## AST 2003 - Half A Year Later, Imperial Cuisine Hall, Great Benevolence and Righteousness

Before Yu Xixuan left, Qing Shui gave her quite a lot of spices. Their agreement for the cooperation was considered to have been established. However, their real cooperation should only start in the future when they had arrived in the True Nine Continents World.

The next day, news of the Imperial Cuisine Hall's Qing Shui wiping out the Sacred Medicine Palace quickly spread throughout the Great Shang City. The news said that it was due to the abduction of Qing Ci and Little Mo and also because they had laid their hands on Qing Shui's medical skills.

It was only then, did the people from the Imperial Cuisine Hall find out about what had happened, especially those young men. Earlier on, they only knew that Qing Shui was very powerful, but they hadn't expected him to be this strong. Lan Lingfeng, the Barbarian Emperor, and the others were also astonished for quite a while. Only upon recalling the scene of Qing Shui and Qing Ci coming back that they knew what Qing Shui had gone to do.

Furthermore, the Imperial Cuisine Hall's reputation had grown even greater. This time around, it was due to the Sacred Medicine Palace. What kind of existence was the Sacred Medicine Palace? To think that they would set their eyes on the Imperial Cuisine Hall's medical skills. This meant that the Imperial Cuisine Hall was even stronger than the Sacred Medicine Palace. Thinking of the rumors which had said that the Imperial Cuisine Hall was very strong, they now understood that it was the truth.

Two days later, Zhang Miaoyun came by. His expression still seemed to be very calm, wearing a happy smile. After the acupuncture session today, his treatment would be considered over.

"You really don't show off your real capabilities. This Sacred Medicine Palace is really greedy." Zhang Miaoyun said happily.

"Why do you say that?" Qing Shui asked curiously.

"The Sacred Medicine Palace actually has quite a good reputation around here. After all, they are a sect with many alchemists. Everyone in the area would have to show them some respect. As time passed, their characters changed and now after they saw the threat that the Imperial Cuisine Hall poses, they couldn't sit still. I just didn't expect that these people would do something like abducting people."

"They didn't just abduct. They've also done a lot of bad deeds in the back." Qing Shui smiled and said.

"Everyone knows, but no one said anything. Such things aren't uncommon in great clans and powers. When their influence grows greater, no matter how strict they were back then, they would still indulge in certain situations. This is very common. Many people would unknowingly lose themselves that way." Zhang Miaoyun shook his head and said.

"Sir, I see that you've been really close with the Jade Fragrant Restaurant recently. I have to congratulate you." Zhang Miaoyun didn't seem interested to continue too much on the previous topic and changed to talk about the Jade Fragrant Restaurant.

"Oh, Brother Zhang knows about the Jade Fragrant Restaurant?" Qing Shui was very curious. He also wanted to know about the Jade Fragrant Restaurant's background. Why was such a charming lady here? He didn't believe that it was for the purpose of setting up a top notch restaurant in the area.

"I don't know much either. I only know that her identity is very mysterious and the force backing her up seems to be very big as well. They are people from the True Nine Continents World. The reason why she's here is also very mysterious, it seems like she is taking a break from something. However, she has been here for over ten years and it's really strange." Zhang Miaoyun shook his head and said.

Zhang Miaoyun's meridian channels had been healed by Qing Shui. However, he wouldn't be able to use his Origin Qi temporarily and couldn't cultivate either. Despite that, Zhang Miaoyun was already very excited. For the past few years, he didn’t have any cultivation at all. He had thought of killing himself on multiple occasions. However, at the sight of his parents' worried gazes and also at the thought of his wife, he could only choose to bear with it. Even if he was a cripple, he would still have to live on bravely.

‘Every cloud has a silver lining’. He was an absolute genius from the Zhang Clan and now that he was given a chance to recover, the Zhang Clan would arrange many experts to protect Zhang Miaoyun. It was because he wouldn't be able to use his Origin Qi for some time and they were afraid that there would be people with bad intentions who would try to harm him.

For Zhang Miaoyun's sake, Qing Shui had also given him a treasure that he had forged himself. Although it could only be used to fend off people who were at the Martial Emperor or lower, experts tended to be too prideful and wouldn't do such things themselves. Therefore, even if anything was to happen, it would be done by small fries. It would be fine as long as Zhang Miaoyun didn't use his Origin Qi.

The rest of the world wasn't aware that Zhang Miaoyun wasn't able to use his Origin Qi, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

Zhang Miaoyun was almost fully recovered. He would be able to recover completely after resting at home for a month.

"Sir, you can be said to have given me a second lease of life. If I hadn't met you, I'd just be a walking corpse even if I were alive. I feel that I'm mentally strong, but there are just some things which are hard to let go of. I don't know how to thank you, but if you need me for anything, I'll put down everything else to come and help you. Even if you want my life, I won't hesitate to give it to you. " Zhang Miaoyun said very seriously.

Qing Shui smiled and pat him on the shoulder. "We don't have any agreements between us. You came to seek treatment and I provided the treatment. You had also found the medicinal herbs and also paid for the medical fees. You don't owe me anything. I'm a physician. If everyone is like you, how can I keep my medical hall operating?"

Zhang Miaoyun knew what Qing Shui meant and didn't say much. He merely smiled and nodded, "I'm a man of my words. You're the person I trust and respect the most. If you have anything you need my help in, please do not stand on ceremony."

"Alright, I shall not stand on ceremony then."

...

The days that followed, were very peaceful. Qing Ci learned medical skills and cultivation from Qing Shui. Moreover, the older kids in the Imperial Cuisine Hall were still cultivating endlessly. Qing Shui was very serious in this matter. No matter if they had passed the optimum age for cultivation, Qing Shui treated them all the same. 15 to 16 years old wasn't too late.

The Imperial Cuisine Hall hired a few other physicians. With the Imperial Cuisine Hall's current abilities, it was naturally easier for them to recruit physicians. There were even people who came without asking for remunerations. This was why having a good reputation was good. People would come here in order to learn better medical skills.

Qing Shui naturally knew what these people had come for. Physicians must first have morals. If they didn't have morals, Qing Shui won't teach them anything at all. Otherwise, when these people became more capable, they would also bring more agony to others.

In order to build up the Imperial Treasure Hall's reputation, Qing Shui was still going to stay in the Great Shang City for a period of time. It could be a relatively long period of time. This place would also become a resting spot for him. In the future, it could also be one of Qing Clan's home.

In the blink of an eye, five months passed by.

Five months wasn't considered long, it was actually very short. Things over here were all moving on the right track. Although the Imperial Cuisine Hall didn't have any disagreements with the Lang Clan and Shang Clan, the others had all recognized the Imperial Cuisine Hall's status. Earlier on, they all recognized the Sacred Medicine Palace's status. Now that the Imperial Cuisine Hall was much stronger in all aspects compared to the Sacred Medicine Palace, no one would dare to come and create trouble.

Another thing to mention was the good morals of the Imperial Cuisine Hall. The poor could seek treatment at a very low price, paying only for the cost of the medicine. If they had difficulties, they could even get treated for free. Within a few months, the Imperial Cuisine Hall's reputation had overthrown all the other forces in the Great Shang City. Now they were known as a force with great benevolence and righteousness.

Quite a number of people from the great clans came to seek treatment, with many of them being incurable diseases. This world was different from Qing Shui's previous life. For example, in his previous life, if a person successfully treated an incurable disease like cancer, it would bring them endless troubles...

However, it wasn't the same in this world. People would only see you as a miraculous physician, an amazing physician. You would only get respect.

Therefore, the Imperial Cuisine Hall's relations with many influences were very amiable. The Imperial Cuisine Hall had gained a certain level of prestige and no one would dare to bully them. Putting aside if they were capable of bullying them, there would be many people who wouldn't stand for it.

Qing Shui wasn't a stubborn person who was obstinate on old-fashioned rules. Great clans were a byproduct of a generation. Even if he couldn't stand the way they brought themselves, the fact that they existed, meant that they were a norm. He won't be able to change them completely nor should he avoid them all just because of this. Even if you were to defeat a clan, a new clan would be born immediately. Moreover, this wasn't a legit reason for one to destroy a clan. If he was to do so, it wouldn't be long before he got himself killed.v