Chapter 1: A Chance Encounter in the Countryside
In that remote mountain area, which felt like a paradise far removed from the hustle and bustle of the world, Qin Yongping stepped into the small woods with his usual light footsteps, beginning another busy day of labor.
He was like an adventurer seeking treasures, searching the hills for wild medicinal herbs. Inadvertently, he encountered an old man with the otherworldly demeanor of a Taoist immortal. This elder was none other than Guo Side, a highly respected veteran practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The medical school to which he belonged had a long and storied history; though weathering the vicissitudes of time had reduced it to a modest clinic, the essence of the medical arts it contained still shone as brightly as stars in the night sky.
From a young age, Qin Yongping had harbored a deep passion for medicine. Though his family was poor, he studied with relentless diligence. Truly, Heaven rewards the hardworking, and his efforts finally paid off when he was admitted this year to a prestigious "Double First-Class" university in Guang Province to major in clinical medicine.
Seeing that Qin Yongping looked honest and reliable, worked with meticulous care, and possessed an extremely precise ability to recognize and identify medicinal herbs, the old man felt an urge to take him on as a disciple. "Young man, would you be willing to become my apprentice?"
Qin Yongping’s heart leaped. He knew well that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, yet a trace of hesitation still lingered on his face. "Elder, my family is poor, and I still rely on gathering herbs to supplement our household income. If I study medicine under you, I'm afraid I won't be able to manage both."
The old man stroked his beard and laughed heartily. "Lad, there is no need to worry. As long as you are willing to learn, your teacher will take care of your concerns." Hearing this, Qin Yongping's eyes filled with gratitude and determination as he declared, "Master, please accept this bow from your disciple."
"Hahaha, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! Disciple, you are still young; are you still studying?" Elder Guo asked with a smile. "How about I first take you to visit the Guo Clinic?"
Qin Yongping nodded happily and agreed. Along the way, he poured out his heart, recounting his educational background in a steady stream like beans spilling from a bamboo tube. Hearing this, Elder Guo beamed with joy and said, "In the future, whenever you have free time, you must come here often to study. The clinic is practically on your school's doorstep, only five or six kilometers away—just a short ride by vehicle."
Stepping through the front doors of the clinic, an antique building unfolded before his eyes like an elegant historical scroll. Covering an area of two hundred square meters, the first floor was used for business, the second floor served as a warehouse, and the third floor was the living quarters. To Qin Yongping, the scale of this clinic already seemed quite grand. At that moment, several customers were selecting medicinal herbs, and a female clerk was buzzing back and forth among the crowd like a busy little bee.
Upon reaching the study on the third floor, Elder Guo warmly invited Qin Yongping to have some tea. Just then, a woman drifted in like a fairy. Her beauty was truly breathtaking; a plain white dress fluttered like drifting clouds on the horizon, graceful and ethereal, making her look a few shades more dazzling and captivating than any campus belle. Qin Yongping could not help stealing a few extra glances.
Seeing that Qin Yongping's gaze was as clear as a limpid pool of water, the woman paid him no mind. Moving with lotus steps, she walked up to Elder Guo and complained with a spoiled, charming air, "Grandfather, I told you long ago to leave the herb-gathering to others. You must stop going out alone."
Elder Guo looked at the woman with eyes full of affection and said, "Fuer, grandfather just wanted to stretch his limbs. Come, let me introduce you. This is my newly accepted disciple, Qin Yongping. Yongping, this is my granddaughter, Guo Yufu. She is also your Junior Sister. Aside from her, you have two senior brothers above you; once everyone is gathered, I will introduce them to you in detail."
Qin Yongping hastily bowed to Guo Yufu and said respectfully, "Hello, Junior Sister."
Guo Yufu gave a slight nod, the corners of her lips curling upward. Her smile was as delicate and charming as peach blossoms blooming quietly in the spring, like a mesmerizing blush dyeing her cheeks. It radiated an indescribable tenderness and allure, making her look like an immortal descending to earth, exuding a transcendent beauty. But in the blink of an eye, her expression suddenly turned icy, cold and profound like a deep winter pool, enough to send a chill through anyone's heart. At the same time, she carried a touch of frail delicacy, her pale face seeming lightly covered by a thin frost, faintly revealing a unique temperament where vulnerability and aloofness intertwined. After a brief conversation, everyone gradually grew more familiar with one another, and before long, Guo Yufu left the room.
Elder Guo looked at Yongping with a full smile and slowly began, "Yongping, our school is no ordinary lineage; it is a family of physicians that has practiced medicine for generations! Just look at this room full of medical books and herbal tools—they are all precious treasures left behind by our ancestors. Since you are newly arrived today, there is no need to rush into studying medicine. Why don't you walk around, take a look, and get well acquainted with the environment here? Besides, the summer vacation is not yet over, so you have plenty of time. Tomorrow, you can come back here, and that is when you will officially begin studying our sect's unique medical arts. Don't go getting lazy on me!" With that, Elder Guo gently patted Yongping on the shoulder, his eyes full of expectations and encouragement for him.
"Master, rest assured. I will study with a burning thirst for knowledge and carry forward our sect's medical arts," Qin Yongping said with a solemn expression.
"Alright, I'm going to rest for a moment. You can read the books in the room whenever you like. Go take a walk around first, and if you have any questions, you can ask Fuer for guidance," Elder Guo said before turning and leaving the study.
Qin Yongping also left the study and went down to the first floor. Seeing several staff members busy in the main hall, he was about to step forward to help when he suddenly realized he was as clueless about the workflow here as someone trying to look at flowers through a fog, and like a deflated ball, he abandoned the thought of helping.
He walked inward along the corridor. There were several consultation rooms, but only the second one had its light on. Junior Sister Guo Yufu was quietly sitting at her desk, busy at work... Qin Yongping walked into the room and curiously looked around.
Guo Yufu pointed to the chair beside her, gesturing for him to sit, and then said, "Although we are a medical family, the ailments we encounter are bizarre and varied, and some difficult and complicated cases surpass imagination."
Qin Yongping listened attentively, the desire for knowledge flashing in his eyes. Guo Yufu continued, "Sometimes those conventional methods are completely useless, and we have to rely on special methods that Grandfather has summarized over many years. But you needn't worry; most ailments are still common ones. As long as your foundation is solid, there will be no major problems."
"Then, Senior Sister, are there any particularly strange cases?" Qin Yongping couldn't help asking.
Guo Yufu furrowed her brows slightly and recalled, "Once, a patient came in who had no external abnormalities on their body at all, yet kept crying out in pain, and a thorough examination of the entire body failed to find the cause. In the end, Grandfather used an ancient acupuncture technique to locate the hidden ailment deep within the meridians. Such things are not uncommon here, so you must mentally prepare yourself." Hearing this, Qin Yongping felt both nervous and filled with anticipation, further strengthening his resolve to study medicine well.
Guo Yufu checked her watch, stood up, and said, "Junior Brother, let's stop here for today. It's getting late, you should head back early to rest as well. There are still many things to learn tomorrow." Qin Yongping nodded and followed Guo Yufu out of the consultation room.
The two walked to the entrance, and Qin Yongping looked back at the antique clinic, his heart full of emotion. After bidding farewell to Guo Yufu, Qin Yongping walked toward the bus stop.
On the bus, Qin Yongping gazed at the streetscape retreating outside the window, recalling everything he had seen and heard at the clinic today. Suddenly, he noticed a strange halo of light flickering in a side alley by the street.
Just as he wanted to take a closer look, the vehicle had already sped past. Qin Yongping's mind was filled with doubts, and he had a strong premonition that behind that halo of light must lie something extraordinary, perhaps even related to the strange illnesses at the clinic.
For now, however, he could only suppress his curiosity. After all, his top priority right now was to master the skills at the clinic, and only when he had the capability in the future would he explore these mysterious phenomena.