Recipient of Virtue

The itinerary changed x 2

In the blink of an eye, they exchanged ten moves, unable to see through each other’s techniques. Continuing the fight would risk affecting the innocent bystanders, so they had to stop.

The Daoist cautiously watched Meng Qi. During their brief exchange, a gust of wind lifted a corner of his cloak, revealing Meng Qi’s appearance. When did such a formidable expert emerge in the martial world? So young, with such profound internal energy—it was hard not to think of the elixirs sold by the Si family.

A high-level expert who enhanced their strength with elixirs had no reason to hide among the crowd and dress so shabbily. There was definitely something amiss! Moreover, this face was unforgettable to anyone who had seen it before, yet he remained unknown, almost undetectable. If he hadn’t stood next to another person and actively engaged in combat, the Daoist would have almost overlooked him.

This ability to conceal one’s presence… could it be the technique of the most mysterious assassin organization in the martial world, the Piaoping Pavilion? The Daoist’s gaze then fell upon Mo Li, his confusion deepening.

If the previous person resembled a reclusive assassin, this person was even stranger. His demeanor and actions were that of a well-bred young noble, devoid of arrogance, and he didn’t exhibit any discomfort wearing such coarse clothing. Could an assassin organization produce someone like him?

The Daoist felt that Meng Qi, with his young age and abnormally profound internal energy, was not normal. Meng Qi himself harbored similar suspicions. Although the Daoist appeared slightly older than Meng Qi, the latter’s true age was a complete mystery, causing both Meng Qi and Mo Li to overlook the fact that Meng Qi himself seemed abnormal.

So the three of them stood facing each other in silence, with no one uttering a word.

Suddenly, a loud cry came from ahead, and they all turned their heads simultaneously to see a large stone teetering on the mountain path above them.

“Take cover!” Mo Li managed to warn Qiu Hong in time. Once the stone fell, no one would be able to avoid it rolling down the mountain path. Meng Qi reached the base of the boulder and looked up, noticing that the Daoist had also arrived. Both of them remained vigilant because the stone was so massive that its shattered fragments could cause devastating damage.

“Help!” A man driving a cart couldn’t bear to lose his cart. The wheels were wedged in a crevice, causing the entire cart to tilt to the left, on the verge of toppling over. At the same time, there were people who couldn’t escape in time and fell to the ground. The startled pack mule added to the chaos on the mountain path.

Mo Li turned back, pushed the tilting cart aside, and with a swift motion, drew a knife from his sleeve. Like a gust of wind, he swiftly severed several reins that were attached to the cart, separating the pack mule from the wagon.

In the blink of an eye, Mo Li resolved several crises. By the time he entered a nearby side path, he had acquired six or seven mules. Whether it was a temperamental horse or a stubborn donkey kicking its hooves randomly, they quieted down in Mo Li’s hands. After all, they sensed his spiritual aura.

Instinctively, they wanted to be close to Mo Li, but he had no interest in them. After soothing them once, he let them go, leaving behind a group of mules watching Mo Li’s figure with dewy eyes.

“The Bladeless Knife?” the Daoist murmured in astonishment. Taking advantage of the situation, Meng Qi pushed the large stone three feet back and landed a punch, burying it deep into the ground, so that it no longer wobbled.

The Daoist, holding his long sword at his waist, used lightness skill to leap in front of Mo Li. Before he could speak, Meng Qi intercepted him, and a few more moves swiftly passed between them, this time without any probing, their momentum astounding.

“They’re fighting!” A man who had escaped from Qiuling County happened to recognize Mo Li.

“Physician, it’s dangerous!” The old man hurriedly tried to pull Mo Li to safety.

Mo Li could only take a few steps back with the old man.

“Are you also a Physician?” The Daoist quickly evaded Meng Qi’s attacks and asked with an anxious tone.

“Oh? Seeing how delighted you are, could it be that you’re seeking medical treatment?” Meng Qi said with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile. “I’m afraid I’ll disappoint you. The Physician is currently treating me and can’t spare any attention for you.”

The Daoist was initially stunned, but then his gaze kept shifting between the two of them, and his eyes seemed to brighten for some reason.

Mo Li: “…”

He had a feeling that something was amiss. Weren’t they originally suspicious of this Daoist’s connection to the Si family? How did the conversation suddenly turn to medical treatment? The Daoist appeared to be in good health and didn’t look like someone with an ailment—

Right, the tone with which the Daoist said, “You’re a Physician,” was similar to how Meng Qi spoke back then. Could it be that martial arts experts these days all have mysterious illnesses and are desperate for medical help?

The Daoist eagerly asked, “This esteemed Physician seems to possess formidable martial skills. May I ask what weapon you use?”

Mo Li was about to speak, but Meng Qi once again stood in front of him and said in an unfriendly tone, “If you’re truly interested in seeking medical treatment, why don’t you introduce yourself? Inquiring about someone else’s martial skills and techniques, what is your intention?”

The Daoist finally calmed down a bit. He glanced around, feeling that there were too many people present, so he spoke ambiguously, “I have a benefactor. He possesses exceptional medical skills and extraordinary martial arts, yet he appears to be a learned scholar and not at all like someone from the martial world. He secluded himself in the mountains many years ago, and his whereabouts are unknown. Today, today…”

He stuttered and kept staring at Mo Li’s sleeve.

The gaze of a swordsman was always particularly intense, and this Daoist was especially so. Meng Qi found it quite displeasing. However, no matter how displeased he was, he couldn’t drive the person away, so his face darkened.

—According to the Daoist’s description, that so-called benefactor was clearly Qin Lu. Whether this person was telling the truth or intentionally making an excuse, Mo Li couldn’t relax his guard. After persuading the old man to leave, he spoke in a deep voice, “Who are you?”

The Daoist then realized and quickly replied, “I am Ning Changyuan.” After introducing himself, he noticed that the expressions of the two remained unchanged, which puzzled him. —Could it be that he wasn’t famous enough?

“Ning Changyuan?” There was a soft exclamation, and the Daoist’s spirits lifted. But when he turned around, he saw a thin and weak scholar.

The Daoist blinked and noticed that the scholar deliberately covered his ears with hair, had a dusty face, and had a small and slender figure. There was also a slightly feminine manner about the person. This wasn’t a scholar; it was a woman. The Daoist didn’t expose her disguise, as there must have been a compelling reason for her to cross-dress.

The person speaking was Qiu Hong. She had been squeezed to the side of the road by the crowd, and since she was still concerned and hadn’t left, she accidentally heard the Daoist introduce himself. Startled, she couldn’t help but speak out.

Qiu Hong saw all three of them looking at her simultaneously and could only brace herself and say, “This… this name, I’ve heard it before. It’s a wanted criminal by the imperial court.”

“…” Mo Li looked at the Daoist and noticed that his expression suddenly became awkward.

Meng Qi pondered for a moment. Qiuling County was a small place, so if a wanted notice had reached here, it was likely a nationwide warrant. Qiu Hong, focused on seeking revenge, probably wouldn’t pay much attention to ordinary wanted criminals like jianghu bandits. But to easily think of this person upon hearing the name—that must be quite a memorable impression!

“It’s not related to the Si family,” Qiu Hong hurriedly explained.

Mo Li felt somewhat relieved, but the doubts in his mind remained.

“What charges? Why is he wanted?” Meng Qi continued to inquire.

As the former Royal Teacher of the previous dynasty, he had once been a secret target of the Qi dynasty. However, after the secret agents of the Embroidered Uniform Guard suffered heavy losses, the wanted notice became more of an empty threat, and no one dared to come looking for him.

For a martial arts expert to be wanted by the imperial court, it could only be for reasons such as murder, robbery, rebellion, and the like. Meng Qi didn’t know the specifics of this Daoist’s situation.

“Well, the wanted notice says that Ning Changyuan from Yanzhou frequently forges household registration records, travel permits, and credentials for monks and nuns…” Qiu Hong remembered it clearly because she had once planned to change her identity and disappear after seeking revenge. She stopped speaking halfway through because the atmosphere was really awkward.

Ning Changyuan covered his forehead with his hand and turned his head to look at the mountain wall in silence. —Why didn’t they mention his illustrious reputation in the martial world and instead brought up the official wanted notice?

“Haha.” After a moment of silence, Meng Qi laughed, “This is truly a talented person.”

Mo Li’s expression was strange because he thought of his own forged travel permits. Moreover, Xue Lingjun was an expert in this field. When he went to take the imperial examination, he had to forge household registration and academic records. After all, the imperial examination required three generations of cleanliness and someone to vouch for you. Where did Xue Ting, a wandering martial artist with no fixed residence, get these things?

This line of work was not easy. It required the ability to carve seals, imitate handwriting, and knowledge of different government office document formats. If you wanted to be more meticulous, it was best to have insiders in the government offices responsible for recording household registrations and issuing travel permits, and it would be even better if those insiders were real individuals. In this way, unless the records were checked, it would be impossible to tell if they were genuine or fake. It was unknown whether this Ning Changyuan was engaged in shoddy work or producing high-quality replicas.

Perhaps due to the pressure brought by Mo Li’s gaze, Ning Changyuan struggled for a while before facing the cruel and awkward reality. He reached into his pocket and weakly asked, “Are you looking for a travel permit?”

“…,” Mo Li nudged Meng Qi and the latter cooperatively asked, “How much for one?”

“To be honest, it depends on the situation,” Ning Changyuan said with great difficulty, “The simplest form is a travel permit, but you must understand the local dialect; otherwise, it will be too fake.”

Meng Qi switched to Mandarin and asked, “How about a travel permit for Taijing?”

“That’s not possible. People from the capital attract attention wherever they go, especially someone who looks… ahem, different. Travel permits from smaller places are easier to forge, and there aren’t many people who would check,” Ning Changyuan glanced at Mo Li hesitantly, then said, “I don’t sell these things casually. I need to know who you are and why you need a travel permit.”

With a righteous and stern expression, Ning Changyuan said, “If one commits unjust acts, even if they flee to the ends of the earth, I will kill them with a single sword.”

Meng Qi crossed his arms and reminded him with interest, “You can’t kill me.”

Ning Changyuan thought for a moment and realized that he didn’t have much confidence. He decisively pulled his robe and firmly said, “Then I won’t sell it!”

Mo Li cleared his throat and pushed Meng Qi, who had taken off his guard, to the side. He asked in a low voice, “You mentioned that you owe a favor to someone. What’s the story behind this? Did he save your life?”

Ning Changyuan solemnly replied, “When I was young, my meridians were blocked, and it worsened after practicing martial arts. One day, I fell critically ill, and my master went to great lengths to find Qin… to find a divine physician who treated me for three months with utmost dedication. It was only then that I recovered. My master also learned that my talent surpassed that of an ordinary person, and with my meridians rebuilt, I made rapid progress in cultivating internal energy.”

Mo Li remembered. Qin Lu did mention this because the case was extremely rare. He also mentioned that if someone else had treated the child, they would most likely not have survived, and even if they did, they would have been disabled.

“I will never forget the life-saving grace and the subsequent kindness of giving me a new lease on life. Therefore, after I achieved proficiency in swordsmanship, I left the sect and traveled the martial world, not seeking fame and righteousness, but only wishing to contribute my own strength to the world.”

“Is your contribution forging…?”

“Cough, cough.” Ning Changyuan quickly interrupted Meng Qi, “I got into this line of work accidentally. There are people who are forced to leave their homes against their will, but the law is strict, and the common people are not allowed to leave their homeland. Otherwise, they would be charged with the crime of being a vagrant. With a travel permit, they can escape to another place and start a new life.”

Mo Li’s expression stiffened, and after a long pause, he said, “You have a point.”

“But if there is a natural disaster or war with a large number of refugees, your method would be useless,” Meng Qi harbored subtle animosity towards Ning Changyuan because of the intense gaze he directed at Mo Li.

“Maybe, but I’m not only capable of forging travel permits,” Ning Changyuan said with a determined gaze, “Those who have received the life-saving grace of a divine physician can be found throughout the world. While we may be powerless to fight against natural disasters or change dynasties, we still have the heart to save the world. My lifelong wish is to meet the divine physician again and tell him that the person he saved years ago has not lived in vain.”

Mo Li was momentarily lost in thought. Would Elder Qin be happy to hear this? He probably would be. As a physician, he dedicated his life to saving others, but in the end, he couldn’t change this chaotic world. —— Despite possessing unrivaled martial arts and the ability to revive the almost-dead, he couldn’t save the hearts of people.

Although Qin Lu never mentioned it, he retreated to the deep mountains, not only because of aging but also due to the repeated disappointments he encountered while traveling the world. He must have witnessed countless situations similar to Qinghu Town and Silang Mountain. Mo Li had been out for less than half a month and already felt this helplessness. What about Qin Lu?

Ning Changyuan stood tall and said emphatically, “When the firewood is exhausted, the flames will be passed on. Although we are not disciples of the divine physician, we are willing to carry on the old master’s aspirations and do our best to live up to the heavens and the earth. I believe that one day, the world will change!”

Meng Qi’s expression kept changing, and he felt somewhat dazed. Mo Li wore a similar expression.

After a long while, Ning Changyuan cautiously asked, “I saw the bladeless sword. Are you truly a disciple of Elder Qin? Can you tell me if Elder Qin is safe? Can I meet him?”

“…My master is in good health, but he is old and not inclined to see outsiders.” After Mo Li regained his senses, he hesitated for a moment and decided to conceal Qin Lu’s whereabouts.

Mo Li wanted to have a good look at the world, not just to find others like him, but also to see how many people were like Ning Changyuan. He wondered if there would come a day when the land was stable, the years were peaceful, people’s hearts turned good, and the common people would no longer experience turbulence and be slaughtered at will.

“I will convey your words to my teacher,” Mo Li said solemnly. Ning Changyuan’s spirits lifted, and he was already happy to hear that Qin Lu was alive.

“Did you see anyone from the Si family when you came from Qiuling County?” Ning Changyuan remembered the main issue.

“The Si family no longer exists,” Meng Qi’s tone softened, and the enmity from before vanished.

Ning Changyuan looked around and his gaze fell on Qiu Hong not far away. “And who is this?”

“If it’s inconvenient, I’ll go rest over there first,” Qiu Hong, still shaken by their previous conversation, gestured towards the side of the mountain path and took the initiative to step aside.

Mo Li nodded, and after Qiu Hong had walked away, Ning Changyuan continued, “I found out that the Si family abducted some refugees.”

As he spoke, Mo Li’s expression dimmed, and he shook his head. “They were enslaved by the Si family, enduring hardships, and now they are no longer alive.”

Ning Changyuan paused and then said, “I arrived a step too late. It seems that the Physician also discovered the Si family’s gold mine.”

“It was an accidental encounter,” Mo Li replied.

In this conversation, Meng Qi mostly spoke. He seemed very close to Mo Li, and Ning Changyuan felt the connection that Qiu Hong felt. Ning Changyuan wanted to ask about their relationship, but it would be impolite to do so, so he had to hold back.

“In addition to the refugees, there is another matter. The Si family’s caravan from Qiuling County used to purchase a large amount of cinnabar in various places.”

“Cinnabar?” Meng Qi asked in response, not realizing what was wrong with it.

Mo Li knew what cinnabar was. It was a medicinal material that many physicians liked to use. However, Elder Qin had said that it was toxic, so it had to be used with great caution.

“Is it cinnabar used by alchemists to refine pills? Or cinnabar used by Taoists to draw symbols?” Meng Qi didn’t understand why the Si family was purchasing it.

“Silang Mountain has a gold mine, and the Si family mines and refines gold. Is that true?” Ning Changyuan asked again.

“Yes, it is true.”

“That’s not good!” Ning Changyuan’s face turned unpleasant. “Do you two know how they refine the gold after extracting it?”

This question truly stumped Mo Li. He had read many books, but this was not one of them.

“By washing it with hydraulic force?” Meng Qi knew a bit about it. When it came to gold panning, the ore was repeatedly washed in water to separate the gold sand.

Ning Changyuan nodded. “That’s the simplest method. There’s another secret method discovered by the alchemists accidentally. It involves burning cinnabar to obtain mercury and then using mercury to refine the gold ore.”

“Mercury?” Mo Li began to frown. Mercury was also toxic. Although ancient books praised it, physicians knew better. In ancient times, emperors and kings who blindly believed in alchemists and took elixirs ended up dying in large numbers.

“This secret method has a major drawback. The person refining the gold might get poisoned, and the people living nearby might get poisoned too… If the Si family is not careful, both the soil and the streams in Silang Mountain could become toxic. This place is simply uninhabitable!”

Author’s note:

The amalgamation method is an ancient method of refining gold and silver. It is now prohibited because it easily causes pollution.

——————

In this story, Silang Mountain has a dragon vein, like a fuse. Before it becomes irreversibly polluted, it will explode first.

———————

Finally, let me introduce a new character.

Ning Changyuan: I, the world’s top swordsman, with exceptional swordsmanship.

Author: A fake ID maker.

Ning Changyuan: …