Open a Clinic to Cultivate Myself Chapter 357

The night was quiet.

Beep, beep, beep…

Incoming messages from the practitioners' club continued to beep continuously.

Doctor Ning: I have just received news. Liu Shiba is dead.

Bai Shengsheng, the White Hare Spirit: Huh? Ah!

Black Bear Spirit from Changbai Mountains: Is this true? Admin, don't scare me! I just paid him 5 million for my membership!

Divine Horse of the Steppes: @Doctor Ning, what happened?

Chief of Wudang Mountains: In other words, the practitioners' flea market will be closed. What shall we do?

Next-door Practitioner Old Wang: The news is true. I called up my disciple and queried him. His son is a police superintendent of Beidu. He said that Liu Shiba's body is still in the morgue. Some weapon had pierced his heart. Another person dead is Reverend Qingsong, whose head had been cleaved apart. It seems that Liu Shiba's spiritual materials and antiques had all been ransacked.

Zhang Chengdong, the imperial Qing physician: Who could have been so cruel? The killer doesn't care about transgressing the law, does he?

Lei Zhenzhi from Lingxiao Sect: @Doctor Ning, say something. What should we do now? The practitioners' flea market can help facilitate our resource sharing. Now that Liu Shiba is dead, would you be our chief and start a flea market?

Sure-to-be-Immortal Liu Qiangzhong: Doctor Ning is a very busy man. He doesn't care about such trivial businesses. Why don't I start a flea market? I'll start one in my mansion. My place is warm in winter and cool in summer. It has a wonderful environment.

Wolf from the Northwest: You ought to be the last person to start one. I visited your electronic emporium the last time and bought myself a washing machine… d*mn it, it malfunctioned after a day. I went to your service center and your staff claimed that I had caused the malfunction myself. She won't give me an exchange. How can a man like you start a practitioners' flea market and do business with us?

Sure-to-be-Immortal Liu Qiangzhong: @Wolf from the Northwest, my brother, you must be talking about Liu Qiangdong…

Wolf from the Northwest: He must be from the Liu family like you. Isn't he your brother?

Bai Shengsheng, the White Hare Spirit: Stop arguing, guys. Let's listen to the admin. Admin, say something.

Huddled in bed, Ning Tao sent a message: Why don't we do this: this WeChat group will henceforth function as a practitioners' flea market. Anyone who wants to sell something can send us a photo. Then we can trade freely. You can also send messages if you are looking for something. What do you guys think?

Bai Shengsheng, the White Hare Spirit immediately sent them a red packet. On it was written: Congratulations upon the opening of the practitioners' flea market!

Ning Tao quickly opened the red packet. He was stunned. There was only one red packet and it contained ¥200. But the person who grabbed it was Bai Shengsheng, the White Hare Spirit herself.

Zhang Chengdong, the imperial Qing physician: @Bai Shengsheng, the White Hare Spirit, why are you doing this? You will lose all your friends.

Bai Shengsheng, the White Hare Spirit immediately sent them a selfie. She was in sexy lingerie, beside a row of carrots on a table.

Next-door Practitioner Old Wang: @Bai Shengsheng, the White Hare Spirit, your models are complete and tasteful! But I suggest you go electronic. Manual models are so backward!

Bai Shengsheng, the White Hare Spirit: Phooey!

Ning Tao sent them a message: You can recommend your practitioner friends to join this group. But he or she must state their particular sect. After that, I will verify their identities and approve them. This group will function as our trading platform. I won't ask for any membership fees or trading commissions. So let me start first. I'm sending you guys a buyer's request. Who among you has an Iron Plaintain? I need this spiritual material. We can discuss the price. Anyone who finds me one can have his or her magic tool mended for free.

Bai Shengsheng, the White Hare Spirit: Would you like carrots?

Next-door Practitioner Old Wang: Do you want my bananas?

Doctor Ning: …

Zhang Chengdong, the imperial Qing physician: @Doctor Ning, let me ask around for you. When the Emperor Qianlong was still alive, someone from Hainan offered this spiritual material as a tribute. I have a few practitioner friends there. I will help you locate it. Wait for my news.

Doctor Ning: Thank you.

Zhang Chengdong, the imperial Qing physician: I have to visit that place in person. How about refining a few elixirs for me after this?

Doctor Ning: No problem. As long as you have the elixir prescription and the required spiritual materials.

Zhang Chengdong, the imperial Qing physician: Deal. That's settled then.

Doctor Ning: I have to turn in. Good night, everyone.

After sending the last message, Ning Tao exited the practitioners' club group, He wanted to sleep, but was not drowsy at all. He wondered if Zhang Chengdong, the imperial Qing physician, could find him the Iron Plaintain. Well, a hope is better than none. If Zhang Chengdong managed to find him the Iron Plaintain, he would have collected all seven spiritual materials. Then he could start weaving a magic garment using the Tianbao Weaving Method.

“Oh, by the way, I must start practicing. Although I only have six spiritual materials, it is imperative that I take some of them to practice. Otherwise, even if I manage to find the Iron Plaintain, I will waste it due to inexperience,” Ning Tao thought to himself.

Since he could not sleep, Ning Tao crawled out of his bed. He opened the medicine chest in his bedside cabinet to take out the Tianbao Weaving Method manual. But after reaching into the chest, his eyes fell upon an animal hide scroll instead. For some strange reason, his hand reached for this scroll.

It was “Your Text”.

“Your Text” was the first scripture he received after opening the Scriptures & Scrolls Store. But until now, he could only recite its first two lines. Only two lines had appeared on the scroll. It was unique in that each of its lines had wondrous magic powers, as well as a profound meaning. Only when he had thoroughly comprehended their meaning would the next line appear.

He had stopped at the second line and could not see the third.

He would prefer to overcome this hurdle and see the third line, rather than master the Tianbao Weaving Method.

After unfurling this ancient animal hide scroll, he indeed only found two lines on it.

I rest within the womb, listening to the sound of the Way.

When I was born, my parents left me.

Ning Tao sat down cross-legged and recited the first line. He dispelled all his disorderly thoughts and steadied his cultivation heart. But the moment he recited the next, sorrow started to assail him like a surging tide. He could not stop his tears from falling. Even his voice had turned into choking sobs.

“When I was born, my parents left me… boohoo… why do I feel so sad…. Boohoo…” Ning Tao wept as he recited. Although he did not feel this himself, the scene was indeed very bizarre. A man talking to himself and crying like a child. Whoever witnessed this would have been curious.

Creak! The door of the room was suddenly pushed open. Clad only in a nightdress, Jiang Hao walked in.

Ning Tao raised his head to look at Jiang Hao and was startled a little. He immediately lifted his hand to wipe away his tears with his shirt sleeve. He was so focused on reciting the scripture that he did not hear Jiang Hao's footsteps. Ever since turning into a new demon, Jiang Hao had become as light as a swallow. Her footsteps had become so light that they were almost undetectable. He could not hear it unless he concentrated. The creak of the opened door was very loud, yet by the time he heard it, she had already entered.

Under the illumination of the lamp, her white nightdress seemed rather translucent. Her body could be seen indistinctly through this half-obscure nightie. She was well endowed and her figure curvaceous, exhibiting a mature sexiness.

“Tao, what's wrong with you?” This were Jiang Hao's first words upon entering the room. She sounded full of concern and worry.

Ning Tao said awkwardly, “I, I was reciting a scripture.”

He handed “Your Text” to Jiang Hao. He could not explain himself, but could let her see the text.

Holding the ancient animal hide scroll in her hands, Jiang Hao recited at once, “I rest within the womb, listening to the sound of the Way. When I was born, my parents left me…. So direct and simple. Nothing wrong with it, so why are you crying?”

“Did you hear a bell toll?”

“Were you tolling it?” Jiang Hao stared at Ning Tao with strange eyes.

Ning Tao stretched out his hand. “Let me have it. You can't recite this scripture of mine. It's just like that hossu. You can wield it as a magic tool, but I can only use it like a feather duster. So naturally, you can't recite this scripture of mine.”

Jiang Hao returned “Your Text” to Ning Tao and then crouched down before him, stretching out a hand to wipe away his tears. She grumbled. “I've never seen a man crying over a scripture. Why should a grown man like you cry? Don't cry, don't cry, let me hold you. A hug will do you good. ”

Ning Tao's eyes stopped at a spot where they should not. As she was squatting, he could not help gazing at that spot like a wild goose who could always locate the south.

She was in a very ordinary bikini underwear, with quite a unique shape.

Jiang Hao had obviously not noticed this. Ning Tao's tears had aroused her maternal instincts. She caught Ning Tao into her arms, holding him gently.

Ning Tao snuggled comfortably in her arms, feeling her warmth and tenderness. He suddenly remembered his mother, that great woman who had brought him up.

“What are you doing?” came Jiang Hao's voice.

One second later, there was a cracking sound. Ning Tao had turned into an ice sculpture.

Jiang Hao stood up and eyed a particular spot on Ning Tao's body. She frowned. “So you have wicked designs in your heart, you creep!”

That was the evidence of his crime that was froze by Jiang Hao.

Pow!

Ning Tao shattered the ice encasing him and got up, striding to the door. “I need to return home and take a look. I know what to do now.”

Jiang Hao was baffled. “Go back where? Isn't this your home?”

Ning Tao explained and said, “I mean my old home in Shan City.”

Jiang Hao said, “Wait for me. I will change and go with you. Let me pay my respects to Mom and Dad at their altars.”

A faint smile instantly appeared on Ning Tao's lips. She had said “Mom and Dad.” In other words, she had acknowledged herself as Ning Tao's wife.

Jiang Hao later corrected and said, “I mean your mom and dad.”

Ning Tao's voice was gentle. “I'll wait for you.”

Half an hour later, Ning Tao and Jiang Hao appeared at his old home in Shan City. Ning Tao left a blood lock in his room. He would be able to reach this house from Sky Clinic in Beidu, using the convenient door.

The house his parents left him was not big. It had two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a washroom, occupying an area of a few dozen square meters. Since his enrollment in the medical college, Ning Tao had rarely returned home except during public holidays. One reason was that he had to work and support himself besides studying. Another was that he could detect the residual odors of his parents each time he returned. His heart would ache. These were the reasons why he had preferred not to come back.

But now, that sorrow had returned to his heart, flowing quietly within.

A son unable to support his parents since they are gone—this is life's greatest sorrow.

Your parents are the ones who give you the most selfless love in the world. They are also the ones who most desire your success and happiness. You cannot overcome the regret that they are gone, even if you gain the whole world. Some people can correct their mistakes, but Ning Tao had no chance to.

Jiang Hao walked up to the altar photos of Ning Tao's parents and lit three sticks of incense. She knelt down and prayed. “Mom and Dad, I am your daughter-in-law. Although Tao and I haven't collected our marriage certificate yet, I must still address you as Mom and Dad…. Tao is a very outstanding man. He hasn't let you down…. Don't worry, I will take good care of him…”

As she spoke softly and tenderly, Ning Tao's tears gushed out of his eyes. He also knelt beside Jiang Hao and kowtowed thrice respectfully. Then he opened his small medicine chest and took out the porcelain vial containing the third-version Ancestor-seeking Elixir.

He would try to overcome that hurdle on this return.

Chapter end