Chapter 147: Hundred Years of Experience

"Teacher's body is still the same as before."In the palace, Chen An met Cheng Qi, whom he hadn't seen for a long time.

It had been several years since they last met.

After Cheng Qi ascended to the throne, he used to visit every one or two months in the beginning.

Later, due to busy state affairs and Chen An's impatience, Cheng Qi gradually reduced the frequency of visits, eventually only visiting every half a year.

This frequency had not changed for many years.

Until ten years ago, Chen An decided to travel and explore, spending some time wandering outside, which was why they hadn't seen each other in these past few years.

After not seeing each other for a few years, Cheng Qi looked much older now, with white hair covering his head.

The young man from the past had gradually transformed and aged a lot, now looking completely like an old man.

But Chen An remained young.

At this moment, Chen An was already 120 years old, and no matter where he went, he was considered a long-lived individual.

In ancient times, he would be considered a marvel and be revered.

But Chen An didn't look like an old man at all.

Although he had aged slightly, he still maintained the appearance of a middle-aged man, with only a few streaks of white hair.

White hair aside, his physique and appearance remained unchanged, making him appear much younger than Emperor Cheng Qi.

If the two of them stood together, without knowing the situation, Cheng Qi could easily be mistaken for Chen An's junior.

However, in reality.

From the perspective of the generations, starting from Cheng Zheng, Chen An was considered to belong to Cheng Qi's grandfather's generation.

"Not seeing each other for so many years, your health is still the same, while I am getting older." Cheng Qi looked at Chen An in front of him and spoke with a bitter smile.

"You should take good care of your body." After looking seriously at Cheng Qi, Chen An finally spoke.

Cheng Qi was taken aback, then smiled bitterly, "I want to as well, but with the busy state affairs, I really can't find the time."

When others said they were busy with state affairs, it was often just an excuse.

But Cheng Qi was different.

In a way, Cheng Qi was personally chosen by Cheng Zheng as his successor and was exceptionally dedicated in some matters.

He was also a workaholic, with a workload that surpassed others, truly an apprentice of Cheng Zheng.

In this aspect, it could be said that Cheng Zheng had not chosen the wrong person.

Although their attitudes were similar, their conditions in other aspects were quite different.

Compared to when Cheng Zheng was in power, Cheng Qi faced a much more complicated and dangerous environment.

With the increase in population, internal conflicts escalated, and various issues kept arising one after another.

The troubles were much more difficult than what Cheng Zheng had faced at the time.

This was a difficult situation to reverse. Many problems from the past were no longer relevant, and no matter how hard they tried, they could only make minor adjustments to keep things going.

The problems remained numerous.

If it were Cheng Zheng, he might have begun bold reforms supported by Chen An.

But although Cheng Qi was capable, he lacked the boldness, so he could only passively deal with various problems, constantly feeling overwhelmed.

Fortunately, because of Chen An's presence, the external environment of Dahua remained relatively stable during this period.

Even though other countries, like Dazhong, were rising, they did not dare to provoke Dahua until Chen An's death.

With a stable external environment and Cheng Qi's efforts, Dahua barely maintained a prosperous state.

But Cheng Qi's mind was inevitably occupied by these issues, leaving him with no spare energy to focus on other matters.

This was also a kind of helplessness.

To stay alert during extreme fatigue, Cheng Qi seemed to have been taking a certain elixir for a long time, which in itself was a hidden danger.

"Perhaps you should stop taking those elixirs." Chen An looked at Cheng Qi and said, "Although they may have short-term effects, in the long run, they are not good for your body."

"Yes." Cheng Qi nodded, somewhat helplessly. "I know those aren't good things, but sometimes I just get too tired and have no choice."

"If your body is normal, there are many alternatives that can be used, rather than relying specifically on those elixirs." Chen An shook his head. "In the end, your body has already had issues, and aside from those elixirs, nothing else will work."

It was not easy to stay alert, and there were many methods.

Aside from conventional physical methods, stimulating the body's acupoints with internal energy could also produce similar effects.

However, Cheng Qi's body had aged and was difficult to reverse, so many other methods besides elixirs were not very effective.

His patience had run out.

Although Cheng Qi agreed to Chen An's advice, in reality, he continued to do as he pleased afterwards.

With this outcome, Chen An could already predict the outcome.

Sure enough, after three years, Cheng Qi suddenly fell ill in his study and fainted on the spot.

After this incident, he never recovered, remaining bedridden.

"Teacher, the Crown Prince..." Before he passed away, Cheng Qi, with all his remaining strength, looked at Chen An, pleadingly.

Standing beside him was Cheng Qi's child, now a thirty-year-old Crown Prince.

In response to Cheng Qi's gaze, Chen An sighed silently and nodded.

Cheng Qi finally relaxed, then turned his gaze to the Crown Prince, saying a few things to him.

Compared to Cheng Qi back then, the Crown Prince was already mature and respected, so there was no need to worry too much.

However, the internal chaos in the country was so complicated that Cheng Qi had to instruct and admonish carefully.

In the end, on a dark night, Cheng Qi passed away.

The Crown Prince ascended the throne and became the new Emperor.

In the initial years of his reign, the new Emperor showed some achievements, being diligent and hardworking like his grandfather.

He managed state affairs, treated his ministers seriously, appointed talented individuals, and with the support of King Chen An, he briefly displayed the demeanor of a wise ruler, earning praise from all sides.

But, strong men could not last forever.

The internal turmoil in the country was not something that could be easily resolved, with complex relationships that were difficult to untangle step by step through internal operations.

It was easy to end it with one decisive blow, but difficult to make gradual changes through internal operations.

Just think about it.

Even Cheng Qi, with his strong work ethic comparable to a workaholic, couldn't completely solve the problem, so how could the new Emperor handle it after coming to power?

It was impossible.

In a few years, the new Emperor faced reversals everywhere, except for some minor issues, the fundamental problems remained unsolved.

For a young man, this was undoubtedly a major blow.

If it were Cheng Zheng or Cheng Qi, perhaps they would have gathered their courage to continue working hard after a brief setback.

But the new Emperor was different.

In the eyes of Chen An, whether it was Cheng Zheng or Cheng Qi, they were not normal individuals, but beings beyond normal humans.

With their good abilities and workaholic attitude, they would eventually succeed no matter where they were placed.

However, this new Emperor, despite having decent abilities, was just a normal person.

Faced with setback after setback and the expectant gaze of many, he made a decision that went against his ancestors.

He simply gave up.

After experiencing repeated setbacks, he realized a truth.

What was the point of working hard?

He was already the Emperor, and he had risen as far as he could. Even if he worked harder, could he really change his life?

The throne?

With King Chen An reigning supreme, Dahua had no fear of losing its position at all.

Since there was no difference between giving up and working hard, why not just give up directly?

From that day onwards, the Emperor gradually descended into debauchery, indulging in pleasures, building magnificent palaces, keeping beautiful women, and heading towards a path of excessive indulgence.

This whole process left the courtiers and ministers dumbfounded.

It had only been a few years, Your Majesty, did you have to fly off the handle so quickly?

Indeed, it was proven that it took several decades to cultivate an appropriate person, but to corrupt someone only needed a few years.

Sometimes, it might not even take that long.

Normal people, how many of them could resist the temptation to enjoy life and deal with dull and boring matters?

In Chen An's view, the previous Cheng Zheng and Cheng Qi were not normal, but the new Emperor was a normal person.

The only relief was that although the new Emperor gradually descended into debauchery, he still retained enough restraint, just becoming lazy and indulgent, without causing much trouble elsewhere.

Although he could not compare to Cheng Zheng or Cheng Qi, he could still be considered a mediocre ruler.

And then he died.

Just about ten years after the new Emperor ascended the throne, he passed away suddenly, succumbing to the same illness.

And a new ruler succeeded him.

However, it seemed like the succession of new Emperors had suddenly become more frequent, as if someone had pressed the accelerator.

In just forty years, Dahua had changed four emperors.

Among these four emperors, the longest reigning one lasted about ten years, while the shortest was only three years.

They died from a variety of causes, some from sudden illnesses, some from accidents like falling into water and getting scared, and even one who died from practicing a secret technique and accidentally killing himself.

Truly bizarre.

After learning about this incident, Chen An had someone bring the secret technique manual over for him to see.

He had thought there might be some surprises, after all, it was a martial art that even the Emperor had practiced, so there must have been something special about it, right?

The result was only shocking.

The so-called secret technique was actually created by several foreign warriors to please the Emperor, combining Central Plains martial arts with foreign martial arts, along with a bunch of random elements, making it a mishmash of styles.

Although it might seem impressive at first glance, trying to practice it was another story.

Would anyone dare to practice such techniques?

Chen An didn't understand, but he was deeply shocked.

In the year when Chen An turned one hundred and sixty, the fifth Emperor ascended the throne after Cheng Qi's death.

This time, it seemed like a child was ascending the throne.

There was no other choice, as the previous Emperor had died too early, leaving the Crown Prince to ascend the throne before he was even ten years old.

As for what the new Emperor would do in the future, how long he would survive, and what kind of actions he would take when he grew up, Chen An no longer cared.

After living to this age, what hadn't he seen?

Dahua had already endured the deaths of so many emperors.

By now, he was a hundred and sixty years old, and his body had already aged.

With a lifespan of two hundred years, a hundred and sixty years was approaching old age, although it was not quite at its limit.

Chen An, despite his focus on health, now looked completely like an old man.

He had grown weaker over the years, with long white hair, dull yellow eyes, and no longer resembling a legendary Master of Martial Arts, but instead looking like an ordinary old man.

In fact, during these years, he had been travelling to various places, living like an ordinary old man.

In order to witness the different scenery in various regions, he went by the name of Bian Que, treating patients and gradually honing his exquisite medical skills.

His medical skills were indeed exceptional.

After all, while others were still using traditional methods to heal the sick, he had already unlocked his innate Qi, which could only yield good results, right?

Coupled with being an innate Master, he was naturally much stronger in many aspects compared to ordinary people. Some patients would stand in front of him, and with just one glance of his innate Qi, he could roughly understand their condition.

If this didn't make him a divine healer, then the standards for being a divine healer in this era were too high.

Gradually, the name Bian Que became synonymous with a divine healer.

Many people wanted to seek his medical skills, but they were confused when they started to investigate Bian Que's whereabouts.

Some said Bian Que was in the Western Region, some said in Dahua, some said in the Great Desert, and others said in the Southern Kingdom.

And the deeds of the divine healer Bian Que had been circulating for a hundred years.

A hundred years, well, even the most exceptional divine healer should have passed by then.

Yet, it was reported until now that the divine healer Bian Que was still travelling around, treating the sick.

This situation left the high-ranking officials and nobles puzzled.

Could it be that this divine healer Bian Que had the ability to clone himself, or was he immortal?

Otherwise, how could Bian Que be present in so many places for such a long time?

If this news were to spread to later generations, it could very well become a miraculous story.

If Chen An knew about this situation, he would probably chuckle.

Although the act of healing and helping others seemed noble, in reality, it was not as beautiful as it appeared.

There had always been medical disputes.

Not to mention that this was not a modern society, where high-ranking officials and nobles wouldn't hesitate to arrest you, even if you hadn't fully cured their illness, and if a patient died during treatment, it could be even more troublesome.

If you came across a hot-tempered patient, you might not even make it out alive.

Of course, Chen An didn't have to worry about such problems.

After all, he held the greatest power (physics).

Even if he didn't want to, he could just...

With reason on my side, I am not afraid to travel the world.

What is a medical dispute?

Dare to reason with me.

Yet, amidst the process, there were still many helplessness.

The most vivid, perhaps, was the continuous withering and passing of life. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ NʘvᴇlFɪre.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

A person dying in despair on a sickbed and being slaughtered on the battlefield were completely different feelings.

On the battlefield, Chen An could watch hundreds or even thousands of people die without changing his expression, but seeing individuals die in despair from illness, he couldn't help but feel desolate.

Along the way, he had witnessed many tragic stories.

Some suffered from serious illnesses, sold their belongings in an attempt to seek treatment, only to end up destitute and dying on the streets.

Some had strange illnesses, still conscious but unable to move, considered a burden by their families and buried alive.

Some, due to poverty and inability to afford treatment, had to seek death proactively for the sake of their families.

And there were those who sold their children to survive, even pawning their wives, yet still couldn't survive.

There were all kinds of such stories, too numerous to count.

In the midst of prosperity, buried beneath that prosperity, there was far too much grief and sorrow.

Chen An witnessed these stories and scenes, and he also gained many insights himself, not knowing who to confide in.

Even as an innate Master, he couldn't change many things in this world.

Faced with the various pains and sorrows in this world, the only thing he could do seemed to be using his medical skills to help others as much as possible, curing one patient at a time.

However, many times, the things in this world were not as simple as you wanted them to be.

In this era, Chen An's abilities were already considered extremely good, and compared to other physicians, he could definitely be considered a divine healer.

But what could this achieve?

Many illnesses persisted, and despite Chen An's best efforts, he was powerless in certain cases.

There were also instances where his efforts to treat patients ultimately failed.

Some relatives were understanding, but more placed blame on him, even wanting to tear him down and profit from his misfortune.

Chen An had seen it all.

Along the way, he had encountered benevolent, malicious, ignorant, and enlightened individuals.

But no matter what, he remained true to his original intentions and continued on his path.

Throughout this process, he also witnessed the landscapes of different places.

Some places were prosperous, with the people living a comfortable life, while others lived in dire conditions.

Occasionally, Chen An would intervene to resolve conflicts for the wrongdoers, be it a king or someone else, and eliminate them directly.

He had this ability.

This behavior was sometimes good, but sometimes the outcome was different from what was expected.

After the hated kings perished, the outcome might not be as positive as anticipated, and could instead lead to more chaos.

Realizing this, Chen An continued on his path.

One day, he arrived deep in the Great Desert.

He was not unfamiliar with this place, having visited it over a decade ago, although not delving deeply as he did this time.

The so-called Great Desert was a grassland, where the people who survived were not farmers due to the terrain, but pastoralists.

Over a decade ago, when Chen An visited this place, he saw a desert oasis, with scattered tribes everywhere, resembling a scattered sand.

However, upon return, he was astonished to find that the environment had changed significantly.

A new kingdom seemed to be rising on the grassland.

It was a kingdom called the Golden Kingdom, which initially appeared as a small tribe deep in the desert but had grown through continuous wars over the past hundred years, annexing scattered tribes everywhere, evolving into a vast kingdom spanning the grasslands.

Wherever this kingdom went, there were knights everywhere, their powerful strength making Chen An frown.

(The end of this chapter)