Open a Clinic to Cultivate Myself

Chapter 393 The Controlling Urge of a King
In the house of Male Eagle.

After looking and smelling, Ning Tao had already grasped the situation concerning Male Eagle. Although this man could perform coitus, he could not have children. Both his testicles were dysfunctional. No hospital in the world could cure this ailment.

The fertility pills from Liu Shiba were certainly useful for this purpose. From the contents of the ledger of bamboo slips, he knew that they could cure infertility and make a man’s testicles produce sperms, or a woman’s ovaries eggs. No matter what man or woman took them, they could bear children. So Male Eagle’s congenital fertility problem could be cured by one quality fertility pill.

But after the examination, Ning Tao started to frown. He said in English, “Chieftain Male Eagle, your ailment is very troublesome. I can cure you, but I need many herbs to concoct the pills. If you can provide me with the ingredients, I can cure you.”

Male Eagle was very agitated. He said in English, “Do you mean it? Tell me straight what medicinal herbs you need.”

Ning Tao said, “I will write you a list. Just prepare the herbs on the list.”

Male Eagle said, “Please try to provide me the herb’s name and appearance, as well as its traits. I can’t read the Chinese names of herbs. If you can describe them, I will get my men to find those herbs or fruits.”

Ning Tao said, “Sure, I will describe them in detail. I need a day to do that. Tomorrow, at around the same time, I will come to look for you and give you the list.”

Chieftain Male Eagle said, “I have already got my men to prepare your lodging. You are our most esteemed guest, so you must stay in a house blessed by our Sun god. I will get someone to take you there.”

Ning Tao stood up and said, “Thank you. I will leave now for that place to prepare my list.”

Chieftain Male Eagle clapped his hands and two tribal warriors carrying AK assault rifles walked in from the door. They stood beside Ning Tao.

Ning Tao gave a slight startle. He observed Chieftain Male Eagle from the corners of his eyes.

A faint, unfathomable smile was hovering on the chieftain’s lips.

Ning Tao followed the two tribal warriors and wondered to himself secretly, “Is this guy going to confine me? Does he have any other motive?”

But even if Chieftain Male Eagle had other motives, Ning Tao did not think much of him, or even the entire settlement. Either he, Qing Zhui or Jiang Hao could level this place flat.

Outside the door, Qing Zhui and Jiang Hao watched the two armed warriors accompany Ning Tao, Their countenances instantly changed. Qing Zhui let her hands fall, her poisonous and sharp snake claws ready to be unleashed any moment. A cold air lingered around Jiang Hao’s body and the temperature around her suddenly dropped, ready to freeze anyone into an ice sculpture.

But Ning Tao shook his head, signaling to Qing Zhui and Jiang Hao not to act recklessly.

Only then did the two of them retract their readiness for combat.

Fan Huaying felt embarrassed. He strode to the door and asked in English, “Chieftain Male Eagle, what do you mean by this?”

Chieftain Male Eagle said, “My friend, don’t get me wrong. Doctor Ning is our esteemed guest. I am just protecting him. If he can cure my illness, I will give him a most valuable gift.”

Ning Tao instantly understood. He was indeed confining him. Although Chieftain Male Eagle did not say what he would do if the cure failed, he would surely not give Ning Tao a valuable gift but likely a life-terminating bullet instead.

Fan Huaying seemed very angry. He was about to speak again when Ning Tao interrupted him. “Brother Huaying, it’s okay. Let them protect me for the time being. Don’t get involved.”

“But…” Fan Huaying wanted to speak but checked himself.

Ning Tao smiled. “Take me to my lodging.”

Chieftain Male Eagle waved his hand and the two tribal warriors carrying the AK assault rifles led Ning Tao in the direction of the waterfall. Jiang Hao and Qing Zhui followed behind. Fan Huaying wanted to follow, but was blocked by a tribal warrior.

That so-called house blessed by the Sun god was just below the waterfall. It was a hut built out of stone, with solidly constructed door and windows.

It was not a guest house at all, but a prison used to confine anyone who strayed into the forbidden area. If anyone dared to barge into the forbidden area by the waterfall, or tried to climb up to that cave to explore, the Pointe-Noire aboriginals would confine the trespasser in this stone house and the chieftain would then hold a ceremony, after which the trespasser would be beheaded. His head would be thrown into the pool under the waterfall. That head would be considered a sacrificial offering to the Gate of Hell.

Ning Tao could only tell that it was a prison. He did not know the ritual behind this stone house.

But Chieftain Male Eagle did not go too far. He allowed his men to construct a “bed” using stone and wood in the stone house, and put clean sheets and blanket on it. He even got his men to prepare Ning Tao some tropical fruits, as well as drinking jugs and cups.

When they reached the stone house, the two tribal warriors carrying AK assault rifles did not lock Ning Tao in the house like a prisoner. They simply stood guard outside the house, allowing Ning Tao to move around within their sight.

Quite clearly, everything had been arranged by Chieftain Male Eagle long ago.

After entering the stone house, Ning Tao went out the moment he surveyed its interior. He brought Qing Zhui and Jiang Hao down to the pool below. That pool was not very large, occupying an area of about 100 square meters. The water quality was clear but one could not see its bottom. Standing by the pool and gazing down, its depth was dark and murky. They could not see anything at the bottom, giving one the impression it was a bottomless pit.

Every sign indicated that this place was unusual.

“Why must we bear with that chieftain? He is obviously putting us under confinement,” Jiang Hao said.

Qing Zhui turned back and glanced at the two tribal warriors standing next to the house, a greenish gleam flashing across her eyes. “I want to kill them.”

Ning Tao said, “That Male Eagle is the chieftain here. He is like a king in the feudal times. He wants me to cure his illness, so he would like me to be under his control. He may not have any malicious intents and I will be safe at least until I cure his ailment. If I can’t cure him and disappoint him, he may show his vicious side.”

Jiang Hao asked, “He can’t have children. Can you cure him?”

Ning Tao smiled. “I just need a pill to cure him. I would like to stay here for a few days and go up to explore. There is spiritual energy emanating from the cave. I believe there must be some treasure there. That chieftain wants me to cure him, but I would like some spiritual materials from him too. I will write him a list and make him pick herbs for me.”

This was the reason why he had not reacted to his house arrest. Chieftain Male Eagle wanted to control Ning Tao, and he wanted to earn some spiritual materials from Chieftain Male Eagle. This was why something which could be easily resolved by a pill would get so complicated.

“I see. Luckily you stopped Qing Zhui and me in time. Otherwise, we would have attacked,” Jiang Hao said.

Qing Zhui said, “That’s right. I was fuming just now. We rode the electric motorbike from Egypt to Sudan, and from Sudan to Gangde. Yet he dared to treat us in this way. I wanted to kill that freaking chieftain.”

Women were emotional creatures, female demons even more so.

Ning Tao reached out and put his hands on Jiang Hao and Qing Zhui’s shoulders. He said with a smile, “Learn to control your emotions. Your heart in Tao must be firm. Recklessness and impulsiveness are not conducive to your practice.”

Qing Zhui suddenly remembered something. “I want to take a bath with the Body Cleanse Elixir. Brother Ning, you told me that you will teach me how to do it. You must not lie.”

Ning Tao’s heart quivered. Watching Qing Zhui bathe and instructing her would be a very interesting process.

Before he could voice his assent, Jiang Hao spoke. “You soak yourself in the bath and Tao will instruct you. I will learn by your side.”

Ning Tao was speechless.

Qing Zhui was speechless too.

A third party was so called because she would be there both day and night. As long as she was functioning, she would be in their company.

Night slowly descended. Since it was overshadowed by a mountain, the Pointe-Noire settlement was dark very early.

In the stone house, Ning Tao had written the list to be handed to Chieftain Male Eagle. There were dozens of plant spiritual materials on the list, all required for his elixir refining. He harbored no hope that Chieftain Male Eagle would find them all, but as long as he assembled one-third of them, Ning Tao could smile.

Qing Zhui and Jiang Hao had spent the whole afternoon decorating the stone house. They brought back fresh flowers and attractive leaves from the jungle, pasting them on the wall. They even spread a layer of plantain leaves on the floor. They blocked the glassless windows with plantain leaves and vines, so that no one from the outside could peek in, and vice versa.

Ning Tao kept his pen and the ultra-long list written from a dozen ordinary prescriptions. He observed the stone house, 90% of which was now green. He sniffed the floral aromas and could not help but sigh. “Are you girls so bored? Couldn’t you have spent the time cultivating? There are abundant spiritual energies here.”

Qing Zhui lowered her voice and drew near to Ning Tao’s ear. “It was Sister Hao’s idea. Picking flowers and leaves is only a sham. We have already studied the environment.”

Ning Tao asked, “Did you discover anything?”

Jiang Hao also drew near, her mouth almost kissing Ning Tao’s other ear. “Other than the two guards at the door, there are a few more in the jungle leading to the waterfall. They change their positions now and then, but their patrol route is fixed. They are blocking the only small path leading up the mountain.”

Ning Taos stretched out his arms and encircled the two girls’ waists. He smiled. “Good job.”

Crack!

Ning Tao’s right arm was frozen. Jiang Hao was just on his right.

Jiang Hao was his woman, but if this was what embracing her waist lead to, could he call her his?

Jiang Hao crept out from under Ning Tao’s arm and shattered the ice encasing his arm with a slap. Splinters of hard ice fell to the ground, landing crisply.

Ning Tao smiled wryly and released his arm around Qing Zhui’s waist.

The door of the stone house suddenly opened and a guard with an AK assault rifle appeared. He asked in French, “What has happened?”

Ning Tao could not understand him nor did he care to guess. While the guard was staring astonishedly at the ice shards on the floor, he inserted a needle into the back of the guard’s head.

Before the guard could realize what was happening, his legs wobbled and he slumped to the floor.

Ning Tao walked out of the door. Before the other guard could turn his eyes to him, the Sacred Needle in his hand had penetrated him.

The other guard slithered down the stone wall onto the ground.

“Mission accomplished. Let’s go.” Ning Tao walked towards the pool under the waterfall.

Qing Zhui and Jiang Hao walked out of the stone house, following Ning Tao to the pool.