Reversal

The Qi Family residence...

Old Master Qi was staring blankly at a plant that had already been consumed by more than half.

The flower was pale red, its petals layered like a longevity peach. It was precisely the "Longevity Flower" the third son presented every year.

Just then, he heard a servant announcing someone's arrival in the distance. Before long... he saw his own two sons hurrying over from outside.

Old Master Qi smiled. "Third, I was just about to look for you. And here you are, coming with your eldest brother."

With that, he intended to tell the two of them the good news his second son had brought.

However, before he could speak, Qi Changfu sat down in the grand armchair beside him. The smile lines at the corners of his eyes relaxed. "Father, my third brother and I came today to share some good news."

"Oh?"

Old Master Qi's hand paused as he stroked his beard. "Could it be... we're thinking of the same thing?"

Qi Changfu's gaze swept over the Longevity Flower. "Father, are you satisfied with this flower's effects?"

Old Master Qi laughed. "Satisfied? It's far more than that! My head hasn't hurt in the mornings these past few days, and I've had an abundance of energy. I simply don't know where such a marvelous flower came from."

Qi Changfu said, "It was cultivated by a reclusive master physician. It's quite miraculous. Though this physician isn't an alchemist, she has a profound understanding of the art of nourishing life and prolonging longevity. The several elderly people living near her residence are all over a hundred years old, yet remain hale and hearty."

A sharp glint flashed through Old Master Qi's eyes. "Where is such an expert now? I must prepare a generous gift and pay her a personal visit."

To the elderly, a physician skilled in nourishing life and extending longevity was hardly any different from an immortal.

Although the Qi Family cultivated secret medicines, they mostly relied on the inherent properties of those medicines. Their medical expertise and supporting methods were not particularly brilliant.

Qi Changfu smiled. "There's no need for Father to make the journey. My third brother and I have already invited this divine physician here."

Qi Changshun added, "She's waiting outside."

"What nonsense, what nonsense!"

Old Master Qi hurriedly rose and straightened his brocade robe. "If she's a divine physician, how can we make a distinguished guest wait? Invite her in, quickly!"

Qi Changshun acknowledged him and left. A moment later, he led a woman gracefully into the room.

The newcomer appeared to be around forty. She wore an elegant plain blue robe with a moon-white sleeveless vest over it. She had clearly maintained herself exceptionally well, with rosy cheeks, eyes like spring water, and an extraordinary bearing.

Old Master Qi's eyes followed her as she moved. He said in astonishment, "A female physician..."

Qi Changfu smiled. "Father, this is Physician Zhang Yujie. Not only is her medical skill superb, she also possesses a unique mastery of massage. Since we've invited her here today, why not have Physician Zhang give you a treatment?"

Old Master Qi gave a slight nod.

The middle-aged beauty named Zhang Yujie first placed a transparent jade casket lightly on the table. Within it, one could vaguely see soil and a Longevity Flower in the midst of blooming.

She stepped forward and gently pressed her bare hand against Old Master Qi's shoulder. Her ten fingers moved slowly, as though playing a qin. At first, the pressure was ordinary, but gradually, a warm sensation as gentle as spring water seeped through his skin and into his bones.

That spring-water warmth quickly spread, like spider silk radiating toward every limb and bone.

Old Master Qi felt as though he no longer needed to think about anything. He did not even need to exert himself to breathe. The spider-silk-like force guided his body, giving him an extraordinary sense of freedom.

Old Master Qi closed his eyes. A feeling arose within him of body and mind merging with the physician behind him. That bliss was like a tide beginning to rise, climbing higher and higher...

"Mmm..."

He could not help letting out a satisfied sigh.

He did not know how much time had passed before those hands quietly withdrew.

Old Master Qi slowly opened his eyes. He felt refreshed and invigorated, as though reborn. His gaze toward Zhang Yujie had completely changed, and he praised her, "You truly are a divine physician!"

Zhang Yujie gave a graceful bow and turned toward the brothers Qi Changfu and Qi Changshun. "The debt of gratitude has been repaid. I'll take my leave."

She then gave Old Master Qi another slight curtsy. Her blue robe fluttered faintly as she turned and walked away.

"Physician Zhang, please wait!" Old Master Qi hurriedly raised a hand and unconsciously rose to stop her.

Zhang Yujie halted and turned sideways, revealing half of her cool, beautiful profile.

Old Master Qi said earnestly, "Physician Zhang, why not stay? The Qi Family has spirit fields and secret grounds that require an expert like you to manage. If you're willing to remain, the Qi Family will certainly treat you as an honored guest."

Zhang Yujie smiled faintly, like distant ink-washed mountains beneath a blue sky. "The mortal world is not my home. Where the clouds run deep is where I return. Farewell."

Before her voice had even faded, she turned once more and drifted out of the courtyard, her blue figure gradually vanishing.

Old Master Qi stared blankly at the empty courtyard gate. The ultimate comfort from moments ago still flowed through his flesh and blood, leaving him unbearably restless. He abruptly turned toward his two sons and said flatly, "Speak. After taking such a long way around, what are you trying to do?"

Qi Changfu said, "Yu'er has entered the contention for First Class in the Provincial Examination. This time, he'll either take First Class or Second Class. Back then, even our second brother only managed Third Class, while Feng'er didn't even make the Top Three, did he?"

Old Master Qi's brows furrowed.

He had just been about to reprimand him.

Qi Changfu continued, "Father still doesn't know what the second branch has done, does he?"

Old Master Qi asked coldly, "What did they do?"

Qi Changfu said, "They sent someone to falsely accuse Yu'er of taking forbidden medicine, intending to have him expelled from the examination grounds. Fortunately, the chief examiner saw through the matter. The false accuser has already been punished and received fifty military cudgeons."

Qi Changshun timely cut in, his voice carrying a hint of mockery. "Father, tell us—does our Qi Family truly possess forbidden medicine capable of sending someone into First Class?"

Old Master Qi's face showed astonishment.

Qi Changfu shot a glance to the side.

The two brothers dropped to their knees with a thump, crying so hard their noses ran, and choked out, "Father, if the examiner hadn't been fair, and if Yu'er hadn't fought for himself, he would probably have already been driven from the examination in disgrace."

Old Master Qi was silent for a moment before saying, "Your second brother actually came earlier. He has already agreed to give Yu'er a chance to gain experience in the Poison Water Army."

Qi Changshun abruptly raised his head and wailed, "Father! He's sending Yu'er to his death! Once he enters the Poison Water Army, all of Yu'er's resource allocations will have to pass through his hands. When war breaks out, a single arbitrary transfer order from him could send Yu'er to sacrifice his life for the clan! Who could say anything then?"

Old Master Qi said mutely, "This..."

Qi Changfu kowtowed heavily and cried, "You entrusted all the family's authority to our second brother. He has covered your eyes and stuffed your ears, but can you still see what's happening below?

Sun Li falsely accused Yu'er and was beaten to death in open court. This matter has already spread throughout the prefectural city, and our Qi Family has become the laughingstock of the entire city!

Sun Li was Feng'er's lackey. What viciousness..."

He raised his reddened eyes, his voice hoarse. "A single falling leaf reveals the coming autumn...

"Now that the Poison Water Army belongs to our second brother, if even the Herb Gathering Pavilion is bestowed upon him in its entirety, my third brother and I might as well take the children and drink poison to end ourselves!

"As for you... I'm afraid you'll be 'sent to your final rest' ahead of time.

"If you're gone, he'll be the rightful family head..."

Qi Changfu gave a bleak smile. "Unlike us, so foolish that we can only go to every length to seek Longevity Flowers for you and invite divine physicians... all in the hope that you'll live to a hundred."

"Father~~!" Qi Changshun wept his heart out, crawling forward on his knees and tightly embracing the old master's legs.

Old Master Qi's face turned livid.

At that moment, Qi Changfu's sobs abruptly stopped.

His body suddenly stiffened. The whites of his eyes rolled upward, and his entire body toppled backward rigidly. White foam gushed between his lips and teeth as his limbs convulsed without pause.

"Changfu!!"

Old Master Qi sprang to his feet.

This was his eldest son... He still remembered the helplessness he had felt more than forty years ago when he first became a father and held that frail infant in his arms.

It was simply that the child had been sickly since birth, so he had only practiced a little martial arts to strengthen his body.

Now that he thought about it, perhaps his emotions had become too agitated and his old illness had flared up.

"Someone!! Someone!!!"

Old Master Qi panicked. Looking around in disarray, he grabbed Qi Changshun, who was still kneeling on the ground, and said, "Quick! Go after Physician Zhang! See how far she's gone! Hurry!"

Qi Changshun scrambled to his feet and staggered out of the hall, shouting, "Physician Zhang, Physician Zhang... please wait! Wait!!"

Dusk welled up outside the window, casting Old Master Qi's pacing silhouette across the wall, where it stretched and shrank by turns.

Several times, he looked toward the couch and saw the middle-aged beauty still concentrating on applying acupuncture. He wanted to ask her something, but swallowed the words each time, afraid of disturbing her.

A long while later...

Zhang Yujie gently withdrew the needles and wiped the fine sweat from her brow. "Master Changfu has awakened. He's blessed by heaven and has suffered no lasting harm."

The old master let out a long breath of relief and hurried forward to grasp his eldest son's cold hand.

Qi Changfu's breathing was weak, but he still forced a smile. "Your son has been unfilial and made you worry."

The old master remembered how frail he had been since childhood, and how his temples were now already streaked with white. A wave of sorrow rose in his heart, and his voice turned hoarse. "You child... how old are you already, yet you still don't know your own limits."

Qi Changfu gently shook his head. "It was my fault. Please, take good care of your health."

At that moment, a light knock came from outside the door.

The old master tucked the quilt around him, then turned and walked out.

Under the corridor, a black-robed martial artist immediately approached and whispered his report.

When he heard, "Young Master Yu was peerless in valor and won First Class," immense joy appeared in the depths of the old master's eyes.

If a family had no successor, that was a sign of decline, and anyone could bully it.

Conversely, if a heaven's pride rose to prominence, that was a sign of prosperity.

This sort of thing... in the mouths of teahouse storytellers, was often described as "fortune." For a family at the smallest scale, or a sect or imperial dynasty at the greatest, if there were successors, its fortune had not yet run out. If a heaven's pride emerged from nowhere, then it meant, "The tide is about to turn."

Old Master Qi clearly trusted this black-robed martial artist greatly. After hearing the good news, he suppressed his delight, then asked uneasily, "Could it be that the opponents this year were simply too weak?"

The black-robed martial artist shook his head repeatedly before reporting the names of the contestants one by one.

"Lin Wuming... only managed to last a dozen breaths against him?"

Old Master Qi had clearly heard of Lin Wuming as well.

The black-robed martial artist said, "It's absolutely true."

Old Master Qi fell silent.

He asked again, "Was the false accusation truly their doing?"

The black-robed martial artist lowered his voice. "Sun Li did indeed leave the second branch's private room. Second Madam also specifically instructed the martial artists taking the examination that if anyone encountered Young Master Yu in the third round, they were to... strike hard and show no mercy."

"Vicious woman!"

Old Master Qi's expression changed violently.

He knew what he had to do now.