Chapter 1: Is There Cultivation in the World? (《》)

In an unknown space within the clouds, a rhombus-shaped crystal floated, emitting a captivating light. It seemed that there were free-floating electromagnetic waves slowly moving through the space, gradually infusing the crystal with energy, making it increasingly brilliant.

After an unknown amount of time, the crystal suddenly emitted a burst of intense light. Inside the crystal, a luminous glow flickered, and a vast, profound voice echoed from within, its tone ancient and distant, as if narrating the ultimate truths of the universe:

"Most people are lost, not seeking truth, not seeking the Dao; not questioning the heavens, not understanding the Dao, they ultimately fall into the cycle of rebirth. A lifetime of memories, a lifetime of cultivation, all turn to water."

"Throughout the universe, from ancient times, true immortals have always existed. But who can be an earth immortal today?"

"Seeking existence, seeking life, seeking survival, and finally seeking truth, one thought can make it eternal. Believe and it exists; disbelieve and it does not."

"Those who believe, the Dao will always believe in them, and they will enjoy the Dao of heaven."

The grand voice seemed to transcend the bounds of time and space, resonating through the universe, yet it also lingered in people's hearts, questioning their increasingly numb souls.

The intense light in the space slowly faded, the crystal flickered a few times, and then disappeared, seemingly heading down to the city below the clouds.

July 2, 2011.

It was now the happy summer vacation of university, and this particular day of the summer vacation was destined to be extraordinary.

Because this year was 2011!!

In the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department of the Central Hospital in Canglang District, Jiangnan City, there was an unusual pair sitting opposite each other: an old man and a young man. The old man, with his wrinkled hands on the young man's pulse, seemed to be diagnosing him, but it didn't quite look like a typical medical examination.

Normally, doctors would wear white coats, but this old man did not. He wore a gray Tang-style short-sleeved silk shirt, which made him look very spirited. He had a well-proportioned figure and no common age spots, suggesting he was well-maintained. He wore a pair of reading glasses on his nose, had small eyes, and always wore a kind and gentle smile.

"Hmm... You have a case of 'cha qi,' also known as acute chest pain," the old man said, lowering his head and pondering for a moment before addressing the young man.

Then, he removed his hand from the young man's pulse and carefully examined him again. "Do you feel a bit uncomfortable when you breathe, as if there's a gas penetrating inside, and you experience pain on both sides of your chest?"

This old man was actually a famous traditional Chinese medicine expert named Li Tianhe, who had a deep understanding of human life and was highly respected throughout Jiangnan City and even the country.

Usually, the people who came to him for treatment were either millionaires or powerful government officials. The young man in front of him, dressed in cheap clothes, clearly did not belong to either category.

Today, this young man was extremely lucky to be sitting opposite the old man and receiving treatment, but he seemed unaware of his good fortune, sitting restlessly on the chair with a worried expression.

If the young man's current expression were known to those who usually couldn't even see the old man, they would probably scold him for being ungrateful and taking advantage of the situation.

Li Tianhe rarely came to the hospital, usually studying traditional Chinese medicine at home. He only made house calls for special patients.

Today, his presence at the central hospital delighted the hospital leadership, who followed him closely, almost driving him to distraction.

Finally, he found an opportunity to slip away and found some peace. Seeing that the outpatient department was empty and encountering the young man who had come for treatment, Li Tianhe found his condition interesting, and the two of them, one willing to treat and the other willing to be treated, played a game of "the cuckoo occupying the magpie's nest."

At first, Ye Feng was suspicious of the sudden appearance of the old man, adhering to the principle that "there's no such thing as a free lunch," and refused to let him treat him, much to the old man's frustration.

Usually, people seeking his treatment were so numerous that he couldn't count them all, but today, he had to deal with a young man who refused his help. Fortunately, he understood that the young man might not have heard of him and didn't take it personally.

Then, Li Tianhe demonstrated his skills, telling Ye Feng that he was well-known in Jiangnan City and that he shouldn't worry about being treated poorly. Slightly proud, he led Ye Feng into the empty outpatient department, making sure no one was around.

At this moment, the old man looked like a learned scholar, lecturing the young man, who nodded and agreed with a worried expression.

The young man's name was Ye Feng, a first-year student at Jinling University's School of Economics in Jinling City, Jiangsu Province.

Ye Feng was not particularly robust, with a pale complexion and a pair of small black-rimmed glasses on his nose, making him look somewhat handsome.

However, Ye Feng didn't think he was particularly handsome. Instead, his college roommates often joked that if Ye Feng lived in ancient times, he would be a standard handsome gentleman, and in modern times, he would勉强算一个典型的小白脸，凭他这长相，以后肯定过得“舒服逍遥”。

对此，叶枫也只有苦笑的份。

“对，对，就是这样。”听了老伯的诊断，再一验证自身的情况，叶枫顿时就产生了眼前就是高人的感觉，心里同时不断嘀咕。

还是江南市的名家厉害啊！水平就是比一般的医生高！

随便往我身上这么一摸就知道我出了啥毛病，真不愧是咱江南市的名医。

而且这位老伯连白大褂都不用穿，看来是真正的隐士高人。

可怜的叶枫将不穿白大褂当成了高人的代名词，如果李天河听了估计会苦笑不已，这纯粹是个愣头青啊。

李天河咳了两声，似乎很满意叶枫的态度，对他点头笑道，“呵呵，你这病幸亏遇上了我，我用独传的针灸很快就能帮你解决。要是你在其它医生那里，恐怕还得疼个一段时间才能治好，而且还容易留下后遗症。”

叶枫心里一惊，心中思忖这话的准确性，但又转念一想，自己恐怕也没有好被惦记的，人家犯不着浪费时间这么唬自己，于是便放下了心。

“那，现在马上能治好？不过，那个，不知道治疗费怎么样？”叶枫有点不好意思的搓了搓双手，干笑一声，略微紧张的望着李天河。

这么高效的治疗手段费用肯定不便宜，自己不一定负担的起啊。

同时叶枫又在心里狠狠咒骂那万恶的什么“混元气功”修炼功法，什么狗屁不如的东西！人家一练就能手劈大砖，胸碎大石，自己一练就练出这狗屁的急性什么痛，说不定因为这个以后还会得个鸡胸，自己一生那不得完了。

一想到那几乎是个正常人都受不了的可怕后果，叶枫头上不由冒出一阵冷汗，心中一阵后怕。

“呵呵，有我在，现在当然能治好了，而且这个治疗费也不用你出，这点小钱我还不在乎。不过，你告诉我你是怎么得的这病，我对这个比较有兴趣，你看怎么样？”李天河似乎看出了叶枫的顾虑，笑吟吟地指指他的胸口，眉毛向两边敞开，一张老脸向里紧缩，对这他呵呵直笑。

李天河笑得叶枫心里一阵恶寒，还以为这怪异老伯有啥特殊癖好，心下不由打了个寒战，咱可是一纯爷们儿，不搞这玩意儿。

叶枫小心地指指自己胸口，紧张地问道，生怕老头提什么非分的要求，“老伯，你这是什么意思？”

李天河嘿嘿一笑，一双老花眼骨突，眼神瞅着叶枫，“身病好医，心病不好医，你的病肯定都是因为你心中所想而引起的。只要你把这个得病的原因讲出来，今天的费用就算你付了。”

啥？有这样的好事？

叶枫丈二和尚摸不着头脑，心中疑惑道，这老伯怎么对我怎么得的病这么感兴趣？莫非里面有什么玄机？……算了，还是赶紧解决正事儿要紧，把我这急性什么痛给搞定再说。

叶枫正待说话，对面的李天河低头想了想，突然制止了他，“小伙子，你先别忙说，让我猜猜。恩……你这病是自己练气功练出来的？”

听老伯这么一问，叶枫的一张脸顿时就像是窜上了一朵火苗，红到了耳根。

李天河见到叶枫的表情，心中估摸着自己应该猜了个八九不离十，脸上似有几分得意。

莫非，把脉还能把出我做那事儿？

叶枫心里郁闷的想道，管他鸟，我这又不是见不得人的。

叶枫打算老实交待。

“其实，那个，应该不算是气功吧，我可是在修真炼气。”叶枫尴尬地挠挠头，虽然习惯了别人的嘲笑，但此时说出来还是感到有点不好意思。但对于提到修真这件事，叶枫眼中的神情却显得异常坚毅，不带一丝怀疑。

李天河听了似乎愣了一下，脸上带着惊奇，眼中神光一现，想也没想，嘴上竟然脱口而出，“你知道修真炼气？？？嗯？不应该啊，你一个普通的孩子怎么会知道修真呢！”李天河此时皱着眉头，一副苦思冥想的样子。

叶枫听了浑身一震，楞了半晌，眼中难掩莫名的兴奋神色。

李天河意识到自己好像猜错了，干笑一声，正要解释。

然而叶枫却是双眼发亮，盯着对面的李天河，双手更是紧紧抓着他的手不放，带着略微颤抖的声音问道，“难道，难道”叶枫咽了口唾沫，“难道这个世界上真有修真？”

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And so, Ye Feng's eyes lit up, staring intently at Li Tianhe, his hands gripping the old man's tightly, and he asked with a slightly trembling voice, "Could it be, could it be... Could it be that there really is cultivation in this world?"

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