The Gentleman

It didn't take long for Li Jiudao to return to the room with a bowl of herbs he had prepared. These herbs were known for their miraculous healing properties, capable of treating even the most severe external injuries without leaving a scar.

"Sir, let me help you apply these herbs. I've personally prepared them, and they work wonders for healing external injuries," Li Jiudao said with a smile.

"Oh, how can I trouble you, sir? I can do it myself," Lu Liang hastily replied.

"You shouldn't do it yourself. Let me handle it," Li Jiudao said with a hint of frustration. "And please, don't call me 'senior.' I'm only eighteen years old. It doesn't suit me to be addressed that way."

He couldn't understand why Lu Liang insisted on calling him 'senior.' It made no sense, as he was much younger than him.

"You don't like being called 'senior'?" Lu Liang quickly changed his address. "Then how should I address you? 'Mister'?"

"Don't call me 'Mister' either," Li Jiudao replied. "You are older than me, and 'Mister' doesn't feel right. Just call me by my name, Li Jiudao."

"No, I'll stick with 'Mister'," Lu Liang insisted. He couldn't bring himself to address such a formidable senior directly by his name.

"All right, then, 'Mister' it is," Li Jiudao acquiesced.

With that settled, Li Jiudao began to apply the crushed herbs to Lu Liang's wounds. As the herbs touched his skin, Lu Liang felt a surge of divine power spreading through his body. His wounds instantly began to heal, and the newly formed skin was smoother and more delicate than that of a newborn baby.

Lu Liang was astonished. Could the effects of these herbs be this potent? Even his injuries, which had been inflicted by a fierce tiger-like beast, were being healed almost instantly. Normally, it would have taken him at least three months to recover fully, and he would have had to first remove the residual power of the beast from his wounds.

But under Li Jiudao's treatment, the residual power was eradicated in an instant. It was truly remarkable.

"Your methods are truly unfathomable, sir," Lu Liang exclaimed sincerely.

Li Jiudao finished applying the herbs to all of Lu Liang's wounds and then carefully bandaged them. He smiled and said, "In ten days, you can remove the bandages, and your wounds will be completely healed."

Ten days? Lu Liang wondered. His wounds already seemed to be fully healed.

However, he soon realized that the herbs still held a powerful energy, and Li Jiudao intended to let it fully take effect over the next ten days.

"Thank you, thank you so much!" Lu Liang expressed his gratitude continuously. The potency of the herbs was truly astonishing.

"Sir, you're too kind. It's a small matter; you don't need to thank me so profusely," Li Jiudao said with a smile. "You should rest and recover. If you don't mind, I'd like to invite you to stay for a meal."

"I don't mind at all!" Lu Liang replied eagerly. He couldn't imagine turning down such an offer. Spending more time with this extraordinary senior was a rare opportunity.

"All right, please wait in the house. I'll go buy a chicken and some fish to stew for you," Li Jiudao said.

"I can go buy them, sir. You saved my life; I can't let you spend more money," Lu Liang insisted.

"This is my home; how can I ask a guest to go shopping? Please, stay here and rest," Li Jiudao insisted. He had a reputation in Qingshan City for his kindness, and most people treated him with respect and kindness in return. Li Jiudao would accept their offerings and secretly give them money in return.

Meanwhile, Lu Liang went to the front of the shop. As soon as he entered, he was captivated by the calligraphy and paintings hanging on the walls. The artistic skill and Daoist inspiration within them left him deeply moved. He hadn't had a chance to examine them closely before, as Li Jiudao had quickly brought him to the backyard.

"Are these calligraphy and paintings all done by the esteemed senior?" he asked in awe.

Upon closer inspection, he realized that each piece was a masterpiece in its own right. He was especially drawn to one painting that depicted towering mountains, with a figure holding a sword standing on a mountain peak. The flowing cloak added an ethereal quality to the scene.

"It's a pity I don't understand swordsmanship; otherwise, I might have gleaned an extraordinary sword technique from this," Lu Liang lamented.

In another painting, a majestic Qilin stood tall, its eyes seemingly capable of penetrating the heavens and earth, exuding an aura of dominance.

"If only a beast were here to see this painting, it would surely benefit greatly and perhaps even gain insight into Qilin techniques," Lu Liang mused. The painting contained a powerful Qilin presence that could greatly benefit any beast.

But Lu Liang was a human, so he couldn't benefit from it directly.

"I cultivate the Dao of nature, but if there were a landscape painting here, it would be perfect!" he thought, his heart racing as he scanned the paintings, searching for a landscape scene.

Finally, he found one. It depicted mountains, water, and various trees and plants, creating a breathtakingly beautiful landscape that seemed to come alive.

As he gazed at the landscape painting, he felt as if he had entered the world within the painting itself. The profound and wondrous natural Dao resonated with him, and he could sense that this painting might help him break through the barriers he had been struggling with for a long time.

"I've found it!" he exclaimed with joy. This landscape painting could be the key to his long-awaited breakthrough.