Eternal Life: I Can Control My Essence Qi-Chapter 40: Night Rain in the Jianghu (Part 2)

Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Night Rain in the Jianghu (Part 2)

"Doctor!"

Zhang Yao was momentarily stunned, when a burly man urgently shouted:

"Can you tell what poison he’s afflicted with? Is there any way to suppress it?"

Zhang Yao took a deep breath, suppressing his chaotic thoughts, and leaned in for a careful observation.

On Zhou Changgui’s chest, a ghastly wound nearly disemboweled him, deep enough to see the bone, with its edges slightly whitening under the wash of abundant rainwater.

"This is not poison!"

After careful examination, he said:

"This is a special mineral called ’Red Bright Stone,’ which itself is non-toxic and is a precious medicinal material with miraculous effects in treating heart ailments."

"However, this mineral destroys the body’s coagulation ability, and if fused into weapons in large amounts, they often become formidable weapons."

"Red Bright Stone is very rare, worth a fortune, and this is the first time I’ve seen a wound caused by such a divine weapon."

Outwardly he said this, but inwardly he sighed, feeling a bit sorry for Chu Xingge.

He had defeated many renowned experts, yet no one discovered this, indicating that his attacks weren’t ruthless but had restraint.

On minor wounds, the effect of Red Bright Stone is not obvious, but the large wound on Zhou Changgui’s body nearly claimed his life, making Red Bright Stone the final death sentence.

"Red Bright Stone?"

The two burly men froze for a moment, clearly not expecting it to be the sword’s doing.

"Well, doctor, do you have a way to resolve it?"

Zhang Yao pondered for a moment, then said:

"Using Rhino Horn Powder can suppress it temporarily. Please wait, I’ll go and fetch it from the backyard."

He said this, then turned and hurried towards the backyard.

Although the medicine cabinet was in the front hall, precious medicinal materials like tiger bones and rhino horn he kept in his room to prevent theft by bandits.

Soon, Zhang Yao fetched the Rhino Horn Powder, combined it with white medicine, and applied it, producing immediate results as the wound stopped oozing blood.

The two burly men, seeing this, were overjoyed and repeatedly praised Zhang Yao as a miracle doctor.

Zhang Yao then took out needle and thread, sterilized them over the oil lamp, and began stitching the wound, while the two men on the side dared not disturb, even breathing cautiously.

"Whew..."

Moments later, Zhang Yao wiped his sweat and said:

"It’s stitched up now, the wound is temporarily dealt with."

"However, he’s lost a lot of blood, which is very dangerous, and the effect of the Red Bright Stone is only temporarily suppressed. I’ll need to prescribe a decoction to be boiled quickly for him to drink as soon as possible."

The two burly men nodded repeatedly, one directly taking out a silver ingot from his bosom, repeatedly saying:

"Then please, Doctor, if you save our brother’s life, there will be a great reward!"

"Hmm, it’s my duty."

Zhang Yao took the silver ingot, quickly putting it away, and picked up the scales to weigh medicine.

After preparing a prescription, he went to the backyard to start a fire, placing the medicine in a pot to begin brewing.

Watching Zhang Yao’s series of actions, the two burly men gradually calmed down, staying beside Zhou Changgui, waiting for him to awaken.

"...Nearly let him escape!"

"Right, Brother Zhou had just advanced to a Perfect Martial Artist, eager to achieve merit, lacked combat experience with peers, which is why that kid used him as a breakthrough point, nearly costing his life!"

"Tch! Unappreciative wretch, really thought himself a Righteous Hero? After being declined several times, he even dared to report us to the Government Office."

"Idiot, does he really think the Government Office is unaware of our illicit salt trade?"

"If Captain Chen hadn’t been out for business, he should have died in the inn two days ago, it wouldn’t have been our turn to act..."

The two spoke in hushed tones, filled with resentment.

But they evidently ignored Zhang Yao, assuming their voices were low, though Zhang Yao in the backyard heard everything clearly.

"I see..."

Zhang Yao stayed by the small stove, fanning the flames while his mind turned.

"So Chu Xingge’s conflict with the Government Office stemmed from the Cao Bang matter."

From their conversation, he inferred:

After gaining fame, Chu Xingge should have attracted numerous forces, including the Cao Bang.

But Chu Xingge didn’t agree, and even discovered during interactions with the Cao Bang their secret salt smuggling to exploit the common people.

Outraged, he went to the Government Office to report it, but ended up in conflict with the Government Office, and the Cao Bang learned of it, thus plotting to kill him.

"Such innocence, almost adorably naïve."

"In these troubled times, to still have such a person, unsure where he sprang from..."

Inwardly, Zhang Yao felt increasingly regretful.

In Jiangdu, the Government Office, Business Alliance, and Cao Bang had long reached an unspoken agreement, with many things quietly coordinated.

Reporting to the Government Office was doomed to be futile, potentially even leading to its wrongful detention as a bargaining chip against the Cao Bang to seize benefits.

Thus, he died, on a rainy night, besieged by three Cao Bang experts, dying in an inn.

"So young, highly skilled in martial arts, with extraordinary talent, mysterious origin, and wielding a divine weapon."

"It’s like a protagonist from a storybook novel..."

Had he lived, surely the future would have been interesting.

Thus, Zhang Yao felt some regret, but had no more thoughts, simply finished brewing the medicine and brought it to Zhou Changgui.

Not until dawn did Zhou Changgui finally awaken.

"Thank you, doctor, for saving my life..."

He weakly said, eyes full of gratitude.

Evidently, he didn’t recognize Zhang Yao.

Years ago, Zhang Yao was still a young lad, with only a brief encounter that left no impression.

Today’s Zhang Yao, both in appearance and demeanor, was vastly different from back then, and with Zhou Changgui’s dizziness under severe injury, of course, he couldn’t recognize him.

Zhang Yao smiled and said:

"Treating the sick and saving lives is my duty. Lie down quickly, avoid moving to prevent ripping the wound."

"No problem."

Zhou Changgui shook his head and said:

"Thanks to the doctor’s medicine, the Red Bright Stone’s effect is resolved. I can already suppress the wound and accelerate its healing."

"Oh?"

Zhang Yao feigned surprise:

"Didn’t expect you to have such skill, seems your martial arts are quite high, better than the gang members I’ve treated before."

Zhou Changgui chuckled, without explaining further, just continually expressing gratitude.

After daybreak, while the streets were still quiet, the two burly men supported Zhou Changgui, took some prescriptions, and hurriedly left.

A few days later, Cao Bang sent a grand thank-you gift, and a month later, Zhou Changgui personally visited again, greatly enhancing Ren Shou Hall’s reputation.

After this incident, Zhang Yao’s life returned to tranquility.

After a few visits from Zhou Changgui, he no longer came. At the critical juncture of becoming an Absolute Peak Expert, he was engrossed in pursuing higher status and strength, soon neglecting an ordinary doctor on Xinhe Street.

As for Chu Xingge’s death, it caused quite a stir in Jiangdu. Rumors even claimed that many noble ladies were heartbroken, with people eagerly speculating on the cause of his death, becoming the town’s hot topic.

Yet he was ultimately not a true big figure, and in Jiangdu’s upper circles, his death was just a topic for idle chatter.

As time continued to pass, fame, no matter how great, would gradually fade into dust.

Months later, not many in Jiangdu talked about Chu Xingge anymore.

The old youth passed, and new ones emerged.

This is Jiangdu—this, is the martial world.