"Is there anything else?" Song Hao asked, turning around.
"I've come all this way with great difficulty, yet I'm still being chased. It seems there's nowhere left for me to settle down in this world. You were also chased all over the world because of that acupuncture bronze figure back then, weren't you? How did you manage to escape that situation?" Ji Dongyang asked.
Upon hearing this, Song Hao laughed and said, "That's because we were able to resolve the matter with the help of others."
"I... I really have nowhere to hide now. If I get caught again, I could very well lose my life. Judging from your demeanor just now, you don't seem to have any designs on me. Could you let me go with you?" Ji Dongyang lowered his head and said softly, extremely unwilling and helpless.
“If you’re willing and don’t mind, you can come with us. You can settle down once we find a safe place,” Song Hao nodded.
"Have you thought this through? Bringing this person along could cause us trouble," Tang Yu warned in a low voice.
“Let’s take him with us for a while. His whereabouts are exposed now, and if he wanders around alone, he’ll fall into someone else’s hands sooner or later. Let’s treat him like a patient. The safety we provide is the medicine for him. Let’s find a safe place to settle him down. Besides, he is also a doctor. Since he has encountered trouble, as fellow practitioners, we should lend a hand,” Song Hao said.
Tang Yu said, "It's up to you. This Ji Dongyang has a gloomy personality and is even more difficult to deal with than that treacherous person from before. If you don't mind the trouble, then take him with you."
Song Hao waved to Ji Dongyang, who was standing some distance away, and said, "Come here, we'll find you a safe place."
Upon hearing this, a hint of gratitude flashed in Ji Dongyang's eyes. He then walked over indifferently and said lightly, "Thank you very much! I'm hungry, could you spare me a meal?"
“We haven’t eaten either, so let’s go eat together,” Song Hao said with a smile.
After the three of them finished their meal, they returned to the hotel. Song Hao booked another room for Ji Dongyang so he could rest. Only then did he return to his own room.
Tang Yu was already sitting in the room waiting for Song Hao. When he returned, she said, "Song Hao, this Ji Dongyang has found your weakness and wants us to protect him. This means we'll have to shield him from the trouble he attracts, which will delay what we need to do."
Song Hao said apologetically, "There's nothing we can do. Since he trusts us and is facing danger, he has no choice but to stay with us. With you as his bodyguard, I don't think there will be any problems. It'll just require you to put in a little more effort."
"Judging from Ji Dongyang's expression, he might not appreciate your kindness," Tang Yu said.
Song Hao said, "We also need to understand his current situation. Actually, he doesn't trust us either, but being with us makes him feel relatively safer. By the way, that guy named Hong Huang, who claims to be from the Ghost Doctor Sect, is actually from the Heavenly Doctor Sect. He already knows about my relationship with the Qi family of the Heavenly Doctor Sect, which is why he hasn't made things difficult for us. The release of the Medicineless Divine Formula may affect the interests of major pharmaceutical groups. The trouble Ji Dongyang is facing now is much more complicated than what I faced back then. We just need to protect his safety as much as possible."
Tang Yu said, "Why don't we notify Shangqing Temple and have your Taoist master find a way to protect him? Perhaps that can help him avert this crisis."
“Yes! Master will handle this matter. When I left this time, Master also gave me Brother Wuguo’s phone number. I’ll inform him now,” Song Hao said happily.
When the call connected, Wuguo was very excited when he heard Song Hao say that Ji Dongyang was with him. He hurriedly said, "You and Tang Yu take him to Xining. We'll meet there. Remember, make sure he's brought here safely. Then I'll transfer him safely to Shangqing Temple. Master will handle everything."
After finishing his call with Wuguo, Song Hao said happily, "That's great! All we need to do is get Ji Dongyang safely to Xining, where our senior brother will meet us."
Tang Yu listened and said happily, "That's good. I feel uncomfortable having him with me the whole way. It's only a day's journey to Xining. We'll leave early tomorrow morning and arrive tonight. Just hand him over to your senior brothers."
"Song Hao!" Tang Yu glanced at Song Hao, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Do you want to know what the medicineless remedy is? Now is a perfect opportunity."
Volume Two: Traditional Chinese Medicine Under Heaven - Chapter Forty-Two: Curing Without Medicine
Song Hao said, "It's impossible to cure all diseases without medicine. The truth of this matter is hard to discern right from wrong, so let's not get involved with those people. My master and I have discussed this matter, and he also has some belief in it. However, in my opinion, the Ji family has obtained a special method of treating diseases, which is only made more apparent by claiming it's without medicine. The Ji family has gotten into trouble because of this, and Ji Dongyang has ended up on the run. It's pitiful, so let's not make things difficult for him anymore."
Tang Yu said, "The legend is so incredible that it's hard not to believe it. If you're not interested, then forget it."
Song Hao laughed and said, "If it were as miraculous as the legends say, wouldn't all medicine in the world be lost? If everyone had a copy of the magic formula, there would be no disease in the world. Do you think such a thing is possible?"
“That’s true!” Tang Yu laughed. “I don’t know what they’re fighting over. Only when they are greatly disappointed will they realize that myths don’t exist in the human world.”
In the evening, Song Hao woke up Ji Dongyang, who was still sleeping, and then went out for dinner with Tang Yu. Ji Dongyang had slept soundly all afternoon and had recovered some energy. He remained silent and taciturn, sitting at the table, eating and drinking as if it were all perfectly natural.
After dinner, they returned to the hotel. The three of them sat in Song Hao's room, speechless for a moment.
After a long while, Ji Dongyang said, "Song Hao, I know you all have ulterior motives towards me, but I feel you wouldn't harm me, so I decided to go with you. But don't worry, if you can find me a safe place, I will repay you."
Upon hearing this, Tang Yu said unhappily, "How can you be like this? For your safety, it was your own initiative that led Song Hao to take you in. Yet you think we have ulterior motives towards you. Fine, you should just leave. Otherwise, we might steal that 'miracle cure' that we consider a treasure."
"The true elixir of immortality has no formula to begin with, and even immortals cannot steal it. This is something my grandfather painstakingly researched his entire life to figure out. There are no coincidences in this world, otherwise you wouldn't be here," Ji Dongyang said with a cold snort.
"Think what you want! Since you think we have ulterior motives, then tell me, is there really such a thing as a miraculous cure that can cure all diseases without any medicine?" Tang Yu said disdainfully.
"Of course there is. The Divine Formula of No Medicine uses all things in the world as medicine, follows the principles of Yin and Yang, and conforms to the arts of numerology. Once this technique is revealed, all medicine in the world will be rendered useless. However, this divine formula cannot be widely disseminated. Only those who are familiar with the changes of Yin and Yang and understand the principles of all things can comprehend it. You wouldn't understand anyway, so don't waste your time trying to get it from me. Those people who think they can get the Divine Formula of No Medicine by capturing me are dreaming. I only followed you because I was afraid of suffering some physical pain. Don't worry, after I cure a few wealthy people in the future, I will naturally share the benefits with you," Ji Dongyang said.
"How rare!" Tang Yu rolled her eyes at Ji Dongyang.
“Brother Ji!” Song Hao said, “It’s not inherently wrong to be arrogant with one’s skills; it’s the foundation for making a living. However, if used improperly, it can be a source of trouble. We’re not interested in your skills, and don’t doubt our intentions, otherwise it would be pointless. We can go our separate ways. I’m only helping you because I respect you as a descendant of the Ji family of medicine. Given your current situation, it’s not advisable for you to remain in the public eye, let alone treat the sick in wealthy families. Such wealth is not something you can pursue right now; preserving your life is the most important thing. I have a suggestion: we’ll be going to Xining tomorrow, where my Taoist senior brothers will meet us. They are reclusive people; you can go with them. Take refuge from the world for now, and come out again after things have calmed down.”
"What did you say? You want to hand me over to someone else? That won't do. Right now, I only trust you. I can't trust anyone else. Who knows what they're up to?" Ji Dongyang said in surprise.
“Let me explain,” Song Hao said. “When I was in trouble before, I took refuge in a secluded place, a Taoist temple that most people don’t know about. You can stay there temporarily, and once the outside world pays less attention to you, you can leave as you please. The abbot of the temple is my master, so I feel most at ease with you going there.”
Ji Dongyang shook his head and said, "I'm not going."
"Hey! Think it through. We have our own things to do. Having you around will only cause trouble. We're just finding you a safe place," Tang Yu said.
Ji Dongyang hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Is it really safe there?"
Song Hao nodded and smiled, “Don’t worry, it’s not only safe, but also a place for cultivation. The masters and fellow disciples in the Taoist temple are all knowledgeable in medicine, so you can exchange ideas with them and not waste your time. I lived there for nearly a year and gained a basic understanding of the principles of medicine. Although you possess extraordinary skills, they are limited to your own body and cannot be used to help others, which is a pity.”
Upon hearing this, Ji Dongyang lowered his head and remained silent, clearly indicating his tacit agreement.
Although Song Hao and Tang Yu were curious about the miraculous remedy without medicine, they didn't ask about it further so as not to arouse Ji Dongyang's suspicion. After sitting quietly for a while, they each went back to their rooms to rest.
In the middle of the night, a guest in the hotel suddenly cried out for help. It turned out that he had returned home drunk late and was awakened in the middle of the night by sharp pains in his liver area. He rolled off the bed and couldn't get up, so he had to cry for help. The owner on duty heard the noise and rushed over, ordering a waiter to help him up, but he refused, as he was in too much pain to be near anyone.
Song Hao and Tang Yu were also alarmed and came over to see what was happening. They found the man sweating profusely, gritting his teeth and enduring the pain. Song Hao was about to step forward to administer acupuncture to save him when he suddenly heard someone behind him say, "I'll treat him!"
When Song Hao and Tang Yu turned around, it was Ji Dongyang. Tang Yu's heart skipped a beat, and she secretly pulled Song Hao aside, wanting to see what kind of trick Ji Dongyang was using. Song Hao understood and stood aside without moving.
The hotel owner was delighted to see someone come forward to treat him and knew that the person was knowledgeable in medicine. He thanked them quickly, otherwise he would have called 120 for emergency medical assistance.
"Go and fetch a bowl of 'yin-yang water'," Ji Dongyang ordered.
"Yin-Yang water?" The innkeeper was taken aback.