Medical Book

After the incident at the City God Temple in the western part of the city, all of Lin'an City was swept up in a new round of even more frenzied searches.

This time, the target of the search had shifted from that mysterious symbol to the three Divine Fist Sect disciples who had escaped.

Two days had now passed, yet the uproar over the searches had not only failed to die down—it had instead grown more intense by the day. Uncle Fu and Liu Zhengqing had both become somewhat irritated by the constant inspections. Bi Changsheng, however, did not care much. It was not only because of his steady temperament, but also because his own strength allowed him to keep himself unscathed amid Lin'an City.

After seeing off another group of searchers, an uninvited guest arrived in Bi Changsheng's courtyard.

A young man quietly vaulted over the wall into Bi Changsheng's courtyard, then headed straight for the kitchen. He was as light as a swallow throughout the entire process, making not the slightest sound. Clearly, he possessed no small amount of Cultivation Level.

Upon reaching the kitchen, the young man's gaze swept around before finally settling on the shelves Bi Changsheng used to store medicinal herbs.

This young man was Fu Ziping, the Divine Fist Sect disciple currently being hunted across the entire city. Yesterday, when Fu Ziping had passed near this courtyard, he had happened to encounter Uncle Fu brewing medicine for Liu Zhengqing. From the medicinal fragrance, Fu Ziping had identified several herbs within that would help with his current injuries.

Now that the three fellow disciples were being hunted throughout the city, and all three of them were wounded, every medical clinic in the city was surely under strict watch. Fu Ziping could only think of another way.

After a night of inner struggle, Fu Ziping had finally resolved to come and assess the situation first. If the herbs were scarce, he would not set his sights on them, lest he affect the household's owners.

But if there were plenty of herbs, Fu Ziping intended to "buy" some from the owners for immediate use.

Seeing so many herbs on the shelves now, Fu Ziping was overjoyed. With these herbs, his injuries could recover sooner.

In a place like Lin'an City, where peril lurked on every side for him, every bit more his injuries healed meant another bit more chance of survival.

Although he had given himself plenty of mental preparation, when it truly came time to act, Fu Ziping still could not bring himself to move freely.

Fu Ziping, Fu Ziping. You usually pride yourself on being upright, a gentleman—and yet you are doing something like forcing a sale.

After mocking himself inwardly, Fu Ziping gritted his teeth and forced himself forward, preparing to take some of the herbs from the shelves and leave silver behind as compensation.

"Young man, have you never heard what it means to take without asking?"

At that moment, a gentle voice came from the kitchen entrance, startling Fu Ziping. Someone had come so close to him, yet he had not noticed at all.

He turned his head and saw only an ordinary Middle-aged Man standing at the kitchen doorway, looking at him. Fu Ziping could detect no trace of martial training from the Middle-aged Man, so he assumed that his earlier failure to notice him had been caused by his own distraction.

But once he registered what the Middle-aged Man had said, Fu Ziping's face immediately flushed scarlet. He wished he could find a crack in the ground and crawl into it.

This ordinary Middle-aged Man was Bi Changsheng in disguise. In truth, Bi Changsheng had already noticed Fu Ziping the moment he entered the courtyard. He had watched Fu Ziping from the kitchen entrance for a while, and from Fu Ziping's reactions, Bi Changsheng judged that he was likely a decent and kind-hearted man. That was why he had spoken to stop him. Otherwise, what would have greeted Fu Ziping would have been a storm of Bi Changsheng's Blood Qi Sword Qi.

Fu Ziping believed him to be an ordinary man because this body of Bi Changsheng's possessed another miraculous trait. So long as he did not deliberately erupt, his power seemed sealed away within his body, leaving no trace that could be detected from the outside.

It was practically a passive breath-concealment technique—and an exceptionally powerful one at that.

"Come out first. We can talk outside."

"I wasn't..."

Fu Ziping had just wanted to explain that he had not intended to steal, but had wished to buy them with silver, when Bi Changsheng cut him off.

Like a child caught red-handed after making a mistake, he obediently followed Bi Changsheng into the courtyard.

"Sit. Uncle Fu, make him a cup of tea."

Once the two sat down on the chairs in the courtyard, Bi Changsheng instructed the utterly bewildered Uncle Fu. Uncle Fu did not ask any questions and went to brew tea.

Fine bones.

Seeing Liu Zhengqing, who was equally bewildered as he stood beside Bi Changsheng, Fu Ziping silently remarked to himself.

"What was it you said you originally wanted to do?"

"This junior had no intention of taking sir's medicinal herbs for nothing. I originally wished to purchase them from sir."

The more Fu Ziping spoke, the less confidence he had, since what he had previously meant by purchasing them was forcing a sale.

Fu Ziping had originally not intended to raise the transaction face-to-face because he did not want to implicate the courtyard's owner. But now that his tracks had been discovered, he no longer entertained such thoughts and stated it outright. At the same time, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief that he no longer had to do something against his conscience.

From this, it could be seen that Fu Ziping truly deserved the title of gentleman. Even toward Bi Changsheng, whom he regarded as an ordinary person, he showed not the slightest arrogance.

"And what price do you intend to offer?"

Even though he could see that Fu Ziping was kind-hearted, Bi Changsheng could not simply let his belongings be taken for free. He spoke without any politeness.

Fu Ziping had initially intended to exchange silver for the herbs as he had planned before. But recalling the herbs on the shelves, he guessed that Bi Changsheng was someone with some knowledge of medicine, and so he came up with a better plan.

With a thought from Fu Ziping, a faint gleam flickered from the plain ring on his right middle finger. A book appeared directly out of thin air in his hand.

Space Artifact.

Bi Changsheng was shocked at the sight. A Space Artifact was a treasure that even the vast majority of True Qi Realm masters did not possess. Only Grandmasters of the Condensing Gang Realm could barely manage to have one per person.

Moreover, the one in Fu Ziping's hand was a Storage Ring, even more valuable than a Storage Bag. Bi Changsheng immediately became certain of his guess regarding Fu Ziping's identity.

Though he felt envy in his heart, he and Fu Ziping had no grievance between them, so naturally he would not do something like murder someone for their treasure. That was Bi Changsheng's principle. As for why Fu Ziping dared to reveal his Storage Ring so openly, it was because he believed that even with his severe injuries, he could still easily handle Bi Changsheng and the other two.

At the same time, Fu Ziping's instincts told him that Bi Changsheng's group of three were not people of great villainy and evil. Their clear eyes now proved that he had not misjudged them.

"Sir, what do you think of exchanging it for this book?"

After taking out the book, Fu Ziping handed it to Bi Changsheng.

Bi Changsheng first accepted the book. On its cover were the words Cen Family Medical Codex. He then began to read through it carefully. Fu Ziping did not rush him, simply drinking the tea Uncle Fu had served as he waited.

"This medical book is far too precious. Hold out your hand."

Though he had read only a small portion, Bi Changsheng already understood the value of this medical text. Its author possessed extraordinarily superb medical skill, and its contents were vast and profound, far surpassing the medical books the original owner of this body had studied in the Bi Family's library.

In truth, Fu Ziping also knew how precious this medical book was. But on one hand, he had no interest in medicine; on the other, he wanted it to serve as compensation for involving Bi Changsheng and for his earlier act of taking without asking.

Hearing Bi Changsheng's words, Fu Ziping already knew what he intended to do. Joy surged in his heart, and he obediently held out his hand. Bi Changsheng immediately took his pulse.

"Wait here!"

After gaining a clear understanding of Fu Ziping's condition, Bi Changsheng returned to his room and retrieved the precious medicinal herbs he had hidden beneath a floor tile earlier, preparing six doses of medicine for Fu Ziping.

"Here. Take two doses a day for three days straight. It should restore roughly seventy percent of your injuries."

After handing the prepared herbs to Fu Ziping, he gave him these instructions. As for the remaining thirty percent, Bi Changsheng had no way to treat it with his current abilities; Fu Ziping could only nurse himself back to health slowly.

"Thank you, sir. This junior is—"

Fu Ziping could currently wield less than thirty percent of his former strength. Hearing that these herbs could restore seventy percent of his injuries in just three days, he was immediately overjoyed and hurriedly thanked him. Then he wanted to introduce himself, so that he could repay this kindness in the future.

"Stop!"

"This is merely a transaction between you and me. I have no interest in your identity. You may leave now."

Although Bi Changsheng had more or less confirmed Fu Ziping's identity, he had no desire to become entangled in the troubles surrounding him, so he directly gave him the order to leave.

"Then this junior takes his leave."

Fu Ziping had not intended to drag Bi Changsheng and the others into this either, and he understood at once. After bidding farewell to the three of them, he took the medicinal herbs and leaped over the wall, departing.