After school that afternoon, Lin Shuguang took the treasure medicine to Wanmao Street before heading to the Martial Arts Hall.
"No. 1224?"
Lin Shuguang looked around, trying to find the storefront of Tianheng Pharmacy. In neither this life nor his previous one had he been particularly familiar with Wanmao Street.
Not far away, three men who had been about to leave suddenly stopped and turned in unison to look at Lin Shuguang.
"You're sure?" The fat man in the middle, whose arms were covered in tattoos, glanced at Lin Shuguang but noticed nothing unusual. He looked doubtfully at his companion.
The curly-haired man on the left narrowed his eyes and twitched his nose a few times, seemingly sensing something. Then he said with certainty, "I have an olfactory-type special spiritual body. My senses can't be wrong. That kid really does have treasure medicine tucked against his chest!"
The short man on the right immediately lit up with eagerness. "Are we robbing him?"
The tattooed fat man rubbed the gold necklace around his neck and sneered. "Of course we are! Why wouldn't we? A single stalk of treasure medicine is worth at least fifty thousand. If it's higher quality, we'll be able to live it up even longer after we escape Huai City."
The short man cautiously checked their surroundings and hesitated. "But with all these people around, robbing him openly would easily expose our whereabouts. If we draw the Special Management Bureau here..."
"Are you stupid?" the tattooed fat man snapped. "So what if we get the treasure medicine? We'd still have to sell it. We'll wait until he sells it, then intercept him on his way out. Once that's done, we'll leave Huai City and be free to go wherever we please!"
"You've thought of everything, boss!" The short man gave him a thumbs-up and a little flattery.
The tattooed fat man turned to Curly Hair. "You look the most like a student out of us. Go stick close to that kid and keep us updated by text. We'll go wait for you at the exit to Wanmao Street."
"Got it."
"Who are you looking for?" An old man lay to one side inside the entrance of Tianheng Pharmacy, holding a smoking pipe and taking an occasional puff. His hair was white and his eyes cloudy, but his voice was full of vigor.
Lin Shuguang glanced around. "Old Jin."
The old man paused in his smoking and looked Lin Shuguang up and down. Finding nothing remarkable about him, he reached out and tugged the bell beside him.
An exasperated voice soon rang out. "I told you not to bother me unless it's important! I have to succeed at making this medicine today!"
Then someone irritably swept aside the curtain inside, and a young man wearing thick glasses emerged. He was in his early twenties and wore a white lab coat. As he came out, radiating resentment, he removed the Special Leather Gloves on his hands. Quite a bit of congealed red liquid clung to them, looking like blood.
The old man raised his pipe and pointed at Lin Shuguang. "You can't blame me for this. He asked for you by name."
The young man paused and followed the direction of the old man's pipe. He stared at Lin Shuguang for a while, then said listlessly, "I don't know you. Why do you know me? How do you know my nickname? Who are you? What do you want with me?"
After delivering five questions in one breath with an expressionless face, he stared fixedly at Lin Shuguang.
Lin Shuguang immediately gave Feng San up and pulled out the business card. As though afraid the young man would launch into another string of questions, he said crisply, "Feng San sent me."
At the sight of the Special Business Card, the young man's expression softened. He took it and examined it carefully, then handed it back to Lin Shuguang with a smile, looking him over. "What do you need?"
"To sell treasure medicine."
"Treasure medicine?"
Just then, a curly-haired young man entered the pharmacy. Before the old man could speak, he said, "I'm just browsing. No need to help me."
Nearby, Old Jin gestured for Lin Shuguang to discuss the details in the back room.
Lin Shuguang nodded, and the two left one after the other.
In the back room.
At the sight of the treasure medicine Lin Shuguang took out, Old Jin immediately put on a fresh pair of gloves and accepted it with a practiced air. Soon, he rattled off as though reciting a textbook:
"Sky heart blue sea grass, astringent in taste... usable in thirteen low-level medicine formulas and five mid-level medicine formulas... four gold threads, eighty years old. I'll pay two hundred thousand. What do you think?"
Lin Shuguang was slightly taken aback.
Before coming, he had specifically looked up his treasure medicine. Its purchase price ranged from a hundred and eighty thousand to two hundred thousand. What surprised him was that this man called Old Jin had not tried to drive down his price, but had instead offered the highest market price.
Was it because of Senior Brother Feng San?
"No problem."
Once Lin Shuguang agreed, Old Jin relaxed and gave a rare grin. It looked a little stiff, as though he had not smiled in a long time. "I've been making medicine lately. This stalk of sky heart blue sea grass is a huge help. Oh, I also have plenty of Qi and Blood Pills and medicines that increase qi and blood here. Would you like to take a look?"
"No."
Lin Shuguang's refusal cut off the rest of Old Jin's sales pitch before he could even begin.
One stalk of treasure medicine had earned him two hundred thousand. His blood energy value had now reached two hundred cal as well, but he was still some way from upgrading the Tiger Roar Saber Technique and Star Prison Gale Slash to their next levels.
I have the money now, but to improve my strength, I still need to reach three hundred cal.
Assessment Day is only a month away. Time is tight... I have to think of something.
As soon as Lin Shuguang left the pharmacy, Curly Hair's eyes lit up in the front room behind him.
The scent of treasure medicine is gone from him. Looks like he sold it!
He quickly sent a message and made to follow him out.
Suddenly, a pipe barred his way, and someone grabbed his right arm.
Watching Lin Shuguang walk farther away, Curly Hair grew anxious and snapped, "What are you doing?"
The old man's lips spread into a simple, honest smile, and he got straight to the point. "You can't touch that man."
Curly Hair's expression shifted slightly, and he shouted, "I don't know what you're talking about! Get out of my way!"
The old man tapped his pipe, smiling as though making small talk. An outsider would not have noticed anything amiss. "He's Master Jin's friend. If anything happens, you won't be able to handle the consequences."
Master Jin!!!
Curly Hair's expression changed. He hurriedly broke free of the old man and fled the pharmacy in a panic.
Remembering his companions' plan, he fumbled to send a message. "Cancel the plan! He's one of Master Jin's people! Don't do anything!"
Yet throughout his journey, the text met with utter silence. Curly Hair's face turned deathly pale as he realized his companions might very well have already acted. His legs suddenly felt weak.
If they really had provoked one of Master Jin's people, the three of them probably would not survive the night!
Five minutes later, Curly Hair finally found the tattooed fat man and the short man... lying in an alley, their faces covered in blood. Both showed signs of having been searched and stripped of their belongings.
"Master Jin! It must have been Master Jin!"
The wretched sight sent a shudder through Curly Hair, and he backed away repeatedly.
Suddenly!
A hand landed on his shoulder. Before he could turn to look, his vision abruptly went black, and he passed out.
That evening, Lin Shuguang gave Feng San a gift that suited his tastes.
Feng San toyed with the gold necklace in his hands, unable to put it down. "Ah, that was thoughtful of you, junior brother."
Then he leaned closer and whispered, "Junior brother, I'll gladly accept this. I'll also give you a new piece of information. Next time you go to the Blood Desolate Land, keep an eye out for Blood Heart Grass... Recently, an alchemist discovered that it can replace a certain rare ingredient in Qi and Blood Pills.
"This news hasn't spread yet. I'm telling you ahead of time, and I'll pay you three thousand per stalk. We're brothers. I won't cheat you."
"Blood Heart Grass..." Lin Shuguang's eyes flickered as he mused inwardly. It grows deep in the Blood Desolate Land, favors cold, and shuns heat.
It seemed a trip to the Blood Desolate Land was necessary.
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