The Strange Illness of Gao Family Fortress

Gao Family Fortress lay several dozen li from Nanyang City and was one of the foremost powerful clans in the region.

From afar, Lu Changsheng saw a mountain estate, with many sturdy martial artists patrolling its surroundings.

There were even tall watchtowers built within the estate, with people constantly keeping watch from above.

The carriage slowly approached the estate.

"Stop! This is Gao Family Fortress. Unauthorized persons are not permitted to enter!"

The carriage had just arrived outside Gao Family Fortress when it was stopped.

The guards seemed highly cautious, their gazes sweeping over the carriage and its surroundings.

"Gao Laoyao, it's me."

Gao Yucheng urged his horse forward. Only then did the guard recognize him and immediately salute. "So it is the Second Young Master. Have you brought back a Famous Doctor from Nanyang City?"

"Yes. The renowned Doctor Wu Jing is in the carriage."

"Gao Laoyao, I know what you're thinking. Your elder brother has also contracted this strange illness. Don't worry—once Doctor Wu discovers the cause, every sick person in Gao Family Fortress can be saved."

Gao Laoyao could not help dropping to his knees. "Thank you, Second Young Master! Thank you, Doctor Wu!"

Wu Jing also lifted the carriage curtain and saw Gao Laoyao kneeling there.

He let out a long sigh. "A healer has the heart of a parent. So long as they can be saved, this old man naturally will not stand by and watch them die. Young Master Gao, let us hurry and see the patients."

Gao Yucheng nodded and immediately led the way. The carriage quickly entered Gao Family Fortress.

The Apprentices, too, looked around in every direction from inside the carriage.

Gao Family Fortress had always been mysterious and rarely allowed outsiders inside under ordinary circumstances.

Thus, although these Apprentices were all natives of Nanyang Prefecture, not one of them had ever entered Gao Family Fortress.

"This road is paved with jade! Gao Family Fortress is this extravagant?"

"And that flower garden—it's already early winter, yet it is still overflowing with floral fragrance?"

"And that lake... they actually dug such an enormous lake within Gao Family Fortress..."

The Apprentices' eyes were wide, their faces filled with astonishment and shock.

Clearly, the extravagance within Gao Family Fortress had thoroughly stunned them.

Gao Family Fortress was called a "powerful clan," but in the eyes of the people of Nanyang City, it was little more than a bunch of country bumpkins.

Who could have imagined that this "country-bumpkin" Gao Family Fortress would be even more luxurious than the wealthy merchants and great traders within Nanyang City?

Even Wu Jing was somewhat moved, marveling at how deeply Gao Family Fortress had hidden its true wealth.

However, Lu Changsheng was focused on something different from the others.

He was watching the martial artists.

There were an exceptionally large number of martial artists within Gao Family Fortress.

Moreover, the defenses along the way were extremely tight. Every martial artist was cautious and vigilant, as though guarding against something.

The entire Gao Family Fortress carried an air of tension.

That was clearly not right.

At present, Nanyang Prefecture as a whole was still quite peaceful.

There were not many bandits or hardened outlaws nearby either. With Gao Family Fortress's strength, no bandits or outlaws would dare set their sights on it.

Since there was no enemy, why was Gao Family Fortress guarded so heavily?

Gao Yucheng led the group into the Fortress Lord's Mansion.

Fortress Lord Gao Zhanhu personally came out to greet them.

Gao Zhanhu was broad and powerfully built. He strode like a dragon and paced like a tiger; at a glance, he was clearly a formidable martial man.

"Doctor Wu, we have finally been awaiting your arrival with longing."

Gao Zhanhu had practically worn his eyes out waiting for Wu Jing, and his attitude was exceedingly warm.

"Fortress Lord Gao, this old man should first examine your son."

"Good. Doctor Wu, please."

Wu Jing brought only Lu Changsheng with him, leaving the other Apprentices outside.

Gao Zhanhu ushered Doctor Wu and Lu Changsheng into a room. Several others stood inside, presumably members of the Gao family.

Some sort of incense was burning in the room, and its scent left one feeling refreshed and clear-headed.

Wu Jing walked to a large bed, upon which lay a young man.

The young man's eyes were tightly shut, his face pale, and he lay utterly motionless.

"Doctor Wu, this is my son, Gao Yuzhi."

"He contracted this strange illness half a month ago. He has remained bedridden ever since, with no sign of waking."

"But apart from that, he has displayed no other symptoms."

Gao Zhanhu gave a detailed account of Gao Yucheng's condition.

"Half a month already?"

Doctor Wu Jing raised his brows, seeming quite surprised.

He carefully took Gao Yuzhi's pulse, then lifted his eyelids and examined his lips.

His brow furrowed deeply.

"It's been half a month already. Haven't you thought of any way to treat it?"

Doctor Wu Jing asked.

"Of course we did. I first had the doctors within Gao Family Fortress examine him, but they couldn't make heads or tails of it."

"Then I went elsewhere and sought out several famous doctors, but every one of them was helpless."

"Later, more and more people in Gao Family Fortress came down with this strange illness, their symptoms exactly the same as my son's."

"Now everyone in Gao Family Fortress is in a state of panic. Left with no other choice, I could only invite Doctor Wu to make the trip personally."

A trace of anxiety also showed in Gao Zhanhu's tone.

His son had remained unconscious for half a month, while strange illnesses kept erupting throughout Gao Family Fortress. As the fortress lord, the pressure on him was naturally immense.

"Strange. Truly strange."

"Let this old man take another careful look."

Doctor Wu Jing took his pulse again, then inspected every part of Gao Zhiwen's body, going back and forth for a full two hours.

Only then did Doctor Wu Jing slowly say, "This old man needs to examine the other people in Gao Family Fortress who have contracted this strange illness as well. Would that be possible?"

Before Gao Zhanhu could speak, a tall man beside him suddenly shouted, "You've been examining him for so long, fussing about again and again, and you still haven't found the cause?"

"A famous doctor? What famous doctors could a mere Nanyang City possibly have? They're nothing but a pack of quacks!"

"If you ask me, Brother, you should hurry and throw these quacks out."

The tall man seemed to have a fiery temper. After speaking, he directly reached out and shoved Doctor Wu Jing.

Smack.

Lu Changsheng's gaze turned cold as he struck in an instant, seizing the tall man's hand.

"What the hell are you? Get lost!"

The tall man's qi and blood erupted at once. The terrifying pressure of his qi and blood even struck Doctor Wu Jing, making him seem unable to stand steadily.

Lu Changsheng's gaze grew even colder. Gripping the tall man's arm, he squeezed hard.

Crack.

The man's hand bones seemed to have been crushed, and he let out a miserable scream.

"Ah..."

The man's whole body trembled, his cry utterly shrill.

Bang.

With a light, casual flick of his hand, Lu Changsheng sent the tall man flying. He crashed heavily onto the ground.

The tall man's eyes were bloodshot as he roared, "Quick, seize this brat! I'll break his legs..."

"I'd like to see who dares!"

Lu Changsheng shouted, shielding his master behind him.

"Wait."

At that moment, Gao Zhanhu spoke.

He glanced at the tall man's arm on the ground. It was clearly broken.

Gao Zhanhu frowned slightly. "You must be Doctor Wu's disciple, sir? A healer should have the heart of a parent. As a doctor, how can you be so ruthless?"

"Ruthless? I was already being lenient. A martial artist tried to lay hands on an old man over seventy years of age—is this how Gao Family Fortress treats its guests?"

"Master, I don't think there's any need to treat this illness. Let's go!"

Lu Changsheng directly took hold of his master and prepared to leave.

However, Gao Yucheng silently stepped in front of Lu Changsheng, blocking his path.

At this moment, Doctor Wu Jing stepped forward. He slammed his cane fiercely against the ground and shouted, "Fortress Lord Gao, this old man knows that your Gao Family Fortress wields great power."

"But this old man has practiced medicine his whole life and saved countless lives. Among them were no shortage of martial artists, even some Organ Refining martial artists. All of them owe this old man a favor!"

"Moreover, this old man is a doctor of Miraculous Garden. Do you intend to forcibly keep my disciple and me here?"

Doctor Wu Jing had clearly been angered as well.