Ascending to the Clouds Alone

The cleaning and suturing were completed in about fifteen minutes.

Lin Su clenched his teeth the whole time, his back teeth almost breaking, but he didn't utter a sound. His fingertips, gripping the edge of the bed, almost drew blood.

Next, the old man applied medicine and bandaged his wound.

Not long after it ended, the young apprentice came in carrying water, with two towels on the rim of the basin.

Lin Su then got a clear look at the medicine boy's appearance:

He was about ten years old, wearing a square scarf on his head. He had a fair and handsome face, still somewhat childish, and a pair of big, watery eyes.

Lin Su was secretly surprised. The medicine boy's timing was so accurate that he must have known it by heart.

The old man took the basin of water and instructed:

"Qingqing, go and get a robe for this young man to change into."

"Yes, Grandfather," the young apprentice replied obediently.

Before long, the old man had finished treating the wound and then had the apprentice fetch clean water for Lin Su to wipe it with.

After changing into clean robes, Lin Su felt relaxed. When he turned around, he found that the medicine boy had been staring at him the whole time.

He had been so focused on changing his clothes that he was shirtless and someone had seen him. His face flushed instantly, and he said:

"You ignorant child, don't you even know how to avoid trouble?"

"Hmph!" The young apprentice pursed his lips and said, "You're wearing my brother's old clothes, and I'm not allowed to see them?"

The old man, who was packing his medicine box, glanced at Lin Su, paused for a moment, and then spoke:

"Qingqing, stop fooling around and hurry up and get the medicine. It's already past Chen Shi (7-9 AM). Once it's decocted, give it to the young master immediately. Decocted another dose at Xu Shi (7-9 PM)."

The young apprentice regained his obedient demeanor and turned to leave.

Lin Su walked up to the old man, placed his left hand on the back of his right hand, his thumb resting on the base of his right ring finger, and his right thumb lightly touching the tip of his middle finger. He then clasped his hands together, bowed deeply, and made a deep bow.

This etiquette was taught to me by my father when I was a child, and he hasn't done it in a long time.

After bowing, he unconsciously rubbed his fingers together before speaking:

"I will never forget your kindness in saving my life, old doctor. However... I am short of money and may not have enough to pay for your services. I am willing to do as you please to cover the medical expenses."

The old man's eyes flickered slightly. He accepted the bow calmly and said indifferently:

"Although I have the heart to heal the sick and save lives, I cannot waive medical expenses and medicine fees. Here, I only accept spiritual sand and spiritual stones, not ordinary gold and silver."

Since you've said so, young master, then rest assured and recuperate here. Once you're healed, I will have some requests of you; we'll discuss them then."

Upon hearing these words, Lin Su was about to bow again.

The old man raised his hand to stop him, saying:

"That's enough, it's not about the amount of the gift. I still have patients waiting to be treated and prescribed medicine. Young man, please make yourself at home. If you need anything, just say the word."

After tidying up, the old man went out.

Lin Su quickly followed and saw him off, pausing for a moment to watch the old man's back before turning around and closing the door.

Reflecting on the series of events that had transpired in the past few days, Lin Su was filled with mixed emotions, and it was now imperative to quickly resume his cultivation.

Thinking back to the time when the "Qi-guiding" technique was blocked by the spirit-locking talisman in the chaotic rock forest, this was the decision I made after pondering and trying.

Without further hesitation, he began with the most basic "sensing qi and concentrating the mind".

Guided by memory, the "Tongtian Baolu: Qi-Inducing Scroll" slowly unfolded in his mind:

"...The human body has its own innate Qi, which originates from the parents and is stored in the kidney and life gate, which is the foundation of life and the root of cultivation."

External spiritual energy is acquired energy and needs to be integrated with innate energy to obtain true breath.

Therefore, Qi cultivation is not simply about absorbing external Qi; it is actually about nourishing the innate with the acquired, and transforming the acquired with the innate. Only when the two are combined can it be considered true skill…”

Following the method described in the Precious Register, he raised his hollow palms and patted each place dozens of times, starting from his elbows, passing through his armpits, and then down to his thighs and knees.

The stiff limbs relaxed a bit after being patted, and the dormant vitality within seemed to be awakened.

He then rubbed his palms together until they were burning hot, and quickly placed them on his lower back, specifically the Mingmen point and the Shenshu acupoints on both sides, massaging them up and down rapidly.

Once a sustained warmth spread through his lower back, he calmed his mind and adjusted his breathing.

When inhaling, tighten the anus and lift your mind slightly; when exhaling, release the pressure and let your mind sink down.

Between this contraction and release, the warmth from the Mingmen point slowly seeped into the depths of the internal organs.

Sensing this subtle change, he sat down cross-legged.

Because his body was still recovering from his injuries, he could not fully stretch out. Lin Su could only silently imagine the posture of his five hearts facing the sky and his spine as straight as an ancient pine tree.

After regulating his breathing, he closed his eyes, gently pressed the tip of his tongue against the upper palate, and prepared to connect the Ren and Du meridians.

But distracting thoughts kept flooding in:

The towering fire in the rainy night, Han Xiangyu's blood exploding, the female deacon's face, the battle between the mantis and the black serpent, the sound of the bewitching moth's wings...

Fragmented images and sounds all clung to him.

The Precious Register states:

"Only by calming the body externally and purifying the mind internally can one begin to sense spiritual energy and connect one's spirit with the dantian."

At this moment, Lin Su's mind was in turmoil, and he felt nothing. He could only concentrate on his breathing and silently practice the method of counting breaths.

One cycle is ten breaths.

After dozens of rounds, his mind gradually calmed down, and a simple tranquility quietly enveloped him...

Just then, a clear voice came from outside the door:

"Time to take your medicine."

Lin Su paused, finished his practice, and exhaled before getting up to open the door.

Qingqing stood outside the door, holding a bowl of dark brown medicinal soup.

"Drink it quickly. Grandfather said this medicine promotes blood circulation and tissue regeneration, which will be good for your wound."

Lin Su accepted the medicine with both hands, feeling its pure and mellow aroma, and was filled with gratitude for the grandfather and grandson.

Near the end of the 9-11 PM, Qingqing came to call him for dinner again.

Three sets of bowls and chopsticks were set on the table, with several kinds of vegetable, mushroom, and bamboo shoot soup arranged in the center. These were all grown in the backyard of the clinic, growing alongside medicinal herbs, and their aroma was more refreshing than ordinary food.

The old man was already seated in the main seat, deftly serving rice, but his mouth was never still:

"Grandpa, these mushrooms smell amazing today, even better than yesterday's."

The old man gave a faint "hmm," picked up a piece of mushroom, chewed it slowly, and his gaze seemed to fall on Lin Su almost imperceptibly.

Lin Su held his bowl and ate quietly.

In the past, Aunt Zhou was strict during meals, always saying, "You are not allowed to talk while eating."

Later, when he followed Han Xiangyu around, they mostly squatted by the roadside eating dry food. Occasionally, they would find a small stall in the market and quickly eat a few bites.

He hadn't felt this way, sitting together to eat, for a very, very long time.

Qingqing took a couple of bites of rice, then suddenly looked up at him and said:

"Why are you eating so little?"

Lin Su was taken aback: "...Huh?"

"My older brother used to be like that too; he wouldn't eat properly when he was injured," Qingqing muttered, poking at the rice in her bowl with her chopsticks. "Grandfather said that would slow down the healing process."

The old man picked up a piece of medicinal mustard and put it into Qingqing's bowl, saying:

"Have a meal."

Qingqing stopped talking, just lowered her head and continued eating.

The old man remained calm, as if he hadn't heard anything.

Lin Su lowered his eyes, but he couldn't suppress the thought in his mind:

Could Qingqing's elder brother be the owner of this robe?

The meal was light yet substantial, and contained a rare sense of peace. As the grains and vegetables entered my stomach, a gentle vitality gradually spread throughout my body.

As Qingqing was clearing away the dishes, Lin Su stood up to thank her.

The old man picked up his teacup, took a sip, waved his hand, and his expression was somewhat indifferent.

Perhaps it was because of his injury, or perhaps it was because he was full, but a heavy weariness swept over him.

Lin Su took his leave and returned to his side room. As soon as he lay down, his mind completely relaxed, and he fell asleep.

This was the most peaceful sleep he had ever had since the upheaval in Junling City.

It wasn't until dusk that Qingqing woke him up.

Dinner was simple as usual, but with the addition of a bowl of nourishing meat soup to help heal the body and replenish vital energy.

After finishing his meal, Lin Su returned to his room and began meditating and cultivating again, following the instructions in the Tongtian Baolu.

This time, he felt no more anxiety, and his breathing gradually harmonized with the rhythm of nature...

They didn't stop practicing until late at night.

Just as he was about to lie down, he heard a few very light footsteps outside the courtyard wall.