Chapter 146 - 93: Imperial Physician Xu Ge
Chapter 146: Chapter 93: Imperial Physician Xu Ge
Su Chen said,
"The Celestial Alliance?"
"A bunch of gutless cowards. And they want to execute me? They, who don’t even protect the lands of the Human Race. It’s a mercy I haven’t slaughtered every last one of them."
Su Chen had the power to back up his words.
The so-called Celestial Alliance.
Their strongest were merely two Sub-Innates, both of whom he had already defeated!
How could such a pact possibly restrain him?
"No!"
"My grand-aunt is the Demon Mountain Master! You—"
The Butterfly Demoness never finished her sentence.
BOOM!
Beneath the brilliant Great Sun, her soul scattered and was utterly annihilated.
The ruined temple.
It was a familiar place.
Here, he had taken shelter from the rain with Cyan Sparrow. Here, he had met Jie and parted ways with Long Xuan. It was also here that he had encountered Sikong and learned the Seeking Immortality Skill.
’The past is like a hazy dream.’
’It feels like only yesterday.’
’And yet, it also feels like it was a thousand years ago.’
Su Chen walked over and checked the pulse of the young man in the white robe lying on the ground.
He was still breathing.
But only just.
’Your warning was for naught, but I appreciate the gesture.’
Su Chen sent a stream of Longevity True Qi into the man, intending to nourish his body and keep him alive for a while longer.
Instantly.
The Longevity True Qi circulated through him, only to dissipate into nothing.
"COUGH, COUGH."
"Sir... there’s no need to save me."
"I have a Jue Body, a Hundred Leaks Body... I can’t cultivate. I can’t gather Qi or consolidate my blood. I’m going to die today..."
"I have one wish. I beg you, sir, help me."
Trembling, the young man in the white robe held out a silk handkerchief. Wrapped inside was a crimson flower shimmering with Spiritual Light.
It was a Miracle Medicine.
A Blood Sunflower.
Also known as the Flower of Hell.
A Miracle Medicine of the Human World, on par with Five-organ Grass and Six Viscera Flower.
Common Medicine, Treasure Medicine, Medicine King, Miracle Medicine, Spirit Seed.
These were more or less the rankings for medicinal herbs in the Human World.
"Please, help me give this to Yunyang... I can’t wait for her to forget him... for her to have a change of heart."
And then, he died.
In the ruined temple.
Watching the stranger in white die, Su Chen felt a wave of emotion. Life was as cheap as grass, and these chaotic times were a merciless blade, endlessly reaping.
’Yunyang... is it the Yunyang I’m thinking of?’
The Tree Whiskers stirred.
Su Chen plucked a single strand of hair from the stranger in white.
...
"My name is Xu Ge. I come from a family of officials. My father once served as Governor of Great Liang and Great Zhou, and he worked tirelessly for the people."
"But my father is dead."
"That night, he returned to the capital, and the Emperor summoned him to the palace. Before he left, he was at home, laughing. He was so happy, he laughed until tears streamed down his face."
"That night, he entered the palace and never came back."
"Later."
"I found out he had done something truly great."
"He entered the palace, knowing he was going to his death."
"He was like me—no cultivator, afflicted with a Hundred Leaks Body. Yet he always hoped he could do something for the suffering masses..."
...
"My name is Xu Ge. I was coasting on my ancestors’ legacy, just whiling away my days at the Imperial Hospital, waiting to die."
"Then one day, I met her."
"From that moment on, I knew I wanted to marry her."
"Unfortunately..."
"She was the high and mighty Princess Yunyang."
"And I was just a lowly Imperial Physician..."
...
"I wanted to do something for her."
"Even knowing her heart belonged to someone else, I still wanted to do something for her."
"I made inquiries."
"I had to find that one Miracle Medicine for her, to cure her chronic illness..."
...
"My name is Xu Ge."
"Before, when my father did that world-shaking thing—generously marching to his death for the masses—I didn’t understand."
"But now, I understand."
"It turns out that dying for someone you love is this fulfilling. My only regret is that I can’t give her this flower myself..."
...
The ruined temple.
The body of Xu Ge, now a withered husk, disintegrated into fine powder that scattered on the wind, leaving only his white robe behind.
The Tree Whiskers stirred.
Su Chen took the silk handkerchief, assumed Xu Ge’s appearance, and boarded the man’s carriage.
’So you were his son.’
’Did the Governor deserve to die?’
’Yes.’
’He killed Cyan Sparrow.’
’Did he not deserve to die?’
’No.’
’He was a good man who worked tirelessly for the people, who held the world in his heart and grieved for the masses.’
’A pity.’
’But in these chaotic times, there is no "deserve" or "not deserve." People are like rootless Floating Duckweed, drifting through their lives, unable to hold onto anything, unable to change a thing.’
「Tenth Year of Xuanlong.」
That night, the moon was bright and the stars were clear.
Su Chen returned to the Imperial Palace.
He returned in the guise of Xu Ge, of the Imperial Hospital.
At the Palace Gate, he encountered the imperial carriage. Though it couldn’t truly be called that, since its occupant was merely a Eunuch wielding the Emperor’s authority.
Su Chen pulled his own carriage to the side of the road. Inside the imperial carriage, the Purple Robe known as the Nine Thousand Years didn’t even glance at him, his expression rushed.
He was heading in the direction of the Imperial City Medical Clinic, where Su Chen had been hiding out.
Except...
...Su Chen was no longer there.
SCRABBLE SCRABBLE.
He felt a strange commotion at his feet.
Su Chen felt something pawing at his foot. He looked down to see, of all things, the palm-sized Ink Jade Little Turtle. It was covered in dust and looked up at him with an utterly aggrieved expression.
The Little Turtle seemed to be saying.
’Making a run for it, and you forgot your Little Turtle again?’
"You found me again."
"Not even masters of the Innate Realm can see through my disguise."
"And yet, you found me."
"Oh, Little Turtle, Little Turtle."
"I suppose you’re the only one I have left."
Su Chen smiled, but it was a lonely smile. He shook the reins, guided the carriage into the Imperial Palace, and entered the grounds of the Imperial Hospital.
From then on.
For a very long time.
He would be Xu Ge of the Imperial Hospital.
He had sent too many old friends on their final journey.
In the end.
All this time,
he had always been alone.