The room was quiet. The dying man was strenuously trying to open his eyes to see the youth at his bedside. The youth by the bed was staring at the ceiling, deep in contemplation.
A man to be dealt with by Heaven. Should he treat him or not?
"I need a pastor..." Professor Jade broke the silent atmosphere of the room with his feeble voice.
Ning Tao's contemplation did not lead to any conclusion. He sat by the bed, watching the emaciated Professor Jade. He kept silent for a while before saying, "You may chat with me anything you like. There are only two of us here."
"I need a pastor... I want to confess to him..." Professor Jade said.
Ning Tao thought for a while before opening his medicine chest and taking out an ordinary prescription. He drew a crucifix with his pen. He placed the prescription with the crucifix beside Professor Jade's hand, lifting his hand and putting it upon the crucifix drawing.
A
But some things cannot be had simply by wishing, or by putting in effort. Professor Jade continued. "My experiments had always been smooth-going. But one year ago, I started a new experiment with apples. I had originally wanted to cultivate a superior breed of apples that can be reared in the Arctic, but what emerged from those greenish soil were vines. Black flowers even blossomed from them, bearing fruits resembling snakes... And I fell ill during that experiment... I think this must have been the will of God. I had cultivated the fruit of the Devil..." Ning Tao could not help but interrupt him. "How could apples turn into vines? And bear fruits resembling snakes?" He thought about spiritual materials, but although he was familiar with the Compendium of Spiritual Materials, he did not know what those things were. "Even I don't know what I had cultivated. So that experiment ended. I destroyed them all... Later..." When he came
The night was bleak and dusky. An electric motorbike was racing on the road away from Stockholm. The night breeze brushed against Ning Tao's face, but could not dispel the scorching desires in his heart. Even now, the image of Shalim Talman was imprinted in his mind, wriggling like a water serpent... Heaven would have pitied him. No virgin boy of over 20 years old could resist such temptation! "I rest within the womb, listening to the sound of the Way." Dong! The divine bell tolled. Desire, that paper tiger, was immediately and completely dispelled. Ning Tao heaved a sigh of relief. He revved up his engine and accelerated ahead. After half an hour, a small town entered Ning Tao's sight. It was a typical Northern European town, with plain, unadorned buildings dispersed within a valley. They had gabled roofs sloped on both sides, as well as chimneys. Some of the walls were painted white, others orange.
In the courtyard house, Ning Tao narrated at length all that had happened to him over the past few days, from breast augmentation using a plucking talisman, to treasure-hunting in Florence. He also talked about treating Professor Jade in Stockholm, Ruitian. Finally, he told them about how he had unearthed a USB drive from Lucy's grave, and how he escaped from Joseph Talman's pursuit. He did not mention one experience, which was the incident when he nearly lost himself to Shalim Talman. Even now, thinking back, he felt ashamed. His cultivation of over 20 years and his virgin body were nearly ruined by a foreign princess. Of course he could not tell this to Jiang Hao, or she would have flared up in jealousy. The loveliest moment of his life ought to be reserved for his most beloved woman, either Qing Zhui or Jiang Hao. But which between them, he had not yet decided... "You gave that princess a breast augmentation... was she topless when you di
A faint white glimmered in the east. The magnificent and lofty Florence Cathedral was still cloaked in darkness. There were no pedestrians on its ancient streets, let alone any open taverns. On the uppermost story of Giotto's Campanile, there was an eastern couple standing abreast before the window, watching the dusky Florentine scene. "Didn't you say you would take me to a tavern for beer?" Jiang Hao broke the silence between them. Ning Tao sounded quite embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I was so elated that I forgot the time difference." Jiang Hao said no more. She shifted her eyes to outside the window. Although everything was dark and unlit, she still enjoyed the view. She had never visited Florence before, so everything here seemed especially attractive to her. Some time passed. There was a young couple coming from the other end of the street. They halted before the gate of Florence Cathedral. The young man suddenly k
Jia Yinhong had really came to visit, and it was on the day after Jiang Hao had consumed the deficient Ancestor-seeking Elixir. "Doctor Ning, where's our lab?" Jia Yinhong's tone was excited and also very polite. "I can't wait to start work under your leadership." Ning Tao, who was sitting in a traditional wooden armchair, sipped on the tea brewed by Qing Zhui and said slowly, "I'm just a doctor of a clinic, how would I have a lab? Go back and apply for one from Zhang Zeshan. Let's see if they could grant our project team a plot of land in the suburbs. It doesn't have to be too big. Just big enough for a lab is good enough. Also, do request a batch of experiment equipment, and also funds. We will need to apply for funds too. Let's just ask for five million for the current phase now." The smile on Jia Yinhong stiffened instantly. "Um... The funds and equipment shouldn't be a problem, but as for the plot of land..." Ning Tao put
Saving one's life is greater than undying devotion to Buddha. As the inborn go-between of good and evil, how could Ning Tao not go check on someone who was trying to jump off a building? Ning Tao left the courtyard house and saw people running toward a condominium. A middle-aged woman exclaimed as she ran, "Someone's jumping off the building! Someone's jumping off the building!" Ning Tao furrowed his brows slightly. Middle-aged people would be easily frustrated by young people not giving up their seats on public transport. Vile words being exchanged was usually the least they would do, and sometimes, they could even escalate it to physical fights. He was confused by this auntie running like a marathon athlete despite her large, chubby size. Did she really have to get so excited about someone jumping off the building? Qing Zhui had also run out of the courtyard and looked curiously at the crowd running over to that condominium. She was stunne
The girl's father charged out from the building and ran to his daughter deliriously, but was stopped by the firemen. He fell lifelessly to the ground and wailed out loud like a child. "Isn't it embarrassing to cry like this as a man? He still has the guts to cry after raising his daughter like this?" the auntie ridiculed him. As she was talking, she reached over to scratch her leg. A patch of black spot had already formed on her short, fat thigh. "Have you been stung by an insect?" someone said to her. "Aiyo, let's go, staying here is so ominous. My kid is getting off school now." That auntie turned around to leave but she could no longer walk properly as she limped step by step. Her leg would feel increasingly painful, then finally rot away. If she wanted to survive, she would have to amputate her leg, but if she had second thoughts and did not want to amputate it, then she would die. But nobody would tell her what to do, just
Dusk arrived as lights were turned on in every home. Countless vehicles made up long, glittering belts on the roads. The city was as resplendent as the Milky Way In the roast duck shop at Crystal Square, three men were having roast duck and liquor. The liquor was premium Kweichow Moutai. They had opened two bottles. Although Lan Yong felt the ache, he still had to brace himself and pay the bill. This was because he was treating Principal Chen and Mr. Wang, who was in charge of the school personnel. "Principal Chen, let me pour you a glass." Lan Yong was holding the liquor bottle in his hands, his face wearing an obsequious smile. He poured the liquor carefully for Principal Chen, and then for Mr. Wang. Principal Chen was wearing a smile. "What fine liquor this is." "Mr. Wang, let me make you a duck roll. Duck meat can help digest excessive food." Lan Yong took a wheat wrapper and rolled up some duck meat, cucumber