Chapter 231: Visiting Wei Shiyan

Chapter 231: Visiting Wei Shiyan

The horse ran swiftly and soon reached the halfway point of the mountain.

The next stretch of the mountain path was not safe for riding, so Huai Geer dismounted and helped Xingxing off the horse as well. He held the reins in one hand and Xingxing’s hand in the other, making their way toward the nameless Taoist temple.

This was not Xingxing’s first time visiting the nameless Taoist temple, and she was quite familiar with the mountain path.

The siblings soon arrived at the temple. Huai Geer tied the horse to a hitching post beside the temple and, standing in front of the temple's grove, took out a bamboo whistle from his chest pocket.

“What is this?” Xingxing asked curiously.

Huai Geer explained to Xingxing, “This is a bamboo whistle given to me by my master. There’s a magical array in this grove that I can’t pass through. By blowing this whistle, my master will come to fetch me.”

Xingxing tilted her little head, her small brain filled with confusion.

What does "array" mean?

And why can’t he get through?

She had been through here several times before, hadn’t she?

Huai Geer blew the whistle.

The whistle let out a long, unique sound.

Xingxing found the sound quite pleasant and couldn’t help but take another look at the whistle.

Seeing Xingxing’s interest, Huai Geer smiled and promised, “Do you like it, Xingxing? My master seems to have more of these. I’ll ask him if he has another one.”

Xingxing felt a bit shy. “…Is it really okay?”

She just thought the sound of the whistle was really nice and not harsh at all.

Seeing her cautious expression, Huai Geer immediately said, “It’s definitely okay!”

While the siblings were talking, a figure slowly emerged from the grove. Dressed in a Taoist robe, it was the old Taoist priest.

“Taoist Elder!” Xingxing waved to greet him.

The old Taoist priest was a little surprised but then smiled. “Little Xingxing, why are you here?”

Huai Geer answered quickly, “Master, my sister heard that Shidi is running a fever and is worried about him, so she came to visit… Has Shidi’s fever gone down yet?”

The old Taoist priest felt reassured.

It’s good to see someone caring for him, given everything he’s been through.

“The fever hasn’t gone down… It’s your Shidi’s old ailment,” the old Taoist priest said. After hearing Huai Geer call him Shidi (junior brother) for so long, he had grown accustomed to the term.

Huai Geer was somewhat worried. “The fever hasn’t gone down yet? …He looks like he’s in a lot of discomfort.”

The old Taoist priest said slowly, “But if Shidi knows Xingxing came to visit, he’ll be really happy. Perhaps he’ll get better.”

Huai Geer nodded in agreement.

The old Taoist priest walked ahead, leading Huai Geer and Xingxing into the grove.

Huai Geer cautioned Xingxing, “Little sister, stay close to me. It’s very easy to get lost here. The first time I came here, I got lost in the grove, and Master had to come find me.”

Xingxing tilted her head slightly, as if deep in thought.

Is it really that easy to get lost?

But she... has never gotten lost in this forest before, not once!

The old Taoist priest glanced back at Huai Geer, who was worried about his sister, and said slowly, “...there’s no need for you to worry about your sister. Your sister is much more capable than you. She could probably enter the Maze Forest with her eyes closed and still not get lost.”

Huai Geer: “……”

The old Taoist priest thought Huai Geer would feel embarrassed, but instead, Huai Geer said excitedly, “I knew it! Our Xingxing is amazing!”

He beamed with pride, clearly sharing in her glory.

The old Taoist priest: “……”

Xingxing smiled, a little embarrassed.

After passing through the Maze Forest, they arrived at the small courtyard where the old Taoist priest and Wei Shiyan lived.

Perhaps because of the spring season, some flowers were blooming near the courtyard, but they were mostly sparse, giving off an indescribable sense of loneliness.

The old Taoist priest stopped with Huai Geer and Xingxing in front of a closed-door room.

Xingxing took just one look and furrowed her little brows like a grown-up.

She whispered to the old Taoist priest, “Taoist Elder, Grandma Da Xi told me that the room of a sick person should have its windows open for proper ventilation. If they can't be exposed to the wind, the windows should at least be cracked open on the side where no one passes by, to ensure proper ventilation. If the patient can breathe smoothly, they will recover faster.”

The old Taoist priest was impressed and praised, “Xingxing really knows a lot.”

Xingxing blushed at the praise.

The old Taoist priest pushed open the door and led Xingxing and Huai Geer into the room.

The furnishings inside were very simple, with almost no decorations apart from some necessary furniture. As soon as they entered, they could see the situation on the bed.

Wei Shiyan lay on the bed, eyes closed, his face flushed with fever.

The old Taoist priest lowered his voice, “...he’s still unconscious. Every time he has a fever, it lasts for three days, and he sleeps for three days.”

Huai Geer felt a twinge of heartache when he heard this.

His lean and thin little brother, how could he have such a problem?

Xingxing tiptoed forward and looked at the unconscious Wei Shiyan for a while.

She stretched out her small hand and tentatively touched Wei Shiyan’s forehead. It was indeed very hot.

Huai Geer saw Xingxing reaching out to Wei Shiyan and hesitated for a moment but didn’t say anything.

After spending so much time with Wei Shiyan, Huai Geer wasn’t naive. He knew that if he touched his little brother, he’d likely end up stumbling.

But since Xingxing had come specially to visit his little brother, he couldn’t very well say something about not touching him in front of the patient—that would be too heartless.

The old Taoist priest probably noticed Huai Geer’s hesitation and lowered his voice, “Don’t worry, Xingxing is blessed with great fortune. She’ll be fine.”

Huai Geer couldn’t help but smile—my sister is really amazing!

But he reminded himself they were still by his little brother’s bedside, and his brother was still sick, so he quickly wiped the smile from his face.

Xingxing felt Wei Shiyan's forehead, then rummaged in her fragrant pouch and pulled out a few medicinal pills wrapped in oiled paper.

Xingxing selected one pill from the bunch.

The pill was tiny and delicate, and the oiled paper wrapped around it had the word "heat" written on it.

"Taoist Elder," Xingxing said, peeling the pill and holding it out in her palm for the old Taoist priest to see, "this is a fever-reducing pill that Da Xi Grandmother gave me. Can Brother Yan take this? Take a look."

The old Taoist priest paused, took the pill, and sniffed it. His eyes widened in surprise.

The ingredients used were extremely clever; it was indeed a good formula to reduce fever.

However, the old Taoist priest knew in his heart that Wei Shiyan's fever, which struck four times a year, was due to his innate unlucky constitution and was not a typical illness.

While the pill wouldn’t cause any harm, it wouldn’t help either.

The old Taoist priest paused, then, seeing Xingxing’s worried expression, he reluctantly handed the pill back. "This pill is very good; we can try it."

Xingxing smiled brightly, carefully pinched the pill and gently placed it between Wei Shiyan’s lips.

The pill dissolved instantly in his mouth, quickly turning into liquid medicine.

Wei Shiyan instinctively swallowed.

Xingxing was thrilled, "Brother Yan took it!"