40: Chapter 40 Visiting Su Li

Mo Zixing left Jiang Yuwei in the newly selected courtyard to pack things up.

He himself, carrying the bottle of Pulse-Protecting Pills, walked alone toward Qingsu Peak.

Just after crossing a mountain ridge, the silhouette of Qingsu Peak came into view.

It was a completely different sight from Qingdan Peak, where the scent of medicine lingered and people bustled about.

The entire peak was deathly quiet.

He followed the mountain path to the mountain gate of Qingsu Peak.

It was indeed as desolate as it had appeared from a distance.

Beside the massive mountain gate, only a single Disciple leaned against a pillar, fiddling with a sword in his hand.

The Disciple's eyes glanced down the mountain from time to time, his face full of distraction, showing no sign of someone guarding a gate.

Hearing footsteps, he lazily straightened up and reached out to stop him, his tone very perfunctory:

"Halt. Qingsu Peak is closed for quiet recuperation. No one except Disciples of this peak may enter. If you have business, come back another day."

Mo Zixing raised an eyebrow and didn't waste words, directly pulling out an Inner Sect Token engraved with the Qingdan Peak emblem and handing it over:

"I am Mo Zixing, a Disciple of Qingdan Peak. By the order of Elder Liu Qingyan, I have come to deliver Pulse-Protecting Pills to Elder Su."

The Disciple took the token, flipped it over to check it, and after confirming it was a legitimate Inner Sect Disciple token, waved his hand reluctantly:

"Fine, your identity is clear."

"There aren't enough people on the peak right now, so there's no one to announce you. Elder Su's sleeping quarters are behind the Main Peak Hall. Follow the path and deliver them yourself."

Mo Zixing was stunned for a moment, not expecting the gatekeeper to be too lazy to even announce him and just let him in directly.

He took the opportunity to ask:

"What happened?"

"Qingsu Peak is one of the Five Main Peaks, after all. How can there not even be enough staff to announce a visitor?"

The Disciple glanced at him sideways:

"You're here to deliver medicine, so how could you not know about Elder Su's situation?"

"The Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters of the peak have either been transferred to other peaks to help or have found their own ways to leave."

"With so few people left, we have to run all the errands inside and out. Who has the spare time to announce you?"

After saying that, he leaned back against the pillar, clearly having no intention of saying another word to Mo Zixing.

Mo Zixing wasn't exactly surprised.

Although Elder Qin didn't want the news to spread, it clearly hadn't gone as he wished.

Even though Mo Zixing had kept the secret, someone had still quietly leaked the news about Su Li.

Though his mind was busy, his feet didn't stop.

Following the direction the Disciple pointed, Mo Zixing walked all the way toward the Main Peak Hall.

Walking along the way, it was indeed as the gatekeeper had said.

In the vast Qingsu Peak, not even a single patrolling Disciple could be seen along the way.

In just a day or two, morale had scattered to such an extent.

Mo Zixing even felt a bit of pity for Su Li.

After walking for about the time it takes half an incense stick to burn,

he arrived in front of the main hall of Qingsu Peak.

Unlike the desolate mountain path, two female Disciples with upright postures stood at the hall entrance, clearly long-time sword practitioners.

Seeing Mo Zixing approach, the two female Disciples immediately stepped forward, crossing their longswords to stop him, their tones wary:

"Halt!"

"The main hall of Qingsu Peak is a restricted area. No unauthorized persons allowed!"

Mo Zixing stopped, nodded slightly to the two, and explained his purpose neither humbly nor arrogantly:

"Greetings, Senior Sisters. I am Mo Zixing, a Disciple of Qingdan Peak."

"By the order of Elder Liu Qingyan, I have come to deliver Pulse-Protecting Pills to Elder Su."

Hearing this, the two female Disciples glanced at each other, the wariness in their eyes not diminishing in the slightest.

One of the tall female Disciples stepped forward and reached out to Mo Zixing, her tone still cold:

"Just give the medicine to us. We will make sure Elder Su takes it on time. Thank you for making the trip, Junior Brother."

Mo Zixing felt a bit of a headache.

The one guarding the mountain gate was slacking off.

But why were the ones guarding the hall so strict?

Now that he was here, he couldn't just hand over the medicine and head back, could he?

"I'm afraid that won't do."

Mo Zixing shook his head, a look of difficulty appearing on his face, perfectly playing the part of a new Disciple afraid of taking responsibility:

"Elder Liu specifically emphasized that this bottle contains newly refined High Grade Pulse-Protecting Pills. Their medicinal properties are unique and different from the medicine Elder Su used before."

"I must explain the timing and dosage to Elder Su in person, as well as the accompanying breath-regulation techniques."

"These are details passed down orally; even a slight error could affect the efficacy or even harm Elder Su's body."

He paused, then added:

"Elder Liu originally intended to come herself, but her furnace is currently active in the Alchemy Room, refining Medicinal Pills urgently needed by the Sect, so she couldn't leave and specifically entrusted me to come."

"She gave specific instructions that I must hand them over to Elder Su personally and confirm her condition with my own eyes before I can report back."

"If I were to hand the medicine to you, Senior Sisters, and something went wrong with the dosage later, a new Disciple like me who just joined the peak truly couldn't bear the responsibility."

Hearing this, the hardness on the two female Disciples' faces indeed softened a bit.

They guarded the hall doors every day and knew Elder Su's physical condition best.

Previously, there had been an instance where a message about the timing of the medicine was miscommunicated, causing Elder Su to suffer for half the night.

Mo Zixing's words had indeed struck their weak point.

But the tall female Disciple still hesitated, frowning as she said:

"Elder Su is in poor health and is recuperating. She shouldn't be seeing outsiders. It's really not convenient to let you in."

"Please rest assured, Senior Sisters. I will absolutely not disturb Elder Su's rest."

Mo Zixing immediately followed up:

"Once I'm inside, I will only stand outside the sleeping quarters to clearly explain the precautions for the medicine to Elder Su."

"You can watch me the entire time. If I say a single word out of line or make any inappropriate movement, you can throw me out at any moment."

His words were entirely focused on Elder Su's safety regarding the medicine, sounding completely reasonable.

The two female Disciples looked at each other again.

They were stationed here to prevent outsiders from entering, essentially to protect Elder Su.

But if even the timing and techniques for the medicine were miscommunicated, then no matter how strictly they guarded, it would be useless.

After a long silence, the tall female Disciple finally sheathed her longsword and said to Mo Zixing in a deep voice:

"Fine, we can let you in."

"But I warn you, once inside, you are not to touch anything or speak loudly."

"Thank you, Senior Sisters."

Mo Zixing cupped his hands to the two of them and said politely.

All he wanted was to enter the hall and see Su Li.

As long as they met, he would have a way to make Su Li keep him there of her own accord.

"Follow us."

The taller female Disciple gave her companion a look.

One remained to continue the watch, while the other led him around the main hall toward the sleeping quarters in the back.

Passing through a wooden corridor, they walked all the way to a Quiet Room in the deepest part of the sleeping quarters.

The female Disciple raised her hand and gently knocked on the wooden door of the Quiet Room, reporting softly:

"Elder, Junior Brother Mo from Qingdan Peak has come by Elder Liu's order to deliver Pulse-Protecting Pills to you."

The Quiet Room remained silent for a few seconds before a response came:

"Enter."