Chapter 159: Better Have Anything Than Ill Health, Better Lack Anything Than Money

Seeing Madam Zhao swallow the golden pill, Peach blossom anxiously asked, "Mother, how are you feeling?"

"Silly girl, you're far too impatient! Your mother just swallowed the medicine, and it hasn't even reached my stomach yet. How do you expect me to feel?" Madam Zhao laughed, then turned her gaze toward the Ruyi Alchemy Furnace, asking with profound astonishment, "Chixia, that alchemy furnace of yours is truly a treasure! Where were you keeping it just now? How did it appear the moment you made a gesture with your hand?"

"Indeed, indeed!" Peach blossom chimed in hurriedly, "Brother Chixia, tell us quickly, what is this all about?"

"Ha-ha..." Yan Chixia chuckled, "Auntie, Peach blossom, look at this ring I'm wearing on my finger. It's called a 'Storage Ring,' and my master gave it to me. This alchemy furnace was kept right inside here."

"Ah? You can't be serious, right?" Peach blossom couldn't help stepping closer to Yan Chixia, gently stroking the Storage Ring as she asked, "Brother Chixia, this ring is so tiny, and the alchemy furnace is so huge. How on earth can it fit inside?"

"Ha-ha..." Yan Chixia laughed again, "Peach blossom, this question is quite profound; I can't explain it to you all at once... Don't let its small size fool you; this 'Storage Ring' has a massive capacity. I've already stored a great many things inside it! Now, I am going to put this alchemy furnace back in—Peach blossom, Auntie, watch closely..." With that, he silently recited an incantation, and instantly, the Ruyi Alchemy Furnace vanished from sight.

"Ah?" Peach blossom gasped in disbelief, "This is entirely bizarre! Brother Chixia, such a massive alchemy furnace—how did it vanish into such a tiny ring in the blink of an eye?"

"Indeed, indeed!" Madam Zhao asked with exceptional delight, "Xia'er, did the Daoist Master Qingxu teach you all of these marvels?"

Yan Chixia nodded and said, "Yes. Auntie, my master has been so good to me! Ever since I began practicing the Dao in Zhongnan Mountain thirteen years ago, he has always cared for me with profound affection, looking after me thoroughly and meticulously in every possible way. Over the years, he has taught me numerous skills... Auntie, do you still remember how I left reliance village back then?"

"I remember, I remember!" Madam Zhao answered repeatedly, "Xia'er, you flew away back then alongside Daoist Master Qingxu..."

"Correct!" Yan Chixia nodded. "However, the way my master carried me flying through the sky back then was a certain Daoist technique he employed, known as the [Wind-Riding Technique]; Auntie, today, I also flew back through the sky myself..."

"Really?" Madam Zhao's eyes instantly burst forth with an extraordinary radiance of joyous surprise as she asked.

Peach blossom immediately beamed with joy and said, "Mother, it's true! Earlier today, when I was burning incense and praying at the divine temple, I saw Brother Chixia and Elder Sister flying back together with my own eyes! At the time, I didn't realize it was Brother Chixia and Elder Sister; I thought they were immortals!"

"Ha-ha..." Unable to contain the boundless joy in her heart, Madam Zhao said, "Peach blossom, if your Brother Chixia can fly in the sky, doesn't that mean he has attained immortality through cultivation?"

"Auntie, I have not yet attained immortality," Yan Chixia hastily explained. "The reason I can fly in the sky right now is simply a Daoist technique I have recently mastered, called the [Sword-Flying Technique]. Auntie, I am still far, far away from attaining immortality..."

While speaking, he quietly used his spiritual perception to examine Madam Zhao's condition—he saw that the golden pill had already dissolved within her stomach, and its exceptionally potent medicinal properties were beginning to take effect, surging in rolling currents along her meridians toward her tuberculosis-ridden lungs, unstoppably obliterating the tubercular lesions. In no time at all, every single lesion was utterly eradicated. Consequently, all of Madam Zhao's lung lobes, which had been riddled and eaten away by tubercular bacteria, instantly regained their vibrant vitality...

"Ah!" Madam Zhao suddenly cried out involuntarily, "Xia'er, the golden pill you refined is truly miraculous! The pain in my chest is gone, and I feel so wonderfully comfortable! For so many years, I have never felt this comfortable!"

"Really?" Peach blossom burst into a frenzy of joy, "Mother, does that mean my Brother Chixia has truly cured your illness?"

"Truly! Mother now feels strength coursing through her entire body!" Madam Zhao wept tears of happiness as she said, "Peach blossom, to tell you the truth, ever since Mother contracted 'consumption,' my chest has felt wretched all these years, and lately it had grown even worse. Afraid that you would worry, I always put on a brave face in front of you... But in truth, Mother was simply gritting her teeth and enduring it! That misery was truly harder to bear than death itself! Ha-ha, but now everything is fine! Peach blossom, Mother no longer needs to grit her teeth and endure. My chest is comfortable, my whole body feels wonderful, and my heart feels utterly bright and clear!"

"Indeed!" Yan Chixia said with immense joy, "Auntie, your illness is truly gone! From this day forward, you can finally enjoy a peaceful and happy life!"

"Xia'er is right!" Madam Zhao raised a hand to wipe away her tears, saying, "As the ancient saying goes: 'Have anything, but never an illness; lack anything, but never money.' Look at me all these years—I had both an illness and no money! Xia'er, without fear of your mockery, our family doesn't even have a single copper coin... Today you brought Yue'er back, and I truly wanted to give her a welcoming gift, yet I had absolutely nothing to offer!"

"Indeed!" Peach blossom also said with an apologetic expression, "Elder Sister, our family has no money; please don't take offense!"

Hearing this, Bai Xiaoyue felt a warm wave of profound emotion surging through her heart. She quickly smiled and said, "Not at all! Auntie, Peach blossom, I deeply appreciate your kind intentions!"

"Ha-ha..." Yan Chixia then laughed, "Auntie, the hard days you and Peach blossom have been enduring come to an end today. Very soon, you will have more money than you can ever possibly spend!"

Hearing this, Madam Zhao let out a bitter chuckle and said, "Xia'er, you certainly know how to say things to make Auntie happy! Our family is so poor we've hit rock bottom; how could we possibly have endless money to spend right away?"

"Auntie, what he said is true!" Bai Xiaoyue hurriedly spoke up, "Danzi, hurry up and take the money out!"

"Alright!" Yan Chixia nodded. Suddenly, with a crisp clatter, a massive heap of copper coins materialized right in the middle of the room.

"Oh my goodness!" Madam Zhao and Peach blossom both gasped in involuntary shock, "Why is money raining from the sky?"

"Ha-ha-ha," Yan Chixia chuckled, "Auntie, these copper coins are a gift to you and Peach blossom from Mingzi and me—two hundred strings of cash in total."

"Ah?" Madam Zhao collected herself and stammered, "Xia'er, where... where... where did you get so much money?"

"Auntie, all of this money was given to me by my master," Yan Chixia replied. "Knowing that I was coming back to visit you, he specifically instructed me to bring this money back for you."

"Really?" Madam Zhao trembled all over with overwhelming excitement. "Xia'er, Auntie has lived nearly a whole lifetime and has never laid eyes on so much money!" With that, she swung herself off the bed, rushed over to the pile of copper coins without even putting on her shoes, and began reaching out with trembling hands to stroke and caress the mound of cash while hot tears streamed down her face. "Heavens, Xia'er has given me so, so much money. This... this... Peach blossom and I will truly never be able to spend it all!" Saying this, she suddenly turned her gaze to Yan Chixia and said, "Xia'er, this is far too much money! Auntie doesn't want this much... There are still many families in our village who are dirt poor. Later on, make sure to distribute a portion of this to them as well!"

"Mother is right!" At this moment, Peach blossom also hurried over to the pile of money, her expression brimming with intense excitement. "Dog-leftover and Er-kaitai are already past thirty and still bachelors; they haven't been able to take wives simply because their families are poor. Brother Chixia, I'll go deliver a basket of money to each of their families right now and tell them it's from you, so they can all get married right away!"