Chapter 19: The Great Waves
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Huh?” The old man was stumped. Troubled, he shook his head. This was indeed a problem. He had slipped in without anyone’s knowledge, but he couldn’t do that every time. Although the Chu family’s defense didn’t deter him, he couldn’t be so casual if he planned on coming to learn something from Chu Liuyue.
Moreover, the line of heavenly doctors had many rules and regulations. One should know that many Heavenly doctors placed extreme importance on their own concocting methods and its processes; they rarely allowed bystanders to watch and study them unless they were teaching their own disciples.
Chu Liuyue had already promised to allow him to visit once every fortnight. In fact, she was already very generous.
As for his status…
“How about… accepting me as your apprentice?” The old man spoke with excitement, but he frowned instantly and looked hesitant.
“Oh my, I already had a master. He might have passed on, but it’s still a bit difficult for me to just acknowledge someone else as my master.”
Chu Liuyue looked at him, speechless. This proposal also placed her in a difficult position. She had no wish to have such an elderly apprentice.
“How about this? Why don’t you be my master?” suggested Chu Liuyue.
The old man was surprised as he played with his fan. “Eh… that won’t do! How can I be your master when I’m the one seeking your advice?” He could tell that Chu Liuyue’s standard was as good as the others; he wasn’t qualified to be her master.
Chu Liuyue’s eyebrows curved. “Why are you being so polite? I am new to the world, and there are many things I don’t understand. Naturally, I will need a master for guidance. Don’t tell me that you have no wish to accept me as your disciple?”
“No, no, no… how can you say that? How could anyone in this world not want you as their disciple?” Suddenly, something dawned on the old man. He stopped talking abruptly, his eyes widening. “Wait, wait! You mean to say that you have not accepted a master up to now?”
Chu Liuyue blinked sincerely. “That’s right! Didn”t I tell you that from the beginning?”
The old man eyed her with suspicion, not daring to believe wholeheartedly. In the end, he could only guess that she definitely had a highly-skilled expert behind her, and for some reason, he couldn’t come forward. “You—are you saying that you want me to be your master?”
Chu Liuyue nodded. The old man might believe her earlier words, but anyone else would doubt it. She needed a ‘master’ as a reason for her sudden change. In the future, all she had to say was that she had already been secretly taught by her master and had been biding her time before if anyone asked.
The old man was silent for a long while. He wasn’t stupid; he knew exactly what Chu Liuyue was planning. To have such a mind and tactics is enough to prove that she is definitely not as useless and incompetent as the outside world says she is! On the contrary, she has top-notch talent and superior intelligence.
Such a girl was only 14 years old… There was no telling how many secrets she was hiding. Once she agreed, she would definitely be involved in a lot of trouble.
Chu Liuyue looked calm; she didn’t rush him.
The old man’s expression changed; his eyes went back and forth between Chu Liuyue’s face and the boiled medicine soup. He had already made up his mind that he would never get involved in those messy things, but…
He really wanted to watch Chu Liuyue concoct medicine!
“Yes! I promise!” The old man gritted his teeth and finally made up his mind. “From now on, I will watch you concoct medicine in secret. But in plain sight, I will be your master.”
Chu Liuyue was unsurprised by his reply. Her eyebrows smoothened at his words. She then folded her hands and bent her knees slightly. “Master, your disciple, Chu Liuyue, greets you.”
It was a formal ritual for a master to accept their apprentice.
The old man was startled as he looked at Chu Liuyue’s somewhat green face. For a moment, he felt unrestrained joy rising inside him as well. This… is… My first disciple!
In the past, he had always found it troublesome to take on a disciple. However, he had taken on such a genius as his disciple purely by coincidence!
“Good! Good!” He felt much closer to Chu Liuyue at that moment. He hurriedly helped Chu Liuyue up. “We, as master and disciple, need not talk about those empty things. If you need anything in the future, just look for me.”
Chu Liuyue smiled, and her eyes curved into slits. “Thank you, Master.”
Hearing her call him ‘Master’ filled the old man’s heart with love and compassion. “My last name is Ye. If you need to look for me in the future, you can go directly to Autumn Wind Garden in the city’s west side.”
Chu Liuyue quickly tried to recall in her mind, but she couldn’t remember any character with the last name Ye, let alone Autumn Wind Garden.
This was also normal. Being trapped in the Chu family for many years, she didn’t know much about the outside world.
This was not the time to ask about this. She simply didn’t dwell on it any longer. She would know when the time was ripe.
After that, Ye Lao and Chu Liuyue talked for a long time about the ways of refining medicine. He parted reluctantly when it was sunset.
Chu Ning was naturally in the dark about all this. Chu Liuyue also acted as if nothing had happened as she recuperated calmly.
More than 20 days flew by.
Early in the morning, Zhen Bao Pavilion sent the last batch of the medicinal herbs. After Chu Liuyue counted the herbs, she began to refine the medicine in an orderly manner.
Unlike the past, Chu Ning was home this time. He checked Chu Liuyue’s room from time to time, feeling proud and nervous.
After a few hours of boiling, Chu Liuyue finally stopped and scooped the medicinal soup out of the pot.
“Father, this is the last time. After drinking this, you may attempt to re-cultivate.” Chu Liuyue sent the medicine over.
Chu Ning quickly moved forward to accept it with excitement. His body had improved significantly over this period of time. Not only had his previously crippled calves became stronger, but his perception of his force also seemed to be even stronger!
His condition even hinted that he seemed to be even better than he was at his previous peak! He had been hoping for a comeback after being down and frustrated for so many years. He just didn’t expect that his own daughter would be the one to give him hope.
Chu Ning drank without hesitation. The blazing power extended downwards, then entered his dantian.
He lay with his legs crossed, and his hands folded in front of him. With closed eyes, he began to channel this power.
The Force of Heaven and Earth around them seemed to have been guided in some way and began converging toward Chu Ning.
It was a sign of a breakthrough!
Chu Ning smiled with satisfaction.
Chu Ning indeed had some talent to be able to take advantage of this opportunity and attempt a breakthrough. It was a pleasant surprise.
Chu Liuyue withdrew quietly and returned to her room.
After this period of recuperation, her body’s Yuan meridian had almost recovered. There was only one last critical step left before she finished healing.
She began to refine the medicine for the last time.
The sky had turned dark completely by the time the medicinal soup was ready.
She shed her clothes and entered the tub. The medicine’s rich fragrance lingered in the air.
The rising white mist almost obscured her form.
She held her breath and allowed her qi to sink into her dantian.
Power seeped into Chu Liuyue’s limbs.
Her Yuan meridian, which was originally crippled, had become moist and strong. Under the nourishment of the abundant power, her Yuan meridian continued to spread and grow.
At the same time, that small lake within Chu Liuyue’s dantian was actually causing waves again!
A pale-red water droplet was suspended in the middle of the lake, then transformed into countless tiny, unseen particles that merged into the Yuan meridian within Chu Liuyue’s body.
Buzz!
A majestic and vast aura overwhelmed Chu Liuyue.