The next day, just as the sky was beginning to brighten, Su Ci got out of bed.
She quickly washed up, changed into practical clothing, stepped into the courtyard, and opened the system with a heart full of hope and anticipation.
After clicking the auto-check-in button and setting the system to handle it automatically from then on, Su Ci received a new task notification from the system.
Task details:
Task 1: Master Traditional Chinese Medicine skills to proficiency;
Task 2: Level up Huajian You to 90;
Task 3: Level up Lijing Yidao to 90.
Task rewards:
Points: *3;
Weapons: Ziluoyuan, Snow Phoenix Ice King Flute;
Prescriptions: 10*3;
Rare herbs: 5*3;
Nine-Turn Soul-Returning Pill: 1 bottle*3;
Great Restoration Pill: 1 bottle*3;
Baoyu Lihua Needle: 1*3;
Lingbo Weibu (obtainable upon completing any single task).
Task duration: Long-term.
Task penalty: System mall closes upon task failure.
Accept the task? Yes / No.
After reading through the system tasks, Su Ci chose "Yes" without hesitation and accepted the task.
Next, she tapped lightly on Pei Yuan's icon. With a flash of faint light, Pei Yuan's figure appeared before Su Ci.
He was still wearing the same elegant yet luxurious Wanhua Valley disciple robes from yesterday. He looked every bit the jade-like gentleman, save for a hint of solemnity and earnestness now present in his expression.
Su Ci bowed respectfully and said, "Good morning, Master."
Pei Yuan nodded and said calmly, "Starting today, I will teach you the ultimate arts of our Wanhua Valley. However, neither the study of medicine nor the practice of martial arts can be accomplished overnight. You must possess perseverance and determination, guarding against impatience and rashness."
Su Ci nodded solemnly.
Pei Yuan continued, "The *Wanhua Secret Tome* practiced by our Wanhua Valley disciples is divided into seven sections: *General Outline*, *Martial Canon*, *Chess Canon*, *Book Canon*, *Medical Canon*, *Zither Canon*, and *Miscellaneous Canon*. Its contents are profound and vast, and I will teach them to you one by one. However, remember the adage that biting off more than you can chew will only lead to indigestion."
Su Ci replied, "Yes, Master. This disciple will take your teachings to heart."
Pei Yuan produced a medical text and handed it to Su Ci, saying, "This *Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon* is a book I used in the past. It records some of my personal insights and experiences, and now I give it to you."
"The *Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon* is the foundation of studying medicine and also the basis of Wanhua martial arts. You shall begin from here."
Su Ci received the medical book with both hands, her expression solemn as she said, "Thank you, Master. This disciple will certainly study with all her heart."
Pei Yuan nodded with satisfaction and then began the lesson.
Pei Yuan's explanations were not confined to the text of the *Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon*; he also incorporated medical cases he had encountered in the past, expanding outward from them. This combination of theory and practice enabled Su Ci to better absorb the knowledge.
Su Ci listened with rapt attention, taking notes on paper from time to time.
Although the original owner had studied the *Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon*, and Su Ci herself had memorized it, listening to Pei Yuan's explanations gave her many new understandings and realizations.
Through drawing inferences from one instance to others, many points she had previously failed to grasp suddenly became crystal clear, as if her governing and conception vessels had been unblocked all at once.
Truly, Pei Yuan was well worthy of his titles as the Medicine King's senior disciple and the "Healer Who Saves No Lives."
Time slipped away unnoticed, and before she knew it, the sky was fully bright.
Su Ci checked the time and realized it was already getting late—specifically, the Si hour (between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM)—and she needed to head to the clinic for her consultations.
After tidying up her notes, Su Ci decided to conclude her studies for the morning and continue when she returned in the evening.
After bidding farewell to Pei Yuan, Su Ci set off for the clinic.
Perhaps because of her anticipation, Su Ci felt that time passed exceptionally quickly today, as if the sun was preparing to set in the blink of an eye.
The moment time was up, Su Ci immediately closed the clinic and hurried home, terrified that staying even a second longer would make her late.
Back home, Su Ci eagerly resumed her studies with Pei Yuan.
What Pei Yuan taught this time was Huajian You.
Huajian You focused on acupoint-striking techniques and internal energy attacks, with moves like "Twin Lotus Blossoms" and "Following Flowers and Weeping Willows" serving as techniques for sealing acupoints and blocking veins.
Pei Yuan first explained the internal energy mental cultivation method, helping Su Ci find the sensation of Qi.
After she had circulated her energy through a complete major heavenly cycle, he demonstrated the forms once before explaining the key points of movement and footwork, detailing every single action with great care.
Following Pei Yuan's movements through once, Su Ci practiced on her own over and over again, while Pei Yuan occasionally offered verbal guidance and corrections.
Gradually, her movements grew more proficient, and her execution became increasingly fluid.
An hour later, seeing that Su Ci had mastered the basic forms, Pei Yuan concluded the lesson and assigned practice tasks.
Though physically exhausted, Su Ci felt a deep sense of fulfillment in her heart.
Returning to her room, Su Ci opened the system mall to see if there was anything else available for purchase.
Today's studies had given her a deeper understanding of medical skills and martial arts, making it much clearer what she needed.
In the end, Su Ci purchased an Acupuncture Bronze Man.
The surface of the bronze figure was engraved with the meridians and the names of various acupoints, while its interior contained wood-carved internal organs and a skeleton.
Whether practicing Lijing Yidao or Huajian You, Wanhua Valley martial arts were inseparable from acupoint sealing and vein blocking, making this Acupuncture Bronze Man ideally suited for Su Ci's practice.
Late into the night, Su Ci lay in bed, reviewing the day's studies and practice.
Running through everything she had learned in her mind to ensure nothing was missed, Su Ci finally closed her eyes.
The next day, Su Ci rose early and continued her studies of medicine and martial arts under Pei Yuan's guidance.
Her life gradually settled into a fulfilling and regular rhythm.
In the morning, she studied medicine with Pei Yuan for an hour, then went to the clinic to hold consultations, attending to patients who came seeking medical treatment and herbal remedies. In the evening, she returned home to continue her martial arts studies with Pei Yuan.
Although Su Ci's days were packed to the brim and she would fall asleep the moment her head hit the pillow from sheer exhaustion, seeing herself progress and grow every single day left her deeply content and filled with a rich sense of achievement.
And so, the days passed one by one, and under Pei Yuan's guidance, Su Ci's medical skills and martial arts steadily advanced.
During this period, she also completed several tasks issued by the system, accumulating enough points to unlock the system's study space.
The flow of time in the study space differed from the outside world; one day spent in the study space equated to only a single hour in the outside world.
With the study space provided by the system, Su Ci gained even more time to study and enrich herself.
As for her relationship with Pei Yuan, through their daily companionship, it gradually grew closer—they were not merely master and disciple, but family.
Pei Yuan had taught her not only medicine and martial arts, but more importantly, how to survive in this world.