"Excuse me, is this the clinic of Master Dr. Barry Dee?" Seeing that no one came out to greet them after the car stopped, Lana Yan had to step out and call loudly at the door. In truth, as she called out, she had already spotted Joe Di inside, holding a stalk of Dendrobium officinale.
Joe Di seemed lost in his own world, almost as if stricken with senility. Only after Lana Yan had called for quite some time did he slowly look up, "Are you talking to me?"
Lana Yan’s irritation flared. "I've been here half the day—who else would I be talking to?"
He felt Paul Pang was being unnecessarily persistent; to him, Dr. Barry Dee’s disciple was nothing but a fool. "Paul Pang, let’s just leave. Staying here any longer is a waste of time and life."
But Paul Pang stopped Lana Yan, his face full of smiles. "I am Paul Pang, from Jinhai. May I ask your name?"
"My name is Joe Di." This time, Joe Di did not remain lost in thought and answered Paul Pang crisply.
Paul Pang grew even more courteous. "We came here looking for Dr. Barry Dee, but unfortunately, we learned of his passing. Dr. Joe, you must be his chosen disciple, am I right?"
Joe Di nodded. "Dr. Barry Dee was my adoptive father. I followed him to learn medicine, but I didn’t really acquire much skill."
Paul Pang laughed heartily. "Dr. Joe, you’re far too modest. How could Dr. Barry Dee’s disciple be ordinary? To be honest, I came here hoping to seek your master’s help, but it seems we arrived too late. Fate only allowed us this brief meeting—what a regret."
Paul Pang deliberately paused, hoping Joe Di would continue the conversation. Yet Joe Di was still staring at the Dendrobium officinale in his hand, showing no reaction at all.
Paul Pang took the initiative. "I hope you’ll come to Jinhai and take a look at a patient’s condition for me."
"Paul Pang, Joe Di just said he didn’t study long under Dr. Barry Dee…" Lana Yan quickly whispered from the side.
But Paul Pang waved her off, cutting Lana Yan short before she could finish.
Joe Di finally set down the Dendrobium officinale in his hand and spoke calmly, "I haven’t even learned a tenth of my master’s skills. Since he passed, almost no one comes here for treatment. You want me to go to Jinhai and treat someone—that’s not possible."
Paul Pang seemed convinced of Joe Di’s abilities and didn’t mind his refusal at all. "Dr. Joe, I may not be much, but if you’re willing to come to Jinhai and help my patient, I promise to help you enter the Tianhuang District—perhaps even the Martial Arts Academy."
After making his offer, Paul Pang looked at Joe Di with hopeful anticipation.
Joe Di furrowed his brow, unconsciously reaching to squeeze the jade pendant hanging at his chest. He pondered for a good four or five minutes before finally replying, "Alright, I’ll go with you to Jinhai."
Joe Di knew the Tianhuang District well—attending university there marked you as one of the chosen. But above even the chosen ones was a place everyone envied: the Martial Arts Academy. Nine out of ten students from the Academy qualified to enter the Tianhuang District. For those who didn’t graduate from the Academy, getting into Tianhuang required passing a rigorous martial test; only those who reached a certain level could walk its lands.
The Tianhuang District brimmed with rare, top-grade medicinal herbs, and of course, all manner of bizarre and unimaginable phenomena could be found there.
Within the Tianhuang District, countless local and national powers intertwined, dividing the region into many areas. Yet even so, there remained places so remote that no one had ever set foot there.
Joe Di had long heard tales of the Tianhuang District. It was the place every student yearned to reach. Rumor had it that someone from Jay Family Village had once entered Tianhuang, and within just a few years, their family had prospered so much that they moved away to Jinhai, claiming their fortune had changed.
For ordinary people, the only way to reach Jay Family Village was to gain admission to the Martial Arts Academy—a feat several times harder than getting into the most prestigious university in the country.
Joe Di’s desire to attend the Academy wasn’t driven by dreams of seeking rare medicinal herbs in the Tianhuang District. In truth, he’d never been particularly passionate about medicine. What compelled him was a persistent intuition—a sense that, to unravel the mystery he’d pondered for years, he could not remain here any longer. Perhaps the Tianhuang District would offer a path forward.
"Thank you, Dr. Joe. I’ll wait for you outside. Pack your things, and we’ll leave right away," Paul Pang said promptly.
Joe Di nodded. "Alright, I’ll be ready in no time."
Paul Pang beamed with delight, thanked Joe Di, and tugged Lana Yan away as they hurried outside.
"Paul, what are you really up to?" Lana Yan asked, her brow furrowed as soon as they stepped outside.
Paul Pang lowered his voice. "Lana, didn’t you see the Dendrobium officinale in Dr. Joe’s hand?"
"What about it?" Lana Yan asked, puzzled.
Paul Pang replied earnestly, "I’ve studied medicine myself, and my aunt is a renowned thoracic surgeon—I know a thing or two about herbs. The Dendrobium officinale in Dr. Joe’s hand was a top-grade wild specimen. Even seasoned herbalists rarely find one unless they venture into the Tianhuang District. The fact that Dr. Joe could harvest it proves his keen sensitivity to medicinal herbs. More importantly, did you notice how he handled it? I’ve seen Master Tang of Baoxun Hall process Dendrobium before, and I dare say Dr. Joe’s technique surpasses even his."
Lana Yan’s eyes widened in disbelief. "How could that be possible?"
Paul Pang nodded gravely. "That’s simply the truth."
"Shouldn’t we ask around the village first? Bringing a young man barely in his twenties to treat Yi Xun—won’t that be... risky?" Despite Paul Pang’s reasoning, Lana Yan still found it hard to accept.
Paul Pang offered no further explanation, as Joe Di had already finished packing. All his belongings fit into a single blue backpack.
Lana Yan sat in front, while Paul Pang and Joe Di took the back seat. Lana hadn’t intended to invite Joe Di to Jinhai at all; she simply couldn’t argue against Paul Pang’s insistence. Once in the car, Lana closed her eyes to rest, not even bothering with a polite greeting to Joe Di.
Paul Pang kept trying to engage Joe Di in conversation, steering the topic toward medicine. To his disappointment, Joe Di showed no sign of medical expertise. No matter what Paul said—right or wrong—Joe Di never corrected him, leaving Paul Pang uneasy. Had he misjudged Joe Di’s abilities?
Jinhai’s Zeng Family Group was one of the city’s three largest conglomerates. The Martial Arts Academy in Jinhai even had a department sponsored by the Zeng Family. So Paul Pang’s promise to help Joe Di enter the Academy wasn’t mere empty talk—though there was a condition he hadn’t spoken aloud: only if Joe Di could cure the patient would he have a real chance at admission.
Joe Di didn’t ask for details, and Paul Pang didn’t volunteer any further explanation.
The Zeng Family Group was vast, but its head, Zeng He, had no sons and only one daughter. What troubled Zeng He even more was that, two years ago, his only daughter, Yi Xun, fell ill.
With the Zeng Family Group’s wealth and resources, curing Yi Xun should have been easy. In reality, after her illness began, Zeng He sought out every renowned doctor in the world, yet not one could heal her.
(End of today’s update. Good night, friends!)