Medical and Martial God

”You, who are you?” the Village Chief asked in a panic.

Elder Liang and the villagers all kept their distance from Ye Xiu.

”Everyone, don’t panic. He is the Medicine King of Xuanse, Ye Xiu,” Qing Luan introduced.

An uproar erupted among the villagers.

One by one, they sized up Ye Xiu with skeptical eyes. Although this was a mountain village, they had heard of Ye Xiu’s great reputation. After all, his name had been famous throughout Xuanse for ten years; it would have been hard not to have heard of him.

But the more they looked, the less they felt that the person before them was the Medicine King of Xuanse, Ye Xiu.

”Ten years ago, Ye Xiu was sixteen. He should be twenty-six now, so the age matches.”

”I heard that ten years ago, Ye Xiu was forced to flee overseas and hid abroad for a decade. He definitely wouldn’t have eaten or slept well. This young man has such smooth, delicate skin, like a celebrity. I don’t think he’s Ye Xiu.”

”How could someone as important as Divine Doctor Ye come to our little mountain village?”

”The Official Family must have hired someone to pose as Divine Doctor Ye to persuade us to move.”

”After hiding in a foreign land for ten years, burdened with shame and injustice, even the youngest man would be worn down and haggard. This kid doesn’t look at all like the Divine Doctor Ye who’s been in hiding for ten years.”

No one believed him!

In their minds, Ye Xiu had been an enemy of the entire nation a decade ago—despised, wronged, and burdened with a shameful reputation. A sixteen-year-old boy like that, all alone in a foreign country, had been in hiding for ten long years.

He surely couldn’t have eaten well or slept soundly, consumed every day by thoughts of clearing his name.

After ten years, even the healthiest body and most handsome face would have been worn down into a greasy, middle-aged man.

But the Ye Xiu before them was too clean, too handsome, and brimming with vitality!

He didn’t look like someone who had been on the run for ten years; he looked more like a young master from a wealthy family!

”Everyone, I really am Ye Xiu!” Ye Xiu insisted.

”Oh, give it a rest!” Elder Liang said. ”You’re just someone the Official Family hired to trick us. Hmph, don’t think we’re stupid just because we live in the mountains. Our village has a TV. The moment I saw you, I knew you were an actor, a professional at putting on a show.”

Standing to the side, Qing Luan fought back a laugh, a crooked smile on her face. She said nothing. Ye Xiu had told her over the phone that he had a plan, and she was curious to see what he would do.

First, he has to prove he’s the Medicine King of Xuanse.

”Elder Liang, your rheumatism is quite serious,” Ye Xiu said, approaching him and looking him over. ”And you have cataracts and tuberculosis. Oh dear, your digestive system isn’t in good shape either. You’ve been suffering from acid reflux and heartburn lately, haven’t you?”

Elder Liang was dumbfounded. ”How did you know?”

At his words, the Village Chief and the other villagers were taken aback. They only knew Elder Liang had rheumatism, not about his other ailments. Judging by Elder Liang’s expression, it seemed Ye Xiu had hit the nail on the head.

”I am Ye Xiu. I could tell at a glance. If you still don’t believe me, I’ll treat you right now,” Ye Xiu said, taking out a set of silver needles.

Without waiting for Elder Liang’s consent, he immediately struck his acupoints and began performing acupuncture.

He actually didn’t need to use silver needles, but facing so many uninformed villagers, if he used too esoteric a healing method, they would probably suspect he and Elder Liang were in cahoots.

”Look, he’s carrying needles with him,” one villager muttered.

”He’s treating Elder Liang right in front of us to put on a show,” said another.

”Just what you’d expect from an actor. He’s really convincing.”

”This young man is quite handsome... my second daughter is still single...” a woman added.

The villagers chattered away, still convinced that Ye Xiu was an actor hired by the Official Family.

「Half an hour later」

Ye Xiu removed the needles, released Elder Liang’s acupoints, and said, ”Elder Liang, please get up and walk around a little.”

Elder Liang didn’t get up right away, but exclaimed in surprise, ”My stomach doesn’t hurt anymore! No more acid reflux or heartburn! My eyesight is clearer, and my hearing has improved...”

Only then did he use his cane to stand up, discovering his legs were full of strength and his knees no longer ached.

He let go of his cane and took a few steps, walking faster and faster.

The Village Chief and the villagers watched as Elder Liang started jogging around the yard, even hopping a few times.

”Divine Doctor! A true Divine Doctor! I haven’t been able to walk so easily in years! My legs don’t hurt, my knees don’t hurt... Oh, Divine Doctor, Divine Doctor...” Elder Liang’s old face was flushed with excitement.

The Village Chief and the villagers were dumbfounded. Then, they all turned to look at Ye Xiu in unison.

”Y-you... you’re really the Medicine King of Xuanse, Divine Doctor Ye?” the Village Chief asked in shock.

Ye Xiu nodded.

The Village Chief and the villagers all grew excited.

”It really is Divine Doctor Ye! Those incredible medical skills are unmistakable! It has to be him!”

”I must be going blind to have mistaken the Divine Doctor for an actor. But he really is so fair-skinned and handsome...”

”An important man like Divine Doctor Ye came to our village! We’re going to be famous!”

”My second daughter has admired Divine Doctor Ye since she was little! To think he’d come to our village... it’s a pity she’s away at school...”

Seeing the villagers so thrilled they were practically in tears and speaking nonsense, Qing Luan’s face turned grim.

I’m one of the Eight Great National Protector War Gods, yet these villagers completely ignored me. Ye Xiu hasn’t even revealed his identity as Huang Quan, but just by being a Divine Doctor, he has them this excited. They’re even calling him a great man.

At that moment, Qing Luan finally realized just how influential Ye Xiu was within the country.

Perhaps, in this country, the title ’Medicine King of Xuanse’ is even more influential than ’Huang Quan’. But even as Divine Doctor Ye, he surely can’t convince the villagers to move, can he?

”Everyone, please listen to me for a moment,” Ye Xiu said.

The villagers immediately fell silent, their eyes burning as they stared at him.

”Folks, the reason I’ve come to Nanjing Mountain is that there’s a problem with the air here. It’s poisonous. I’m here to perform a detoxification, and asking you to move is for your own safety,” Ye Xiu bluffed with a perfectly straight face.

He can just lie like that? Qing Luan was stunned.

And sure enough, as soon as the villagers heard the air was toxic, they all covered their mouths, their expressions filled with fear.

”Divine Doctor Ye, are... are you telling the truth?” the Village Chief asked, his voice trembling.

Ye Xiu said gravely, ”If the situation weren’t serious, the Official Family wouldn’t have asked so many villages to relocate.

”I didn’t want to tell you this, because I was afraid of scaring you. But since none of you will move, I have no choice but to tell the truth. Don’t worry, though. I’ve already found the source of the poisonous gas. I estimate it will take two or three months to complete the detoxification. After that, you can all move back. I guarantee it!”

After hearing this, Elder Liang slapped his thigh. ”What are we waiting for? Let’s move, quickly! Third Son! Third Son! Get in the house and pack our things!”

With that, he ran toward the house.

At that moment, the Village Chief and the other villagers had no time for Ye Xiu and Qing Luan. Covering their noses and mouths, they all ran home in a panic.

Deep down, they implicitly trusted the Medicine King of Xuanse, Ye Xiu. So when he said the mountain air was toxic, they believed him without question.

”Aren’t you afraid of being exposed and ruining your reputation?” Qing Luan asked.

”That depends on how you settle them,” Ye Xiu said with a smile. ”Come on, let’s head to the next village.”

Qing Luan understood. Ye Xiu wanted her to gather all the villagers from the area into one place. She would have to manage them, provide food and shelter, and control their access to information. That way, they would never realize Ye Xiu had deceived them.

But with so many villages and people spread across a hundred-mile radius, how can I possibly arrange food and lodging for them all? And who’s going to pay for it?