Chapter 252 – Two Field Doctors (Part One) (1/2)
Chapter 252 - Two Field Doctors (Part One)
Downstream, he could see hills that the river winded its way through. Chen Changsheng could even make out the plain in the distance. It was the same scene that he had seen when they had arrived, but Chen Changsheng knew that something had definitely gone wrong in this world.
As Chen Changsheng was observing the garden in silence, Zhuang Huanyu prepared to leave.
”It's best not to go out on your own.”
Chen Changsheng turned around and sincerely told him, ”The gray strings losing their power means that something has probably gone wrong. It's best to first investigate what's going on, or else I'm worried that there will be problems.”
Zhuang Huanyu did not stop. Arching his brow, he said, ”The Garden of Zhou is only open for one hundred days. In here, every moment is precious. Don't tell me that you want me to waste my time for such a small matter?”
Chen Changsheng replied, ”You observing the battle was also a waste of time, so what's the harm in wasting a bit more?”
”Fine”. Zhuang Huanyu looked at Chen Changsheng and said, ”If there really is a problem, then obviously, someone needs to go to the garden gate and see. From here to the garden gate is dozens of li, who is going?”
Precisely as Zhuang Huanyu had said, to those cultivators that entered the Garden of Zhou, every moment of time in the Garden was incomparably precious. For the people at the riverbank to make a trip from there to the garden gate and back, even if they expended true essence, it would still take at least an hour. Who would be willing to waste their time on this sort of matter?
Qi Jian seemed somewhat willing and was preparing to say something when Liang Xiaoxiao shook his head. Thinking of the heavy responsibility that their master had conferred to him, Liang Xiaoxiao thought that it was best to maintain silence.
The riverbank was very quiet, with not a single person responding. Zhuang Huanyu looked at Chen Changsheng and said derisively, ”You see, not a single person is willing. Since you were the one to suggest it, why don't you go?”
Chen Changsheng did not directly answer, but he instead looked at the heavily injured Clear Void Monastery master.
Qi Jian understood his meaning and said, ”I’ll keep an eye on him.”
Then, he turned to Liang Xiaoxiao and whispered a few words, his attitude very resolute.
”Great. I think you all can search in the surrounding woods, but it's best to not walk too far.”
Chen Changsheng knew very well that of the disciples of the sects that entered the Garden of Zhou, the vast majority of disciples, just like the senior from the Holy Maiden Peak, had the responsibility of accompanying their juniors.
Saying these words, he began to walk downstream. Zhexiu followed behind, saying nothing.
Once he rounded the bend of the river and he made sure that no one could see him anymore, Chen Changsheng turned to Zhexiu and said, ”I'm taking a trip into the woods. Wait for me here.”
Zhexiu did not know what he planned to do, nor did he desire to reveal Chen Changsheng's secrets, so he indifferently nodded his head.
He entered the tranquil forest, climbed a bit of a ways up a mountain, then stopped. He took in the view of that distant plain, which seemed to burn under the sun as well as that mountain which seemed to extend into the depths of the plain. His right grasped the hilt of the dagger at his waist and he softly said, ”Can you help me out by going to the gate of the garden and seeing what's going on?”
At some point, the Black Dragon had appeared on his shoulder. As it looked at that distant mountain, a strange light appeared in its eyes. It seemed somewhat perplexed, like it felt that there was something in that mountain calling to it.
”I have a premonition that the gate is closed and this garden is no longer connected to the outside world. So, whether you go or I go, they're both the same. Only you have to be careful that no one sees you.”
Chen Changsheng turned his head to the Black Dragon on his shoulder and sincerely requested.
The Black Dragon withdrew its gaze from the mountain and gave Chen Changsheng two squeaks.
Somewhat vexed, Chen Changsheng answered, ”I have some things that you disdain, but this dagger was given to me by my senior, so I can't give it you.”
The Black Dragon gave him a cold look. The meaning was clear: you're not willing to pay up, yet you dare ask for my help?
Chen Changsheng though it over, then said, ”How about this? I promise you a single request… You know, right now I'm the Principal of the Orthodox Academy. In the future, I might be able to get my hands on all sorts of rare treasures.”
The Black Dragon's pupils constricted. Apparently, it was quite satisfied with this answer.
With a sudden gust of wind, the Black Dragon became a fleeting image as it pierced through the air, accompanied by an earsplitting sound that tore through the air.
Not long after, Chen Changsheng emerged from the woods and walked over to Zhexiu. With a solemn expression, he said, ”The gate is closed.”
Zhexiu arched his brow, but he said nothing, not even asking how Chen Changsheng had been able to know that the gate to the garden was closed in such a short time.
Returning that stretch of riverbank, the rest of the people were quite suspicious of the information that Chen Changsheng had so quickly learned. A hint of scorn could be detected in Zhuang Huanyu's indifferent appearance, while Liang Xiaoxiao directly asked, ”You say it's closed, so it's closed?”
Somewhat confused, Chen Changsheng replied, ”If you believe it, then believe it.”
Not waiting for any more questions from Zhuang Huanyu and Liang Xiaoxiao, Chen Changsheng squatted down and resumed treating the master from the Clear Void Monastery.
Qi Jian said, ”I believe it.”
Liang Xiaoxiao creased his brow, like he was befuddled as to the reason why his junior disciple was so confident in this rival of their Mount Li Sword Sect.
”Second Brother said, if something happens in the Garden of Zhou, the person you could be most confident in was Chen Changsheng.” Qi Jian explained.
Chen Changsheng was currently taking that master's pulse, so his finger was somewhat rigid.
When Chen Changsheng was leaving the Mausoleum of Books, Gou Hanshi had asked him to look after the Mount Li disciples. Back then, Chen Changsheng thought that Gou Hanshi had been asking out of courtesy, but he did not imagined that Gou Hanshi really meant it. For some reason, he suddenly felt that his shoulders had gotten somewhat heavier, and yet his mind became more relaxed. It was a very comfortable feeling.
After confirming that the master's wound was not about to quickly get worse, he stood up and had Zhexiu begin to prepare his medical instruments. He said to Liang Xiaoxiao and the rest, ”I confirmed that the rules of the Garden of Zhou are still intact, only that there is some outside force that is causing this disturbance. In these one hundred days, the gate to the Garden of Zhou should open once more, it's just that I don't when exactly it will open.”
Liang Xiaoxiao creased his brow. ”What sort of outside force could disturb a miniature world?”
Qi Jian pondered this question, then answered, ”Either that person is sufficiently powerful, or they have an extremely good understanding of the Garden of Zhou.”
Chen Changsheng nodded his head. ”I believe it to be the latter.”
Ye Xiaolian opened her eyes wide and asked inquisitively, ”Who could it be?”
They all looked each other in the eye, but none of them said anything.