"(1)
At this realization, Feng Yin tries to activate his basic skills again. However, the little fellow showed no response at all, indirectly confirming his judgement.
"You're just a newborn kiddo..."
Feng Yin pinpointed the little guy's tiny wet nose with his fingertip, "Are you telling me you already know which techniques are good? Aren't you more genius than me then? Do you have better discernment? Hmm?"
The little guy was sound asleep, showing only the occasional unconscious swing of his tiny paw, seemingly tickled by the finger on his nose.
...
Feng Yin took another bath.
"This Spiritual Transformation Technique is really something..."
Feng Yin wondered, "It seems that every time I practice, I manage to cleanse my marrow... Is there really that much lurkiness within me? I recall I've taken plenty of marrow cleansing pills!"
Looking at the filthy bathtub, Feng Yin furrowed his brow.
"After consecutively practicing the Spiritual Transformation Technique for two days, there's a faint indication of a vortex forming at my Dantian… But this vortex is not an attacking spiritual force, nor an accumulation of cultivation... It's more likely the power of the Spiritual Transformation Technique."
"As for the Dao Classics... there's no new content emerging, and that knife is utterly silent."
Feng Yin was not in the least disturbed by this.
After all, both the Dao Classics and the knife are still within me, can they possibly fly to the sky?
I've made it through the silence of the past ten years, not seeing any change won't bother me!
You may not have the intention of aiding in my progress, but as the master, I'm full of determination.
...
After the bath, he put on clean clothes and stepped outside, only to find his clinic packed with people.
Xu the Fourth, the temporary assistant of the clinic, had taken up his duties on his own initiative to explain to the crowd earnestly and modestly.
"The master is bathing to cleanse himself, I would like to kindly ask you all to stop causing a ruckus. I'm nothing more than an assistant…"
"The master will be out soon…"
"The master possesses a benevolent heart and miraculous healing hands, capable of saving lives and alleviating the suffering of others, his medical skills are superb, he can mend the living, mend the meat, cure the bones…"
"The master has a stellar reputation in our area, he is an acclaimed miracle doctor! His reputation for healing the masses is well-earned!"
"The master…"
For a moment, Xu the Fourth was waxing eloquent, flattery flowing like a river, but still managing to sound convincing. The audacious expressions on several patients in the clinic had long disappeared.
What took over were respectful and submissive faces.
"Ahem..."
Feng Yin coughed and stepped out.
Mainly, he was a bit overwhelmed by all the glorification by Xu the Fourth.
Are you sure the person you've been praising is me?
"The master is here!" Xu the Fourth lifted his voice in excitement.
His voice carried a striking similarity to the eunuch's tone when announcing the arrival of the emperor.
- The emperor arrived…
Suddenly, everyone in the clinic hushed down.
"Master, these fellows are all here for treatment."
Xu the Fourth stated, seeking credit: "I've asked them about their ailments, but they wouldn't disclose anything. It seems they might be suffering from some private condition…"
"For treatment?"
Feng Yin was surprised.
I'm nothing but a mediocre doctor.
Why are so many patients showing up all at once?
Won't this ruin my reputation?!
Plus, would patients really tell you, Xu the Fourth? After all, you're not a doctor, they'd have to repeat their symptoms again, isn't that troublesome?
Shouldn't you have some self-awareness?
I do have some self-awareness, but I truly don't know how to cure their ailments, what should I do?
(2)
"What brings you all here…"
Feng Yin furrowed his brow, showing a mix of benevolence and confusion. A look of respectful distance surfaced on his face, breeding a vibe of a miracle doctor.
While I may not know how to cure, I know how to pretend.
This cultivated demeanor immediately gave everyone present the feeling of a profound aura, and the atmosphere fell into silence.
The thought crossed everyone's mind: He really does know his stuff!
This demeanor is the mark of a competent man!
"I'm just a country doctor with shallow knowledge… Quite honestly I don't have any fame, and my medical skills are just average, not to the level of manipulating life and death, mending flesh, or healing bones. I can only fool those country folks with it… All of you are heroes of the Three Mountains. Why have you all suddenly come to my small clinic?" Feng Yin furrowed his brow as he inquired.
Underneath the tone of self-deprecation, there was a stronger scent of wishing the guests to leave.
But self-deprecation can have different tones too.
All present were quick thinkers and instantly began speculating.
Manipulating life and death, mending flesh and bones… Are those things any random doctor can do?
This is a miraculous skill that only divine doctors have. Almost no doctor in this world would dare claim they can do this. Although the man before them said he can't do it, whether he can or not is questionable.
What if his self-deprecation is just an act of modesty?!
After all, which doctor would come forward and claim: I can cure all diseases?
"Master, you are being too humble."
A group of hulking figures – a green-haired guy, a man with a scar across his face, someone with bandy legs, a small chubby man – all wore ingratiating smiles. "Even Lord Wu speaks highly of you, praising your benevolent heart and miraculous hands as well as your medical skills and ethics as unparalleled. You are definitely not as poor as you humble yourself to be… haha."
Feng Yin instantly understood.
It turned out that Lord Wu had said some good things about him after he left.
As they say, a reputation can only go as far as other people carry it. He had certified Feng Yin's 'Temporarily Appointed Doctor of Heavenly Clothes' title and also built up his not-so-ordinary medical skills, which has resulted in the current situation.
However, Feng Yin had underestimated Wu Tiejun.
Being a man of integrity and earnestness, very few people could earn Wu Tiejun's praise. Thus, anything that came out of his mouth was especially trustworthy.
This is exactly why these notorious men from the martial arts world trust him so unquestioningly.
It's because they have too much faith in Wu Tiejun. They all know him as a kind-hearted being who wouldn't tell lies or set someone up.
"So that's how it is."
Feng Yin suddenly felt relieved.
Since they were already wholeheartedly convinced, it would be even easier for him.
He placed one hand behind his back, puffed out his chest, and smiled warmly, "Gentlemen, feel free to relax. If you have any symptoms or conditions, feel free to let me know. However, I cannot guarantee a cure, haha."
With that, Feng Yin swaggered a few steps.
Without any politeness, he boldly sat on the chair.
There was a grace about him.
And an air of nobility.
The demeanor of a renowned doctor was fully on display.
I'm done pretending; I'm laying my cards on the table; I am the miraculous healer.
The sight of this stirred the men, who were eager to go first.
"Sir, I have had an injury for over five years that has never been completely cured, may I ask if you...?"
"Sir, it's my chest..."
"Sir, I..."
Feng Yin furrowed his brow and said seriously yet gently, "… Don't rush, let's take it one at a time."
His composure was evident in every minute detail. He didn't say 'don't rush,' which was devoid of character. Instead, he used 'do not'.
The same meaning, but two different words, yet it was a clear indicator of one's level of education.
For example, 'Fuck your mother!' and 'Your mother's' basically mean the same thing. But when you look at the two, the latter is obviously more educated.
Could they be the same?
Even if the meaning is the same, the effect is definitely not the same. And moreover, the depth of the two is also different.
...
The men were all somewhat anxious.
Honestly speaking, which martial artist doesn't have a few hidden injuries aside from the newcomers?
As for the men here, they had probably already tried countless doctors, but to no avail. Now that they had heard of a miracle healer right under their noses, how could they not rush over to give it a try?
What if they got better?
Even without Wu Tiejun's endorsement, they would still be honest. Because this might be their one hope.
Those hidden injuries, they could be affecting their fighting ability and potential.
Feng Yin couldn't help but feel exasperated.
I am a complete novice, probably even worse than an average hack.
Regardless, no matter how panicked Feng Yin was on the inside, his face remained as calm as ever.
That was because of his incredibly strong mental fortitude.
Though my medical skills may be lacking, I certainly know how to scam. In terms of scamming, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve.
Feng Yin's honest and upright face was etched with a convincing warm smile. His fingers lightly tapped on the table, emitting a faint 'tap tap tap' sound. With a pleased expression, he said, "As they say, a doctor's heart is like that of a parent's. Since you guys have graced my humble establishment with your presence, I will do my best to assist. Let's start with you."
He pointed a finger.
"Thank you, sir."
The first man, a burly youth, walked up. He sat down on the chair, his bear-like frame causing the sturdy wood to creak.
The youngster was obediently extending his wrist, his meaty face tried to scrounge up a sweet smile.
Feng Yin closed his eyes, took his pulse, and as always, could not detect anything.
However, his face remained composed, with a hint of worry, he said earnestly, "You've suffered an internal injury...This affects the very core of your being. This type of injury, it's not going to be easy to treat."
If you look closer, this statement meant nothing.
Of course, the injury this man couldn't get rid of for so many years was a result of an internal injury, and it certainly affected his core.
But the man's face lit up with joy, his head bobbing in agreement, a look of admiration on his face, "Sir, you truly are a miracle doctor... you're precisely right about my condition. I've been to so many other places, very few doctors could figure it out, let alone pinpoint the cause..."
The workers and others all looked on with shock and excitement: real miraculous doctor!
Humph! Of course, except for fortune-tellers, very few can tell...
Feng Yin frowned, a worried look on his face, with an added hint of reproach as he advised, "You shouldn't disparage other doctors so easily. The basis of a doctor's vocation is to help people, to save lives, and treat the injured. Each one of them wants to cure you, but where they fall short is due to human limitations and occasional oversight."
"Yes, yes, you're right, sir. It was my mistake, my mouth is always getting me into trouble. It really deserves a slap..."
"According to my observation, it seems like you didn't protect yourself adequately when you got injured."
Feng Yin frowned and said, "If at that time, you could have defended yourself using your skills, wouldn't you have avoided the...life-threatening injury? How can you be so careless during your jianghu journey?"
That was nonsense.
In a situation where these men received an unexpected attack that didn't kill them, and that didn't affect their abilities, it was highly likely that over eighty percent of these were caused by surprise attacks. And the attacker's abilities were certainly not higher than their own, that's why they used a surprise attack. But even after a surprise attack, they still survived.
The burly youth immediately displayed a look of admiration mixed with anger, "Sir, you really are a miracle, this injury of mine was indeed caused by a shameless man who attacked me from behind unexpectedly. I was truly too negligent at that time, ah... after all these years, no one could figure this out... you really are... really are..."
The others with scar-face, bow-legged condition watched as their eyes bulged, full of admiration, all of them frozen in their tracks, no one dared to breathe loudly.
We have met a great power today, he could see it all...
Feng Yin sighed, "But, you're lucky to have a deep internal energy foundation. Otherwise, with this kind of injury, you could have died a long time ago in the wilderness."
"Yes, you're right, sir."
The burly youth remembered the difficulty of his escape after the injury, his teeth clenching with a 'grrr' sound.
This doctor is spot on. I was almost killed on the spot back then.
Feng Yin rolled his eyes internally: The man who attacked you would not likely just let you go. So, the journey of escaping that followed would certainly be life-threatening...
Feng Yin's face remained stoic, his frown deepened, with increasing worry and sorrow on his face, but with a hint of understanding as he sighed slightly, "This injury of yours... this, this injury of yours..."
...
[The original chapter was about 2800 characters. After revising it, it became more than 3500 characters. There were so many people watching in the live broadcast room, I didn't have the heart to cut out 700... It's a bit regrettable]