Chapter 13: The Art of Wellness

Chapter 13: The Great Art of Health Preservation

Lu Caiyun picked up the white powder, her expression puzzled. Then she thought of something and exclaimed in surprise, "Is this the jade pendant you always wear? How did it turn into powder?"

Jiang Yingxue recalled, "I was struck by lightning some time back, and the jade pendant turned into powder."

Before she could finish, Lu Caiyun rushed over, her face filled with worry as she examined Jiang Yingxue anxiously. Her tone was urgent, tinged with a concerned reproach, "When did this happen? Why didn't I know? Did it hurt? You silly child, hiding such a big thing until now—you scared your grandma half to death..."

Jiang Xianzheng's serious expression also shifted to one of concern as he looked at her anxiously, "Were you injured anywhere?"

Jiang Yingxue quickly reassured them, "I'm fine, not hurt at all. It's just that the jade pendant I always wore shattered into powder, and this book mysteriously appeared in my pocket."

Lu Caiyun patted her chest in relief, "As long as you're unharmed, that's what matters."

"I think the jade pendant shielded me from the lightning strike," Jiang Yingxue continued. "At the moment I was struck, my soul seemed to fly to another world and spent some time there, just like a dream. That world was strange—everyone could fly, birds could talk, and some even transformed into humans... But when I woke up, I snapped out of it and quickly found shelter from the rain. It was while taking shelter that I discovered the jade pendant had shattered and this strange book had appeared on me." Her words were a mix of truth and fabrication, delivered with such sincerity that it sounded entirely believable. This was the explanation she had come up with, one she believed her grandparents could accept.

"As long as you're unharmed," Jiang Xianzheng repeated, a flicker of fear and relief crossing his face. He glanced down at the white powder. If not for the jade pendant, his granddaughter might have been in grave danger. The mere thought of that possibility made his heart ache with a deep sense of dread.

He picked up the bag of white powder. The jade pendant Jiang Yingxue mentioned was a family heirloom passed down through the Jiang family. Their ancestors had once included a Taoist priest, and it was said this pendant was left by him, for protection. Jiang Xianzheng's father had given it to Jiang Mingzhu, who then put it on Jiang Yingxue.

Now that the pendant had turned to powder, it had fulfilled its duty of protection.

Jiang Xianzheng believed about eighty percent of Jiang Yingxue's explanation. No wonder his granddaughter had returned home so thin—she must have suffered greatly outside. He couldn't bear the thought of her enduring hardship; all he wanted was for her to be healthy and happy.

Meanwhile, Lu Caiyun was pulling Jiang Yingxue toward the front door, insisting, "Come on, let's go to the hospital for a check-up. You worry me too much, child. Let's go, right now."

Jiang Yingxue held Lu Caiyun's hand firmly, standing her ground without being moved. "Grandma, I'm really completely fine. It's the pendant that suffered," she said, a fleeting look of sorrow in her eyes as she glanced at the powder. After all, this was a pendant passed down from her mother, and she felt a pang of regret that it had turned to dust.

"The pendant is spent, so be it. As long as you're safe, that's what matters," Jiang Xianzheng said, rising from his seat. The pendant had shielded his granddaughter from disaster and even brought her a world-shaking book—"The Great Art of Health Preservation." He suspected this book was left by the same ancestor who had passed down the pendant. The paper and handwriting showed signs of age, yet the text was in modern script. It was as if the pendant had a spirit and the book a purpose, specially prepared for his granddaughter.

Jiang Xianzheng decided he would kill a chicken that evening to offer sacrifices to their ancestors.

Lu Caiyun still held Jiang Yingxue's hand tightly, refusing to let go. "You saying you're fine isn't enough; only a doctor's word counts," she insisted. Without a proper hospital examination, Lu Caiyun couldn't rest easy.

Jiang Yingxue had a sudden idea. "I already went to the hospital for a check-up, really. The doctor said I'm fine, completely unharmed, not at all like someone struck by lightning. I'm perfectly healthy," she said, spinning in place to show how healthy she was.

"Really?"

"Really!"

Hearing this, the elderly couple finally relaxed, especially Lu Caiyun, who stopped insisting on the hospital visit.

The three of them sat back down to finish their breakfast.

After the meal, they began discussing the contents of "The Great Art of Health Preservation" in earnest.

Lu Caiyun repeatedly expressed amazement. The things recorded in the book were simply unbelievable—cultivating to a certain level allowed one to fly through the sky, just like in TV dramas.

It was astonishing to think that humans could truly soar through the heavens, burrow into the earth, and even cultivate to become immortals!

Jiang Xianzheng touched the glasses on the bridge of his nose, looked up at Jiang Yingxue, and mused, "Does our well water have something to do with spiritual spring water?" He used the well water daily to boil tea, and he'd noticed the change in taste. After studying it for days without finding an explanation, reading this book suddenly made everything clear. Could the well water now be spiritual spring water?

"Nothing escapes you, Grandpa," Jiang Yingxue said with a light smile. "After reading the book, I wanted to verify whether the things recorded in it were true or false. So, I did something to the well, and the water did indeed undergo a positive change."

"Where do the spiritual plant fruits and spiritual spring water mentioned in the book come from? How do we find them?" Jiang Xianzheng asked, his expression growing excited.

"Turn to the last page of the book."

Jiang Xianzheng did as instructed, and a small black pouch appeared before their eyes.

"That's right, this pouch. It's a storage bag, and the spiritual plant seeds mentioned in the book are all stored inside. Don't be fooled by its size—it's smaller than a palm, but it holds a world within. It has about 10 square meters of space and can hold many things."

Seeing them examine the storage bag from all angles without understanding how to use it, Jiang Yingxue quickly taught them the method. Since they were ordinary mortals without spiritual sense or spiritual power, they couldn't retrieve items through mental focus. Instead, they used the simplest method—reaching in with their hands.

This storage bag had no spiritual sense imprinted on it and had not been blood-bound, so it was an ownerless item that anyone could use.

Jiang Yingxue planned to give each of them a storage bag once they successfully guided qi into their bodies. Otherwise, two elderly people without cultivation abilities holding such a rare object would be defenseless if robbed. Although she would eventually recover any lost items, there was no rush to gift the storage bags. We should avoid any unnecessary harm.

Once the elderly couple learned how to use the storage bag, they grew excited and enthusiastic, taking turns putting items in and taking them out, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

"Grandpa, Grandma, I've planted some spiritual plants in the backyard that strengthen the body. Once they mature, they can help improve your constitutions," Jiang Yingxue said, her expression serious yet hopeful. She genuinely wished for them to join her on the path of cultivation. "Everything recorded in this book is true. Since returning home, I've begun cultivating, and there are really no issues. Cultivation truly benefits both physical and mental health. Will you cultivate too?"