Three Extraordinary Paths

Ridiculous! Simply utterly ridiculous!

--This was the instinctive reaction of everyone who learned what was written on Arthur's signboard.

"At least he has some self-awareness. He knows his medical skills are limited."

"I think this barbarian is quite clever. Knowing no one would come to him, he put up a sign limiting the number of patients he would see, covering up his incompetence and giving himself an excuse!"

"Exactly. And he even limited it to ten people. If even one person goes to him, it'll be thanks to my Lord's mercy."

"How is this a signboard? It's obviously just a fig leaf!"

The area in front of Church Hospital became as lively as a marketplace. Everyone gathered in small groups, whispering among themselves, their words filled with disdain and contempt.

At first listen, it sounded like murmuring in the darkness—the shadowy side of the human heart.

As time passed and the patients left, the news that "Arthur had become a physician at Church Hospital, and had even put up a sign limiting himself to ten patients a day" spread through Francis at an astonishing speed!

A black-eyed foreigner was already a rare sight in Francis, and thus attracted considerable attention.

Now he had suddenly become a Church Physician as well. How could everyone not be surprised? How could they not question it?

The sign limiting the number of patients he would see became the laughingstock of the entire city, adding fresh amusement to the streets and alleys and contributing no small amount of laughter.

At five in the afternoon, Church Hospital stopped issuing patient number cards.

At six in the evening, the Church Physicians finished their day's work and prepared to leave for home. Only a few young postulants remained in the inpatient area to care for the handful of surgical patients.

"Mr. Arthur, are you all right?"

Angela stood at the entrance to Ning Xiuyuan's consulting room, her face tinged with concern. Her peripheral vision instinctively glanced at the sign limiting the number of patients.

She had heard about it during lunch.

However, she had been busy with work, and a surgeon had happened to call her over for assistance, so she had not had time to ask about it.

Now that work was finally over, all her worry surged out at once.

After all, it had been her suggestion that Arthur come work at Church Hospital!

"I'm fine. I got used to it a long time ago. To tell you the truth, I can rarely get through a book at home, but outside, I find myself engrossed. I've already finished two medical books today."

Ning Xiuyuan stood up and stretched.

Yet Angela's heart trembled when she heard this. The words "I got used to it a long time ago" inexplicably pained her.

"Um..."

She hesitated for a moment before comforting him.

"Actually, you didn't have to put up a sign like that. It's normal for people not to trust you. When I first started practicing medicine, things were even worse than this for you! I was only seventeen then, and everyone said, 'How could a child understand medicine?' But as time passed, people gradually came to trust me! Your medical skills are so impressive, and you have extraordinary traits to assist you. Time will prove everything."

"Haha, you don't need to comfort me. I didn't put up this sign out of spite. I've thought it through carefully. My strength alone is limited, so I hope to devote my limited energy to the limitless field of medical research. If I can write a few medical books and advance the development of medicine, I think I can save more patients that way."

Ning Xiuyuan replied with a bright and cheerful smile.

But inwardly, he gave a cold laugh.

The key to the Disease Deceiver's extraordinary ritual was "a physician's reputation"!

How could a physician's reputation be increased?

By constantly treating illnesses and saving people?

Give me a break!

An ordinary outpatient physician saw no fewer patients than a specialist who only saw patients for three hours a week.

But could the former's reputation compare with the latter's?

Obviously not!

Therefore, to complete the Disease Deceiver's extraordinary ritual, he absolutely could not foolishly toil away, tirelessly treating illnesses and saving people.

He needed technique!

His foreign identity was his greatest publicity gimmick.

Putting aside his medical skills, at the very least, the fact that he had become a physician had already spread throughout the city. Everyone knew about it.

And with the sign limiting the number of patients—a truly audacious move—its fame had climbed another level!

One had to understand that even haters were fans.

All he needed to do next was sit back and wait.

The saying that people in desperate illness would turn to any doctor was no exaggeration. He only needed an opportunity to become famous in a single battle.

"Devote your limited energy to the limitless field of medical research? So this is what you really had in mind!"

Angela murmured this sentence, deeply moved. She was impressed by Ning Xiuyuan's foresight, and a trace of shame flashed through her eyes.

"I thought you were... But why didn't you explain yourself? So many people outside are saying you did it to... cover up your incompetence." Angela could not help asking.

"If the lambs were wise and far-sighted, would they still need a herding dog?" Ning Xiuyuan asked with a smile, inwardly sighing that Angela was still too innocent.

"You're right. I cared too much about what the lambs thought and completely forgot the herding dog's divine duty." Angela suddenly understood, and her gaze grew even more resolute.

Seeing this, Ning Xiuyuan smiled, but a strange feeling arose in his heart.

"Let's go have dinner together!" Ning Xiuyuan changed the subject and extended an invitation.

"All right!" Angela readily nodded. The longer she spent with Arthur, the more she sensed how different he was.

That made her feel both curious and intrigued.

The two then left Church Hospital together and headed to the Church cafeteria for dinner.

It was worth mentioning that their walk side by side attracted quite a bit of attention.

The townspeople pointed at them and discussed the matter animatedly.

After entering the Church cafeteria, the other priests also looked at Ning Xiuyuan strangely.

Clearly, they had already heard about the sign limiting the number of patients.

However, their views were precisely the opposite of the townspeople's.

They knew that Ning Xiuyuan was an Ascetic Physician extraordinary being. They could not say how good his medical skills were, but he certainly possessed the ability to treat illnesses and save lives.

Yet he had put up a sign limiting the number of patients. What did that mean?

Was he being stingy with his life force?

Was that truly the noble quality expected of my Lord's herding dog?

Everyone wore uncertain expressions, suspicion showing in their eyes, but no one was foolish enough to charge over and question him. After all, the Judgement Assembly for Orlando's loss of control had only just concluded, and its influence still lingered.

Amid everyone's strange gazes, Angela remained perfectly composed.

Seeing this, Ning Xiuyuan also began openly asking about extraordinary knowledge. Naturally, in return, he shared some basic medical knowledge.

The two sat facing each other at a dining table, each holding a serving of dinner as they ate and chatted.

"By the way, now that you've joined Church Hospital, you should be able to completely assimilate the Ascetic Physician before long. Have you considered your next extraordinary trait?"

"You've stopped two incidents of loss of control from spreading. I suspect that once you finish assimilating the Ascetic Physician, your next extraordinary trait should be issued immediately."

Angela was curious about Ning Xiuyuan's extraordinary path, though she also had a little selfish motive.

"Oh? From the sound of it, there's more to it?"

"Of course. Has no one told you?"

Ning Xiuyuan shook his head.

"That makes sense. You didn't come from a monastery, so it's normal that you don't know these things." Angela found an explanation on her own.

"If it doesn't involve any secrets, could you tell me about it?" Ning Xiuyuan asked politely.

"You're overthinking it. This can hardly be called a secret."

Angela had a small appetite. As she stirred her mashed potatoes, she spoke at length.

"Generally speaking, there are currently three major theories regarding extraordinary paths: the Doctrine of Sevenfold Perfection, the Doctrine of the Hexagram, and the Doctrine of Unity! What we need to do is choose one theory and follow it."

Ning Xiuyuan's eyes brightened. He knew extraordinary paths could not be simple.

"The Doctrine of Sevenfold Perfection is exactly what its name suggests. Humans have seven bodies: the etheric body, emotional body, mental body, astral body, etheric template body, celestial body, and causal body. Some sects also call them the soul."

"In fact, from a certain perspective, extraordinary powers are all extensions of the power of these seven bodies."

"For example, we Ascetic Physicians can treat illnesses and save people by accumulating the life force of the etheric body, stimulating the patient's etheric body, and repairing the source of the illness. But if the etheric body itself develops a problem, there is nothing we Ascetic Physicians can do."

"But I'm getting off topic. In short, the Doctrine of Sevenfold Perfection holds that the extraordinary path is actually the perfection and strengthening of the seven bodies. Therefore, the extraordinary traits one chooses need to correspond to the attributes of the seven bodies, gradually completing oneself."

Ning Xiuyuan's gaze flickered. Angela's words clarified much of the extraordinary knowledge he had obtained from Horizontal-Pupiled Sheep Eyes.

"The Doctrine of the Hexagram is also known as the barrel theory. In mysticism, the hexagram represents the six directions of space—front, back, left, right, up, and down—and symbolizes perfection. Thus, this theory holds that an extraordinary path should use extraordinary traits as its foundation, acquiring powers with as many different attributes as possible and achieving perfection like a hexagram."

"As for the Doctrine of Unity, it is also known as the Theory of Uniqueness. This theory holds that extraordinary traits are as vast as the stars. To complete oneself, or even obtain perfect abilities, is impossible. Only by specializing in a single ability and taking it to the extreme can one become truly extraordinary!"

Angela spoke in a steady, unhurried stream.

The knowledge she revealed might be common knowledge to the Church's regular priests, but to Ning Xiuyuan, it was crucial.

As someone who had come from Earth, he knew that very often, choosing correctly was more important than working hard!

"Which theory do you think best matches your own ideas?" Angela asked curiously. This concerned the direction of Arthur's extraordinary path.

She both hoped for it and felt conflicted.

On the one hand, she hoped Arthur could go further in the medical profession, because that would be a blessing for the people.

On the other hand, if Arthur chose the path of a physician, he would face even more risks of losing control, and that was something she did not want to see.

"Which theory did Bishop Byron choose?" Ning Xiuyuan did not answer. Instead, he asked a question of his own.