Chapter 26: Taking in the Rejected Young Eagles
Without hesitation, Xu Ning activated his Snow Shadow Step and quickly ascended the cliff.
However, the expected attack didn't occur. Xu Ning couldn't help but turn his head and saw the giant eagle land on a platform in the distance.
There was a nest built of dry branches, with three eaglets on it, their beaks agape, eagerly awaiting food.
Xu Ning didn't linger; he quickly climbed the cliff, took Tie Dan, and headed home.
Back home, Xu Ning planted some precious herbs he had gathered and then went to sleep.
For the next few days, Xu Ning didn't go back to the cliff to gather herbs, as the giant eagle was clearly no ordinary creature and posed a certain danger.
So he just wandered around the area.
But on this particular day, Xu Ning saw a dying eaglet below the cliff.
Looking up at the cliff above, Xu Ning couldn't help but sigh.
Eagles are creatures of natural selection. Because eaglets eat too much, adult eagles can't keep up with the prey, so they choose to feed the stronger ones.
This weakens the weaker ones, eventually pushing them off cliffs.
The one in front of him was clearly one of those eliminated.
Xu Ning picked it up.
Although still a eaglet, it was already as big as a mature hen.
"Since you didn't die from falling off the cliff, I'll help you!" Xu Ning whispered.
The eaglet was too weak to respond.
Carrying it, Xu Ning returned home and fed it the pork he had bought a few days earlier.
After the eaglet was full, the excess pork began to convert into energy, repairing its injuries.
Slowly, the eaglet regained its spirit, its eyes regaining their sharpness.
"Thank you!"
A sudden voice startled Xu Ning.
Realizing what had happened, he smiled at the fledgling eagle. "Saving you is also a kind of fate. Eat some more!"
The fledgling eagle nodded and began to eat, but its gaze remained fixed on Xu Ning, as if trying to remember him completely.
Now, there was another mouth to feed in the family, and a meat-eater at that.
Xu Ning thought he should buy a pig to raise.
Time flew by, and another month passed in the blink of an eye.
The three months stipulated by Bai Muyang were over, and Xu Ning went to the Bai family to undergo Bai Muyang's assessment.
Xu Ning, of course, passed with ease.
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From that day on, Xu Ning followed Bai Muyang every day, learning medical skills.
At first, Bai Muyang would take the pulse, and Xu Ning would prescribe medicine.
Gradually, it became Xu Ning taking the pulse, and Bai Muyang prescribing medicine.
This continued for a year, after which Bai Muyang told Xu Ning that he had nothing more to teach him and pointed out a path for Xu Ning to practice medical skills: practicing medicine and making diagnoses.
After all, not every patient would come to the Bai family for treatment. Many from the surrounding villages were too disabled to travel or come, and most of them died at home.
Bai Muyang's intention was for Xu Ning to visit these people's homes for consultations, and most of their illnesses were difficult and complex, allowing Xu Ning to hone his medical skills.
Furthermore, Bai Muyang didn't hide anything and directly explained the situation to Xu Ning: the Bai family wasn't what it used to be, so their income wasn't good. If another doctor like Xu Ning joined the village, the Bai family might struggle to survive.
The implication was clear: Xu Ning would be taking away business from the Bai family.
Xu Ning understood.
Thus, in the following days, Xu Ning began to go out to practice medicine every day.
A cry—
A giant blue eagle circled overhead, following.
Below, Xu Ning, dressed in white, carrying his medical kit, sat on Tie Dan's back, walking through the mountains.
In a year, the blue fledgling that Xu Ning had picked up had grown up and even reached the mid-grade mortal level, and he had given it a very imposing name: Yingying Monster…
It wasn't that Xu Ning lacked the ability to upgrade it to the high-grade mortal level, but as always, he wanted to keep a low profile and avoid attracting attention.
However, in this year, Xu Ning had cultivated top-grade thatch and trees in the mountains and forests.
He had also made more than ten flowerpots from the top-grade trees for planting herbs.
Currently, all the herbs in Xu Ning's garden had been upgraded to the mid-grade mortal level.
It was because of cultivating thatch and top-grade mortal trees that he ran out of manure; otherwise, he would have already cultivated them to the high-grade mortal level.
Of course, Xu Ning wasn't in a hurry. What he needed to do now was upgrade the manure bucket to the legendary mortal level.
In this way, he could cultivate legendary mortal thatch and trees, and then upgrade the thatched hut and manure bucket to the divine mortal level in one fell swoop.
This process would take a very long time, so Xu Ning wasn't in a rush.
Screech!
Suddenly, the whining monster swooped down and quickly landed on Xu Ning's shoulder with a wild rabbit in its mouth.
Xu Ning smiled. "We'll have roasted rabbit tonight!"
Tie Dan cried, "Moo! I want some too!"
Xu Ning said, "What are you, a cow, eating roasted rabbit for?"
Tie Dan replied, "Rabbit is vegetarian!"
The whining monster immediately protested, "Go catch it yourself! You're so lazy!"
Despite saying this, the whining monster still leaped up and quickly returned with another rabbit.
Tie Dan grinned foolishly.
Time passed quickly, and Xu Ning frequently went out to practice medicine, curing many difficult and complicated illnesses.
His reputation grew rapidly, surpassing the Bai family's fame in just two years, attracting many patients.
Seeing that his influence was unstoppable, Xu Ning felt he had let down his master, Bai Muyang.
Therefore, Xu Ning personally visited Bai Muyang and had a long talk.
Ultimately, at Xu Ning's insistence, he gave two-tenths of his income to the Bai family to repay Bai Muyang's kindness.
This time, Bai Muyang was truly moved by Xu Ning, constantly saying that he hadn't taken on this disciple in vain.
After that, because so many people came seeking medical help, Xu Ning simply stopped going out and stayed in the village to treat patients.
Bai Muyang, following Xu Ning's example, went out to practice medicine and improve his skills.
Initially, many members of the Bai family, except for Bai Muyang, were dissatisfied with Xu Ning. However, as more and more people came to Baiyi Village for treatment, and it gradually began to resemble its former glory, the Bai family tacitly remained silent.
Five years passed in the blink of an eye, and Xu Ning's martial arts had broken through to the third level two years ago.
Xu Ning's fame was immense at this time, and Baiyi Village was overflowing with people every day.
One day, a young woman led an old man into Baiyi Village.
"I hope the miracle doctor in Baiyi Village can cure my grandfather's illness!" the woman murmured to herself, looking at the bustling village.
The woman's name was Meng Lingzhu, and she had lived with her grandfather, Meng Yangming, since childhood.
Only when she grew up did she learn that her grandfather had been suffering from a deadly poison, enduring inhuman pain every day.
Because of this, Meng Lingzhu had taken him to seek out renowned doctors throughout the land, but to no avail.
They had come here specifically to seek treatment from a doctor who specialized in treating difficult and complicated diseases.