"Shi Feixuan?"
Hearing the name, Shen Lang felt it was familiar. He then remembered that it was the saintess of Ci Hang Jing Zhai that his mother had mentioned before, and the woman his uncle had secretly loved for decades.
"Yes, it's Shi Feixuan."
Song Shidao sighed and said, "Shi Feixuan is skilled in medical texts, especially in refining medicine. The Three Worms and Three Flowers Paste she refined is the antidote to the Three Worms and Three Flowers Powder. However, she has been in seclusion at Tian Ya Hai Ge for ten years and has not emerged. It will be difficult for you to see her."
"No matter how difficult, I must see her."
Shen Lang's eyes were firm. He said to his uncle, "Wo Long is like a brother to me. I won't let him become blind. Uncle, you must help me."
"Alas..."
Shen Lang's words were met with Song Shidao's sigh. He said, "Many years ago, I decided to sever my ties with Shi Feixuan and never see her again. But Master Mingyue told me that she and Shi Feixuan had a karmic connection, and no matter how we tried to avoid it, we would eventually meet. Today, it seems the prophecy was not false."
"Alright, since you want to see her, then prepare yourself. We will head to Long Du tomorrow morning."
Song Shidao said, "Coincidentally, I also want to see her."
"Thank you, Uncle."
Upon hearing this, Shen Lang looked at Song Shidao with immense gratitude.
The next morning at ten o'clock, Song Shidao, along with Shen Lang and Wo Long, headed to Long Du. Wang Yuyan and Xie Lingjun accompanied them.
Ci Hang Jing Zhai was a mysterious place. It had existed since the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty. They stayed out of worldly affairs, yet their influence was felt during critical historical periods, such as Emperor Taizong's Xuanwu Gate Incident, Emperor Gaozong's dethroning of Empress Wang and enthronement of Empress Wu, and Empress Wu's phoenix-like rise to power.
At crucial junctures of history, Ci Hang Jing Zhai would appear, only to mysteriously disappear afterward. The world knew their stories, but understood very little about them.
In his youth, Song Shidao wandered with Shen Tianjun. By chance, they met the saintess Shi Feixuan, who was on a journey of training. The three of them spent a considerable amount of time together.
Back then, Shen Tianjun's eyes were filled with Song Qingyi, while Song Shidao's eyes were fixed on Shi Feixuan, dressed in white as pure as snow.
However, later, Shi Feixuan returned to Ci Hang Jing Zhai, and they lost contact. It was as if that person had never appeared in Song Shidao's life.
The five of them took a plane from Nanling to Long Du. They departed at ten o'clock and arrived at Long Du Airport at half past twelve.
As they exited the airport, a stretched Lincoln limousine appeared before them. Song Shidao saw it and said to Shen Lang, "Get in."
Nanling was the stronghold of the Song family, but Song Shidao also had connections in Long Du. These arrangements were merely a matter of a word for him.
Shen Lang gestured for Wang Yuyan and Xie Lingjun to get in first, then helped Wo Long into the car.
"Uncle, where exactly is Ci Hang Jing Zhai located?"
Once in the car, Shen Lang looked at Song Shidao with curiosity and asked.
"Kun Long Mountain!"
Song Shidao uttered a place name and then instructed the driver.
"Kun Long Mountain?"
Hearing the name, Shen Lang was a bit curious and said, "This place name is quite similar to where I live. The place I grew up is called Qiu Long Mountain. One is 'Kun' (trapped) and the other is 'Qiu' (imprisoned), it seems they are quite dissatisfied with dragons."
Song Shidao did not answer this question. Instead, he looked at the driver and said calmly, "Old Mo, head to Kun Long Mountain."
"Yes—"
The driver, who was about the same age as Song Shidao, had half of his face burned, making it look ferocious. Upon hearing Song Shidao's words, he replied with a single, respectful word.
At two in the afternoon, the car arrived at Dongshan in Long Du. It was a mountain covered in maple trees, breathtakingly beautiful, which excited the two women, Wang Yuyan and Xie Lingjun.
However, when they saw Wo Long, their excitement waned. After all, they were not here to admire the scenery, but to treat Wo Long's eyes.
"Sister-in-law Yuyan, don't hold back. Be happy when you should be, you don't need to mind me."
Wo Long played with a dagger in his hand, paused his movements, and smiled at Wang Yuyan and Xie Lingjun.
"Don't worry about me. Even if my eyes are permanently blinded, I won't be dejected. I'll still be me."
Speaking of this, Wo Long looked at Shen Lang and smiled, "I heard the old man say that Ci Hang Jing Zhai is full of experts, with Heavenly Realm powerhouses as numerous as carp crossing a river. I wonder if I'll get to meet a few this time."
"We are here to seek medical treatment, not to cause trouble. We should not engage in combat unless absolutely necessary."
Shen Lang looked at Wo Long and smiled, "Since we are here to ask for help, our attitude must be respectful. So, once we arrive, you don't need to say anything. I'll handle everything."
"No problem."
Wo Long said to Shen Lang, "With my status, if I were really to beg someone, I might not be able to lower myself."
Half an hour later, the car reached the foot of the mountain. Just as they were about to ascend, they discovered that there was only a narrow path, half a meter wide, making it impossible for the car to go up.
"Let's get out. We'll walk up the mountain."
Seeing this, Song Shidao said to Shen Lang and his group.
Soon, they alighted from the car and followed Song Shidao up the mountain. After about forty minutes of walking, they reached the summit, where they were met with an ancient-looking Taoist temple.
At the entrance of the temple stood two girls, about sixteen or seventeen years old, dressed in flowing green robes with hair as black as ink. They wore swords at their waists and held whisk brooms in their hands. Upon seeing Song Shidao and his party approach, they immediately stepped forward to welcome them: "Mr. Song, the Abbess is waiting for you and your friends in the main hall. Please follow me."
The girls in green robes were very polite. They walked slowly to Song Shidao and bowed with one hand, saying.
"The old Abbess knew we were coming?"
Hearing the words of the green-robed girls, Song Shidao's face showed shock as he asked.
"Mr. Song, you jest. If the old Abbess didn't know you were coming, why would she have withdrawn the disciples along the way, and how would you have arrived here smoothly?"
The green-robed girls smiled brightly and said, "The old Abbess knew that Mr. Song and your friends would be coming three days ago, so she has already prepared fine tea for you."
"The old Abbess is truly divine."
Song Shidao exclaimed in shock, then led Shen Lang and the others to follow the green-robed girls through the main gate. After passing through a long corridor, they arrived at the main hall of Ci Hang.
As they entered the hall, they saw a woman, around twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, extremely beautiful, sitting with her back to the Buddha statue in the hall. Before her was a tea table and several futons. Seeing Song Shidao, a look of joy appeared on her face.
"Shi Dao, thirty years have passed, you have aged."
Upon hearing the other party's words, Song Shidao immediately knelt down and respectfully kowtowed, "This junior, Song Shidao, pays respects to the old Abbess."