.
Que Linpei then noticed the unfamiliar face. “And this young man is…?”
“Master, he’s my friend, Jinbao. We unexpectedly ran into Yu Mingjing, and I was fortunate enough to be saved by him.”
“Oh, so he’s Siming’s savior.” Que Linpei clasped his hands in salute to Jinbao and said, “Young Brother Jinbao, I must thank you.”
Jinbao, startled, quickly returned the salute and bowed deeply, stammering, “No need, no need. You’re too kind, Elder.”
Que Linpei, amused by Jinbao’s earnest and somewhat foolish anxiety, chuckled and patted him on the shoulder. “Good, good—young people are always welcome. Come on, let’s head inside. You’ve been on the road for a long time and must be tired. We’ll rest and talk.”
In the main hall, only Que Linpei, his two sons, Chief Steward Xiao, Que Siming, and Jinbao remained.
After Que Siming finished recounting the dangers they faced along the way, Que Linpei stroked his beard and sighed repeatedly.
“Ah, that treacherous Yu Mingjing… it’s been over ten years, and he still refuses to give up.”
Que Siming snorted coldly, “Even if he were to give up, I would never let him off.”
Que Linpei frowned and waved his hand dismissively. “Siming, I don’t like hearing such impulsive words from you. You must think things through carefully. If you throw your life away in pursuit of revenge, that would be the act of a fool.”
There was clear defiance in Que Siming’s expression; he moved his lips as if to argue but ultimately swallowed his words.
Que Linpei continued, “However, the masked man that Brother Jinbao encountered is indeed surprising. From what you described, it was effortless for him to capture you both, yet he let you go. That’s quite strange. Who could he be?”
Que Siming shook his head. “I’ve pondered it endlessly and still can’t figure it out. The man is incredibly skilled. When I fought him, I struggled with every move. His martial arts are on the same level as yours, Master.”
Chief Steward Xiao, puzzled, interjected, “With Master’s level of skill, there are only a few in the martial world who can compare, and those who can are all well-known figures with prestigious backgrounds. There’s no way they would spend years by Yu Mingjing’s side, hidden in the shadows. Moreover, such advanced martial arts aren’t mastered overnight, no matter how talented one might be. If this person is as powerful as Second Young Master says, he must be over forty and should have already made a name for himself. Why would he resign himself to being an unacknowledged henchman of Yu Mingjing?”
“That’s exactly what baffles me. This masked man seemed to appear out of nowhere one day and has been by Yu Mingjing’s side ever since.”
Que Linpei pondered this for a moment and then asked, “Siming, you said that both you and Brother Jinbao fought against this masked man?”
“Yes.”
“You two are likely the only ones who have fought him and lived to tell the tale. Do you remember any of his martial arts techniques?”
Jinbao, feeling a bit ashamed, replied, “I’m embarrassed to say that after barely exchanging two and a half moves with him, I was defeated. I couldn’t discern anything from his techniques.”
Que Siming added, “I do remember them, but I’ve never seen such a style before.”
“Siming, demonstrate a few moves for your master.”
Que Siming nodded, stood up, and moved to the center of the hall. He carefully recalled the details of his fight with the masked man and began to replicate the opponent’s techniques.
From the moment Que Siming began, both Que Linpei and Chief Steward Xiao’s expressions changed drastically. As they continued to watch, their faces grew increasingly grim, and they exchanged a worried glance, both deeply concerned.
Que Qingyuan, ever observant, noticed this. Although he didn’t know martial arts and couldn’t understand what Que Siming was doing, he could read the serious expressions on his father and the steward’s faces. His intuition told him that this was a matter of grave importance—otherwise, it wouldn’t have unsettled two men who had faced countless dangers before.
Que Qingyuan cautiously asked, “Father, Uncle Xiao, do you recognize this style?”
Que Siming also paused, his sharp eyes scanning their faces. “Master? Uncle Xiao?”
Chief Steward Xiao was about to say something when Que Linpei waved him off, signaling him to remain silent.
This only made the situation more suspicious, and Que Siming pressed further, “Master, do you really recognize it? Who does it belong to?”
Que Linpei sighed and shook his head. “I can’t say for certain yet.”
“Then at least tell me your suspicion, and I’ll have someone investigate.”
“That’s not something I can share now. We need to let your Uncle Xiao look into it. Speculating at this point could cause unnecessary panic and serve no purpose.”
Que Siming wanted to ask more, but Que Qingyuan, sensing the tension, discreetly tugged at his sleeve.
Que Siming thought for a moment and then relented. “Alright, I trust that Master has his reasons.”
“Indeed. Let me think this over before making any conclusions.” Que Linpei, suppressing the unease in his heart, changed the subject. “Siming, come with me to the pharmacy. I need to check the blood parasite inside you. If we’re running out of time, we’ll have to strike first.”
The group rose and followed Que Linpei out.
Jinbao, walking at the back, noticed Que Siming falling behind to walk with him. In a low voice, Que Siming said, “Don’t follow us.”
“Why not?” Jinbao asked, puzzled.
“Just don’t. I don’t want you to see this.”
“But why?” Jinbao insisted, thinking that he should know about Que Siming’s condition.
“I’ll explain later, but for now, you can’t watch. Why do you have to ask so many questions?” The physician was visibly irritated. The last thing he wanted was for Xiaohu to see him lying there, helpless and vulnerable.
Jinbao frowned, feeling both hurt and frustrated, as he looked at Que Siming.
Que Siming quickly squeezed his hand and then let go just as fast. “Be good. I’ll come find you tonight.”
