In the small courtyard, a crow flapped its wings, eyeing the dark clouds above.
The clouds, seemingly full and content, tried to pounce on the crow but were easily dodged each time.
The crow’s cawing was filled with mischief.
For some reason, Chen Ji felt that the crow and the cat, the young man and the old man, all seemed to fit together in this courtyard, creating a sense of harmony and peace.
Tonight was one of the rare calm nights he had experienced since arriving in this world.
No schemes, no battles.
The mysterious veil of the world was finally being lifted before his eyes.
"Master," Chen Ji asked the question that had been troubling him the most, "Do all officials have to kill like we do?"
Old Yao looked puzzled, "Kill what? Kill patients?"
"Huh?" Chen Ji was even more confused, "Master, how do you cultivate?"
Old Yao replied nonchalantly, "By curing patients, their illness energy can be used for my cultivation."
Chen Ji was stunned.
The same cultivation path, yet the methods were completely different? Just as he thought this, the crow perched on the apricot tree, its wings pointing at Chen Ji like fingers, cawing with laughter, almost falling off the branch.
Chen Ji: "... Master, lying isn’t fun!"
Old Yao sneered, "You’re still too naive. You have a brain, but not much of one. Remember, the world is far more treacherous than you imagine. Besides yourself and that cat, trust no one."
"Not even you?"
"That’s right, not even me," Old Yao said, brushing the crumbs from the snacks the cat had left into his mouth, wasting nothing.
"Our cultivation path is the most secretive in the world. If anyone finds out, the Secret Intelligence Bureau will want to kill you, the Main Punishment Bureau will want to kill you, Prince Jing will want to kill you, the Emperor will want to kill you, and every official in the land will want to kill you. This path requires more than just brains to cultivate."
"Master, are there other officials cultivating the same path as us?" Chen Ji asked curiously.
Old Yao thought for a moment, "I’ve killed a few, but I’m not sure if I got them all."
Chen Ji: "..."
After finishing his biscuit, Chen Ji felt a bit choked and went to the kitchen to get a glass of water before continuing, "Master, what is our cultivation path called?"
Old Yao stroked his beard, "I’ve already said enough, I don’t want to answer..."
Before he could finish, the cat had already snuggled into his arms, rubbing against him.
Old Yao thought for a moment and replied, "Some call it 'Mountain Lord.'"
Chen Ji pondered, "Mountain Lord?"
"Others call it 'Dragon Devourer.'"
Chen Ji was immediately struck with awe.
The meaning of 'Mountain Lord' was obscure, but 'Dragon Devourer' seemed to hit the mark!
He asked curiously, "Master, if you killed me, would it enhance your cultivation?"
"No," Old Yao glanced at him, "But if you killed me, it would speed up your cultivation. Want to give it a try?"
Chen Ji: "... Master, you don’t have to be so polite."
Old Yao continued to explain, "If you were the only one in the world cultivating 'Mountain Lord,' your cultivation speed would be at its peak. If there are two, your speed would be halved. How about that? Does that make you more tempted?"
Chen Ji frowned, "I think many people would be tempted."
"That’s why officials in this world rarely take on disciples unless absolutely necessary."
"What counts as absolutely necessary?"
"Either they’re severely injured and near death, or they’re old and decrepit, or they’ve lost all hope of reaching the Great Dao," Old Yao sighed.
"I’ve seen disciples kill their masters after being taught, and sons harm their fathers after inheriting their knowledge."
Chen Ji sensed the melancholy in the old man’s voice, "Master, besides She Dengke and Liu Quxing, do I have any other senior brothers?"
Old Yao sneered, "Yes, they’re dead. I killed them."
Chen Ji hesitated, "Do you have any children?"
Old Yao was silent for a long time, "I’ve already answered that. When you’ve lived long enough, you’ll understand one thing: don’t easily form bonds with others. They’re all destined to end in farewell and disappointment."
At that moment, Chen Ji finally understood why Old Yao was so cold.
The stories behind his indifference were far from simple.
Old Yao must have genuinely wanted to teach his son, otherwise he could have waited until he was on his deathbed to pass on the cultivation path.
But it seemed his son had harbored ill intentions.
No wonder there were so few officials in the world who knew this cultivation path.
Those who did would never easily share it and would even scheme against each other.
Not all sons wanted to harm their fathers, but there were certainly those who did.
Chen Ji asked, "Why did you still choose to take on disciples, and three at that?"
Old Yao glanced at him, then looked at the crow still teasing the cat, "I have no master-disciple affection for you. I just don’t want this cultivation path to die with me. So don’t expect too much from me. You pay for the lessons, I teach the skills. That’s all."
Chen Ji felt that Old Yao’s reason wasn’t entirely convincing, but he didn’t press further.
Instead, he said sincerely, "Though you might not believe me, I would never harm you..."
"Don’t say that too soon," Old Yao scoffed.
"I’ve told you what I needed to, so you don’t die in ignorance. As for the rest, maybe I’ll tell you when I’m in a better mood."
Chen Ji: "... When will you be in a better mood?"
"Return my ginseng, and I might feel better."
Chen Ji quickly said, "I’ll go to the herbalist tomorrow..."
Old Yao hunched over, standing at the doorway of the main room.
The crow flapped down onto his shoulder, "Don’t overthink it. Since you’ve already started working for the Secret Intelligence Bureau, you’ve stepped into this world. From now on, life and death are in fate’s hands. Just don’t regret it."
Chen Ji asked, "Master, what is this world?"
Old Yao said flatly, "It’s a place where every day is the same, with no novelty."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because human nature is the same, day after day, with no novelty."
Chen Ji suddenly asked, "Master, what kind of person is the Minister of the Secret Intelligence Bureau?"
"The most malicious person in the world. Why else would people privately call him the 'Poison Minister'?" Old Yao pushed the door open and entered, "In the days to come, you’ll miss these good times when you didn’t know him."
Chen Ji watched the old man and the crow on his shoulder, suddenly reminded of that night on the long street of Luo City, with the dark clouds and himself.
Just then, Old Yao began humming a strange tune from inside the house, "Law-abiding days bring worry, the strong and ruthless sing joyfully at night. Those who harm others ride horses and mules, while the just and fair go hungry. Those who build bridges and repair roads go blind, while murderers and arsonists have many children. I went to the West and asked Buddha, and Buddha said he couldn’t help either..."
Chen Ji returned to his room, lying flat on the bed with his arm as a pillow, Old Yao’s tune echoing in his mind.
The cat lay on his chest.
"Dark Cloud, don’t lie on my chest. I can’t sleep like this."
The cat looked up at him, "If it weren’t for me, would your master have told you so much? After such a great achievement, it’s only fair I sleep on your head, right?"
Chen Ji was silent for a moment, "Fair enough!"
...
Early morning, before the rooster crowed, the cat was already gone.
Chen Ji filled the water vat with a shoulder pole and swept the courtyard clean.
He saw the crow perched on the apricot tree branch, watching him, and greeted it with a smile.
The crow just glanced at him sideways and continued to sleep on the branch.
Once everything was in order, Chen Ji put the Buddhist coin on his wrist, took all his silver, and left.
The herbalist was in the East Market, where merchants from all over gathered, scholars stayed for exams, and officials came for appointments.
It was the hub of the world.
Yet, they were all just passing through Luo City, leaving after the hustle and bustle.
Starting from the Peace Clinic, Chen Ji walked for about an hour before hearing the noise of the East Market.
The brothels had closed, but the fishermen had just returned from the rivers, carrying baskets of fish ashore, while the boatmen carried ropes towards the canal.
Chen Ji looked up, scanning the signs, and finally stopped at "Hundred Deer Pavilion," the largest herbalist in Luo City, supplying sixty percent of the city’s herbs from the northern and southern markets.
This was also where the Peace Clinic usually bought their herbs, and all three senior brothers had been here.
Chen Ji stepped inside, and a portly shopkeeper greeted him with a smile, "Ah, young Doctor Chen, what brings you here today? Didn’t our clerk just deliver goods to the Peace Clinic yesterday?"
Chen Ji smiled back, "My master sent me to find some old ginseng for the Prince’s residence. Does Hundred Deer Pavilion have any in stock?"
The shopkeeper hesitated, "I must inform you, young Doctor Chen, that old ginseng of good age is quite expensive. We buy it in predetermined quantities. Your master has ordered one per month, and we don’t have any extra for the Peace Clinic."
Chen Ji turned to leave, "Then I’ll ask elsewhere."
But the shopkeeper quickly grabbed him, smiling broadly, "Young Doctor Chen, don’t be so hasty. Let me finish. Coincidentally, the ginseng ordered by Fangping Herbal Shop yesterday hasn’t been delivered yet. We’re old friends with Doctor Yao. If the Prince’s residence needs it, we can give it to you first."
Chen Ji was noncommittal, "Then let’s take a look."
"This way, please. The valuable herbs are kept in the backyard."
The shopkeeper led Chen Ji to the backyard of Hundred Deer Pavilion, pushing open a wooden door to the storeroom, "After you."
Chen Ji entered, looking around at the dozen or so boxes of herbs, when he heard the door close behind him.
Strange, why close the door just to look at ginseng?
Wait, something’s wrong!
Chen Ji ducked and rolled forward, standing up just in time to see the shopkeeper lunging at him with a dagger, his face twisted with malice.
But Chen Ji was faster, kicking the shopkeeper in his fat belly.
The shopkeeper hadn’t expected Chen Ji to be so quick, not only dodging the attack but also countering instantly.
After taking the kick, he stumbled back, shouting, "Help!"
Chen Ji was about to seize the opportunity to kill the shopkeeper when he heard a rush of wind behind him.
Someone had emerged from behind the herb boxes, pressing a dagger to his neck from behind.
This time, the attacker was so fast that Chen Ji had only seen such speed from Lin Zhaoqing, Yun Yang, and Jiao Tu.
He had no time to react.
Feeling the cold blade against his neck, the hairs on his neck stood on end, but he calmly asked, "What’s this about?"
The person behind him said calmly, "You’ve betrayed your family name, your identity, and turned traitor against Zhou Chengyi. Don’t you deserve to die?"
Chen Ji was speechless...
Just when he feared it the most, it had come true!
(End of Chapter)