Chapter 56 The Ancestral Master

Chapter 56: Chapter 56 The Ancestral Master

"Divine Doctor Li!"

Upon seeing the newcomer, those from the Chinese Medicine Community swarmed him like frenzied fans, surrounding him completely.

Zhang Huaide, choking with pent-up rage, stepped forward to report, "Master, someone here was disrespectful to you! He said you aren’t qualified to teach him! He even said your medical skills are inadequate! I couldn’t contain my anger, so I got into a conflict with him!"

"This person, relying on what little medical knowledge he has, is just putting on a show for attention!"

"He’s a disgrace to the Chinese Medicine Community!"

"Oh?" Li Zhengming frowned.

He had always been highly esteemed in the Chinese Medicine Community. Who would dare look down on him? Didn’t they know how many people begged to be his disciple and never got the chance?

"That’s right, Senior Li! A person like that should be blacklisted!"

"He should be completely expelled from the Chinese Medicine Community!"

"Otherwise, he’ll surely ruin the reputation of Chinese Medicine!"

Following Zhang Huaide’s lead, the others, filled with righteous indignation, began to list Chen Xiao’s supposed crimes one after another.

Zhang Huaide continued, "This guy was spouting arrogant nonsense. I challenged him to a contest of medical skill—if he won, I would drop the matter, but if he lost, he’d have to acknowledge me as his master."

"Heh... But he didn’t dare take the bet. It’s clear he’s nothing but a fraud!"

"Senior Zhou, please have him ejected from the pharmacy!"

The Senior Zhou he mentioned was the elder standing next to Li Zhengming, Zhou Yuan, who was also the proprietor of Zhou Yuan Pharmacy.

Zhou Yuan frowned as well and said, "Old Li, having someone like him here will only spoil the atmosphere of the Preaching Conference. I’ll have someone throw him out right now!"

"You handle it," Li Zhengming replied nonchalantly. He didn’t want anyone ruining his Preaching Conference either.

Just then, a cold voice rang out. "Divine Doctor Li truly carries great prestige. It seems I have to suck up to you just to buy medicine. Truly impressive... impressive indeed."

Hearing this sarcastic tone, Li Zhengming became thoroughly enraged. He was about to lash out when the words caught in his throat, and his eyes widened in shock.

Chen Xiao stood up, his expression indifferent.

"I said your medical skills are insufficient to teach me. Is there a problem with that?!"

"I said you’re not qualified to be my master. Is there a problem with that?!"

"Tell me, which of those statements is problematic? Huh?!"

His series of forceful questions left everyone present completely dumbfounded.

Has this guy gone mad? Li Zhengming himself is standing right here, yet he still dares to be so arrogant?

Zhang Huaide was so infuriated he looked as if his nostrils might spew fire. "Kid, it looks like you don’t want to make a living in the world of Chinese Medicine anymore, do you? Kneel and apologize right now! Otherwise, even if it means abandoning my ethics as a doctor, I’ll break both your legs today to vent my master’s anger!"

Before he could finish, Li Zhengming smacked him across the head.

SMACK!

"Master... you... why did you suddenly hit me?" Zhang Huaide was completely stunned.

"Hit you? I ought to smack you to death right now!"

Li Zhengming, trembling with rage, slapped him again, making Zhang Huaide’s cheek swell and turn red.

"How dare you speak to your Grandmaster like that?!"

SMACK!

"You even demanded your Grandmaster acknowledge you as his master?!"

SMACK!

"At this rate, I might as well acknowledge a rebellious disciple like you as *my* Grandmaster!"

After the series of slaps, Zhang Huaide’s face swelled up like a pig’s head.

He felt as if he’d been struck by lightning. "Master, you... you haven’t been confused by your anger, have you?"

"You’re the one who’s confused!"

Still seething, Li Zhengming kicked him a couple of times before quickly approaching Chen Xiao. Forcing a smile, he said, "Master! What brings you here? Why didn’t you let your disciple know?"

The entire room fell into a deathly silence.

Has Li Zhengming lost his mind? He’s actually calling this young man ’Master’?

Chen Xiao stared at him coldly. "I don’t believe I ever agreed to take you as my disciple."

Li Zhengming smiled obsequiously. "You may not have agreed to accept me, but in my heart, you are already my Master!"

Chen Xiao gave a half-smile. "I wouldn’t dare accept such an honor. Wouldn’t your fervent fans tear me to shreds? Especially your little disciple here, who wants me to acknowledge *him* as my master. How about this... I kneel and kowtow to you a few times and address you as Grandmaster?"

Li Zhengming shivered with fear. Chen Xiao’s medical skills were far superior to his, and he had even mastered the Creation Nine Needles that Li had long coveted. How could he possibly be worthy of a kowtow from Chen Xiao?

"Master, please... don’t make fun of your disciple," Li Zhengming trembled, then suddenly barked, "Huaide! Get over here!"

"Master..." Zhang Huaide, his face bruised and swollen, shuffled over timidly.

"Kneel and apologize to your Grandmaster!"

THUD. Zhang Huaide dropped to his knees without daring to protest. "Grandmaster, I was blind... I deserve to die... I’ll kowtow to you..."

"Forget it," Chen Xiao waved his hand dismissively. "It’s normal to be young and hot-headed. You were just standing up for your master. I can’t be bothered with you. Step aside."

"Yes, yes, yes..." Zhang Huaide felt as if he had been granted a great pardon.

Everyone else was dumbfounded, looking on as if they’d seen a ghost.

Is this young man really Li Zhengming’s master? What in the world is going on?

"Master is truly as magnanimous as the ocean!" Li Zhengming chimed in with perfectly timed flattery.

"Spare me," Chen Xiao yawned. "All of you, carry on with what you were doing. I just came to buy some medicine. Just pretend I’m not here."

Li Zhengming suddenly lowered his voice. "Master, there are a few patients with difficult and complicated cases at this Preaching Conference. One of them is particularly tricky..." He gave an awkward smile. "I was wondering if you might lend a hand?"

Beside him, Zhou Yuan also pleaded in a low voice, "Senior, although today’s Preaching Conference is small, these attendees are the future pillars of the Chinese Medicine Community."

"If anything goes wrong at the conference, it would be extremely detrimental to the propagation of Chinese Medicine!"

"If you would be willing to help, Senior, any medicine you take from Zhou Yuan Pharmacy will be free from now on. And in the future, if you need any medicinal ingredients, you need only let me know."

Chen Xiao fell into deep thought.

Although he disliked trouble, as a doctor, he didn’t mind contributing to the propagation of Chinese Medicine, which had been on the decline. Besides, Zhou Yuan’s offer was incredibly sincere! Zhou Yuan Pharmacy was the most upscale pharmacy in Yuncheng City and the source of many of the city’s rarest medicines. The medicinal ingredients he needed for his Mysterious Yang Body cultivation were almost all high-end and scarce.