Chapter 77 Jiang Fang's Diagnosis

Shen Qi and Yun Qian invited Master Jiang and his daughter to take their seats in the living room.

Master Jiang got straight to the point: "Miss Yun, our State Religion has heard that a type of seasoned bigu pill has been selling hotly in the markets of Chu Prefecture recently, receiving fanatical pursuit from various Families and merchants. May I ask if this Medicinal Pill was improved and refined by you personally?"

"It was," Yun Qian nodded and said, "This method of adjusting the flavor of the Medicinal Pill isn't difficult, is it? I have seen many people in the market already imitating and selling it."

"That is correct. I also obtained the Medicinal Pill you sold, and the method used involved adding..." Master Jiang listed several medicinal herbs and the corresponding refining techniques.

The more Yun Qian listened, the more she admired this Great Master Jiang; the other party had guessed her improvement plan without a single error. Before him, it was as if she had no secrets at all.

He was indeed the most famous Alchemist in Chu Prefecture! He truly lived up to his reputation.

But Yun Qian soon became worried. Since this Great Master Jiang had already guessed her "secret formula," what did it mean that he came to visit her "representing the State Religion"?

Yun Qian cast her gaze toward Jiang Shuanger.

Seeing Yun Qian's worried appearance, Jiang Shuanger couldn't help but speak up for her father: "Qianqian, Father came to buy your Pill Formula on behalf of the State Religion."

"Buy it?" Yun Qian was stunned.

"Yes. Qianqian, the State Religion has always been fair and just. Although the Inedia Pill you improved is simple, it has very important practical significance. This matter is not about how exquisite the improvement plan is, but that you were the first person to think of doing so! You are the pioneer, the first person to eat crab."

"It is universally acknowledged that the Inedia Pill does not taste good. If your improved Inedia Pill can be promoted to all parts of the Human Race, Cultivators will be able to eat something better when performing various difficult tasks. This is a very meaningful thing. In the words of Buddhist Cultivators, this possesses supreme Karma."

Jiang Shuanger added: "And this is also a form of protection for you. How can you and Little Sister Shen manage such a big business on your own? This seasoned bigu pill is too popular; in just one month, so many people have appeared to steal your business. Soon, your Medicinal Pill will no longer have any commercial advantage and will eventually be eliminated."

Master Jiang also said: "If you hand over this improved Inedia Pill plan entirely to the State Religion to handle, the State Religion will pay you a large sum of Spirit Stones in one go. What do you think?"

"This..." Yun Qian hesitated.

At first, Yun Qian was still a bit hesitant and unwilling to sell easily.

"Miss Yun, the State Religion has always been straightforward in its dealings. Although your method of improving the seasoned bigu pill is simple, it solves a major problem for Cultivators when they travel. How about this: we pay you 150,000 Spirit Stones in one lump sum to buy the basic Pill Formula, how about that?"

"150,000?" Yun Qian was instantly stunned by the State Religion's boldness.

"How about this, although it might not be polite to say so, I can see that you, Miss, do not seem very well. Since Miss Yun and my Shuanger are good friends, let's add one more condition: I will provide a diagnosis for you, how about that?"

Master Jiang was not only a famous Alchemist but also a renowned physician, and his medical skills of "observation, listening, questioning, and pulse-taking" had reached the pinnacle. Every day, countless people would break down his threshold just to see Master Jiang once.

To have Master Jiang proactively offer to see a patient was something Shen Qi, who was on the side, couldn't even hope for.

Just before Master Jiang arrived, Shen Qi and Yun Qian were still discussing whether to go and ask Master Jiang for a medical consultation!

It was exactly what they wanted.

Seeing the other party's full sincerity, and with Shen Qi persuading her on the side—she could see that Yun Qian was reaching her limit, and Master Jiang being willing to proactively see a patient was something she couldn't hope for more—she finally nodded and agreed.

"Alright. Then 150,000 it is, I will take it immediately. Please, Great Master Jiang, examine me first; I... am not very comfortable."

Seeing this, Master Jiang immediately took Yun Qian's pulse and carefully used his Divine Sense to examine her head, his brows furrowing tighter and tighter.

After a long time, he withdrew his hand and let out a heavy sigh, his gaze toward Yun Qian filled with compassion and gravity.

"Little girl, your situation... is very bad," Master Jiang's voice was low and serious, "The speed at which the lesion is eroding your Divine Soul is accelerating. In my opinion... I am afraid... you can hold on for at most two more months. This is assuming there are no sudden, severe episodes."

"Two months?!" Shen Qi exclaimed, her face instantly turning deathly pale.

Yun Qian's heart sank sharply, as if falling into a bottomless ice cave. Although she had a premonition, hearing this cruel verdict with her own ears, that cold sense of despair still instantly seized her. Two months... Brother, is there still enough time? She dared not think.

Watching Yun Qian's pale little face and her stubborn appearance as she held back tears, Master Jiang also felt quite unbearable in his heart. He continued: "The only way now is that 'soul-stabilizing pill'. This pill is specifically refined to regulate and stabilize damaged Divine Sense; its medicinal properties are mild yet thick, which should be able to soothe the restlessness in your Divine Soul and suppress the lesion. It is just..."

Yun Qian of course knew about the soul-stabilizing pill; it was the lifeline her brother was risking his life to secure for her. She knew even better how much pressure her brother was under for this.

She raised her head, eyes filled with tears, but looked at Master Jiang with unusual firmness: "Great Master Jiang, as for the soul-stabilizing pill, Brother is already thinking of a way. I, I don't want to let Brother be distracted and worried anymore. Can you give me some... medicine that can stop this daily pain? As long as it can make me not feel so uncomfortable, and I can focus my mind a little, that would be enough."

Master Jiang looked at this child who was so sensible it made one's heart ache, was silent for a moment, and slowly nodded: "Sigh... very well. I do indeed have a pain-relieving Medicinal Pill here called 'Ning Shen San', which can temporarily numb the pain and soothe the restlessness of the Divine Soul."

He paused, his tone carrying a reminder, "However, there is one thing you must pay attention to. Before you take the soul-stabilizing pill, you must prevent any impact on your Divine Sense. Your spiritual soul is very fragile in the Niwan Palace; even a slight bump could cause your spiritual soul to collapse completely. Remember this, remember it well."

Yun Qian's fingertips trembled slightly. But the needle in her mind that was stirring at every moment left her no choice. She needed a moment of respite.

"Mm. I have remembered it." Yun Qian nodded vigorously, her voice light but carrying an unquestionable determination, "Please, Great Master Jiang, give me some Ning. Thank you."

"Sigh. The soul-stabilizing pill, this kind of Medicinal Pill needs to be refined on the spot and taken on the spot, and I am capable of refining it. If Young Master Yun earns enough Spirit Stones to buy the medicinal herbs, I can help." Master Jiang said, "This soul-stabilizing pill is simply too expensive; just purchasing the medicinal herbs used for refining it would cost over 1 million Spirit Stones. I am sorry I cannot help you."

"However, besides this Ning Shen San, I can also help you cure your limp." Master Jiang added.

"My foot?!" Yun Qian said in surprise.

This was truly an unexpected joy.

"Yes, Miss Yun, your limp must be a condition you were born with, right?" Master Jiang asked.

"Yes." Yun Qian remembered that her brother once said her limp was caused by contracting some kind of virus when she was born.

"Poliomyelitis," Master Jiang smiled and said, "In ancient times, this disease could only be prevented; once contracted, it could not be cured. But fortunately, Miss Yun, you have already started to Cultivate. I will have Shuanger bring you a few herbs later. As long as you take them on time and cooperate with your Cultivation Technique to temper your body, within ten days, you will be no different from an ordinary person."

"Really!" Shen Qi stood up from her chair in excitement upon hearing this.

"That's great." Yun Qian's face was tinged with a flush of excitement.

The matter concluded, Master Jiang and Jiang Shuanger said their goodbyes and left, the setting sun stretching their shadows long.

Shen Qi looked at Yun Qian's side profile as she carefully put away the "Ning Shen San" pill bottle, her heart aching beyond measure.

"Qianqian." Shen Qi's voice was choked with sobs, "Your headache, are you really not going to tell Brother Yun?"

Yun Qian gazed at the last bit of setting sun on the horizon, shook her head, a smile almost transparent appearing on her pale face, and said softly: "Sister Qiqi, don't worry. Brother... he is already risking his life. This bit of suffering, I can endure it."

Her voice was very light, yet it felt like a heavy stone, smashing onto Shen Qi's heart.

Behind that word "endure" was the hidden pain that continued day after day, second after second, and the fear that she could not speak of even though she knew her life was counting down.