Chapter 663
After the flood, Qingxi Town was in ruins. Fu Shaoping and Nangong Wan stood on the hillside outside the town, looking at the place where they had lived for three years. The three-year training period originally agreed upon had expired, and they were supposed to return to the world of cultivation, but at this moment they could not take the step to leave.
"Are you really leaving?" Fu Shaoping asked softly, his eyes sweeping over the townspeople who were rebuilding their homes. He recognized Carpenter Lin who was repairing the roof, the middle-aged man who had kneeled in front of Huichun Hall to seek medical treatment because his son had a high fever, and the Zhang family's daughter-in-law who was washing clothes by the stream, whose husband nearly died in the flood while saving a neighbor's child.
Nangong Wan's fingers unconsciously stroked the wooden harp pendant on her waist, a parting gift from Xiaoyu. She took a deep breath, and the unique fragrance of plants and trees in Qingxi Town permeated her heart, which was completely different from the icy breath of Xuepo Sect that never melted all year round.
"We have saved so many people, and our identities as cultivators have been exposed." Nangong Wan whispered, "Even if we leave now, the pursuers from Xuanyin Pavilion will find us sooner or later."
Fu Shaoping frowned slightly. Three years ago, they lived in seclusion here to avoid being hunted down by the Xuanyin Pavilion. Now there are indeed too many traces left. The golden talisman cast on the night of the flood and the spiritual power used to treat the wounded could not be hidden from the eyes of those who were interested.
"you mean"
"Why not stay?" Nangong Wan turned to face him, with a determined light in his eyes. "Since we have already interfered with the life and death of mortals, we might as well be thorough. We can develop Qingxi Town and let it have the ability to protect itself."
Fu Shaoping pondered for a moment, and suddenly laughed: "Like the small spiritual vein we found at the foot of Qingxi Mountain?"
Nangong Wan nodded: "If mortals can master some cultivation methods, they can not only strengthen their bodies, but also have more chances of survival when encountering natural disasters and man-made disasters. Besides..." She looked towards the direction of the school, "There are many good seedlings here."
The two smiled at each other. The tacit understanding they had gained from spending three years together made them instantly understand each other's thoughts. Fu Shaoping took out an ancient copper coin from his arms and threw it lightly.
“Heads stay, tails leave.”
The coin flipped in the air and landed on the back of Fu Shaoping's hand - it was the front side.
"It seems that this is God's will." Nangong Wan chuckled.
Fu Shaoping put away the copper coins, his eyes determined: "Then let's get started."
The reconstruction work lasted for three full months. During this period, Fu Shaoping and Nangong Wan began to consciously guide the townspeople to learn some basic cultivation knowledge.
Fu Shaoping expanded Huichuntang and renamed it "Qingxi Medical Clinic". He opened a medicinal garden in the backyard, planted various herbs, and selected five smart teenagers as apprentices. He not only taught them medical skills, but also secretly taught them the basic breathing method in the "Qing Nang Jing".
"Breathing should be deep, long, even and smooth," Fu Shaoping demonstrated. "When you inhale, imagine fresh air pouring in from the top of your head, and when you exhale, turbid air is expelled from the soles of your feet."
The apprentices studied hard. Although they didn't understand how this was related to medical skills, they thought Mr. Fu's teachings always made sense. One of the young men, named Ashu, made the fastest progress. In just one month, he could feel a warm current flowing through his body.
Nangong Wan rebuilt the school and added courses such as music, chess, calligraphy, painting, etiquette, riding and archery. She incorporated some basic mental methods of the Xuepo Sect into her teaching, especially the breathing rhythm and fingering when playing the zither, which all implied the way of spiritual power circulation.
"Mr. Ruan, why do my fingers get hot when I play the piano the way you taught me?" a girl named Xiaohe asked curiously.
Nangong Wan smiled and explained: "This is a sign of smooth blood circulation. Remember this feeling. Sit quietly and regulate your breathing before practicing the piano in the future. The effect will be better."
In addition to education, the two also set about improving the town's infrastructure. Fu Shaoping led the young and middle-aged people to build a more solid stone embankment and carved simple water-avoiding charms at key locations; Nangong Wan designed a new irrigation system, brought mountain spring water into the town, and arranged a purification array at the bottom of the canal.
"Mr. Fu, after the canal was repaired, my wife said that washing clothes was no longer a problem!" said Daniu, a new apprentice in the blacksmith shop excitedly.
Fu Shaoping patted his shoulder and said, "Work hard. I will teach you a set of boxing techniques to strengthen your body in a few days."
Daniu's eyes lit up: "Really? That's great! My dad always said that I was weak and had no future as a blacksmith."
"Strength can be trained." Fu Shaoping said meaningfully, "The key is to find the right method."
A year later, Qingxi Town has taken on a whole new look. The first batch of students trained by the clinic and the school have begun to give back to the town. Ah Shu can independently handle common illnesses, and Xiao He helps Nangong Wan teach younger children to read.
That evening, Fu Shaoping and Nangong Wan met in the backyard of the clinic.
"It's time." Nangong Wan handed over a list, "These twelve children have good talents, especially Ah Shu and Xiao He, who have already touched the threshold of drawing Qi into the body."
Fu Shaoping took the list and looked at it carefully, then nodded and said, "I have a few good talents here too. Although Da Niu is clumsy, he has a special physique and is suitable for physical training; the second boy from the carpenter's family is thoughtful and should be able to learn talismans quickly."
“Should we tell them the truth?”
Fu Shaoping pondered for a moment and said, "Let's proceed step by step. First teach them the exercises to strengthen their bodies, and then explain the cultivation of the truth when they have a solid foundation."
Thus, a special class named "Qingxi Society" was established. It claimed to teach the way of keeping in good health, but in fact it began to systematically teach the basics of cultivation. Fu Shaoping was responsible for explaining the medical cultivation in the "Qing Nang Jing", while Nangong Wan taught the basic chapters of the Bing Xin Jue of the Xue Po Sect.
"Today I'm going to teach you the Five Animals Exercises." Fu Shaoping demonstrated in the courtyard, "Imitating the movements of five animals, tiger, deer, bear, ape, and bird, combined with specific breathing techniques, can strengthen the muscles and bones and harmonize the qi and blood."
Twelve students followed the practice carefully, among whom Ah Shu quickly mastered the key points and his movements were smooth and natural.
"Mr. Fu, my chest feels hot when I do Hupu. Is this normal?" Ashu asked.
Fu Shaoping's eyes flashed with praise: "Very good, this shows that your blood circulation is smooth. Remember this feeling and practice it every day in the future."
At the same time, Nangong Wan was teaching another group of students meditation and breathing techniques in the backyard of the school.
"Keep your mind as calm as still water and focus your mind on your Dantian." She guided him softly, "Feel the gaps between breaths and look for that ray of inspiration."
Xiao He sat cross-legged with her eyes closed, and suddenly she exclaimed, "Mr. Ruan, I seem to see a little blue light!"
Nangong Wan walked up to her in surprise and said, "Describe the light you saw."
"Like the starlight on a winter night, cold but very comfortable."
"Very good, this is because your spiritual roots have sensed the ice-attributed spiritual energy." Nangong Wan said gently, "Don't pursue it deliberately, just let it go." In this way, the first batch of cultivation seedlings in Qingxi Town began to grow. Fu Shaoping and Nangong Wan carefully controlled the teaching progress to ensure that they would not force the growth of seedlings, and at the same time closely observed the physique and mentality of each student.
Two years later, on a spring day, Ashu hurried to the clinic: "Mr. Fu, I found something strange when I was collecting herbs in the back mountain!"
Fu Shaoping followed Ah Shu to a rock wall deep in Qingxi Mountain. He saw a faint spiritual light seeping out from the cracks in the rock, the surrounding vegetation was particularly lush, and several ordinary herbs actually had the characteristics of spiritual medicine.
"This is..." Fu Shaoping stretched out his hand to touch the rock wall, feeling the pure spiritual power flowing through it, "The exit of a small spiritual vein!"
He immediately summoned Nangong Wan to come. After careful investigation, the two confirmed that this was a good quality earth attribute spiritual vein. Although it was not large in scale, it was enough to support the basic needs of a small cultivation sect.
"No wonder the soil and water in Qingxi Town nourish people." Nangong Wan suddenly realized, "It turns out that there are spiritual veins underground that nourish people."
Fu Shaoping said excitedly: "We can use this spiritual vein to build spiritual fields to grow spiritual medicine, or even build a simple cave for cultivation!"
After returning to the town, the two gathered the six core disciples who had successfully established their foundation - Ashu, Xiaohe, Daniu, the second boy from the carpenter's family Liu Qing, and two talented people who were discovered later: Zhao Yan, the son of a hunter, and Li Yun, an orphan.
"Today I want to tell you a big secret." Fu Shaoping said seriously, "What we teach you is not only the art of strengthening your body, but also the way of cultivating the truth."
The disciples looked at each other in surprise and excitement. They had long realized that what they had learned was extraordinary, but they had never dared to speculate.
"Cultivators?" Daniu scratched his head. "Is it the immortals in the storybooks who can fly and hide in the ground?"
Nangong Wan smiled: "It's not that exaggerated. Cultivation is a long and arduous road that requires great perseverance and wisdom. The foundation you have laid in the past two years is only the first step in a long journey."
She explained in detail the common sense of the cultivation world, the realm divisions, and the discovery of the Qingxi Mountain spiritual vein. The disciples listened attentively, with longing lights flashing in their eyes.
"We are willing to follow you in practicing!" Ashu expressed the opinion on behalf of everyone.
Fu Shaoping nodded with satisfaction: "Okay, from today on, you are the first generation of disciples of the Qingxi lineage. We will jointly develop the spiritual veins and build a cultivation town."
In the following days, under the guidance of Fu Shaoping and Nangong Wan, the disciples began to build infrastructure in the back mountain. They opened up five acres of spiritual fields and planted basic spiritual medicines; built a simple practice room at the exit of the spiritual vein; and used the mountain waterfall to build a body quenching pool.
The most surprising thing is Liu Qing's talent in talismans. This quiet boy mastered the basic method of drawing talismans in just three months. The "Clear Wind Talisman" and "Purifying Water Talisman" he made have greatly improved the quality of life of the townspeople.
"Liu Qing, this batch of calming talismans is well made." Fu Shaoping checked the newly made talismans, "You can put them in the clinic for the townspeople who suffer from insomnia to use."
Liu Qing smiled shyly: "Thank you, sir. I found that the talisman will be more effective if the ink is mixed with the spiritual spring water from the back mountain."
Nangong Wan led Xiao He and Li Yun to focus on the cultivation of spiritual medicine. They successfully cultivated two basic spiritual medicines, "Qingxin Grass" and "Huoxue Teng", which can not only be used for disciples to practice, but also made into special medicines to treat townspeople.
"Mr. Ruan, the herbs in the spiritual field grow much faster than ordinary herbs!" Li Yun discovered in surprise.
Nangong Wan explained: "This is because the spiritual vein nourishes and the spiritual energy accelerates the growth of plants. However, it should be noted that excessive growth will affect the efficacy of the medicine, so we must master the right measure."
With the development and utilization of spiritual vein resources, Qingxi Town has gradually changed. The townspeople found that their well water has become sweeter, the crops in the fields have grown stronger, and even the air has become exceptionally fresh. Although most people do not understand the reason, they all attribute it to the "magic arts" of Mr. Fu and Mr. Ruan.
Three years later, Qingxi Town has become famous. People in nearby towns and villages know that there is a pair of miracle doctors here. They are not only skilled in medicine, but also can cure various difficult and complicated diseases. More and more people come here to learn from them, including some who want to become their apprentices.
That day, Fu Shaoping was taking the pulse of a wealthy businessman from outside the city in the clinic, when he suddenly frowned.
"You have a cold and gloomy aura in your body. This is not an ordinary disease." He lowered his voice, "But have you come into contact with anything ominous?"
The rich businessman looked panicked, looked around and whispered: "Doctor Fu, please tell me, last month my family dug a well and found a strange coffin. Since then, strange things have happened in our family one after another."
Fu Shaoping was startled. This description seemed to be written by Xuanyin Pavilion. He calmly prescribed medicine for the rich businessman and asked him to come back for a follow-up consultation in seven days.
That night, Fu Shaoping and Nangong Wan had an urgent discussion.
"The 'Yin Sha Coffin' of Xuanyin Pavilion is used to collect living souls to refine evil magic." Nangong Wan's face was solemn, "It seems that they have already started to move around."
Fu Shaoping nodded: "Our whereabouts may have been exposed, and we must speed up the construction of defense."
The next day, they called all the disciples together and announced the launch of the "Town Protection Plan" to further strengthen the defense capabilities of Qingxi Town on the original basis.
Liu Qing was in charge of improving the town protection formation. Under the guidance of Fu Shaoping, he used the spirit veins as energy and buried thirty-six formation bases around the town to form a "small Zhoutian protection formation". It was usually invisible, but once activated, it could resist the attacks of the foundation-building cultivators.
Zhao Yan used his hunter expertise to train a 20-man militia, teaching them basic reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance techniques. This team patrolled day and night and became the first line of defense for Qingxi Town.
Da Niu led several middle-aged men to build hidden watchtowers and alarm devices at key locations outside the town, so that they could quickly give warnings if they spotted the enemy.
Ashu and Xiaohe focused on medical preparations. They opened an emergency treatment center in the basement of the clinic, stockpiled a large number of magical medicines and medical equipment, and were ready to deal with possible conflicts at any time.
The most surprising thing was Li Yun's discovery. While sorting out Nangong Wan's collection of books, this quiet girl accidentally discovered a method for cultivating a spiritual insect called "Lingxi Bug". This insect is extremely sensitive to evil spirits and can warn of the approach of evil cultivators in advance.
"Mr. Ruan, I have bred the Lingxi insect according to the records in ancient books!" Li Yun excitedly showed her little achievement - a few crystal clear little insects.
Nangong Wan carefully inspected it and praised it: "Well done! These bugs can be distributed around the town and become our 'living alarm system'."
Just one month after the initial construction of the defense system, the alarm sounded. The Lingxi insects reacted strongly three miles east of the town, indicating that something sinister was approaching.
Fu Shaoping and Nangong Wan immediately led the core disciples to check and found a man in black robes setting up a Yin Sha formation in the forest. After a brief fight between the two sides, the man in black robes saw that the situation was not good and quickly fled. (End of this chapter)