Chapter 264: Everything Is Changing — Heaven and Earth Disturbance

“Master, Senior Brother, you’re back!”

The young apprentice beamed as the two figures entered from outside.

“Yes, we’ve been back for a while,” Zhao Da Fu nodded, setting down his medicine case and handing it to Xiao Ti Zi. “But I saw this young master busy saving someone, so I didn’t want to disturb him.”

Curious, he turned to look at Lu Qing, who was returning the gaze with equal interest.

In truth, with his martial cultivation, Lu Qing had long sensed someone standing outside. But with the rescue at hand, and the man not intruding, he had likewise chosen not to pay much attention.

The two who had entered were a middle-aged man and a youth. The elder carried a refined, scholarly air—long sideburns, calm demeanor, his bearing more like a scholar than a physician. The younger looked honest and simple, his face bearing the look of a plain, hardworking man.

“Zhao Da Fu, you’re back! Lao Wang was bitten by a venomous snake—just as you were away from the clinic, we were at our wit’s end. Fortunately, this young master stepped in and saved his life. Could you please check on his condition?” Li Da Shu, seeing Zhao Da Fu enter, burst into joy and hurried forward.

It wasn’t that he doubted Lu Qing—he trusted the boy’s skill—but Lu Qing was still so young. With Zhao Da Fu, a respected elder physician, present to confirm the recovery, they’d feel far more at ease.

“Fair enough,” Zhao Da Fu said, turning to Lu Qing. “I’ll take Lao Wang’s pulse. You don’t mind, do you?”

He didn’t refuse. After all, this was his patient. If he’d barged in without permission, someone with a prideful temperament might have taken offense.

“Not at all,” Lu Qing replied with a smile. “In fact, I’m still young and lack experience. Having your expert judgment is far better.”

He wasn’t driven by rivalry—on the contrary, he welcomed it. Besides, he had acted within the clinic’s premises. Strictly speaking, that was a breach of etiquette. If anything went wrong, it could damage the clinic’s reputation.

So Zhao Da Fu’s willingness to examine the patient was welcome indeed.

Zhao Da Fu noted the lack of hesitation in Lu Qing’s manner. A flicker of surprise passed through his eyes. His curiosity about the young man’s origins deepened.

But he didn’t press. Instead, he stepped to Lao Wang’s side and placed three fingers on his wrist.

Earlier, from outside, he’d witnessed Lu Qing using a needle array to draw out the poison. The sight had stunned him—now, he desperately wanted to know the current state of Lao Wang’s body.

After a few moments of pulse-taking, Zhao Da Fu’s expression grew increasingly astonished.

Lao Wang’s pulse was calm, strong, and regular. His breathing was deep and steady—nothing like a man who had just been dragged back from the brink of death. Instead, he seemed more like someone who’d suffered minor injuries and was now resting, recovering naturally.

“How is he, Zhao Da Fu?” Li Da Shu and the others asked, eyes filled with hope.

Zhao Da Fu withdrew his hand and chuckled. “This young master’s medical skill is extraordinary. Lao Wang is no longer in danger. I believe he’ll wake up soon.”

“That’s wonderful!” Li Da Shu and the others rejoiced, offering renewed thanks to Lu Qing.

Watching Lu Qing politely accept their gratitude, Zhao Da Fu’s gaze remained thoughtful. What he’d said wasn’t mere politeness.

In his estimation, Lu Qing’s medical skill was truly exceptional. To revive a man on the verge of death—so deeply poisoned that his life hung by a thread—using only acupuncture, and to expel all the toxic blood… even he, after decades of practice, could not have achieved such a feat.

He was baffled. Who was this young man? How could someone so young possess such miraculous abilities?

Such a talent—this was a name he’d never heard of in Zhong Zhou.

“Young master,” Zhao Da Fu finally said, bowing slightly. “I haven’t had the pleasure of learning your name.”

“Zhao Da Fu, there’s no need for such formality,” Lu Qing replied with a courteous bow. “I am surnamed Lu, given name Qing. I acted hastily earlier, intruding upon your clinic during an emergency. I hope you’ll forgive me.”

“Nonsense,” Zhao Da Fu waved it off. “Had it not been for your intervention, Lao Wang would have perished. Saving lives is paramount—why dwell on such trifles?”

“By the way, Lu Xiao Langjun,” Zhao Da Fu continued, “your skill is so great. May I ask—what is your master’s name?”

“My master is surnamed Chen,” Lu Qing replied humbly. “He’s merely a humble traveling physician, living quietly in the countryside. Zhao Da Fu may not have heard of him.”

It was the truth. His master had always presented himself as an ordinary doctor. The words were no exaggeration.

Zhao Da Fu’s mind raced. Chen Ye? He searched his memory—were there any famous physicians in Zhong Zhou with that surname?

Of course, he dismissed Lu Qing’s claim of a “common traveling doctor” as mere modesty. To teach a boy such extraordinary talent—how could that man be ordinary?

But after mentally scanning every renowned physician he knew, Zhao Da Fu drew a blank. No one he knew bore the surname Chen.

“Ah, Zhao Da Fu,” Lu Qing said, “I have other matters to attend to. I must take my leave.”

He saw Zhao Da Fu’s curiosity, but he chose not to elaborate. With a slight bow, he turned to go.

“Leaving so soon?” Zhao Da Fu was surprised.

“Yes. I have other duties. I won’t trouble you further.” He paused, then added, “Little apprentice, if you can, please gather the herbs on my list. I’ll come back tomorrow morning to collect them. Here’s a deposit.”

He placed a silver ingot on the counter and vanished—light and swift.

But just before exiting, he took the jar of toxic blood with him.

Zhao Da Fu had meant to stop him, but Lu Qing had already vanished—gone in the blink of an eye, leaving only a faint ripple in the air.

Zhao Da Fu stared after him. So that’s why… The young man wasn’t just a master physician. He was also a martial artist of extraordinary skill.

“Ah, he left so suddenly… we haven’t even paid him his fee!” Li Da Shu and the others stood frozen, stunned.

Zhao Da Fu paused, then asked, “Xiao Yi, what herbs did that young master wish to purchase?”

“Master, he wanted many things. Oh—here’s his list.” The apprentice dashed back to the counter and handed over the paper.

Zhao Da Fu glanced at it. “All anti-inflammatory and wound-healing herbs. This is a formula for tissue regeneration. Did someone in his party get injured?”

Outside, the sky had turned completely dark.

Lu Qing realized with a jolt—he’d spent much longer than he’d thought. He hoped Master hadn’t grown worried.

He quickened his pace toward the inn, still holding the clay jar of toxic blood.

When he reached a secluded alley, ensuring no one was around, he slipped into the shadows and placed the jar into his Qiankun Yiqi Dai.

He’d taken the jar for a reason. When he’d used his abilities to probe the source of the poison, he’d confirmed his suspicions.

The venom in Lao Wang’s body wasn’t ordinary. It had originated from a brocade snake that had absorbed and refined Sha Qi, undergoing a mutation.

This poison was unnatural—slow to take effect, but fiercely persistent. It could seep into the five organs and six viscera, nearly impossible to remove.

Only his needle array—crafted through divine artistry—had managed to purge it completely.

But the worst part? The poison had a terrifying property: when it came into contact with blood, its toxicity didn’t weaken. Instead, it altered the blood’s nature, transforming it into a substance nearly identical to itself.

In other words, the half-jar of toxic blood he’d drawn from Lao Wang was just as deadly as the original venom.

If touched by an ordinary person, it could re-infect them—turning their blood into a new batch of poison.

It was like the zombie virus from old-world films—spreading endlessly.

To prevent catastrophe, Lu Qing had taken the jar with him. He’d deal with it later—destroy it completely, to ensure no further harm.

With the jar secured, Lu Qing walked on, silent.

He had saved a life today—but his heart felt heavy, not light.

Earlier, he and his master had suspected: after the Heaven and Earth Laws shifted, the return of Qi wasn’t the only change. Alongside it came Sha Qi, demon energy, poison—dark forces that could corrupt all things.

People like Mo Zhen of Liu Yun Zong—once noble cultivators—had become monsters, driven mad by their cultivation of demon energy.

But today’s event had shown him something deeper.

Sha Qi didn’t just corrupt people. It transformed the world itself.

Even creatures—snakes, insects, beasts—could evolve, mutate, and grow stronger if they absorbed Sha Qi.

What if, in the deep mountains behind Jiu Li Village, a snake like the one today had gained power? What if it turned into a monster, then attacked the village?

Lu Qing’s thoughts turned restless.

Before coming to Zhong Zhou, he hadn’t realized how much had changed. The scale of transformation overwhelmed him.

Yet, from what he’d seen on the road, the revival of Qi was spreading outward from Zhong Zhou—radiating across the surrounding regions.

Cang Zhou was remote, farthest from Zhong Zhou. It might be safe for a while.

They still had time.

Jiu Li Village was the first place he’d called home since arriving in this world. The villagers were kind, simple, honest. They were his people.

He wouldn’t let them be destroyed.

He made up his mind: once matters in Zhong Zhou were settled, he’d return—ensure their safety, no matter what.

As he walked, his mind calmed. He reached the inn.

Inside, he found his master and the others seated at the table, a feast laid out before them.

“A Qing, where have you been? Why did you come back so late?” Old Doctor asked.

If he hadn’t known Lu Qing’s abilities—and if he hadn’t learned from Zhang Gui that Lu Qing had gone to buy medicine—he might have gone searching himself.

“I went looking for a pharmacy,” Lu Qing said, forcing a smile. “I ran into an incident along the way. That’s why I was delayed.”

He summarized what had happened at the clinic.

Everyone listened. Most were impressed, but Hu Ze Zhi’s eyes sparkled with admiration. To her, Lu Qing was a paragon of virtue—saving lives without thought.

Only Old Doctor remained silent, his brow furrowed.

“A Qing,” he said slowly, “according to you, the venom was from a brocade snake. But when did such a snake’s venom become so potent?”

“I’m puzzled too,” Lu Qing admitted. “But I brought back some of the extracted toxic blood. You can examine it later—perhaps you’ll see what’s strange.”

“Oh? You brought the venom back? That’s excellent,” Old Doctor said, his eyes brightening. He was always fascinated by medical mysteries.

After dinner, Lu Qing brought a small bottle of the venom to his master’s room.

“Master,” he said, “this venom is unusual. It alters blood without weakening itself. Be careful.”

“Such a poison?” Old Doctor’s expression hardened. “Then I suspect it’s not ordinary. It must be a Sha Qi-infused toxin…”

Lu Qing shared everything he’d discovered with his abilities, and his own theories.

Old Doctor’s face grew grave.

“You’re right,” he murmured. “It’s likely the brocade snake absorbed Sha Qi, causing the venom to mutate. That explains its resilience.”

“Master,” Lu Qing said, “with the changes in Heaven and Earth, everything is transforming. Such Sha Qi toxins may become common. Ordinary antidotes may fail. If such creatures multiply, the world could face disaster.”

“True,” Old Doctor stroked his beard. “A Qing, you’ve spoken wisely—concerned not just for yourself, but for the fate of all people. That is the heart of a true physician.”

“Master, you flatter me,” Lu Qing smiled. He wasn’t as noble as his master. His concern was for those he cared about—not all of humanity.

“But don’t be too troubled,” Old Doctor continued. “All things follow the balance of Yin and Yang, of mutual generation and restraint. Even with the return of Qi, this principle remains. The universe does not break its own laws.”

He paused, then added, “Though Sha Qi toxins are dangerous, if all things are changing, perhaps new remedies are emerging too. Our duty is to discover them—compile them into formulas, share them with the world. So that when danger strikes, people have a way to survive. That is the true purpose of a physician.”

He looked at Lu Qing with solemn pride.

Lu Qing straightened, his expression firm. “Yes, Master. I understand.”

“Then let’s begin studying this Sha Qi venom,” Old Doctor said with a smile.

But just as the two were about to examine the poison…

A deep, trembling sensation stirred in their hearts.

A vast, echoing voice rang out across Heaven and Earth.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end