The five hundredth…
Nie Xueliang paused at this point, his expression gravely serious.
The audience below grew tense.
“Did Dr. Ye make a mistake?”
“If Dr. Ye got the last herb wrong, that would be such a pity.”
“One mistake, and Dr. Ye might lose this competition.”
“I hope Dr. Ye wins.”
Countless spectators prayed silently.
Nie Xueliang said, “The five hundredth herb on the list is Polygonatum, and Ye Qiu’s answer is…”
He paused again.
What is it? Just say it, don’t keep us in suspense!
The audience’s hearts were in their throats.
Nie Xueliang glanced at the crowd and announced loudly, “Ye Qiu’s answer is also Polygonatum.”
“Congratulations, Ye Qiu.”
“He’s won this round!”
Ye Qiu took fifty-five minutes with no errors, meaning that even if Li Chunfeng got everything correct, his slower time by five minutes still meant he lost the competition.
Roar!
The audience erupted in cheers, their faces flushed with excitement.
“He won! Dr. Ye won!”
“Dr. Ye is incredible!”
“Congratulations, Dr. Ye, one step closer to becoming the Medical Sage!”
Despite losing, Li Chunfeng showed no trace of disappointment. He stepped forward, clasped Ye Qiu’s hand, and smiled, “Ye Qiu, congratulations.”
“Elder Li, thank you for letting me win,” Ye Qiu said humbly.
“Next, you’ll face Xu Liu,” Li Chunfeng reminded him. “Among the four of us, Xu Liu’s medical skills are the most refined. Be careful.”
“Understood,” Ye Qiu nodded.
Xu Liu said, “Ye Qiu, let’s get started.”
“This round, we’ll compete by treating patients.”
“Best of three rounds, starting with something simple.”
“Please, staff, bring the patients up.”
As Xu Liu finished, the staff brought two patients onto the stage.
“Both patients have a fever of thirty-nine degrees. Our task is to bring their fever down.”
“Treating a fever is child’s play for both of us, so let’s see who can do it faster.”
“Agreed?”
Ye Qiu nodded, gesturing politely, “Senior Xu, you first.”
Xu Liu didn’t hesitate. He approached one patient, placed a hand on their head, muttered briefly, and said, “Done.”
What?
Less than three seconds, and it’s done?
You’re joking, right?
The audience was incredulous.
The staff immediately measured the patient’s temperature: thirty-six point three degrees.
“Good heavens, it’s actually done?”
“Unbelievable!”
“Even top Western doctors couldn’t reduce a fever that quickly, could they?”
“How did he do it?”
“It feels like he didn’t even do anything!”
The audience was baffled.
Ye Qiu, however, saw through it, saying, “Senior Xu, your skills are impressive. To master Zhu You Shu, I’m in awe.”
Zhu You Shu, an ancient form of witchcraft, was later used by alchemists to heal and save lives, eventually evolving into a branch of Daoist medicine.
In simple terms, it involves using talismans or secret techniques to treat and heal.
Very mysterious.
Xu Liu was slightly surprised, asking Ye Qiu, “You know about Zhu You Shu?”
“Not only do I know it, I can use it,” Ye Qiu replied. He approached the other patient, pressed a finger to their forehead, and softly chanted a spell.
Three seconds later.
Ye Qiu said, “Done.”
The staff quickly measured the patient’s temperature: thirty-six point three degrees. The fever was gone.
The first round ended in a tie.
“Good grief, is this even medicine?”
“Why does it feel like they’re using magic?”
“That healing speed is insane!”
“They mentioned something called Zhu You Shu. What’s that?”
“Quick, look it up on Baidu!”
While some audience members searched for Zhu You Shu, Ye Qiu and Xu Liu had already begun the second round.
The second round was also about treating patients.
Both patients were blind.
“This round, we’ll cure their eyes and restore their sight.”
“Ye Qiu, you go first.”
Xu Liu added, “Remember, give it your all, or you’ll lose.”
“Alright,” Ye Qiu agreed and began treatment.
This time, he used the Thirteen Needles of the Ghost Gate.
Ten minutes later, Ye Qiu finished, and the patient’s eyes were healed.
Xu Liu began his treatment.
Again, he used Zhu You Shu. He took out a piece of yellow paper, drew something on it through the air, then set the paper alight.
As the paper burned, a talisman appeared in the ashes.
Xu Liu sprinkled the ashes into a bowl of clear water, had the patient drink it in front of everyone, and waited quietly.
Fifteen minutes later, the patient’s eyes were healed.
Xu Liu lost this round, but it caused a stir among the audience.
“Is Xu Liu still using Zhu You Shu?”
“That’s incredible!”
“I never knew Chinese medicine could be so miraculous!”
Ye Qiu also noticed that Xu Liu’s mastery of Zhu You Shu was profound.
Could it be that during his ten years of seclusion in Laoshan, he was studying Zhu You Shu?
Just as Ye Qiu thought this, Xu Liu said, “Years ago, I met a master who taught me Zhu You Shu.”
“For these past years, I secluded myself in Laoshan, ignoring worldly affairs, to focus on studying Zhu You Shu.”
“Yet, I still lost to you.”
Ye Qiu replied, “Senior, you haven’t lost. The third round hasn’t started yet.”
Xu Liu waved his hand, and the staff brought a single patient onto the stage.
Everyone was puzzled, seeing only one patient.
“Aren’t they competing by treating patients? Why only one?”
Ye Qiu was equally curious.
Xu Liu said, “For the third round, I only arranged for one patient.”
“I won’t participate in treating this patient. Ye Qiu, you’ll do it.”
“To be honest, I can’t cure this patient’s illness.”
“If you can cure him, Ye Qiu, I’ll concede this round.”
Ye Qiu was stunned.
Xu Liu’s Zhu You Shu was so advanced, yet even he couldn’t cure this patient. What illness could it be?
Could it be…
Cancer?
Ye Qiu asked, “Senior, may I know what illness this patient has?”
Xu Liu replied, “With your medical skills, just take his pulse, and you’ll know.”
Ye Qiu approached the patient, grasped their wrist, and began checking the pulse.
Instantly, his brow twitched.
Ye Qiu continued feeling the pulse, and gradually, his expression grew solemn.
A while later.
Zhang Jiuling asked, “Young Ye, what illness does this patient have?”
Ye Qiu released the patient’s wrist and said, “It’s tuberculosis.”
Tuberculosis?
Zhang Jiuling, Li Chunfeng, and the others were puzzled. If it was just tuberculosis, Xu Liu’s skills should easily cure it. Why did he say he couldn’t?
Was there something more to it?
At that moment, Ye Qiu added two more words, “Advanced stage!”
