"I just went through the whole story again, and there are a few points of doubt that I'd like to tell you, which are still related to your three senior brothers," Tang Yu said.
Song Hao frowned slightly and said, "Just say what you have to say."
“First of all, Ji Dongyang knows your three senior brothers, and your three senior brothers also know Ji Dongyang. There must be some serious relationship between them, especially that makes Ji Dongyang afraid to see them,” Tang Yu said.
"What's the basis for this?" Song Hao asked.
“First, Ji Dongyang trusts us. Even if he discovers other enemies, he would tell me instead of running away. However, when he saw you walking with his enemy, he became even more frightened. He must have seen you together, which is why he fled without hesitation. Second, your three senior brothers were very disappointed when they learned that Ji Dongyang had run away. When Wuguo said ‘find him,’ your two senior brothers actually turned around and chased after him. This shows that your senior brothers recognized Ji Dongyang; otherwise, with so many people, who would they chase? Third, only your senior brothers knew about the meeting in front of the Great Mosque. The chances of Ji Dongyang’s acquaintance appearing there are extremely small, almost nonexistent. His sudden escape was because he saw an enemy that terrified him. Another point is that your master is not just interested in the Divine Formula of No Medicine, but extremely interested. Therefore, he might sometimes resort to extreme measures to obtain it. Ji Dongyang is now a key figure; obtaining him is equivalent to obtaining the Divine Formula of No Medicine,” Tang Yu said slowly.
Song Hao listened in silence. All signs pointed to his three senior brothers as the ones who had scared Ji Dongyang away. Yes, their master was eager to know the secret of the miraculous elixir, because Wu Guo had said it was another wish of his master's life. However, this felt somewhat like forcing Ji Dongyang, demanding the impossible. Would their always upright master and senior brothers do such a thing?
Song Hao couldn't figure it out, so he wanted to call Wuguo to ask for clarification. But Tang Yu stopped him, saying, "Do you want to call your senior brother to find out about this?"
Song Hao said, "That's right, let's ask what exactly happened."
Tang Yu shook his head and said, "It's best if you don't get too involved in this matter, because you don't know what happened. The facts show that your Taoist master is not as great as you imagine. Even though he has given you all sorts of benefits, his actions in this matter make one suspicious of his intentions. Old Taoist Xiao is a mysterious figure in the martial arts world; no one understands him. For now, it's best for you to maintain this normal master-disciple relationship and not to meddle in some things."
“You’re overcomplicating things, and you’re exaggerating. Master wants the elixir of immortality, which is simply a doctor’s nature—curiosity and a desire to understand its secrets. After witnessing Ji Dongyang’s verification once, weren’t we even more curious? It’s just that out of consideration for him and his stubbornness, we didn’t force him. So, Master’s desire for the elixir of immortality and his seeking out Ji Dongyang is a benevolent act, and there’s nothing wrong with that,” Song Hao said.
Tang Yu said, "I feel that things are not that simple, especially the expression on Wu Guo's face when he heard the news that Ji Dongyang had run away. He was very disappointed and even angry. Something must have happened between them and the Ji family. Besides, even if your master wants to get the Wuyao Divine Formula, he cannot use coercive means. Otherwise, how is he any different from those who chased after Ji Dongyang?"
Song Hao was speechless after hearing this.
"And another thing!" Tang Yu added, "The Hong Huang we met yesterday claimed to be from the Tianyi Sect, which means the Tianyi Group ordered him to hunt down Ji Dongyang. It's clear that the 'miracle cure' has caused a major upheaval in people's hearts. Even respectable figures have lost their composure in this matter and have resorted to extreme measures. This makes your master's behavior understandable."
“I can understand why Tianyi Group would do such a thing. Those people will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. I’ve already witnessed it firsthand and even become a victim myself. However, Master shouldn’t be as complicated as you think. I’ll find out more about this later,” Song Hao said.
"You shouldn't get involved in this matter anymore. You saw their fruitless attitude; they didn't want you to be involved anymore. So just pretend you know nothing. Knowing all the secrets of our sect might not be a good thing," Tang Yu said.
"Sigh! How could this happen! Fine, I'll listen to you, let's just leave it at that." Song Hao said helplessly.
Upon hearing this, Tang Yu smiled, concealing the worry that had been on her face.
"I just don't know where Ji Dongyang can hide." Song Hao shook his head again.
Tang Yu said, "This person is obsessed with wealth and is somewhat greedy. Although he possesses extraordinary skills, he is unlikely to achieve much in the future. As long as he is not captured, he will not starve with his skills. Even if he is captured, given his nature, he would rather die than reveal his secrets. He will not be in immediate danger, so there is no need to worry about him."
"He suffered greatly from his skills, forced to flee for his life. I hope he can escape safely, live in anonymity, and avoid further trouble," Song Hao sighed.
“If he can do that, it will be a blessing for him. I’m afraid he will have difficulty getting over the temptation of fame and fortune, and will eventually have to use his skills to become famous in the world. At that time, it will be hard to predict whether he will be blessed or not,” Tang Yu said.
Nothing was said that night.
The next morning, Song Hao and Tang Yu went to the street to buy some items, and then drove on their way, leaving Xining City and heading towards Qinghai Lake.
Around noon, Tang Yu, who was driving, saw a man waving to flag down cars on the highway ahead. A truck was parked on the side of the road, and Tang Yu wondered what had happened. A car that had been driving by earlier ignored the young man and drove off.
As I approached, I saw a middle-aged man standing next to the truck, with some tools on the ground. It was clear that the vehicle had broken down on the way and could not be repaired, so he was seeking help from passing vehicles.
The young man who had stopped the car was overjoyed when he saw a car approaching and slowing down. Hope lit up his face, and he waved to signal it.
Tang Yu stopped the car, rolled down the window, and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Ma'am, could you please help us? Our car broke down, and we need to buy some parts in the town ahead to replace them. Could you give us a ride?" the young man said urgently.
Tang Yu glanced at the truck and the simple-looking middle-aged man standing next to it. Clearly, there was no sign of foul play; he was indeed in trouble and seeking help. So she nodded and said, "Then get in the truck, I'll give you a ride."
The young man was overjoyed upon hearing this and quickly turned to the middle-aged man, saying, "Dad, watch the car and wait for me to come back." He then got into the back seat. The car started and drove away.
Volume Two: The World of Traditional Chinese Medicine - Tianyi Hall, Chapter Forty-Five: The Sleepless Ones
"Thank you so much, big brother and sister. We've been stuck here for hours, flagging down dozens of cars, but not a single one of them has been willing to help us," the young man said gratefully, shaking his head and sighing.
Tang Yu said, "Some people are afraid of trouble, but also of being robbed."
"Yes! Although a few cars stopped, they drove off as soon as they heard we wanted a ride. There aren't that many bad people in the world," the young man remarked.
Tang Yu and Song Hao smiled after hearing this.
"Thank you for your kind help. My name is Liu Baogen. Where are you going?" Liu Baogen asked again.
“Qinghai Lake!” Song Hao replied.
"You're going there for sightseeing, right? My home is right by the lake," Liu Baogen said.
"Really! What a coincidence. I was just asking around, is there a place called Mulian Village? We're going there to find someone," Song Hao said. Mulian Village is where Ding Fengjie, who possesses the "Miraculous Prescriptions," lives.
“Mulian Village! I know it. It’s a pretty remote place. Even people who live by the lake might not know it. It’s about 30 li away from our village,” Liu Baogen said.
"Great! Can you lead us there?" Song Hao asked excitedly.
“No problem. You helped us once, so I can help you once too. Stay at my house first, and I’ll take you there tomorrow,” Liu Baogen replied with a smile.
"Thank you!" Song Hao and Tang Yu exchanged a smile. They had thought the place would be hard to find; it wasn't on the map, and Xiao Boran had only given them a general location. It seemed that helping others was the first step to receiving help in return.
After driving for more than an hour, they arrived at a town ahead. Liu Baogen bought replacement parts at an auto parts store and happily returned to his car. He then headed back the same way.
"There's another village, also by Qinghai Lake, I need to ask you about that too." Song Hao grabbed the guide, wanting to inquire about Ren Zhiqian, who possessed the secret recipe for Mafeisan (anesthesia powder).
Liu Baogen laughed and said, "There are many villages around Qinghai Lake, which one are you talking about?"
"Do you know a place called Yanshi Village?" Song Hao asked.
"Hehe! Where are you looking for whom? My home is in Yanshi Village," Liu Baogen said with a laugh.
"Really!" Song Hao and Tang Yu were both overjoyed to hear this.
Song Hao hurriedly handed the address Qiu Ru had written to Liu Baogen, saying, "Is this the Yanshi Village in this place? Don't get the wrong place because of the same name."