PCJ – Chapter 264 Miraculous Elixir

“Outrageous!” Liu Fengying exclaimed, slamming her hand forcefully on the incense table, causing the items on it to rattle and scatter across the floor after hearing what Chen Maozhong and his son, Chen Hongming, had to say.

Both Chen Maozhong and Chen Hongming were startled and quickly knelt down, fearing that Liu Fengying might take out her anger on them.

“Stand up, both of you. Serve me well, and you’ll naturally receive your rewards. As for that little water priest, I’ll find a way to deal with him. You don’t need to worry about that,” Liu Fengying said.

Just as Chen Maozhong and Chen Hongming were about to rise, they glanced at Liu Fengying’s face and were nearly scared out of their wits. Chen Hongming almost let out a cry, and Chen Maozhong’s face turned pale.

Yesterday, Liu Fengying’s face looked like that of a young woman in her twenties, but now, she appeared as an elderly woman on the brink of death, even worse than she had looked the day before. This sight made both Chen Maozhong and Chen Hongming tremble with fear.

“Hmph, if it weren’t for you dragging me into dealing with Chen Shunchang and nearly falling into his trap, I wouldn’t be in this state. But don’t worry, I’ll take care of Chen Shunchang for you, and I’ll deal with that water priest from Meishan as well. I have a few immortal friends who will be arriving soon, and once they’re here, we’ll handle him together.” Liu Fengying was feeling rather helpless. Although she hadn’t sustained any direct damage in last night’s battle, her two puppets had nearly been destroyed, which in turn affected her. She realized she wasn’t strong enough to confront Zhang Jiaohua directly. Even the talismans Zhang Jiaohua crafted were enough to prevent her puppets from making a move, and if he had time to set up his formations, there was nothing she could do. She had already sent a distress signal to her allies, and they would be arriving soon to assist her, so she needed to wait until then.

“Stop causing trouble and focus on attracting more believers. That’s your real task,” Liu Fengying said, clearly displeased with the declining incense offerings.

“We’re already working on that. It was just that old Chen Shunchang who deliberately went against us, tarnishing your name, which is why we had to teach him a lesson,” Chen Hongming quickly shifted the blame.

“Enough! Stop talking nonsense and figure out a way to bring more believers here. If not, I can easily find another place to descend to,” Liu Fengying threatened.

At this, both Chen Maozhong and Chen Hongming grew anxious. If Liu Xiuying could no longer maintain her role as the divine medium, their source of income would be cut off. Even though they had made quite a bit of money in the past few days, which would last them a long time, money is something one can never have enough of.

“Don’t worry, Immortal. We’ll think of something right away,” Chen Hongming hurriedly assured her.

“Yes, yes, Immortal, don’t worry. We’ll come up with a good plan,” Chen Maozhong echoed.

The father and son sat together, racking their brains, but coming up with a good idea was easier said than done.

“Father, what exactly is this Immortal? Mother isn’t doing well at all. If this were truly a divine possession, how could she end up like this?” Chen Hongming’s face showed little sign of concern.

Chen Maozhong glanced back at their home and lowered his voice, “You mustn’t say such things carelessly. If the Immortal hears you, we’ll be in big trouble. It doesn’t matter what the Immortal is. Without her, even if we risked our lives, we wouldn’t have made this much money in such a short time. So why worry about what the Immortal really is? Besides, as long as she can restore your mother to her original state, what do we have to fear?”

“Yes, yes, restore her original state. Restore her original state? I’ve got an idea, Father. If we could have the Immortal display her powers and make someone rejuvenate, wouldn’t that be a clear demonstration of divine power? Who could then doubt that the Immortal is genuine? And if we offer this ‘Immortal Water’ to cure illnesses, people suffering from all sorts of diseases would flock here to seek blessings and cures,” Chen Hongming suggested.

“That’s a great idea. Let’s go tell the Immortal right away,” Chen Maozhong agreed.

So, Liu Xiuying, the divine medium at the Chen family’s house, added a new service: curing illnesses with ‘Immortal Water’ and bestowing blessings and elixirs. This caused quite a stir, and even the people of Meizikou, who had been hesitant to seek the Immortal’s help, began to waver. Even some residents of Meizitang, who had been skeptical, started to visit the Chen household to consult the Immortal.

Zhang Genxin, a mute elder suffering from tuberculosis, had no money to go to the hospital for treatment, so he decided to pay 100 yuan as an offering and received a bowl of ‘Immortal Water.’ After drinking it, his illness seemed to improve, though he felt weaker than before, as if he had just recovered from a severe illness. But he felt much better overall.

“It worked, it really worked. I’m glad I didn’t listen to Manyin, or else I would’ve missed this great opportunity,” Zhang Genxin said, clearly blaming Zhang Manyin for his initial hesitation.

Because of Zhang Genxin’s experience, everyone in the village flocked to the Chen household. The incense offerings at the Chen house grew more than twice as abundant as before. The father and son were grinning from ear to ear as more and more people, including common folk and government officials, came seeking blessings and medicine.

Tang Guanming, the mayor of Gezhuping Town, had a father, Tang Mosheng, who was diagnosed with liver cancer and was said to have only a few months to live. He refused to stay in the hospital and was waiting to die at home. When Tang Guanming heard about the miraculous divine medium in Meizikou, he was initially skeptical. But after hearing that some of his close relatives had personally visited and found it to be effective, he had his driver take the elderly man to Meizikou. Tang Guanming, concerned about his position, couldn’t openly go to seek the Immortal’s help, so he slightly disguised himself and joined his relatives in escorting Tang Mosheng to the Chen household.

“This morning, I heard magpies chirping outside, and I knew a distinguished guest would be arriving today. Chen Maozhong, go and serve our guest some tea,” Liu Fengying said warmly as she saw Tang Guanming’s group, her attitude extremely hospitable. In truth, Chen Hongming had already discovered Tang Guanming’s identity earlier, recognizing the town car and having seen Tang Guanming in Meizikou before. He had secretly informed Liu Fengying, which is why she made such a statement.

Tang Guanming, unaware of the backstory, was genuinely surprised and thought the divine medium was truly accurate in her predictions.

“Immortal, please save my father! He has been a kind man all his life, never doing a single bad deed. He worked hard to raise us siblings, and now, just as he’s ready to enjoy his twilight years, he’s fallen ill. We’ve heard that you have miraculous elixirs, so we’ve come to seek your help,” Tang Guanming pleaded, kneeling on the prayer mat.

“Your father is a blessed man, not someone destined for a short life. Even without the Immortal Water or Elixirs, he would recover naturally. However, I can’t bear to see a filial son like you suffer, so I will bestow an Elixir upon him. Have him take it with the Immortal Water, and I guarantee that his illness will be cured,” Liu Fengying declared, transforming herself into a figure of great compassion, like the Bodhisattva Guanyin, with such dignity and mercy that everyone present felt compelled to kneel in reverence.