Chapter 96: Game of Power
The first match of the semi-finals was between Wang Guofeng and Hong Tianxi. Perhaps it was also due to Su Tao's performance yesterday, but Wang Guofeng was extremely focused in this match. He only spent half an hour to defeat Hong Tianxi with an absolute advantage.
After that, it was a battle between Su Tao and Mo Sui'er, and the outcome also didn't have much suspense.
"I admit defeat!" Mo Sui'er was filled with unwillingness at this moment with watery eyes that made her look pitiful.
It's not hard to accept defeat, especially for someone as young as Mo Sui'er. She's still young, and she could afford to lose, but she was too concerned with the outcome of the competition and made a mistake in the prescription, which was relentlessly pointed out by Su Tao.
"Not only are you not qualified to participate in the Physician King's Tournament, but you're also not even qualified as a doctor. Don't you know the consequences of your mistake? In that instant, you're a murderer that killed someone that placed his hopes on you." Su Tao calmly said as he continued, "Your talent is good, and you have the potential to be a good physician. But your foundation isn't firm. Even your prescription studies are inferior to my disciple, so it's natural for you to lose to me. Go study more when you go back for five to six years."
Su Tao wasn't bluffing, since his disciple, Xiao Jingjing, had memorised the Prescriptions of the Golden Coffer by heart. Mo Sui'er had a high talent and a pair of eyes that surpassed the ordinary standards that gave her an advantage in diagnosis. But because of her talent that she neglected her foundation of medicine.
When Mo Sui'er heard his words, she was extremely angered. TCM had always been something that she was good at, but it was degraded to worthless by someone. Thus, her rage instantly burst out and she walked to Su Tao and ruthlessly stomped on his feet.
Su Tao's face instantly turned red, but due to the fans down the stage, he could only bear the pain.
Liu Ruochen couldn't help chuckling, but what Su Tao said wasn't wrong. This was something that she wanted, for Mo Sui'er to lose.
In this match, the patients were suffering from gastroenteritis. It's not hard to treat, but it was due to the patients having symptoms of fever that Mo Sui'er made a prescription with golden juice as one of its ingredients.Golden juice was also known as youth faeces, made from fermenting the excrement of an adult man for twenty to thirty years. Although it's disgusting, it's a fabulous medicine in TCM. But as it was something extremely cold, having the wrong quantity would cause difficulties for the patient to bear the medicinal effect.
It was within Liu Ruochen's expectation for Mo Sui'er to make it to the semi-finals. But she felt that Mo Sui'er still needed more polishing. She lacked setbacks and had never experienced defeat. As a qualified physician, she must get used to the pressure for her to grow.
"That Su Tao is too hateful! Didn't he just catch a small mistake of mine?! If we're competing in acupuncture, I would certainly beat him!" Mo Sui'er said moodily when she returned to her seat with her chest heaving up and down from the anger.
Patting her shoulder, Liu Ruochen sternly said, "What Su Tao said isn't wrong. Prescriptions are your weakness. Study these again when you go back. The Prescriptions of the Golden Coffer, Aqua Cloud Pillar…"
A bitter smile rose on Mo Sui'er's face. Memorising those prescriptions was what she feared the most. She turned her head and noticed Su Tao's gaze drifting over, so she snorted, "That fellow is too hateful. Senior Sister, I don't want to see him anymore. Since I'm done, why don't we leave first?"
Liu Ruochen smiled and her gaze flickered. "There's still the finals in the afternoon, don't you want to see the match of your Big Brother Guofeng?"
Hearing her words, Mo Sui'er's face turned red and she struggled, "Forget it, then. My mood got better, thinking that Big Brother Guofeng can take revenge for me."
When she finished her words, she hopped towards Wang Guofeng. Wang Guofeng had a gentle smile on his face while comforting Mo Sui'er. Instantly, her mood turned better, while Liu Ruochen sighed. Mo Sui'er had heard Wang Guofeng's name since she's young, so there's already a shadow in her heart.
But the shadow would gradually turn faint as time passed, and if Su Tao beat Wang Guofeng, it might change Mo Sui'er's way of thinking. Letting her know that there was someone more outstanding than Wang Guofeng in the world.
Wang Guofeng was dragged over by Mo Sui'er, so he smiled. "Ruochen, your requirements for Sui'er are too high. It hasn't been easy for her to come this far."
Liu Ruochen smiled before she responded, "Sui'er is my Junior Sister; my actions are for her benefit. You still have a match in the afternoon, so I recommend you to rest quickly. Su Tao is not your ordinary Physician."
Wang Guofeng's gaze flashed with a sharp light before he smiled. "He's not weak, but I'm confident in myself."
But only he knew that his confidence was just an act. The treatment of Qin Meimei had left a shadow in his heart that has been torturing him. In his heart, he had treated Su Tao as a significant threat that might make him lose this Physician King Tournament
He was a cunning and ambitious person. The reason why he wanted to marry Liu Ruochen was to gain control of the Aqua Cloud Stream as well.
The marriage between them was a pact between the Medical Dao Sect and Aqua Cloud Stream. Although the two of them have yet to be formally married, Wang Guofeng had already treated Liu Ruochen as his wife, due to the pact.
Liu Ruochen was the Physician King of the previous tournament, and if Wang Guofeng obtained the title in this tournament, the story of the two of them would become a legend.
She wasn't against the arrangement of her Master, nor did she dislike Wang Guofeng. But ever since Su Tao's appearance, she had been acting weird and slowly showed rejection for Wang Guofeng. She actually had an unbelievable feeling that hoped her fiancé, Wang Guofeng, would lose to Su Tao!
But she could only explain it as Su Tao's brilliant medical skills having won her over. Since young, she had been captivated by TCM. Not only did she inherit the excellent TCM foundation of the Aqua Cloud Stream, but she also started to open up the Aqua Cloud Stream's medical coverage. In the past, the Aqua Cloud Stream was only versed in treating women and children, but the Aqua Cloud Stream had started to widen their coverage into a full system.
She had thoroughly researched the Acupoint Injection Therapy to the Grandmaster Realm.
It was also the charisma of TCM that made her attracted to Su Tao. Girls would always find an excuse for their affair, so she was also trying to find an explanation for herself.
Liu Ruochen pursed her lips before she shook her head and did not make any comment on the matter.
But in the eyes of Wang Guofeng, it was a sort of contempt, so he said, "Could it be that you think I'll lose to him?"
Sweeping a glance at Wang Guofeng, Liu Ruochen's brows gently raised as she sighed, "Is winning and losing that important?"
"It is!" Wang Guofeng said in a stern voice before he walked towards Su Tao.
Su Tao had already thought of leaving, since there were a few more hours till the finals and he could stroll around. The afternoon was the highlight of the TCM Assembly, and more people would be present than the past few days. With more people, there's also a higher chance of beauties, so it would be an enjoyment to having a pleasant sight in every two to three steps.
Wang Guofeng walked in an overbearing manner. Su Tao glanced at him from afar, and he naturally couldn't lose out. Immediately, he stuck his chest out, widening his eyes with the corner of his lips raised. The two of them stood in confrontation and their auras clashed. It was akin to two volcanoes erupting with magma spewing out and the earth cracking.
Many people had noticed this, especially several reporters. They immediately started to snap pictures. Regardless of the result, they already had the core content for tomorrow's news.
"I'm happy to encounter you in the finals. You are an opponent worth my respect." Wang Guofeng still spoke in a refined manner, the typical behaviour of those righteous characters in dramas and movies.
Su Tao shrugged and smiled. "My mood is very normal right now. I do not wish to fight with an opponent, not on the same category as me. We've already fought once, so this match will not be able to pique my interest."
His words were still arrogant, showing off his ability. Actually, it was easy to understand the meaning behind Su Tao's words. Wang Guofeng had lost to him once, and he's looking down on the latter.
Wang Guofeng knew that Su Tao was purposely trying to provoke him. However, he suppressed the rage in his heart and said in a stern voice, "I hope that you can maintain that arrogance after the match. Reality will tell you to be modest since you still have room for improvement."
In the eyes of everyone, Wang Guofeng was someone that had already made his name. Furthermore, his age was also older than Su Tao's, so it couldn't be considered as putting on airs.
Su Tao gently waved his hand before his nose and smiled. "You're a doctor, and yet, you're not treating yourself. I suggest you prescribe medicine for stomach heat for yourself." When he finished his words, Su Tao turned around and left with a faint smile.
Stomach heat would cause bad breath, and Su Tao was practically ridiculing Wang Guofeng for his bad breath. As always, he would take turns and twists to insult a person, yet make it vicious and harsh at the same time.
The surrounding spectators seemed to be taking deep breaths to see if Wang Guofeng really had bad breath, causing Wang Guofeng's face to turn red. He was frozen on the spot for a long time.
Su Tao took a deep breath of the fresh air outside when he came out. Suddenly, his phone started to ring, it was from Yan Jing.
After picking up the call, Yan Jing's magnetic voice gently resounded, "First, I'd like to congratulate you for making it to the finals. Secondly, I'll now tell you the plan for dealing with the Nie Family…"
Su Tao held onto the phone and raised his head to the sky. The refreshing weather started to be cloudy, a signal the significant changes would soon take place.
When he heard Yan Jing's words, Su Tao suddenly realised that his current role too insignificant. Even without him, the Nie Family was doomed to be ruined.
All of this was just a contest for power, and his position was so low that he wouldn't be able to see the game between the higher authorities.