In the Nine Province Mainland, the land under the sky split into three.
The most expansive piece of land of the northern mainland was this mainland’s most liberal country, known as Northern Li.
Northern Li’s imperial sons and daughters possessed the same inheritance right. The country was rich and powerful, yet usually didn’t attack the southern borders. For hundreds of thousands of years, smoke signals have never been raised in the country’s territory before.
The southern part of the mainland was split into two.
The west woven in mountainous regions with rough mannerism was Western Kun. The east filled with flat farmlands and indoctrinated in confucianism was Eastern Ling.
The two countries have been locked in warfare for many years, ultimately still with no victor emerging.
And in the intersecting borders of these three countries, lies the mysterious Immortals Valley, home to the man with the most exquisite medical skills in all of the Nine Province Mainland—-Xun Chi.
He is honored by the people of the three countries as the god of medicine. It’s said that there isn’t an illness in the world he can’t cure, and……
people that he can’t poison to death.
According to rumors, there were quite a few disciples under Xun Chi. Those studying his life-saving medical techniques were respectfully titled as medicine fairies.
And those studying his killing poison techniques were thus called poison fairies.
Eastern Ling, Year 23 of Tian Qi. A party of Eastern Ling soldiers hastily travelled on quick horse, rushing towards Immortals Valley.
The horses’ hooves kicked up a layer of yellow sand outside the valley, scaring the commoners on the road, who scattered away in all directions, for fear that Eastern Ling and Western Kun were bringing the battle here.
When the dust cleared, only a half a person tall little girl remained, standing under a tree, rubbing her eyes that were closed shut due to the sand blown by the wind.
She wore a silvery red brocade jacket on her body, and on her tender white neck hung a pearl necklace. The pearls, jade stones, and gems on her head were dazzling and lustrous.
This was obviously a wealthy family’s young miss.
“Mother–mother–“
The little girl put down her hand, exposing an exquisite little face like carved jade, and a pair of unbearably delicate dimples.
She looked in all four directions, her child-like voice yelling ‘mother’.
But the mother that lead her out of the Immortals Valley couldn’t be found anywhere.
Hired mothers were just unreliable. It has only been a while since coming out of the valley, and she already abandoned her and fled.
She had no choice but to walk towards the direction of the valley entrance, thinking that after returning to the valley, let master hire another mother for her.
This time, need to hire a more reliable one.
Her body was small, and she had short legs. Before she could even reach the valley entrance, she saw that party of Eastern Ling soldiers already heading back in the opposite direction.
Different from the vigorousness from when they came, at the moment, they all had their heads lowered dejectedly, and completely dispirited.
“We came using great general’s name, yet can’t even enter the valley entrance. Isn’t this god of medicine just too arrogant!”
“Exactly, but great general has been injured with a poisonous arrow, if the treatment is delayed any further, then it’ll be too late!”
“Then got any ideas? We’ve already tried asking nicely, even tried forcing our way in, but none of that was of any use…..”
All say this god of medicine had a strange temper. Not even a thousand gold could buy his willingness. Whether to save someone, whether to kill someone, all were at the mercy of his will.
Today, they’d specifically came to seek a cure, yet they weren’t even able to see what this god of medicine looked like. It was inevitable to be disappointed.
A little girl passing by their side, swaying a thin willow branch in her hand, suddenly laughed softly.
This mocking laugh was extremely soft, but those soldiers on the horseback all had a background in martial arts. Their hearing skills were out of the ordinary. They distinctly and clearly heard this movement.
“That little child, what are you laughing at?!”
The one in the lead looked like a commanding officer, with a red face and large ears, his appearance very much rough.
He was already upset, having been refused at the door by the people of the Immortals Valley, and now getting sneered at by a little miss, made him even more angry.
He loudly roared, startling the little girl.
The little girl turned her head over, and her jade like appearance shocked the soldiers.
How could there be a child this beautiful in such a rural place, and her outfit was also this uncommon?
“I’m laughing at you all, charging around violently right outside the Immortals Valley, frightening all the villagers. With you all being this rude, the medicine god naturally won’t even bother showing his face. How can you blame him for this? If you want to blame, you can only blame yourselves for being too aggressive.”
The little girl crisply replied, yet inside, she thought, if not for these people, the mother that master hired for her wouldn’t have been scared away either.
All their fault, causing her to have gone this far for nothing.
That commanding officer listened to the little girl’s words, she seemed rather knowledgable about this god of medicine Xun Chi.
He somewhat relaxed his tone and said, “Little miss, we weren’t deliberately being rude, it’s just a person’s life is involved! Tell us, what do we need to do to be able to let the medicine god save our great general?”
The little girl, hearing his sincerity, thus lowered her guard, and seriously answered his question.
“Master hates rude people the most, however you all have a reason for the cause. I will explain to him in your place, perhaps he will forgive you all.”
“What? You’re the medicine god’s disciple?”
That commanding officer’s two eyes widened to the size of a copper bell, overjoyed at the unexpected good news.
The little girl tilted her head with a smile. A pair of black and round eyes squinted into crescent moons.
“That’s right. Your luck is very good, I just happened to be returning to the valley, can bring you all in….”
Before her voice dropped, she was scooped up by the commanding officer by the waist and placed on the horse.
“There’s no time! Little medicine fairy, the heavens have good virtue, trouble you to come along with us!”
That commanding officer raised the horsewhip and firmly whipped behind him. The horse rapidly shot forward.
The party used an even faster speed than when they’d came, heading towards the borders of Eastern Ling. Only leaving behind a gust of yellow dust behind them……
“Old Jin, you finally came back! How was it, where’s the medicine god?”
In the military camp at the borders of Eastern Ling, as soon as the incoming dust clouds in the distance were seen, an officer eagerly went up to welcome.
The commanding officer called old Jin sighed in regret.
“Don’t mention that old bird, god of medicine, didn’t even meet us once!”
“Ah?”
The incoming person let out a despairing expression.
“My master isn’t a bird, he’s a person!”
The little girl that was placed horizontally on the horse, waved her lotus like hands and feet up and down, expressing her protest.
The person that came over looked towards the horse in surprise, only seeing an extremely delicate little girl currently lying flat on top old Jin’s horse.
Old Jin slapped his forehead, and quickly had the little girl carried down. Placing her on the ground, she only reached a person’s waist.
“This is the Immortals Valley’s little medicine fairy. We bumped into her outside the valley. We were unable to meet the god of medicine, but perhaps she can also save great general!”
Old Jin explained to the person, then stooped down to speak to the little girl.
“Little medicine fairy, my formal name is Huo Shan Jin, and is a commanding officer under our great general. This is old Yan, Yan Hua Shi!”
Saying this, he pointed towards the commanding officer that came over to welcome them.
The little girl smilingly looked to them, seemingly having something she wanted to say, but in the end she still didn’t say it.
Only crisply saying: “You can just call me Yu Fu.”
Hearing she was someone from the Immortals Valley, Yan Hua Shi didn’t dare to slight her, leaning over and cupping his fist to pay his respects towards the little girl.
“Then we’ll just entrust our great general to Miss Yu Fu, please come in!”
Yu Fu followed them in, only seeing little white tents all around, encircling an imposing large tent in the middle.
Outside that large tent hung a gold color flag. One with a majestically written ‘Gu’ character on it, very much possessing the grandeur of a general.
Looks like this great general they spoke of has the surname Gu.
“Master said, the most famous Great General of Eastern Ling, because of bravery and excellency in battle, with feats no one could compare to, was bestowed the title Great General Marquis. Is that this Great General Gu under the tent?”
“Precisely our great general.”
Yan Hua Shi personally parted the drapery. Yu Fu went in the tent, only seeing numerous densely packed high ranking military officers standing inside.
Seeing her walk in, they all lowered their heads, exposing a curious expression.
“Didn’t you say you were going to invite the god of medicine? How come you invited a little girl? This girl isn’t even as tall as the table leg, is she even 10 yet?”
“Don’t say nonsense!”
Old Jin, who’d brought Yu Fu back, scolded with a stiff expression.
He’d finally brought back a little medicine fairy with great difficulty. If they were to anger her, and she doesn’t treat the great general, then what will they do?
“Just what is this girl’s background?”
Someone lowered their voice and asked Yan Hua Shi who’d gone out to greet them.
“Old Jin said she’s a disciple under the god of medicine. The medicine god was unwilling to meet them. They bumped into this little medicine fairy outside the valley, and just brought her back!”
While they were talking, Yu Fu had already walked to the bedside, faintly seeing a swollen figure inside the veil.
She reached out her white and tender little hand, lifting open the bed curtains, and saw a deathly pale face.
An approximately forty some year old middle aged man, with an extraordinary appearance. His eyes tightly shut, yet his dignified bearing could still be seen.
Between that pair of dense sword like brows was a small scar, splitting the left eyebrows into two.
Looking down, his bare upper body was filled with all kinds of cuts, and in his right arm, stabbed an arrow that was snapped in half. The wound was bluish black turning purple, currently seeping black blood.
“Aiyaa.”
Yu Fu couldn’t help covering her eyes and lowering her head.
The few officers that were talking, upon hearing the sound, searched all over for her figure, finally finding her by the great general’s bedside.
“Little medicine fairy, what are you shouting for?”
Yu Fu put down her little hands, her plump pink lips unhappily pouted.
“He’s poisoned, and it’s Kunlun Snow!”
The officers that were still somewhat doubtful towards her earlier immediately had a whole new level of respect towards her.
The medical officer in the camp had examined for a long time, both feeding the poisoned blood to rats, and sniffing left and right, before finally learning what this poison was.
Moreover, they only knew the name, and didn’t have the slightest clue on how to detoxify.
And Yu Fu had only taken a glance, and already knew this poison was Kunlun Snow.
“Precisely! The medical officer also said this! Little medicine fairy, you really are too impressive. You actually knew what this poison was. You must have a way to save the great general!”
Yu Fu suddenly walked to table and chair on the other side, and strenuously climbed up the tall chair.
Old Jin was still blankly staring at her, not knowing what she meant by this. Yan Hua Shi had already ordered someone to bring tea.
Thinking that Yu Fu was still a little girl, he also ordered someone to send some desserts over too.
Yu Fu looked to the snow white white-sugar cake on the plate. And sure enough, her eyes lightened up. A pair of large eyes blinked.
She glanced to Yan Hua Shi, like she was seeking his approval.
The latter quickly said, “Little medicine fairy has come covered in dust* this whole way, and must be hungry. Eating something first, and then treating our great general is also the same!”
(*T/N: Idiom meaning travel-worn)
The more anxious he was inside about Great General Gu’s injury, the more he couldn’t slight the Yu Fu before him.
Because she was the only person before them that could possibly cure the Kunlun Snow poison.
“This Kunlun Snow is the Western Kun’s secret poison. Under the thousand year old extreme snow atop the Kunlun Mountain, there’s a kind of ten thousand year old snow essence that can produce this type of poison.”
Yu Fu said while biting into the white sugar cake, with quite a few pieces of cake crumb sticking onto her little face.
“Since little medicine fairy knows the origins of this poison, asking to please quickly treat our great general!”
Yu Fu’s little hand paused, suddenly placing the half eaten white sugar cake in hand back on the plate.
She lowered her head and lifted her eyes, a pair of large eyes glistened.
“But I, I…..I’m a little poison fairy, not a little medicine fairy.”
T/N: The Nine Province Mainland is the name of the entire land mass; Great General Marquis, ‘Great General’ is the bestowed title of his nobility with the rank of Marquis, in addition it is also his military title as well.
