I am the Holy Poisoner, the Empress advised me to calm down

"Master, do you think there is something wrong with this company?" asked the young apprentice.

"I can't explain it, but it's definitely a little strange." Lin Chen put down his business card. "What happened today was too coincidental, and what the patients' families said also seemed a little off."

"I find it strange, too." The young apprentice nodded. "That Manager Zhang showed up just in time. And why has his company been keeping an eye on you for so long?"

The next day, Lin Chen was seeing a patient when Manager Zhang came again.

"Doctor Lin, what do you think?" Manager Zhang asked with a smile.

"Can you tell me more about this academic exchange meeting?" Lin Chen asked.

"Of course." Manager Zhang took out a beautiful invitation. "This is a Chinese medicine academic exchange conference jointly organized by our company and several well-known hospitals. We have invited well-known Chinese medicine practitioners from home and abroad to attend."

Lin Chen took the invitation letter, which was indeed stamped with the seals of several well-known hospitals, and looked very formal.

"Attending this conference will be very beneficial for you," Manager Zhang continued. "Not only will you be able to exchange experiences with your peers, but it will also increase your visibility. Most importantly, it will allow those who doubt you to see your true level."

This sentence really touched Lin Chen. Although the recent rumors had little impact on him, they did cause some patients to have doubts.

"What is the time and place?" Lin Chen asked.

"Next Saturday, at the International Convention Center in the city center," Manager Zhang said. "There will be a lot of media coverage, which will be very helpful in restoring your reputation."

Lin Chen hesitated for a moment, "Can I bring an assistant?"

"Of course," Manager Zhang agreed readily. "We're fully prepared and guarantee your satisfaction."

Just then, an old man walked into the clinic. It was the old man who had been collecting herbs before.

"Young man, how have you been recently?" the old man asked with a smile.

"It's okay, I just encountered some troubles." Lin Chen said truthfully.

The old man looked at Manager Zhang, a hint of vigilance flashing in his eyes. "What trouble?"

Manager Zhang took the initiative to introduce himself and the academic exchange meeting. The old man nodded after listening and said, "It sounds like a good thing."

"Yes, it will be very beneficial to Xiaolin's development." Manager Zhang said with a smile.

The old man didn't say anything else, but Lin Chen noticed that his expression was a little solemn.

After Manager Zhang left, the old man pulled Lin Chen aside and said, "Young man, you have to be careful."

"What's wrong?" Lin Chen asked.

"I've lived for so many years and met so many people." The old man lowered his voice. "That man's eyes were not right, and although he spoke Mandarin very well, some of his pronunciation was not standard."

"what do you mean?"

"I suspect he's not Chinese," the old man said. "Also, someone's been asking about you lately, saying they want to collect information on Traditional Chinese Medicine."

Lin Chen was shocked, "Who is it?"

"I don't know either, I just heard it." The old man shook his head. "You'd better be careful and don't trust strangers easily."

The old man's words made Lin Chen fall into deep thought. If it was really as the old man said, then this academic exchange meeting might be a trap.

However, if he does not participate, the voices of doubt will become louder and louder, causing greater damage to his reputation.

"Master, what do you think we should do?" asked the young apprentice.

"Since they've put so much effort into setting this up, wouldn't it be a shame if we don't go and take a look?" Lin Chen's eyes flashed with cunning, "But we also need to be prepared."

"What preparation?"

"If an enemy comes, we will fight him; if a flood comes, we will block it with earth." Lin Chen said, "Since they want to play, we will play with them."

Saturday arrived quickly, and Lin Chen and his apprentice arrived at the International Conference Center. The venue was luxuriously decorated, and indeed, many well-known Chinese medicine practitioners were in attendance.

"Dr. Lin, you're here." Manager Zhang greeted him warmly. "Let me introduce you to some colleagues."

Lin Chen followed Manager Zhang to meet several Chinese medicine practitioners, including the old Chinese medicine practitioner Li who had questioned him in the newspaper.

"Oh, you are that Lin Chen?" Dr. Li, the old doctor, looked Lin Chen up and down. "You are indeed very young."

"You're welcome, Teacher Li." Lin Chen responded politely.

"I heard that you are very skilled in medicine. I wonder who your teacher is?" asked Dr. Li, the old Chinese doctor, directly.

"Self-taught." Lin Chen said lightly.

"Self-taught?" A hint of sarcasm flashed in the eyes of Dr. Li, the old doctor. "Traditional Chinese Medicine is so extensive and profound. How can you master it by self-study?"

"That's not necessarily true." Lin Chen said calmly, "As the ancients said, a master leads you to the door, but the practice is up to you. Besides, where did famous ancient doctors like Hua Tuo and Bian Que learn from?"

Dr. Li was stunned by the question and didn't know how to answer for a moment.

"Alright, alright, we're all in the same industry, let's not argue about this," Manager Zhang said, smoothing the situation over. "We'll have an academic exchange session later, and we can discuss things then."

After the conference officially began, several TCM practitioners did give academic presentations, all of which were very professional. However, Lin Chen noticed that there were quite a few foreigners in the audience, and they showed a remarkable interest in both the theory and practice of TCM.

"Everyone," the host announced, "next, we would like to invite Mr. Lin Chen, a young Chinese medicine practitioner, to share his medical insights with everyone."

Lin Chen walked onto the stage, facing the hundreds of eyes in the audience, but his heart remained remarkably calm. He knew that the real test had begun. **Chapter 13: Academic Trap**

Chen Mo had just returned home from the hospital when his cell phone rang.

"Hello, Dr. Chen. I'm Secretary Li from the International Medical Research Association." A gentle female voice came over the phone. "Our association is organizing an academic exchange meeting integrating Chinese and Western medicine. I sincerely invite you to attend."

Chen Mo frowned and said, "I'm sorry, I'm not interested in these academic conferences."

"Please don't be so hasty to refuse." The other party's tone became a little anxious. "This exchange will have many precious medical books on display, including a copy of the Hua Tuo Classic that is treasured in our overseas branch."

Chen Mo's grip on the phone suddenly tightened. Hua Tuo's Classic? That's a treasure of Chinese medicine, long lost.

"Hua Tuo's Classic? Is it true or not?"

"Absolutely true. Our association purchased this medical book from a private collector at a high price. According to research, it is indeed Hua Tuo's posthumous work. If you attend this exchange meeting, we can let you read it in person."

Chen Mo pondered for a moment. The allure of the Hua Tuo Sutra was indeed too great, but this kind of pie-in-the-sky thing always made him feel a little off.

“Where will the exchange meeting be held?”

"It's on a private island in the South China Sea. The environment is beautiful and very suitable for academic exchanges. We will arrange a special plane to pick you up, all costs are free."

A private island? Chen Mo's vigilance grew even stronger. However, the temptation of Hua Tuo Jing was too great, so he finally agreed.

Three days later, Chen Mo boarded a chartered flight to the South China Sea. On board were over twenty other traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, most of whom were renowned physicians from various regions. Chen Mo noticed that one of them, a man in his sixties, was constantly observing the people around him, his eyes wary.