"Grandpa Chen, I''ve gathered all the herbs."


    In the Halfway House, Lu Qing, a bit out of breath, showed the herb basket to the old doctor Chen.


    After digging up the Cowbone Grass, he had sprinted all the way up, fearing he wouldn''t make it in time.


    The old doctor nced at the herbs in the basket and nodded in satisfaction.


    "Not bad, not bad. You really managed to gather all these herbs."


    "Grandpa Chen, what do you mean by that?" Lu Qing asked, puzzled.


    The old doctor seemed to have more to say.


    "Do you know why I set the assessment range near the vige?" the old doctor asked.


    "No, I don''t." Lu Qing shook his head."That''s because the herbs growing near the vige are actually quite few, barely ten kinds at most." The old doctor stroked his beard. "For you to dig up these herbs intact and bring them here within an hour shows you''ve paid attention to these herbs in your daily life."


    Hearing this, Lu Qing couldn''t help but feel a bit embarrassed.


    In his daily life, he hadn''t really paid special attention to the herbs near the vige.


    Maybe subconsciously, he believed there wouldn''t be any precious herbs near a bustling vige.


    So unless he encountered them while out, he would use his abilities to check.


    But to say he had consciously looked for how many types of herbs were near the vige, he hadn''t.


    It seemed his mindset was still toox.


    Even the old doctor knew what herbs were near the vige, yet he, with his abilities, hadn''t done this. It was indeed inexcusable.


    Lu Qing couldn''t help but reflect on himself.


    The old doctor saw Lu Qing silent and thought he was acknowledging it.


    He smiled and said, "Alright, you''ve passed this assessment. Now go invite the vige elders up here."


    "Invite the vige elders up here?" Lu Qing was a bit stunned.


    "Yes, I want to officially take you as my disciple. There should be some witnesses present, otherwise, it would be too casual."


    "Yes, I''ll go right away!"


    Lu Qing, overjoyed, ran back down the mountain.


    The vigers, knowing Lu Qing was taking the old doctor''s assessment today, had been paying attention all along.


    Seeing Lu Qing run down from the mountain and learning that the old doctor invited the vige elders to witness the ceremony of officially epting Lu Qing as a disciple, everyone was delighted.


    "Great, great, now our vige finally has a doctor!"


    "Well done, Lu Qing. You''re truly the smartest kid in our vige, really passing the assessment."


    "Lu Qing, go tell Doctor Chen we''ll be up soon!"


    The vigers had previously seen Lu Qing going to the old doctor''s ce every day to learn things and thought he was already the doctor''s disciple.


    Butter, Lu Qing told them he could only be considered the old doctor''s apprentice at most and wasn''t qualified to officially be his disciple yet.


    Now hearing Lu Qing finally passed the assessment and was to be officially epted as a disciple, how could they not be excited?


    Lu Qing returned to the Halfway House, and before long, the vige elders, all dressed neatly, came up the mountain.


    Some elders even wore the clothes they only wore during the New Year.


    Besides the vige elders, other vigers at home also came up to watch the fun.


    Some vigers brought rice, eggs, and meat.


    Doctor Chen was already waiting at the courtyard gate.


    Seeing the crowding up, he went forward and saluted.


    "Thank you all foring to this old man''s apprentice ceremony."


    "Doctor, you''re too kind," said Elder Zhang, hurriedly. "It''s us who should thank you."


    "Since you came to our Jiuli Vige, you''ve rid us of countless ailments. We always remember your kindness."


    "Elder Zhang, you''re too kind. I just did my duty as a doctor, it''s not worth such gratitude," the old doctor smiled faintly.


    "Whether it''s a favor, we know in our hearts."


    Elder Zhang took a basket from a young man behind him.


    "Doctor Chen, we don''t have anything valuable to give. Here are some eggs and bacon, and some rice and flour as a small token for Lu Qing''s apprenticeship. Please don''t mind."


    After speaking, two young men brought up two bags of rice and flour.


    This scene left Lu Qing and the old doctor both stunned.


    Elder Zhang continued, "It''s quite embarrassing. Most of us in Jiuli Vige were refugees back then."


    "It was a difficult time. Without Lu Qing''s grandfather''s support and leadership, we wouldn''t have survived that disaster, let alone found this ce to settle down."


    "You could say, without Lu Qing''s grandfather, there wouldn''t be the current Jiuli Vige."


    "Sadly, Lu Qing''s grandfather fell ill during the escape and passed away early without proper treatment."


    "And we couldn''t protect his son and daughter-inw either. They were deceived and left, leaving only Lu Qing and Xiao Yan behind."


    "Now that Lu Qing is fortunate enough to be chosen by you as a disciple, it''s his great fortune. We hope you''ll be lenient with him in the future, even if he makes mistakes."


    After saying this, Elder Zhang bowed deeply to the old doctor.


    Other elders and vigers followed suit.


    Seeing the vigers bowing to him, even with his decades of cultivation, the old doctor couldn''t help but feel moved.


    As for Lu Qing, he was already deeply shaken.


    First, some things Elder Zhang mentioned were not in the original owner''s memory.


    Secondly, he never expected the vigers to do so much for him.


    The old doctor, startled, quickly helped Elder Zhang up.


    "Please, get up. You''re making this old man feel ashamed."


    Then he said to Elder Zhang, "Elder Zhang, Lu Qing is a very smart child. It''s my fortune to take him as a disciple, so don''t worry, I''ll teach him well."


    Elder Zhang, thrilled, said, "Then I''ll thank you on behalf of his grandfather and parents!"


    Saying this, he handed over the basket.


    "These modest gifts, please ept them."


    "Elder Zhang, you mustn''t. I know life is hard for you, so there''s no need for such gifts."


    "But a gift is necessary. Since it''s an apprenticeship, there should be an apprenticeship gift."


    ...


    After several refusals, the old doctor finally took a few eggs and a piece of bacon from the basket as the vigers'' gift for Lu Qing.


    As for the rest, he wouldn''t ept anything more.


    Watching this, Lu Qing made a mental note to repay the vigerster.


    Honestly, he hadn''t thought about the apprenticeship gift at all.


    He thought it was just about bowing to the old doctor in front of everyone.


    But he overlooked that this was a world simr to ancient times.


    A formal apprenticeship ceremony was moreplicated than he had imagined.


    After this episode, the old doctor invited the vigers into the courtyard.


    Then, in front of everyone, Lu Qing officially became his apprentice.