Chapter 251 250: Things of the Past

Mu Lin continued to bustle about, working hectically with Lin Shishi and Hong Rui.

Once Hong Rui got the hang of it, her speed clearly surpassed Lin Shishi's. It was obvious she was used to doing chores, so her pace naturally increased very quickly.

By the time they finished, the sun was nearly setting.

Mu Lin wiped away his sweat and straightened up. "I can only say that I've saved all that I could. For the rest, there's truly nothing I can do. Elder Bai, I'm sorry."

Bai Zhenshan said, "Don't worry about it. This is all fate. Now, it's my turn. If I don't make it through, please don't take it to heart, young friend. A person's life is in the hands of heaven. Even if one truly wishes to defy it, the difficulty is unimaginably great."

Mu Lin rubbed his sore hands and said, "Alright then, Elder Bai. Let's begin."

Bai Zhenshan waved his hand and chuckled. "Why the rush? Let's take our time; it's fine. Eat first. Aren't you hungry?"

Mu Lin had been so busy treating the injured that he hadn't felt anything, but now that he had a moment to himself, he realized he was starving. "Oh, you're right. I am pretty hungry."

"I had the chef prepare a simple meal. I hope you'll do me the honor," Bai Zhenshan said with a smile.

Mu Lin nodded. "Miss Lin, Miss Hong, let's go!"

Hearing Mu Lin call her "Miss," Lin Shishi couldn't help but roll her eyes.

'He's still calling me that at a time like this? What does that mean? It means he doesn't see me as a friend at all!'

'Or is this the side effect of pretending to be his girlfriend so often?'

As expected of the Bai Family, an old and established clan with a long history, the chef they kept on staff was truly extraordinary.

Lin Shishi was full of praise as she ate, and Hong Rui also dug in with gusto.

After a few bites, Mu Lin said, "Elder Bai, you must have been in great pain all this time, haven't you? That surging sword qi rampaging through your meridians must feel awful."

Bai Zhenshan let out a long sigh. "Yes! It's been agonizing! It's gotten especially severe in recent years, and lately, it's even reached the point of constant, round-the-clock pain..."

"If you can solve this problem for me..."

Bai Zhenshan stood up, cup in hand, then kicked Bai Jingjing, who was beside him. Bai Jingjing hastily raised his own cup.

"From this day forward, I am your man! Tell me to fight someone, and I'll fight them! Tell me to kill someone, and I'll kill them!"

Bai Jingjing's expression changed drastically when he heard this. 'How can this be?'

'The old man has only been back for a few hours, and now he's pledging himself to someone else? What's going on?'

Bai Jingjing was just about to say something, but the old man shot him a glare.

He could only remain silent.

Mu Lin quickly stood up. "Elder Bai, you're giving me too much credit! How could I possibly order you around?"

Bai Zhenshan said, "If I can't get past this ordeal, I'm afraid my life is down to its last few days. Truly, just a few days left..."

Mu Lin was speechless. A simple scan with his spiritual sense had made Bai Zhenshan's condition clear. It was beyond terrible; there really was no other way to describe it.

Bai Jingjing said, "Divine Doctor Mu, if you can cure my father, the Bai Family will follow your orders from now on!"

The Bai Family's situation was not good. They could only throw their weight around in Songyang. If things continued like this, their downfall was only a matter of time.

If Bai Zhenshan could return, many of their problems would be easily solved.

Many people in the Jianghu greatly respected him, but they had always been dismissive of Bai Jingjing.

Clearly, the backbone of the Bai Family had always been Bai Zhenshan, even during the years he was missing.

Seeing that even Bai Jingjing was saying this, Mu Lin felt he couldn't refuse any longer. He said:

"I need some medicinal herbs. Once you've gathered them for me, I can begin the treatment. Of course, the chances of success are not high. You must be prepared."

"Understood!"

Mu Lin wrote out a prescription, handed it to Bai Jingjing, and told him to get it filled.

After taking the prescription, Bai Jingjing swiftly went to gather the herbs.

The Bai Family was large and well-staffed, even having its own pharmacy and a dedicated Physician to treat minor ailments like headaches and fevers.

Mu Lin looked at Bai Zhenshan, and they went to a Cultivation Chamber together. "Elder Bai, please sit down and remove your shirt."

Bai Zhenshan did as he was told. When Mu Lin glanced at Bai Zhenshan's body, he was stunned.

It was horrifying. His skin looked like a riverbed that had been dry for years, its cracked surface baking under the hot sun. That was the feeling it gave off.

Mu Lin determined this was because his life force had been eroded and completely depleted by the rampaging sword qi.

Bai Zhenshan's condition was truly awful.

To say he was terminally ill would be putting it mildly.

Mu Lin hurriedly began applying needles, inserting them into Bai Zhenshan's back, arms, and head as if planting rice seedlings.

His movements were gentle, and the amount of True Qi he channeled in was minuscule. Bai Zhenshan was so weak that even a little more could have caused a complete collapse in that area.

'I have to be patient.'

Mu Lin meticulously and slowly began to activate his Qi and Blood.

With Mu Lin regulating his Qi and Blood, the feeling of pain gradually subsided for the most part.

He felt much more comfortable.

Seeing that Bai Zhenshan's spirit had relaxed somewhat, Mu Lin started to chat with him. "Elder Bai, I have a huge question on my mind. May I ask you about it?"

Bai Zhenshan chuckled. "Go ahead and ask. I'm afraid there aren't many questions I can answer for you!"

Mu Lin waved his hand. "How could that be! I'm just confused. You've suffered so much, wandering and homeless, all because of this Sword Skill manual. Why not just give it to them? It's just a worldly possession. Why cling to it?"

"Could a Sword Skill manual possibly be more important than being reunited with your family? Look at Patriarch Bai—he's about to go mad!"

Bai Zhenshan said with a look of disappointment, "Of course I want to be with my family! But fate plays tricks on people; it just had to have its fun with me."

Mu Lin asked, confused, "What do you mean, Elder Bai?"

"I originally obtained this Sword Skill by a stroke of luck in a mountain cave. But after I mastered it, the words on the manual disappeared... Can you believe it?"

Mu Lin found it bizarre as well, but he knew Elder Bai had no reason to lie to him. Besides, he had been wandering for so long; there had to be a serious reason for it. Otherwise, who would be bored enough to just run around aimlessly?

"Once the words on the manual were gone, I was in a bind. If I threw it away, it would be a terrible waste if someone who didn't recognize its value destroyed it. So I could only find a place to hide it."

"Then I started traveling, and who knew this Sword Skill was so formidable? No one could stand against me. Eventually, I encountered Dong Wu..."

"In that battle, I fought him to a draw, and that's when the trouble started."

"Before, I was a nobody, just fighting against young, unproven talents. It was no surprise when I won. But after fighting Dong Wu to a draw, I was suddenly on everyone's radar."

"They started wondering why I was so strong. Then someone suggested that my Sword Skill was different from everyone else's. The more they thought about it, the more they agreed, and they became interested in my manual."

"Soon, baseless rumors started spreading that I possessed a secret manual. And wouldn't you know it, they actually believed them... Everyone wanted to see what this manual contained—even the most powerful and prominent families hinted that if I handed it over, they would provide for me for life."

"How could I possibly believe such an empty promise? Naturally, I refused. After that, the attacks in the Jianghu targeting the manual grew more and more frequent. I was tired of it all but was forced to fight back. I fought for a long time and ended up covered in countless wounds, my meridians shattered. I had no choice but to go into seclusion."

Mu Lin said, "But Elder Bai, you publicly burned the manual long ago. Why are people still hunting you?"

"Because there are always whispers and rumors saying I didn't actually burn it, so their attacks never stopped..."

Mu Lin sighed endlessly. 'This world is truly a terrifying place. It's much more peaceful back on the mountain.'

'No wonder the old man didn't want me to tell anyone his name. If I ended up targeted by Mad Dogs like with this manual, how could I ever live a normal life?'

Bai Zhenshan thought for a moment, then asked in surprise, "Mu Xiaoyou, you didn't seem very surprised when you first saw me. Did you know something about my faked death? How did you find out? Only Zhao Yang and I were supposed to know about that!"

Mu Lin said, "I was helping out at Divine Doctor Zhao's shop. We got to know each other over time, and he told me about it when Bai Jingjing was giving him a hard time."

Mu Lin's words didn't clarify his relationship with Zhao Yang. He still wanted to avoid getting too deeply involved with the Bai Family.

'The members of the Bai Family are a bit unhinged. I don't think I can handle them.'

"So that's how it is!" Bai Zhenshan's eyes lit up. "No wonder your medical skills are so exquisite."

Mu Lin opened his mouth, wondering, 'How am I supposed to explain this?'

'I guess I'll just have to not explain it, right?'

Mu Lin said, "Elder Bai, why don't you hold a press conference and announce that the manual has indeed been burned? Just let them put the matter to rest."

But Bai Zhenshan gave a wry smile. "I'm afraid that won't work. Because the one I burned really was a fake."