115: Chapter 115 Scientific Thinking

"My dad was dueling someone, and he came back the night before last looking quite happy. But after he went to bed, he never woke up again. His complexion was terrible, almost as if he’d been poisoned. We sent him to the hospital immediately, but so far they haven't found anything. Uncle Wang suggested I come here to find you."

"So he won first and then lost? Was he ambushed? Are there any wounds on him?"

"No."

"Have you had any other experts look at him?"

"No."

"Does your family have any suspicions?"

"I... I suspect it's sorcery. My dad suffered from that before; his primordial spirit was injured for years and never fully recovered until you accidentally healed him a few days ago, Brother Han."

Han Jingyang thought of Xue Xinming and then of Abe Tamakane, feeling that the world was becoming increasingly dangerous.

No, it had always been dangerous; he had just been ignorant and dull before, unable to perceive these things that had always existed.

He needed to arm his family and friends quickly.

At the very least, everyone should have an amulet.

Thinking of this, he first sent a message to the monk Kongyun: "Get me a few amulets. Note that they must be amulets, specifically for protection."

Then he turned to Xu Jingyun and said, "Wait for me a moment, I'm going to grab a few items."

After that, Han Jingyang's choice paralysis kicked in.

Previously, when things happened, he only had a few items available.

But after his trip to Thousand Buddha Mountain, he was suddenly wealthy, having acquired over twenty dharma instruments. Among them were many good things of the fourth and fifth grade, and quite a few sixth and seventh grade ones with skills, all of which were very useful.

Which one should he use?

That really was a problem.

He couldn't bring them all, could he?

Forget it, he would pick a set first and swap them if they didn't work. He hoped Xu Xin could hold on a bit longer.

Han Jingyang picked and chose, and in the end, he actually selected quite a large pile.

The Kaiken with the "Killing with a Borrowed Blade" skill definitely had to be taken along.

This was his trump card, just in case.

The shikigami token also had to be brought.

If he encountered any so-called "gods," it might have a miraculous effect.

Besides, it didn't take up much space.

He also took the Meiji 8th Year Platinum 10,000 Yen coin; it added luck, and he planned to turn it into an amulet to keep on him every day.

The sanqing bell, tianpeng ruler, and compass were standard equipment; he couldn't forget them wherever he went.

Finally, after some thought, he put on that Qing Guangxu Shennong Tasting the Hundred Herbs plaque. Although this plaque had no skills, its attribute was quite rare: Poison Resistance +5.

It might come in handy.

...

Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

In the VIP ward.

Han Jingyang walked a circle around Xu Xin while holding the compass.

He didn't find anything special.

However, one could see a blackness beneath Xu Xin's skin with the naked eye. Looking closely, it was even a bit disgusting, as if the tissue under the skin had already deteriorated and rotted.

Yet the doctors and nurses had checked, and everything seemed normal. The blood they drew was only slightly dark, and the blood test said the oxygen levels were a bit low, but all other indicators were normal.

Han Jingyang was also a bit frustrated. Qi Observation was all well and good, but it was distressing not being able to see a person's aura.

If he could directly see the aura on a person, it would be much more convenient. He would know where the problem was at a glance, just like observing earth qi and feng shui.

Unfortunately, high-quality items with the "Qi Observation" attribute were too rare.

He had been consciously collecting such antiques lately but had gained nothing.

Now he could only try them one by one.

With that thought, he casually placed the Poison Resistance +5 white jade plaque on Xu Xin's chest.

Then, he saw the blue aura contained within the plaque instantly become active, drilling into Xu Xin's chest in wisps as if it had a life of its own.

Although he couldn't see any changes in Xu Xin himself, judging by the plaque's reaction, it was definitely the right remedy.

If it wasn't the right remedy, the blue aura in the plaque wouldn't be so active.

In other words, Xu Xin was indeed poisoned.

As long as he knew where the problem lay, the rest would be easy.

To be safe, he would try other items as well.

Han Jingyang tried the sanqing bell and tianpeng ruler again; there was some reaction, but it wasn't strong.

After waiting a few minutes to confirm that the Shennong Tasting the Hundred Herbs white jade plaque was still working, Han Jingyang turned to Xu Jingyun and said, "From what I can see, he's been poisoned. This dharma instrument has no other use except that it can detoxify to a certain extent. I'm not entirely sure how effective it will be, so let him wear it for three days and we'll see the results then."

Xu Jingyun let out a long sigh of relief. "Brother Han, thank you. If it weren't for you, I really wouldn't know what to do."

"You're welcome," Han Jingyang thought for a moment. "You can ask the doctors for their opinions. If it's poison, it's impossible for nothing abnormal to be found. Perhaps the test panels aren't comprehensive, or the testing equipment isn't precise enough, or maybe the doctors' skills aren't high enough."

"Is modern medicine useful?"

"Not necessarily, but any discovery helps the development of modern medicine. For any academic field to develop, it cannot remain stagnant. This is true for modern medicine, and it's the same for metaphysics. Only by using scientific thinking and methods to perceive and master metaphysics can it move toward a broader horizon."

"No wonder you're so powerful at such a young age, Brother Han. This cultivation philosophy of yours has already left others far behind."

Han Jingyang smiled and rummaged around Xu Xin's chest twice. He didn't find the Agility +2 pendant he had sold to Xu Xin before, so he asked casually, "Where is that peach wood pendant with the cat pattern carved on it?"

"What pendant?"

"You don't know?"

"From the time my dad came home until now, I've been here the whole time. I've never seen any wooden pendant, and my dad really doesn't like wearing those sorts of trinkets."

Han Jingyang frowned. "Before your dad's duel, he bought a small dharma instrument from me. It was made of peach wood, with a cat leaping upward carved on the front. The price wasn't very high, but it provided a boost to your father's strength. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have discarded it himself."

"This..."

"Forget it, it's not my concern, I'm just reminding you."

Han Jingyang instructed, "That plaque must not leave his body for a moment. If there's any reaction, message me anytime."

"Then, what about the treatment?"

"Blood tests are fine, but stop other treatments for now. They don't have any good solutions anyway," Han Jingyang urged. "Remember, the plaque must never leave his body, under any circumstances."

Xu Jingyun nodded solemnly.

Han Jingyang walked out, only to see Wang Zhiwei at the door.

Wang Zhiwei must have been waiting specifically for him, as he quickly ran up to Han Jingyang. "Brother, how's the situation?"

"It's not too bad. I happen to have a dharma instrument that's a barely adequate remedy, but I can't guarantee if it can provide a complete cure."

"Barely adequate?"

"Yes, that dharma instrument's main function is to increase resistance to poison, but Poison Resistance and detoxification are two different things. So for now, we can only observe the reaction before making further adjustments."

"Is there no better way?"

"There is."

"And that is..."

"Too expensive," Han Jingyang said frankly. "Let's try this first. If it succeeds, a token payment of several tens of thousands of yuan will do. If it's ineffective and we have to switch to other dharma instruments, the cost will be extremely high—starting at five million."

"..."

Wang Zhiwei sighed. "Although Old Xu has some assets, five million is not a small number."

"The five million I mentioned is only the starting price. If the results are poor and we have to try several times, the price could multiply several times over."