Tu Xiao'an wasn't a real doctor, but with how advanced modern technology was, he'd heard a little about all sorts of illnesses. Still, he'd never seen a disease this bizarre and horrifying. After a moment of thought, he asked, "When did this strange illness start?"

"It started about half a year ago. Back then, only a handful of people had it, so we didn't pay it much mind. We just treated it as a spooky story to tell over tea. But we never imagined that more and more people would fall ill afterward. People are dying every day. Every family is holding a funeral, every household is digging a grave. Now, more than half the village is dead. Nine out of ten homes are empty."

'Nine out of ten homes are empty?'

'So it's actually gotten this bad. No wonder it caught the attention of the Demon Management Bureau.'

The strange illness was terrifying, but Tu Xiao'an felt it wasn't an illness at all—it was more like poisoning. A Huo Luan Snake Spirit was hiding here.

'Could it be caused by snake venom?'

The old man sighed. "I came down with this illness a few days ago myself. I'm afraid I don't have long."

With that, the old man rolled up his sleeve for Tu Xiao'an to see.

Tu Xiao'an looked and saw that the old man's arm was densely covered in blisters, a horrifying sight. But upon closer inspection, he realized the blisters didn't look much different from ordinary ones.

"Young man, you said you're a doctor. Do you recognize this strange illness? Can it be cured?" the old man asked, his eyes filled with hope as he looked at Tu Xiao'an.

Tu Xiao'an looked embarrassed. He wasn't a real doctor, after all. Besides, the disease was so frightening that even a real doctor probably wouldn't be able to make heads or tails of it.

He immediately shook his head. "This illness is truly bizarre. I've never heard of anything like it, so I don't know what it is either."

The old man's eyes instantly dimmed. He sighed, "Alas... this is fate. We people of Ping'an Village are done for."

Tu Xiao'an's eyes darted as he asked, "Grandpa, before this strange illness appeared, did anything else frightening happen in this village?"

"Frightening things?" The old man thought for a long time before shaking his head. "The people of our village work from sunrise to sunset. We live simple lives. Nothing particularly frightening has happened."

Tu Xiao'an pressed on, "What about snakes? Are there any in the village?"

"Snakes?" The old man looked at Tu Xiao'an, confused. "What does this strange illness have to do with snakes?"

The air in this village was saturated with the aura of the Snake Race, and it was hiding a Snake Spirit—that much was set in stone. Tu Xiao'an was almost certain the villagers had been poisoned by snake venom.

Tu Xiao'an would be helpless against any other disease, but if this strange illness was caused by snake venom, then he actually had a solution.

After all, Tu Xiao'an was the enthroned Snake King.

"Grandpa, try eating this."

Tu Xiao'an took out a small, translucent piece of Snake Skin and handed it to him.

"What is this?" the old man asked, unable to identify it at a glance.

"It's a traditional medicine. It works wonders for skin conditions."

"Is that so?" Hearing it was a traditional medicine, the old man was more than half-convinced. Besides, the young man had no reason to trick or harm him.

The old man placed the Snake Skin in his mouth and began to chew. His cloudy eyes gradually brightened, and even his slightly stooped back straightened.

This was the second Snake Skin Tu Xiao'an had shed during his breakthrough to become the enthroned king.

It could cure any snake venom in the world. One taste would be enough to know if this was a case of poisoning.

Even if it wasn't related to snake venom, it would still invigorate the old man's Qi and blood, allowing him to live a while longer.

As he swallowed the Snake Skin, the old man's hair slowly turned from gray to black, and his spirits soared to an unprecedented high.

"My arm, my arm!"

the old man suddenly cried out.

The dense blisters covering his arm were vanishing before his very eyes.

"Divine Doctor! Divine Doctor! Please accept this old man's bow!"

Saying this, the old man excitedly knelt before Tu Xiao'an.

"Grandpa, please don't! I don't deserve this," Tu Xiao'an said, rushing to help him up. 'Looks like my guess was right after all,' he thought to himself.

This strange illness was indeed caused by snake venom. It was a slow-acting but potent poison, one that didn't kill its victims outright but tortured them to a slow, cruel death.

"Divine Doctor, many people in our village have this strange illness and are covered in these blisters! I beg you, please, you must save them!" The old man gripped Tu Xiao'an's hand, his expression making it clear he wouldn't let go until he agreed.

Tu Xiao'an said, "Grandpa, take me to see them."

The old man was overjoyed. He grabbed Tu Xiao'an and started walking toward the village center, his voice booming like a great bell as he shouted, "Everyone, come quickly! Our village is saved! Heaven has sent us a divine doctor!"

At his shout, villagers suddenly emerged from all corners of the deathly still village, quickly surrounding them.

"Village Chief, where is this divine doctor you're talking about?"

The crowd looked at the old man Tu Xiao'an had just cured. So, he was the village chief.

Tu Xiao'an hadn't expected that.

The old village chief pointed excitedly at Tu Xiao'an. "He is the divine doctor! He's right here! He can cure our village's strange illness!"

A man in the crowd looked at the delicate-featured Tu Xiao'an and said doubtfully, "Village Chief, are you joking? How could a wet-behind-the-ears kid like him be a divine doctor? Let alone cure our village's illness."

"That's right, Village Chief! You can't just grab at any solution because you're desperate."

Many of the villagers knew their chief had also contracted the strange illness and probably didn't have much time left.

"We should put our faith in Celestial Master Zhang. He said our village is being haunted by a Demon and that he's about to set up an altar to perform an exorcism!"

Most of the crowd shook their heads, preparing to disperse.

The old village chief grew anxious. Just as he was about to show everyone his arm, a voice rang out.

"What's this about a divine doctor?"

Many of the villagers automatically parted to make way. A middle-aged man in a Daoist robe emerged. He was somewhat stoop-shouldered, held a horsetail whisk, and carried a Treasure Sword on his back. His face was radiant, and he possessed the dignified air of an Immortal.

"I am not mistaken," the man declared. "This village is hiding a vile Demon. The strange illness is caused by this evil presence. If this Demon is not exorcised soon, the people of this village will continue to die, and the illness will never end."

As soon as this Daoist master appeared, he spoke with absolute conviction, his eyes gleaming, causing the crowd to believe him without a shred of doubt.

"Please, Celestial Master Zhang, save Ping'an Village! Restore peace to our home!"

Many villagers gazed adoringly at the sword-bearing Daoist.

Tu Xiao'an was completely baffled. 'What the hell? How did a Daoist, let alone a "Celestial Master Zhang," suddenly pop up in a remote backwater village like this?'

'Does every Daoist call himself a Celestial Master these days?'

'The Celestial Master is the leader of Daoism. The title is hereditary and can only be passed down to members of the Zhang clan.'

The Daoist turned his gaze to Tu Xiao'an, a look of contempt flashing across his face. He looked at the old village chief and said, "Village Chief, you claim he is a divine doctor who can cure this illness. I take it you don't believe my words, then?"

"No, no, that's not it! The illness must be cured, but the Demon must also be driven out. Please, Celestial Master, don't misunderstand."

Celestial Master Zhang sneered. "This young man... I'd say he's not even twenty. If he can cure this strange illness, then his skills must be even greater than my own."

"I, for one, would like to see just how he plans to cure it."

A great number of villagers fixed their eyes on Tu Xiao'an, as if waiting to see him make a fool of himself.

Tu Xiao'an could tell the Daoist was hostile toward him. 'Is he worried I'll steal his business? Or that I'll undermine his authority with the villagers?'

But saving people was more important. He couldn't be bothered to argue with the Daoist. The most critical thing was to earn the villagers' trust so he could find out what was going on.

"I have a traditional medicine here," Tu Xiao'an announced. "Eating it will cure the strange illness."

Afraid the crowd wouldn't believe him, the old village chief quickly raised his arm. "Everyone, look! My illness was cured only after I took the Divine Doctor's medicine!"

As he raised his arm, the crowd gasped in astonishment. The blisters on the chief's arm were gone. They all knew he'd had the strange illness, so for the blisters to be gone... it meant he was cured.

Seeing is believing.

"It looks like he really is a divine doctor! He actually cured the village chief's illness!"

The scene instantly erupted into a commotion. Many people grew excited. Contracting the strange illness had meant waiting to die, and a painful, agonizing death at that.

If there was a cure, it meant they didn't have to die.