"What?"
Hearing this, Su Yang's face was instantly filled with question marks. He turned his head to look at Zhuang Yong beside him, who looked equally bewildered.
The two exchanged a glance, and Su Yang looked back at Guan Tianya, asking, "Who do you want to take as your master?"
"You!!" Guan Tianya's old face actually flushed a little after saying this.
"Wait, wait! Let me get this straight." Su Yang grabbed his head with both hands and spun around in place a few times before continuing, "You? The seventy-something-year-old divine doctor Elder Guan wants to take a junior like me as his master? Are you sure?"
"I am sure! This has nothing to do with age. You are better than me, and I am completely convinced. You have also completely shattered my inherent views on traditional Chinese medicine. I feel that many of my medical concepts from the past few decades are wrong, so I want to take you as my master to learn some new things."
After hearing Guan Tianya out, Su Yang had already recovered from his shock. He thought to himself, 'I can't teach you this! I have a system and you don't. The steps won't just appear in your head, and you don't have the Medical God skill. I could teach you to death and you still wouldn't learn it!'
'Damn, but how do I tell him that?'
'Oh, right, the old routine. I'll just make up some reclusive master who forbids me from taking disciples. Shifting all the blame onto a non-existent person is the best choice.'
"Elder Guan, let me tell you the truth. I actually do have a master."
"Oh, but didn't you say your master wasn't willing to reveal his name?"
"Right, he really doesn't let me say it, and moreover, he doesn't allow me to take disciples."
"Ah?! Why is that?!" Guan Tianya asked anxiously.
"Uh... his style has always been like this. He's very overbearing and his word is law. I don't know the reason either, so I truly cannot take any disciples."
Hearing this, Guan Tianya became visibly deflated. "Sigh, alright. Since that's the case, it wouldn't be right for me to force the issue."
Guan Tianya didn't pester him and quickly gave up.
Seeing this, Su Yang thought to himself, 'It really works.'
"But Little Su, we must exchange contact information. You can't refuse this, right?" Guan Tianya said, pulling out his phone.
Su Yang smiled and also took out his phone. "Of course that's no problem. Come, Elder Guan, let me scan your code."
Beep.
The two quickly added each other on WeChat. Standing to the side, Zhuang Yong also took out his phone. "Little Su, let me add you too."
"Okay."
Su Yang quickly finished adding both of them. Afterward, he looked at the clay pot and said, "I'll take this opportunity to go and brew the medicine for Grandpa Zhuang's next two courses of treatment."
"How about you brew it tomorrow? Rest for a while first. Once the food is ready, we'll eat. However, today's dishes aren't fully prepared, so please don't mind it later."
Su Yang waved his hand and said, "As long as it fills me up, it's fine. Haha, I'm not a picky person. I'll just brew the medicine tomorrow then."
"Alright, let's go inside and sit down first." Zhuang Yong said, looking at Guan Tianya and calling out, "Elder Guan, please also move to the living room to rest for a bit."
"You don't need to worry about me. I'm familiar with this place."
"Haha, okay."
Chatting, the three of them walked into the house together. Zhuang Yong led Su Yang through the main hall to the living room area on the right.
Old Liu popped up again from who knows where.
Without Zhuang Yong having to say anything, he quickly stepped forward and began handling the tea set on the table to prepare tea.
Although the villa had a dedicated tea room, taking someone to the tea room for tea was completely different from having tea in the living room.
"Little Su, have a seat anywhere, don't be polite."
"Okay." Su Yang agreed and sat down.
"Little Su, what kind of tea do you usually drink?"
"I basically drink any tea. Actually, you don't need to go through the trouble, just some water is fine."
"Eh! How could that do! Old Liu, brew a pot of Da Hong Pao."
"Yes, President Zhuang."
Zhuang Yong nodded and looked at Su Yang again, asking, "Little Su, do you usually smoke cigars?"
"Cigars?" Su Yang shook his head. "I've never smoked one. I normally only smoke cigarettes."
"Then let me get you one to try. You might just fall in love with it. Elder Guan, would you like one?"
Sitting to the side, Guan Tianya shook his head. "I don't smoke those."
"Then please have some tea." Zhuang Yong said as he turned and walked toward his cigar cabinet.
Cigars were different from cigarettes; this stuff couldn't be inhaled into the lungs.
Mainly, the harmful substance content in cigars was much higher compared to cigarettes. So smoking a cigar generally meant drawing the smoke into the mouth, letting it stay for a moment, and then blowing it out. It was purely to experience and smell its aroma, but even so, it could cause dependency.
However, trying it didn't matter. It was just experiencing something new.
Soon, Zhuang Yong brought over two Cohiba cigars. Su Yang didn't know much about this stuff, so he didn't ask many questions.
Zhuang Yong picked up a cigar cutter and deftly snipped a small piece off the cap of Su Yang's cigar. Then, holding a specialized torch lighter in one hand, he held the cigar head at a 45-degree angle with the other and rotated it over the flame.
The cigar was quickly lit. Zhuang Yong smiled faintly and handed it to Su Yang. "The cigars in this box are in great condition. Come on, Little Su, give it a try."
Su Yang took the cigar and got ready to smoke.
Zhuang Yong immediately cautioned, "Take it slow. Take small, slow puffs. Let the smoke stay in your mouth for three or four seconds before blowing it out. You must not inhale it into your lungs."
Su Yang nodded. "Okay, I'll try." Saying this, he held the cigar and took a gentle puff.
When he first drew it into his mouth, his tongue felt a bit spicy, but this sensation immediately vanished, transforming into a nut-like aroma that filled his mouth. After blowing out the smoke, he smacked his lips a couple of times and tasted a faint hint of creaminess.
Su Yang looked at Zhuang Yong, who was watching him, and smiled. "Uncle Zhuang, although I've never smoked cigars before, it actually feels pretty good."
"Right? Haha, if you like them, I can give you all the ones I currently have."
Su Yang waved his hand. "No need, no need. I still have to get used to this stuff and see if I can actually grow to like it first."
"Haha, that works too." Zhuang Yong smiled and sat opposite Su Yang, lighting his own cigar and puffing away.
The two chatted while smoking cigars and drinking tea. Guan Tianya sat to the side, drinking tea and waiting for the meal.
Half an hour later, Zhuang Mengli finished taking a shower and trotted out of the bathroom.
Coming into the living room, she saw Su Yang and her dad smoking cigars and chatting, and it seemed they were hitting it off quite well.
Guan Tianya, on the other hand, was sitting alone on the other side. Probably still feeling a bit upset that Su Yang hadn't taken him as a disciple, he didn't speak and just minded his own business drinking tea.
Seeing Zhuang Mengli return, Su Yang tilted his head to look, and his eyes instantly lit up.
'No wonder her figure could be rated 98 points! Her body proportions are absolutely incredible! These legs! Awesome!'
He saw that Zhuang Mengli had changed into a pale yellow casual T-shirt and a pair of black-and-white striped cotton sports hot pants, leaving her two long, fair legs exposed.
She had a shorter torso and long legs, with a full and harmonious chest. Although the thickness of her waist couldn't be seen, her hips were quite wide, meaning her waist was definitely very slim, and the shape of her legs was also excellent.
She hadn't tied her hair up after her shower. Now, her slightly wavy long hair cascaded down her shoulders as she walked toward them.
"Su Yang, thank you!!" As soon as Zhuang Mengli came over, she walked up to Su Yang and thanked him once again.
A faint, elegant fragrance drifted into his nose. Su Yang leaned back on the sofa and said nonchalantly, "Oh, don't stand on ceremony. Come on, take a seat."
However, Zhuang Mengli's expression remained completely serious. Standing motionless, she replied, "You were the one who helped me regain my confidence and completely rid myself of those hideous things. To me, you are practically my savior. If you ever need any help in the future, just say the word. Like my father, I am entirely at your service!"
Sitting to the side, Zhuang Yong looked at Zhuang Mengli and nodded in deep satisfaction.
In truth, it wasn't just Su Yang who needed their powerful background and influence; they were equally eager to stay on Su Yang's good side. After all, they had yet to find a second person in this world who possessed his level of miraculous medical skill.
They would go out of their way to curry favor with someone like Guan Tianya, let alone a god-like figure like Su Yang.
So, while Zhuang Changyun, Zhuang Yong, and the rest of the family served as Su Yang's backing, wasn't Su Yang also serving as theirs?
"Alright, alright, I get it. Just sit down already," Su Yang replied dismissively.
Zhuang Mengli nodded, then promptly plopped down right next to Su Yang.
Taken aback, Su Yang tilted his head and asked, "Your sofa is huge. Why are you sitting pressed right up against me?"
"Because I want to," Zhuang Mengli replied, picking up the teapot from the table and pouring herself a cup.
Off to the side, Zhuang Yong merely smiled in silence. Honestly, if it worked out, the arranged childhood marriage his elderly father had set up for these two youths wouldn't be a bad idea at all.
......

【Prologue: The Beginning of It All – Use holy water to heal the saintess tainted by demonic energy, then converse with her.】 Shen Nian stared at his older sister sipping yogurt, lost in thought. So you’re telling me my sister is the saintess, and yogurt is the holy water? 【Main Quest 1: Brave Youth, Become an Adventurer! Reward: Rookie Adventurer Title.】 【Side Quest 1: Find the Adorable Kitty! Reward: 1000 Gold Coins.】 Shen Nian: "Wait, I’m a high school senior here—did some guy who got isekai’d accidentally bind his system to me?" Hold on, completing quests gives gold rewards? Titles even boost stats? Is this for real? (A lighthearted, absurd campus comedy—not a revenge power fantasy.)

pression Bureau] Transported to a fantasy world overrun by demons and monsters, Gu Qingfeng becomes a jailer in the Demon Suppression Prison of the Great Yan Dynasty's Demon Suppression Bureau. From this point on, bizarre cases frequently occur in the Demon Suppression Prison, once known as hell on earth and infamous for its gloomy, terrifying atmosphere! Why do the demons and monsters in the prison wail miserably every night? Why has the corpse demon, capable of transforming into various beauties, donned black stockings and switched careers to become a foot massage therapist? Why has the eye demon, expert in soul-snatching and illusions, turned into a VR headset? Why is the fox spirit performing otaku dances? Are all these occurrences a twisted expression of demonic nature, or a descent into moral depravity? After peeling away layer upon layer of mystery, all clues ultimately point to a jailer named Gu Qingfeng. Gu Qingfeng: "Hehehe... My dear demons and monsters, whose card shall we flip today?"

transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”

] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"