From a refugee to a martial artist

Chapter 353 Healing
The raindrops fell in fine threads.

No one cared about the deaths of Master Zhu and Liannu. Apart from the nobles and slaves in the back who were still chattering, everyone else remained silent.

Dugu Kang, as expected of someone with wisdom, having studied true Buddhism under Qing Guangzi, has now discerned the fundamental conflict between his senior brothers, Shui Xiangsheng and Gan Wulin.

In other words, both brothers wanted to become "Prime Minister" and then change the Xiangji Kingdom.

Both of them came from the Kingdom of Xiangji. Inheriting their master's last wish, they could only serve as "Prime Ministers" in the Kingdom of Xiangji, unlike Qing Guangzi who could freely choose the place to massacre a city.

However, the two prime ministers had different national policies, but since there could only be one person in the country, this led to disagreements.

In fact, as Dugu Kang said, this is similar to the debate between the gradual cultivation school and the sudden enlightenment school in Buddhism. Both aim to become Buddhas, but the paths to Buddhahood are different.

Everyone present was intelligent, and upon hearing Dugu Kang's words, they immediately understood.

Meng Yuan and Ming Yue had discussed this in private many times, and their thoughts were similar to those of Dugu Kang. However, neither of them knew the source of the disagreement between Shui Xiang Sheng and Gan Wu Lin.

Su Xin and Su Wen, the two little bald heads, stood close together. Although they hadn't seen much of the world, they weren't stupid and naturally understood what Dugu Kang meant.

As the senior sister, Su Xin held Su Wen's hand, shielding her eyes from the rain with her other hand, and kept looking at Gan Wulin across the pool, saying, "I think Gan Wulin is quite handsome, and he does look a bit like you. He might really be your father! If a fight breaks out later, let's help your father, shall we?"

Suwen suddenly had a father. Although she was confused and expectant, she had been a nun since childhood and had long been steeped in Buddhism. Now that she was out in the world, she knew even more about the wickedness of people's hearts. So she said, "Let's listen to Senior Brother Meng. He is capable and insightful."

Seeing that Suwen wasn't taking sides, Suxin praised, "Junior Sister, you've truly grasped the essence! You should grow your hair out soon; you'll definitely outshine Benefactor Mingyue!"

"..." Suwen felt only fatigue.

When Dugu Kang saw that everyone had fallen silent, and that the two fellow disciples were also silent, but were just staring intently at each other, he knew that he had been right.

"Gentlemen!" Dugu Kang had indeed grown more capable since following Qing Guangzi. Unlike his previous timid and submissive manner, he was quite generous. While rubbing the rainwater off his bald head, he said loudly, "The methods for advancing to the third rank in Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, and martial arts are known throughout the world. There's no need for you two to hide anything. Just tell us in detail so that we outsiders can also make a judgment."

Dugu Kang's words made a lot of sense. He continued, "In this way, if it succeeds in the end, everyone will be happy. If it fails, it will still serve as a lesson for future generations. In the end, it will be beneficial and harmless."

“Yes, if either of us succeeds, your father will succeed too.” High Priest Shui Xiangsheng’s beard and hair were soaked with rain, and his voice was weak.

"Amitabha." Dugu Kang immediately put his hands together in prayer. "The High Priest is also a Buddhist, and should know that a person who has left home to become a monk has no parents or siblings."

Perhaps hearing the words of his parents and brothers, Gan Wulin held the short ruler in his hand and looked at Su Wen on the other side of the pool.

Suwen was standing behind Meng Yuan at this moment. When she saw Gan Wulin looking over, she put her palms together and bowed her head, saying, "Since you are both prime ministers, why don't you two tell me what it means to be prime minister?"

Gan Wulin had been silent until now, when Suwen asked him, he said, "The prime minister's job is naturally to regulate yin and yang and eliminate the source of disease. This is the same principle as a doctor treating illness."

Gan Wulin spoke in a very gentle tone. He pointed to the sky with the short ruler in his hand, then to the ground, and continued, "The only difference is the skill level of the physicians."

“Both of you are fourth-rank physicians, so you must be excellent doctors,” Su Xin said loudly, tugging at Su Wen’s sleeve.

"A good doctor should prevent problems before they occur. I may not be a good doctor, but I am not a quack either. I am just an ordinary physician." Gan Wulin was very humble. He looked at Suwen and said, "But there are different kinds of physicians. Some people have medical skills, but they cannot be considered physicians. My senior brother and I are just physicians, not physicians."

Gan Wulin no longer concealed anything. He pointed with a short ruler at the dark mass of nobles and slaves behind Shui Xiangsheng and said, "When the Kingdom of Xiangji was first established, although the Medicine King Bodhisattva did not transmit Buddhism, he still upheld the principle of equality for all beings. At that time, there were many practitioners of medical lineages, but as the herbs in the valley became increasingly scarce, doctors gradually fell into the hands of only the Gan and Shui families."

"Although physicians are not skilled in magic, the use of medicine and poison is merely a matter of whim; who can stop them? From then on, the high rise higher and the low fall lower." High Priest Shui Xiangsheng continued Gan Wulin's words, "Human nature is selfish. The thirteen clans, who always held high positions, focused solely on controlling their subordinates. Then, with the abolition of writing and the disregard for Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, the Xiangji Kingdom became what it is today, a stagnant pool. The thirteen clans are like maggots that eat honey every day, and slaves have become fresh meat to be fed. From then on, the gap between superiors and inferiors widened, and they lost all ambition."

“My senior brother and I have discussed this many times, and we have also consulted with Master Ying,” Gan Wulin continued. “My senior brother and I believe that if the Xiangji Kingdom faces external threats, it will perish immediately. The thirteen clans do not know how to fish or hunt, nor how to cultivate or raise livestock. Their slaves do not know how to resist, and they are focused on cultivating for the next life. They all eat fragrant herbs and grass, and are weak and feeble. Therefore, even without external threats, the Xiangji Kingdom will not last long.”

After listening to the words of the two fellow disciples, Meng Yuan and the others understood the difficulties of the Xiangji Kingdom, and the two disciples were also seeking change.

"What are the prescriptions for those two?" Dugu Kang asked curiously.

"When a physician treats a patient, he must first observe, listen, inquire, and palpate to understand the root cause of the illness." High Priest Shui Xiangsheng leaned on his dragon-headed cane and looked up at the sky. "My late master once said that the illness of the Xiangji Kingdom lies in being trapped in one corner, making it difficult to balance Yin and Yang, just like a stagnant pool."

"That's not entirely wrong, but it's too unrealistic. It's already quite good if an ordinary person can see ten or twenty years into the future, so who can see things a hundred or a thousand years from now? What your master is saying is about medical principles, not the root cause of the problem." Dugu Kang shook his head, clearly looking down on his senior brother's master.

"As expected of a disciple of the Holy King of Light, so pragmatic." Gan Wulin seemed to be mocking, yet also speaking the truth. He said, "We fellow disciples naturally believe that Master's words are correct, but we are the ones who prescribe the right medicine."

Gan Wulin gently patted the short ruler and said, "What Master said is also the root of the problem, but it's too far in the future. We can only see the immediate problem. As for how to eradicate the deepest problem, that's up to future generations."

"What are the problems that the two of you mentioned? And how can they be eliminated?" Su Xin asked loudly.

"The immediate problem is the distinction between the thirteen surnames and slaves," Gan Wulin replied.

"What is your prescription?" Dugu Kang asked curiously.

"I am ignorant of medical principles and my medical skills are shallow. I dare not even claim that I can cure diseases and save lives. I am far from capable of treating a disease that affects an entire nation. I can only seek some simple methods."

Gan Wulin's expression turned serious. He tapped his right hand lightly with a short ruler in his left hand and said, "The thirteen clans of Xiangji Kingdom are immoral, and their slaves are ignorant. In fact, whether they are the thirteen clans or the slaves, they have long been tamed by the rules of Xiangji Kingdom over the years."

“These people are all very obedient,” High Priest Shui Xiangsheng interjected.

“Exactly.” Gan Wulin followed his senior brother’s words and said, “That’s why if someone can stand up and use strong measures, whips and swords, to forcibly change the status quo of Xiangji Kingdom, then in three to five years, or even a generation, Xiangji Kingdom will surely be transformed.”

“Even if it can’t be completely transformed, at least the seeds of change have been sown.” High Priest Shui Xiangsheng was actually speaking up for Gan Wulin at this moment.

"Senior brother understands me." Gan Wulin bowed, greeting the deep pool across the water.

The high priest, Shui Xiangsheng, leaned on his dragon-headed cane and bowed in return.

When Meng Yuan and the others saw the two brothers acting like brothers, they found it quite absurd.

However, everyone felt that Gan Wulin's words made sense. This method was to bring in external forces to forcibly change the Xiangji Kingdom and create a new order.

This prescription is like a vicious drug; we're going to do it anyway, no matter how many people die!
Suddenly, everyone became even more interested in High Priest Shui Xiang Sheng's prescription. "High Priest, how will you administer the medicine?" Su Xin asked expectantly.

The two disciples behind High Priest Shui Xiangsheng were also very curious, clearly wanting to know what their master intended to do.

However, Shui Xiangsheng remained silent. A smile appeared on his aged, fleshless face. Rainwater clung to his hair and white beard, making him seem less like a skilled physician capable of curing a region and more like a ruthless doctor who would bring ruin to an entire country.

"Why doesn't Senior Brother speak?" Gan Wulin, standing across the dark pool with his hands behind his back, asked with a smile.

Shui Xiangsheng let out a hoarse laugh, but still did not respond.

“Since you won’t speak, I will speak for you.” Gan Wulin wiped away his smile and said solemnly, “When I was outside, I often heard people say that quack doctors only treat the symptoms, not the cause. You are a good doctor, and your skills in observation, listening, questioning and palpation are a hundred times better than mine. You believe that Xiangji Kingdom is already terminally ill and there is no need to save it at all.”

Upon hearing this, everyone was bewildered, not understanding what it meant.

"Not going to save him?" Dugu Kang asked in surprise.

"Senior brother, you are a compassionate healer, how could you not save him?" Gan Wulin smiled again and said, "Senior brother may think the patient is beyond saving, but the patient can give birth to a child before dying. Isn't that also a way to save a life?"

"The doctor is acting as a midwife, that's great!" Dugu Kang was always eager for a good show.

"You flatter me." High Priest Shui Xiangsheng glanced at Dugu Kang with icy eyes.

Dugu Kang had clearly never witnessed Shui Xiangsheng display his skills before, but just a glance from those eyes made him feel a chill run through his entire body, inside and out.

"..." Dugu Kang didn't dare to say a word, and obediently moved closer to Meng Yuan, pushing Mingyue away.

Meng Yuan glanced at Dugu Kang's bald head, then looked at the High Priest Shui Xiang Sheng and asked, "Does the High Priest mean to put ourselves in a life-or-death situation?"

"Excellent! As expected of a disciple of the Ying family!" Before the high priest Shui Xiangsheng could respond, Gan Wulin on the other side of the pool exclaimed in praise.

Gan Wulin's face showed a hint of madness. "Senior Brother believes that all the people of Xiangji Kingdom, regardless of their social standing, have lost their desire for exploration and upward mobility, except for eating and procreation. They have all lost their 'original heart.' How can they find their original heart? Senior Brother believes that the problem that has plagued us for thousands of years is as high as a mountain, and ordinary medicines are no longer effective. The only way is to save ourselves."

Everyone listened attentively, eager to see how Shui Xiangsheng planned to help the people of Xiangji Kingdom save themselves.

Gan Wulin continued, "Senior brother believes that even if I lead people to destroy the Thirteen Clans, there will be new Thirteen Clans after we die. Therefore, we need to awaken the slaves below, so that they can rebel and overthrow the Thirteen Clans. Even if there are Thirteen Clans again in the future, there will be precedents, so it will be better."

At this point, Gan Wulin pointed in the direction of Xiangji Kingdom with his short ruler and continued, "So, all these years, Senior Brother has let the thirteen clans go, protected the thirteen clans, and belittled slaves, just waiting for the slaves to wake up one day."

"This..." Dugu Kang was somewhat bewildered upon hearing this. "I originally thought Senior Gan's medicine was a potent one, but I didn't expect the High Priest's medicine to be even more potent!"

Dugu Kang asked curiously, "Senior Gan's method takes at most one or two decades to take effect, but how many years does the High Priest's method take to take effect?"

"I don't know." High Priest Shui Xiangsheng prescribed a remedy, but didn't care when the patient would be cured.

Su Xin had seen a lot in her life. "I understand now. The high priest is forcing the slaves to move forward, but what if they die? He puts them in a life-or-death situation, but what if they don't survive?"

“That means these people are unworthy,” said High Priest Shui Xiangsheng.

Upon hearing this, everyone surprisingly agreed that it made sense.

A light drizzle fell in the canyon, a cool breeze blew, and no one made a sound.

By this point, everyone had finally understood the brothers' line of thinking.

Senior Brother Shui Xiangsheng felt that they needed to use strong medicine to cure the root cause of the disease, and to force the patient to be reborn from the ashes.

Junior apprentice Gan Wulin felt that the patient could still be saved, but strong medicine was needed, and drastic measures were required.

Neither of the two senior brothers intended to eradicate the root cause of the problems in the Xiangji Kingdom; they both wanted to leave behind a seed capable of self-governance.

Moreover, both of these were potent drugs administered to his senior brothers. The difference was that after Gan Wulin administered the potent drug, Shui Xiangsheng felt that Gan Wulin's drug was not strong enough.

In any case, neither of the two senior brothers intended for the people of the thirteen surnames to live.

But if we're talking about who's better, then it's hard to say.

Undoubtedly, Gan Wulin's prescription is more realistic; at least it allows people to see change, or even better results. High Priest Shui Xiangsheng's prescription, on the other hand, is too ruthless. Perhaps things will change tomorrow, or perhaps a thousand years later, until the Xiangji Kingdom is gone, we will still see no results.

By this time, Meng Yuan and the others finally understood why Dugu Sheng supported Gan Wulin.

Because the High Priest Shui Xiangsheng's prescription was too ethereal, entirely the work of a poison doctor, and it would be difficult to see results in the short term.

Gan Wulin's method is simpler and easier. Just remove the water that is blocking the way, and then wait three to five years. You might see significant changes.

"actually……"

The rain continued to fall. Su Wen moved closer to Meng Yuan, standing beside him. She bowed with her palms together to Gan Wulin, then to the High Priest. "In the Kingdom of Xiangji, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism have all been sealed off. The people here are weak, and there are no more martial arts practitioners. Could we try to pass down martial arts? With swords and blades, change will always happen faster..."

Upon hearing this, High Priest Shui Xiangsheng and Gan Wulin fell silent.

Following the tradition of warriors crossing borders to kill enemies, the slaves below, wielding swords and knives, indeed had unlimited potential.

Everyone fell silent, as if they both found Suwen's words to be reasonable and unreasonable.

"Swords and blades are sharp, but they are not useful for everything."

As everyone remained silent, a somber voice came from the sky. Immediately, the rain intensified, the wind ceased, and the sky darkened as if night had fallen.

(End of this chapter)