Since he was here, he might as well make the best of it. Yang Chen set aside the anxiety in his heart and followed the two senior members of the Li family into a guest room within the Li Family Commerce Association.
When the two Li family Elders saw how poised and generous Yang Chen was in both speech and manner, they openly revealed their appreciation in their eyes. In this young man, they saw something their own proud and arrogant Li family youths lacked.
Both sides harbored their own thoughts, and before long, they took their seats.
"Young Friend Yang Chen, have a seat," Li Youyan said with a smile.
Yang Chen spoke calmly. "It is enough for the two seniors to be seated. As a junior, how could I dare sit on equal footing with two elders?"
In the world of martial arts, strength was respected, and seniority observed. That was the rule. Whether in age or strength, Li Youyan and his companion surpassed him in both this life and his last. He still had to observe such propriety. Otherwise, others would inevitably look down on him.
Seeing that Yang Chen understood propriety so well, Li Youyan laughed heartily. "Good, good, good! Young Friend Yang Chen, this old man likes you more and more. I heard from several of Feng Xuewu's admirers that you used to be terribly useless, but I cannot see where you are useless at all."
After all, there were very few youths who could remain so composed in the face of his imposing presence. Coupled with Yang Chen's complete lack of arrogance and his respectful attitude toward elders, he found him immensely pleasing.
Only, it was a pity that this boy was not a disciple of the Li family. What a true shame.
"Senior, everyone makes mistakes. This junior did indeed make mistakes back then, but this junior believes that a single victory or defeat cannot become the demon in my heart." Yang Chen cupped his hands as he spoke.
"Mm, then it seems you truly did lose to a Wang family member. Still, you are right. What does one temporary victory or defeat amount to?" Li Youyan stroked his beard, making no effort to conceal the appreciation in his eyes.
This let Yang Chen breathe a long sigh of relief. It seemed these two bore him no ill will. Thinking about it, that was indeed the case. Why would these two seek trouble with him for no reason?
Li Youyan soon spoke bluntly. "I heard that Young Friend Yang Chen wished to do business with our association just now. This old man is quite curious—what business does young friend wish to conduct with our association?"
Yang Chen paused slightly, then laughed soundlessly. He truly had intended to do business with the Li Family Commerce Association. Yet he had not held much hope for it; he simply had not expected these two to take the matter seriously.
After a moment's thought, Yang Chen said, "Two seniors, we can discuss business later. Why do the two seniors not first tell this junior why you summoned me today? It would save this junior from being so uneasy."
"Haha, you brat." Li Youyan spoke amiably. "As elders, we will not bully you. Since you have asked, then this old man will get straight to the point. Young Friend Yang Chen, the two of us old fellows saw everything you displayed outside. Young Friend Yang Chen, are you a Pill Doctor?"
At this, Yang Chen's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately understood.
It appeared that his identity as a Pill Doctor had still been exposed. At the very least, the two Li family Elders had been inside the Li Family Commerce Association and had witnessed his work today.
It was no surprise that they had eagerly "invited" him in. After all, the status of a Pill Doctor was simply too shocking. Even in the outside world, Pill Doctors were rarely seen.
"Those three spiritual medicines I prescribed may have been nothing more than a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse. How can the two seniors be certain that I am a Pill Doctor?" Yang Chen asked curiously. "After all, there is not a single Pill Doctor among the entire Great Wilderness Hundred Clans."
The two elderly men of the Li family looked at each other. Then Li Youyan said, "To be honest, the two of us also harbor doubts. But nothing in this world is absolute. What if Young Friend Yang Chen truly is a Pill Doctor? We invited Young Friend Yang Chen here because we wished to hear your answer."
Yang Chen laughed repeatedly in his heart.
If he said today that he was not a Pill Doctor, then once Feng Xuewu's mother recovered, would he not be lifting a rock only to smash his own foot?
So he did not lie, speaking directly instead. "This junior happened upon a small opportunity. Since I have told the two seniors today, I hope the two seniors will certainly help this junior keep the matter secret. In truth, the business this junior wishes to conduct with the two seniors is also related to this junior's identity as a Pill Doctor."
"Oh? Then Young Friend Yang Chen admits that you are a Pill Doctor?" Li Youyan grew excited.
Yang Chen rubbed his chin and said calmly, "That is indeed the case. A year ago, this junior obtained a tattered old book. It recorded the methods of a Pill Doctor. I believe it must have been something left behind in the Great Wilderness by some senior Pill Doctor. This junior was fortunate enough to acquire it. After returning home and studying it, I truly became fascinated with the Way of the Pill Doctor. Yet that year of time completely neglected my Alchemy Way, which led to the tragic affair of my wager with a Wang family member and my defeat!"
Naturally, Yang Chen had concocted this explanation after a moment's thought.
Such a story was highly convincing, making it difficult for anyone to suspect anything.
Moreover, once he revealed his identity as a Pill Doctor, Yang Chen gained confidence in speaking with these two. After all, in their eyes, he was the Yang family's Pill Doctor—the Yang family's treasure. If they dared touch him, would the Yang family not fight the Li family to the death?
How could they know that the Yang family themselves had no idea he possessed the Way of the Pill Doctor?
"Oh? Is that true? There was actually such a fortunate occurrence?" Li Youyan was utterly astonished.
A Pill Doctor introductory method was a major matter even to the Great Wilderness Hundred Clans.
Seeing Li Youyan's shock, Yang Chen hurriedly said, "The business I came to the Li Family Commerce Association to discuss today is precisely related to this Pill Doctor introductory method."
Upon hearing this, Li Youyan nearly wanted to seize Yang Chen's hands. The surprises Yang Chen brought him came wave after wave, each cresting over the last. A Pill Doctor introductory method? In this remote land of the Great Wilderness Hundred Clans, where not even one Pill Doctor existed, it was practically a priceless treasure.
And Yang Chen was actually willing to use such a thing to do business with them?
Li Youyan forcefully restrained himself from appearing overly excited, but his companion beside him clearly lacked sufficient composure. The gleam in his eyes had already revealed his longing for the Pill Doctor introductory method.
Yang Chen was delighted inwardly. He had also guessed the two men's thirst for the Way of the Pill Doctor. In truth, he did intend to exchange the Pill Doctor introductory method for resources he wanted. Pill Doctors existed everywhere to heal the sick and save lives. Since the Great Wilderness Hundred Clans had no Pill Doctors, what he was doing could count as a good deed for the Great Wilderness Hundred Clans.
Of course, the Way of the Pill Doctor was difficult to learn. He dared to sell it, but if they truly wished to learn the Way of the Pill Doctor from it, they could forget about even entering the gate without seven or eight years, perhaps ten.
"Are Young Friend Yang Chen's words sincere?" Stormy waves surged in Li Youyan's heart. "If Young Friend Yang Chen is truly willing to share this Way of the Pill Doctor with our Li family, then the Li Family Commerce Association will certainly reward you handsomely. Spirit stones and all manner of heavenly treasures—we of the Li family will not be stingy."
These were exactly the words Yang Chen had been waiting for. He said, "With Senior Li's assurance, I can rest easy."
"Then, regarding this Pill Doctor introductory method..." Li Youyan became hesitant to continue.
Yang Chen smiled freely and then said, "This Pill Doctor introductory method is rather obscure. After this junior learned it, the elders of my family instructed me to burn it, so the Pill Doctor introductory method is recorded in this junior's mind. If the two seniors want it, prepare a blank jade slip, and allow this junior to record it for you."
Li Youyan did not dare be careless in this matter. He hurriedly found a blank jade slip and handed it to Yang Chen.
Yang Chen accepted the jade slip, took out a writing brush from his person, and inscribed upon it.
What Pill Doctor introductory method? Naturally, he had fabricated it.
If he truly wished to sell a Pill Doctor introductory method, then of course he would draw from his own experience as a Pill Doctor. His vast store of knowledge was more precious than any Pill Doctor manual in the world!
With his experience as a Pill Doctor, would fooling a few people from the Great Wilderness not be as easy as turning his hand over?
With a casual stroke of his brush, Yang Chen wrote dozens of large lines containing some foundational knowledge of Pill Doctors. These things were incomplete, yet not entirely useless. At the very least, they could allow the Li family to understand some of the introductory ways of a Pill Doctor; that was indeed feasible. But if they wished to learn the Way of the Pill Doctor from it, it would be difficult without seven or eight years, perhaps ten.
It was not that Yang Chen was being stingy. His experience as a Pill Doctor could indeed guide someone into the Way of the Pill Doctor, but how could anyone learn to be a Pill Doctor without a little talent? Even North Mountain County had very few Pill Doctors. That was not because there were no methods for learning the art, but because it depended on talent.
In this world, alchemy was easy to learn, while becoming a Pill Doctor was harder than ascending to heaven.
"Two seniors, please examine it." Yang Chen spoke without hurry or agitation.
Li Youyan eagerly seized the jade slip, and the light in his eyes gradually grew brighter. He was extremely delighted by what Yang Chen had described.
"This old man once left the Great Wilderness and saw a Pill Doctor treat illness. I was fortunate enough to hear him explain some Pill Doctor fundamentals, and they differ little from what Young Friend Yang Chen has described. I never expected Young Friend Yang Chen to possess such talent as a Pill Doctor. In merely one year, you have already reached the level of healing the sick and saving lives. It is truly rare." Li Youyan could not hide the shock in his eyes.
He knew that he had to befriend Yang Chen.
The Way of the Pill Doctor was certainly precious, but no matter how precious it was, it could not compare to a ready-made Pill Doctor.
With his extensive experience, he knew all too clearly that learning to become a Pill Doctor was extremely, extremely difficult.
Anyone capable of mastering the Way of the Pill Doctor could no longer be described merely as a "genius."
Before you continue