Chapter 7: Encounters

~~~

Another week passes by. What was once new becomes the norm. Old Jiang who stands in the Emperor Realm now lives in Liu Jin’s house. His presence draws a few odd stares at first, but that soon fades away. As far as anyone can tell, Old Jiang is nothing more than an ordinary old man, no different from any other.

When Liu Jin thinks about it, that Old Jiang is capable of so perfectly hiding his overwhelming aura is nothing short of terrifying. Watching him interact with the people of Eastern Port City is like watching a tiger among oblivious rabbits. They should run from him yet are unable to realize the danger. Still, this is his life now, and Liu Jin has come to terms with it to a degree. It helps that his duties and responsibilities remain largely the same.

For example, delivering medicine to their clients.

“Thank you, dear,” an old woman tells him after he delivers her medicine. “I am sorry you had to come all the way here, but these old bones are not what they used to be.”

“It is no problem, ma’am,” Liu Jin tells Old Lady Gao. She is one of their regulars, has been for as long as Liu Jin can remember. Back in the old days, she was still healthy enough to visit the clinic. However, as time passed, age got the better of her. Nowadays, she is barely capable of leaving her bed. “We are glad to be of help.”

“Oh, if only my useless son could have half of your disposition, I might be able to sleep at ease.”

Old Lady Gao is a widow. Usually, her son is the one who picks her medicine at the clinic. However, he had let them know he would be too busy to do so this day. It is only to be expected. The entire city always becomes busier as the Eastern Port City Tournament draws near.

In Liu Jin’s opinion, it is a good thing it only happens once every two years.

“I am sure he wishes he could have made it to the clinic today,” Liu Jin replies diplomatically before changing the subject. “Father made this dose slightly stronger. One pill per day should be all that is needed. With that, Lady Gao should be able to move without pain for the rest of the day.”

The pills would not heal her. Old age is not something that can be treated so conveniently. However, the medicine will allow her to spend her last months without pain. Small as it may be, it is the only thing they can do.

Even if it feels entirely too little.

Old Lady Gao’s weathered face contorts into something that could be called a smile. “Child, you are too kind to this old lady. Go now. Do not let me keep you. I have lived my life. I’m content. Go live yours so when you are my age, you will not have any regrets.”

Liu Jin blushes.

Been seen through so perfectly is nothing short of embarrassing. Liu Jin had thought that was something only Old Jiang could do, but perhaps the power of the Emperor Realm has nothing to do with it.

It may simply be the privilege of age.

~~~

Age is not something that can be overcome with medicine. That much is true. However, that does not mean it is something that cannot be overcome at all. Liu Jin knows that for sure. In fact, the entire world is aware of that fact.

Death can be defeated.

It is a piece of knowledge everyone learns. It is knowledge so fundamental it is impossible for someone not to know it. The higher one climbs through the realms of cultivation, the weaker the hold of age becomes. People in the Emperor Realm like Old Jiang or Xiao Zheng can live for almost a thousand years. If one climbs even higher, age will stop mattering at all.

One who reaches the highest realm of cultivation becomes eternal.

A true immortal.

Yes, everyone knows this. However, nothing changes. There is a way to avoid death, yet people keep going about their lives. No one is rushing towards immortality. It is something that puzzles Liu Jin’s mind as he walks back home.

Why is that?

Isn’t death scary?

Liu Jin shakes his head. No, perhaps it is something that cannot be avoided after all. In the entire country, the number of people who have reached the Emperor Realm is probably around a hundred. Out of those, maybe only a tenth will reach the realm beyond. As for the realm even beyond that… perhaps only one will reach it. In Eastern Port City, is there even one person who will break into the Emperor Realm before dying?

Probably Xiao Nan, Liu Jin realizes. Xiao Nan and no one else.

Just one person.

It is something Liu Jin has never thought much about, but now the subject will not leave his mind. Even if they work hard, even if they try their best, reaching the top is nothing more than a pipe dream for most people. Maybe that’s it. Even if there is a way not to die, it doesn’t mean you’ll ever reach it. Maybe somewhere along the way, most people just accept this, accept their death as inevitable.

It is sad.

It is way too sad.

“Well, look who is here? If it isn’t the fake doctor’s son,” A haughty voice cuts through Liu Jin’s musings, something for which he would have been thankful for were it not for the content of the sentences. Already Liu Jin feels the hair on his nape stand up.

“What do you want, Wu Yan?” Liu Jin barks back. His hands are clenched into fists at his sides. It has been a long time since he met Wu Yan, and part of him hopes he gets the chance to use what he has learned from the Xiao Sect over the past year.

“You think I could want something from you?” The other child laughs. There are a couple of other boys behind him, but Liu Jin is only focused on Wu Yan. “There is no way that can be true.”

Wu Yan is the son of the Doctor Wu, the richest doctor in the city and chief source of the bad rumors about Liu Jin’s father. As a dutiful son, Wu Yan has always done his best to spread the words of his father, leading to several conflicts with Liu Jin. In the past, Liu Jin lost those fights, being inferior in both training and age.

Liu Jin is still inferior in age. There is nothing that can be done about that, but training is something he has received plenty of.

“Unlike you, I am the son of a real doctor,” Wu Yan goes on. “If I called you, it is only because I was shocked you’d have the guts to show your face in public. If it were me, I wouldn’t dare to, knowing my father was a charlatan. Well, I guess that’s the difference between someone with face and someone without it.”

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“Is that so?” His words are light, but the tightness of his face betrays Liu Jin’s real emotions. “How can my father be a charlatan when he has healed so many people for so many years? Even some of your father’s patients have abandoned him in favor of mine and now cannot stop praising my father’s skills. Does that mean your father does such a poor job people prefer a fake doctor over him?”

There are some gasps from the people around them as Liu Jin finishes speaking and even some snickers from Wu Yan’s group. Wu Yan’s face, however, has gone red. Now, it is he who looks at the boy in front of him with gritted teeth.

“How dare-“

“No,” Liu Jin cuts him off without raising his voice. His Qi flares with enough force to stun the older boy. “How dare you! Time and time again, I have had to bear your hateful words. You mock my father for being a cripple and spread your vile rumors. You say my father is a fake? When your father was unable to do anything for the Xiao Sect’s Patriarch, it was my father who healed him.”

By now, Wu Yan’s face has gone past red and into purple. It is only a matter of time now. From the very beginning, this could only end in violence. It has always ended this way between Wu Yan and Liu Jin in the past. The only differences this time will be the one who will throw the first punch and the one who will emerge victorious.

“My father heals more people in a day than yours does in a year. Yours is too busy counting his money to bother treating people, and everyone in the city knows it. For you to mock a real doctor like my father while learning only how to count money from yours is nothing but a bad joke.”