Fan Qing’s eyes widened as he stared intently at the object.
All of a sudden, he grasped the physician nearby, exclaiming loudly, "What’s inside this?!"
The elderly physician remembered the madman who dared to kill an official even in Second Layer Heaven. Shivering, he said, "There’s Dragon Blood Ginseng, and many other medicinal herbs, all several decades old..."
Fan Qing murmured, "Dragon Blood Ginseng..."
Memories of his life within the Sky-reaching Sect came flooding back.
Suddenly, he rose to his feet, dashed forward, and shouted at Li Guanyi, who was sharpening his sword, "Such a waste!" The youth raised his head, looking puzzled, "What’s a waste?"
Fan Qing’s chest heaved violently as he gripped the bowl of medicinal soup and said through clenched teeth:
"Dragon Blood Ginseng!"
"Do you realize how precious decades worth of Dragon Blood Ginseng is? Even in the Sky-reaching Sect, only inner sect martial artists can consume a bit after each monthly contest, and it’s only from ten years’ worth. Such things should hire better martial artists; they shouldn’t be given to us."
Li Guanyi looked at him and asked, "Why is it a waste?"
Fan Qing choked up; he found himself at a loss for words, then sat down abruptly.
Fan Qing caught a glimpse of something profound in the youth’s eyes. Li Guanyi said:
"Why a waste, why are lives less important than such elixir pills?"
"Why even you all think so?"
Fan Qing felt as if a knife had been thrust into his heart. Opening his mouth, he found no words to say. Li Guanyi did not keep questioning; instead, he simply smiled and said, "Eat up, we’re all in the same boat."
"You need to consume these things to become stronger, to survive."
Fan Qing looked at the youth, the young man named Li Guanyi idly twisting a blade of grass in his hand. Fan Qing said in a muffled voice, "With your martial arts and means, isn’t it very simple for you to leave us behind and save yourself? Wouldn’t that be better?"
"What are you doing?"
There were actually many people around who had heard their conversation. They also held their breath and listened quietly. After pondering for a moment, Li Guanyi replied:
"What is this world coming to, I’ve seen a lot, and you’ve seen it too, haven’t you? The common people are going hungry while those of the Imperial Family still enjoy such extravagance."
"The Turkic cavalry could head south at any moment."
"Warriors who fight for their country can’t even protect their own families, and people are sold off like livestock. Yet even you believe you’re unworthy of good things..."
Fan Qing clenched the bowl, remaining silent.
Veins on his arm popped as he thought of past events.
He was silent for a long time.
Li Guanyi stood there, placing the grass in his mouth, lightly chewing on it, tasting the faint bitterness. He declared, "Even though it’s presumptuous, even though I might die on the way, I want to do something."
"The world is in chaos, the people suffer, alien tribes sharpen their blades, and bandits swarm. I’ve seen it all, and I can’t just stand by and do nothing. Some say that a person like me won’t live long, and I think she made a good point."
"With my temperament, even if I became an official, I would surely stir up trouble, infuriate my superiors, and end up locked in solitary confinement."
Fan Qing thought of his parents, the fields destroyed, the familiar faces, feeling nothing but a heavy sorrow. He also remembered how his father still saved good seeds for the next year’s planting before he died.
Indeed, they were excellent seeds, plump and large.
Through hard work, they would surely produce ample food to feed many people. That’s all we had ever hoped for.
Suddenly, Fan Qing felt a pain in his heart. Whenever he thought of his parents, his heart soured.
But then, there was a rustling of wind, and he instinctively raised his head, dispelling the memories of the past.
Across from him, the young man in a simple Taoist robe extended his hand and inquired, "So then, I want to make sure everyone gets enough to eat, that everyone survives, even though it might seem foolish. Fan Qing, do you want to join me?"
Fan Qing answered without thinking, "You’re asking me?"
He instinctively felt the youth in front of him was putting on an act, just joking around.
But there wasn’t the slightest hint of jest on the young face.
Li Guanyi said, "I think, even if I die on this path, someone else will carry on. I definitely don’t want to die, but in this world, whether it’s the Divine General or a Grandmaster, who can be Undying?"
"Hmm, right, is that how one should speak in these times?"
The youth seemed to have thought of something. He began to laugh and then looked at those before him, bowed deeply, and stated solemnly, "In these troubled times, when people barely survive, would any of you wish to follow Li Guanyi to cleanse this land and return a peaceful and prosperous era to the people?"
Fan Qing stood rigid; his gaze was fixed on the youth extending his hand to him.
He felt his heart pounding wildly, as if his blood had ignited, something roaring within his chest. He clenched his teeth, and although he tried to hold back, tears streamed down the face of the man who dared to kill an official. He suddenly understood what set the man before him apart from all others.