At Clinic No. 13 of the Hanging Pot Medical Hall,
"Senior Brother Shen, look..."
Feng Hao wore an utterly helpless expression.
The clinic had only just opened, but patients had already packed the examination room to the brim. Some had even come to blows over a place in line.
"Brother Feng Hao, do me a favor."
Shen Han thought it over, then pulled Feng Hao aside.
Feng Hao was already sweating profusely. "Senior Brother Shen, what is it?"
Shen Han said solemnly, "More and more people are coming to our clinic, and there are all sorts mixed in. We can't let things stay this chaotic."
"Then what do we do?"
Feng Hao wiped his sweat. "The medical hall's doors are open to everyone. We can't exactly turn them away, can we?"
"I have an idea."
Shen Han told Feng Hao his plan in full.
Feng Hao listened, stunned. "Will that work?"
Shen Han smiled. "Go on, do it just like that. I'll take responsibility for whatever happens!"
"All right, then."
Feng Hao returned to the examination room and announced a new rule to everyone.
"Everyone, please don't crowd. From now on, Clinic No. 13 will use a numbered ticket system for consultations!"
A ticket system?
Nobody understood.
But after Feng Hao patiently explained it, everyone got the idea.
The system was simple: patients took a number each day, then saw the doctor in order. Since each ticket showed the patient's place in line, those who hadn't been called could wait outside. That way, the examination room wouldn't be a chaotic mess.
Sure enough, as soon as the ticket system was put in place, the examination room cleared up.
At the same time, the patients coming to the clinic were no longer so irritable.
Thanks to the new system, even though Clinic No. 13 saw the most patients, everyone had been seen and gone before mid-afternoon.
Feng Hao couldn't help praising him. "Senior Brother Shen, that's incredible! How did you come up with this rule?"
"Well, actually..."
Shen Han was about to launch into a long explanation when Guard Zhan Chaoyang hurried over.
"Guard Zhan, is something the matter?"
Shen Han invited him to sit.
Normally, the guards almost never came to the clinic. The last time Guard Zhan Chaoyang had visited was when he'd brought his gravely ill uncle in search of treatment.
Zhan Chaoyang's expression was grave. "Little Shen, Little Feng, I came here specially to tell you something.
"Did you hear that two Skin Refining Realm martial artists were killed in an alley in East City last night?"
"What?"
Feng Hao's mouth fell open.
Shen Han asked, "Did they kill each other?"
Zhan Chaoyang shook his head. "No. A third person killed them. The reason is unknown, but the two victims had unusual identities.
"I have a friend who works as a Constable at the County Yamen.
"He said the victims went by the nickname Qiankun Two Rats. They were members of the Iron Fist Martial Hall."
"The Iron Fist Martial Hall?"
Feng Hao was even more incredulous. "Who would dare to make trouble for the Iron Fist Martial Hall?"
"Most likely, it was a feud between gangs," Zhan Chaoyang said.
"You mean the Black Dragon Gang and the Green Garment Gang?" Shen Han remarked casually.
Zhan Chaoyang nodded. "That's right. Those two gangs and the Iron Fist Martial Hall are known as Three Rivers County's three major powers. The gangs are entrenched outside the county seat and have long wanted to extend their reach inside. It makes sense that they'd clash with the Iron Fist Martial Hall."
"That makes sense."
Shen Han took a sip of tea, his expression calm.
No one could have guessed that the man who'd killed the Qiankun Two Rats was none other than him, the physician!
Zhan Chaoyang continued, "I came to warn you. When immortals fight, ordinary people suffer. Three Rivers County may be unsettled for a while, so be careful."
"Mm. Thank you for letting us know, Guard Zhan."
Shen Han and Feng Hao replied in unison.
After Zhan Chaoyang left, Feng Hao sighed. "Senior Brother Shen, tomorrow's our clinic's day off. I was planning to go for a walk in the countryside, but forget it. For safety's sake, I'd better just stay in town."
"Same here."
"See you the day after tomorrow, Senior Brother Shen."
After work, Shen Han first went to a restaurant for dinner. Then he returned home, took out the ingredients for Qi Condensing Powder, and set water to boil.
"That stinks..."
Unlike the bitterness of Blood-Qi Soup, the medicine from Qi Condensing Powder smelled horribly rank.
In an instant, a nausea-inducing stench filled the room.
"Looks like I'll be scrubbing that pot for ages."
Shen Han stared at the bubbling liquid and grumbled to himself.
"Good thing I'm not the one drinking it. My clone, you're up!"
Half an hour later,
the pale yellow Qi Condensing Powder was ready. A whole pot of water had boiled down to just over half a bowl.
Pinching his nose, Shen Han took out the Bronze Mirror.
The next moment, his clone swiftly brought the bowl inside, blew on it a few times, and drained it in one go.
"So hot!"
Even though it was his clone drinking the medicine, Shen Han immediately felt the effects of the Qi Condensing Powder.
There was no time to waste. Time to practice!
He immediately directed his clone to take the opportunity to practice the Breathing Technique.
Inside the Bronze Mirror, the clone understood his intention. It closed its eyes, steadied its mind, and began cultivating according to the Breathing Technique's methods.
With every breath, the air flowing through the clone's mouth and nose grew slower and steadier.
Shen Han watched closely. The clone's breathing, at first rough and hurried, gradually grew light and even. With every inhale, it drew true qi and the medicine's potency into its meridians; with every exhale, it expelled the body's foul, turbid breath.
"Qi Condensing Powder really is much better than Blood-Qi Soup!"
Shen Han couldn't help but praise it.
Wisps of green smoke were already rising from the clone's head. The medicine had clearly reached its peak effect!
An hour passed in a flash.
"My strength has finally grown again..."
Crack!
Shen Han gently clenched his fist. Without even trying to exert himself, he could feel the power in his palm, and a faint, crisp sound came from his bones.
With a casual swing, his hand even stirred up a sharp whoosh through the air.
In the blink of an eye, the muscles throughout his body had grown firmer. It was as if a dormant strength had awakened inside him, surging out from every limb and bone.
Whoosh!
Shen Han was thrilled.
Practicing the Breathing Technique had seemed useless, but a single bowl of this foul-smelling Qi Condensing Powder had raised his cultivation. How could he not be happy?
He let out a long breath. The meridians in his body, once dry and taut, seemed to slowly widen and become nourished. A faint tingling spread through him, followed by wave after wave of comfort, as though a parched field had finally received rain.
"Qi Condensing Powder is worth taking every day!"
Shen Han made up his mind. "One tael of silver is a little expensive, but I can't skimp on it."
He opened the panel and glanced over it.
Mirror Master: Shen Han Cultivation: Skin Refining Cultivation Method: Breathing Technique (Perfection) Martial Art: Basic Fist Technique (Perfection) Skill: Medicine (Perfection)
Until he found a new cultivation method, Qi Condensing Powder was the only way to improve his cultivation.
Of course, the most important thing was finding a new cultivation manual!
It was already late at night.
"Time to clean up..."
Shen Han opened the doors and windows to air out the stench, then carried the pot and stove to the well in the courtyard to draw water and scrub them.
Suddenly,
two men's heads popped up furtively over the wall outside the courtyard, silhouetted against the night.
What was going on?
Shen Han made a snap decision. He held his breath and hid behind a large tree beside the well.
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