For the past four days, Zhang Wei tirelessly treated the sick and injured, his name spreading like wildfire through the town as people marveled at his near-miraculous healing skills. With his herbs running low, he and Pan Qiang ventured into the nearby mountain, braving rugged terrain to gather fresh medicinal plants.
As Zhang Wei and Pan Qiang made their way through the dense forest of the mountain, their laughter echoed between the towering trees. They chatted about everything , from Pan Qiang's clumsy attempts at brewing medicine to the stubborn patients Zhang Wei had treated. Every now and then, they crouched down to pick herbs, filling their baskets with fresh medicinal plants.
"You know, Brother Zhang, if your reputation keeps growing like this, you'll have nobles lining up at your doorstep!" Pan Qiang joked, grinning as he wiped sweat from his forehead.
Zhang Wei chuckled, shaking his head. "As long as they pay properly, I won't complain."
Just as he was about to pluck another stalk of Golden Vein Grass, something caught his eye, a faint, silvery glow at the peak of the mountain. His smile faded as he narrowed his eyes, his heart skipping a beat.
"Pan Qiang," he said suddenly, his tone serious. "Look up there."
Pan Qiang followed his gaze, squinting. "What is that? Some kind of treasure? I don't see anything"
Without another word, Zhang Wei tightened his grip on his basket and started climbing higher, his pulse quickening. As they reached the peak, a breathtaking sight unfolded before them, a single Silver Lotus, its petals gleaming like frozen moonlight, swaying gently in the crisp mountain breeze.
"The Silver Lotus…" Zhang Wei murmured, awe flickering in his eyes. "But it doesn't have a seed yet. I guess it just bloomed."
Shaking his head, Zhang Wei sighed in disappointment. "I'll need to wait three more days for the seed to mature. It has to bathe in the moonlight first to become more potent and effective."
Turning to Pan Qiang, he instructed, "Gather some twigs and bushes. We need to hide the Silver Lotus to prevent others from spotting it and picking it before it's ready."
Pan Qiang nodded and quickly got to work, carefully covering the delicate herb while Zhang Wei took one last glance at it, determination settling in his eyes.
Then Zhang Wei and Pan Qiang descended the mountain with a good harvest of medicinal herbs. Along the way, many people greeted the duo, making Pan Qiang puff up with pride, a smug smile on his face. Zhang Wei, on the other hand, simply returned the greetings with a calm nod, unfazed by the growing attention.
"Brother Zhang," Pan Qiang called out excitedly. "Is this what it feels like to be famous?"
Zhang Wei chuckled as he continued walking toward his stall. "Stop dreaming and help me dry these herbs. After that, we'll grind them into a fine powder. Don't worry, I'll teach you how."
Pan Qiang furrowed his brows, his excitement fading a little at the thought of all the work ahead. But he quickly straightened up, knowing that learning from Zhang Wei was an opportunity he couldn't waste.
Meanwhile, deep within Elder Cao's estate.
Elder Cao sighed heavily, his fingers gripping the armrest of his chair as he gazed at the kneeling soldiers before him. His once-unshakable confidence wavered, he had hoped that his men, the mighty First Sky Battalion, would be able to retrieve all the herbs within the week. Yet, the Silver Lotus remained elusive.
The leader of the battalion lowered his head further. "General, our scouts are still searching. We've sent word to every known herbalist and merchant, but none have been able to provide a fresh Silver Lotus. The few that have surfaced were already withered, proving useless for the medicine."
Elder Cao clenched his jaw. "Useless," he muttered, his voice carrying both frustration and exhaustion. He had fought countless battles, outmaneuvered cunning foes, and stood undefeated for decades, yet he was now powerless against a poison slowly eating away at him.
"Continue searching," he commanded, his voice regaining its steel. "If the Silver Lotus cannot be found in time, I will personally seek out Grandmaster Zhang to ask if there is another way."
The soldiers saluted in unison, determination gleaming in their eyes. "Yes, General!"
As they hurried out of the hall, Elder Cao sank into his chair, rubbing his temples. Time was slipping away, and he could only hope that fate would favor him before it was too late.
A full week had passed, and despite the relentless efforts of the First Sky Battalion, the Silver Lotus remained elusive. The soldiers had scoured mountains, valleys, and even sought out rare herb merchants, yet all leads ended in disappointment.
Elder Cao sat in his study, his expression grim. He had placed all his hopes on Zhang Wei's prescription, but without the final herb, the cure was incomplete. Letting out a heavy sigh, he turned to Elder Fang. "It seems we have no choice. We must go to Grandmaster Zhang and ask if there is another way."
At the break of dawn, the two elders set out, their carriage rolling through the quiet streets until they arrived at Zhang Wei's bustling stall. As always, a line had already formed, filled with villagers seeking treatment. But today, Elder Cao had no patience to wait. He strode forward, his imposing presence parting the crowd as he and Elder Fang reached Zhang Wei.
Zhang Wei greeted them with a polite bow. "Elder Cao, Elder Fang. You've come early today. I assume that you already gathered all the herbs?"
Elder Cao shook his head, his usual stern face carrying a rare trace of uncertainty. "Grandmaster Zhang, we've searched everywhere. The Silver Lotus is nowhere to be found. Is there… another way? A substitute?"
Zhang Wei's gaze remained steady, his voice calm but firm. "There is no alternative. If even a single herb is missing, the treatment will be incomplete. The poison will continue to eat away at your vitality, and eventually, even your strength won't be able to hold it back."
Hearing this, Elder Cao's hands clenched into fists, his expression darkening. Elder Fang, too, sighed in regret, feeling the weight of their failure.
But just as despair was about to settle in, Zhang Wei reached into his robes and slowly took out a small object. The moment it was revealed, a soft silver glow shimmered under the morning sun. The air around them seemed to still as the elders' eyes widened in shock.
"The Silver Lotus Seed…" Elder Fang whispered in disbelief.
Elder Cao's breath hitched as he stared at the glimmering seed resting in Zhang Wei's palm. His stern composure cracked for the first time in years, his eyes shining with joy.
Zhang Wei smirked slightly. "We already picked the mature seed a few days ago. I just wanted to see your expressions first."
Elder Cao let out a deep, hearty laugh, his booming voice filled with renewed hope. "Grandmaster Zhang, you truly enjoy teasing old men, don't you?"
The two old men laughed, the tension in the air melting away as relief washed over them. Zhang Wei, now holding all the necessary herbs in his possession, exhaled and looked at Elder Cao with a confident smile. "Let's begin the treatment, Elder Cao," he said, motioning for Pan Qiang to bring him a set of needles.
Elder Fang furrowed his brows, curiosity flashing in his eyes. "Grandmaster Zhang, why do you need needles for the treatment?"
Zhang Wei only chuckled, his fingers tracing over the delicate needles with familiarity. "I've recently learned an advanced method of acupuncture," he said vaguely, though in truth, the knowledge had been gifted to him by the jade pendant. With it, he now understood how to manipulate meridians and blood flow in ways he had never imagined before.
He turned back to Elder Cao and explained, "The poison has been deeply embedded within your meridians and bones for years. If we were to simply administer the medicine now, it would be far less effective. The venom must first be loosened from your body's channels, allowing the cure to flush it out completely. Acupuncture will achieve this."
Without hesitation, Zhang Wei's hands moved with expert precision, placing the thin silver needles along Elder Cao's meridians, avoiding all vital points with remarkable skill. His movements were swift yet controlled, his knowledge far surpassing anything the two elders had expected.
Elder Cao flinched slightly at the first few pricks but remained still, trusting Zhang Wei's ability.
As Zhang Wei pulled out the last needle from Elder Cao's body, he wiped his hands on a clean cloth and let out a breath. "That should loosen the venom enough for the antidote to work," he muttered, standing up and stretching his fingers.
Pan Qiang, who had been watching in awe, finally dared to speak. "Brother Zhang, what now? Do we start boiling the herbs?"
Zhang Wei smirked. "Not so fast. Preparing medicine isn't just throwing things into a pot and hoping for the best. Each herb has to be handled properly, or we'll waste their effects."
Elder Fang, standing beside them, stroked his beard. "Hmph. I've seen many physicians at work, but you Grandmaster Zhang, you're unlike any of them."
Zhang Wei chuckled. "You'll understand soon enough. Now, Pan Qiang, watch closely."
Zhang Wei moved to the wooden table where the herbs were laid out. The air was thick with the scent of medicine, earthy and sharp.
He reached for the Ghostshade Root, its dark, gnarled surface almost pulsing with residual energy. "This root is essential for drawing out the poison," Zhang Wei explained, pulling out a jade knife. "But its outer layer is full of impurities. If we don't remove it, it'll slow down the detoxification."
With practiced precision, he peeled away the rough bark, revealing the pale-blue fibers within. Then, he sliced it into thin pieces and placed them into a bronze pot of warm water. "This will soften the root and make its essence easier to extract."
Next, he turned to the Azure Moonflower, its delicate blue petals shimmering faintly. "This flower is rare not just because of its color, but because its medicinal strength peaks under moonlight." Zhang Wei rubbed a petal between his fingers, releasing a faint glow. "Too much force, and we'll lose its potency."
Carefully, he plucked the petals and placed them in a porcelain dish. "These will be added at the end, right before brewing."
Pan Qiang's eyes widened. "Brother Zhang, how do you know all this?"
Zhang Wei only smiled. He could feel the jade pendant against his chest, a warmth spreading from it, filling his mind with knowledge he had never learned yet instinctively understood.
As he reached for the Crimson Serpent Grass, he explained, "This one counteracts the venom directly. But it's bitter, so bitter, Elder Cao might curse me for making him drink it." He crushed the dried, red-hued grass between his fingers, then ground it into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle. After a moment, he added a few drops of warm spirit water, turning the powder into a thick, red paste. "This will help it bind to the poison inside his body."
Moving quickly, he picked up the Frozen Marrow Leaf, its surface coated with an icy sheen despite the warm air. A chill seeped into his fingers as he held it. "This will cool down Elder Cao's burning meridians, but too much and it could freeze his energy pathways."
With careful hands, he crushed the leaf, letting its frost-like powder collect in a jade bowl.
Elder Fang leaned closer. "How do you know exactly how much to use?"
Zhang Wei smirked. "Instinct," he said, tapping the pendant beneath his robes.
The next ingredient, the Black Vein Ginseng, was old and gnarled, streaked with dark lines. "This will strengthen Elder Cao's body after the poison is purged. Otherwise, he'll be too weak to recover." Zhang Wei sliced the ginseng into thin pieces and roasted them over a low flame, releasing a warm, earthy scent into the air. Once done, he ground the pieces into a golden powder.
By now, Elder Fang and Pan Qiang were watching in complete silence, captivated.
Then, Zhang Wei grabbed a small vial filled with dark red resin ,Dragon's Blood Resin. He held it up. "This will seal Elder Cao's meridians after the treatment, preventing any residual poison from lingering."
He uncorked the vial and poured a few drops onto a heated jade plate, watching as the thick liquid softened. "Once it's warm enough, I'll mix it with the ginseng powder. That way, it'll blend smoothly into the medicine."
Finally, he turned to the Silver Lotus Seed, the last and most important ingredient. He carefully unwrapped the small silk pouch and revealed the seed, shimmering faintly under the light.
He carefully placed the seed in a small mortar and began to grind it into a fine powder, the shimmering dust swirling in the air like silver mist.
With all the ingredients prepared, Zhang Wei clapped his hands together. "Now comes the real work."
Instead of throwing everything into a pot of boiling water like traditional medicine-making, Zhang Wei did something unexpected. He arranged the herbs on a flat, heated jade plate, carefully mixing the powders and pastes in precise amounts.
Elder Fang frowned. "Grandmaster Zhang, why aren't you using a cauldron?"
Zhang Wei smirked. "Who says you need a cauldron to make medicine?"
With steady hands, he combined the ground ginseng, serpent grass, and dragon's blood resin, forming a deep red mixture. Then, he added the softened Ghostshade Root, mixing it thoroughly until it became a smooth, sticky paste.
Next, he folded in the Frozen Marrow Leaf powder, cooling the mixture, and finally, he sprinkled in the Silver Lotus Seed powder, binding the ingredients together.
Slowly, he kneaded the mixture in his palm, shaping it into several small, smooth pills, each one gleaming with a faint silver sheen.
The two old men gasped in shock.
"You… You made a pill? Without a cauldron?!" Elder Fang exclaimed.
Zhang Wei laughed. "Who says I need a cauldron? Medicine is about precision, not theatrics." His past life's medical knowledge made this process second nature to him. In his hands, herbal refinement didn't require mystical flames, just the right technique.
Elder Cao, who had spent decades in battle, felt an unfamiliar emotion creep into his chest, hope. He clenched his fists and looked at Zhang Wei with shining eyes.
One by one, the pills were shaped and set on a tray to dry. Zhang Wei picked one up and examined it closely before turning to Elder Cao. "These pills will purge the poison from your body completely. Take one each morning for seven days. During this time, avoid alcohol and combat, or it may weaken the medicine's effect."
Elder Cao held the pill between his fingers, his expression unreadable for a moment. Then, he threw his head back and laughed, his voice filled with newfound hope. "Zhang Wei, you're not just a herbalist, you're a miracle doctor."