Shen Jiuding was tall and had a fair, beardless face with graying temples. [Shen Jiuding = Divine Nine Cauldrons. try guessing his identity in the plot]
Although wrinkles had formed at the corners of his eyes, it was evident that he must have been quite handsome in his youth.
He wore a plain white doctor's robe, which had been washed so many times that several parts had turned pale, yet he had not replaced it with a new one.
Since his transmigration, Shen Mo had only seen this father in the memories of his predecessor.
Now, meeting in person, he suddenly felt a strange mix of familiarity and unfamiliarity.
He felt quite uneasy.
"Father..."
Shen Mo quickly walked over and called out softly, just as he remembered.
At that moment, Shen Jiuding was writing a prescription for a patient. Hearing this voice, he was momentarily stunned.
He abruptly looked up and immediately saw his son. His son, who made him immensely proud and gratified.
"Mo'er, you're back?!" Shen Jiuding exclaimed with joy.
Gao Yuan and Song You also entered, cupping their hands in congratulation, "Pharmacist Shen, it's an honor to meet you."
Shen Jiuding was taken aback when he saw the city lord and chief steward and hurriedly tried to salute them.
Gao Yuan quickly helped him up.
"What is the meaning of this...?" Shen Jiuding looked bewildered.
These two were highly esteemed figures in Qingshan City, rarely seen in public.
Why were they now standing behind Shen Mo?
Gao Yuan laughed heartily, "Mr. Shen, you have a fine son. Shen Mo is now a true disciple of Qingxuan Sect!"
Song You also nodded slightly, "A true disciple must be greeted with proper etiquette. If we did not accompany him, it would be a breach of decorum."
Shen Jiuding was even more shocked, "Am I... am I dreaming?"
My son, who was still an outer disciple six years ago. How has he suddenly become a true disciple?
Seeing his father's astonished expression, Shen Mo's lips curved into a smile.
It was understandable that Shen Jiuding did not know. After all, the news of his promotion to true disciple and being accepted as a disciple by the sect master had only spread within the Qingxuan Sect.
Beyond the sect, few people knew.
In Qingshan City's three towns, ordinary people rarely interacted with Qingxuan Sect disciples, so it was even less likely for them to know.
It was no wonder Shen Jiuding was unaware of this news.
"Father, the gold trim signifies the robe of a true disciple of Qingxuan Sect," Shen Mo explained with a smile, "I am indeed a true disciple now, you are not dreaming."
Overjoyed, Shen Jiuding burst into tears and embraced his son tightly. Gao Yuan and Song You waved their hands, signaling the others to leave.
The patients, who admired Shen Jiuding, also left as long as their ailments were not too serious.
After all, it had been over six years since the father and son had seen each other, and they indeed needed some time to talk.
Shen Mo observed this man with graying temples, and his impression gradually aligned with his memory.
Shen Jiuding gave him a feeling very similar to his father before his transmigration. Silent by nature, yet all his emotions were conveyed without words.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Shen Mo brought up the purpose of his visit.
"Father, you mentioned that many years ago you saved a severely injured cultivator who gave you some pills as a token of gratitude, right?"
Shen Jiuding nodded, "Yes, at that time you were just one or two years old, too young to remember."
Shen Mo asked again, "Did that cultivator leave a name?"
Shen Jiuding shook his head, "No, he only gave me two pills, saying they could enhance wisdom roots, but a person could only take one and had to consume it before the age of ten. I've kept the other one."
Shen Mo nodded slightly and then told him about the Lei family's desire to seize the pill.
He also recounted how he had been poisoned, his foundation destroyed, and how he accidentally found a cleansing pill to rebuild his foundation.
"What?!" Shen Jiuding was furious upon hearing this, "The Lei family did such a thing?"
"Did they harm you again later?"
Shen Mo shook his head, "No, they didn't. After I became the sect master's disciple, there were sect members in Qingshan City, so the Lei family didn't dare to act rashly or take the pill directly from you."
Shen Jiuding was stunned, his eyes suddenly glistening with something. He quickly turned away, wiped his eyes, and then turned back.
He patted Shen Mo's shoulder, looking relieved, "I never thought one day I would be protected by you."
Shen Mo smiled, "Father, my cultivation level has long surpassed yours. From now on, I will protect you."
Shen Jiuding was even more gratified, "Good."
Shen Mo had only this one father; as for his mother, she had passed away from illness when he was three or four years old.
Because of this, Shen Jiuding vowed to cure all illnesses and save people throughout his life.
"Father, give me that pill. It will be safer with me," Shen Mo suggested after some thought.
"Yes, it should be given to you," Shen Jiuding nodded.
He returned to his room, retrieved the pill from a hidden compartment, and handed it to Shen Mo.
Shen Mo opened it and saw it was indeed a wisdom-enhancing pill. The pill had intricate and obscure patterns on its surface.
It didn't look like something consumable, but rather like a piece of art.
Night fell.
City Lord Gao Yuan specially invited the best chefs in Qingshan City to prepare a grand feast for Shen Mo and his father.
After the father and son had eaten their fill, they returned to their respective rooms. Shen Mo reached out and took out the three Pure Essence Stabilising Pills.
He picked up one and swallowed it.
Buzz!
The pure medicinal power erupted, surging towards his dantian.
This medicinal power was dozens of times stronger than that of ordinary Solidifying Pills.
Its purpose was to solidify his Dao Foundation.
However, before the medicinal power could merge with his Dao platform, the Red Lotus Flame atop the platform absorbed most of it.
The remaining medicinal power was equivalent to about five or six ordinary Stabilising Pills.
Shen Mo couldn't help but smile wryly.
This was why he had been unable to achieve perfection in the Foundation Establishment Realm during this time.
The Red Lotus Flame had a voracious appetite. Even in standby mode, it consumed a tenth of his spiritual power.
Whenever Shen Mo took pills, it absorbed about fifty percent of the medicinal power.
"Wait… I feel something!"
Suddenly, Shen Mo sensed a subtle change in his Dao platform.
He was overjoyed and quickly operated the Flame Hell Destruction Manual, adjusting his breathing rhythm.
Two hours later, the Flame Hell Destruction Manual advanced to the second level, and his realm naturally progressed to the perfection stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm!
Feeling the more vigorous spiritual power surging within him, Shen Mo smiled with delight.
"Foundation Establishment Realm perfection, combined with my cultivation technique, martial skills, and Eternal Flame, I can remain undefeated even against peak Foundation Establishment cultivators."
"As for cultivators of the same realm, I can easily secure victory!"
...
Shen Mo stayed in Qingshan City for three days. The father and son enjoyed harmonious interactions.
Thanks to Shen Mo's status, both Gao Yuan and Song You promised to strongly support the Shen Family Clinic's endeavors.
Shen Jiuding was so happy he couldn't stop smiling. Three days later, Shen Mo bid farewell to his father and returned to the Qingxuan Sect.
On his way back to the Qingxuan Sect, guided by his life panel, he swept through a bandit hideout occupied by rogue cultivators.
These rogue cultivators were engaged in robbery and often attacked the caravans of Qingshan City.
Their deaths were well-deserved.
After killing all the rogue cultivators in the hideout, Shen Mo quickly found the other part of the Forest Sword Technique.
He then found the nest of the Scarlet Wind Kite in the nearby dense forest. After killing two mature third-level Scarlet Wind Kites, he discovered a skeleton in the nest.
On the skeleton, he found a low-grade storage ring, which contained three Everlasting Protective Pills.
"It worked!"
Shen Mo nodded slightly and swiftly returned to the Qingxuan Sect.