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In the dimly lit cave, a somber youth nad "Asclepius" put down the dical book in his hand and gazed deeply at the old man with gray-white eyes, his brow furrowed.
"Are you truly blind?"
"In a world where black and white are indistinguishable, we are all blind. What you see may not be farther-reaching than what I see."
The old man, or perhaps the blind poet Hor, disguised as so God of Wine, murmured aningfully, then lifted his head toward the silver-haired youth, changing the topic abruptly.
"So, take my advice, it's better not to go to Cyprus."
Asclepius picked up the invitation on the table adorned with rose patterns, glanced at the signature of Adonis, the Prince of Cyprus, and spoke indifferently.
"I trust my patients; they would not harm ."
"But he'll bring you no small trouble."
Luo En tapped his cane forward, earnestly advising, his gray-white eyes looking at the somber youth before him, showing a hint of pure goodwill.
Asclepius, the son of the God of Light, Apollo, and a mortal princess, was the future dicine God.
The Centaur Chiron, outside the cave, was his ntor, teaching him dicine and hunting.
As the child grew up, his talent in dicine had already surpassed his teacher's, and he began to erge from Mount Pelion, practicing dicine in various city-states and making quite a na for himself.
This attracted many patients suffering from strange illnesses, inviting him to treat them.
Adonis, who sent the invitation, was one of them.
After nurous earnest invitations from his patients, this future dicine God, having dealt with several cases, returned to his dwelling on Mount Pelion to prepare dicine and pack his bags for a journey to Cyprus Island.
However, unlike the future dicine God, who was devoted solely to healing and oblivious to other concerns, Luo En was well aware of the concealed ailnt of the Prince of Cyprus and the trouble it entangled.
Because of an attack by a Wild Boar transford by Ares years ago, the Prince of Cyprus had since developed so unspeakable condition unique to n.
Even Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love who could harden cotton into steel nails, personally took action, exhausting all her wiles to no avail.
With no other choice, Adonis had to seek help from various doctors, abandoning all concealnt.
But after years of consultations and countless tonics, his condition had shown no sign of improvent.
Therefore, as Asclepius, the esteed student of Chiron, grew more prominent, the beleaguered Adonis naturally set his sights on this skilled physician, persistently inviting him to Cyprus to perhaps solve his private affliction.
If it were just about healing, it might be simpler, but the situation involved the disputes of the gods of Olympus.
Ares risked getting his face clawed by his old lover Aphrodite just to scare that pretty-boy Adonis into trouble, lessening the Love Goddess's interest in him.
Should this future dicine God actually cure him, that brute Ares might do sothing reckless.
Moreover, whether Hephaestus, Zeus, or other deities played a part in Adonis's malady is uncertain.
If this future dicine God wants to avoid trouble, the best thing to do would be to stay out of the matter.
After all, his father Apollo is still serving a sentence in Thessaly, and his aunt Artemis is too preoccupied to pay attention; if an accident were to occur, no one is available to protect the boy.
A certain cheap uncle watched his "nephew" in a taphorical sense, appearing calm on the surface, but his thoughts were already in turmoil.
According to the original plan, the well-being of this cheap nephew was actually his first choice to manipulate Apollo and trap the God of Light into prison.
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But during the expedition to Arcadia, Pan's lecherous goat inadvertently took the bullet, effectively replacing the role of the future dicine God, Asclepius.
Thus, Luo En simply went with the flow and didn't really lay a hand on his unsuspecting nephew.
Even under the entrusted care of his old lover Artemis, he ca to Mount Pelion and got on good terms with the sage Chiron, looking after Apollo's kin "by the way."
Yet, even so, the future dicine God always seed to find a way to get into trouble.
To have sothing to show to his old lover Artemis and out of respect for the future dicine God, Luo En, upon knowing the next patient whom Asclepius intended to visit, deliberately stayed a few more days on Mount Pelion, hoping to persuade him against taking risks.
However, just like his father, the God of Light, Asclepius clearly was not soone who took advice willingly.
At this mont, the future dicine God gazed at the blind old man before him, falling silent for a mont, solemnly reflecting.
"With the gods of heaven and earth as my witnesses, I vow to do my utmost with all my capabilities and judgnt, abiding by the creed of seeking the best interest of the afflicted, no matter the towering mountains or the long roads, nor the rough paths ahead!"
With these words, he slung his neatly packed satchel over his shoulder.
Clearly, this honorable future dicine God would not forsake any patient in need of healing for his own personal desires and gains.
Seeing this stubborn ox headed for the pit, Luo En felt helpless but still fished out a bronze badge from his bosom and handed it to the future dicine God.
"If you insist on going, take this with you."
"What is this?"
Asclepius asked in confusion, looking at the badge with a dusa pattern in its center.
"The emblem of the Pandion family, the City Builders of Athens."
Luo En spoke in a deep voice, leaning on his staff.
"Since you wish to heal and save people, once you're done with this, have a look around Athens.
There are many people there, and consequently, many patients. Plus, Goddess Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom, seems to be preparing a new academy hoping to attract talent from various city-states. It would be an ideal place for academic developnt and the study of dicine.
Your teacher Chiron has also received an invitation, and in ti, perhaps you and your ntor can reunite in Athens."
Asclepius nodded, placing the badge in his breast and rising to walk towards the cave entrance.
And in the instant he stepped out of the cave, the future dicine God paused briefly, his low voice carrying into the cave.
"Although there seems to be a scent on you I don't care for, thank you…"
Watching the young man's figure recede into the distance, eventually vanishing into the dense forest's end, Luo En couldn't help but lower his head to sniff himself, muttering under his breath.
A dislikeable scent? Such a keen nose?
Is it because of the nine Muses? Or perhaps it's because of his aunt Artemis?
Of course, the most likely reason is probably related to Apollo's Divinity.
It's apparent that the relationship between this father and son is quite strained.
Luo En muttered to himself for a while, shook his head, and with his staff, made his way to the clear valley stream.
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