221: Have the two valley masters gone mad?

A few days after the audience with the Xuantian Turtle Old Ancestor, a strange and oppressive atmosphere quietly permeated the Medicine King Valley.

The source pointed directly to the two highest Dominators in the valley—Valley Master Li Changqing and Vice Valley Master Sikong Ye.

These two Late Stage Martial Emperor powerhouses, who were usually dignified and served as models in every action, had behaved in a way that was... jaw-dropping and even inconceivable since returning from the Forbidden Ground that night.

The first to notice the abnormality were several core Elders and deacons who needed to report matters to the Valley Master daily.

In the past, Valley Master Li Changqing would sit in the main hall, his expression gentle yet carrying an inherent majesty. He would listen to reports with a calm gaze, speaking concisely with clear decisions. Vice Valley Master Sikong Ye would often stand by his side with a serious face, his logic rigorous and meticulous when supplementing or raising questions.

But now... "Hahahaha! Good! Excellent! This is Heaven's blessing upon our Medicine King Valley! A grand occasion for joy!" An Elder had just submitted an ordinary document about a slight increase in this month's Medicinal Pill production when Valley Master Li Changqing suddenly stood up from his seat and laughed heartily towards the sky. The loud laughter shook the beams and pillars, and he gesticulated wildly as if he had heard some earth-shattering news of victory, scaring the Elder into retreating repeatedly, completely bewildered.

On the other side, Vice Valley Master Sikong Ye stared blankly at the "Hundred Herbs Map" that had hung on the wall for untold years. As he watched, his eyes suddenly reddened, and he actually began to wail in a low voice, sobbing "woo-woo." While wiping away tears, he muttered, "Heaven has eyes... the legacy is not severed... how fortunate are we... woo-woo-woo..." Overwhelmed by a mix of sorrow and joy, he was unable to control his emotions, leaving the deacon holding the ledgers standing there like a wooden chicken, caught in a dilemma.

This was only the beginning.

The next day, Valley Master Li Changqing suddenly issued an inconceivable order: this month's monthly allowance for all inner and Outer Sect Disciples in the valley was to be doubled! The reason? There was no reason! The Valley Master was simply happy!

At first, the Disciples were ecstatic, thinking they had misheard. But soon, the resources were actually distributed. Just as everyone was speculating whether the Valley Master had achieved a Breakthrough in his cultivation or if a massive Treasure Trove had been discovered in the valley, on the third day, another order arrived: the monthly allowance was to be doubled again on top of yesterday's amount!

Now, even the densest Disciples felt something was wrong. Doubling and then doubling the resources again had almost emptied nearly half of the Medicine King Valley's regular reserves! The Elder in charge of the storehouse braved the situation to seek an audience. Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Li Changqing, who was pacing the hall in excitement: "Give it! Give it all! The Disciples work hard in their Cultivation; they deserve generous rewards! Not enough? If it's not enough, go draw from the treasury! I said so!"

Even more preposterous was the treatment of Disciples who had made mistakes. Li Changqing somehow remembered the Self-Reflection Cliff and waved his large sleeve: "On such a joyous day, how can we let people face the wall and reflect on their errors? Release them! Release them all! Let them share in the joy!"

The Disciples on duty at the Self-Reflection Cliff were dumbfounded. Looking at the Valley Master's handwritten order, they had no choice but to comply. Dozens of Disciples who had been punished to face the wall for various faults regained their freedom in a daze, looking at each other, wondering where this "joy" came from.

The Chief Law Enforcement Elder of the Law Enforcement Hall, Elder Yi, a Mid-stage Martial Emperor powerhouse who had always been impartial and took it as his duty to uphold the valley's rules, finally reached the limit of his patience. He teamed up with several other Elders who also felt uneasy and went straight to the Changqing Hall, wanting to ask for an explanation and advise the Valley Master to act with order and not be so frivolous and mad.

As a result... Elder Yi and the others didn't even get to see the Valley Master. Just as they stepped within a hundred-zhang radius of the Changqing Hall, they were swept up by a gentle yet irresistible force and tossed out of the hall's square like rolling gourds. Li Changqing and Sikong Ye didn't even appear; only a thought, mixed with wild joy and impatience, exploded in their minds: "Noisy! Do not disturb my mood! If you dare to approach again, I'll put you in confinement!"

The two Valley Masters... actually "threw" the Law Enforcement Elder out just because they disagreed? And even threatened confinement?

As the news spread, the entire valley was in an uproar, and people were filled with anxiety. Could it be that the Valley Master and Vice Valley Master... had something go wrong in their practice and suffered Qi Deviation? But looking at their energetic and powerful state, it didn't seem like it!

However, what made some observant people (especially the five in the Bamboo Rhyme Residence) feel even more pressured were the subsequent actions of the two Valley Masters.

They no longer stayed in their own palaces but moved directly to a small pavilion three hundred meters outside the Bamboo Rhyme Residence. These two Late Stage Martial Emperor powerhouses neither meditated nor cultivated. They just sat face-to-face, sometimes smiling foolishly at each other, sometimes gesturing excitedly while arguing in low voices, and sometimes gazing together in the direction of the Bamboo Rhyme Residence, their eyes so burning they seemed capable of igniting the air.

They personally designated a restricted zone: within a three-hundred-meter radius around the Bamboo Rhyme Residence, no Disciple or Elder except the original residents was allowed to approach. Even the servants who performed daily cleaning or delivered meals were stopped outside. All food and drink were only allowed to be brought in after being personally inspected by the two Valley Masters.

This was hardly protection; it was practically the highest specification of "house arrest" plus "surveillance"! Especially those two gazes that scanned over from time to time—filled with endless joy, expectation, emotion, and even a hint of fanaticism—made Qin Feng, Xiaochun, Xia Ya, Ji Ruxue, and Chu Tianhe feel immense pressure, as if sitting on pins and needles.

"Brother Feng... the Valley Master and Vice Valley Master... what on earth happened to them?" Xiaochun held the small beast that had already opened its dark, beady eyes but still looked quite plain (she had named it "Little Fire," although it showed no signs of fire externally). She hid behind the window, peeking at the two gesturing figures in the distant pavilion, both afraid and confused.

Qin Feng smiled bitterly; he could probably guess the reason. The Myriad Medicine Body, combined with the possibility of sharing the same origin as the Ancient Medicine God, this news was too much of a shock for Li Changqing and Sikong Ye, who had dedicated their lives to the Dao of medicine. It wasn't just discovering a Genius; it was more like a devout believer suddenly witnessing a miracle descending, their faith receiving ultimate confirmation. Extreme joy, unbelievable excitement, the fear that it was all a beautiful dream, and the subsequent massive sense of responsibility and protectiveness... all these emotions mixed and erupted, causing these two Valley Masters, who usually remained calm even if Mount Tai collapsed before them, to completely "lose their composure." Their current various mad behaviors were more like an extreme manifestation of having no outlet for their emotions and not knowing how to correctly treat Xiaochun, this "living miracle."

"Perhaps... they're just overjoyed," Qin Feng could only explain tactfully. "After all, Xiaochun, your Physique is of extraordinary significance to the Medicine King Valley. They probably need some time... to calm down."

Xia Ya curled her lip. "This isn't just being overjoyed; this is simply going mad. Doubling and then doubling the monthly allowance, releasing people from the Self-Reflection Cliff at will, and even throwing out the Law Enforcement Elder... they're about to tear down the rules the Medicine King Valley has had for hundreds of years."

A hint of helplessness also appeared on Ji Ruxue's cold face. "With them guarding the vicinity, our every move is under their watch." This feeling of being "observed" 24/7 by two Late Stage Martial Emperors was indeed impossible to relax under.

Chu Tianhe's brow was deeply furrowed. He understood the hidden risks better than the young people. If the Valley Masters were so abnormal, it would sooner or later arouse the suspicion of other high-level members within the valley and external forces. If these two didn't return to normal and handle this matter properly soon, he feared a great change would occur.

However, the two Valley Masters clearly hadn't had enough of being "mad."

In this way, seven days passed in an incredibly eerie atmosphere.

During these seven days, the Bamboo Rhyme Residence became the de facto restricted zone and focal point of the Medicine King Valley. Rumors spread everywhere outside, with all sorts of speculations. Some said the Valley Master had gone insane; some said a huge upheaval was about to occur in the Medicine King Valley and the Valley Master was making arrangements in advance; still others secretly speculated whether it was related to the abnormality in the direction of the Forbidden Ground that day and the summoned Qin Feng and Xiaochun... Meanwhile, inside the Bamboo Rhyme Residence, Xiaochun took full advantage of this "specially protected" tranquility to devotedly consolidate her recently attained Martial King Realm. The Returning Origin Guiding Heart Art and the Myriad Medicine Body complemented each other, allowing her control over her own vitality to advance by leaps and bounds, making her Foundation increasingly solid and profound. In seven days, she had completely stabilized her Early Stage Martial King Realm, her aura becoming harmonious and her vitality restrained, appearing even more composed than when she first broke through.

The evening of the seventh day.

The setting sun cast long shadows from the distant pavilion. In the pavilion, Li Changqing and Sikong Ye seemed to have finally recovered slightly from that extreme state of excitement. The two were no longer gesturing wildly but were sitting opposite each other, a pot of clear tea placed before them, drinking in silence.

Only those occasional glances toward the Bamboo Rhyme Residence remained incredibly burning, but they seemed to have gained a few more layers of settled reflection.

After a long time, Li Changqing put down his teacup and let out a long, deep breath of turbid air that had been pent up for seven days. His eyes gradually regained some of their former depth and clarity, though deep within his gaze, an unquenchable flame still burned.