Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 838 Undercurrents Emerge

Xu Xuan stood on the official road outside Shouchun City, gazing at the majestic city walls, then turned to the Stone King beside him and whispered:
"This is Shouchun, the first county of Yangzhou."

He deliberately lowered his voice, appearing extremely cautious: "The city is full of hidden talents, including both righteous masters and unorthodox practitioners. If someone discovers your true identity..."

The words were not finished, but the meaning was already clear.

Xu Xuan is currently in a weakened state, and King Shi, as a defeated general, is also in poor condition. It would be best to keep a low profile after entering the city to avoid causing unnecessary trouble.

It would be ridiculous if the Holy Father died before completing his mission.

Of course, this was just polite talk for the newcomers. If it were only Xu Xuan, the people who should be afraid would be the powerful and wealthy people in Shouchun City and the retainers.

At worst, we can repeat the old story of Suzhou and purge the core forces in Yangzhou.

But it's different when you have this newcomer, the Stone King.

After all, he was once a demon king, and he inevitably carried an arrogance that made him superior to all living beings. However, the rules of the mortal world were strict, and the slightest carelessness could lead to conflict.

Xu Xuan had already mentally added the Stone King to the list of teams heading north to Luoyang. He planned to properly develop the potential of this stubborn stone and make it adapt to the unique "superficially stable" style of Bao'an Hall as soon as possible.

“Remember,” he gave as a final instruction before entering the city, “here, we are just ordinary scholars and attendants.”

“Young master, this is not my first time in the human capital.”

Who knew that the stone man would give the Father another surprise, suddenly speaking in a calm tone as if he were talking about something completely ordinary.

Xu Xuan paused, turned to look at it, and asked, "Oh?"

It turns out that as a demon king who once guarded a water system, he might have been a bit of a homebody, but he didn't never even leave his house. It was even revealed that he once squatted outside a private school listening to an old teacher read aloud.

...Throughout history, have all stones that have come to life been so unique?

At first glance, I thought he was a stubborn old-fashioned person, but once he resolved his inner conflict, he left without hesitation.

Now he's revealed that he studied in the human world... Well, if he hadn't been well-versed in military strategy, how could he have used a sneak attack tactic to make Yu Bai and Ni Long flee in terror on the battlefield?

The prestige of the Taihu PhD degree was also diminished in this battle.

This stone completely shattered the stereotype it presented with its "thick eyebrows, big eyes, honest and simple" appearance.

Since that's the case, Xu Xuan felt a little relieved.

The two plunged into the bustling crowds of Shouchun City, one after the other.

At this time, the city was filled with a scene of singing and dancing, completely unaffected by the flood in Jingzhou.

Everywhere on the streets, one could see unrestrained scholars, some calling out to friends in restaurants, some engaging in lively discussions in teahouses, and others setting up stalls to sell calligraphy and paintings to earn travel expenses.

A month ago, these people were all buried in their studies preparing for the imperial examinations. Now that the exams are over but the results haven't been released yet, it's the perfect time to enjoy life.

Just like students after the college entrance exam, regardless of how well or poorly they did, they celebrate first.

Xu Xuan walked down the street and quickly attracted a lot of attention.

"Huh? Isn't that Xu Xuan, the one who cheated on the exam, beat dozens of yamen runners to death, and jumped into the lake?"

"My cousin said that Chongqi Academy intervened and saved him..."

"Your cousin is..."

Hearing these outrageous rumors, Xu Xuan was not angry at all; instead, he felt as if he had been transported to another world.

While these people were still gossiping about this trivial matter, they had already killed a great demon king, conquered the 800-mile-long Dongting Lake, and incidentally saved half of the Nine Provinces.

"Oh dear~~~" He couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle, "Life, huh."

At this moment, I truly understand what it means to say, "Life is like a journey, and I am but a traveler." Time is fleeting, like white clouds turning into grey dogs; mundane matters and earth-shattering feats are nothing more than fleeting ripples in the long river of time.

After expressing his feelings, he led the nine-foot-tall Stone King through the terrified crowd and walked straight to the gossiping scholar, raising his hand to pat the man on the shoulder.

clap clap.

As a demon king on the rise, he had long since passed the low-level stage of "slapping someone in the face".

So... I just knocked off the demonic energy from the other party and incidentally scared this brat.

Of all the people present, this scholar had the worst luck; his forehead was dark, and he looked exactly like a loser.

What concerned Xu Xuan even more was that the wisp of light blue demonic energy swirling around the other party was clearly the work of the water demons.

"Interesting..." I decided to have the Bao'antang branch investigate later. If they are any of the fish that slipped through the net in Dongting Lake, we can catch them all in one fell swoop.

Strangely enough, after his body and soul were injured, his spiritual senses began to grow a second time.

Now, during the imperial examination period, when humanity's power is at its peak, I can see things that ordinary people cannot. It's just that this ability came at an inopportune time; I fear I'll see even more "dirty things" in the future.

As for the pale face of the scholar in front of him, Xu Xuan suddenly felt utterly bored.

Instead of teaching a lesson to such a minor character, it's better to find something more interesting to do.

Even after Xu Xuan's figure had long since disappeared around the street corner, the gossipy scholar still stood there, trembling, his face deathly pale. Anyone in ancient times would be terrified at the sight of a nine-foot-tall giant, and his former friends had long since scattered like birds and beasts.

This is also an advantage of Xu Xuan bringing the stone spirit with him; it makes him more intimidating.

Of course, his reputation was also well-known in Yangzhou.

Thanks to those exaggerated rumors, everyone present knew Xu Xuan's nickname in Qiantang—Iron Palm Town Qiantang.

"I...I must have been struck by the legendary hidden force..." the scholar muttered to himself, clutching his chest. He felt a tightness in his chest and his limbs went weak. "My heart meridian must be damaged..."

Someone in the crowd reciting loudly, "Words like a hundred tongues, courage like a mouse," immediately sparked a burst of laughter.

The scholar then seemed to wake from a dream, covered his face with his sleeve and fled in a disheveled state, leaving behind a trail of wet footprints and even louder laughter.

Xu Xuan had long since put such a trivial matter out of his mind. He had just turned two streets and had not yet reached the Baoan Hall branch when he was stopped by the convoy sent by Governor He.

"Young Master Xu, the Governor requests your presence." The head guard, a familiar face, bowed respectfully.

Xu Xuan nodded slightly, then turned to the Stone King and whispered before boarding the carriage, "Go and investigate that scholar from earlier. If there really is a demon at work..."

This can be considered a test.

A look of understanding flashed across Shi Wang's rough face as he bowed and accepted the order.

Upon entering the governor's residence, Xu Xuan immediately understood that this was indeed another follow-up visit. It seemed that even with the expansion of the medical team, Governor He still only trusted him, the "Divine Physician Xu."

Unexpectedly, Governor He uttered something astonishing right from the start:

"Both Dr. Li and Dr. Zhang have diagnosed it and said that the decline in qi and blood is a natural phenomenon and there is nothing to worry about."

As the old governor spoke, he picked up several well-worn medical books from the table, his expression grave:
"But recently, I have been studying the Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic and found that my pulse is like a sparrow pecking at food, with an irregular rhythm, which should be classified as a 'dead pulse'."

He appeared calm, but his voice trembled slightly as he pointed to the page: "There is also the sign of 'the separation of Yin and Yang, the exhaustion of essence and energy.' Looking in the mirror in the morning, my face is bluish-purple; I feel a 'chaotic' sound when I breathe. Young Master Xu, do you think... could this be a symptom of damaged internal organs and blocked bowels?"

Xu Xuan sighed inwardly.

As expected, whether a high-ranking official or a commoner, once they fall ill, they inevitably become suspicious. Moreover, it is understandable that Governor He's illness involves secrets of the imperial court, given that he is so anxious and uncertain.

Isn't this just an ancient version of "Baidu Consultation"? It immediately diagnosed itself with a terminal illness.

"Your Excellency is overthinking this," Xu Xuan reassured gently, taking the pulse pillow handed to him by the servant. "The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic is profound and extensive, but its application varies from person to person..."

As he spoke, his fingers were already on Governor He's wrist, taking his pulse. But upon this examination, Xu Xuan's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

Ok?
Something felt off, so I looked across at the other side.

Physicians have a hierarchical understanding of the four diagnostic methods: knowing by observation is called divine, knowing by listening is called sage, knowing by questioning is called skillful, and knowing by palpation is called ingenious.

Xu Xuan skipped the three methods of listening, questioning, and palpating, relying on his spiritual sense and the characteristics of the White Lotus Divine Soul to enter the highest realm of knowing by sight, which is called divine, like Bian Que who could "see people on one side of the wall".

Only in this way can one fool everyone and gain a reputation for being mysterious and unpredictable.

So when he looked more closely, he noticed something was amiss.

"Doctor Xu, what's wrong?" Governor He maintained his kind and amiable demeanor, but a hint of inquiry and vigilance flashed in his eyes.

In a flash, the person had made up their mind and smiled: "Hmm~~ everything is normal, it's just that I'm getting old and have some minor health problems, I'll take care of them slowly."

As he spoke, his subordinates added several seemingly ordinary health-preserving herbs to the prescription, and then specifically instructed, "This medicine needs to be decocted with rootless water, five bowls of water boiled down to one bowl. Before taking the medicine, first hold a piece of old ginseng in your mouth."

"That's good." Governor He accepted the prescription and politely ordered someone to present him with a generous consultation fee.

As Xu announced his departure, the old man suddenly said meaningfully, "Young Master Xu's medical skills are divine. I will have to learn from you again another day."

As he walked out of the governor's mansion, the smile on his face gradually faded.

Xu Xuan looked at the heavy medical fee bag in his hand, knowing that this money would probably not be easy to get.

After the old man recovered, he was once again enveloped by the dynasty's fortune, and many details became blurred.

But his youthful aura was undeniable, and the unusual color mixed in with his fortune was strikingly bright.

Only evil magic or special elixirs could produce such an effect.

"Has he found a new patron? Or has he reached some kind of deal with the Jin Emperor?" Xu Xuan wondered to himself.

For a political creature like Governor He, what wouldn't he do to survive? Whether it's kneeling and begging for mercy or switching allegiances, these old foxes can do it all with unparalleled smoothness, depending entirely on whether the price is right.

"Looks like I'll have to be more careful from now on..."

Back at the Bao'antang branch, it was still deserted. Most of the elite troops had been transferred to the Qiantang-Wuchang line, busy with the final finishing touches on the Dongting Lake project.

The stone spirit was already waiting in the courtyard. Upon seeing Xu Xuan return, it immediately stepped forward to report:

"The scholar was supported by a fish spirit, who was indeed from Dongting Lake. To escape capture, he fled by land, crossing more than a dozen mountain ranges."

(End of this chapter)