Lin Mo gathered his words and, after a moment of silence, finally said, "The main reason I want to study medicine... is that I'm afraid of death."
His voice held a seriousness rarely heard from him.
He paused, a trace of complicated emotion entering his eyes.
"When I lived in the village, I saw elderly villagers pass away before their time from illnesses that, to me, might not have been all that serious.
Most of the time, that happened because they didn't receive treatment in time.
Whenever I saw someone pass away from illness, I always felt... a little uneasy."
"Secondly..." He raised his head, his gaze clear. "In the future, perhaps I'll also be able to lend a hand to those trapped by illness. Every person I can save counts."
Lin Mo spoke very sincerely.
On this matter, he truly wasn't lying, nor did he have any need to lie.
Aside from wanting to use this opportunity to investigate his second martial soul, that little bit of worry was why the thought of becoming an apprentice here had occurred to him.
Perhaps it was because his experience in his first life, when he had been sickly and died full of bitterness before reaching twenty, had been etched too deeply into his bones.
He didn't want to experience that helpless despair again.
That was why he always felt a sympathetic pain for those trapped by sickness who ultimately passed away with regrets.
In the past, he had lacked the ability and could only watch helplessly as it happened, powerless to do anything.
But if he gained the ability in the future, he wouldn't mind offering help within his means.
It had nothing to do with being noble. It was more like making up for his own past regrets.
Hearing Lin Mo's reason of being "afraid of death," Ye Linyuan visibly froze.
He had practiced medicine for most of his life and had met people who wanted to study medicine for all sorts of reasons.
Some wanted to ply their healing arts to help the world, some were following in their fathers' footsteps, and others hoped to make a living from it.
But a little child who looked barely seven saying so earnestly that he wanted to study medicine because he was "afraid of death"-that truly was a first.
Usually, people with such thoughts were either gravely ill and desperate to save themselves, or old fellows nearing the end of their lifespans who tried every possible means to prolong their lives.
Yet the child before him had a rosy complexion, blood and vitality so vigorous it was almost absurd, and Soul Power cultivation far beyond his peers. No matter how he looked at him, the words "near death" should have had nothing to do with him.
But looking into Lin Mo's earnest eyes and hearing his utterly genuine tone, he knew the child was speaking from the heart.
With his cultivation and spiritual power as an Eight-Ring Soul Douluo, he was hardly incapable of telling whether a child was lying at such close range.
As though he had heard something amusing, Ye Linyuan couldn't help bursting into hearty laughter.
"Hahaha! Good! 'Afraid of death'-what a reason!" Ye Linyuan laughed so hard his beard quivered several times, and he slapped his thigh firmly.
"In all my years, this is the first time I've heard of someone studying medicine for that reason! Honest enough, and direct enough too!"
Then he stopped laughing. "All right, this old man accepts your reason!
For the sake of your honesty and... original intention alone, you may stay here as an apprentice."
However, he changed tack, his tone growing slightly more serious. "But whether you can stay in the end will depend on your performance over the next three months.
Studying medicine isn't child's play. It takes patience, care, and perseverance.
If you can't endure the hardship, or your heart isn't steady, don't blame this old man for sending you away when the time comes."
Hearing this, Lin Mo felt reassured and quickly nodded. "I understand, Old Mister Ye. I'll study seriously. I absolutely won't give up halfway."
"Mm." Ye Linyuan nodded in satisfaction, then seemed to remember something and asked,
"By the way, little fellow, I saw in your Soul Master booklet that your martial soul awakening and initial registration both took place over in Nuoding City.
Nuoding City is a very long way from our Heaven Dou City. How did you end up all the way here?"
Lin Mo scratched his head and answered honestly, "Old Mister Ye, I've already graduated from Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy.
I'm studying at Heaven Dou Intermediate Soul Master Academy now. The academy isn't too far from here.
It was because I study here and have a fairly regular schedule that I thought of becoming an apprentice at the clinic. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had the opportunity."
"Heaven Dou Intermediate Soul Master Academy?" Understanding appeared on Ye Linyuan's face. "So you're a student at that boy Xue Sheng's academy. Mm, that makes sense."
The Xue Sheng he mentioned was clearly Director Xue of Heaven Dou Intermediate Soul Master Academy.
"Since you're still attending school, we'll have to arrange your time properly." Ye Linyuan considered it for a moment before saying to Lin Mo,
"How about this? From now on, find some time every afternoon to spend two to four hours at the clinic.
Adjust the exact times flexibly according to your academy's class schedule.
Don't worry. It won't take up too much of your time, much less interfere with your regular Soul Power cultivation.
For Soul Masters your age, cultivating Soul Power and improving your strength come first. This old man still knows how to keep his priorities straight."
Hearing this arrangement, Lin Mo felt even more relieved and quickly nodded. "No problem, Old Mister Ye.
My afternoons are mostly free cultivation time, so coming here will be very convenient."
For him, this was merely a matter of taking some of the time he would otherwise spend holed up in the academy library and setting it aside for the clinic.
Besides, in Heaven Dou Intermediate Soul Master Academy's library, he wouldn't dare simply let Charmander out to stay with him as he had at Nuoding Academy-
The teachers managing this place wouldn't be as accommodating as Nuoding Academy's teachers and let him stay in the library with Charmander.
At the clinic, however, if he could find a quiet corner, it might actually be more convenient for him to let Charmander out to cultivate.
After all, they shared Soul Power. When Charmander was outside, his cultivation speed was actually a little faster.
"Then it's settled." Ye Linyuan stood, a gentle smile on his face. "Head back for today. You'll officially start tomorrow afternoon.
Just come straight to Lingling then. She'll arrange the specific tasks for you."
"Yes. Thank you, Old Mister Ye." Lin Mo also stood and bowed respectfully to Ye Linyuan.
Ye Linyuan waved a hand. "Off you go. Cultivate well, and come on time tomorrow."
After thanking him again, Lin Mo turned and left the little room.
In the side room outside, Ye Lingling was still sitting quietly by the window. The boy named Li He was still buried in his book, seemingly unconcerned with anything that had happened inside.