280: Chapter 278 Ning Mansion

When Yun Ming and Ah Yuan walked through the city gates, the guards gave them a few extra looks.

It wasn't an interrogation, but curiosity.

This small city rarely saw unfamiliar faces year-round, especially ones like Yun Ming and Ah Yuan.

Yun Ming wore a moon-white robe made of exquisite fabric; although he had endured a self-detonation and teleportation, there were plenty of clothes in the map of mountains and rivers, so he had simply changed into a new set. His hair was tied neatly, and though the Storage Pouch at his waist was hidden by his outer robe, his refined temperament could not be concealed.

Ah Yuan wore a pale green dress. Although the style was simple, the material was something Yun Ming had bought at Tianbao Market; in this small city, it was more precious than the clothes worn by the County Magistrate's daughter.

The duo's aura was completely out of place in this dusty little city; walking on the bluestone road, they were like two drops of oil falling into water.

When pedestrians on the street saw them, they instinctively moved to the sides. A vendor carrying a shoulder pole almost bumped into Yun Ming; looking up, he quickly bowed his head in apology and hurried away. A woman holding her child's hand pulled the child behind her the moment she saw Yun Ming from afar and walked past with her head down. Several old men chatting at the entrance of a teahouse also fell silent, their gazes lingering on Yun Ming and Ah Yuan for a moment before looking away, pretending they hadn't seen anything.

Only one old woman leaning on a cane, whose eyesight was poor, squinted at Yun Ming for a long time before nodding at them with a smile, muttering, "Back again? What play are you performing this time?" The person beside her quickly pulled her back and whispered, "They aren't a theater troupe, they are nobility. Don't speak nonsense." The old woman gave an "oh," glanced at Yun Ming again, and slowly walked away with her cane.

Yun Ming and Ah Yuan looked at each other and shared a helpless smile.

They didn't want to attract attention, much less be treated like "nobility."

Yun Ming activated the Fuli Heaven-Concealing Record to adjust their auras. The Spiritual Pressure on his body was completely retracted, his moon-white robe was replaced with grey cloth clothing, and the jade pendant and Storage Pouch at his waist were tucked into the map of mountains and rivers. He became plain and dusty, looking like a down-and-out scholar, even intentionally adding a few patches to his robes.

Ah Yuan also changed into a coarse cloth dress, her hair casually held up by a wooden hairpin and her face smudged with a bit of dust, making her look like an ordinary farm girl.

When the two walked down the street again, indeed, no one spared them a second glance.

“Master, where are we going now?” Ah Yuan asked in a low voice.

Yun Ming looked around. “First, let's find a family to stay with. I don't have any Mortal silver on me, so I need to find a wealthy client, treat someone's illness, and earn some travel money.”

Ah Yuan was stunned for a moment. “Master, you know how to treat illnesses?”

Yun Ming glanced at her. “Treating Mortal illnesses is easier than Alchemy.”

Ah Yuan thought about it and felt it made sense. Her Master could even refine fourth-grade Medicinal Pills; Mortal medicinal ingredients were just plants and minerals. The principles of regulating Qi and blood or clearing meridians shared similarities with Alchemy. She didn't ask further and followed behind Yun Ming.

The wealthiest family in the city was the Ning Mansion.

The Ning Family had been in business for generations. In this generation, the eldest Young Master, Ning Yuanzhou, was even more successful, serving as an official in the capital of the Great Liang Kingdom, reportedly reaching the third rank. The Ning Family estate in Linan City spanned several acres, with high grey brick walls, vermillion gates, and two stone lions crouching at the entrance, looking very grand. Having gathered this information, Yun Ming led Ah Yuan to the back gate of the Ning Mansion. He didn't want to go through the front gate to avoid trouble.

The back gate opened into a narrow alley paved with gravel, flanked by high walls. An old servant sat on the threshold soaking up the sun, slowly waving a cattail fan. Seeing Yun Ming and Ah Yuan, he frowned.

“Who are you looking for?”

Yun Ming cupped his hands. “This humble one is surnamed Yun, a traveling Physician. I heard the Old Madam of your residence is unwell and have come to pay a visit.”

The old servant looked him up and down. Yun Ming wore patched grey cloth clothes, but his aura didn't seem like that of a fraud. He hesitated for a moment before standing up. “Wait here, I'll go report.” With that, he turned and went inside, closing the door.

Yun Ming stood outside the back gate, waiting quietly. Ah Yuan stood behind him, looking around. The alley was very quiet, with only the sound of the wind blowing through the weeds atop the walls.

The Old Madam of the Ning Mansion had been ill for over half a month.

It started with a common cold, coughing and fever. They called for the city's Physicians, who prescribed several doses of medicine, but she didn't get better; instead, her condition worsened. In her youth, the Old Madam had overexerted herself, leaving her with many hidden ailments. As she aged, her Qi and blood declined. The cold was merely a trigger; what was truly life-threatening were those accumulated old injuries. The city's Physicians were all at their wits' end; some shook their heads and sighed, while others didn't even collect their consultation fees before taking their leave.

The Old Madam's daughter, Ning Wanqing, was sixteen years old and yet to be married. She was naturally lively and disliked needlework, instead being obsessed with ethereal legends of cultivation. She spent her days reading storybooks about gods and monsters and was indifferent to the matchmakers who came to propose. The Old Madam had urged her several times, but she would agree verbally and then forget about it immediately.

Now that her mother was bedridden, she was panicking.

As the doctors shook their heads one by one, she didn't know who to turn to. She knelt by her mother's bed, her tears flowing incessantly. She prayed to the gods and Buddha, burned incense at the Earth Temple outside the city, and prayed for blessings at the Daoist temple in town. She worshipped every deity she could and donated all the incense money she could afford, but the Old Madam's illness still showed no signs of improvement.

When the eldest Young Master, Ning Yuanzhou, received the family letter in the capital informing him of his mother's critical illness, he immediately took a leave of absence and rushed home day and night. In his thirties, to reach the position of a third-rank official required genuine ability.

But he knew clearly in his heart that he only had today because his mother had scrimped and saved in her youth to support his studies. He didn't fear the hardships of the journey; he only feared he wouldn't make it back in time to see his mother one last time. He went through three horses on the way, riding two to death. His eyes were bloodshot and his beard was overgrown, having lost all the dignity of a court official.

The servants in the residence were also walking on eggshells, treading lightly for fear of disturbing the Old Madam. The maids brewed medicine, simmered soups, and changed towels without a moment's rest. Yet, the Old Madam's condition still didn't improve, growing weaker by the day.

Ning Wanqing sat by her mother's bed, holding a handkerchief, her eyes red. Looking at her mother's pale face, she thought to herself how wonderful it would be if there really were Immortals. If an Immortal were willing to save her mother, she wouldn't die. Her obsession with cultivation legends since childhood was actually because of her mother's poor health. She thought that if she could learn Immortal arts, she could cure her mother. Unfortunately, she was just a Mortal body without a Spiritual Root, unable to even see a glimpse of an Immortal.

Xiao Cui hurried in from outside. Her steps were light, but they still alerted Ning Wanqing. She looked up and saw a strange expression on Xiao Cui's face.

“Miss, a doctor has come to the back gate. He says he's a traveling Physician and wants to treat the Old Madam,” Xiao Cui whispered.

Ning Wanqing was taken aback. Many doctors had come these past days, but they were all invited by her; none had come seeking them out. A traveling Physician? She frowned, not holding much hope, but still said, “Let him in.”

Xiao Cui acknowledged and turned to head out.