Chapter 191: Transcending the World and Entering the World

The young doctor moved the fortune-telling master who had fainted over, then reached a conclusion.

"Dead."

Just as he was feeling strange, Xu Jia had already walked in and asked, "This doctor, you look somewhat familiar to me. Is your surname Xu and your given name Xian?"

"No, my surname is Chen, and my given name is Liuxian."

Xu Jia nodded: "Close enough, close enough."

Immediately, he asked the snake demon who was hiding from him: "Is the Madam's surname Bai?"

"Ah? This concubine's surname is Liu, given name Ruyan, not Bai."

"Close enough, close enough."

Yet in his heart, he thought: How did the plot of Hangzhou come to be performed here in my Jiangnan West? And there just happens to be a Jinshan Temple right here.

However, Xu Jia craned his neck to look, but did not see a second green snake spirit or green fish spirit or anything of the sort.

He nodded immediately, having no intention of playing the role of Fa Hai, and only said: "Treating illnesses and saving people is a work of immeasurable Merit. This doctor, I see you have quite a bit of natural aptitude. How about you learn some Daoism from me and take me as your master?"

"Have you gone mad?" Discovering that the fortune-teller had kicked the bucket, Chen Liuxian felt somewhat depressed, and seeing Xu Jia acting all mystical again, he felt that today was an unlucky day.

"No, no. At least my eyes aren't blind, my ears aren't deaf, and my brain is quite clear; I haven't gone mad."

"Go, go, go!" Chen Liuxian chased Xu Jia out: "If you aren't sick, why come to a medical clinic?"

At this moment, an old doctor came out from the back. Hearing the noise outside, he came out and was startled upon seeing Xu Jia: "Young Master Xu? Why have you come?"

This was the very Li Dafu who had previously diagnosed Xu Jia; Chen Liuxian was his apprentice.

"The last time I saw Young Master Xu, you were still bedridden. Are you fully recovered now?"

Xu Jia laughed: "It's been several months."

Li Dafu said: "Compared to me, you are the true divine doctor, with hands that bring the dead back to life."

He immediately asked Chen Liuxian: "What was going on just now?"

Xu Jia said: "This has nothing to do with him. I saw that he has quite a bit of natural aptitude and intended to ferry him to learn to be an Immortal, but since he is the prized apprentice of Li Dafu, I shall not take what others love."

Upon hearing this, Li Dafu wore an 'as I expected' expression: "So Young Master Xu has already learned Daoism and attained Didao. I was wondering, before you were cut off from water and rice, lost your soul for seven days and died, and even a God Immortal could not save you, yet now you are perfectly fine—if this isn't a God Immortal, what is?"

He then said to Chen Liuxian: "You brat, Young Master Xu wanting to take you as a disciple is a good thing. Don't say it's you; even I would want this Karmic Connection."

Li Dafu coveted Xu Jia's medical prescriptions. Last time, he had already revealed two formulas to him, telling him to study them well and learn the principles of using medicine. Following this line of thought, he had subsequently cured many patients, and recently his reputation had grown, with a faint sense of being the county's famous doctor.

He had long ago discovered that Xu Jia was not the original Xu Jia, but it was not easy to speak clearly, so he had obscurely reminded Xu Mu and Xu Zhiyuan. At the time, he thought it was some demon or Ghost God, but later felt it might be an Immortal descending to the mortal world.

Now, Xu Jia was wearing a patchwork robe and holding a 'wish-fulfilling' staff, looking very much like a person who had transcended the mortal world to cultivate as an Immortal.

Xu Jia waved his hand: "Since he is unwilling, we shall speak of it later." After saying this, he revealed a smile: "I believe you will come looking for me later."

After Xu Jia left, the snake demon Liu Ruyan was filled with worry and asked Chen Liuxian: "Husband, will you really follow him to learn to be an Immortal?"

"Where are there Immortals in this world? If there really were Immortals, why didn't they appear when dynasties changed? Why didn't they appear when the common people were suffering?"

Chen Liuxian said: "My name, although it is called 'Liuxian' (Retaining Immortal), the meaning of the name refers to the 'immortal-retaining' skirt, which refers to fine clothing, nothing else. And my courtesy name is 'Jianchen' (Sword Minister), but that doesn't mean I'm going to learn the sword."

Liu Ruyan snuggled into his arms: "I only want to live a peaceful and simple life with my husband."...

Xu Jia subsequently went to the academy. After all, he had made up his mind to earn the title of a scholar. If nothing else, a scholar can "travel for study," at least allowing him to walk around, unlike the ordinary commoners who cannot move about or circulate, trapped in one place for a lifetime.

The academy was named "Mingde".

Why?

The way of the Great Learning lies in manifesting bright virtue.

This academy was not a very good one, but it was quite famous in Yushan. It was founded over two hundred years ago by that retired imperial scholar who absorbed ink at Jinsha Creek, and later it was always managed by his descendants, turning from a clan school into a "public school."

It just didn't have many decent teachers; there were only those who claimed to be disciples of great Confucian scholars, having no desire to take the imperial examinations, and consequently, not many of the students they taught possessed any official rank.

Xu Jia's predecessor had studied here, as had Niu Congcong, though neither were serious scholars.

"Disciple, you've finally come!"

Xu Jia was just wondering how to put it—returning to school days?

When he heard someone calling his name, he saw a bearded Confucian scholar of about forty years old calling him.

Xu Jia immediately knew from Disciple's memories who this was. This was his Master, Wan Zhen, courtesy name Xingguo. It was said he was a prized student of a great Confucian scholar from Nanchang and was skilled in the Zuo Zhuan, but he had never passed the imperial examinations, though he had quite a reputation in Confucian circles.

"Greetings, Master."

Xu Jia walked over.

"Previously, your family reported your death, and I even went to offer condolences. Later, I heard you had come back to life. I didn't quite believe in these Ghost God matters, but seeing you again now, I realize it is true. There really is such a thing as returning from the dead in this world!"

That Wan Zhen looked Xu Jia up and down: "Why are you wearing a patchwork robe? You look neither like a monk nor a Daoist."

"This was sewn by my mother to preserve my life and pray for peace," Xu Jia explained. "I came this time to ask about the imperial examinations."

"You have just recovered from a serious illness. Do you still remember your literary studies? Do you want to take it slow? The examination hall is not a kind place; there are many vengeful spirits inside."

Xu Jia was surprised: "There are vengeful spirits?"

"Naturally. Every year, don't a few people die in the examination cells? They are all those with weak constitutions, but there are also some sinister ones. If it were someone else, I wouldn't mention it, but seeing you, I must specifically warn you."

"That doesn't matter."

Wan Zhen added: "I heard your father, Xu Zhiyuan, has gone to Nanchang to study again? The County Magistrate even personally wrote a letter to my teacher, asking him to teach the Mao Odes to him."

Xu Jia nodded: "The County Magistrate said my father's scholarship had improved, so he told him to try for the provincial graduate exam. He had taken it a few times before, but later he didn't go much."

"Your father's scholarship was indeed mediocre before, but ever since your incident, it's as if he has had an epiphany. Last time, Provincial Graduate Lu spoke with me and mentioned this. From his literary style, I saw the ancient charm of over a hundred years ago. I don't know, but I would have thought some ancient person had taught him in a dream."

Xu father's writing improved because he ate an Ink Pill made from the ink-washing water of a former dynasty imperial scholar and the essence of plum blossoms. It did indeed inherit the ancient charm of over a hundred years ago. At the time, he also farted for three days, purging the sour, rotten Qi from his body.

This Master Wan really had attained the true meaning of scholarship, to be able to see the trick behind it.

"Cultivating Dao is merely transcending the world, while doing scholarship is entering the world. In the past, when the Sages attained the Dao, they all had a precursor, which was to be near death and return to life. Once one understands the matter of life and death, one can internally contemplate and gain wisdom. Disciple, I believe you are the same; do not go astray."

(End of chapter)