Chapter 519 - 517: Another Year

Chapter 519: Chapter 517: Another Year

’Though, I expect Li Renren’s sincere heart is about to be completely worn away.’

’His motives aren’t so pure anymore.’

Su Qing smiled faintly.

He was already at the fourth step of his Dao Path, yet he ran off to the Capital City the moment the Emperor gave the order.

Was it to treat the Emperor?

No, it was fear. He didn’t have the power to protect that many people.

He didn’t want the people close to him to get hurt because of him.

If he had dared to defy the decree, Li Renren’s entire family-in-law in the Capital City would have been swiftly annihilated.

This was the ruthless side of the Imperial Family.

The only other option was for Li Renren to kill the Emperor himself.

But that thought never crossed his mind.

So, Su Qing gave him a hand.

He nipped the trouble in the bud. Not just the Emperor—the eunuchs and guards were all history, and he left no survivors.

Su Qing was just that ruthless.

’It’s just a matter of different standpoints,’ he thought.

Of course, if that eunuch had been a bit more magnanimous, Su Qing might not have even killed the Emperor.

But they were already thinking of causing trouble for Su Qing.

There was no way Su Qing would let them go.

...

...

Another month passed.

Li Renren was back again.

"Back again?"

"Yes, Divine Physician Su. May I continue seeing patients here?"

"Of course."

"I never expected this. After the old Emperor died, the Capital City descended into chaos. The Crown Prince, the Third Prince, and the Seventh Prince have turned the entire city upside down."

"My father-in-law managed to extricate himself from the situation. He’ll be back in the County City soon."

"Congratulations. Someone’s here, go on."

Su Qing offered his congratulations. Seeing someone enter, he remained unmoving.

"Divine Physician Li is back!"

"Yes." Li Renren replied politely.

"Come, let me take your pulse."

The people who could afford to come to Su Qing’s clinic were generally not short on silver.

It basically turned away the common folk.

There was no helping it.

He wanted a more leisurely life.

At first, Su Qing did have something of a dream of being a doctor.

’May there be no sickness in the world; what harm is there in letting dust gather on my medicine shelves?’

He’d certainly had such noble aspirations for the common people.

But after seeing so many patients, after seeing all kinds of people, Su Qing finally understood.

’Not everyone is worth saving.’

Especially some of the poor—the kind whose poverty made them arrogant, the kind whose poverty turned them into scoundrels.

They made up about thirty percent of the common populace.

Encountering just one of them was enough to tarnish his own wonderful desire to heal the sick.

So, it was better to come to the city center and set the prices high.

Those who came here could afford the silver and generally trusted Su Qing’s medical skills.

There were rarely any troublemakers.

In all the time Su Qing had been running his clinic, he hadn’t encountered a single one.

Of course, it was also related to his skills. When people were made well, why would they cause a scene?

Nor would they raise a fuss over a consultation fee of one tael of silver.

The people who came here all wanted to maintain their dignity.

...

...

「One year later.」

Su Qing and Li Renren were playing Chinese chess.

"You’re not going back to the Capital City?"

"Didn’t the current Holy Emperor invite you back?" ℯℓ.

"I’m not going back." Li Renren shook his head.

"Not afraid of causing offense?"

"Not afraid." Li Renren shook his head again.

Su Qing silently made his move.

With Su Qing’s intellect, he would basically win any game of Chinese chess as long as he played first.

Li Renren had also more or less calculated all the possible moves in the game.

As someone at the fourth step of his Dao Path, his computational ability was certainly not lacking.

"Another year has passed. I feel like you’re quite a character, Brother Su Qing." Li Renren laughed.

"I’m alright. Just trying to get by." Su Qing laughed along.

’I’m just a passerby in this world.’

Year after year, Su Qing grew stronger and stronger.

The time he could remain in this world would grow shorter and shorter.

"I’m just an ordinary person."

Su Qing chuckled softly.

"It’s not that another year has passed. It’s that another day has passed. A year is just an accumulation of days."

"A year doesn’t pass in the blink of an eye," Su Qing sighed.

He knew profoundly well about the poison he constantly consumed during his Cultivation.

If he weren’t always enduring the agony of the poison, Su Qing would probably also be lamenting how another year had flown by.

But every day was painful, every day felt like a year.

Su Qing certainly didn’t feel that time was passing quickly.

"You’re right. A day added to a day is what makes a year." Li Renren found it a bit strange.

Su Qing’s way of thinking seemed a little peculiar.

It was a unique idea: a year doesn’t pass in a flash; you live through every single day to get through a year.

A person can’t just instantly arrive in the next year.

"Brother Su Qing, I think I’m going to leave for a while."

"Finally figured it out and decided to leave my clinic?"

"Working for me for free... you really are a great philanthropist," Su Qing chuckled.

"I want to travel and see the medical arts of various lands."

"Then go."

"Whatever you do, it’s your choice. Just as long as you don’t regret it."

Su Qing smiled.

’That’s right.’

’As long as you don’t regret it.’

’If you want to do something, just do it.’

’Even if you regret it, you have to bear the consequences yourself.’

However, for a being on the Medical Dao Path, as long as it wasn’t a major issue, he could bear the consequences even if he made a mistake.

On this Star, as long as he didn’t offend a certain Cultivator, he was practically invincible.

That certain Cultivator didn’t refer to Su Qing, but to a Foundation Establishment Cultivator on some mountain peak.

But he was many mountains away from Su Qing’s location.

The other party was cultivating on a deserted, untrodden mountain peak, absorbing the thin Spiritual Qi there.

’If that fellow were to awaken a Dao Path, I’m afraid his path of Cultivation would broaden considerably.’

’Why do some have a Spirit Root but no Dao Path?’

’Is it a different cultivation system, or an issue with the Cultivation Technique?’

Su Qing was puzzled.

Because Cultivators of the Taichu Cultivation Method all possessed a Dao Path.

’They could also practice the Taichu Cultivation Method.’

Logically, it was impossible for every Cultivator with a Dao Path to also have a Spirit Root.

’So, is it the Cultivation Technique?’

Within the Taichu Cultivation Method, there was absolutely no mention of Spirit Roots.

Because any being with a Dao Path could naturally practice the Taichu Cultivation Method.

’It seems the Taichu Cultivation Method is different. Ordinary beings probably all require a Spirit Root.’

’In any case, the Taichu Cultivation Method is a powerful technique at the Immortal Scripture Level, even stronger than the Immortal Scriptures of the Spirit Realm.’

Su Qing reined in his thoughts.

The chess game.

Su Qing won again.

"I’m not playing anymore. I lose every time. Brother Su Qing, your wisdom is truly extraordinary."

"Not at all. I’m just slightly better."

"You win every time. That’s more than ’slightly better’," Li Renren chuckled.

"I plan to leave today."

"Take care. I won’t see you out." Su Qing put away the chess set and sat back down in his rattan chair.

When there was no one in the clinic, it was peaceful.

"Brother Su Qing, farewell. When I return from my studies, I will surely impart all my medical knowledge to you."

"No need. Saving people isn’t that important."

"Keep it for yourself."

Su Qing looked completely listless.

Li Renren smiled but didn’t say anything.

’He’ll read them.’

’When Su Qing gets bored, he’ll read any book.’

The medical texts Li Renren had given him last time—Su Qing had finished them all.

’He’s just saying one thing and meaning another,’ Li Renren thought.

If Su Qing knew what Li Renren was thinking, he probably wouldn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

He really was just bored.

That’s why he read them. As long as a book wasn’t too terrible, Su Qing could get through it.

Medical books? Sure, Su Qing would read them.

But when it came to actually treating living beings, a single Elixir from Su Qing was far more potent than any medical art.

The most crucial thing was that Su Qing had the Synthesizer.

As long as it wasn’t a major illness or injury, he could cure it.

Only mortals suffered from sickness.

For Cultivators, it was called an injury.

...

The days grew peaceful once more.

Su Qing’s life was also quite calm.

It was all consultations and seeing patients.

Some physicians would come to visit Su Qing, asking how to treat certain illnesses, and Su Qing would always enlighten them.

...