From a refugee to a martial artist

Chapter 349 Seeking Medical Advice
It was already afternoon.

The library tower was dimly lit, and everyone seemed confused after hearing Shui Xiangsheng's words.

Gan Wulin inherited his master's last wish and wanted to change the status quo of Xiangji Kingdom. There were countless ways to strip the nobles of their power, so why did he have to seek an emperor? Can't you be an emperor yourself? Isn't the position of the high priest almost the same as that of an emperor?
Meng Yuan and Mingyue exchanged a glance. Neither of them could understand it, but they also knew that the Kingdom of Xiangji was a muddle-headed place, and it was not uncommon for some people to be mentally unstable.

Of course, the words of this high priest, Shui Xiangsheng, could not be entirely trusted. Before seeing the whole picture, Meng Yuan believed no one, including Dugu Kang.

"You said Gan Wulin is traveling around looking for someone to be emperor, has he found anyone?" Su Xin tilted her head and asked with a frown.

“Medicines are divided into principal, assistant, adjuvant, and guide herbs, so the principal herb is naturally hard to find,” Shui Xiangsheng said.

Su Xin remained bewildered. She looked at Mingyue and asked, "Is it difficult to be an emperor?"

This was the right person to ask, but Mingyue still thought for a moment before saying, "A fool can do it, a wise man can do it, a gentleman can do it, and a villain can do it too. It all depends on what kind of reputation you want to leave in history."

"Isn't that something even a dog could do?" Su Xin realized. While holding Su Wen's face, she said, "The Xiangji Kingdom has only tens of thousands of people. Most slaves don't know how to resist. They can survive if given food. Although the nobles are immoral, they don't have swords or knives. Wouldn't it be easy for them to unify this place?"

“Of course it’s easy.” Shui Xiangsheng sighed, revealing his claw-like hands. “It’s just that no one knows what kind of person he’s looking for to be the emperor.”

"What difference does it make who's in charge? Even if someone's bad, can they be worse than the current Xiangji Kingdom?" Su Xin exclaimed in surprise. "You bunch of people who've been seasoned with spices, your brains are all really weird!"

Meng Yuan and Mingyue both nodded in agreement, and even Dugu Kang clasped his hands in approval.

That's actually true. The Kingdom of Xiangji has become what it is. No matter how much it is changed, it will only get better, not worse.

Shui Xiangsheng seemed to have anticipated everyone's thoughts. He sighed again and said, "That would kill many, many people."

“If we want to change the status quo, death is inevitable. If no one dies, the changes won’t be profound,” Meng Yuan said.

"Amitabha." Dugu Kang put his palms together, wanting to speak, but when Meng Yuan looked him in the eye, he swallowed his words.

Shui Xiangsheng seemed surprised by Meng Yuan's opinion as well, and said helplessly, "We who study medicine take charity as our foundation, and it is naturally good to kill fewer lives."

"But I didn't see you save those slaves either," Mingyue sneered.

Shui Xiangsheng stopped arguing and simply closed his eyes. His frail and aged appearance made him seem as if he could be angered to death at any moment.

"Old Priest, please continue," Su Xin urged. "Where are my martial aunts and the others? And how will my junior sister be rescued?"

"My fellow practitioners from Yunshan Temple have been taken away by my junior brother." Shui Xiangsheng opened his eyes helplessly before slowly speaking.

"Where should we look for him?" Su Xin asked.

“His whereabouts are elusive and hard to find; sometimes he’s inside the city, sometimes he’s outside,” Shui Xiangsheng said.

"So you just don't know!" Su Xin said irritably.

“There’s nothing we can do about it now. Although he is exceptionally talented, his medical lineage has long been severed. He has no way to advance further, and he can actually fight me to a standstill,” Shui Xiangsheng said.

Upon hearing this, Meng Yuan glanced at Dugu Kang and asked, "Has he found an accomplice now?"

“Not bad.” Shui Xiangsheng first looked at Mingyue, then at Dugu Kang, and finally at Meng Yuan, and said, “Junior Brother previously planned to worship puppets, but not long ago, a highly skilled martial artist came from the outside world. I think it won’t be long before Junior Brother can persuade that person to become the emperor of this Xiangji Kingdom.”

Upon hearing this, everyone knew that the exceptional martial artist referred to was Dugu Sheng, a fourth-rank martial artist.

Shui Xiangsheng looked at everyone and said, "That fellow Daoist is not greedy for power and position, but it is hard to guarantee that he will not be persuaded by my junior brother. At that time, I will definitely not be able to protect Xiangji Kingdom, so I can only ask for your help."

Meng Yuan and Ming Yue exchanged a glance after hearing this. They both felt that the High Priest Shui Xiang Sheng's words were not entirely true. Dugu Sheng was indeed not interested in power, but did he really come all the way here just to escape being hunted down?

Moreover, Dugu Sheng has never shown himself, but has remained in the shadows. Given Dugu Sheng's cunning, he must have other motives.

Dugu Sheng, a fourth-rank martial artist, yearned to attain the third-rank Dao realm in one fell swoop. To achieve this, he needed a third-rank sacrificial sword.

"What rank is the High Priest among the physicians?" Meng Yuan asked.

High Priest Shui Xiangsheng remained calm and said, "Fourth Rank."

"Then your junior brother Gan Wulin is also at the fourth rank?" Su Xin pressed.

Shui Xiangsheng nodded slowly, which was taken as an admission.

"Your medical lineage is incomplete; have you lost the means to take another step forward?" Mingyue asked.

Shui Xiangsheng slowly shook his head. "The medical lineage was obtained by the Medicine King Bodhisattva by chance. At that time, it only reached the fourth rank, and there was no way to advance further. Later, the Medicine King Bodhisattva also made some deductions, but he gained nothing."

Shui Xiangsheng's words carried a sense of helplessness, as if reflecting on his ancestors and expressing his frustration with the present situation.

Everyone was very curious about physicians. Meng Yuan and the other two had witnessed Su Wen's abilities, but they had not seen Su Wen use any miraculous medical techniques. They did not know much about the supernatural abilities of physicians, so they asked what skills a fourth-rank physician had.

"In ancient times, a hundred schools of thought contended, and there were many paths to cultivation." Shui Xiangsheng, who had traveled outside the world, immediately began to elaborate.

According to Shui Xiangsheng, the origins of medicine are very early, even earlier than Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, and it existed after the emergence of martial arts practitioners.

This medical tradition originated from the shamans of ancient times, and gradually evolved into a medical lineage. However, as people became more enlightened, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism emerged and took precedence, and the methods of shamanism were gradually abandoned. Instead, it gave rise to proper medical knowledge, where there was no need to pursue the methods of entering the Tao; people could be healed simply with medicine.

The lineage of medical practitioners gradually died out, and only a very few people still practice this art.

Moreover, the path of a physician can be simple in some ways, but difficult in others. To advance along this path, one must ingest medicine.

Therefore, those who inherit the medical tradition are particularly sensitive to sight, hearing, and smell, and are most perceptive of breath and energy.

However, its weakness is also very obvious: it is not good at fighting. Even if its rank rises again and again and its muscles and flesh become stronger, it is still far inferior to a martial artist.

Of course, physicians are adept at using poisons and medicines. Once one reaches the fourth rank, even if they have stepped into the gates of hell, there are ways to save them.

Those who follow the tradition of medicine do not have long lifespans. According to Shui Xiangsheng, even a fourth-rank physician only lives for about 150 years.

If one could have miraculous medicines and elixirs to aid in their life, extending their life by several decades would be no problem.

"I won't live much longer than a few years, and my two disciples are not up to par, only at the seventh rank. They are even inferior to this young master Suwen from outside." Shui Xiangsheng raised his withered, claw-like hand and pointed to the middle-aged couple standing behind him.

The two men lowered their heads in shame, their faces showing extreme embarrassment.

"So, does that mean Gan Wulin doesn't have many years left to live?" Su Xin asked, her eyes wide.

"He had a miraculous encounter; before his death, his master secretly imparted wisdom to him, seemingly bestowing upon him divine elixirs." Shui Xiangsheng's eyes filled with resentment and bitterness as he spoke. "He is much younger than me." Shui Xiangsheng looked at everyone, finally settling on Meng Yuan, and said, "The reason I asked young friend Meng for help is because my lifespan is nearing its end, while my junior brother still has many years to live. Once I die, no one in Xiangji Kingdom will be able to stop him, or even if he persuades Dugu Sheng, he can destroy Xiangji Kingdom."

At this point, Shui Xiangsheng slowly bowed his head forward and said, "I would like to ask my young friend Meng for your help."

Meng Yuan did not respond, but instead asked, "According to the High Priest, Gan Wulin is already exceptionally talented and has received your master's treasure. How could the High Priest possibly contend with him? And how has he managed to hold out until today?"

Shui Xiangsheng sighed again, not answering the question, but looking around at everyone, and said, "You are all young talents, and young friend Meng and this Miss Mingyue are even more extraordinary. I presume you know about the saying of the three stages of ascending to heaven?"

"Even physicians have three stages of ascension?" Su Xin was shocked.

“I have all the methods of cultivation.” Shui Xiangsheng’s face, which was now just skin and bones, had a slight smile on it. “Martial artists are born from the heavens, Buddhists talk about Nirvana. As for us doctors, we are here to test medicines.”

"What is drug testing?" Dugu Kang asked, intrigued.

"In short, it involves formulating two pill recipes, refining them, and then swallowing them. If you survive, you will have successfully tested the medicine." Shui Xiangsheng's eyes lit up. "One is poison, and the other is medicine. You take the poison first and then swallow the medicine. If you don't die, you will have succeeded and will also gain supernatural powers."

“This…” Su Xin couldn’t help but frown, “This is too bizarre.”

"Put yourself in a life-or-death situation and you will survive. Isn't that the same for martial artists? Why can't shamans do the same? The older the tradition, the more violent it is," Shui Xiangsheng said.

No one knew what to say, but they felt that this doctor was a bit strange.

Meng Yuan and Ming Yue had been fooled by Shui Xiangsheng before, and the two of them didn't really believe Shui Xiangsheng's claims. After all, these were just his own words, unlike the widely spread traditions of Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, and martial arts, while the medical theories were only explained by Shui Xiangsheng.

"So you two have both passed the drug test, meaning your abilities are roughly the same?" Su Xin asked.

“Young lady, there are many methods of cultivation, but even among those of the same level, there are vast differences.” Shui Xiangsheng smiled kindly at Su Xin and said, “I am still far inferior to my junior brother. However, the medicines we tested were different, and our supernatural abilities are also different.”

"I'd like to hear it," Su Xin asked curiously.

“I hold poison in my hand.” Shui Xiangsheng opened his palm, revealing a black palm with faintly visible veins. “He wants to destroy the Xiangji Kingdom. I can’t stop him, nor can I stop him. But the Xiangji Kingdom is a small country, only a city. I have a way to poison everyone in the city.”

Upon hearing this, even the usually audacious Meng Yuan couldn't help but lean back.

Su Xin stared wide-eyed, motionless, as if she were in a daze.

Mingyue couldn't help but press her hand on the sword hilt, frowning as she scrutinized Shui Xiangsheng.

"This has indeed kept Gan Wulin in check," Dugu Kang exclaimed, clapping his hands in admiration.

"But Old Xiu's lifespan is almost over," Shui Xiangsheng sighed.

"What abilities does Gan Wulin have? What supernatural powers does he possess?" Mingyue asked.

“He is good at treating people and detoxifying,” Shui Xiangsheng said. “He can cure the poison of one person, but he cannot cure the poison of tens of thousands of people.”

"This is a case of being hesitant to act for fear of harming the innocent," Dugu Kang chuckled. "You two are truly good brothers."

Upon hearing this, no one knew what to say, and the library tower fell silent.

"What exactly is your purpose in coming here?" Mingyue asked Dugu Kang.

Dugu Kang was fiddling with his prayer beads when Mingyue's sharp gaze swept over him. He quickly gave an awkward smile and said, "My master is in seclusion, and I can't serve him all the time, so he sent me out and told me to come here to see if I can get a medical inheritance to take back."

"So you chose to help the High Priest?" Meng Yuan asked.

Dugu Kang shook his head and said, "It's just that the master favors the High Priest. He said that the world should be orderly and hierarchical. Since the High Priest is protecting the Xiangji Kingdom, we should help him out."

Mingyue gave a cold laugh and remained silent.

Su Xin, however, was quite considerate of Dugu Kang, who was also bald, saying, "Qing Guangzi has done so many bad things, doesn't your conscience hurt?"

Dugu Kang smiled, clasped his hands together, and ignored Su Xin.

"High Priest," Meng Yuan said, one hand on the hilt of his sword and the other pointing at Su Wen in Su Xin's arms, "what is her identity and background? Is she related to Gan Wulin?"

“Of course there are.” Shui Xiangsheng’s eyes became cloudy again. He stared blankly at Suwen, raised his withered hand as if to touch Suwen’s face, but in the end he could not raise it. He only said, “Medical practitioners advance by taking medicine. If they take too much medicine, their offspring may be like Suwen.”

Shui Xiangsheng's tone carried a hint of nostalgia and longing as he continued, "Suwen is my junior brother's daughter."

These words were like a thunderbolt, and everyone stared blankly at Su Wen, not knowing what to say.

Shui Xiangsheng is already 130 or 140 years old, and even if his junior brother Gan Wulin is younger, he is probably over 100 years old.

Suwen is only sixteen or seventeen years old now, which was more than ten years ago!
"High Priest, please elaborate." Su Xin loved hearing such trivial matters, so she leaned forward and strained her ears.

"It's nothing," Shui Xiangsheng said with a helpless smile. "My junior brother travels a lot, and his appearance is not as withered as mine, so naturally someone is attracted to him. He somehow met and fell in love with a woman from beyond the realm, and even passed on her medical knowledge. The two of them had this little girl."

"Why didn't that woman follow Gan Wulin? Instead, she ran to my Yunshan Temple to become a nun?" Su Xin asked curiously.

“She is acquainted with the abbot of your temple,” Shui Xiangsheng said.

"Do you know that woman?" Meng Yuan asked.

The water flows silently towards life.

It seems there's more to the story. Seeing that Shui Xiangsheng was unwilling to elaborate, the others stopped asking.

"Young friend, would you be willing to lend me a hand?" Shui Xiangsheng looked at Meng Yuan and said sincerely, "If the matter is successful, I am willing to give you my medical heritage."

Meng Yuan and Mingyue exchanged a glance and nodded in unison. Meng Yuan's purpose in coming to Xiangji Kingdom was to seek the Flame of Transformation. Regardless of whether Gan Wulin was vicious or not, and regardless of how much truth or falsehood Shui Xiangsheng had in his words, now that Dugu Sheng had come, he naturally had to confront him.

"Save Suwen first," Meng Yuan said.

“There’s no need to save him,” Shui Xiangsheng said with certainty. “She has already taken the miraculous medicine and will wake up within five days. Then she will be able to advance further, and we will have another helper!”

"Aren't you afraid she'll help her father from her secular family?" Su Xin asked.

"Absolutely not." Shui Xiangsheng revealed a smile that was extremely terrifying. He didn't seem like a high priest who was thinking of the Xiangji Kingdom at all, but rather like a ferocious beast that was ready to devour its prey.

(End of this chapter)