Li Xin continued walking, occasionally stopping at several shops along the roadside just to ask about empty houses.

"An empty house? You’re an outsider? Have you already received a residence permit from Master Tong?"

"I haven’t received it yet... but he’s going to give it to me..."

"Li Xin!"

Li Xin’s attention shifted to the side. A woman in the purple robes of the Baisheng Sect came toward him at a half-running pace. It was not Yu Mei, but Liu Xie.

Li Xin raised both hands in greeting and lowered his head.

"Greetings, Young Cultivator Lady."

"Do you need something from me?" Li Xin asked calmly.

Liu Xie stepped closer and tapped her bag of holding, taking out a document that turned out to be Li Xin’s residence and business permit.

"You left this behind. It’s important if you want to stay and open a business in the village," Liu Xie explained.

"Woah, Miss Liu Xie. How have you been? You look charming in those cultivator robes," greeted the old shop owner.

"I’ve been well, Grandpa Gong. How is your shop?" Liu Xie asked.

"The same as always... children keep coming to buy snacks."

"That’s good. I’m glad to hear it."

Li Xin handed the permit letter to Grandpa Gong. The old man accepted it and read through it briefly. It was indeed a legitimate permit, just like the one belonging to his son-in-law.

He returned the letter to Li Xin.

"As far as I know, there’s only one empty house left in the village. It’s located near the lake."

The old man raised his hand and pointed south, explaining that Li Xin only needed to continue walking along the dirt road to reach the lakeside.

Li Xin turned and nodded with a smile before politely taking his leave. Liu Xie glanced at Li Xin as he walked away and decided to accompany him.

Li Xin knew Liu Xie was following him. He glanced sideways and asked a simple question.

"Aren’t you going back to take care of Master Tong?"

"My mother and Yu Mei are there, along with many servants. I’m not too worried," Liu Xie answered.

"Where did you learn your medicine preparation skills, Li Xin?"

"My mother," Li Xin explained. "I was born into a family of physicians. I’ve understood the characteristics of herbal ingredients since I was a child."

"My mother is already old, so I’m the one continuing her knowledge," Li Xin replied casually while walking.

"Where is your mother now?" Liu Xie asked.

Li Xin fell silent and did not answer. He only glanced at her briefly before continuing forward. Liu Xie realized her question had likely become too personal, which was why Li Xin did not wish to speak much about his mother.

They continued walking along the village dirt road. The final houses in the residential area had already been passed, causing both sides of the road to become filled with farmland.

That morning, many villagers were out in the fields planting rice, moving backward step by step as they planted the seedlings into the mud.

Harvest season had already ended, and they were beginning to plant once again. Liu Xie noticed Li Xin quietly observing the rice fields while walking.

"Becoming a cultivator frees you from worldly desires, including food and luxury."

"With your talent as a skilled physician, you could become a great alchemist in the future," Liu Xie said softly.

"I’ve already heard stories about cultivator life. Living for hundreds of years. Flying through the sky. Mastering magical arts. It all sounds amazing," Li Xin answered.

"Really? Then do you want to join the Baisheng Sect as well?" the woman asked enthusiastically.

"I don’t think so," Li Xin replied. "I already promised my mother that I would use her knowledge to help ordinary people who are not cultivators."

"But by becoming a cultivator, you could help even more people," Liu Xie argued.

"Forgive me, Miss Liu. I’m still not interested."

Their steps stopped when they arrived at a small lake with pale blue water.

What Grandpa Gong said was true. There really was a simple wooden house there. It had no second floor, and the yard was not very large either.

"So this is the house?"

COUGH!

The sound of coughing came from inside the house. The wooden door opened, and an old man stepped out while continuously patting his chest whenever he coughed.

He lifted his head, and Li Xin recognized his face. It was the old man who sold paintings and had been thrown out of the restaurant. He lived far from the center of the village.

The old man also recognized Li Xin.

"You? You’re the young man from in front of the restaurant, right?"

Once again, the old man coughed violently while hitting his chest harder and harder. He scooped water from a wooden bucket and drank directly from the ladle.

Li Xin quickly hurried over to support him. Liu Xie wanted to help as well, but Li Xin moved faster, leaving the woman to simply watch him assist the old man.

Li Xin helped him sit down on a wooden chair in the front yard. He raised his hand and touched the old man’s forehead, trying to check his body temperature.

Slightly warm.

Not only that, Li Xin also placed his fingers against the old man’s wrist pulse. Using a faint flow of qi, Li Xin began inspecting the condition of his body.

"Forget it. I’m already old. Perhaps I’ll die soon anyway."

"No, you won’t die yet," Li Xin answered after finishing his inspection.

"Your body temperature is elevated. You likely have a fever. The coughing you’re experiencing is caused by the cold air," Li Xin explained.

The old man turned and smiled at Li Xin.

"You’re a physician, young man?"

"Yes. I’m a physician."

"I came here after hearing there was an empty house available for me to live in. I didn’t expect you to be staying here."

The old man let out a soft sigh and nodded lightly while staring at the lake ahead.

"I only arrived in this village one year ago. My house was sold, and I ended up living here."

"This isn’t my house. So if you want to take it, go ahead."

"I... can go search for another place," the old man muttered.

Li Xin firmly refused. Instead, he suggested that they live together. The old man had no family left, and Li Xin also had no family in this village.

Both of them shared similar fates despite living very different lives. Li Xin truly did not mind letting the old man stay with him.

COUGH!

"Then... I’m sorry for troubling you, young man."

Li Xin smiled and stood up, explaining that he did not feel troubled at all. He also explained that the medicine the old man needed could easily be found, either in shops or within the forest.

"I’ll go buy the herbal ingredients. Wait here, old man."

"What’s your name, Young Man?" the old man asked curiously.

"Li Xin."

"Of course, little Li. Go ahead. Miss Han’s shop has many plants. You’ll probably find what you need there," the old man answered.

Li Xin clasped his hands together and lowered his head respectfully.

"Thank you, Grandpa. I’ll head out now."

He and Liu Xie left the house together, while the old man remained seated at the chair beside the stone table, staring quietly at the lake ahead.

"Li Xin... he’ll become someone great in the future."