"Why should we let you treat him? You little brat, haven't even started growing hair yet, have you? Are you making a fool of me?"
The frantic woman screamed hysterically, prompting Old Song to speak angrily from the side.
"The remedies the neighbors have been spreading around were all made by this little fellow. If you really want to save your master's life, see whether he has a way. Keep acting crazy, and I'll have you dragged back to wait for death!"
"What?"
The guards' expressions changed drastically as they stared at Lin Yue in disbelief.
They had only heard rumors that this clinic could prepare miraculous medicines tailored to all sorts of symptoms, with a single bottle taking effect immediately.
They had never imagined that those potions had come from this child's hands.
"I can't guarantee that I'll cure him, but I can at least ease his condition. Maybe I can help your master hold on until a healing Soul Master returns."
Lin Yue rummaged through his pockets, took hold of the milky-white potion he had just brewed, and spoke to the guards.
"But this bottle is indeed expensive. Even if it fails to save him, it'll still cost 1,000 Gold Soul Coins. Are you using it or not?"
"Little brat, are you sure this thing works?"
Looking at the utterly ordinary potion, the furious woman gritted her teeth.
That was 1,000 Gold Soul Coins! Even for merchants under the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Merchant Association, it was a huge sum.
If he still died after drinking it, wouldn't all her efforts have been for nothing? She would even get a smaller share of the inheritance!
"Little sir, are you sure this can help?"
Though he did not believe it either, the guard still patiently asked on their behalf.
"I already said I can't guarantee a cure, but it will definitely work. At the very least, it can extend your master's life for a while. So tell me, is he drinking it or not?"
Lin Yue curled his lip, his temper rising as well. This bottle had not been prepared for them in the first place. If they were unwilling, he could not be bothered with the trouble. For 1,000 Gold Soul Coins, he would only be inviting needless trouble.
This...
Seeing that this mere six-year-old child actually seemed too lazy to help, as though he did not care about 1,000 Gold Soul Coins in the slightest, the guards immediately believed him a little more.
That bottle of medicine really did seem like a miraculous item worth 1,000 Gold Soul Coins.
"Enough. Pay him!"
The coughing rich merchant struggled into a seated position and spoke angrily between coughs.
Having done business for years, he could naturally tell that this six-year-old child was not putting on an act for them. The disdain on his face was simply too obvious.
Clearly, in that child's mind, that bottle of potion was genuinely worth 1,000 Gold Soul Coins, not a coin less.
"What? Master, how can you believe this little brat?"
Seeing that he was about to hand over 1,000 Gold Soul Coins so easily, the woman immediately turned pale. Gritting her teeth, she still seemed to want Lin Yue to offer some additional guarantee.
However, the guards paid no attention to her behavior at all.
"Yes, Master!"
Since the man himself had spoken, the guards immediately accepted the order solemnly. Ignoring the woman's attempts to stop them, they hurried outside and returned from the carriage with a card in less than half a minute.
It was a Soul Guidance Crystal Card, its transparent surface streaked with faint flowing light. It could be directly exchanged at banks in any city.
"Count it, little fellow. There are 1,000 Gold Soul Coins. The amount won't be short."
The guard handed the card to Lin Yue, but he merely shook his head.
"No need to count it. Here, take this bottle and have him drink it. Oh, and this too. Consider it a gift."
He slipped the crystal card worth 1,000 Gold Soul Coins into his pocket. As he handed over the milky-white Resistance Potion, Lin Yue rummaged through his pocket again and included an Expert Healing Potion for free.
Seeing the two guards awkwardly looking back and forth between the two potions, Lin Yue added helplessly, "It doesn't matter which one he drinks first. They work the same."
Only then did the guards panic. They uncorked the bottles and poured both potions into the rich merchant one after the other.
As soon as the potions entered his mouth, a trace of color suddenly returned to the man's previously ashen lips.
"I... I'm better?"
The instant the potions entered his stomach, his exhausted, uncontrollable limbs suddenly regained some strength. Even the growing numbness in his chest weakened somewhat.
The suffocating oppression that had made breathing impossible also eased at that moment, as if the huge boulder pressing against his chest had been lifted a few inches, allowing cool air to flow into his lungs again.
Sitting upright, the rich merchant was visibly much better. He gasped deeply and stared at his hands in disbelief, his spirits clearly lifted.
The faint pain in his internal organs also seemed to have been completely repaired. There was no longer the slightest discomfort, as though every cell in his body were cheering with joy.
"You're not cured. My potion only increased your resistance to the poison. The other bottle can treat the injuries caused by the poison."
As Lin Yue said this, the rich merchant seemed to realize something. He untied the bandage around his thigh and immediately discovered that the incision used to drain poisoned blood had already grown over with tender new skin. In just a few breaths, it had completely healed!
The flesh around the wound, which had previously decayed and festered from the poison, was now smooth and fresh. There was no problem left at all!
After the two potions, his body was practically fine. Only the occasional numbness from the poison still lingering inside him made his muscles twitch uncontrollably.
"Thank you, little sir. Your medicine truly is worth a fortune."
"Alright, alright. If you're still worried, go find another doctor and have them take a look, so you don't end up with any aftereffects. It would be best to find a healing Soul Master and completely remove the poison from your body."
"Alright. Thank you, little sir."
Though he had recovered seven or eight-tenths of the way, the fat merchant still had poison lingering in his body. He barely rose from the support frame and, with the help of several guards, staggered out of the clinic. Breathing in the fresh air after surviving a disaster, his expression was relaxed.
He made up his mind to properly promote this clinic to everyone around him. Such a gifted little sir could not keep mingling with those peasants for a few Silver Soul Coins.
Hm, if the little sir's reputation spread and he eventually attracted people from a sect, then rose to a high position after being recruited into one, wouldn't he be able to look after him in the future?
Thinking of this, the pot-bellied merchant grew even more excited. While having the guards continue notifying people and searching for healing Soul Masters, he immediately began writing invitations, intending to invite all his business partners and properly promote this highly skilled little sir.
[Ding, commission quest—The Rich Merchant's Plea for Help has been completed] [Quest reward: Jade Enhancement Coupon (+9) has been issued]
Great, another few hundred points... Hm?
It was the usual commission quest, the usual acceptance, and the usual completion. He had gone through it countless times over the past half month, and Lin Yue could not even be bothered to spare it a glance.
But when he heard that unusual notification in his mind, his body trembled and his pupils suddenly contracted!
Wait, the reward for helping this patient seemed a little off this time!!!
[Jade Enhancement Coupon (+9): After use, there is a 70% chance to enhance the target item to +9. If it fails, nothing happens.]
Hiss...
What was with this fat man? Why was the reward for saving him so generous?!!
Could it be that someone was backing him?!
Noticing the enhancement coupon that had appeared out of nowhere in his system storage, Lin Yue's breathing quickened.
This enhancement coupon... where would be the best place to use it...
A Spirit Ring, a Spirit Bone, or perhaps... the Martial Soul itself?
Unable to suppress his excitement, Lin Yue immediately made up his mind. With a thought, he was about to use the enhancement coupon on his own Martial Soul!
[Ding, warning. Do you wish to use the 'Jade Enhancement Coupon' to enhance your Martial Soul? Due to your Martial Soul's excessively high level and rarity, the actual gain after a successful enhancement will be less than 1%.]
"What?"
A huge question mark appeared in his mind. Lin Yue frowned, having failed to consider that point.
For a Martial Soul whose strength level was already high enough, had the diminishing returns of an enhancement coupon become this absurd?
Less than a 1% actual improvement... then what the hell was the point of enhancing it? He might as well save it for something else worth enhancing...
A Martial Soul with too high a level... If enhancement would not work, he wondered whether augmentation could effectively improve it instead. But if augmentation failed, the augmented item would shatter...
Hm... forget it. He would not think about it for now.
Since he knew this thing could indeed enhance Martial Souls, then perhaps he could use it on other weaker Martial Souls, or enhance something urgently needed and valuable enough...
A flash of inspiration struck him. Lin Yue weighed the crystal core card worth 1,000 Gold Soul Coins in his hand, temporarily setting aside his thoughts. Smiling, he looked up at the kindly Old Song and asked.
"Mr. Song, do you know where nearby sells Whale Rubber?"
Whale Rubber?
Old Song looked strangely at the little boy who was barely over six years old.
But when he thought that it was probably needed for potion-making, his expression turned understanding. He nodded lightly and named several nearby shops that sold it.
Meanwhile, Tang Hao, who had been keeping watch on the two little ones, could not help looking puzzled.
"What does that brat want Whale Rubber for?"
Over the past half month, after finishing work at the clinic, hadn't he always bought snacks, pastries, meat skewers, eggs, and the like to bring back and feed Xiao San and that rabbit?
Why was he suddenly buying Whale Rubber this time...
"Wait!"
As though he had thought of something, the scruffy man's eyes widened, and the wine bottle in his hand shattered instantly!
Oh no, his Xiao San!!!
What was this damn beast trying to do to his Xiao San?!