บท 77: Chakra Channels

Hua Tuo was visibly vexed. He was the Sage God of Medicine and not Magic. His knowledge about such matters was limited. The Sage God of Magic - Merlin, wasn't exactly someone he was chummy with. They tolerated each other at most out of courtesy and respect. However, their beliefs were entirely different.

Hua Tuo believed in the meridians and the 'qi' flowing through a human body. It was something that allowed a human to channel their energy in a condensed form at any point of their body. Full cell mastery came from within and anyone could achieve it with proper guidance and effort.

On the other hand, Merlin believed that magic was the ultimate evolution for humans. There those who were gifted with chakra channels and those who don't have them. Most magicians are able to manipulate the magic also known as mana in the environment to create shocking spells. These spells cannot be defended against by normal humans, including martial arts practitioners who cultivated the 'qi' according to Hua Tuo's methods.

Hence the two Sage Gods weren't exactly on the best of terms. Hua Tuo believed in the inner power every individual possessed but Merlin was more of a believer in the 'chosen one'.

Having said that, Hua Tuo was now faced with the greatest challenge of his career - treating a magical creature. That goes to say, no normal treatment methods would suffice. Without a choice, he had to seek help from his friend Buddha to look for Merlin. After all, if it wasn't for Buddha's request, he wouldn't be faced with such a predicament.

Thankfully, Buddha agreed and contacted Merlin immediately. Hua Tuo had exhausted every method of treatment he could at this point just to stabilise Truen's condition. However, even if the body recovered, the broken chakra channels cannot be fixed by any medical means.

Merlin arrived in a literal flash. A bolt of lightning came down from the sky and struck the ground behind Hua Tuo's small house. Hua Tuo internally grimaced at the deep blue wizard robe that the old Sage God of Magic wore. Magicians have the weirdest sense of fashion but the doctor wasn't going to question it this time. Merlin had once explained how the clothes gave magicians the ability to recover the mana in their body better but Hua Tuo chalked it up as hogwash. If clothes could really do that, all you had to do was strip a magician and he would be powerless as an infant.

Yet, Hua Tuo held his tongue. Merlin wasn't here to pick a fight, he was here to help.

The doctor showed the magician in and Merlin was decently surprised at the mid-level spell around Zero who was sleeping on a high-level mount. He didn't think the traditional man would be open-minded enough to learn a little about magic but he stood corrected. The respect he had for Hua Tuo increased. Maybe he should ask Hua Tuo about medicine for backaches. They'd been causing him some trouble for a while now and even if magic could ease the pain, it couldn't resolve the root of the issue.

"Where is that reckless child you spoke about?"

Hua Tuo sighed and pointed to the unconscious child on his straw mattress. Merlin took a brief look at the elf and clicked his tongue in disdain. Anyone who doesn't value his gift isn't worthy of receiving its power. How dare this elf overestimate his abilities?! Did he not care about his future?

"As you can see," Hua Tuo sighed, "he's a bit of an idiot. That child there is his world and because of a silly argument as heard from Gaia, he didn't care about his limits to find that child who ran away."

Merlin sighed. Zero was important to the Great Gods and he knew that Truen was sent as a guardian. He couldn't exactly blame the elf for acting recklessly but that didn't mean he wouldn't slap him once he fixed his channels.

"Give him a good smacking after he wakes for me. I have a feeling Freya wouldn't let him off easily either."

Hua Tuo grinned. "No sooner said than done. I intend to do it myself but since you've brought it up, I will deliver it twice as hard as I intended to."

Merlin grinned and got started on the treatment while Hua Tuo kept an eye on the girls outside. Now that Truen's matter was getting resolved, it was time to deal with the unwanted guests.