Chinese animation: Starting with Bad Guys

The lake water is as clear as a mirror, reflecting the blue sky, white clouds, and the surrounding green mountains.

The air was filled with a faint, refreshing scent of herbs.

A simple yet elegant manor, built against the mountains and beside the water, is the renowned Jinghu Medical Manor, a sacred place for physicians.

"Mirror Lake Medical Manor?" Xue Nu looked at the manor by the lake, lost in thought. "Is the young master here to recruit physicians to join the Bad People?"

She has gradually come to understand the purpose of Qin Chuan's trip.

Qin Chuan gazed in the direction of the medical manor, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

The two arrived at the ferry dock, preparing to take a boat to the medical clinic on the island in the middle of the lake.

Before even boarding the ship, one could hear loud conversations coming from the shore.

A young man dressed in an elegant brocade robe, with a graceful demeanor but a lingering sense of melancholy and resentment between his brows, was speaking eloquently to a young woman dressed in a blue cloth dress, with a cool and aloof air.

The woman was slender and beautiful, with calm, clear eyes. Her hair was styled in a simple bun, secured with a single wooden hairpin. She was none other than Duanmu Rong, the direct disciple of Master Nian Duan, the contemporary leader of the medical school.

Qin Chuan recognized the man in the brocade robe at a glance: Ji Dan, the Crown Prince of Yan!

Taking advantage of the fact that Ying Zheng was preoccupied with dealing with Lü Buwei and had no time to spare, he finally escaped Xianyang and returned to the State of Yan through the secret machinations of Lord Changping.

At this moment, Ji Dan, as the closed-door disciple of the Six-Fingered Black Knight, the leader of the Mohist school, is trying to persuade the medical community to join the Mohist school and fight against the Qin Dynasty together.

"...Master Nian Duan possesses benevolent skills and is unwilling to be involved in conflicts, which I deeply admire. However, how can one remain unaffected by the changing times? Wherever the Qin army's iron hooves have passed, corpses lie strewn across the fields and rivers of blood flow! The people of the six states are filled with sorrow and grief!"

Ji Dan's voice carried a highly inflammatory compassion:

"It is a virtuous act for doctors to heal the sick and save lives. But, Miss Rong, have you ever considered that every Qin soldier you save today, once he recovers, may become a spear aimed at the hearts of the people of our six kingdoms! To save one person while harming hundreds or thousands! Doctors are supposed to have the hearts of parents, how can you bear this!"

His words were filled with patriotism and indignation, as if he stood on a moral high ground.

Duanmu Rong's usually cold face showed struggle and confusion. Although she adhered to her master's teaching not to get involved in politics, the tragic scene described by Ji Dan and the question of "saving one person but harming a hundred" struck her heart as a doctor like a heavy hammer.

She pursed her lips, her eyes wavering, seemingly deeply moved by these remarks.

Just as Duanmu Rong's resolve wavered, a calm yet penetrating voice rang out at the ferry crossing, interrupting Ji Dan's impassioned speech:

"Your Highness's words of concern for the country and its people are truly moving. It is a pity that my journey from Qin through the Three Jin states has revealed a vastly different reality from what Your Highness has said."

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw a young man in black robes leading a stunningly beautiful woman in blue robes slowly approaching. It was Qin Chuan and Xue Nu.

Ji Dan's pupils suddenly contracted when she saw Qin Chuan and Xue Nu!

He didn't know Qin Chuan, but he did know Xue Nu, the world-famous dancer.

Who is this person? Why did he bring the Snow Maiden to Mirror Lake Medical Manor? And how did he know his identity?

Ji Dan's face instantly darkened, and he shouted sharply:

"Who are you? How dare you spout nonsense and presumptuously discuss state affairs! The Qin army is tyrannical, massacring cities and destroying countries—the whole world knows this! How dare you distort the truth?"

Qin Chuan didn't even glance at him, his gaze sweeping over Duanmu Rong as he stated the facts in a flat tone:

"Throughout the journey, I saw few ordinary people from the six states who had died under the iron hooves of the Qin army. Instead, I witnessed the exploitation by the nobles of the six states, levying exorbitant taxes that forced countless people to sell their children, even resorting to cannibalism. And there were even worse cases…"

He paused, his tone turning cold:

"Some so-called 'righteous armies of the six kingdoms' wear armor but act like bandits, looting their own villages, raping and plundering, committing all sorts of atrocities! Does Your Highness really not know the root cause of the people's suffering?"

"You...you're spouting nonsense!"

Ji Dan was hit where it hurt, and her face turned ashen with anger, her finger trembling as she pointed at Qin Chuan.

He couldn't refute it, because what Qin Chuan said was the bloody reality under the corrupt rule of the six kingdoms!

His so-called "anti-Qin righteous army" was a mixed bag, including many petty thieves and scoundrels.

“What you say, young master, is all true.”

The Snow Woman's clear, cold voice rang out at the opportune moment, carrying an undeniable firmness:

"The Snow Maiden also came from the State of Zhao, and what she saw and heard was exactly the same as what the young master had seen. The nobles were extravagant, bandits and soldiers ran rampant, and the people were suffering terribly. Before the Qin army even arrived, the people of Zhao were already struggling to survive in dire straits."

Her icy blue eyes stared directly at Ji Dan, carrying a hint of barely perceptible mockery.

She had seen far too many of the true colors of the powerful and wealthy in the Zhao state.

Ji Dan was rendered speechless by the two, especially since the Snow Maiden's identity added weight to her words.

His face flushed red and then turned pale, filled with shame and indignation.

"As for Your Highness, you... you keep saying you're rebelling against Qin for the sake of the people?"

Qin Chuan's gaze finally fell on Ji Dan, a cold smile curving his lips. His words were like sharp swords, piercing the most hidden corner of Ji Dan's heart:

"Ha, he's just trying to wash away his personal grudges from being a hostage in Qin for so many years, enduring all the cold looks and humiliation! He's embellishing his own selfish desires as a noble cause, inciting others to risk their lives for him. What a fine Crown Prince of Yan!"

Ji Dan was terrified, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on!

His most secret and shameful thoughts were exposed by Qin Chuan in one sentence, as if he had been stripped naked and exposed to everyone's eyes!

Overwhelmed by shame and fear, he no longer dared to argue with Qin Chuan.

He yelled at the boatman in a disheveled state, "Start the boat! Start the boat now!"

He practically tumbled onto the boat, urging the boatman to leave the ferry quickly, his back view frantic, like a stray dog.

The ferry crossing returned to calm.

Duanmu Rong stared blankly in the direction Ji Dan had fled in a disheveled state, then looked at the extraordinary couple in front of her, and a storm raged in her heart.

Ji Dan's impassioned speech, which had shaken her to the core, appeared so pale and hypocritical under the other party's calm and cruel revelation.

The real suffering of the people of the six kingdoms described by the other party caused her, a healer, to feel a sharp pain in her heart.

She suddenly realized how foolish she had been to almost bewitch Ji Dan just now.

She took a deep breath, suppressing her chaotic thoughts, and looked at Qin Chuan and Xue Nu, her cool eyes filled with inquiry and a hint of gratitude:

"Thank you both for your reminder. May I ask what brings you to Mirror Lake Medical Clinic?"

Her gaze lingered particularly on Qin Chuan, the man in black robes, who exuded an unfathomable aura.

Qin Chuan met her gaze with a calm expression, as if exposing the true face of a crown prince was merely a dust mote to be brushed away.

His voice was calm, yet carried a peculiar weight, clearly reaching Duanmu Rong's ears:

"I'm here to save people."

Chapter 45 Rescuing Nian Duan and Recruiting Physicians

Qin Chuan's calm words landed at the ferry crossing, like a pebble thrown into a mirror-like lake, stirring ripples in the hearts of Xue Nu and Duanmu Rong.

A hint of doubt flashed in the Snow Maiden's icy blue eyes, while an expression of disbelief appeared directly on Duanmu Rong's cold face.

This Jinghu Medical Clinic gathers the most outstanding medical experts of the time, especially her master Nian Duan, whose medical skills are divine and no less than those of the legendary physician Bian Que.

Here, it is others who seek medical help, not others who need to "save" them.

Qin Chuan didn't keep her in suspense. His gaze passed over Duanmu Rong and seemed to penetrate the bamboo fence of the medical manor, landing on the slender middle-aged woman.

His voice was clear as he said, word by word, "The person I want to save is your master, Master Nian Duan."

"Master?!" Duanmu Rong was struck dumb, exclaiming in shock. Her usually cold eyes were instantly filled with immense shock and panic. "Impossible! Master's medical skills are extraordinary, and she is in excellent health. How could she need..."

Her words came to an abrupt halt, for a weathered yet still serene voice echoed from within the medical clinic, carrying a profound understanding of the world:

"Rong'er, please invite the guests in."

Duanmu Rong's heart sank, and an ominous premonition instantly gripped her.

She dared not delay, suppressing the turmoil in her heart, and respectfully led Qin Chuan and Xue Nu into the medical manor.

The clinic was filled with a faint fragrance of herbs, and its furnishings were simple yet elegant.

Master Nian Duan sat upright on the futon, his face thin and his eyes deep and serene, as if he had already seen through life and death.

"The master's medical skills are divine. He uses himself as a furnace and devotes himself to saving lives. He is truly a blessing to the people."

Qin Chuan stopped in front of Nian Duan, without exchanging pleasantries, his gaze sharp and penetrating to the core issue:

"However, human strength has its limits. Overwork leads to illness and damages one's very foundation. Even with the most skilled healers, it is difficult to save oneself. If my prediction is correct, the master's attempt to prolong his life through secret methods will at most... last for another five years."

Duanmu Rong could no longer hold back and knelt down beside Nian Duan with a thud, tears streaming down her face.

She finally understood why her master had become increasingly reclusive in recent years, and why there was always a hint of weariness between his brows!

It turns out that her master had known all along that he was going to die soon, but he had kept it from her!

And she, as the disciple, was completely unaware!

Nian Duan gently patted Duanmu Rong's trembling hand, her face showing no sorrow, only a serene composure:

“Young master has a good eye. I am seriously ill and beyond saving; I am truly at the end of my rope. I am only prolonging my life so that I can pass on all my knowledge to Rong’er. Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the natural order of things; young master need not worry about them.”

"Master..."

Duanmu Rong wept uncontrollably, overwhelmed by immense grief and self-reproach.

"Miss Rong, please don't be too sad." Xue Nu comforted her softly, her icy blue eyes looking at Qin Chuan with an almost blind faith, "Now that you've come, Master Nian Duan must still be saved."

What she had seen and heard along the way, and the various amazing methods Qin Chuan had demonstrated, had built an unshakable confidence in her.

Upon hearing this, Duanmu Rong suddenly raised her head, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at Qin Chuan, her gaze filled with hope and pleading, like a drowning person grasping at the last piece of driftwood.

Facing Duanmu Rong's earnest gaze and Nian Duan's calm yet relieved look, Qin Chuan remained composed.

"Master's medical skills are unparalleled in this world, and I am ashamed to admit my inferiority. However, by chance, I have created a martial art. This art does not emphasize attack and killing, but focuses on strengthening the foundation, nourishing life force, and harmonizing yin and yang. It may be of some help in prolonging life."

A strange light flashed in Nian Duan's eyes. She was not unaware of the cultivation methods that strengthened the foundation and nourished life force, but if they could "be of some help" to her, then they were by no means ordinary.

"Young master, your kindness is immense, I am so grateful..."

Just as Nian Duan was about to politely decline, Qin Chuan made his move.

He didn't approach, but stood a few steps away, pointing his finger like a sword at Nian Duan's brow.

In an instant, a powerful, pure aura, brimming with indescribable vitality, surged from his fingertips, like a spring breeze and rain, or the rising sun, silently enveloping Nian Duan.

Nian Duan's body jolted violently!

She clearly felt a warm and immense power flowing into the depths of her long-dried-up meridians and internal organs like a sweet spring.

This force did not violently attack, but rather gently nourished, repaired, and awakened the dormant life force within her body that had been dormant for many years!