Chapter 12: Treat the Symptoms or the Disease?

Translator: Tim; Editor: Tehrn/Carolin

Ye Mo observed the elderly man lying unconscious on the bed. Upon his arrival, the man had been barely able to walk. His face was now a disturbing purplish-pink.

He glanced at the worried nurse and the even more distressed young woman. Before he could speak, the woman whimpered, "Doctor, please save my grandfather! It's my fault. I shouldn't have let him come to Ning Hai secretly"

Ye Mo frowned, withdrew several silver needles from his case, and quickly inserted them into the old man. His chi flowed into the man's body.

The old man expelled a ragged breath as the purple hue rapidly faded from his face. In an instant, his color returned to normal. He opened his eyes and said, "Qing Er, don't worry. This has been a long-standing problem."

The nurse and Qing Er stared at Ye Mo, speechless. "What kind of medical skill is that?" the nurse finally exclaimed. "Saving a man on the brink of death with just a few needles?" Her shock was evident as she studied his mask, wondering who this substitute for Doctor Cui was and marveling at his skill.

Qing Er, regaining her composure, rushed to her grandfather's side. "Grandpa, you scared me! I'll never take you out alone again" Tears streamed down her face before she finished speaking.

Ye Mo observed the girl. She was dressed in designer clothes: a Donna Karan top, likely worth tens of thousands, and Chanel shoes. He immediately recognized her as wealthy.

Looking closer at her tear-stained face, he found her breathtakingly beautiful, envisioning her even greater beauty in maturity. She rivaled the woman who had purchased his charms previously. Her worry had flushed her cheeks, accentuating her fair skin and neck. This prompted a further glance downward, where the deep neckline of her Donna Karan top further piqued his imagination.

"Qing Er, I'm alright. Help me sit up," the old man said weakly.

"You're an amazing doctor! I know my condition, and no one has been able to revive me so quickly" Before the old man finished, Qing Er seemed to remember something.

She turned to Ye Mo, astonishment etched on her face. "Your medical skills are incredible! Are you a Chinese medicine doctor? Do you use golden needles? Can you diagnose my grandfather's illness? We were so lucky you were here. I'm truly grateful." She bombarded him with questions, breathlessly.

However, she didn't truly expect answers. Numerous overseas and renowned specialists had examined her grandfather, but none could diagnose his illness. They had only given him six months to live, attributing it to inexplicable, rapid organ aging.

Her questions were instinctive, born of gratitude for saving her grandfather. Luckily, Li Kang Hospital was nearby; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Her grandfather's death would have devastated her and left her burdened with unbearable guilt.

Ye Mo nodded. "I know what his ailment is." He knew the illness, but Earth lacked a precise explanation for its cause. Therefore, he was confident the old man's condition remained undiagnosed due to its rarity; it was almost one in a trillion.

In the cultivation realm, there existed a mineral called purple coral, used to create mid-grade magical artifacts, though rare. Purple coral had a unique property: it had to be stored in a jade box after mining or it would lose its power. If kept in a pocket, its harmful substances would seep into the body within a day, rendering the coral inert.

The old man had clearly been poisoned by purple coral, a fact Ye Mo confirmed during his acupuncture treatment. The symptoms appeared years, even decades later in healthy individuals, but untreated, they were fatal.

The symptoms—purplish discoloration and coral-like organ aging leading to suffocation—were classic signs of purple coral poisoning. Without his cultivation, Ye Mo would have used herbs to slowly remove the poison. But as a first-stage chi cultivator, he could use his chi to eliminate it.

However, Ye Mo hadn't expected to find such a mineral on Earth. Acquiring it would be a significant gain.

"What? You know my grandfather's illness? Doctor, can you cure him? I'll do anything you ask, as long as you treat my grandfather!" Qing Er finally reacted, her hands trembling.

The old man looked at Ye Mo with disbelief. The young doctor's ability to revive him was astounding; the thought that he also knew his condition was almost beyond comprehension. "Is this possible? Are the medical standards at Li Kang Hospital in Ning Hai City this high? Even an emergency doctor knows my condition?"

Meanwhile, Ye Mo considered Qing Er's offer, concluding that her family must be very wealthy. This meant he didn't need to restrain himself financially. He needed money, and it was only fair he received compensation.

Thinking this, Ye Mo said to the still-stunned nurse, "You may leave. I need to speak with the patient and his family."

After the nurse left, Ye Mo tapped the table, then declared, "I can cure this disease."

Qing Er dropped her phone, the battery popping out. She seemed oblivious to its potential damage.

"Doctor, you can cure my grandfather? Really?" Her phone was forgotten as she rushed to Ye Mo, seizing his hands anxiously.

The old man watched Ye Mo with awestruck disbelief. Ye Mo's earlier actions proved his competence. If he said he could cure him, he believed it.

"Uh, Qing Er, calm down. Let's talk first," Ye Mo admitted to enjoying the beautiful girl's touch. Qing Er was even prettier than Su Mei; she would surpass Su Mei as the most beautiful girl at Ning Hai University if she attended. And unlike Su Mei, she didn't make him uncomfortable.

Noticing the doctor also called her Qing Er,[1] the girl blushed and released his hands, sitting quietly beside her grandfather. She didn't realize Ye Mo didn't know her actual name, merely using the name her grandfather used.

The old man chuckled, finding his granddaughter's shyness amusing.

"Do you want to treat the symptoms or the disease?" Ye Mo asked abruptly.

"What does that entail? I want to cure my grandfather completely," Qing Er responded, her blush fading as the conversation returned to the treatment. Secretly, she thought the doctor's eyes were captivating, a pity she couldn't see his face.

Ye Mo explained, "With my current abilities, curing the disease has a 70% success rate. There's a 30% chance your grandfather will die sooner. Treating the symptoms, however, has a 100% success rate, providing him three more healthy years. Regardless of your choice, payment is due now. The medicine is my private formula."

While Ye Mo was cautious with his 70% estimate, it reflected his current power. His medical skills were excellent, but he was only a first-stage chi cultivator. At stage two, his success rate would be 90%; at stage three, 100%.

"What? Grandpa" Qing Er was unable to decide, looking to her grandfather for guidance.

[1] Adding "Er" to someone's given name is an intimate term of endearment, typically used between parents and children, or lovers.