Chief Physician! New Identity!

Lan Tian listened to Alfred's words but did not answer right away.

He lifted the teacup in front of him and slowly took a sip, using the motion to buy himself a few breaths' worth of time to think.

Nuoding City's chief physician—he understood the weight of that title clearly.

The salary and honorary post were secondary. The key was the part about receiving official protection.

Words spoken face-to-face by the City Lord meant Nuoding City's official forces would step in when he ran into trouble.

From now on, whether it was some blind street thug or a criminal hiding in the shadows, anyone who wanted to touch his clinic would first have to weigh the City Lord's Manor's attitude.

Moreover, the hundred-odd members of the city guard would send their injuries to him from now on. That meant not only a stable source of income, but also that he would establish a solid connection with Nuoding City's core armed force.

He had already secured Renn's favor, but if he could take it a step further and turn the entire city guard—even the City Lord's Manor—into his backing, then his foundation in Nuoding City would be completely stable.

Once he had thought it through, he set down the teacup and cupped his hands toward Alfred. "My Lord City Lord flatters me. Lan Tian is unworthy of such favor. Since my lord trusts my medical skills, I am willing to accept the position of chief physician."

A satisfied smile appeared on Alfred's face. He turned to Renn and said, "Renn, when you return, draft the appointment letter and deliver it to Physician Lan. Set his salary according to the standard of the city guard's chief instructor."

Renn cupped his fist and accepted the order. "Yes, City Lord."

Alfred looked back at Lan Tian, his tone more casual than before. "Physician Lan, the appointment letter is only a formality, but with this status, it will be much easier for you to handle matters in Nuoding City. I'll have the city guard informed. From now on, whenever there are injuries or illnesses, they'll be sent to you at once. If you need any medicinal ingredients or equipment, write up a list, and I'll have the storeroom allocate them to you."

"Many thanks, City Lord."

Lan Tian quickly calculated in his mind before saying, "I usually purchase quite a few medicinal ingredients myself, but there are a few more uncommon ones. If they can be taken from the storeroom, it will indeed be much more convenient. I'll organize a list later and send it over."

Alfred nodded, exchanged a few more pleasantries, then rose with Renn to take his leave.

When he reached the door, he turned back and added, "Right, the appointment letter will bear the City Lord's seal. Keep it safe. If anyone comes looking for trouble in the future, just show it."

Lan Tian watched them leave into the distance before turning back into the clinic. He shut the door, leaned against the table, and took a deep breath.

Chief physician.

This title had come unexpectedly, yet also reasonably.

He could be considered a healing-type soul master, and he had gained a place in Nuoding City. But advancing from a simple clinic doctor to an officially recognized chief physician had not been a low threshold.

The treatment fee of more than three hundred Gold Soul Coins today, along with Alfred personally coming to his door, showed that the other side truly valued his abilities and was willing to trade that regard for long-term stability in guaranteeing the city guard's combat strength.

Before his chair had even warmed, he got up and went to the back courtyard. He turned over the medicinal ingredients drying there, changed into a clean set of clothes, then sat at the table and took out paper and brush to start writing a list.

Since the City Lord had said that medicinal ingredients could come through the storeroom, then some expensive ingredients he usually could not bear to buy could now be openly included.

Hundred-year-old lingzhi, purple-backed sunflower, snow lotus root—Shopkeeper Chen had these things too, but the prices were absurdly high, and he had never been willing to spend on them before.

Now that public funds were covering it, he should list what needed to be listed. In any case, even if they ultimately ended up being used by him, they would still be used to treat the city guard's injuries, so the accounts would be justifiable.

He spent more than half an hour finishing the list, then carefully checked it over again. After confirming there were no omissions, he folded it and placed it into an envelope, preparing to deliver it to the City Lord's Manor tomorrow.

Just as he was putting away the brush, Louise pushed the door open and came in.

Today, she wore a pale blue dress and carried a food box in her hand, walking in with a bright smile. "Physician Lan, I heard the City Lord came to see you personally? How was it? Was it something good?"

Lan Tian took the food box and opened it for a look. Inside was a plate of braised pork and a bowl of steaming hot soup, still giving off heat.

He raised an eyebrow. "How are you so well-informed?"

"My father ran into Renn on the street this morning. Renn told him." Louise sat down by the table and propped up her chin as she looked at him. "Come on, tell me. What did the City Lord talk to you about?"

Lan Tian gave her a rough account of the appointment letter. After Louise finished listening, her eyes lit up. "Chief physician! That's the first of its kind in our Nuoding City! From now on, wherever you go, you'll have official backing. Who would dare provoke you?"

"It's not that exaggerated." Lan Tian smiled, ladled himself a bowl of soup, and drank slowly. "It's just an honorary position. My actual work is still treating illnesses and saving people."

Louise did not think so. She counted on her fingers as she explained to Lan Tian, "Think about it. In the past, if you ran into unreasonable thugs making trouble, you had to drive them off yourself. Now that you have the status of chief physician, you can just call the city guard over. In the past, when you went to Soul Hunting Forest to gather herbs, you still had to apply for a pass yourself. Now, maybe one written note will settle it. There are plenty of benefits!"

Lan Tian listened while drinking his soup and felt that Louise did make some sense.

Indeed, status was something that did not seem very useful in ordinary times, but at critical moments, it could save a great deal of trouble.

After he finished the soup, he placed the empty bowl back into the food box and said to Louise, "The appointment letter will only be delivered tomorrow, but the City Lord's side has already settled it. I'll invite your family to a meal later, as thanks for your help during this period."

"A meal? You said it yourself, so I'll remember that." Louise stood with a smile and picked up the food box. "Then I'll head back first. Get some proper rest. You've been busy all day today."

After she left, the clinic quieted down again.

Lan Tian put away the paper and brush on the table, then walked to the back courtyard and stood for a while in the gradually cooling autumn wind.

The sky slowly darkened. The clouds in the west were burned golden-red by the setting sun, and a bird swept past from the distance, soon disappearing behind the treetops.

He thought over everything that had happened today. From a clinic full of wounded soldiers in the morning to the City Lord personally visiting in the afternoon, in just one short day, both his status and his circumstances had undergone a considerable leap.

The income of more than three hundred Gold Soul Coins had greatly enriched his finances. The title of chief physician had given his status in Nuoding City official endorsement. The fact that his medicine list could go through the storeroom had broadened his access to resources by a large margin compared to before.

He understood very well what all these things meant for his path of cultivation when stacked together.

With money, he could buy more medicinal ingredients and better equipment.

With status, he could gather herbs deeper in Soul Hunting Forest more safely.

With the storeroom channel, many rare medicinal ingredients he had previously been unable to afford or obtain would easily fall into his hands.

And all these things would ultimately become capital for his cultivation and his growth in strength.

He did not rush inside to meditate. Instead, he stood in the courtyard a while longer, sorting through his thoughts.

Chief physician was only a starting point, not the end.

What he wanted was far more than a stable temporary post. He wanted to turn that status into the conditions most beneficial to his own cultivation.

The resources of the City Lord's Manor, the connections of the City Guard, the backing of an official identity—every one of these had to be put to good use. None could be wasted.

Only when the night wind had turned completely cool did he turn and enter the house, light the lamp, and begin preparing tonight's medicinal bath.

The remaining effects of the Dragon Bone Grass decoction had been fully absorbed, and his body's transformation had come to a close. Next, he would rely on daily medicinal baths and meditation to continue tempering himself.

He calculated it. At his current pace, advancing from level fourteen to level fifteen would require at least another three months or so of steady accumulation. If he could find more good materials during that time, such as Whale Glue of an older vintage or auxiliary herbs similar to Dragon Bone Grass, that time could be shortened further.

But this time, he would not be as impatient as before.

In any case, he had plenty of time. Advancing steadily was more reliable than rushing progress.

White steam rose from the hot water in the wooden tub, and the fragrance of the medicinal herbs gradually spread.

He took off his clothes and sat inside. The warm water wrapped around his entire body, and the day's fatigue slowly dispersed under the seep of the medicinal power.

He closed his eyes and began today's meditation.

Soul power flowed slowly through his meridians, steady and lingering, like a quiet little stream flowing through the mountains.

The sound of the night watch came from outside.

Dong! Dong! Dong!

After the three strikes, the night fell completely silent.

Lan Tian sat in the wooden tub, his breathing gradually deepening, his mind at peace.