“Is that really true?”
Xu Ping’an was very surprised.
He hadn’t expected such a big problem to arise within the Great Qi.
“Yes, Mr. Xu probably knows that our Great Qi has been able to establish itself for hundreds of years thanks to the Immortal Sect, Liuyun Sect. This Liuyun Sect has been in charge since the founding of Great Qi, and the most prominent figure in this Liuyun Sect is the Sect Master of Liuyun Sect.”
Xu Ping’an nodded.
He had also heard about this before, which was why he had squandered his family fortune to travel thousands of miles in search of immortals.
As a result, he ended up losing both his money and his life, and only with the golden finger did he avoid starving on the streets.
“So, the Liuyun Sect Master is now missing, “life or death unknown”?”
“Yes, I heard that many evil cultivators surrounded and attacked the Sect Master this time. The Sect Master was ambushed by accident, and that’s how things ended up like this.”
“I remember the Liuyun Sect is considered the largest cultivation sect in our Great Qi, right? Even if the Sect Master is gone, the sect shouldn’t decline to such an extent, should it? Is the current Emperor really unable to sleep because of this?”
Zhou Zhengfang smiled and shook his head.
“You wouldn’t know. I heard that before the current Emperor ascended the throne, he wasn’t particularly favored in court. For example, the current Prince of Zhennan was a strong contender for the throne back then.”
Pausing, Zhou Zhengfang took a sip of wine, his face already a third flushed.
“It’s precisely because the current Liuyun Sect Master defied all objections and placed the current Emperor on that position that we have the Great Qi today. But the trouble lies here: the Liuyun Sect itself isn’t united. Several factions within it support different princes.”
“Now that the Liuyun Sect Master is gone, there’s no one to keep these people in check, which has led to chaos within the Liuyun Sect, like a pot of porridge.”
“No wonder…”
Xu Ping’an nodded.
“It won’t affect us, will it?”
Xu Ping’an also took a sip of wine.
This small amount of wine had almost no effect on him; he wouldn’t get drunk from drinking, only savoring the taste.
“Hard to say.”
Zhou Zhengfang shook his head, his expression revealing a hint of solemnity.
“If it’s just internal chaos within the Liuyun Sect, it might be fine. But don’t forget, our Great Qi’s late Emperor had twenty-seven sons. These twenty-seven princes are now ruling as vassal kings in various regions, and they might each have certain immortal factions supporting them. Once problems arise, I’m afraid it won’t be long before the entire Great Qi falls into complete chaos.”
“And those demonic cultivators who have always been hidden in the dark. These demonic cultivators were previously suppressed by the Liuyun Sect, but now they’re not. The Liuyun Sect is already in internal disarray and can’t even take care of itself. If they come out and cause trouble again, in the future… hehe~”
Zhou Zhengfang’s face looked troubled, probably thinking of the situations that might arise in the future, and a hint of fear flashed in his eyes.
“Mr. Xu, whether you sought immortals before, or are now living in seclusion in Willow Leaf County, you’re lucky you haven’t encountered those demonic cultivators. Those demonic cultivators are truly not human… If they were just evil cultivators, it would be one thing. Even if evil cultivators practice strange cultivation methods, they still, more or less, consider some things.”
“I once witnessed with my own eyes a village that had been visited by demonic cultivators; all eighteen hundred or so people were disemboweled. The smell of blood was clearly discernible for miles around.”
“Do you know? Later, when the coroner went to examine the bodies, all those people had been disemboweled alive.”
Perhaps recalling some terrifying scene, fear appeared on Zhou Zhengfang’s slightly aged face.
“Even now, recalling it makes it difficult to remain calm…”
Zhou Zhengfang paused, took another silent gulp of wine, and finally managed to compose himself.
“I apologize, Mr. Xu, for letting you see me like that.”
“It’s fine. Some things are better said. Doesn’t it feel a little lighter after you’ve spoken them?”
Xu Ping’an observed the aura emanating from Zhou Zhengfang.
He could clearly see that after speaking those words, the aura around him had become a little cleaner.
In short, his overall physical condition had improved somewhat.
This was the effect of releasing some psychological pressure.
A normal person’s aura is milky white, floating just above the skin, roughly between five millimeters and five centimeters.
The closer it is to milky white, the healthier the person is.
The auras emitted by unhealthy individuals, depending on various circumstances, can be of different colors.
At the same time, emotions can also affect the color of the aura.
Since taking a few immortal pills, Xu Ping’an could now perceive these auras with his naked eye.
Normally, such an aura can only be detected by the naked eye under certain special circumstances.
“Heh~ Mr. Xu, as expected of a physician. To be honest, I, Zhou Zhengfang, am not an ignorant person, but a physician like you, I’ve never seen or even heard of one in my life before.”
“Elder Zhou, you’re being too polite. This is just how I make a living.”
Xu Ping’an waved his hand, while Zhou Zhengfang smiled noncommittally.
“Mr. Xu, if I may ask you presumptuously, do you currently have any illnesses you can’t cure?”
This question came so abruptly that it left him stunned.
“Elder Zhou, where did that come from? Why are you suddenly asking about this?”
“Heh, Mr. Xu, you don’t need to hide it from me. I can tell from your eyes that there’s no illness you can’t cure.”
“Elder Zhou, you can’t say such a thing. I never said that.”
Xu Ping’an immediately felt something was amiss and quickly waved his hand in denial.
However, Zhou Zhengfang suddenly sat down next to Xu Ping’an, picked up his wine cup, leaned closer, and asked in a low voice:
“Mr. Xu… how is the Young Master’s illness, exactly? Can it be cured?”
Hiss!
So this is what he was waiting for.
“Incurable.”
Xu Ping’an glanced at Zhou Zhengfang.
Thinking about it, it made sense.
The Prince of Zhennan was essentially the uncrowned emperor of the entire Nanzhou.
Countless people throughout Nanzhou hoped to curry favor with him.
Now, suddenly, someone from the Prince of Zhennan’s manor had come to this unremarkable Willow Leaf County and was now seeking out him, the renowned Divine Doctor Xu of Nanzhou.
Regardless of anything else, at least everyone in Willow Leaf County with a bit of ambition would be paying attention to this matter.
Zhou Zhengfang had been a xiucai (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations) for half his life.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to climb higher, but he knew his own limitations; he certainly couldn’t advance through official channels.
But if he could cling to the high branch of the Prince of Zhennan, what would he have to worry about?
“Elder Zhou, where did you hear this news?”
“Heh~ Mr. Xu, the Prince of Zhennan’s manor here in Nanzhou is no different from the Emperor. Any slight stir would have already become widely known. Is there any need to specifically inquire about anything?”
Zhou Zhengfang looked at Xu Ping’an with a smile.
“Mr. Xu, you just said it’s incurable… but if medicine isn’t used, can it still be cured?”
“Elder Zhou… that’s a bit unreasonable to ask.”