A journey through ancient times, a journey of exquisite divine skills

Chapter 281 The Couple Join Hands

Two hundred miles north of Dashi City, two figures were slowly moving down the mountainside.

The old man walking on the left had a head full of black hair that was now frosty, with only a few strands of ink remaining at his temples, like traces left unnoticed by the passage of time.

The woman beside him also had some gray hair, but most of it was scattered among her black hair.

That face, weathered by time, appears even more serene and gentle thanks to this maturity.

These two were Mu Lingyi and Yan Moli from Medicine King Valley.

A mountain breeze swept through the treetops, carrying the crisp scent of pine needles that brushed past my ears.

Yan Moli gazed at the distant valley shrouded in mist and asked softly, "Senior brother, do you have any clues about this plague?"

Mu Lingyi paused slightly, turned to look at her, a faint smile in his eyes: "Li'er, how could your medical skills be inferior to mine?"

Whether we have a clue or not, you know better than I do!

Yan Moli gave him a reproachful look: "Senior brother always uses these kinds of words to shut me up."

Although she said that, the worry between her brows lessened somewhat.

“I have seen many patients in the villages and towns at the foot of the mountain in the past few days. Their symptoms seem complicated, but they all revolve around the word ‘dampness and toxins’.”

The poison's onset was strange; ordinary remedies for dispelling dampness and detoxifying could only temporarily alleviate the symptoms for a few days, before the symptoms would recur, or even worsen.

Mu Lingyi nodded, his expression gradually becoming serious: "Li'er is right, I have examined the deceased's clothing and personal belongings."

They discovered that it was covered with an extremely tiny insect, almost invisible to the naked eye, yet capable of rapidly multiplying in damp environments.

This insect itself is not poisonous, but once it comes into contact with the human body, its secretions can clog the meridians, causing dampness and toxins to accumulate in the body, eventually erupting into an epidemic.

"Insects?" Yan Moli frowned slightly.

After a moment of contemplation, he said, "I did not detect any toxins in the patient."

So, the root of this plague isn't humans, but rather these insects?

"Yes, not all."

Mu Lingyi casually broke off a dry branch and drew a simple diagram on the ground.

"Look, these insects like damp places and often hide in rotten grass and stagnant water."

In normal years, they wouldn't amount to much, but recently the earth has turned upside down, and the weather has been unpredictable lately.

The spread of swamps and dense forests due to the earthworm's movement provided them with an opportunity to thrive.

Upon hearing this, Yan Moli gasped, "So that's how it is... If that's really the case, relying solely on our medicine will probably only treat the symptoms, not the root cause."

"So we have to take a two-pronged approach." Mu Lingyi threw away the dry branch and patted the dust off his hands.

"On the one hand, we need to formulate a prescription that can thoroughly remove dampness and toxins from the body while killing insects;

On the other hand, we must find the source of these insects and eradicate the root of this scourge.

Yan Moli suddenly realized, a look of understanding flashing in her eyes.

"Oh, so that carrier pigeon was my senior brother's idea!"

Mu Lingyi smiled as he looked at her: "Li'er understands me best."

He raised his hand to smooth the corner of his sleeve and said in a calm tone, "I have sent the disciples in the valley to the Spirit Kingdom to investigate the cracks that appeared due to the earth dragon turning over."

Those places are very likely the breeding grounds for insects.

As for the prescription, I'm thinking of using 'Qingzhang San' as a base, plus realgar and stemona root, two herbs that expel parasites. What do you think?

Yan Moli's eyes lit up and she clapped her hands, saying, "'Qingzhang San' is good at dispelling dampness and detoxifying. Adding realgar to drive away evil insects and Bai Bu to kill scabies mites makes it a precise and effective remedy."

However, these two herbs are quite potent, so they need to be mixed with some licorice root to balance them and prevent harm to the patient's spleen and stomach.

After a moment's thought, she added, "I also remember there's a kind of 'poison-repelling herb' in southern Xinjiang that's especially effective against these kinds of tiny insects."

If we could find it and use it in medicine, the effect would probably be even better.

"Gu-repelling herb?"

The other person frowned slightly and pondered, "This herb mostly grows in the inner region of Miao territory. If we want to find it, we'll probably have to make a trip to Miao territory."

His tone became more serious: "My master only took me in there twice back then. The terrain there is treacherous, and poisonous insects are everywhere."

If I had gone alone, I fear I wouldn't have survived in such harsh conditions.

Yan Moli tapped her chin with her fingertip, seemingly lost in thought: "Hmph, Father is so biased, he takes you everywhere he goes!"

Upon hearing Yan Moli's words, Mu Lingyi shook his head helplessly and gently stroked her cheek.

Her once smooth, creamy skin is now covered with fine lines.

The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and brows bear the marks of time; the youthful beauty of yesteryear is gone, but a gentle, warm glow remains.

“Your master didn’t take you because you were too young at the time.”

His voice carried a hint of a sigh, "You've been to the outskirts of Miao territory before, so you know how dangerous that place is."

Yan Moli struggled slightly, her tone tinged with reproach.

"Yes, yes, that's because you're Father's most beloved disciple."

Mu Lingyi took her hand and pulled her closer to him, letting her lean against his chest.

The mountain breeze rustled through the leaves, its soft sound seeming to echo his words.

"In the blink of an eye, we've all grown old!"

He paused, a hint of melancholy in his voice, "Whenever I think back to the past, I always feel that although my childhood was tough, it was the happiest time of my life."

Unlike now, when I watch myself grow old little by little, there is always war in the world, and suffering never stops.

Although our medical skills are passable, in this chaotic world, the number of people we can save is ultimately too small.

Yan Moli looked up at him, her tone tinged with heartache.

"Senior brother, you are just too kind-hearted. You always think of others first."

Fortunately, I've been encouraging you to get out and about all these years; otherwise, you probably would have been worn down by all those worries long ago.

Mu Lingyi laughed loudly upon hearing this.

"Yes, I didn't understand these principles before, but I do now."

"Don't people figure things out gradually as they grow up?"

Yan Moli pressed further, "So, what are your plans next, Senior Brother?"

Mu Lingyi suppressed his smile and said in a deep voice, "We won't go to Miao territory. They don't like outsiders intruding there. Going there rashly might cause other trouble."

I believe that with our medical skills, even without the exorcising herb, we can find a way to solve this plague.

Yan Moli nodded vigorously: "Yes, I believe in Senior Brother. Senior Brother has always been the most powerful."

Mu Lingyi gently tapped her forehead with his finger, a tender smile in his eyes.

"You... go ahead. Deal with this plague first, then you can go back and visit your junior brother on the way."

The two smiled at each other, said nothing more, and walked slowly down the mountain path side by side.

A cold wind rustled through the branches and leaves, and the two of them made a soft thud under their feet, mingling with the sound of the mountain wind rustling through the leaves, like a soothing melody.

As the loving elderly couple walked down the mountain to enjoy the fireworks.