Chapter 25: Vision Impairment

Within the White Bone Cliff, medicinal herbs were everywhere. Many young medicine-gatherers were busy picking and drying them.

Winter arrived a bit later here, and it hadn’t snowed yet.

Miao Yunzhi led Di Yiqiu and Huang Rang inside, saying, “Regarding the Soul-Binding Bone-Fixing Needles, I have indeed conducted research on them.” His words instantly sparked Huang Rang’s interest. Miao Yunzhi hadn’t even approached Huang Rang, but with just a casual glance, it was evident that he possessed deep knowledge of these needles.

Di Yiqiu immediately asked, “May I ask if you have made any progress, senior?”

Miao Yunzhi’s expression became grave, and after a long pause, he said, “Give up. There’s no solution to these needles.”

His words were the final judgment for Huang Rang. For a moment, even Di Yiqiu fell into silence. Miao Yunzhi continued, “You excel at refining tools, so you should be able to understand the array inscribed on the needle. When this needle is in the skull, although it remains motionless and silent, it doesn’t age or die. But once it is removed, it cannot withstand the sudden flow of time and will immediately turn to ashes.”

“Is there… no better way?” Di Yiqiu’s voice was low.

Miao Yunzhi shook his head and replied, “The best way is to remove the Soul-Binding Bone-Fixing Needles.”

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Di Yiqiu remained silent. Miao Yunzhi continued, “If you’re willing, you can leave her at the White Bone Cliff. There is no shortage of patients here, and someone will take care of her.”

Ah… Huang Rang couldn’t quite express her feelings. Things had already deteriorated to such an extent that it seemed there would be no difference no matter where she stayed.

After a moment of contemplation, Di Yiqiu said, “She is, after all, a woman, and it would be inconvenient for others to take care of her.”

Miao Yunzhi said, “If you personally took care of her, would that be more convenient?” His question was awkward, but Miao Yunzhi seemed to think it wasn’t awkward enough, so he asked again, “By the way, isn’t she Xie Hongchen’s wife?”

Um… Indeed, even a renowned physician is still gossipy. Huang Rang shifted her gaze elsewhere. Di Yiqiu said, “A friend in distress, I cannot stand idly by.”

“Hahaha.” Miao Yunzhi laughed with a hint of ambiguity, looking like he understood everything. “If you leave her here, I will take care of her comprehensively. Although there is no cure for the

Miao Yunzhi unexpectedly became unusually serious and said, “Even if such a treasure exists, it must never be used. Where there is the Dao, chaos is bound to follow. Do you really want to bring turmoil to the world and unsettle the lives of its people, all for the sake of one woman?”

Di YiQiu remained silent. Miao Yunzhi continued, “If you’re willing, you can leave her at the White Bone Cliff. There is no shortage of patients here, and someone will take care of her.”

Ah… Huang Rang couldn’t quite express her feelings. Things had already deteriorated to such an extent that it seemed there would be no difference no matter where she stayed.

After a moment of contemplation, Di Yiqiu said, “She is, after all, a woman, and it would be inconvenient for others to take care of her.”

Miao Yunzhi said, “If you personally took care of her, would that be more convenient?” His question was awkward, but Miao Yunzhi seemed to think it wasn’t awkward enough, so he asked again, “By the way, isn’t she Xie Hongchen’s wife?”

Um… Indeed, even a renowned physician is still gossipy. Huang Rang shifted her gaze elsewhere. Di Yiqiu said, “A friend in distress, I cannot stand idly by.”

“Hahaha.” Miao Yunzhi laughed with a hint of ambiguity, looking like he understood everything. “If you leave her here, I will take care of her comprehensively. Although there is no cure for the Soul Plate and Bone-Setting needles, there are still ways to alleviate the condition.”

With his words, Huang Rang was somewhat swayed. After hesitating for a while, Di Yiqiu finally said, “May I visit her at any time?”

As soon as Miao Yunzhi heard this, his eyebrows rose. “Young man, don’t you trust me?”

Di Yiqiu could only say, “Of course not. It’s just… since I brought her here, I want to make sure she’s safe and sound.”

“Hahaha.” Miao Yunzhi smirked, “Don’t think that I’m old and I can’t understand what young people think. Fine, I allow you to visit.”

Di Yiqiu then performed a respectful bow to him once again.

Within the White Bone Cliff, there were separate rooms prepared for the patients, each with a medicine gatherer specifically taking care of them.

A young man dressed in a pharmacist’s attire came over and casually pointed to a room, impatiently saying, “She can stay here.”

Di Yiqiu pushed Huang Rang into the room and, seeing that it was clean and tidy, felt slightly relieved. A medicine gatherer accompanied him inside to attend to her. However, there was a shortage of staff here, with one medicine gatherer having to attend to three to five patients. Di Yiqiu frowned and asked, “Are there no women here?”

The man in the pharmacist’s attire rolled his eyes and said, “No, if they can’t be cured, they leave!”

This attitude left nothing to be desired.

Di Yiqiu didn’t pay much attention. He took out four wooden figures from a storage treasure. The wooden figures were only half a person’s height but had complete limbs. When placed on the ground, they stared ahead with lifeless eyes, giving off an eerie vibe.

The medicine gatherer took a step back in fright, and the man in the pharmacist’s attire asked, “What is this? Don’t play tricks at the White Bone Cliff!”

“When one is ignorant, one should speak less,” Di Yiqiu retorted without courtesy. After saying this, he took out a silver key and inserted it into a small hole in the waist of the wooden figures, rotating it a few times.

Suddenly, the four wooden figures made a clicking sound, and then they began to make the beds and tidy up the room.

The medicine gatherer was stunned, his mouth wide open, and speechless for a long time.

Di Yiqiu raised the key in his hand to the two of them and said, “They can even cook, brew medicine, wash clothes, and herd sheep.”

“I… This!” The medicine gatherer took a while to close his mouth. On the White Bone Cliff, if you talked about rare treasures, nothing was surprising. They had seen all sorts of influential people come seeking medical treatment and prescriptions. People were willing to give up anything to save their lives.

Even Xie Lingbi wouldn’t dare to act recklessly here.

But this thing was truly extraordinary.

After all, it was personally made by the Celestial Court’s chief,making it unique in the world.

The medicine gatherer rubbed his eyes with both hands while he rubbed his face. Suddenly, he revealed a strange smile. Then he asked in a gentle tone, “Brother, can these puppets really brew medicine?”

Di Yiqiu lightly flicked the earlobe of one of the wooden figures, and it immediately started sweeping the floor. The movements were surprisingly agile. The medicine gatherer’s eyes seemed like they were about to pop out of their sockets, and the man also had a pensive expression. Di Yiqiu lazily said, “As long as I have the intention, what can’t they do?”

Um…

The man’s lips curled into a friendly and amiable smile as he bowed to Di Yiqiu, saying, “Forgive my forgetfulness for not introducing myself. I am He Shouwu, the senior disciple of Master. Ah, this name comes from the day Master found me coincidentally while digging up a thousand-year-old He Shouwu plant.”

“So it’s Brother He; my apologies for the impoliteness,” Di Yiqiu replied, returning the gesture.

He Shouwu’s gaze finally shifted away from the wooden figures engrossed in their tasks. He looked at Di Yiqiu with eyes filled with radiance and said, “When I first saw the chief, I felt an immediate familiarity. It seems that our connection goes beyond this lifetime.”

Di Yiqiu, equally affectionate in his tone, responded, “Indeed, I feel the same. Meeting Brother He today feels like reuniting with a long-lost brother. It must be a bond from a past life.”

“In that case, I, He Shouwu, will address you as Brother Qiu!” He Shouwu took it a step further.

Di Yiqiu patted his shoulder, expressing deep sentiment. “Worthy brother!”

Huang Rang watched them with wide eyes as they proclaimed their newfound kinship, finding it absurd beyond measure. He Shouwu then declared, “Rest assured, Brother, this young lady will be taken care of here. I’ll personally find a junior sister to attend to her so that you can be free of worries!”

Di Yiqiu walked arm in arm with him, deeply moved, and said, “Worthy brother, your hospitality deserves my gratitude. In my spare time, I enjoy making useless little trinkets like these puppets. The Vermilion Bird Bureau has a few more. Tomorrow, I’ll select some good ones to gift to you, worthy brother.”

“Worthy brother!”

“Brother!”

They clasped hands, their eyes locked in a tender gaze, resembling newlyweds parting or love at first sight. Huang Rang no longer wanted to speak.

Di Yiqiu didn’t linger at the White Bone Cliff; he quickly departed. He Shouwu accompanied Huang Rang all the way to the foot of the cliff. After Di Yiqiu had walked several meters away, he turned back. Their gazes met, a moment frozen in silence with countless unspoken words. He quickly averted his eyes and waved to He Shouwu.

Only after he vanished from sight did He Shouwu push Huang Rang back towards the cliff.

“He’s really worried about you, you know,” He Shouwu said as he pushed the wheelchair. Naturally, Huang Rang couldn’t respond, so he continued, “But don’t worry. You’re so beautiful, and you don’t speak or move around. Anyone would like you.”

Do you hear what people are saying? Huang Rang cursed angrily in her heart. She didn’t know why, but she always felt empty and desolate. As a result, her mood worsened.

He Shouwu pushed her to the edge of a cliff and said, “The sunlight is good today. Enjoy it.”

Unconsciously, Huang Rang’s gaze followed the direction in which Di Yiqiu had left.

The White Bone Cliff was lush with vegetation. She wondered if that small black dot in the distance was him, gradually moving away. She didn’t know if he would come back again. Maybe he wouldn’t, considering the busy affairs of the Celestial Court and the remote location of the White Bone Cliff.

Huang Rang sighed inwardly. Suddenly, the sunlight became uninteresting, the flowers and plants lost their appeal, and life itself seemed meaningless.

Even though He Shouwu was physically present behind her, he seemed to understand her thoughts and said, “Don’t be sad. If he’s so reluctant, he will definitely come back soon.”

How do you know? Huang Rang closed her eyes, choosing not to look at anything anymore.

In the afternoon, the Celestial Court specially sent Huang Rang’s clothes, jewelry, and shoes on the Azure Sky Treasure Ship. Along with them came twelve puppets personally crafted by the Chief.

These puppets could not only sweep and cook but also understand common writing. Therefore, they could truly gather and brew medicine. People from the entire White Bone Cliff gathered around, watching them in awe and amazement throughout the afternoon.

As a result, everyone fought to take care of Huang Rang. Several junior sisters from the White Bone Cliff competed to look after her, and on her first day, she took three baths.

Huang Rang felt like she had become entangled with bathing for the rest of her life.

The Celestial Court. The Vermilion Bird Bureau.

The Nine-Bend Spirit Eyes divided the situation at the White Bone Cliff into twelve scenes, projecting them onto the snowy silk on the wall. Di Yiqiu was flipping through documents, occasionally looking up and scanning the scenes. In one of the puppet’s visions, several female medical practitioners from the White Bone Cliff were pushing Huang Rang to collect herbs in the medicinal field.

As they gathered herbs, they chattered incessantly.

A small gray dog circled around Huang Rang, eventually settling down at her feet. The sunlight on the White Bone Cliff was pale, bathing half of her face in its glow and creating breathtaking beauty.

“Master!” Bao Wu entered and immediately noticed the painting on the wall, finding it quite peculiar.

Di Yiqiu asked, “What’s the matter?”

Bao Wu hurriedly spoke, “That gang of scoundrels who pretend to be from the Immortal Sect and abduct children has appeared again! Damn it, this time they’ve finally shown themselves!”

Di Yiqiu stood up, closing the Nine-Bend Spirit Eyes, and said, “Let’s go.”

However, at this moment, it wasn’t just the Celestial Court that received the news.

He XiJin and the other two also informed Xie Hongchen as soon as they learned that the Celestial Court had found the trace of the swindlers.

In the distant Camel Fortress, the group of swindlers disguised themselves as disciples of the Yuhu Immortal Sect, wearing the sect’s attire and carrying their artifacts, going door-to-door to “test the spiritual roots of young children.” The local authorities had long received a secret order from the Celestial Court and secretly kept watch.

At this point, no one had tipped their hand.

Sure enough, the group of swindlers conducted their tests and finally selected a few children, each one cherished by their parents and treasured like precious gems. The officials maintained a calm façade, treating them as esteemed immortals and offering them warm hospitality.

The swindlers tasted success and drank themselves into a stupor, naturally deciding to stay overnight before departing.

That night, amidst the howling wind and snow, half of the Camel Fortress was buried in snow. Di Yiqiu, accompanied by over ten officials from the White Tiger Bureau, braved the snowstorm. The Azure Sky Treasure Ship was anchored in the distant snowy field, and the officials wore black uniforms with golden hooks at their waists and flagpoles slung over their backs, the attire of the Celestial Court.

Just as he arrived at the Camel Fortress, another group of people followed closely behind.

He XiJin, Zhang Shuju, and Wu Zichou, accompanied by Xie Hongchen, arrived together. Xie Hongchen’s eyes were sensitive to light, so he had to wear a plain white veil over his eyes. Behind him, there were also around ten disciples from the Yuhu Immortal Sect, dressed in white garments like snow, with swords slung over their shoulders and jade ornaments at their waists.

The two groups of people met, and instantly the atmosphere grew heavy. It felt as if sparks were flying in the air.

Zhang Shujiu, in an attempt to ease the tension, smiled and said, “Both the Yuhu Immortal Sect and the Celestial Court are pillars of the immortal sect. It’s a good story that we are now joining forces to solve this case.”

Although his words were insincere, at least it was a positive statement.

Xie Hongchen said, “Such scoundrels dare to impersonate the Yuhu Immortal Sect. We cannot simply stand by and watch.”

He XiJin and the others then turned their gazes towards Di Yiqiu, silently urging him to say something.

Di Yiqiu stared at Xie Hongchen, who had his eyes covered with a plain white veil, and finally offered a response. With empathy, he said, “Master Xie, you have braved the snow despite your blindness. Your efforts are truly commendable.”

…