Qingre Pill and Terminal Illness

The middle-aged man's arrogant words and the black-clad bodyguards' forceful clearing of the area instantly shattered the peaceful atmosphere of the queue outside the "Ask Your Heart" clinic. Most of the patients waiting in line were ordinary residents of the residential complex, who had never seen such a scene before. A commotion erupted, their faces a mixture of fear and indignation, but they dared not speak out.

However, Taishang Laojun—Li Er, seated on a small stool, didn't even lift an eyelid. He leisurely picked up his signature enamel mug, blew on the non-existent foam, and took a sip of the tea brewed with three "Demonic Qi Pills," as if the aggressive, uninvited guests before him were merely buzzing flies.

This disregard instantly darkened the middle-aged man's expression. As the personal assistant to the city's renowned entrepreneur, Wang Jianguo, he was usually surrounded by people and treated with utmost respect wherever he went. When had he ever been treated with such neglect?

"Hey! Old man! I'm talking to you! Did you hear me? Our President Wang is asking you to see him, that's your good fortune! Don't push your luck!" the assistant raised his voice, his tone becoming more hostile.

At this moment, Old Zhang, who was at the front of the line and had his old cold legs cured by Laojun, couldn't stand it. He bravely said, "You... how can you be like this? We have to queue to see a doctor! Divine Doctor Li follows the rule of first come, first served!"

"Queue?" the assistant scoffed, sweeping his contemptuous gaze over the people in line. "You poor folks, you think you're worthy of queuing with our President Wang? Do you know how much President Wang's time is worth per minute? If his condition is delayed, selling you all wouldn't be enough to compensate!"

These words completely enraged the residents in line. Discussions and accusations erupted, and the situation became somewhat chaotic.

Just as several black-clad bodyguards moved to drive the crowd away, Laojun finally put down his enamel mug and looked up. His gaze was calm and steady, neither angry nor fearful. He merely glanced indifferently at the assistant and the old man in the white coat beside him.

"Here, at Ask Your Heart, we treat patients regardless of wealth or status. Everyone must follow the order of arrival," Laojun's voice was not loud, but it carried a strange penetrating power, clearly overpowering the surrounding noise. "If you wish to seek treatment, please wait at the end of the line. If you wish to show off your power, please find another place."

His tone was gentle, yet carried an undeniable firmness, as if stating a universal truth.

The assistant felt an inexplicable chill in his heart as Laojun's gaze swept over him, and he subconsciously took half a step back. But he quickly regained his composure, feeling it was humiliating to show weakness in front of an old man. Just as he was about to lash out, he was stopped by the old man in the white coat wearing gold-rimmed glasses.

"Assistant Zhao, please remain calm," the old man in the white coat adjusted his glasses and stepped forward, scrutinizing Laojun with a look of academic arrogance. "I am Liu Mingbo, Director of Oncology at Central Hospital. I've heard of Mr. Li's divine medical skills and have come to seek your advice. May I ask if Mr. Li has a good remedy for advanced malignant glioma?"

As soon as Liu Mingbo spoke, there was a collective gasp from the surroundings!

Malignant glioma! And advanced stage! This was a terminal illness known as the "King of Brain Cancers"! Even with all-out medical efforts, the prognosis was extremely poor, survival time was very short, and the process was excruciatingly painful. Liu Mingbo's question was clearly ill-intentioned, aiming to publicly embarrass and expose the "divine doctor" or force him to retreat.

The assistant Zhao also reacted and sarcastically chimed in, "Yeah, old man, aren't you a divine doctor? If you can't even cure President Wang's illness, what are you pretending to be here? You should just close shop and be done with it!"

All eyes were focused on Laojun. The patients in line also held their breath. They believed in Divine Doctor Li's medical skills, but "advanced brain cancer"... this was beyond their understanding of "illness."

Under the gaze of countless eyes, Laojun's expression remained unchanged. He even lowered his head and took another sip of tea before slowly speaking, his tone as casual as if discussing what to eat for dinner:

"Intracranial carbuncle, with toxic fire attacking the heart, corroding bone and marrow, is indeed a stubborn ailment."

A mocking curve appeared on Liu Mingbo's lips, and just as he was about to speak, he heard Laojun continue:

"However, all things are interdependent. Though the toxic fire is fierce, there is clear dew that can resolve it. This ailment is not incurable."

Not incurable?!

These four words struck like lightning from a clear sky, exploding in the midst of the crowd!

The mockery on Liu Mingbo's face instantly froze, replaced by disbelief and absurdity. "What did you say? Advanced glioma is not incurable? Mr. Li, you must be responsible for your words! This is science! Not some trickery from your traditional Chinese medicine!"

Assistant Zhao also acted as if he had heard the biggest joke. "Old man, are you crazy? Even the top medical teams in America are helpless, and you dare say you can cure it?"

Laojun ignored their doubts. He calmly reached into his gray jacket, which seemed like Doraemon's pocket, and fumbled for a small jade bottle (it looked much more sophisticated than a plastic box for "candy"). The bottle was smooth and warm all over, emitting a faint coolness.

He uncorked it and poured out a pill the size of a longan, perfectly round, emerald green, with natural cloud patterns on its surface, exuding a refreshing coolness that permeated the air. The moment the pill appeared, the surrounding air seemed to become fresher, and even the summer heat dissipated considerably.

"This is a 'Qingre Pill'," Laojun said, holding the pill in his palm, his tone still calm. "It specifically clears the toxic fire accumulated in the internal organs, dissolves stagnation, and strengthens the righteous qi while dispelling the evil. For the 'intracranial carbuncle' you mentioned, it may have some effect."

"Qingre Pill?" Liu Mingbo was stunned for a moment, then let out a scoff. "With just this unknown pill, you think you can cure advanced brain cancer? Mr. Li, this joke is too much! Do you know what cancer cells are? Do you know about the blood-brain barrier? Do you know about tumor heterogeneity and invasiveness?"

He fired off a barrage of modern medical terms, attempting to crush Laojun theoretically.

Laojun merely glanced at him calmly and said, "A doctor treats illness. Knowing that it works doesn't necessarily mean knowing why it works. Whether this medicine is effective can be known with a trial."

"Try? How do we try? Are you taking our President Wang as a guinea pig?" Assistant Zhao shrieked. "If something goes wrong, can you bear the responsibility?"

"This medicine is very mild. It is made from the essence of common herbs and plants such as morning dew, artemisia annua, lotus seeds, and borneol, refined with... special techniques," Laojun explained. He described the refining process as extremely ordinary, but the phrase "special techniques" sparked imagination. "If you don't believe it, you can find a patient with a similar condition and try it. If it's ineffective, I will immediately close my clinic and never practice medicine again."

Laojun's tone carried absolute confidence, as if stating a foregone conclusion.

His words made even Liu Mingbo waver. He had been practicing medicine for decades and had never met anyone so certain about curing advanced brain cancer. Moreover, the pill the other party produced, just the scent of it, made him feel invigorated; it was clearly no ordinary item. Could it be... that such miraculous medical skills and drugs truly existed in the world?

Assistant Zhao was also skeptical, but President Wang's condition could not be delayed any longer. They had consulted top experts both domestically and internationally, and the results were all the same—prepare for the end. Now, this "lifeline" had appeared. Even if it was absurd, it was worth a try! What if... what if it worked?

"Fine!" Assistant Zhao gritted his teeth. "I'll go back and report to President Wang immediately! If this medicine is truly effective, the compensation will definitely satisfy you! But if it's useless, or if something goes wrong..." He glared fiercely at Laojun, leaving the latter half of his threat unsaid, but the menace was clear.

With that, he didn't linger. He got into the car with the bodyguards and Liu Mingbo and left in a hurry.

This sudden storm temporarily subsided, but the news that the "Ask Your Heart" clinic and Divine Doctor Li could cure advanced brain cancer spread even faster, causing even greater sensation and controversy.

In the rental apartment, Lin Fan learned about the "Qingre Pill" and advanced brain cancer almost immediately from the discussions of his neighbors and push notifications from local news. He was so scared that his soul almost left his body. He couldn't even bother to carefully examine the astonishing preliminary appraisal documents for Nüwa's paintings that he had just brought back from the Jiade Art Gallery. He practically scrambled home.

"Senior Laojun! You... you really brought out a medicine that can cure cancer?!" Lin Fan rushed into the room, forgetting all etiquette, and asked breathlessly.

Inside, Yuanshi Tianzun was meditating and deducing something. Goddess Nüwa was quietly kneading clay by the window. Master Tongtian still exuded an aura of "do not approach," and Gong Gong was sleeping in a corner. Only Laojun, who had just returned from his walk (or rather, from seeing patients), was sitting on his stool, preparing to refill his "tea."

Hearing Lin Fan's words, Yuanshi opened his eyes, Nüwa also stopped her actions, and even Tongtian glanced over. Clearly, they were all aware of what had happened outside.

Laojun calmly poured hot water into the enamel mug, watching the three black pills bobbing in the tea, and slowly said, "It's just an ordinary pill for clearing the accumulated toxic fire in the body. Why the fuss?"

"Ordinary pill?! That's advanced cancer!" Lin Fan felt like he was going crazy. "Modern medicine has declared it a death sentence! And you can cure it with one pill? This... this will cause an earthquake! The authorities will definitely keep a close eye on us! And those pharmaceutical giants... they'll go mad!"

Lin Fan could already envision countless forces swarming like sharks smelling blood.

"Young friend, please calm down," Laojun blew on the tea, his tone still composed. "I have not cured 'cancer,' but rather resolved its root cause—that imbalanced, out-of-control, continuously multiplying 'toxic fire' that devours life force." (In his understanding, cancer cells were a kind of out-of-control, malicious life energy, similar to a low-level, unconscious Demonic Qi). "This 'Qingre Pill' has a mild medicinal property, focusing on regulating balance and stimulating the body's own righteous qi (immune system) to eliminate foreign invaders. The effect might be significant, but it is still within the scope of 'medical principles'."

His explanation attempted to package supernatural power as an ultimate form of "traditional Chinese medicine conditioning." It sounded somewhat plausible, but Lin Fan knew this was a deliberate misrepresentation! What kind of conditioning could cure advanced brain cancer in a few days? That was a lie!

Yuanshi Tianzun spoke at this moment, his voice steady. "Senior Brother's actions, though perhaps a bit... high-profile, are not without merit. By using this 'terminal illness' matter, we can demonstrate our 'value' and 'controllability' to this realm. Rather than passively defending, it is better to proactively reveal some of our abilities, set boundaries, and strive for a voice. What the authorities seek is stability and control. A 'divine doctor' who can solve problems they cannot solve is far more valuable than a threat."

Lin Fan was stunned. After thinking carefully, it seemed to make sense. The medical skills Laojun displayed were tangible, capable of solving humanity's most pressing needs (conquering disease). As long as this ability was used properly, it would not bring about a destructive blow, but rather could become a shield and a bargaining chip. What the authorities needed to weigh was the benefit versus the risk of controlling a "divine doctor." Clearly, the benefits were immense.

Nüwa also nodded slightly, "If this can be used as an opportunity to reduce conflict and gain more freedom of action in this world, it is indeed a good deed."

Even Tongtian, uncharacteristically, didn't argue. He merely snorted coldly, "I just hope those ordinary mortals are sensible."

Seeing that the Sages all looked confident and unconcerned, as if they had everything under control, Lin Fan also slowly calmed down. That's right, he was just too impatient. With these powerful figures here, even if the sky fell, there would be tall people to hold it up. He just needed to do his job as the "logistics minister" and "external liaison officer."

He took a deep breath and handed the document bag in his hand to Nüwa. "Goddess Nüwa, the Jiade Art Gallery has highly praised your two paintings. They've organized an expert team for preliminary appraisal and believe that whether it's the brushwork, the artistic conception, or the age of the paper and ink (they couldn't determine the exact era, but confirmed they are definitely not modern works), they are masterpieces. They've given a preliminary valuation..." Lin Fan swallowed and announced a figure so astronomical it made even Nüwa raise an eyebrow slightly.

"This money is enough for us to buy the sanatorium that Senior Yuanshi is interested in and renovate it," Lin Fan added. The funding issue was about to be resolved!

This was finally some good news, diluting the tension brought on by the "Qingre Pill."

However, the wind never ceases when one wants to be still. Just as Lin Fan was starting to relax and prepare to arrange dinner, his phone rang urgently. The caller ID showed Chen Jing.

Lin Fan's heart skipped a beat. Here it comes!

He glanced at Laojun, who nodded slightly at him, signaling him to answer.

Lin Fan pressed the answer button, trying to keep his voice calm. "Team Leader Chen?"

"Lin Fan," Chen Jing's voice came through, more serious and somber than ever. "Regarding your neighbor, Mr. 'Li Er,' and his so-called 'Qingre Pill'... we need to talk immediately. Things have gone beyond our control."

Lin Fan's heart sank. It seemed the pressure from the authorities was immense.

"Wang Jianguo... that entrepreneur suffering from late-stage brain cancer, his family has directly pressured us through high-level channels, demanding that 'Divine Doctor Li's' treatment proceed smoothly," Chen Jing said with a hint of helplessness in her tone. "At the same time, several top medical research institutions and pharmaceutical giants, both domestically and internationally, have gotten wind of this. They are inquiring through various channels, and some forces have even begun to investigate using unconventional methods."

Lin Fan's scalp tingled. The situation was far more complicated and severe than he had anticipated!

"We need to clarify a few things now," Chen Jing's tone turned resolute. "First, Li Er's identity and purpose. Second, the true ingredients, mechanism of action, and potential risks of the 'Qingre Pill.' Third, and most importantly, what are he, and you... trying to do?"

Chen Jing paused, her voice lowering slightly, with an unprecedentedly formal tone:

"The higher-ups have decided to initiate dialogue at the highest level. Lin Fan, we need to have an open and frank formal meeting with you and the 'friends' behind you. It will be tonight. We can arrange a location that is absolutely safe and confidential."

A formal meeting! The authorities were finally going to lay their cards on the table!

Lin Fan covered the microphone and quickly relayed Chen Jing's words to the Sages in the room.

Yuanshi Tianzun's eyes flashed with a sharp light; he seemed to have expected this. Goddess Nüwa's expression was calm. Master Tongtian's lips curled into a cold smile. Taishang Laojun... he slowly took another sip of tea, then looked at Lin Fan and nodded gently.

Lin Fan took a deep breath and said into the microphone:

"Alright. You set the time and place. We... will be there on time."