Chapter 242: A Second Search for the Elusive Doctor Cai

The next day at noon, on the plains...

The Daoist passed through two more villages. As usual, he only stopped briefly and did not linger, continuing north along the main road. The calico cat at his side trotted along with small, quick steps.

Suddenly, the cat halted, her ears pricking up as she turned her head to look off into the distance.

This was something the cat did often. While walking, any unusual rustle of the wind or movement in the grass would catch her attention.

Cats have senses and minds different from those of humans, perceiving a world that humans cannot see.

But this time, she paused for a moment longer, then glanced back to find that the Daoist had already walked a fair distance ahead. She immediately sprinted to catch up and said to him, “Someone’s shouting over there!”

“Oh? What are they shouting?”

“They’re shouting loudly... and there are wolves.”

“Hmm?” Song You followed the direction of her gaze.

In the wind, there did seem to be faint echoes of both wolf howls and the distant shouts of a person, barely perceptible. If not for Lady Calico's keen hearing, even those who heard it might dismiss it as just noise carried by the breeze.

Conveniently, a small hill lay right ahead. The Daoist and the swordsman both climbed up the hill to get a better view.

The land was flat and vast, with mostly barren fields. The main road took a sharp turn, and in the distance, faint figures could be seen in a scuffle. Three tall, upright shapes were clearly human, while smaller black dots surrounded them, darting in and out, testing their prey.

“I’ll go first!” The swordsman immediately spun around and sprinted back, vaulting onto his horse in one smooth, decisive motion.

“Giddy up!”

“Ask if it’s Doctor Cai.”

“Understood!”

The black horse shot off like an arrow, disappearing into the distance. Song You and Lady Calico quickened their pace as well, hurrying toward the scene.

The plains were so vast that many places appeared deceptively close, yet took a long time to reach. Still, the swordsman had already ridden ahead—Sir Shu was someone they could rely on.

By the time the Daoist and the cat drew near, the swordsman had already dealt with the trouble.

Behind the swordsman stood three people. Leading them was an elderly man, dressed in the attire commonly worn by doctors of this era. He appeared to be in his sixties or seventies, with a thin, frail frame. His hair was as white as snow in the dead of winter, and his beard resembled frost from late autumn.

However, after years of wandering through the harsh northern lands, exposed to the elements and worn down by fatigue, his once healthy, rosy complexion had darkened, his cheeks had cracked, and his lips were chapped.

Beside him were two disciples, likely in their thirties or forties, dressed similarly. One carried a medicine chest and held up a banner with the character for “Doctor,” while the other bore a traveling pack, his pants frayed at the cuffs. Both looked visibly shaken, still recovering from the fright.

Nearby, the corpses of three wolves lay scattered.

One had an arrow piercing its skull, another had half its head cleaved by a sword, and the third had a bloody hole in its side. The remaining wolves had already fled far away, glancing back from a distance, their intentions unclear.

“Sir,” the swordsman quickly approached and said, “This is Doctor Cai.”

“As expected, it’s Doctor Cai. A pleasure to meet you.”

“Oh, the pleasure is mine,” Doctor Cai replied, still visibly rattled as he returned the greeting, casting a furtive glance at the Daoist.

But with just one look, he was taken aback.

He possessed the ability to diagnose illnesses by reading a person’s facial features, as well as the skill to gauge a person’s strength by observing their vitality. For instance, when he saw the swordsman who just saved them, he could tell at a glance that his martial prowess was unparalleled, unmatched in the world. Even the esteemed Doctor Cai had never seen such vigorous life force.

However, as for the person standing before him now, he himself couldn’t even find the words to describe it.

“How should I address you, sir?” asked Doctor Cai.

“My name is Song You, from Lingquan County in Yizhou.”

“Thank you, Mr. Song, and to Sir Shu for your assistance,” Doctor Cai said hurriedly. “Who would have thought that after just a short while of abandonment, the roads in Hezhou would already be overrun with wild beasts?”

“It’s always like this,” Song You replied. “The moment humans withdraw, the wild beasts and demons return like weeds, springing back immediately.”

“If Mr. Song hadn’t happened to pass by, we would have faced a great disaster!”

“This was no coincidence,” Song You said with a slight smile. “We’ve been following you all along, Doctor Cai.”

“Oh?” Doctor Cai looked at him in stunned surprise.

Instead of answering right away, Song You asked, “Are you headed to Hansu County, Doctor Cai?”

“I’m going to Lingze County first.”

“That’s on the way. Let’s not waste time—shall we talk as we walk?”

“Very well!”

“Would you like to ride a horse, Doc?”

“No need, I can walk just fine.”

“...”

Song You didn’t press the matter further. He merely glanced back at the wolves still watching them from the distant field. With a wave of his hand, the wolves immediately turned tail and left. As they continued walking, Song You said, “I assume this is the first time you’ve heard my name, Doc. However, we’ve admired you for a long time.”

“Oh, you flatter me,” replied Doctor Cai, quickly waving his hand, assuming that Song You had only heard of his deeds in Hezhou.

“You may not know, Doc, but we came from Changjing. Even back in Changjing, your name was already well-known to us.”

Song You turned to look at this legendary healer, reputed to have god-like medical skills. Before, he wasn’t certain, but after traveling through Hezhou, he realized it—this was a man destined to be remembered throughout the ages.

Centuries from now, even the names of many emperors might not hold as much weight as his.

Naturally, Song You felt great respect for him—not because of his future fame, but because his skills were miraculous, and his virtues were outstanding. It was these qualities that would ensure his name lived on and that people respected him.

“When I was in Changjing, I went twice to Mount Beiqin to seek you out. Once in early summer of last year, and once in the dead of winter, nearly a year ago now. Later, when I arrived in Hezhou, I often heard tales of Doctor Cai’s selfless bravery, treating the sick despite the plague. It made me admire you even more.”

“You traveled to Mount Beiqin looking for me?” Doctor Cai seemed surprised. Then he added, “I had already come north by then; you must not have found me. I’m sorry you made the journey for nothing.”

“On my second visit to Mount Beiqin, I learned from the Snake Immortal that you had already traveled north,” Song You replied. “Besides, the scenery at Mount Beiqin is remarkable, so I wouldn’t say it was a wasted trip. Moreover, while I didn’t find you there, I had other unexpected gains.”

He paused for a moment and then said to Doctor Cai, “Looking back now, my two unsuccessful visits were simply a matter of fate. It was not our time yet. Our destined meeting was meant to happen here.”

“Snake Immortal?” Doctor Cai looked even more surprised. “You’ve actually met the Snake Immortal?”

“Yes, I have,” Song You replied calmly. “The Snake Immortal was an old friend of my master. I could be considered his junior of sorts. We chatted leisurely for a day, and I learned a great deal from him.”

“May I ask, to which sect do you belong?” Doctor Cai asked.

“It is called Hidden Dragon Temple.”

“...”

Doctor Cai seemed unfamiliar with the name Hidden Dragon Temple, but he quickly responded, “So, Mr. Song, you’re a Daoist master. No wonder you are so extraordinary.”

“I have only a modest amount of skill.”

“What brings you to this region, then?”

“I came down from the mountains to travel the world, to experience life among the people. I journeyed to Changjing, then to Hezhou, and now I’m heading toward the northern frontier. Passing through here is just a part of that journey.”

“The north is in chaos.”

“And is this place any less chaotic?”

Hearing this, Doctor Cai couldn’t help but turn his head to look at Song You. Song You looked back, and the gaze of the elderly and the young man met.

Rather than asking Song You why he was heading north, it made more sense to ask why the divine doctor was going north.

“The north is in turmoil, with demons running rampant and plagues spreading unchecked. While I do not have the medical skills to save lives like you, I am well-versed in the arts of exorcizing demons,” Song You replied.

He added, “I came north to firstly witness the state of this chaotic world, and secondly, to confront the demons that have arisen in these troubled times. Meeting you, Doc, has been an unexpected bonus.”

“But...”

Doctor Cai frowned, hesitating before saying, “I’ve heard that to travel north from Gui Commandery, one must cross the Snowy Plains, which are home to a formidable demon that even immortals cannot defeat. Just a few months ago, General Chen Ziyi avoided Gui Commandery entirely, taking a detour through another region to reach Yanzhou after passing Beifeng Pass.”

“That’s even better,” Song You replied with a smile.

“You are truly remarkable, sir!”

“I’m just a little skilled in cultivation,” Song You replied modestly, clearly uninterested in discussing this further. He then asked, “The north is in chaos right now. Why do you travel without a bodyguard, Doc?”

“With the plague ravaging the land, who would be willing to serve as a guard? Besides, I’m merely a traveling physician. Even if I encounter bandits or robbers, they typically leave me alone,” Cai explained, pausing before adding,

“Not long ago, I did have two

jianghu

fighters from Yanzhou who agreed to escort me. However, the plague is as fierce as a tiger—both of them sadly caught the illness and died one after the other in Wuxue.

“It’s said that the plague comes from a demon of the Snowy Plains. Likely, the only reason my two disciples and I have been spared is because we lived in Mount Beiqin for many years and were imbued with a bit of the Snake Immortal’s immortal aura.”

Doctor Cai sighed as he spoke.

“I see,” Song You nodded, glancing at the abandoned fields along the roadside. He continued, “We’ve heard along the way that you may have found a treatment for this Nine-Day Plague, Doc?”

“I wouldn’t call it a treatment, at best it’s a way to manage the symptoms,” Cai immediately frowned. “This Nine-Day Plague is quite peculiar. I’ve studied it for a long time and have come up with a method. It’s far from perfect—it sometimes works, sometimes it doesn’t.

“But the strangest part is that even when it does seem to cure the patient, the illness relapses within a few days. No matter what approach I try, it feels like battling sorcery rather than disease.”

“It is indeed sorcery,” Song You confirmed with a nod.

Since ancient times, medicine and shamanism have been intertwined.

In these times, skilled physicians often had some knowledge of basic Daoist practices. This was because during their medical practice, they would inevitably encounter cases of spirit possession or lost souls, making it hard to distinguish between illness and supernatural affliction. Naturally, they would learn ways to handle such mystical symptoms.

The more experience they gained, the more they understood. Even now, many physicians in remote areas primarily used Daoist practices rather than herbal remedies to treat and heal.

“You’ve learned about this as well, sir?” asked Doctor Cai.

“I’ve done some research on the matter during my travels, which is why I felt confident enough to approach you for a discussion.”

Song You spoke frankly to Doctor Cai, “To be honest, Doc, this Nine-Day Plague likely stems from demonic origins. It contains both demonic arts and a virulent disease; the two are deeply intertwined, inseparable. The demonic arts act as the vessel, while the plague serves as the weapon.

“If you only dispel the demonic arts without treating the illness, it’s difficult to save the patient. If you only treat the symptoms without removing the demonic arts, even if the patient recovers, they will relapse.”

“Just as I suspected!” Doctor Cai exclaimed.

“It seems you’ve reached the same conclusion,” Song You remarked. “I can easily dispel the demonic arts, but the pathology of the Nine-Day Plague is extremely complex. The symptoms affect the entire body, both internally and externally. My spiritual energy alone cannot cure it completely.

“Our difficulties are opposite: to defeat this demonic plague, we must combine medical treatment with Daoist methods.”

“Is this truly possible?” Doctor Cai’s eyes lit up with sudden enthusiasm.

“I am willing to lend you my assistance,” Song You said, meeting his gaze. “On my way here, I passed through several villages over the past two days. I noticed that some of them had already been treated with your medicine. Although your medicine cannot completely cure the plague, when combined with my spiritual energy, it seems to have a significant healing effect.

“Unfortunately, I was in a hurry to find you and didn’t stay long enough to observe the results closely.”

“If what you say is true, then we might indeed have a cure,” Doctor Cai mused.

“I sought you out, Doc, to share this information so you wouldn’t waste time trying unnecessary methods. Focus your efforts on treating the physical symptoms of the plague. With your skill, it shouldn’t be too difficult. As for the sorcery and dark arts, that’s not something that medicine can deal with. Leave that part to me.”

“...”

Doctor Cai walked in deep thought, pondering for a moment before finally saying, “I’ve already made some progress in my research. If I can have your assistance, it will make things much simpler.”