Chapter 27

She entered the hall with dishevelled hair, looking haggard.

Ning Shiting's encounters today were all due to the Soul Returning Incense he had acquired.

He had obtained three boxes of the Soul Returning Incense from the Rakshasa King, most of which he had given to patients and the injured who came to seek treatment. Although he could concoct the Soul Returning Incense himself, with his own blood as a key ingredient, the restorative abilities of the Jiaoren were very poor. Preparing the Soul Returning Incense was exhausting and detrimental to his health, and both Ting Shu and others firmly opposed it.

His principle was simple: only save those in dire straits.

Some people coveted the precious Soul Returning Incense and would pretend to be gravely ill with no other recourse, while others were attracted by its potential to enhance their cultivation and were willing to spend exorbitant amounts of gold for it… Ning Shiting turned all such people away.

In recent days, he had been slowly experimenting and preparing weaker versions of the incense by diluting it with water and distributing it to patients. A single incense could be used to make seventy or eighty bottles of this diluted version, which was often still effective.

In reality, very few people in the Immortal Realm needed something as powerful as the Soul Returning Incense, which could bring the dead back to life and heal severe injuries. As immortals, they were less prone to illness, and most ailments could be treated by other means.

Over the past few days, Ning Shiting had used the Soul Returning Incense to save three people.

The first was someone possessed by a yin spirit. After a ritual performed by their family, the spirit was expelled, but the main soul did not return. With their internal fire almost extinguished, Ning Shiting provided a whole piece of the Soul Returning Incense.

The second was a young girl rescued from a poisonous miasma. Similar to the former queen, she barely survived and even saw significant improvement in her cultivation.

The third was an elderly man bitten by a venomous fire bat. His body was slowly decaying from his feet to his head. Without the Soul Returning Incense, he would have turned into a walking corpse, slowly dying from his own deteriorating flesh and bones.

As days passed, rumors about Ning Shiting spread. The reputation of Qing Wang Mansion grew, with people saying it was a place where "no common treatments were given, only miracles performed," causing a rush of people to seek him out.

Today, he only opened the public clinic for half a day, yet the line stretched from the mansion gate to four or five streets away.

The troublemaker today was the mother of the second girl he had saved, a woman of striking beauty.

She entered the hall with dishevelled hair, looking haggard.

Ting Shu, seeing this, immediately had someone bring her tea, fearing she might faint right there.

The woman glanced at the tea, leaned forward, and instead of taking it, knelt down with a thud.

"Please, Ning Gongzi, save my daughter again. Please help her fully recover. Otherwise, her life is ruined..."

Her dramatic gesture startled the person bringing the tea, who almost spilt it and hurriedly backed away.

Ning Shiting's voice was calm as he spoke, "Please, get up. If you have something to say, do not be afraid. Speak slowly. Qing Wang Mansion will do its utmost to help."

The woman wiped her tears and signalled to someone behind her, who then wheeled in a young girl: "A’Qing, greet the Gonzi."

The girl named A’Qing looked delicate and frail, still recovering from her recent ordeal, her pale and thin appearance making her look almost paper-like.

Ning Shiting recognised her, as she had been brought in unconscious just days before.

He had personally lit the Soul Returning Incense and used celestial mugwort to treat her seven apertures and five meridians, saving her life.

"Is there a problem?" Ning Shiting asked. "She looks much better. The poisonous miasma should be completely removed. She needs to focus on recovery now."

The mother had just stood up but knelt down again and replied, "It's thanks to the Soul Returning Incense that she survived. But while she was saved, her legs were ruined, and her spiritual roots were severed. Her path to cultivation is dashed, ah! She's lost her future! She had a rare talent with golden spiritual roots..."

Ning Shiting said, "I explained when treating her that the damage to her meridians and bones from the miasma was irreversible. The Soul Returning Incense can remove the poison, but it can't restore her completely."

The mother became desperate, "How can it be useless? Maybe we didn't use enough incense. If we use more, she might recover fully. You saved her life; surely, you can restore her completely! We're here today for that reason. Please give us more Soul Returning Incense. It might work! Even the diluted incense you gave her made her feel better..."

A’Qing's face turned red, and she softly interrupted. "Mother, why don’t we just forget it...?"

Ning Shiting was not wearing a veil today because he wanted to avoid creating a sense of distance while interacting with the people.

A’Qing had seen him when she woke up.

At that time, she had been in great pain, and Ning Shiting had gently pressed on several points on her wrist through a cloth, his voice low and gentle, "Do you feel anything here?"

"How can we forget it? It's all for you. We came all this way, risking embarrassment for you."

Her mother glared at her, and A’Qing immediately fell silent.

Ning Shiting remained calm as he said, “We've done our best for her condition. More Soul Returning Incense won't help. The reason she felt better from the diluted incense is due to its natural calming and focusing effects."

"So, you won't give us more? What about her legs?"

Her mother started crying again: "Such a good child, now disabled for life. If this was the result, it would have been better for her to die. She's been seen by a man, too. How can she live now..."

Ting Shu, handling other matters nearby, couldn't hold back. "Didn't Ning Gongzi explain clearly that using the Soul Returning Incense might leave severe aftereffects, and it would only save her life? Are you unable to see and hear, thinking others are the same?"

His words caused an uproar.

The mother shouted: "Is this how Qing Wang Mansion conducts itself? We are helpless immortals, and they haven't cared for us in four years. Now they act so high and mighty! Is this how they handle matters? If they can't fix her, we'll seek justice!"

As she finished, a group of burly men holding weapons appeared behind her, ready to cause trouble if Ning Shiting didn't comply.

Ting Shu, seeing this, grew angrier: "So, you came prepared to cause a scene? Bring it on; our master isn't to be trifled with."

Seeing Ting Shu about to act, Ning Shiting stopped him.

If the Ice Mayfly acted, the consequences would be more than just a few Soul Returning Incense.

He continued gently, "I'm sorry for your daughter's condition, but I can't give you more Soul Returning Incense. Each one can save a life, and we have less than half a box left. It's for emergencies only. I'm sorry. If there's nothing else, please let the next person come forward."

The people behind, eager and desperate, tried to move forward but were blocked by the men.

They formed a human wall and even set up a barrier, blocking the way completely.

The barrier, silver with a purple glow, was set by a highly skilled cultivator.

Recently, the spiritual energy in the Nine Prefectures had dwindled, and most cultivators at this level had gone to the Immortal Court to become officials. None present could break the barrier.

Ah Qing's mother went further, lying on an empty chair, crying loudly, her voice piercing, making everyone feel dizzy.

Seeing the situation spiralling out of control, the attendants waited for Ning Shiting's instructions.

Ning Shiting hesitated.

At seventeen, he had handled similar situations, but this was different from his time in the military.

On the border, military law prevailed, and the people respected and feared them.

But the Immortal Lands weren’t the harsh West. Here, the people were used to a life of luxury, expecting officials to cater to them.

Using military methods would not only be ineffective but also damage Qing Wang Mansion's reputation.

As he quickly thought, a servant's loud announcement came from outside: "Welcome, Shizi!"

Everyone was stunned, including Ning Shiting.

The crowd parted, and in the sunlight stood a black-clad youth in a wheelchair.

Though young, he had a mature, cold demeanour, with eyes so dark they seemed to drip ink.

More astonishing was the natural aura of authority he exuded, making everyone instinctively fearful.

Everyone's attention was drawn to him, and realising he was the long-forgotten Shizi of Qing Wang Mansion, they were even more amazed.

Ning Shiting, after a moment's hesitation, tried to speak.

Gu Tingshuang stared at his lips, seeing them form the shape of his nickname, but he instead said, "Dianxia."

The Translator has Something to Say

Apologies, I was not at home for the majority of last week and this week, so just one update! The regular schedule will resume next week!