Zhao Huanzhang hurried downstairs to buy the medicine.

Li Runyu scowled, his gaze sharp as he looked at Gao-Yuan. Gao-Yuan's words from earlier echoed in his mind. What does he mean by "a doctor would never give up on a patient"? The implication was obvious: the comment was aimed squarely at him, the one who had already given up on saving this child.

Once Zhao Huanzhang left, Gao-Yuan immediately turned to approach the young patient.

“Hey!” Li Runyu called out sharply.

Gao-Yuan turned back.

With a frown, Li Runyu asked, “Are you really going to try to save him?”

Gao-Yuan nodded.

Sizing him up, Li Runyu scoffed, “So young, and already so ambitious. Be careful you don’t bite off more than you can chew. You might just ruin the small reputation you’ve managed to build.”

Gao-Yuan paused, met Li Runyu’s gaze, and asked in return, “So, Dr. Li, you’re not willing to treat this child because you think he’s beyond help—or because you’re worried that if things go wrong, it’ll tarnish your status as the county’s top doctor?”

Li Runyu’s irritation turned to anger, his voice cold. “You insolent boy! I’m offering you advice, and you dare to twist it into something malicious.”

Gao-Yuan replied calmly, “I would hope I’m wrong in my suspicions. I’d much rather be seeing you with a generous heart and a genuine desire to help.”

“You…!” Li Runyu’s face flushed as his temper flared.

At that moment, Miao Ran entered, searching for Gao-Yuan, only to freeze upon seeing the confrontation. Her eyes widened in surprise—she’d thought Gao-Yuan wasn’t one for heated arguments. Now she realises he simply chose not to argue with her. But here he was, holding his own quite fiercely.

Gao-Yuan, after challenging Li Runyu, walked briskly towards the child’s bed, glancing at Miao Ran as he passed her.

She gave him a reflexive, somewhat forced smile.

Li Runyu hadn’t felt this kind of frustration in a long time. The last time he’d been humiliated like this was when he came here to teach, and Miao Ran had confronted him publicly in class. He’d held a grudge ever since. Now, this was the second time, and being more of a scholar than a fighter, he was unused to handling arguments.

Li Runyu was about to storm out, but watching Gao-Yuan rush towards the sick child, he hesitated. He wanted to stay—to see Gao-Yuan fail.

Soon enough, Zhao Huanzhang returned with the medicine.

Gao-Yuan quickly administered it to the child.

As he observed the young patient closely, Zhao Huanzhang whispered, “Dr. Gao, this child’s condition is already critical. The medical texts call this state ‘the collapse of kidney energy,’ a sure sign of death. How much chance do we really have?”

Gao-Yuan shook his head. “Hard to say right now. The child could deteriorate at any moment. We need to act quickly, giving him an urgent boost to stabilise his qi and blood. Our success depends on how well his body responds to these powders.”

Zhao Huanzhang’s face clouded with worry. He was pessimistic, but, hearing Gao-Yuan’s confidence, he glanced over at Li Runyu, who was standing nearby. Approaching cautiously, he murmured, “Dr. Li...”

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Li Runyu simply turned away, presenting him with an aloof back.

Uncertain how to proceed, Zhao Huanzhang returned to Gao-Yuan, asking, “Dr. Gao, what’s with him?”

Gao-Yuan replied, “We exchanged a few words, and he’s annoyed.”

Zhao Huanzhang looked from one man to the other, clearly wanting to ease tensions but realising that both were above his influence. He sighed and let it go.

Gao-Yuan took a long look at the two men and sighed, massaging his temples.

“…Hmm?” Zhao Huanzhang looked at him curiously.

“Nothing.” It wasn’t the time for more words, so Gao-Yuan let it drop.

He knew, however, that among all the county’s traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, Zhao Huanzhang and Li Runyu were the most skilled. Although a few others were ranked higher in reputation, Zhao Huanzhang was known as the “Three Fears Doctor”—fear of failure, fear of injury, and fear of patient loss.

Like a martial artist competing in a tournament while weighed down by shackles, Zhao Huanzhang could still make it to the top ten. This demonstrated his real strength. After all, he was the joint disciple of four major masters from the Menghe School of Medicine.

If Zhao Huanzhang ever broke free of his limitations, he would surely rival Li Runyu.

Li Runyu was similarly skilled. The Yan family, headed by Elder Yan, was renowned across the city and known for producing excellent doctors, with many disciples and protégés. But even they had no one who could surpass Li Runyu.

Li Runyu held his position as the best in the county, but his flaw was that he guarded his reputation too jealously. As the number one doctor, he refused to treat any patient with less than a sixty-percent chance of success.

This was one reason Gao-Yuan would later surpass him as the best in the county. Even if a patient was already halfway across the bridge to the afterlife, Gao-Yuan would call them back to help—and would never give up. This unyielding attitude shaped him into an extraordinary talent.

Still, if Li Runyu could overcome his pride, his achievements would reach far beyond being the best in the county.

Gao-Yuan glanced at the two men, pressing his brow.

…

Everyone in the room focused intently on the child.

The boy’s parents stayed close, not daring to leave his side. Any available doctors from the county hospital also stood nearby, watching over him.

The child’s father, well-off enough to own a wristwatch, glanced at it periodically, his face tense with worry.

The others murmured amongst themselves.

The young man who had come upstairs earlier asked, “Brother-in-law, how many minutes has it been?”

The father looked down at his watch. “Nine minutes.”

Everyone’s heart skipped a beat. Every ten minutes or so, the child would convulse violently and struggle to breathe. Now it was almost time for another episode.

Gao-Yuan quickly stepped forward, standing by the boy’s side.

Li Runyu, standing by the door, also took a few steps closer, though his face remained sour.

“Dr. Gao.” The child’s father turned to him, his voice tense.

Gao-Yuan motioned for him to calm down. “How many minutes has it been?”

“Ten minutes,” the father replied.

Everyone held their breath, eyes widening in suspense.

Even Li Runyu leaned forward, drawn in despite himself.

“He hasn’t had a seizure,” Miao Ran announced.

“Dr. Gao!” The father’s voice grew strained with excitement.

“Wait,” Gao-Yuan said firmly, holding the man’s arm.

“Eleven minutes, twelve, thirteen, fifteen minutes...” The father’s voice rose with each minute, nearly trembling.

The boy not only avoided a major seizure but his smaller convulsions also started decreasing in frequency. By twenty minutes, they had stopped entirely.

Everyone stared at the boy, hardly daring to breathe, as if their own breaths could disrupt the fragile recovery.

Slowly, the boy opened his eyes, his voice faint as he called out, "Mama.”

“Yes… yes…” His mother tried to respond, but her tears and overwhelming relief reduced her voice to little more than a whisper. She swallowed, preparing to speak, but Miao Ran cried out, “He’s awake! He’s calling for his mother!”

The surrounding doctors burst into cheers, their joy filling the room.

Several doctors even threw their caps into the air, their excitement overwhelming.

Li Runyu stepped forward to examine the child. Seeing the boy’s stabilised condition, his eyes widened, and his lips quivered in shock.

“Dr.” The father gripped Gao-Yuan’s hand, too emotional to form complete sentences.

Zhao Huanzhang beamed at Gao Yuan. He vividly recalled how Gao-Yuan had said the child’s survival depended entirely on the effect of this one dose.

Gao-Yuan was equally thrilled by the results. The child had a real chance of survival now. He declared confidently, “Let’s press on! Time for another prescription!”

This time, the doctors rushed to fetch prescription sheets without hesitation.

Zhao Huanzhang asked, “Dr. Gao, what are his odds now?”

Everyone looked to Gao-Yuan.

Gao-Yuan glanced at the now-conscious child and replied, “As long as I stand here to guard his bedside, even the King of Hell wouldn’t dare come for him.”