Seeking Truth with a Sword

Doctor of Science Su Feng had been exceptionally busy these past few days.

On one hand, delegations from the Jing Country, Zhou Kingdom, and Taihao Mountain were visiting the Yu Country for academic exchanges with the Academic Palace. As the head of the Natural Science curriculum, he needed to adjust his lecture content so that foreign students, who had never attended a Natural Science class before, could understand.

On the other hand, there was the matter of the publication office. Members of the Philosophy Society were spread throughout the land, and every day, thousands of manuscripts arrived at the Academic Palace by mail. He and his colleagues had to sift through them, weeding out submissions with repetitive content, selecting qualified ones, and then taking them through preliminary, secondary, and final reviews. This process determined which manuscripts would be published in the Natural Science journal and in which specific issue.

Due to the advent of the microscope, most of the recent articles were related to it. Su Feng sometimes wondered if he should start another journal dedicated specifically to content on microscopic cells. Moreover, he needed to request a few more assistants from the Philosophy Society. The workload at the publication and patent offices was so overwhelming that he didn't even have time to create a sock puppet account to stir up trouble online.

KNOCK. KNOCK.

Someone knocked on the office door. Su Feng continued to browse the papers on his desk without looking up and said, "Please come in."

Li Ang entered, holding two thick, clipped files.

"Risheng?"

Su Feng looked up in surprise. "You've finished writing your paper on the new medicine so quickly?"

"Yes."

Li Ang nodded and placed the two files on Su Feng's desk. "Aside from the paper on the new medicine, there's another one that I believe Dr. Su must review first."

"Oh, you could just have Dr. Wang or Dr. Qian glance over it. You've published so many papers already; we trust you..."

Su Feng's voice trailed off. He was flipping through the second paper, his brow furrowing involuntarily.

The title of the paper was simple: *The Structure of the Human Body*.

Its content, consistent with Li Ang's usual style, featured extensive and meticulously detailed drawings and data.

"..."

Su Feng was silent for a long time. From an expert scholar's perspective, the paper was flawless; some of its content even gave him new insights. It detailed things like: the structure of the human eye; the positions of human muscles and bones; the natural morphology and distribution of nerves; the valves in veins that prevent blood backflow, and so on.

Su Feng was utterly convinced that any section taken from the paper could be researched further and described in greater detail, expanding the already rich work into a monumental masterpiece.

But...

He looked up, his expression serious and his smile gone. "Risheng, the human body in this paper..."

"Is the corpse of a deceased syphilis patient."

Li Ang knew what Su Feng wanted to ask and answered earnestly, "I sought the family's consent and dissected the patient's body after they agreed. Currently, only you and I know about this paper."

Su Feng's expression softened slightly. After a long pause for thought, he said, "Actually, when you released those diagrams of animal dissections, my colleagues at the publication office and I generally guessed you would eventually do this. We figured that one day, you would study the structure of the human body. However, the saying 'our bodies, hair, and skin are gifts from our parents' still prevails among the common people, and the legacy of the Former Sui Sect is too terrible, too vile..."

"I know," Li Ang nodded. "But Dr. Su, someone has to take this step. You also know how many ridiculous situations arose among the populace after Allicin was introduced. Some people crushed garlic at home and consumed large quantities, resulting in severe intestinal burns and death from abdominal pain. Others with eye pain applied Allicin around their eye sockets, leading to swollen eyes and near blindness. On one hand, everyone knew Allicin was a life-saving Divine Medicine; on the other, there were still ignorant folk who believed rumors like sacrificing one's own flesh to feed their kin. Allicin is for external injuries, but patients with severed hands or feet, or extensive cuts and lacerations, often bled to death before the medicine could be applied. Many local doctors can't even properly bandage wounds or suture lacerations. Only by first understanding the human body's structure can we grasp the principles of disease and develop treatment strategies. Only then can we advance medical science and save more lives."

Li Ang spoke with great earnestness. Su Feng hesitated for a moment, then picked up the paper and stood. "This matter is too important; I can't decide alone. I must consult the Mountain Master."

"Has the Mountain Master returned?"

"Yes, he returned to Chang'an last night."

Su Feng wrapped the paper in oilpaper. He then left the patent office with Li Ang, heading to the top floor of the supervision building.

The Mountain Master's office was at the end of the corridor. Su Feng knocked lightly on the mahogany door. A deep voice from behind it said, "Please come in," and the entire door swung open on its own.

It was a spacious room. Along the western wall stood a tall bookcase filled with books. It contained historical records and literary works, as well as Forbidden Books secured by slender iron chains. Along the eastern wall, tables displayed peculiar collections: half-written talismans; exotic-style daggers inlaid with colorful gemstones; a purple clay teapot that continuously poured water back into itself; an intricately woven, dark red rug; oracle bone fragments inscribed with oracle bone script; and so on.

The moment Li Ang stepped into the office, the Mo Si within him began to stir. Evidently, among the numerous artifacts displayed in the room, one or more Mutated Objects had triggered the Mo Si's devouring urge.

Stop.

Li Ang forcefully suppressed the Mo Si's agitation with his will, keeping his gaze straight ahead and avoiding looking at the collections.

"Why are you here?"

Lian Xuanyao, having just returned from a trip, sat behind his desk. He looked somewhat weary but seemed to be in good spirits. He smiled and said, "If you're here for souvenirs from my travels, I'm afraid I don't have any."

Su Feng chuckled. Carefully placing the paper on the desk, avoiding the talisman papers and other documents, he said, "This is Risheng's paper. Could you see if it can be published?"

Lian Xuanyao picked up the paper and flipped through it. His brow slowly furrowed. He then looked up suddenly at Li Ang and asked, "Is it urgent?"

"Er..." Li Ang paused slightly, then nodded and said, "Yes. I'm afraid there isn't much time."

The advent of Penicillin might not be enough to halt the spread of syphilis, and there are so many other terrifying diseases lurking in the shadows. To establish a true medical system, I must first become an 'Academic Gatekeeper,' found my own school of thought, recruit disciples, and inspire more people to dedicate themselves to medicine. Pioneering anatomy is merely the first step.

"Alright."

Lian Xuanyao did not ask further, nodding. "Then let's publish it in the next issue of the Natural Science journal."

"So soon?" Su Feng was startled. "The people from the Haotian Taoist Sect are still in Chang'an. I was wondering if we should wait until they've finished their academic exchange and returned to Taihao Mountain before publishing this paper. After all, they might maliciously oppose it, conflating anatomy with the Evil Path of the Former Sui Sect..."

"Opposition?" Lian Xuanyao said calmly. "What of it?"

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked down at the bustling city below. "The authority and credibility the Academic Palace has built over more than three hundred years cannot be shaken by a few dissenting voices. Go ahead and do it."

Lian Xuanyao raised his hand, gazing at his wrinkled palm. He silently kept another thought to himself: Besides, my time is also running short.