So someone had to guide him in, and only through systematic study could he develop this world's technology tree—or rather, its medical technology tree.
Thinking of the worn-out apprenticeship trope from his previous life, Xing Ran refused to believe that the patient, grinding persistence of Shaolin Temple monks could not move Grandma Qiu enough to take him on.
Sigh, if only Tsunade were in the village. At least he would have had a better option. Setting everything else aside, with his current gambling skills, there was a good chance they could learn from each other. Unfortunately, among the skilled Medical Ninjas Hai Yi knew in the village, only people at Grandma Qiu's level remained, and there were not many of them. Xing Ran had no better reason to approach the others anyway, so he could only shake fruit from Grandma Qiu's tree.
Having adjusted his mindset again, Xing Ran began visiting Grandma Qiu's shop every day. He was not someone who struggled to express himself, so he clearly stated that he hoped to receive Grandma Qiu's guidance. Then came days of volunteer work, volunteer work, and more volunteer work.
Half a month later, Xing Ran had confirmed that Hai Yi's training method worked, but for him, it was practically a drop in the bucket. It could only serve as a barely worthwhile means of improvement.
That day, Xing Ran came to Grandma Qiu's shop as usual. It was still early, and few people had come to buy vegetables. There was only a little old man in the shop.
Xing Ran naturally slipped into volunteer mode. After half a month of on-the-job training, he was already a qualified middle-aged woman shopping at the vegetable market. First, recommend the shop's overstocked goods, then ask what the customer wanted and what size they needed.
But before he could finish this three-step service routine, the little old man interrupted him.
The old man's baldness was severe, and age spots had crept across his face. He carried a plastic bag in his dry hand, and only then did Xing Ran notice that there was already a dead fish inside it.
"I... I bought this fish yesterday. I was planning to keep it for a day before eating it, but... but it died in the middle of the night. This fish wasn't fresh when you sold it to me. I... I want a refund... Or you can exchange it for a fresh one..." The old man tried his best to sound imposing, but his clearly unconvincing tone left Xing Ran puzzled.
"Grandma Qiu? Did you sell him this fish yesterday?" Xing Ran was not certain. During this period, he had handled nearly all the work in the little shop. Even his underdeveloped super-brain would not let his memories get fuzzy. He had never sold fish to this old man. Was the man trying to stage a scam?
"...I'm old. I can't remember very clearly." Ever since Xing Ran had started volunteering, Grandma Qiu's only remaining duties had been keeping the accounts and petting cats. At the moment, she was lazily sunbathing in her recliner.
Normally, there would have been nothing wrong with the old lady listlessly saying that she was old and could not remember. But Xing Ran did not buy it for a second. Her little account book recorded in perfect detail even the time an orange cat stole a fish that had jumped out of the pond. There was no reason she would forget something from yesterday.
"Refund my money, or give me a fresh fish. Otherwise, I'll stay here and refuse to leave." The old man's eyes darted around as he realized things were not so simple. When had this shop gotten such a spirited-looking young man? Without giving Xing Ran time to investigate, he changed plans and activated Plan B.
Watching the old man prepare to sit on the ground and fire up his electric-butt motor, Xing Ran was speechless. What was with this painfully familiar scene from his previous life? If you wanted to run a scam, go do it on the street.
The old man could tell from Xing Ran's expression that the youngster had been bewildered by his combination punch. His smile gradually became shameless.
"There will be no refund, and I won't exchange it for another fish. This fish of yours likes to play dead. Stimulate it with Chakra, and it'll wake up on its own." Xing Ran was sure Grandma Qiu did not intend to interfere. It was as though she could not see the old man making trouble on her turf at all. Xing Ran knew he would have to handle this himself.
As an apprentice with no human rights, anything that happened in front of his teacher could be a test. Thinking back, he had volunteered here for so long. According to the usual script, it was about time for the teacher to set a question and see what kind of person the student was.
Considering that he had come to learn Medical Ninjutsu, and that the "dead fish" before him was a standard training prop in the Naruto world, the intention was far too obvious.
Xing Ran revealed a kindly threatening—no, kindly smiling—expression.
He pulled the dead fish from the plastic bag with one hand and activated the Mystical Palm Technique. Since he had previously experienced restoring a dead fish's vitality, doing it again now was extremely easy.
In the mere seconds it took to take the dead fish from the plastic bag and hold it out before the old man, a flash of green light passed over it, and the fish suddenly began flopping and jumping about again.
"Th-this... Don't fool me just because I didn't study much. That's Medical Ninjutsu, right?" The old man forced himself to remain calm. His words were righteous, as though he wanted to prove his innocence. You're all bad people, taking advantage of an old man because he has no education. Yet his body was more honest than his mouth. He snatched the fish, stuffed it back into the plastic bag, and vanished in a quick trot.
The corner of Xing Ran's mouth curled upward as he looked smugly at Grandma Qiu, who seemed to have fallen asleep in her recliner. That question had been too easy. Did she have anything harder?
But Grandma Qiu was clearly too lofty to care about Xing Ran's smugness. She still looked as though she had not fully woken up. Yet the little orange cat exposed the turmoil in her heart. At some point, the poor cat had fled in panic and hidden behind Xing Ran, trembling. A bald patch on its back looked especially ugly. This... had been rubbed bald just now. The young orange cat had suffered pain no cat its age should have had to bear.
That evening, after finishing another full day of volunteer work with an atrocious experience rating, Xing Ran was preparing to go home when Grandma Qiu, who seemed nearly fused with her recliner, suddenly spoke to stop him.
"Who taught you the Mystical Palm Technique?" Grandma Qiu's tone was difficult to read. Xing Ran did not know whether she viewed his ability to use the Mystical Palm Technique positively or with disapproval.
"Not bad, right?" Xing Ran asked tentatively.
"Crude and sloppy. It wastes Chakra, and it wastes cellular lifespan even more. No wonder you came to study under me. Was the person who taught you a veterinarian?" Grandma Qiu did not hold back as she criticized Xing Ran.
But Xing Ran was not unhappy. From Grandma Qiu's words, did that mean she was going to accept him? Hmm, turn this unlicensed veterinarian into a qualified old military doctor!
"No one taught me, which is why it's like this. Please excuse me, please excuse me." Xing Ran knew it was time to show off his talent. A self-taught genius, right here before her. Why was she not quickly struck with awe and taking him as her final disciple, sending him straight to the peak of life?
"Mm, self-taught." Grandma Qiu remained calm, as though their conversation had just reached an awkward point. She lay back down in her recliner, leaving Xing Ran utterly baffled. That was it? The script was wrong. So your true body was that recliner, huh? Had discovering a genius like me excited you so much that you revealed your true form?
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