The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism

Since he couldn’t count on others, he could only rely on himself.

As expected, in the afternoon, the competing TCM experts from China were all defeated by Park Changmin and his disciple. However, Park Mintae basically didn’t partake in the competition during the afternoon session. Clearly, his medical skills were no longer sufficient to compete with the elites of China. This made Park Mintae somewhat downtrodden. However, he still proudly raised his head like an arrogant rooster when he saw Park Changmin wipe out the competition.

A day later, gloom fell over China as people were lamenting all over.

On the contrary, South Korea was filled with cheers.

There were even some foreign television stations which had begun to cheer on South Korea.

In this medical competition organized on the grassroot level, there was nothing the country could do to interfere. All it could do was watch without a solution. As a result, it was as if everyone in the world was able to watch the death of TCM. They looked at the ancient civilization that China was with a special look. Some found it regretful as they sighed, while others felt wistful and empathetic. Of course, there were also people gloating.

This day could be considered a black mark in the history of China’s TCM. A black day with no hope to be found.

However, there were always exceptions. While most people were crying, someone was laughing.

“Song Yuhe! Enough! You’ve been laughing since the moment you came here. What are you laughing about?” Jiang Yu nearly smashed the tea cup in her hand into Song Yuhe’s face.

Song Yuhe looked at the news of ‘the defeat of TCM’ and continued smiling. “Of course I’m laughing at that which is laughable.”

“What do you mean? You find us laughable now?” Jiang Yu’s eyes nearly spewed out flames.

Song Yuhe said lightly, “Jiang Yu, three days from now, follow me someplace, and you will understand.”

“Song Yuhe, what on Earth are you up to?” Jiang Yu asked, perplexed.

Song Yuhe smiled without giving a reply.

Jiang Yu frowned and said, “I don’t have time to waste with you. Three days? In three days, all the TCM doctors China was able to produce will probably have to end their practice. When the time comes, TCM will be completely gone.” With that said, Jiang Yu sighed as a dark cloud hung over her head.

However, Song Yuhe laughed. “Don’t worry. TCM won’t collapse. On the contrary, it will soar.”

Jiang Yu looked suspiciously at Song Yuhe, thinking, “Has this guy gone mad?”

Song Yuhe shook his head and didn’t say a word. Instead, he got up and said, “I’ll be visiting the defeated ones over the next few days. Three days from now, I’ll bring all of you somewhere. You will understand what I mean when we get there. As for now, I’ll be having some drinks and have a good rest. By the way, don’t count on those old fogeys. There’s no spirit of competition in their bones.”

Jiang Yu was stunned before she smiled bitterly. She naturally knew who Song Yuhe was referring to. They were a bunch of old TCM doctors who were in their eighties or nighties, with some even over a hundred years old! These people had deep insights, but they were cold people. They weren’t tempted by riches and glory as they led their days in a carefree manner. They would pick herbs and save people in passing, but they weren’t in pursuit of any fame or fortune. They had their own heritage with their own unique methods, and they traveled the world in an otherworldly manner.

In fact, Jiang Yu, Song Yuhe, and the third Chinese medical sage, Wang Yukun, were all disciples of one of these masters. They all shared his ‘Yu’ generation title. However, they couldn’t even find their own master…

Shaking her head, Jiang Yu wished to call Song Yuhe mad, but deep down, she still felt expectant. Regardless of how big or small the hope was, hope was hope. Even the smallest bit of hope was far better than despair.

In the coming days, Song Yuhe visited all the doctors who had lost to Park Changmin and Park Mintae. As expected, these people were curious by what Song Yuhe said. With his own reputation being quite something, these people decided to follow Song Yuhe to see what the source of his hopeful attitude was!

What ensued in the following three days was truly a massacre of Chinese TCM doctors. Batches of doctors threw themselves into the competition, only to return in defeat.

The stirred Chinese, who were originally cheering the doctors on, also began to fall silent. Some people cried, some lost themselves to alcohol, while others cursed. For a moment, the streets seemed to permeate a baffling sense of repression. This repressive feeling was a hundred times worse than the despondedness the Chinese had felt after their defeat at their first World Cup. It was as if everyone had a guillotine above their heads which could fall at anytime. The aftermath of the competition would be a loss of a part of their traditional culture…

On this day, the hotel business was doing especially well. But no matter how packed the hotels were, few people spoke.

Even the craziest bars appeared somewhat solemn. Many people were just drinking without chatting or laughing.

If one looked carefully at this moment, regardless if they were officials or ordinary people; Western or Traditional Chinese doctors; white-collared or blue-collared workers; employees or employers; cultured or uncultured; bar owners or bouncers…

On this day, everyone’s eyes shimmered with a particular light—an angry light, like the sign of a clogged volcano ready to erupt! Amid the sorrow and despair, there was a light of endless grief.

Some people were crying while others were silent.

However, there was also something else that slowly seemed to rise…

On such a day, many people in South Korea were cheering. They went out into the streets, chanting Park Changmin’s name as though he was a hero. However, there were also a lot of people criticizing him, saying that he had won an ill-gotten victory while lamenting the degradation of morals in the world. South Korea was thus also thrown into disarray.

However, Park Changmin ignored all of this. Instead, he cast his gaze into the distant mountains. By the side, Park Mintae wore a look of puzzlement. All the challengers had lost, and they had won the final victory. Why was Park Changmin unable to cheer up?

“Master?” Park Mintae questioned.

Park Changmin shook his head and interrupted him. “Stay here and watch the mountains.”

With that said, Park Changmin left again.

Park Mintae wore a confounded look. Again?

Three days had passed, and Park Changmin and Park Mintae boarded a car sent by the South Korean embassy under the furious looks of the people to head to the airport. There was no other solution. They were unable to rent a car anywhere since their business was declined the moment they were found to be Korean. It was useless no matter what was said. After the competition, when the governmental officials left, they even needed to rely on food sent by the embassy because they had no way of buying food no matter how much money they offered! They even suspected that they would starve to death if they stayed any longer. Hence, Park Changmin and a few others fled to the airport in preparation to return to South Korea.

It was unknown if it was because they ran too quickly, but Park Mintae suddenly cried out in pain as he held his abdomen. He squatted there and refused to move.

Park Changmin frowned. Having practiced medicine for so long, he knew very well that a TCM doctor knew his own body best. There was no way such a hidden ailment could go unnoticed by the doctor himself. TCM doctors were best not at treating illnesses that had taken form already, but at preventing illnesses that had yet to happen. They knew very well how to maintain their bodies at the level of healthiness. Hence, Park Mintae’s response was clearly problematic. Recalling how Park Mintae had been wearing a face mask daily, Park Changmin finally cast his gaze at Park Mintae amid his chaotic thoughts. He grabbed his wrist and felt his pulse, only to be dumbfounded. He exclaimed. “How is this possible!?”