Peerless Little Immortal Doctor-Chapter 920 - 923: Forbidden Land

"Madam Guo, please take good care of Little Man. Once she’s calm, I’ll explain everything to her."

Xia Liu clutched the dagger embedded in his chest and spoke sluggishly.

"Understood."

Seeing Xia Liu’s pale complexion, Guo Fanghua responded weakly.

To go to such lengths for his daughter, Xia Liu truly had a heart of sincerity. All that remained was for his daughter to stabilize emotionally so the young ones could resolve things themselves.

Once Guo Fanghua and Guo Man had left, Xia Liu raised his hand and pulled out the dagger lodged in his chest.

Blood splattered as Xia Liu activated the Five Elements Mantra. In an instant, the blood ceased flowing, and Wooden Spirit Energy began nurturing the wound, healing it autonomously.

"What terrifying regenerative powers!"

Sensing the surging Wood Spirit Energy emanating from Xia Liu, Guo Po, Guo De, and Guo Shi—a group of Innate Martial Artists—were instantly startled.

They could all sense the life force rippling through Xia Liu’s body, creating the illusion of watching a sprout quickly grow robust.

"A trivial trick for healing bugs, scarcely worthy of mention."

Xia Liu waved his hand dismissively as he spoke.

"Haha, Chief Xia, you’re far too modest! Brother Guo Gang, escort Chief Xia to our residence for a moment."

With a portion of the conflict resolved, Guo Po wasted no time instructing Guo Gang to guide Xia Liu to Morning City.

Having disappeared from the world for several decades, he had grown unfamiliar with the rapid changes in the family.

Guo Gang dared not hesitate. He immediately bent forward and gestured for Xia Liu to follow him.

Soon, only ordinary martial artists from the Guo family remained at the scene.

Since earlier they had seen Xia Liu walking closely with Guo Ye, the crowd now encircled Guo Ye, eager to hear his account of Xia Liu’s stories—or perhaps his connection with Guo Man.

"Brother Guo Ye, tell us the tale, won’t you?"

"Yeah, they say the Heavenly Mansion of Huaxia is the pinnacle of the Warrior Realm. As its Chief, he must be extraordinary."

"Personally, I’m more interested in Chief Xia’s story with Little Man—that must be deeply moving."

"Moving? I wouldn’t think so. There’s bound to be plenty of heartbreak instead."

...

While the crowd debated enthusiastically, inside an elegant residence within Morning City...

Xia Liu sat alongside Guo Po in the main hall, while others with status and standing in the Guo family were seated to either side.

"Today, after a bout of mutual misunderstanding, I must thank Chief Xia for holding back; otherwise, several of us might have ended up in coffins."

Guo Po spoke with a face full of embarrassment.

Upon first meeting Xia Liu, they had all assumed this young man was merely relying on luck to manage the Spirit Formation.

But the outcome defied all expectations. Even deploying their most formidable war power, they failed to graze the hem of his clothing.

It was clear how frighteningly advanced his cultivation must be.

"Ah, Daoist Fellow Guo, you’re exaggerating. By the end, I had already exhausted my energy and strength. If the Guo family’s experts had pressed forward, I would have surely perished."

Xia Liu replied humbly.

"Chief Xia, you’re being too modest. As an Innate Martial Artist, I can sense it—your strength hadn’t even reached its limit. Even with ten more Innate Martial Artists, none could hope to be your match."

"No, no, I dare not boast of such dominance... ha ha..."

"Chief Xia, to possess such extraordinary abilities at such a young age, you are truly a blessing to the Warrior Realm!"

"Indeed, Chief Xia gracing the Guo family with his presence is our utmost honor."

"I even misunderstood Chief Xia earlier—it’s deeply shameful."

...

Xia Liu’s humility evoked successive sighs of admiration from those in the hall.

They had never encountered such a terrifying martial artist at such a young age.

Nor had they seen a prodigious talent, practically a monster, with such a cordial demeanor.

If Xia Liu and Guo Man could end up together, it would undoubtedly be the Guo family’s greatest fortune.

Alas, the conflict involving that dagger had likely driven their relationship to an extreme end.

"By the way, Chief Xia, I recall you mentioning earlier that you came to the Guo family seeking a particular item?"

Guo Po suddenly remembered something Xia Liu had said before the battle commenced and couldn’t help but inquire.

"Yes, I heard some rumors circulating that the Guo family possessed the Youth Preserving Pill, so I came to ask for a few."

Regarding his mission for this trip, Xia Liu’s expression turned serious.

All the pieces were in place, and he had hidden himself for so long—all for the Youth Preserving Pill!

At the mention of this pill’s name, Guo Po and the other Innate Martial Artists fell silent.

Guo Gang and the others mirrored their reaction.

"Daoist Fellow Guo, is there anything amiss?"

Noting the somber expressions of the Guo family martial artists, unease arose in Xia Liu’s heart.

He had the vague sensation that this plan might not succeed.

"Guo family does not have a Youth Preserving Pill. Years ago, a piece of misinformation was spread by an inexperienced alchemist. I ordered the rumor suppressed immediately, but it seems it still leaked beyond control."

Recalling the fiasco of those years past, Guo Po spoke with a look of helplessness.

"What! No Youth Preserving Pill!" Xia Liu’s entire demeanor crumbled.

After all his efforts, they told him there was no Youth Preserving Pill.

For this, he had left his homeland, ventured into this foreign territory, and gone to great lengths to manipulate a sincere-hearted young woman.

He had even deeply wounded Guo Man’s feelings—all for what turned out to be mere wishful thinking on his part.

No Youth Preserving Pill!

The crushing weight of disappointment left Xia Liu in a spiral of confusion.

His entire body seemed to collapse in an instant.

All of it had been nothing but an empty dream.

Now, how was he supposed to face the girls back at home?

How could he possibly make amends for the harm caused to Guo Man?

"Brother Guo Po, we may not have a Youth Preserving Pill, but according to ancestral records, isn’t there a Spirit Tree in the Forbidden Land beyond the rear mountain? The fruits of this tree are said to extend lifespan and preserve youthful appearances."

Just as Xia Liu was engulfed in despair, Guo Shi suddenly spoke up.

"The Spirit Tree!"

At this revelation, Xia Liu’s eyes lit up with vital energy as he fixed a piercing gaze upon Guo Shi. "Daoist Fellow, could you elaborate further?"

"Chief Xia, please stay calm. These accounts are merely recorded in the ancestral texts; their veracity remains unconfirmed."

Guo Po could sense Xia Liu’s excitement. If Xia Liu impulsively rushed to the Forbidden Land now, catastrophic consequences were bound to occur.

"None of you have been to the site yourselves?"

Xia Liu gradually calmed down. If the Spirit Tree was truly genuine, it wouldn’t escape his grasp now that he was here!

"To be frank, Chief Xia, there’s a cliff beyond the rear mountain. Ancestors placed an unknown Formation there, and strong Gang Winds continually surge up from the Secluded Valley below. Even Innate Martial Artists cannot pass through this treacherous terrain to reach the opposite cliffside."

Recalling the perilous Forbidden Land that still sent shivers down her spine, Guo Man remained apprehensive.

"Oh, so the Guo family has such a peculiar place."

"From this cliff, one can see the situation across the way—you can indeed spot a towering tree. But since no one has ever made it across, the details remain unclear. According to ancestral records, it is a Spirit Tree left behind from ancient times. During those days, the Guo family ancestors blocked off the location with a Formation due to its allure, isolating it completely."

"Precisely because of this defensive precaution, calamity eventually struck the Guo family. The strongest within perished, and no martial artist has since retained the strength to cross the cliff to the other side."

...

Understanding Xia Liu’s keen interest, Guo Po took effort to explain the Forbidden Land thoroughly.