57: Out-of-control alienated monk

"Where is this? Water..."

The Old Hunter slowly woke up, his parched lips mumbling.

Hearing this, Gu Changsheng poured some clear water from a jar and gestured for the Young Hunter to give it to the Old Hunter.

He then casually dropped the miasma centipede disease seed into a blue-patterned white porcelain urn.

"Thank you, Dr...."

Seeing his grandfather wake up, the Young Hunter immediately burst into tears of joy and repeatedly kowtowed to Gu Changsheng.

"Alright... your grandfather has just expelled the miasma, and his body is still very weak. Remember to rest for ten days after you return.

Additionally, I'll prescribe some calming and focusing Qi formulas for you... The consultation fee will just be one copper coin."

The two were immediately overcome with gratitude, paid thirty-one copper coins for the medicine, clutched the medicine wrapped in oily yellow paper, and departed with endless thanks.

Soon, the news spread.

The neighbors all learned of the matter.

Aunts and uncles, mixing with village gossip, quickly spread the news throughout Chenping County.

"Have you heard? Mr. Gu, the new doctor at the clinic, is really skilled. The Old Hunter was afflicted by miasma, and it looked like King Yama was about to strike a line in the book of life and death.

Who knew that Mr. Gu, with his precise touch, in just a few quick moves, had him well again.

Moreover, the medicine he prescribes is all at normal prices, and the consultation fee is even cheaper, only one copper coin..."

"A one-copper-coin consultation fee? Isn't that the same as the Jielu Medical Clinic before?

Only earning money from normal-priced medicine..."

"Initially, I was worried about Dr. Gu's medical skills, feeling a bit uneasy... My old ailment has flared up these past two days, so I'll go visit and see."

"Dr. Gu isn't married yet, is he?

Such a good person, handsome and dignified, skilled in medicine, and excellent at painting, he really ought to find a good wife..."

Not long after, a large number of patients arrived at the Jielu Medical Clinic, surrounding it so tightly that not even a drop of water could get through.

Fortunately, the Disease-Breaking Eye combined with the technique of refining disease seeds made the diagnostic efficiency extremely high.

In just half a day, all the patients who came for treatment were cured of their ailments and left with smiles.

No sooner had he sent off the patients than several matchmakers, adorned with large red flowers, clung to him, saying they wanted to arrange a marriage for him.

It was a girl from a respectable family.

After some polite refusals, he finally managed to send them away, and the clinic became quiet again.

Clink, clank, clatter—

A large handful of copper coins was tossed from his hand, falling into the money box.

"Two taels and three qian of silver... deducting the cost of the medicinal ingredients, I probably earned... one tael."

Gu Changsheng calculated the approximate figure.

Although many patients came today, he operated on the principle of small profits but quick turnover.

Earning hard-earned money.

Even so, it was equivalent to half a month of setting up a stall and selling paintings in Qingyi Alley in the past.

After all, in troubled times, the number of people with spare money for portraits was dwindling day by day.

However, people eat grains, experience harsh winters and scorching summers, and inevitably suffer from headaches and fevers.

The demand for medical treatment has always been stable.

After putting away the money, Gu Changsheng brought out a half-human-tall blue-patterned white porcelain urn, lifted its floral porcelain lid, and inside lay forty to fifty disease seeds, resting steadily.

They varied in color and form.

The pitch-black miasma centipede disease seed.

The ice-blue snowflake cold disease seed.

The tetanus disease seed shaped like a broken cleaver.

The rabies disease seed in the form of a black dog... "Unfortunately, among these forty-seven disease seeds, not a single one is what I need..."

Gu Changsheng was not in a hurry.

After today, as his reputation continues to spread, more and more patients will come in the future.

Even patients from Lin County, and even Jing Province, will seek him out, traveling thousands of miles to come.

"There's plenty of time; life is still long..."

A month later, Gu Changsheng's medical reputation had spread throughout Chenping County.

Every patient he treated was cured.

Not only was the consultation fee extremely low, but the price of medicine was only one-third of that in other medical clinics.

These past few days, the threshold of the Jielu Medical Clinic was almost worn out.

In contrast, other medical clinics were deserted, with few people coming for treatment.

East of the city.

Ganlin Medical Clinic.

Shopkeeper Qian sat in the main seat, looking at the account book in his hand, his face grim.

Thud—

The blue account book was violently thrown to the ground by him.

"Damn it, this month's income is less than one-tenth of last month's!"

Shopkeeper Qian gritted his teeth.

Twenty years ago, he was an Elder of the Medicine King Gang.

Later, the Medicine King Gang was destroyed by rival forces, and he narrowly escaped, coming to Chenping County to live in anonymity.

He relied on secretly made poisons to control a group of physicians and established the Ganlin Medical Clinic.

Since then, he had amassed wealth through exorbitant medicine prices and unscrupulous methods.

In secret, he even kept a group of thugs, using force to compel herb gatherers to sell their herbs at low prices only to the Ganlin Medical Clinic, forbidding them from selling aged herbs to other medical clinics.

This was to suppress other medical clinics.

"What is Chen Hu doing!

Did he fail to intimidate those bumpkins? Which mountain dweller would dare to secretly sell medicinal ingredients to the Jielu Medical Clinic?

Logically, the Jielu Medical Clinic should have run out of medicine three days ago.

How come today, my Ganlin Medical Clinic still has no one coming!

Go, call Chen Hu over here!"

Chen Hu was the leader of his thugs.

"Master, Master Hu can't come anymore..."

A servant stepped forward and said.

"Ah? What happened?"

Shopkeeper Qian frowned.

"Yesterday, the Magistrate's son fell seriously ill and went to the Jielu Medical Clinic for treatment, but almost had his treatment delayed due to lack of medicine... Upon inquiry, it was learned that Master Hu had threatened the mountain dwellers not to sell medicinal ingredients to the Jielu Medical Clinic, which angered the Magistrate so much that he immediately sent constables to arrest him.

Fortunately, Master Hu got wind of it and fled to Lin County overnight, otherwise, it might have implicated us as well."

Hearing this, Shopkeeper Qian's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

After sending the servant away, he quietly went to a secret room in the back hall.

The door opened.

In the dim room, a crunching sound was heard.

The candlelight flickered, revealing the silhouette of a hunchbacked old man.

He had disheveled hair, vacant eyes, and a face covered in sores, and he was gripping a human thigh, gnawing on it.

"Sir, someone is stealing our business.

The money is getting less and less.

If this continues, I'm afraid I won't be able to provide you with so much blood food anymore..."

Thud—

A huge black claw suddenly reached in front of Shopkeeper Qian, grabbing his collar and lifting his feet off the ground.

The old man's head had mutated into a grotesque beast head, his mouth filled with sharp barbs, and his scarlet long tongue licked Shopkeeper Qian's cheek.

He spoke intermittently: "Mortal... don't think... I don't know your little schemes.

This time... I'll let you off.

If there's a next time... I... will eat you alive.

Tell me... this time... who is it again?"

Shopkeeper Qian was filled with terror, his body trembling as he said, "It's Gu Changsheng of the Jielu Medical Clinic..."

...Dark moon, high winds.

Gu Changsheng sat cross-legged on the bed, cultivating his practice method.

Suddenly, his ears twitched slightly.

His eyes opened.

Boom—

The door shattered into a thousand pieces.

A half-humanoid beast with a turtle shell and a hump burst in.

Its eyes were blood-red, trickles of saliva dripped to the ground, and the black Qi circulating around its body was chaotic.

'It's out of control...'

Gu Changsheng's expression changed slightly.

Cultivators who practice demonic arts have an increasing chance of being infected by the visualized spirit as their cultivation improves.

Once they suffer Qi Deviation, they will mutate into a grotesque form.

Just like the one before him.

"Die!"

The beast let out a roar from its throat, suddenly lunged, and a huge black claw struck towards Gu Changsheng.

However, just a foot from his head, the sharp claw was firmly clamped by a golden palm, unable to move.

"It's almost completely lost its mind... No wonder it attacked me without even investigating..."

Gu Changsheng shook his head.

The next moment.

Power erupted, and the beast's sharp claws were severed at the root, foul blood gushing onto the ground.

Gu Changsheng activated his Golden Body.

A pair of massive fists, radiating immense power, rained down like a torrent upon the beast's body.

Three breaths later.

The beast collapsed to the ground, its breath faint.

Its entire body was mangled, almost unrecognizable.