Long after Xu Le and his group left, a well-built man suddenly spoke up: "Can we get up now?"
"It should be fine. Immortals are magnanimous and won't care about us country folk. But Yiming is really lucky. He actually got on the good side of an immortal and gained a chance at immortality. Maybe he will become an immortal in the future. Speaking of which, he seemed to be very interested in my Qi'er before. If they can get together, my family can also gain some immortality."
"Your girl is so fat and chubby, and you still want to be noticed? You're dreaming."
"This kid is really, really lucky."
The crowd discussed amongst themselves, stood up, dusted themselves off, and hurried away, eager to tell their wives and children this earth-shattering news.
That night, the entire village and town learned of a shocking piece of news.
An immortal has descended to the mortal realm, and has even come to Qingquan Town!
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Chapter Twenty-Seven: Healing
In the most remote part of the eastern part of town, a dilapidated thatched hut stood quietly. There were several holes in the roof, so rain would inevitably seep into the house.
Looking at the lonely, dilapidated hut, Xu Le felt a pang of emotion. When he first entered society, he had lived under bridges and in abandoned factories. Life was incredibly hard, but that was all in the past. Now, he would never allow himself to go back to those miserable days.
Pushing open the somewhat dilapidated wooden door, a damp feeling seeped out.
The room was dimly lit and contained very little furniture, just a bed, a chair, and a heated kang (a traditional Chinese bed-stove) that had been extinguished for who knows how long.
A small, thin figure lay vaguely on the bed. Hearing the door open, the person on the bed coughed twice, and a weak but melodious voice, as beautiful as a lark's, came out: "Brother, is that you?"
Yiming took out a flint from the corner, walked naturally to the table, and lit the oil lamp on the table with a few quick strikes.
The faint firelight illuminated the dilapidated house. Xu Le instructed Baihu to wait outside, then entered the house and saw the girl lying on the bed.
Long-term malnutrition had left her with a thin frame; her delicate brows were slightly furrowed in pain; her phoenix eyes were tightly closed; and fine beads of sweat covered her forehead. Her pale complexion could not conceal her smooth, jade-like skin. The illness did not diminish her beauty; rather, it made her all the more pitiful.
If she hadn't been suffering from illness, she would have been an absolute beauty.
The little girl slowly opened her eyes and saw her brother standing safely in front of her, feeling a sense of relief. She would have been ashamed to death if she had caused his death. Then, her gaze shifted and she saw Xu Le standing in the doorway like an immortal, and she asked with some confusion.
"Brother, who is this guest?"
When Xu Le asked the little girl a question, he smiled slightly, which made the girl, who had never seen many men from outside the village, blush shyly, like a bright red apple that made people want to take a bite.
Seeing that the immortal showed no displeasure, Yiming secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and then respectfully said, "This is the immortal, Wan'er, you must not be rude."
"Immortal? What is that? Cough cough cough cough..." She had been bedridden since childhood, unable to communicate with other children and not having much contact with the outside world. She didn't know what an immortal represented. She tilted her head playfully, but this action seemed to irritate her throat, and she started coughing.
She was like a real porcelain doll, beautiful and innocent, as if God lacked the right materials when creating her. Although she was given unparalleled beauty, she lacked a healthy body.
"A celestial being is a celestial being. Don't move around. You're not feeling well. Lie down quickly."
Looking at his sister, who was coughing desperately but forcing a smile, Yiming felt even more sorry for her and hated his own powerlessness. He gently stroked Wan'er's back and touched her thin body. Finally, Yiming couldn't hold back his tears and they slid down his face, dripping onto the ground with a soft sound and leaving only small water stains.
She could have had a happy childhood like other children and grown up happily, but he was unable to ensure that Wan'er grew up safely.
In Yiming's view, it was all his fault.
"Brother, please don't cry, okay? Cough cough, Wan'er is not coughing anymore." Wan'er lay on the bed, looking at Yiming who was crying, and reached out her slender little hand to wipe away his tears, but her fragile body, as delicate as porcelain, was aggravated again, and her cough became more and more serious.
Upon seeing this, Yiming turned around and kowtowed several times to Xu Le.
Bang bang bang!
His head slammed into the ground with a dull thud. When he lifted his head again, a small pit, about one or two centimeters deep, had appeared on the muddy ground. The person who caused the pit was covered in dark red mud on his once fair face. His forehead was pierced by small, hard stones from the force of the impact, and blood was slowly seeping out.
"Please, immortal, save my sister. I, Yiming, am willing to be your slave, even if it means taking my life."
Xu Le paused for a moment after witnessing this human tragedy, then looked at Yi Ming on the ground and said, "Raise your head and look at me."
Yiming looked up at the sound, his gaze towards Xu Le filled with determination and affection for his younger sister.
"I'll ask you one more time: for your sister, are you willing to pay any price, even your life?" Xu Le's heart softened. Although his lifelong pursuit was to seek the Dao, he had only just begun and did not yet possess the kind of heart that could be so ruthless and indifferent.
He was just an ordinary person, capable of pride, joy, fear, and compassion. So he wanted to give the boy a chance, but he wasn't a saint; he disliked pointless sacrifices and didn't expect anything in return.
So he asked the young man if he could join his ranks. He wouldn't be staying in this world long anyway, so he needed a representative. Xu Le was that kind of person—he felt compassion, but he wouldn't do anything without expecting something in return.
"I do!"
The voice was firm, carrying an indomitable spirit, echoing powerfully within the thatched hut.
"Remember your promise." Xu Le's figure flickered, and he instantly appeared beside the bed. He placed his hand on the little girl's forehead, activated the power of the horse talisman, and a sacred, warm, healing power surged into Wan'er's body.
Comfortable!
This was the first time since Wan'er fell ill that she felt so comfortable without pain. Her whole body felt warm and cozy, as if she were sitting next to a heater. The piercing pain slowly subsided, and Wan'er opened her eyes. Her eyes were a little more lively than before, and she asked in a soft voice, "Big brother, you make Wan'er feel so comfortable! Wan'er likes you very much."
Wan'er is like an angel, making everyone unconsciously develop a new liking for her.
Xu Le gently brushed Wan'er's sweat-soaked, matted hair behind her ears with a touch of pity, while simultaneously increasing the power of the horse talisman.
Logically speaking, the horse talisman should be able to cure an illness easily, but the germs in Wan'er's body seemed to have divine assistance, stubbornly resisting the horse talisman's cleansing.
The life force of the dog talisman also began to flow into Wan'er's body. Since external expulsion was not working, then she would strengthen her physique by exerting force from both inside and outside.
Seeing Yiming's worried expression, Xu Le removed his hand, nodded to Yiming, and walked out.
After watching Xu Le leave, Yi Ming hurriedly walked to Wan'er's side and asked with concern, "Wan'er, how are you feeling now?"
"It feels so good. My body isn't as cold as it used to be, and I feel so much more energetic." Wan'er propped herself up and smiled sweetly.
"That's good, then you should get some rest!" Although the immortal's magic power was boundless, Yiming was still a little worried and told Wan'er to get some rest. Wan'er obediently listened and lay down to sleep quietly.