Chapter 287 - A Return Visit to Tongguan Town (1/2)

The date they’d agreed on half a month ago came, and Ling Zhang had been waiting since early in the morning. According to their agreement, Ji Yanlai was supposed to give the drug to them on this day.

There was no telling whether or not Ling Zhaowu had perceived something, but he had been silent all along since he’d got up, and wherever Ling Zhang went, he followed on his heels, as though afraid of being abandoned.

“Father, we’ll go back home together after we get the drug,” Ling Zhang consoled him.

Ling Zhaowu looked at him. “Go back home?”

“We’ll return to Tanyang. Grandfather and Uncle are waiting for you there,” said Ling Zhang.

“Tanyang…” Ling Zhaowu murmured repeatedly, his eyes staring somewhat vacantly, as though remembering something.

Ling Zhang fixed him with an expectant gaze but at the same time was on the alert, fearing that his father might suffer another seizure.

After a few moments’ trance, Ling Zhaowu’s face started to show signs of pain. Ling Zhang interrupted him at the sight of this. “Father!”

On hearing Ling Zhang’s shout, Ling Zhaowu gave a start and subconsciously looked at him.

“Let’s go and start packing.” Ling Zhang supported him to his feet, eyes on him.

His attention distracted, Ling Zhaowu’s headache gradually ebbed away. It seemed as if he wouldn’t have a fit as long as he didn’t think too deeply.

This time around, Mr. Mu would leave with them, so apart from Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong who were helping Ling Zhaowu with the packing, Mr. Mu had also been packing his bag since early in the morning.

When the packing was almost finished, Ji Yin showed up, holding a medicine phial and a jade pendant in his hand.

Ji Yin first returned the pendant to Ling Zhang, which had become blackish green and l.u.s.trous again. As sunlight hit it, a gleam flowed across its surface and then gradually sank into the center, a refres.h.i.+ng medicinal aroma emanating from it. Ling Zhang took the pendant which gave his palm a cool sensation. Given its familiar shape, this was indeed his jade pendant.

Seeing its sheen, Ling Zhang found this whole thing amazing and was now slightly more convinced of Ji Yanlai’s words.

Ji Yanlai had said that this pendant had acknowledged him as its master, and also faintly implied that there were some secrets hidden in this pendant which were closely linked to his rebirth, so Ling Zhang naturally set great store by it. After taking it, he solemnly put it on a string and wore it around his neck into his collar.

After he put away the pendant, Ji Yin handed him the medicine phial and, with a delighted face, said in an excited tone, “The pills are ready. There are two of them, one for your father to treat his illness, the extra one for you.”

Ling Zhang was very surprised. “For me?”

“The Clan Leader said that since you’ve adopted our method to cultivate internal energy and are more talented than others, you deserve to be treated as a half-disciple of the Millennium Pavilion, though you’re not officially a clan member, which was why he gave you an extra pill.” Ji Yin relayed Ji Yanlai’s message.

Fairly reasonable as those words sounded, Ling Zhang knew very well that this kind of pills were very rare and precious and even official members of this clan would scramble for them, but he had been offered two at a time, which showed that Ji Yanlai was investing a lot in this deal with them.

Ling Zhang took the medicine phial. “I want to go and thank the Clan Leader in person. Where is he?”

Ji Yin shook his head. “The Clan Leader started closed-door cultivation right after making the pills, saying that this pendant of yours provided some enlightenment which he needed a stint of closed-door cultivation to further comprehend, that he wouldn’t be seeing us off and we could leave whenever it’s convenient for us. To ensure our safety, the Clan Leader has made arrangements for two guards to go downhill with us. They are both kung fu experts. With their protection, your father and Mr. Mu would have less less concerns about safety.”

Ling Zhang inclined his head. “That’s very considerate of the Clan Leader. It seems that I’ll have to wait until the occasion arises to thank him.”

Maybe Ji Yanlai had sent these two men here purely out of his intention to help, and maybe it was because he wanted them to spy on them. Either way, these two men could be of help, so Ling Zhang raised no objections.

Ji Yin said, “Have you finished packing? If you have, we may set off in an hour.”

All of them had almost got everything ready, but before leaving, they felt that they had to express their grat.i.tude to Ya the servant. Not having carried anything valuable with him that he could gift Ya with, Ling Zhang gave him a token. Yuwen Tong also gave him a token of the Yuwen family.

“Sorry we don’t have anything else to give you. This is my token. If some day you’re in Tanyang or the capital city, you may visit the Ling family or me. The other one is Yuwen Tong’s token, which carries more weight than mine. It’s useful in basically every city of the Great Yue. It’ll prove helpful to you when you’re in need.”

Ya said in a deep voice, “Thank you.”

“We’re the ones who should say thank you, for tending my father. The chance of us seeing each other again elsewhere is rather slim, so take care of yourself.”

Ya bobbed his head. He was taciturn but very poised.

After taking their leave of Ya, Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong, carrying Ling Zhang’s and Mr. Mu’s baggage respectively, left the courtyard house with the other three. When they had walked out of the orchard, they saw two middle-aged men who were in gray and appeared just as taciturn waiting for them outside.

“Prime Elder.” The two men paid their respects to Ji Yin.

Ji Yin introduced them to Ling Zhang and the others. “This is Ji Donglin, and this is Ji Chaofang. They’re the guards under the Clan Leader’s orders to escort us to Tanyang.”

As Ji Yin had told them about this matter a while ago, Ling Zhang and the others were not surprised to hear it.

“Thank you in advance for escorting us, Brother Donglin, Brother Chaofang,” said Ling Zhang.

Both Ji Donglin and Ji Chaofang folded their hands in front and said, “You’re welcome, Childe Ling.”

Thus, the group of five men expanded to a group of seven. Ling Zhaowu, knowing that he was about to leave this familiar place where he’d lived for five years, had a very uneasy expression on his face. He had a long cry when parting from Ya and was now looking somewhat lethargic.

Ji Donglin and Ji Chaofang took the traveling bag from Ling Zhang’s back so that Ling Zhang could focus on guiding Ling Zhaowu forward. “Let’s go, Father.”

Clinging on tight to Ling Zhang’s arm, not daring to release his grip, Ling Zhaowu vigorously nodded. “I’ll do what Zhang’er says.”