Alright, Ill get to it at once, Miao Qingfeng said.

Interesting. Whos the one actually good enough to take care of a bug curse from the village?

Other than the people from the village and Wu San, whom he should have probably called Uncle, he was unable to think of anyone capable enough to do so. It was a difficult curse. Only those who had been in contact with it would have known just how terrifying and difficult to cure such curses were.

Who could it be? He was feeling rather eager to find out. More precisely, he wanted to get to know someone who could be a good friend to have.

He quickly arranged for someone to go to Tianjin and continue watching that old friend of his thousands of miles away.

Miao Chengtang, who was in Tianjin, boarded a train traveling north. He went to Lianshan County that same night and stayed at a hotel. He went to the village early in the morning. When he arrived, the clinic had yet to be opened. He waited alone outside.

Before long, three people were seen coming down a mountain path. Those three people were Zhong Liuchuan, Jia Zizai, and Hu Mei, Wang Yaos disciples. They had just finished training on the eastern mountain.

Hmm?

Jia Zizai was rather surprised to see someone waiting outside the clinic.

This Lunar New Year festivities just end, yet there is someone already here.

Its probably one of Masters patients, Hu Mei said.

The three of them were chatting as they approached Miao Chengtang.

Are you here to see the doctor?

Yeah. Miao Chengtang immediately nodded.

Just wait for a bit longer. Master is probably on his way now.

Will do, thank you.

Youre welcome.

After the left, Miao Chengtang waited for about another 20 minutes before seeing Wang Yao and a very pretty lady coming from the north toward the clinic.

Wang Yao had been thinking about not receiving any patients for the next few days so he could spend time with Su Xiaoxue. She had advised him to open the clinic. She was concerned that there would be people coming from faraway places. She didnt want them to not secure a session due to her. She had no desire to be the reason people came all that way for nothing.

As such, Wang Yao thought of a middle-ground way of settling it. He opened the clinic the next morning.

Actually, there wont be many people coming to seek treatment at such a time, Wang Yao said. Everyone is still busy visiting their friends and family.

He was saying that as he was walking to the clinic. He was quite surprised to find Miao Chengtang standing outside the clinic with gifts in hand.

That man wore a rather awkward expression when he saw Wang Yao.

See! Someones here for treatment now, right?

Its you.

Happy New Year, Dr. Wang.

Happy New Year.

Umm, Im here to express my gratitude and to apologize, Miao Chengtang said. Im sorry for behaving so rudely back then. I wasnt thinking straight.

He was there specifically to apologize. Also, Wang Yao had saved his life, so he intended to show his gratitude. Despite the medicine being absurdly expensive, if he were given the same choice again, he would have paid the fee without any hesitation. The money was nothing compared to his life. Furthermore, he knew that Wu San, the so-called King Pharmacist who had ties with the valley from way back, was very picky with patients. With Wu San, it was more than just a matter of money. The man was known to refuse to treat someone even if the person had a lot of money to offer. In contrast, Wang Yaos requirements had been far more acceptable.

Before the Lunar New Years Day, his brain was not working properly. He had been in a ditch, thus he said those things. He had regretted his actions ever since, especially knowing how terrifying the rules of the village were. If he were on good terms with Wang Yao, he would no longer need to fear people from that village poisoning or cursing him. He would have been able to come to Wang Yao for treatment all the same. The problem he was most worried about was not only eased, but it was also solved entirely. As such, he came looking for Wang Yao right after the festivities were over. He traveled thousands of miles just to apologize ins person and show his sincerity.

Huh? Wang Yao was slightly stunned hearing that. He never expected the man to apologize in person. That was something that really surprised him.

Come on in.

Wang Yao was, without a doubt, oblivious to what Miao Chengtang was thinking. However, the man had come from somewhere thousands of miles away just to apologize. It would have been rude to leave a guest standing at his door.

He sat down after entering the clinic.

A token of my appreciation, Miao Chengtang said as he put the gifts on the table.

That wont be necessary. Wang Yao waved his hand.

It was his habit of never taking gifts from someone he was not personally familiar with.

This, umm Miao Chengtang behaved rather awkwardly when he heard that.

He began to beat around the bush and make small talk. He was unfamiliar with Wang Yaos personality and background, so he had no idea what to say. There was no way he could have stayed around for long under such circumstances. After hanging around for only a few minutes, he got up and was about to leave.

Take the stuff back with you, Wang Yao said.

Well, that would be rather awkward, Miao Chengtang replied.

After going back and forth at it for a little while, Wang Yao eventually yielded and took the gifts. He gave Miao Chengtang a box of tea leaves, just to make them even.

He did not want to have too much to do with those people from the Valley of Thousands of Medicine.

Umm

Have a safe trip.

Miao Chengtang seemed rather disappointed when he left. He was able to tell from Wang Yaos attitude that the doctor did not like him that much.

It seems like you dont like the guy much.

To put it precisely, its just that I dont want to have too much to do with people from where he came from, Wang Yao replied.

Where is he from?

Come, sit down, and Ill tell you all about it, Wang Yao said with a smile.

He made some light tea and told Su Xiaoxue what he knew about that place called Valley of Thousands of Medicine. He told her everything, leaving no details behind. There was no need for him to keep anything to himself.

Sacred medicines? Immortality? Su Xiaoxue felt rather surprised when she heard Wang Yao talk about all that.

Surprising, eh?

Yes. Are people actually into these things?

Yeah, and they are not just thinking about it, Wang Yao said. They actually went out and did it.

Do you think he has succeeded?

Succeed? Do you think its possible? Wang Yao asked.

Since ancient times, many people had looked into ways to significantly extend their lifespan. He wondered if anyone had succeeded.

Come, have some tea.

Thanks.

The tea was from the southern mountain. Wang Yao had someone stir-fry the leaves. He had also attempted to do it himself. The taste was extraordinary. The leaves had a unique fragrance and aura to them.

In Tianjin, thousands of miles away

The person from the valley discovered that Miao Chengtang, who he had been tailing, disappeared.

Did he run away? He thought of asking the landlord, but he was afraid of giving himself away.

Ill just wait for a little while longer. He then decided to just stay where he was.

The location he picked was somewhere near where Miao Chengtang was staying.

What? No longer around?

Correct. Im not sure if he has gone somewhere else. How about I wait for two more days?

Sure.

Miao Chengtang caught a train going back to Tianjin.

The trip was less than satisfactory for him. He wanted to gain Wang Yaos sympathy. It would have been best if he had been able to turn any bad impression the doctor had of him around. However, Wang Yao behaved coldly and did not seem to want to have much to do with him.

Does he know about things regarding the valley? He was still thinking about the matter while he was on the speeding train.

That doesnt seem all that possible. Hes up north, and that village is very remote. Its too far away from the valley in southern Yunnan. Furthermore, no one from that place would have gone all the way there.

Did he do all that because of the way I acted last time? If thats the case, he sure knows how to hold a grudge.

He had been thinking a lot. His thoughts were in a mess.

He got back to Tianjin that night. He immediately headed back to the place he rented.

The night passed uneventfully.

The sky was clear the next morning.

Miao Chengtang got up early. He made himself breakfast and freshened himself up. He walked around his neighborhood and worked out a little bit. His work had told him to show on the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, so he still had two days to spare.

While he was taking a walk, he was oblivious that someone was following him.

On the southern mountain in the small village, thousands of miles away

What is this? Su Xiaoxue pointed at a sapling that was little more than a foot tall in the herbal field. Its purple leaves had tiny silver hairs on it. It looked rather beautiful. It was a plant that she had never seen before.

Its Kang Wood, Wang Yao replied.

The herb Su Xiaoxue pointed at was the most precious high-level magic herb among all those planted in the field. Kang Wood was something that granted a measure of longevity after it was ingested.

Kang Wood? Su Xiaoxue asked. Is it an herb too?

Yeah, and it is a very precious one, Wang Yao said. That is probably the only piece left in the whole world.

The only one left in the whole wide world!