C15 A Terrifying Genius

"Why do you possess such incredible talent? Why not me?"

Sun Mingyuan screamed in desperation.

Today, he was doomed to utter disgrace, with no place left for him in all of Jianghai.

"Sun Mingyuan, it's time for you to go!"

Tang Tianshan gestured dismissively, no longer wanting to lay eyes on him. He was thoroughly disappointed in Mingyuan.

Sun Mingyuan left the library with a faltering gait, his life seemingly devoid of direction.

"Congratulations to the user for completing the mission. Reward: 5 points of mental energy."

At that moment, Ye Chen's mental energy had soared to 30 points, triple that of an average person.

His mind felt exceptionally clear. He began to grasp the more complex aspects of the medical texts and martial arts secrets.

Ye Chen doubled down on his efforts, quickly accessing the system to initiate reading mode.

As anticipated, upon revisiting the texts, he clarified many complex points. Everything unfolded naturally, according to plan.

"Intermediate Taiji Fist Technique discovered. Would you like to extract it?"

"Ding! Ancient medical diagnosis method discovered. Would you like to learn it?"

"Yes."

By now, Ye Chen had fully mastered the four methods of diagnosis, and his martial arts prowess had significantly advanced.

"Ye Chen, you've truly lived up to our expectations. Now tell me, are you willing to become my disciple?"

Admiration shone in Tang Tianshan's eyes.

Ye Chen was exceptionally gifted.

With such a protege, Tang Tianshan was bound to make further progress. The field of historical studies was set to reach new heights.

While everyone eagerly anticipated what was to come, Ye Chen simply shook his head. "Teacher Tang, let's not pursue this idea, as there is nothing you can teach me. However, our paths are meant to cross. Should you have any questions, feel free to ask me."

The crowd was left speechless.

Ye Chen's statement was astonishing.

What was he implying?

Was he suggesting that Teacher Tang wasn't fit to be his teacher?

And most shockingly, he was offering Teacher Tang the opportunity to seek his counsel?

Did he truly believe that defeating Sun Mingyuan made him unbeatable?

Teacher Tang was a renowned historian. How could Sun Mingyuan, a mere nobody, even compare?

Su Xueqing was equally astonished.

Ye Chen had just passed up an opportunity for success. What was going through his mind?

She found herself increasingly puzzled by Ye Chen's actions.

Tang Tianshan, on the other hand, was not as shocked as the rest. He remained composed.

He was aware of his own limitations.

Even he couldn't have answered Sun Mingyuan's question with complete certainty.

Yet Ye Chen had effortlessly provided the answer, indicating that his grasp of historical knowledge far surpassed Tang Tianshan's.

Did he even have the right to call himself Ye Chen's teacher?

"Alright, if you're not interested in becoming my disciple, I won't insist. Our meeting is serendipitous, so let's exchange ideas today."

"Alright."

With that, Tang Tianshan and Ye Chen sat down together.

"Ye Chen, Yelv Abaoji was the founding emperor of the Liao dynasty. His followers were divided into the Northern and Southern Courts. There's a lot of debate about who was the ruler of the Southern Court at that time. Which theory do you find credible?"

Without hesitation, Ye Chen answered, "Yelv Su was the ruler of the Southern Court. As for the Northern Court, it was YeLv Xieniechi, while Bo Luen was in charge of the Xi Clan."

"How can you be so certain? How did you arrive at that conclusion?"

"Just read the 'Book of Sui,' 'History of Liao,' and the 'New History of the Five Dynasties.'"

Tang Tianshan made a mental note to do just that.

"Do you know why Wu Sangui defected to the Qing? Was it truly for Chen Yuanyuan?"

"The reasons are multifaceted. Not only did Lee Zicheng kidnap Chen Yuanyuan, but he also took Wu Sangui's father. That was crossing the line. Furthermore, Lee Zicheng's troops were demoralized, their defeat was inevitable. Wu Sangui, being a savvy warlord, wouldn't foolishly go down with Lee Zicheng."

"Look it up in the 'History of Ming' yourself."

After an hour of discussion, Tang Tianshan was parched.

It wasn't from talking too much, but from the overwhelming surprises he encountered.

The others had felt the same initially, but over time they had grown accustomed to it.

Now, it wasn't a dialogue between Tang Tianshan and Ye Chen; it was Tang Tianshan seeking lessons from Ye Chen, asking him to clarify his uncertainties!

"Well, if we keep this up, night will fall before we know it. Let's catch up another time."

Ye Chen waved his hand, clearly growing impatient. He needed to get back to his books. How could he afford to spend any more time idly chatting with Tang Tianshan?

Tang Tianshan offered an awkward smile. He hadn't expected Ye Chen to be like a walking encyclopedia.

He seemed to know everything.

Most impressively, he could back up every single one of his points.

The historical texts Ye Chen had studied were downright formidable.

"Mr. Ye, when would be a good time for us to talk again?"

Even the way he addressed Ye Chen had evolved.

Tang Tianshan was quite elderly. Those he had once called teacher were long gone.

That Tang Tianshan referred to Ye Chen as his teacher spoke volumes of the respect he held for him.

"Let's wait until I'm available. You're in good health; you've got plenty of time left."

"You're versed in medicine too?" Tang Tianshan was astonished.

"I have some knowledge of medicine. Aside from the natural aging process, your only real ailment is hemorrhoids; everything else is in order." With just a glance, Ye Chen could assess Tang Tianshan's health.

Tang Tianshan chuckled wryly.

Indeed, his health was generally good, though hemorrhoids had been troubling him lately.

That Ye Chen could possess such an extensive knowledge of history and still find time to study medicine was humbling for an old expert like Tang Tianshan.

It was fortunate that such a prodigious talent was one of a kind; otherwise, Tang Tianshan might not have enjoyed his own renown.

Before parting ways, Tang Tianshan and Ye Chen exchanged contact information.

Tang Tianshan even vowed to assist Ye Chen unconditionally should the need arise.

In doing so, Ye Chen had indirectly met Su Xueqing's expectations.

On their way home, Ye Chen and Su Xueqing walked shoulder to shoulder.

"Ye Chen, I'm finding it harder and harder to figure you out. When did you become so formidable?" Su Xueqing expressed her bewilderment.

"I've read more books than you could possibly imagine," Ye Chen replied earnestly.

"Is that so? Can reading really endow someone with such an array of talents?"

To Su Xueqing, reading was a way to cultivate one's sentiment and broaden one's horizons. But for someone like Ye Chen, who possessed such a breadth of skills, it required deep study and practice.

How could Ye Chen possibly have the time?

He spent more time at school than at home.

Ye Chen simply shook his head in silence; he certainly wasn't going to divulge to Su Xueqing that he possessed a system.

It was, after all, best to keep such things confidential.

Ye Chen spoke up again, "I have some knowledge of medicine. May I offer treatment for your father?"

Su Xueqing was taken aback, "How did you know my father is ill?"

Ye Chen reflected inwardly: In his past life, it was only after her father's incident that he learned her father had been silently battling illness for a year.

To this day, not a whisper of her father's illness had been heard.

Ye Chen quickly responded, "Your father is quite renowned. A little inquiry, and such things become known."

"Really?"

Su Xueqing nodded, her expression tinged with sorrow, "It's not that I distrust you, but the affairs of our family are exceedingly complex. I'm not even entitled to inquire about my father's health."