CHAPTER 656: CHAPTER 640: BACK TO LIFE

The Teng family’s affairs were all the buzz in the capital, with rumors that they had committed some kind of sin and could now see ghosts. As for the Commandery Princess Manor, things were even more preposterous—there were tales of madness afflicting a son, a concubine beaten to death, and talk of divorce, which added a new topic for the Beijing Circle to gossip about over tea and meals.

As for the main Teng household, it was said that Old Madam Teng had suffered a stroke and was paralyzed, unable to utter a word.

Even though Qin Liuxi had left the capital many days ago, she still received news related to them. With her desire to seek medical treatment, she didn’t even look at requests for help, and she also didn’t show Teng Zhao any news related to the Teng family, especially the details of his mother’s difficult labor.

Knowing that the Old Lady was full of sins, she never expected that Teng Zhao’s mother’s soul would not harbor any resentment, nor linger, but instead was reincarnated immediately—surely she must have been an exceptionally clear-sighted and kind person.

She burned the note over the fire, thinking that the dying do not warrant much pity—all is the consequence of karma!

Qin Liuxi took Teng Zhao with her towards Li City, teaching him both medical practice and Daoist Skill along the way. Such hands-on training enabled him to progress rapidly, and now he was able to diagnose and prescribe for common colds.

Moreover, Qin Liuxi used a rabbit to teach him suture techniques, and for human acupoints, she used herself as the practice object.

Initially, Teng Zhao was hesitant, but under the coercion of his wicked mentor, he had no choice but to be brave. After mistakenly needling an acupoint and making Qin Liuxi dizzy, he became much more cautious in identifying acupoints.

He became keenly aware that a single mistake could kill a person!

With such force-feeding methods combined with a sponge-like absorption of knowledge, by the time May approached, they finally returned to Ningzhou Prefecture City.

Just as Qin Liuxi and Teng Zhao walked into an inn, someone called out to her.

"Junior Temple Master, is that you?" The voice carried immense surprise and excitement, followed by someone rushing towards her like the wind: "It is truly you, Junior Temple Master, do you remember me? I am Nian Youwei!"

What kind of name is Nian Youwei? Why not say talented at a young age?

Qin Liuxi was almost shoved in the face, but Teng Zhao pulled her back a step. Only then did she raise her head to look at the person approaching.

She didn’t recognize Nian Youwei, but she did recognize that scholar who had passed the imperial examination. However, why was he enveloped with such heavy yin energy, even denser than when she removed it for him during his parade through the streets?

Looking at his face, she couldn’t tell if it was because of this yin energy that his fortune seemed overshadowed by dark clouds, a downturn in luck, even hinting at a disaster of blood, quite serious!

His luck was tainted and on the decline.

What had he done? Wasn’t he just at the peak of his rise as a newly successful scholar, yet now he was facing misfortune?

Qin Liuxi frowned and said, "Oh, it’s you. Didn’t you become a scholar? Why have you returned here so soon?"

Nian Youwei excitedly bowed to her and said, "Junior Temple Master is truly incisive. You said that I would be named on the honor roll, and indeed, I passed the examination."

Those around who heard this couldn’t help but look over.

This man turned out to be the scholar of this year, and what did he mean by incisive?

People naturally have a desire to emulate the strong and are also curious; they naturally asked questions.

Perhaps Nian Youwei intentionally wanted to promote the reputation of Qin Liuxi and Qingping Temple; he briefly introduced Qin Liuxi’s identity and background, as well as how she had foretold the fortunes of himself and his classmates with uncanny accuracy.

Ningzhou Prefecture City was not far from Li City; it just so happened that someone had come from there and mentioned that Qingping Temple was now bustling with incense, the Daoist Temple had been impressively renovated, and some Daoists were quite famous.

To their surprise, the Junior Temple Master of that temple had actually come here.

On hearing this, those who believed in her powers immediately wanted Qin Liuxi to tell their fortune, while the skeptics jokingly asked if she could discern his life’s fortunes.

Qin Liuxi casually assessed the faces of a couple of people and then gestured for Nian Youwei to step aside for a chat.

Nian Youwei quickly led her and Teng Zhao to his private room.

After they had gone, those whose faces were read let out a cry of amazement: "Ethereal, truly ethereal!"

"Really? The reading was accurate?"

"Indeed true." One of them said, "My father passed away when I was three, and my mother when I was ten, she was right about it all."

The crowd: "!"

Both parents having passed away didn’t seem like something to be happy about, so why the excitement?

In the upstairs private room.

Nian Youwei poured Qin Liuxi a cup of tea, still unable to hide his excitement, and said, "Junior Temple Master, it really is a virtuous connection to encounter you here!"

"Why did you come back so quickly? I heard that the scholars had to stay in the capital to wait for their official appointments," Qin Liuxi found it strange that he had returned to Li City so swiftly.

Nian Youwei replied, "Due to the Longevity Festival in May, the scholars who passed this time were given a three-month break, firstly to celebrate the festival with the hundred officials and, secondly, to return home to report the good news and thank our masters while waiting for our official appointments. And I came back quickly because one of my classmates fell ill with a strange disease, so I thought that since I had to go home, and you Junior Temple Master, being renowned far and wide, I might as well come back early and see if you could figure out what’s wrong?"

"Oh? What kind of strange disease is it?" Qin Liuxi examined him closely. This man had not done evil deeds, so although he was enveloped in yin energy, there was no vindictive soul or karmic debt around him. Was this yin energy coming from his so-called classmate?

Nian Youwei furrowed his brow, seemingly embarrassed to say, speaking softly, "Actually, if you were to say it’s strange, it would better be described as being possessed by some evil."

He saw Qin Liuxi raise an eyebrow and hesitantly added, "After the Imperial Examination, I felt that Brother Lei’s behavior and actions were a bit off. At first, he just exhibited a few odd changes, only occasionally altering a small habit. But as time went on, he became less and less like himself, as if he had completely turned into a different person."

Possession or demonic possession?

Qin Liuxi inquired, "Was there anything unusual about him before he started to change?"

Nian Youwei sighed, "You don’t know this, but Brother Lei is already thirty-five this year and it was his fourth time taking the exam. The previous three times he failed, and last time, he just missed passing due to one ranking."

"So unlucky, wasn’t he frustrated enough to break his heart?" To miss by a hair, that’s like being cursed by the Gods of Bad Luck!

Nian Youwei: "..."

It was quite frustrating, but hearing your tone, it felt as if life couldn’t go on!

"It was indeed weighing on his heart, but the road of the imperial examination is like thousands of soldiers crossing a narrow bridge. There are those who take the examination to their deathbeds as mere child students yet still tirelessly rush to the examination halls," Nian Youwei sighed lightly, "and Brother Lei was the same. He failed in three attempts, so he was particularly anxious and uneasy before this Imperial Examination, unable to sleep peacefully. I often saw him talking to himself as if he was speaking to someone, but upon closer inspection, he was indeed alone in the room. I asked him, and he just said he was memorizing essays."

Qin Liuxi understood—it was anxiety and pressure, and he was mentally breaking down!

"Perhaps he was really talking to someone, but you just can’t see them."

Nian Youwei’s face changed slightly, does this mean... does this mean Brother Lei was really stricken by evil?