Early the next morning, Lu Changsheng asked his master, Wu Jing, for leave and headed to the pharmacy selling the Eight Treasures Blood-Replenishing Powder.
The pharmacy's physician greeted Lu Changsheng with great warmth.
After all, Lu Changsheng had become a truly major patron during this period.
Lu Changsheng dispensed with pleasantries and asked directly, "Do you have any medicinal cuisine for bone tempering?"
"Bone-tempering medicinal cuisine?"
"As a matter of fact, I do. My ancestral ancient formula is called Nine Treasures Bone-Tempering Powder, and its efficacy is extraordinary. It's just that the price..."
Lu Changsheng replied in an even tone, "As long as the effects are good, price is not an issue. However, I need to test the effects of this Nine Treasures Bone-Tempering Powder first."
"That's easy enough. Please wait a moment while I prepare a dose."
The physician quickly bustled about.
Preparing a single dose of medicinal cuisine did not take long. After about a quarter of an hour, the physician carried a bowl of medicinal cuisine and set it before Lu Changsheng.
"This is the Nine Treasures Bone-Tempering Powder."
Without hesitation, Lu Changsheng tilted his head back and drank the medicinal cuisine down.
Then, circulating his qi and blood, he began practicing the Cold Ice Tempering Bone Technique.
He could distinctly feel that as he practiced the technique, a warm current swiftly seeped into his bones.
It even caused the bones throughout his body to heat up faintly.
Under these conditions, the bone-tempering efficiency of the Cold Ice Tempering Bone Technique increased substantially.
"The Nine Treasures Bone-Tempering Powder's effects are indeed quite good."
"Speak. How much silver do you want?"
Lu Changsheng was thoroughly satisfied with the Nine Treasures Bone-Tempering Powder.
"This Nine Treasures Bone-Tempering Powder uses nine exceptionally valuable, rare medicinal herbs, all of which are well-aged. It is no easy task to prepare."
"One dose costs fifty taels of silver and can last three days..."
Having said this, the physician noticed that Lu Changsheng remained utterly calm.
After a long pause, Lu Changsheng closed his eyes.
He enunciated each word: "Deer antler, codonopsis, atractylodes, notoginseng..."
With every name Lu Changsheng recited, the physician's face turned a shade paler.
For those were indeed ingredients in the Nine Treasures Bone-Tempering Powder.
Lu Changsheng was a genuine apothecary.
With just that single mouthful earlier, he had already identified the medicinal ingredients within.
It was only that the exact proportions were hard to grasp, preventing him from concocting it himself.
Some of those herbs were indeed quite valuable.
Yet all added together, fifty taels of silver for a single dose was practically treating him like a fool ripe for fleecing.
*Swish.*
Lu Changsheng snapped his eyes open.
At the same moment, a flash of white light glinted in his hand, and his dagger sliced a corner cleanly off the table.
The physician had not even seen Lu Changsheng move.
"Y-you..."
The physician's voice trembled, a faint trace of terror in his eyes.
Lu Changsheng spoke slowly: "You are welcome to make a profit, but I dislike people who are too greedy."
"Say it again. How much silver for the Nine Treasures Bone-Tempering Powder?"
The physician turned pale, a pang of regret stirring within him.
Meeting a major customer like Lu Changsheng recently, who never bargained and spent generously, had seemed like a blessing.
Just now, it was as if greed had clouded his senses, making him audacious enough to actually try swindling Lu Changsheng.
One had to remember, Lu Changsheng was a martial artist!
To dare swindle a martial artist... the consequences...
At the thought, the physician shuddered and spoke with utmost caution: "Twenty taels of silver per dose of Nine Treasures Bone-Tempering Powder. What do you think, sir?"
Lu Changsheng weighed it briefly. This price was relatively fair.
"Prepare fifty doses of Nine Treasures Bone-Tempering Powder for me right away."
Lu Changsheng slapped a thousand-tael banknote onto the table, bringing a surge of delight to the physician's heart.
"Please wait a moment, sir."
Lu Changsheng waited two shichen before the physician finished preparing the fifty doses of Nine Treasures Bone-Tempering Powder.
This amount of bone-tempering powder was enough to last Lu Changsheng a long time.
"Farewell."
Lu Changsheng took the Nine Treasures Bone-Tempering Powder and returned to Miaoshou Garden.
After putting the powder away, Lu Changsheng headed to the pharmacy where Wu Jing was stationed.
He had originally taken leave and could have waited until the afternoon to return.
However, seeing that it was still early, he came back ahead of time.
When Wu Jing saw Lu Changsheng, a faint smile appeared on his stiff face.
Because of the matter with Old Wen, Wu Jing had been in a foul mood lately, frequently losing his temper.
The apprentices walked on eggshells every day, terrified of receiving a scolding from him.
Only when facing Lu Changsheng did Wu Jing finally show a hint of warmth.
"Changsheng, come over quickly. There is a patient here. Come feel his pulse and see what ails him."
Wu Jing pointed to the patient before him.
"You want me to do it?"
Lu Changsheng was somewhat surprised.
He had thought it would take his master six months to a year before letting him treat patients firsthand, but he had not expected to be given the opportunity so soon.
The patient was an elderly man in his fifties. Seeing Lu Changsheng take his pulse, he showed no irritation, instead even telling Lu Changsheng not to be nervous.
Evidently, even the patient could tell how much Wu Jing valued Lu Changsheng.
Just as Lu Changsheng prepared to take his pulse, a group of martial artists suddenly barged in from outside.
Every one of these martial artists was burly and fierce-looking, their eyes locking onto Wu Jing the moment they entered.
However, they did not speak, waiting instead for a fair-faced man resembling a scholar to stroll in slowly from outside.
This scholar-like young man did not appear particularly strong, but Lu Changsheng could faintly sense the vigorous qi and blood within him.
Upon seeing Wu Jing, the young man bowed slightly and said, "I presume you must be Physician Wu Jing? I am Gao Yucheng from Gao Family Fort outside the city.
"I implore Physician Wu to save my elder brother, and save the people of Gao Family Fort!"
Wu Jing originally disliked such overbearing people.
Yet at the mention of saving lives, compassion stirred within him.
"Speak. What is going on?" Wu Jing asked.
"Physician Wu, recently people in Gao Family Fort have fallen ill one after another with a strange affliction, falling into comas.
"We consulted physicians, but not a single one had any answers; none could tell what disease it is.
"My elder brother is on the verge of death, and many clansmen in Gao Family Fort are likewise in critical condition. Hearing of Physician Wu's superb medical skill, I have specially come to request that Physician Wu grace Gao Family Fort with a visit to diagnose and treat them.
"If this strange affliction can be cured, our Gao Family Fort is willing to offer a consultation fee of a hundred pieces of gold!"
Everyone in the pharmacy was shaken to the core.
A consultation fee of a hundred pieces of gold!
That meant one hundred taels of gold.
This was truly a lavish sum.
Even as a renowned physician of his generation, Wu Jing had never received such an exorbitant consultation fee.
"Could you not carry someone here for an examination?" Wu Jing asked, harboring some doubts.
"Physician Wu, those stricken with this strange affliction are frail and weak. The jolts and exhaustion of travel might well kill them on the road, so we can only trouble Physician Wu to make the journey in person.
"However, we have prepared a comfortable carriage and will certainly ensure Physician Wu is not overexerted."
The other party showed absolute sincerity.
Furthermore, Lu Changsheng had heard of Gao Family Fort before; it seemed to be a prominent, powerful clan outside the city.
Wu Jing pondered for a moment and ultimately agreed.
"Very well. Wait a moment while this old man makes arrangements."
Wu Jing turned to Lu Changsheng and said, "Changsheng, you will accompany your master to Gao Family Fort this time.
"Take a few apprentices along as well, grab the medicine chests, and we will depart."
Wu Jing now regarded Lu Changsheng as the inheritor of his mantle and brought him along wherever he went.
A "strange affliction" like the one at Gao Family Fort was a rare medical case; witnessing and experiencing it firsthand would greatly benefit his medical skills.
Lu Changsheng thought about it and replied, "Master, I would like to go back and pack a few things first."
"Go and return quickly."
And so, Lu Changsheng returned to Miaoshou Garden.
He did not know how long this trip to Gao Family Fort would take, so he needed to bring some Nine Treasures Bone-Tempering Powder along.
However, there was no need to take too much; a few doses should suffice.
Then, Lu Changsheng also took his dagger along just in case.
Once everything was in order, Lu Changsheng returned to the pharmacy.
"Master, I am ready. We can depart."
Gao Yucheng stepped aside at once and said respectfully, "Physician Wu, after you."
Supporting his master, Lu Changsheng climbed into the carriage prepared by Gao Family Fort.
Soon, the carriage slowly set off, and the group headed out of the city.
Chapter 24