"it seems like spring has finally arrived."he sighed.
As the herbalist spoke calmly while grinding in the mortar,he slowly looked in the window,and admired the beautiful fields of the herbs he himself planted.
The plants are still quite young and looks well-taken care of.
"Oh,w-wait..."he trembled as he realized,that with the plants, beautifully growing and displayed at his front backyard,will soon follow the days of another work,day and night!
Knowing that it is still growing and did not bear fruit yet,this laziness of his is on another level.
He placed his hand on his head,supporting it,he sadly accepted his fate. "Well, there's no use of hiding the plants.To think that I'm still the only herbalist in this small village and many people is still in need of my aid,well,i'll just stay here again for another decade." he sighed.
.....
A boy seems to be rushing towards the herbalist's door.As he finally reached it,he opened it fastly and shouted.
"L-LIANHUA!!"
Lianhua,who is just doing his work peacefully, was startled by the sudden shout and the loud bang in his very own door. He accidentally let go of the vase he was holding and it was shattered to pieces when it fell to the ground and the herbs inside it was scattered.
"S-sorry.....uh..let me help you." the boy felt guilty of what he just did and thought to himself that he should knock first but no people would just stay calm of what happened back there,and he really need this herbalist's help.
The boy reached the broken vase but suddenly,Lianhua stopped it.
"Don't worry,I can handle it."
The boy complained,"But you spent so much time drying and grinding it.Im very sorry....let me pa-"
"No need,you didn't do it on purpose." Lianhua was a bit happy now that the source of his tiresome work has gone and he can now finally rest.
But, is it really the best time to lay on the bed?
"Speaking of, what is your real purpose here? I suppose it's very important to the point where you slam and shout to a stranger's humble abode."
After saying this,Lianhua took a glance on the boy's clothes and noticed this boy here is from a sect and just by it's clothes, he felt that he has seen this before, no, he himself have once worn this sect's clothes before but cannot recall when.
The boy hesitated to say something and Lianhua thought to himself that this disciples' situation must be serious and so, he offered him a seat.
Both sat on the chair with a tea that was offered by Lianhua.
The disciple took a sip at the tea and place the cup back on the table.
It seems like he is calm now with the help of Lianhua's calming presence, and not only that, he noticed that Lianhua is a very observant person.
That makes him more calmer.
The disciple can finally speak,"me and my senior brother went to find a medical doctor,but couldn't find anyone who is skilled on healing our sect leader's illness,so instead of searching for a skilled doctor,we decided to search for a 'medical herbalist' instead.We searched each village that are near to our borders and unfortunately,we couldn't find any,Until we arrived In this remote village that is hard to find.It is really hard to find the path that lead us to this village but luckily,someone from here led us and asked for our purpose of visit.And that's why I rushed here to seek your help, Lianhua.It is also from that villager that I came to know your name,Immortal Healer."
Lianhua suddenly remembered "Oh....i totally forgot that a complete stranger shouted my name, and now, I know why..."
He thought to himself that he really need to be wary at all times to avoid being tricked...,or maybe his old age developed this short-term memory loss of his.Well, considering his age, it really must be.
"um...sir?I'm really sorry for asking,but what I imagined from the looks of an Immortal is that,they are old,crippled,wrinkled man who has been living for centuries,but you're totally different from what I expected! You have a snow-white fair skin,healthy hair,and a face that's as same as a beautiful maiden in a brothel!Rather than a crippled body,you move just fine! It's almost as if your body ignored your age!"
Lianhua,who seems unsurprised by the disciples expectations, is actually trembling inside!
It seems like he knew the truth about his youthful looks, but is scared of the other being suspicious about it.
"I really appreciate what you said earlier, but my looks are not important right now. I believe we still have an unfinished discussion in our hands?"
"Ahem.....so I was saying,we have been searching for a medical herbalist these past few days and,Immortal Healer,you are the only one who could heal our Sect Leader's illness.You are our only hope.So,would you accept to join a long travel with us to our sect?"
"....no."
Disciple:"..."
Hearing Lianhua's rejection of helping them was like the end of the world for our little disciple here.
To think that he and his senior brother traveled for 5 days straight, just to be rejected by their only hope, their only light.
His head was facing down on the floor after hearing the other's rejection, but he does not want to give up, so he suddenly turned his face up to Lianhua and asked with a teary eyes.
"May I know at least the reason for you to reject us? We really need your help!"
With the sparkly teary eyes looking facing to Lianhua, he could only tell the truth and stop this puppy eyes staring at him once and for all.
"It's too tiring....I am very lazy to do it."
Disciple:"..."
Extra!!
Small Theatre:
Lianhua:"Is your senior brother an immortal?"
Disciple:"Yes, of course! Including me because all cultivators are immortal, after all.(・∀・)"
Lianhua:"then why would you expect me as a crippled, old-man?(╯︵╰,)"
Disciple:"now that I think about it,I thought only cultivators can gain the blessing of immortality? Why were you an immortal then?(・o・)"
Lianhua:"..."
Disciple:"?"