Chapter 20

The Divine Physician (20)

"You always spend all your money on medicinal herbs, don't you?"

Chao Ailiang sighed, and Dan Aoxian smiled awkwardly.

"Those expensive herbs are incredibly effective. I would also like to get some Spirit Jade Oil, but they say there's none for sale."

"If you could buy it from a herb shop, it wouldn't be Spirit Jade Oil. If it's available, it's bound to be fake. So if someone claims to sell it, you should verify it multiple times."

Fan Jiewei interjected.

"How?"

"Huh?"

"Chao, have you ever seen Spirit Jade Oil?"

Chao Ailiang was momentarily at a loss for words.

He had never even smelled it. Spirit Jade Oil is known as a rare and precious medicinal herb.

Fan Jiewei scolded him as if he had expected this.

"How do you plan to distinguish the real from the fake?"

"Well... I could try a little bit and see, right?"

After much thought, Chao Ailiang gave a poor answer.

Fan Jiewei and Han Xuehua looked at him with pity.

"Then what, do you have any other brilliant ideas?"

"It's fine if you don't eat it, right?"

"What?"

"If you don't desire it, you won't be cheated."

Caught off guard by Fan Jiewei's unexpected response, Chao Ailiang was flustered.

―Such a simple fact, even a fool would know...

Fan Jiewei's transmission made Chao Ailiang's heart sink.

Dan Aoxian smiled and tried to calm the three of them.

"Don't worry. I can tell the difference between real and fake."

All three people turned their gaze to Dan Aoxian. Seeing the doubt in their eyes, Dan Aoxian spoke nonchalantly.

"I've tasted it a few times when I was young."

Surprise flashed in their eyes.

After a while, Dan Aoxian wrapped the ginseng back in silk and headed to the hall.

"It will take a long time to refine, so I need to hurry. You can continue your discussion."

After Dan Aoxian left,

Chao Ailiang, who had been deep in thought, spoke to the other two.

"I have something to discuss."

Han Xuehua and Fan Jiewei looked at Chao Ailiang with interest.

"It's about Dan the physician..."

After a moment's pause, Chao Ailiang nodded as if making a decision.

"I have to teach her martial arts."

Fan Jiewei immediately agreed.

"Right. We can't let her be threatened by those weaklings."

Fan Jiewei pounded his chest with his fist.

"If it's about that, leave it to me! I'll pass on all my martial arts to her!"

Chao Ailiang frowned.

"Just the third-ranked among the Ten Great Evils? Get lost. I'll teach Dan the physician my martial arts."

"Then what about me?"

"Support her or something."

"The weakness in my martial arts can be resolved by Dan the physician! In terms of martial arts alone, my Three Yang... what was it... is the best!"

Han Xuehua chuckled in transmission.

―Can you even teach properly? It's just perfect for someone to fall into madness.

Fan Jiewei growled at Han Xuehua.

"Why? Don't you want it, witch?"

―Nonsense. I have no intention of joining your foolishness.

Han Xuehua's gaze softened slightly as she looked at Chao Ailiang and Fan Jiewei.

One strong competitor was thus eliminated.

However, the gazes of Chao Ailiang and Fan Jiewei soon clashed intensely.

"Are you giving up?"

"Why should I?"

"Are you going to make Dan the physician a tough character? She's the only bloodline of both the Divine and the Demon."

Fan Jiewei's face turned red as he shouted.

"Chao, you almost died from a few guys! What good is your martial arts?"

For a while, the two argued fiercely, and Han Xuehua watched them with disdain.

After some time,

"Fine. Let Dan the physician decide!"

"Agreed!"

The two agreed that once Dan Aoxian made a decision, there would be no complaints. They both smiled confidently.

'I'm not just any ordinary expert!'

'She's closest to me, so she'll choose me!'

Thus, the two waited for Dan Aoxian, each with different thoughts.

A short while later, Dan Aoxian returned.

"Martial arts?"

"Yes. Whose martial arts will you learn?"

While Dan Aoxian was pondering, Fan Jiewei spoke up.

"You saw my lightness skill, right? If you learn from me, Dan the physician can fly!"

Seeing Dan Aoxian's brightening expression, Chao Ailiang quickly interjected.

"If you learn my Golden Locking Hand technique, you can subdue opponents without causing them harm. Isn't it ridiculous for a physician to hurt people? Fan's technique is too full of killing intent."

"What? Too much killing intent? You're telling me this, Chao?"

The two tried to persuade Dan Aoxian to learn from them. Dan Aoxian spoke cautiously.

"But isn't innate talent important in martial arts?"

Chao Ailiang and Fan Jiewei nodded simultaneously.

"Moreover, you should start learning martial arts early..."

Chao Ailiang and Fan Jiewei hesitated.

Indeed, it was not too late to start.

Usually, one starts learning martial arts around the age of seven. After the muscles and meridians begin to harden, it's difficult to make rapid progress.

"Then we should check first."

Chao Ailiang asked Dan Aoxian.

"Can I examine your body?"

"Yes."

Chao Ailiang approached Dan Aoxian, massaging her limbs and checking her bones. His expression was extremely serious.

"I'm going to channel my inner energy into you. Don't be alarmed."

Chao Ailiang, holding Dan Aoxian's wrist, bit his lip tightly. After a moment, he let go and sighed deeply.

"Indeed, it's a bit too late."

"Why? What's the problem?"

Fan Jiewei asked, and Chao Ailiang shook his head with a stern face.

"It would be difficult for her to learn advanced martial arts."

"Is Dan the physician's talent that ordinary?"

"Yes. There's no need to see more."

Chao Ailiang, who couldn't hide his disappointment, looked at Dan Aoxian.

"It's fine. There's a saying, 'A slow horse can catch up if it runs ten times.' Innate talent can be compensated for with effort. Of course, this is assuming you learn proper martial arts from an excellent master."

He then smiled gently.

"I was the same, so you can trust me."

"Chao Uncle's talent was ordinary?"

"Yes. That's why you should learn from me. I became the greatest expert in the world with ordinary talent, so I know the method better than anyone."

Chao Ailiang continued with a serious look.

"Then one day, you too can become the greatest expert in the world."

Just as Chao Ailiang was giving her hope, Han Xuehua, who had been watching quietly, stepped forward.

Chao Ailiang blocked her.

"Why?"

"Suspicious."

Chao Ailiang was taken aback by Han Xuehua's answer.

"Suspicious? What do you mean?"

"Too many words."

"There's no need to see more?"

"It's excessively desperate."

While Chao Ailiang was hesitating, Han Xuehua's figure lightly swayed. Chao Ailiang quickly reached out to stop her, but Han Xuehua had already grabbed Dan Aoxian's wrist.

Han Xuehua stared at Chao Ailiang.

The atmosphere was unusual.

Her usually cold and indifferent eyes were now filled with a strange passion.

After a moment,

Thud.

Han Xuehua suddenly hugged Dan Aoxian.

"She's mine."

Chao Ailiang flared up and shouted.

"Didn't you say it wouldn't suit foolishness?"

"I changed my mind."

Han Xuehua, who spoke nonchalantly, looked at Dan Aoxian.

"I can't entrust such martial talent to you two."

"Huh? What do you mean? You said she was ordinary?"

"..."

Chao Ailiang averted his gaze, and Fan Jiewei was furious.

"You lied to me?"

The embarrassed Chao Ailiang cleared his throat.

"Ahem. Then let's go back to the beginning and let Dan the physician decide who among the three of us she will learn from..."

"Chao, you're out."

"Why?"

"From the moment you tried to deceive us, you're disqualified."

Fan Jiewei shouted at Han Xuehua.

"You're out too, witch!"

"Why?"

"You gave up from the start!"

But Han Xuehua was calm.

"Even if I get scolded, it's better than committing a sin. Knowing this child's talent and still entrusting her to you two would be irresponsible. My conscience as a martial artist wouldn't allow it."

"Conscience? You lied? Give me Dan the physician now!"

"Try to take her."

"Hmph! Want to do it by force? Fine! Let's settle this once and for all. The winner teaches Dan the physician."

Chao Ailiang quickly shouted.

"Let's just use basic techniques!"

Han Xuehua and Fan Jiewei both snorted, as if it was worthless.

They needed to reduce the competition at all costs.

"Are they serious?"

At this point, Chao Ailiang's eyes also filled with killing intent. The three people's gazes, now fierce, intertwined chaotically.

It was a situation on the brink of conflict.

The tension was broken by a soft sigh.

"Let me go now."

It was Dan Aoxian.

Dan Aoxian, freed from Han Xuehua's embrace, looked at Chao Ailiang.

"Do I really have the talent for martial arts?"

Chao Ailiang smiled bitterly and nodded.

"The bones and muscles you possess are so extraordinary that the term 'rare' seems inadequate. Even the most talented disciples of the Nine Great Sects, known for their strict selection, can't compare to you."

Han Xuehua also agreed.

"Not to mention the Ren and Du meridians, even the Life and Death Gate is already open. The Eight Extraordinary Meridians and the Twelve Regular Meridians are also well cultivated."

Dan Aoxian nodded.

"I see."

The three people's gazes focused on Dan Aoxian.

"Did you know this already?"

Chao Ailiang asked, and Dan Aoxian smiled slightly.

"To some extent."

She continued.

"When I was in my mother's womb, she deliberately took many precious medicinal herbs. After I was born, my parents often gave me acupuncture to improve my health."

The three people looked at Dan Aoxian with even more excitement.

They rolled up their sleeves and began arguing about why Dan Aoxian should learn their martial arts.

The atmosphere heated up again.

Eventually, it turned into a fierce confrontation.

Finally, Dan Aoxian intervened.

"Do I really have to choose just one of you?"

Chao Ailiang nodded.

"It's a unique martial art, so there's no choice."

"Hmm..."

Dan Aoxian thought deeply, and the other three waited breathlessly for her decision.

After some time,

"Alright. I've decided."

The three people immediately crowded around Dan Aoxian.

Dan Aoxian smiled sweetly at them.

"I won't learn martial arts at all."