Chapter 31 Tiger, swallowing dragon

In the small courtyard, the crow flapped its wings and looked left and right at the dark clouds.

The dark clouds, after having eaten their fill, wanted to pounce on it, but were easily avoided every time. The crow's cries were full of mischief.

For some reason, Chen Ji suddenly felt that the crows and cats, the young man and the old man, seemed particularly harmonious and peaceful in this yard.

And tonight is one of the few peaceful nights since he came into this world.

No one framed anyone, no one fought.

The mysterious veil of the world is finally slowly unveiled before our eyes.

"Master," Chen Ji asked the most confusing question: "All the officials need to be killed like us..."

Old man Yao was puzzled: "Kill what? Kill the patients?"

"Hmm?" Chen Ji was even more confused: "Master, how do you practice?"

Old Man Yao said lightly: "Cure the patient, and his disease energy can be used by me."

Chen Ji was shocked. The same path of cultivation had different methods of practice?
However, just as he thought of this, a crow suddenly stood on the apricot tree, pointed at Chen Ji with its wings like fingers, and laughed so hard that it almost fell off the branch.

Chen Ji: "...Master, there's no point in lying!"

Old man Yao sneered and said, "After all, you are still young and inexperienced. You have brains, but not much. And remember, this world is more difficult than you think. You can't trust anyone except yourself and that raccoon slave."

"You can't believe it either?"

"Yes, I can't believe it either," Old Man Yao shook the leftover snack crumbs from Wuyun into his mouth, not wasting any of it. "Our cultivation method is the most secretive in the world. Once it is known, the Secret Service Department will want to kill you, the Chief Criminal Department will want to kill you, Prince Jing will want to kill you, the Emperor will want to kill you, and all officials in the world will want to kill you. This method cannot be cultivated without brains."

"Master, are there other officials practicing our method?" Chen Ji asked curiously.

Old Man Yao recalled: "I killed a few, but I don't know if I killed them all."

Chen Ji: "..."

After chewing the biscuit, he felt a little choked, so he went to the kitchen to get a glass of water before continuing to ask, "Master, what is the name of our cultivation path?"

Old Man Yao stroked his beard and said, "I have answered enough questions. I don't want to answer any more..."

Before he could finish his words, Wuyun had already nudged himself into his arms and started rubbing against him.

Old Man Yao thought for a moment and replied, "Some people say it's called 'Tiger of the Mountain'."

Chen Ji thought: "Tiger?"

"Some people also call it 'Dragon Swallowing'."

The traces were solemn for a moment, the meaning of the tiger was obscure, and swallowing the dragon seemed to be more to the point!
He asked curiously: "Master, if you kill me, can you improve your cultivation?"

"No," Old Man Yao glanced at him and said, "If you kill me, you can practice faster. Why don't you try it?"

Chen Ji: "...Master, you don't have to be so polite."

Old Man Yao continued to explain: "If you are the only one in the world who practices 'Shanjun', then your practice speed will be 100%. If there are two people practicing, then your practice speed will be 50%. What do you think? Will this make you more interested?"

Chen Ji frowned and said frankly: "I think many people will be tempted."

"So, all the officials in this world will not accept disciples unless they have no other choice."

"What is a last resort?"

"Either they are seriously injured and on the verge of death, or they are about to become old and decayed, or they know that there is no hope for them to explore the great Dao," Old Man Yao said with emotion, "I have seen masters teach their disciples, and the disciples want to kill the masters. I have seen fathers pass on the teachings to their sons, and the sons want to kill their fathers."

Chen Ji noticed the desolation in the old man's tone: "Master, besides She Dengke and Liu Quxing, do I have other fellow disciples?"

Old Man Yao sneered and said, "Yes, he's dead. I killed him."

Chen Ji hesitated for a moment: "Do you have children?"

Old Man Yao was silent for a long time: "I have answered you just now. When you live long enough, you will understand one truth: don't easily get tied to others, because those are destined to say goodbye and be disappointed."

At this moment, Chen Ji finally understood why Old Man Yao was so unkind. The story behind his indifference was definitely not something that could be explained in just a few words.

Old Man Yao must have been sincere in teaching his son, otherwise he could have waited until he was dying to teach him the ways of cultivation. But Old Man Yao's son seemed to have evil intentions.

No wonder there are so few officials in this world, because those who have mastered the way of cultivation will never easily pass it on to others, and will even fight against each other. Not all sons in the world want to harm their fathers, but there are also sons who want to harm their fathers.

Chen Ji was puzzled: "Why did you choose to accept disciples, and three at a time?"

Old Man Yao glanced at him, then looked at the crow that was still teasing the dark clouds: "I don't have any master-disciple relationship with you. I just don't want this path of cultivation to end in my hands, so don't hold too much hope in me. You pay the tuition and I will teach you skills, that's all."

Chen Ji felt that the reason given by Old Man Yao was not sufficient, but he did not continue to dwell on it. He just said sincerely: "Although you may not believe me, I will definitely not harm you..."

"Don't talk about it so early," Old Man Yao sneered, "I've told you everything I should tell you. I told you this because I'm afraid you'd die unclearly. As for the rest I can't tell you, maybe I'll tell you some when I feel better."

Chen Ji: "...When are you in a good mood?"

"If you return my ginseng to me, I will feel better." Chen Ji said hurriedly: "I will go to the drug dealer when I wake up tomorrow..."

Old man Yao stood at the door of the main house with his back hunched. A crow fluttered and landed on his shoulder. "Don't think too much. Since you are already working for the Secret Service, you have already stepped into this world. Life and death are determined by fate. Just don't regret it."

Chen Ji asked: "Master, what is Jianghu?"

Old Man Yao said calmly: "The Jianghu is a place where things go on day after day without any new ideas."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because human nature is like this, day after day, there is nothing new."

Chen Ji suddenly asked, "Master, what kind of person is the Minister in charge of the Secret Service?"

"The most vicious person in the world, otherwise why would everyone call him the Poisonous Face in private?" Old Man Yao pushed the door open and walked into the room: "In the days to come, you will miss the good times when you didn't know him yet."

Chen Ji looked at the old man and the crow on his shoulder, and suddenly it seemed as if he saw the dark clouds and himself on the long street of Los Angeles that night.

But then old man Yao in the house suddenly hummed a song with a strange rhythm: "Law-abiding people are depressed every day, bullies sing every night, those who harm others for their own benefit ride on horses and mules, and those who are upright and fair go hungry. Repairing bridges and roads is blind, and there are many murders and arson. I went to the West to ask Buddha, but Buddha said there is nothing I can do..."

Chen Ji returned to the house and lay flat on the bunk bed with his arms as a pillow. The song that his master had just hummed echoed in his mind, and dark clouds lay on his chest.

"Wuyun, don't lie on my chest. I can't sleep like this."

Wuyun looked up at him and said, "If it weren't for me, how could your master tell you so much? After making such a great contribution, it's reasonable for him to sleep on your head, okay?"

Chen Ji was silent for a moment: "That makes sense!"

……

……

In the early morning, before the rooster crowed, the dark clouds had disappeared.

Chen Ji carried the shoulder pole to fill the water jar and swept the yard clean.

He saw the crow perched on a branch of the almond tree and looking at him, so he smiled and greeted him. The crow just glanced at him sideways and continued to sleep on the branch.

When everything was ready, Chen Ji put the Buddhist Tongbao on his wrist and put all the silver ingots in his pocket and went out.

Medicine dealers are in the East Market, merchants traveling from north to south settle here, students going to exams stay here, and officials taking up new posts socialize here. It must be the hub of the world.

However, they are all just passers-by in Los Angeles and will leave after the hustle and bustle.

Chen Ji walked for about an hour from Taiping Medical Clinic before he could hear the noise of frolicking in the East Market. The brothel had closed, but the fishermen had just returned from the river. They were carrying baskets of fish onto the shore, while the trackers were carrying ropes and walking towards the canal.

Chen Ji raised his head, his eyes searching for signs one after another, and finally stopped at "Bailu Pavilion", which was the largest drug dealer in Luo City. 60% of the herbs in the city relied on it for wholesale and transportation from the north and south herbal medicine markets.

This is also where Taiping Medical Clinic purchases medicinal materials on a daily basis, and all three brothers have been here.

When Chen Ji stepped into the door, a wealthy shopkeeper came up to him with a smile: "Hey, Doctor Chen, why are you here today? Didn't my servant go to Taiping Medical Clinic to stock up yesterday?"

Chen Ji smiled and responded, "Master sent me to find some old ginseng for use in the palace. I wonder if Bailu Pavilion has any in stock right now?"

The shopkeeper said in embarrassment: "Let Doctor Chen know that this aged ginseng is very expensive. We purchased it according to the predetermined quantity. Your master instructed us to buy one ginseng per month, and we don't have any extra to give to Taiping Medical Clinic."

Chen Ji turned around and left: "Then I'll go ask somewhere else."

But the shopkeeper hurriedly pulled him back, smiling and saying, "Young Doctor Chen is anxious, why don't you listen to me finish my words. It just so happens that the few ginsengs ordered by Fang Ping Pharmacy yesterday have not been delivered yet. We are old friends with Imperial Doctor Yao, so if the palace needs them, we can give them to you first."

Chen Ji was noncommittal: "Then take it out and let's have a look."

"This way please. The valuable herbs are all in the backyard."

The shopkeeper led Chen Ji to the backyard of Bailu Pavilion and pushed open a wooden door of a warehouse: "Please."

After Chen Ji entered, he looked around at the dozen or so boxes of medicinal herbs, but heard the sound of a door closing behind him.

Strange, I'm just looking at the ginseng, why close the door! ?
wrong!

Chen Ji crouched down and rolled forward, and when he stood up again, he saw the shopkeeper swinging a dagger towards him with an extremely ferocious look on his face.

However, Chen Ji arrived first and kicked the shopkeeper in the fat belly.

The shopkeeper didn't expect that Chen Ji was faster than him. Not only did he dodge the attack, but he was also able to counterattack in an instant. After being kicked, he fell backwards and shouted, "Save me!"

Chen Ji wanted to take the opportunity to catch up and kill the shopkeeper, but he was not prepared for the sound of wind from behind him again. Someone flashed out from behind the wooden box of medicinal materials and put a dagger to his neck from behind.

This time, the opponent's speed was so fast that Chen Ji had only seen it in Lin Chaoqing, Yun Yang and Jiao Tu, and he had no time to react.

He felt the coldness of the dagger, and the hair on his neck stood up instantly, but he could only calmly ask, "What is this for?"

The person behind him said calmly: "You betrayed your own family name and identity, betrayed Zhou Chengyi, don't you deserve to die?"

Chen Ji was speechless... Whatever you fear, it will come true!
(End of this chapter)