Chapter 52: Master and Disciple (Patreon)

First, she leaned in close, sniffing you here and there like a little puppy.

A mischievous smile played on her delicate face.

“Teacher, you smell so nice~”

You chuckled softly, then suddenly reached out and gently tapped the tip of Danzhu's nose.

“Little one, what mischief are you plotting now?”

Danzhu stuck her tongue out playfully.

“What mischief could I possibly be plotting~ Besides, I'm not so little anymore.” The girl puffed out her chest proudly as she spoke.

The curve of her chest was indeed far more developed than others her age, but in your eyes, her actions were still full of childishness.

So, you reached out and patted the girl's head.

“Yes, yes, our Danzhu isn't little anymore.”

Danzhu detected the patronizing tone of an elder in your voice, and her little cheeks immediately puffed up like a blowfish.

But soon, her eyes darted about as if she had thought of something.

She clasped her hands behind her back, trying her best to put on an ‘I've seen through the truth’ expression, and said seriously: “There are usually only two reasons a man suddenly starts using incense: one, to cover up a smell on his body; as for two...”

Danzhu deliberately drew out the last syllable. “Teacher, did you get a girlfriend?”

You silently moved your finger away from the hidden compartment in your ring, which contained a poison capable of instantly incapacitating someone.

Then you reached out and lightly tapped Danzhu on the head.

“What on earth goes through that little head of yours all day?”

Danzhu clutched her head and said aggrievedly, “You don't have to get physical just because I guessed right.”

You shot her an annoyed glance. “Weren't you the one who said you liked the smell of incense? Forgotten so soon?” As you spoke, you pretended you were about to tap her head again.

Hearing your reply, Danzhu's expression first turned to surprise, then to delight. Her hand subconsciously pressed against her chest, feeling her heart beat faster and faster as a blush crept onto her cheeks.

Your attention already focused on the medical book in your hands, you didn't notice the girl's strange reaction. Seeing her still clinging to you, you said casually, “Have you done today's assignments? Get to it!”

“Yes, Teacher!” Compared to usual, her reply sounded exceptionally cheerful.

Watching the girl skip away, you felt a bit baffled. Normally, this child hated the assignments you gave her, so why the change of heart today?

A young girl's thoughts are truly hard to guess.

Time flew by, and your research on the Ambrosial Arbor progressed slowly but surely.

Because the research was slow, you had more time to teach Danzhu.

The girl was indeed quite talented in the medical arts, especially in techniques related to fire, such as alchemy.

She absorbed the medical knowledge you taught her like a sponge.

Before long, under your care and guidance, Danzhu began her first clinical consultation.

No matter how much of a genius one is, the first time is always a bit nerve-wracking. Danzhu stared at the patient before her, her face stern, which in turn made the patient nervous, thinking they had some incurable disease.

Observation, listening, inquiry, palpation... Danzhu followed the steps you taught her, examining the patient one by one.

However, when it was time to move to the treatment phase, Danzhu clearly hesitated, holding her pen but not daring to write.

Seeing this, you gently patted Danzhu's head and gave her an encouraging look.

“Don't be afraid. Trust your judgment. If anything goes wrong, I'm here.”

(Patient: so... what about my opinion...)

“Mhm!” Danzhu nodded emphatically, then wrote out a prescription based on her own assessment and handed it to you for review.

You glanced at it and first offered praise: “Well done. It's a very sound prescription.”

Just as Danzhu's face lit up with happiness, you changed your tune. “However, considering the patient's cold and damp constitution, you should add some warming and tonifying herbs. Also, taking too much of this medicine can easily lead to qi deficiency, so we should also add...”

After your critique, Danzhu looked as if she had a sudden realization, then quickly and accurately revised the prescription.

After successfully treating her first patient, Danzhu's nervousness visibly dissipated.

She began to confidently consult with patients, writing prescriptions based on her own understanding.

In order not to undermine her confidence, you mostly stood to the side, trying not to interfere with her consultations and prescriptions, aside from occasionally picking up a prescription to offer a few comments.

Later on, Danzhu became noticeably more confident, and the prescriptions she wrote rarely had omissions or errors.

Looking at your rapidly growing disciple, a gratified smile appeared on your face.

Time flew by. After a full hundred years, your research finally achieved a breakthrough!

You secretly absorbed the power of Abundance contained within the Ambrosial Arbor.

As you had complete control over the Luofu's Vidyadhara and the Alchemy Commission, you managed the Scaled Grotto flawlessly.

The Luofu's Six Charioteers and the Cloud Knights didn't notice a single anomaly.

By harnessing the power of Abundance from the Ambrosial Arbor, you gained power on par with an Emanator of Abundance.

And this was only part of your plan. You began to prepare for the next step...

One day at the Alchemy Commission, you had just finished with a patient.

Suddenly, the corner of your mouth twitched slightly, but you remained seated, impassive.

A pair of slender arms reached out from behind you, gently wrapping around your neck.

If anyone else had dared to do this, they would have been met with your lightning-fast counter-attack.

But for the one whose hands these were, you remained perfectly still.

“Teaa~cher~” a sweet, cloying voice whispered in your ear.

“Little Danzhu, have you finished your research for today? What did you discover?”

Behind you, the one hugging you with such intimacy was none other than your dear disciple, Danzhu.

So many years had passed. The young girl had long since grown up, blossoming into a beauty like a red serpent that had shed its immaturity—seductive and fiery.

“Teacher, why do you keep calling me ‘little’~ I came of age long ago~” Danzhu whined coquettishly, intentionally or not, gently bumping the back of your head with her full chest.

“Alright, I know, Little Danzhu. Let's talk business,” you replied dismissively.

Danzhu's cheeks puffed out in a flash of anger, but only for a moment. She then began to speak in detail about her findings from her recent research on Abundance abominations.

Danzhu truly loved the medical arts; her face lit up as she spoke of them.

You listened carefully to Danzhu's report, interjecting a comment here and there, but your mind was on other things.