Chapter Fifty-Five: Borrowing the Immortal Herb with Wisdom

Previously, it was mentioned that Xu Yaozu arrived at Emerald Cloud Mountain, seeking to borrow the celestial herb.

He knocked on the door with a loud, rhythmic series of thuds.

After a short while, the door creaked open, revealing an old woman, plump and pale, clad in a gaudy floral jacket. Her round, oily face sagged with displeasure, and her wide mouth drooped as though someone owed her two strings of copper coins.

Xu Yaozu clasped his hands in a respectful salute. “Elder, you must be the Lotus Immortal Master?”

The old woman gave him a cold appraisal, her gaze sweeping up and down. “What do you want?” she asked icily.

Xu Yaozu forced a smile. “Elder, you are a living Bodhisattva who saves the suffering. Two generals in our army have been struck by the enemy’s concealed weapons, poisoned by some unknown toxin. Their faces have darkened, and they are unconscious. I beg you, please grant us two stalks of celestial herb to save them.”

The old woman’s eyes widened, her fat face sagging even further. “No!” she snapped.

With a loud slam, she shut the door with such force that Xu Yaozu nearly broke his nose.

Furious, Xu Yaozu nearly kicked the door down, but he knew he could not. When begging a favor, one must be humble; there was no room for force.

So he continued to plead, but no matter how earnestly he begged, the old woman refused to open the door.

By then, the sun had set, darkness enveloped the forest, and a fierce wind howled through the trees. The wind whistled like knives, shredding his skin and stabbing with icy needles deep into his bones.

His stomach, too, protested, rumbling loudly with hunger. Cold, famished, and surrounded by darkness, Xu Yaozu pondered where he might spend the night.

Suddenly, he recalled that an old man lived on the opposite mountain. Inspiration struck, and he laughed aloud, thinking: Why not use that old man to persuade the old woman to willingly offer the celestial herb and save Mu Shijin and Xiao Ling?

He gathered dry wood, lit a torch, and set off through the night to the opposite mountain.

At the foot of the mountain, he found the slopes covered in strange flowers: glossy black, radiant purple, and fiery red. Though dazzling, their beauty was unnerving and bizarre.

Xu Yaozu remembered Murong Yan had called them “King Yama Flowers,” the most poisonous in the world. He dared not approach, so he called out from afar, “Grandmaster Xie! Grandmaster Xie!”

He shouted for a long time, but received no answer.

A sense of foreboding grew in his heart. He tore off a piece of his clothing, dampened it with water, and covered his mouth and nose before stepping forward.

Soon, he reached the summit, where a lone hut stood at the center, its window glowing faintly with lamplight.

Alarmed, Xu Yaozu quickened his pace, hurried to the hut, pushed open the door, and slipped inside.

Within, an elderly hunchback lay on a bed, his face grotesquely swollen and shining black, lips ink-dark, his emaciated body curled up beneath a woolen blanket, frail as paper. He coughed dryly, hacking with effort.

“Grandmaster, how are you?” Xu Yaozu asked anxiously.

The old man coughed, wheezing, “I’m old—useless now. Even the poison of a few ‘King Yama Flowers’ is too much for me!”

Suddenly remembering he did not recognize Xu Yaozu, he asked, “Who are you? Why have you sought me out?”

Xu Yaozu’s eyes brimmed with tears, but he wiped them away and spoke with heartfelt gratitude. “Grandmaster, you are a good man! You bestowed the Jade Dew Nine-Fragrance Pill to Ye Feng for our cause, but now you yourself are poisoned. Our rebel army will never forget your kindness.”

The old man grew more puzzled. “So, what is your relationship with that girl?”

Xu Yaozu replied, “I am her master, Xu Yaozu. The rebel army sent me to see you. Let me carry you out and find a place to detoxify and cure you.”

The old man was stubborn, waving his hands repeatedly. “Forget it, forget it. I am deeply poisoned—too late for me. You should leave while you can!”

His coughing grew worse.

Xu Yaozu tried to persuade him. “Grandmaster, what if I manage to borrow the Bodhi Reviving Celestial Herb?”

The old man seemed to mishear, his eyes opening wide with disbelief. “You could borrow the Bodhi Reviving Celestial Herb? That would cure me, but Lotus Junior Sister hates me to the bone—how would she ever lend it?”

Xu Yaozu reassured him, “Leave it to me. Borrowing the herb will be my responsibility. But you must promise: from now on, do as I say, and say nothing more. If you ruin my plans, I won’t let you off easily!”

Half skeptical, the old man agreed.

Thus, Xu Yaozu hoisted the old man on his back and carried him to the door of the plump old woman.

This time, Xu Yaozu stood straight and bold, set the old man down, puffed out his belly, and strode confidently to the door, banging loudly on the knocker.

He shouted, “Grandmaster! Grandmaster! Grandmaster!”

Inside, the plump woman cursed, “Why are you howling like a ghost? I said no, and I mean it! Get lost!”

Xu Yaozu paid no mind. “Grandmaster, I’m not here to borrow the herb this time. I bring news: your senior brother is about to die!”

Silence fell inside the house.

Xu Yaozu thought, Now I have hope for the celestial herb!

He knocked again. “Open the door! Open the door!”

A curse rang out. “His death is nothing to me! Serves him right! He’s getting what he deserves!”

Xu Yaozu chuckled inwardly. “Indeed, he said the same: ‘In this life, I failed Lotus Junior Sister, and this is my retribution. In the next life, I’ll marry her and fulfill our hundred-year bond…’”

Before he finished speaking, the door creaked open.

The plump woman burst out, tears streaming. “Is it true?” she asked.

Without waiting for Xu Yaozu’s reply, she searched anxiously. “Senior brother, where are you? What’s happened? Are you all right?”

Spotting the frail old man lying on the ground, she hurried over, knelt beside him, and helped him sit up, taking his pulse to diagnose his condition.

“He’s been poisoned by King Yama Flower—he won’t last long,” Xu Yaozu said.

“What about his antidote, the Jade Dew Nine-Fragrance Pill?” the plump woman asked urgently.

“To save Deputy Commander Ye Feng, Grandmaster gave the pill to my disciple Murong Yan,” Xu Yaozu replied.

“Senior brother, you fool! Always thinking of others first!” the woman scolded tenderly.

She handed the old man to Xu Yaozu, stood up, and said, “I will fetch the celestial herb to cure you.”

About to return inside, she paused, turned back, and asked suspiciously, “Senior brother, was what that old rascal said from the heart?”

The old man began to reply, but Xu Yaozu gently pounded his back and whispered, “Remember—just cough, don’t speak!”

So the old man coughed violently, barely able to breathe.

The plump woman, distressed, rushed inside for the medicine.

Once she was gone, the old man complained, “General, this won’t do! If I’m cured, Lotus Junior Sister will want me to marry her. What then?”

Xu Yaozu’s moustache bristled, his eyes widened. “Then marry her! Why not? You’re both old—perfect companions for each other. You won’t be lonely anymore!”

The old man grumbled. “Nonsense! I, Xie Junde, have only ever loved Fang Ke’er. How could I marry Lotus Junior Sister?”

Xu Yaozu’s expression darkened. “Enough! Don’t be ridiculous. Lotus Junior Sister has treated you well. Fang Ke’er has been gone for decades; you’ve mourned her long enough. If not for her, you and Lotus Junior Sister might have wed ages ago. Now, reunite with her and repay her longing.”

His words left the old man silent and without retort.

Soon, the plump woman returned, carrying crushed Bodhi Reviving Celestial Herb.

The two helped the old man swallow the medicine.

He coughed repeatedly, expelling black blood; at last, his complexion began to improve.

Xu Yaozu observed, delighted. Now that they’ve reconciled, why not seize the moment and arrange their wedding? If the plump woman is happy, borrowing the celestial herb will be much easier!

He clasped his hands and declared, “You two are truly a match made in heaven. There’s no day better than today—let’s hold the wedding now and end decades of longing!”

His words made both bow their heads, the plump woman blushing with shyness.

Unconcerned, Xu Yaozu fetched two young attendants, decorated the hut, and began the wedding rites.

He feasted heartily at the celebration, eating and drinking his fill. Afterwards, he burped contentedly and congratulated the couple. “Congratulations! Now that your marriage is settled, I still have important business. Please grant me the celestial herb to save our two generals.”

The old man urged the plump woman, “Junior Sister, he’s our matchmaker. We must help him.”

Blushing, the plump woman replied softly, “Husband, I’ll do as you say. Let him pick from the garden—take as much as he needs.”

Xu Yaozu laughed joyfully, bowing repeatedly in thanks, then went to the garden to harvest the Bodhi Reviving Celestial Herb.

As he picked several stalks, he wondered: What if Lu Youxiong releases poison smoke again? It would be best to invite the newlywed couple to the army camp; with these two living treasures, Lu Youxiong’s Red Lotus would be powerless!

Resolved, he returned to invite the couple.

Upon hearing the invitation, the old man said to the plump woman, “Junior Sister, our master taught us the arts of poison and antidote to eradicate evil and save the people. Today, the rebel army is in peril—shall we go and help?”

The plump woman blushed, covering her face. “At home, I obeyed my father; now married, I obey my husband. I’ll follow your lead.”

The old man nodded repeatedly, then replied to Xu Yaozu, “General, you return to camp first. In three days, once I’ve fully recovered, I will bring my wife to assist. Rest assured!”

Xu Yaozu laughed heartily and departed for the camp.

With Xie Junde and his wife’s help, persuading Lu Youxiong to surrender, capturing Xiang Buer, and reclaiming Yunyang City would surely be within reach.