Chapter 112: Life-Saving Medicine, Astonishing Escape

After some thought, Lu Qing began to treat Madam Wei.

Seeing her distress, he first used silver needles to administer a few acupuncture treatments.

After a few needles, Madam Wei's furrowed brows relaxed slightly, and her pale face gained some color.

Lu Qing nodded in satisfaction.

With his recent studies in medicine and his advancements in martial arts, his understanding of the human body had deepened.

He had gained some insights into acupuncture and its effects.

The immediate relief that Madam Wei experienced after just a few needles was proof of his growing proficiency.

However, this was merely a temporary solution to her symptoms.

Her condition could not be cured with a few needles.

Moreover, her illness was likely beyond the help of ordinary medicine.

Their current situation also did not allow for building a fire to boil herbs.

So, after easing Madam Wei's pain with acupuncture, Lu Qing retrieved a jade vial from his small medicine box and fell into contemplation.

"What is that, Doctor Lu Qing?"

Wei Xiaogongzi was astonished when he saw the jade vial.

As the young master of a prestigious family, he might have come across as naive in his dealings.

However, his knowledge of certain things was undoubtedly extensive.

The jade vial in Lu Qing's hand was pristine and white, without a trace of impurity, resembling mutton fat jade.

At a glance, he could tell that it was invaluable and worth a fortune.

If the vial itself was so precious, what of its contents?

"This vial contains an extremely precious elixir prepared by my master," Lu Qing explained. "I'm considering how best to administer it to Madam Wei."

"An extremely precious elixir? Can it save my mother?" Wei Xiaogongzi asked eagerly.

"It should be able to, even if it can't immediately cure her. It should at least be able to temporarily preserve her life," Lu Qing replied.

Hearing this, Wei Xiaogongzi pleaded, "Doctor Lu Qing, please save my mother. No matter how precious this elixir is, our Wei family will compensate you double, no, ten times its value!"

"Young Master Wei, you jest," Lu Qing said sincerely. "Since I intend to save your mother, I won't hesitate to use this medicine. I'm just considering something else."

"Is there something else troubling Doctor Lu Qing?"

"Never mind, it's nothing," Lu Qing shook his head. "I will administer the medicine to Madam Wei now."

Lu Qing asked Wei Xiaogongzi to straighten his mother's head and then carefully opened the jade vial, dripping two drops of the jade-colored liquid into her mouth.

Perhaps due to thirst or a survival instinct, Madam Wei swallowed the liquid without Lu Qing having to stimulate her jaw acupoint.

"Is that all, Doctor Lu Qing? Shouldn't we give her a few more drops?" Wei Xiaogongzi asked anxiously, seeing that Lu Qing had stopped after only two drops.

"Too much of a good thing can be harmful," Lu Qing explained. "While this medicine is precious and potent, Madam Wei's current condition is too weak to handle a large dose. It might do more harm than good."

His words were half-true.

While the elixir was indeed potent, the reason he didn't want to give Madam Wei more wasn't because of her weak condition.

He was concerned that if she recovered too quickly, it might raise unnecessary suspicions.

The jade vial contained a concoction he had recently created based on the Shenfumeng sect's records about earth vein spirit liquid, along with discussions and research with his master.

It was a mixture of earth vein spirit liquid, ginseng juice, and other precious medicinal ingredients.

Each vial contained only a few drops of the earth vein spirit liquid, combined with the essence of a century-old ginseng and other rare herbs.

So when Lu Qing said that the medicine was extremely precious, he wasn't exaggerating.

It truly lived up to its name as a life-saving elixir, with each drop worth a thousand gold.

As for its effects, his master had tested it.

While it didn't have the miraculous effects of directly consuming earth vein spirit liquid, which could bring the dead back to life and enhance one's constitution and talent, it still possessed incredible healing and health-boosting properties.

For ordinary people, as long as there was a faint breath left, this medicine could sustain their lives, allowing them to recover slowly.

Even the ability scan gave this medicine a high rating, marking it as a red-light level item.

Lu Qing had prepared three vials of the medicine, keeping two with his master and carrying one with him for emergencies.

This elixir was too precious and truly a life-saving remedy, so he was reluctant to use it lightly.

Previously, when Ma Gu's shoulder injury had been severe but not life-threatening, he hadn't considered using it.

If not for Madam Wei's dire condition, with her life hanging by a thread, he wouldn't have taken out this medicine either.

Even now, he only intended to use two drops, leaving the rest for her gradual recovery.

Wei Xiaogongzi didn't doubt Lu Qing's explanation.

He understood the principle of not overburdening a weak body with strong medicine.

Realizing this, he apologized, "I'm sorry, Doctor Lu Qing. I was too anxious."

"It's alright, Young Master Wei. You're only concerned about Madam Wei's well-being," Lu Qing smiled.

In truth, he was a little surprised.

This time, Wei Xiaogongzi seemed to have changed quite a bit. His temperament was no longer as arrogant as before.

It seemed that the recent events had caused him to mature and grow up.

"Then, Doctor Lu Qing, is my mother out of danger now?"

"After taking the medicine, Madam Wei's condition should gradually improve. See how her breathing has stabilized?" Lu Qing replied.

Chapter: A Powerful Elixir

"Lu Qing," said the young man, his eyes fixed on his mother's face and noticing her stabilized breathing and the receding fever on her forehead. The once terrifyingly pale complexion now showed a hint of rosy hue, a far less frightening sight.

Wei Xiaogongzi touched his mother's forehead, relieved to find it no longer scorching hot. "Doctor Lu Qing, your medicine truly works! My mother's condition has improved significantly!"

Wei Xiaogongzi was truly convinced that the medicine Lu Qing had produced was extremely valuable and that he wasn't exaggerating to inflate its price. He knew his mother's previous condition, and it had been dire.

Who would have thought that just two drops of Lu Qing's medicine would bring about such rapid improvement? It truly lived up to its name as a miraculous elixir.

"The foreign influence in Wei Furen's body is being dispelled, and the inflammation of her wounds is also improving. Let her rest for now. We'll wait outside," Lu Qing suggested.

"Alright," Wei Xiaogongzi agreed, his faith in Lu Qing's abilities now unwavering.

After wiping his mother's forehead with a cloth, he joined Lu Qing at the cave entrance.

"How is Wei Furen doing?" Ma Gu asked anxiously as they stepped out.

"She's out of danger now. With proper rest, she should regain consciousness soon," Lu Qing replied.

"That's a relief!" Ma Gu's heart, which had been heavy with worry, finally eased.

Wei Furen had been escorted by those Silver Moon Guards, and even he had nearly lost his life in the process. He truly didn't want anything to happen to her.

"Lu Qing, your medical skills are indeed remarkable. No wonder you're Master Chen's proud disciple," Ma Gu praised.

"Don't say that," Lu Qing waved dismissively. "It's all thanks to my master's ingenious concoction. My medical skills still have a long way to go."

As Lu Qing and the others waited for Wei Furen to regain consciousness, on the other side of the mountain, in the valley where Lu Qing had previously fought...

A group of over ten robust martial artists surrounded two corpses, their faces grim.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, a gust of wind swept through, and a figure clad in white, with a feather fan in hand, appeared in the valley.

It was a young man with a fair complexion, and the others immediately bowed in respect.

"Second Senior Brother!"

"You summoned me here urgently. What's the matter? Have you captured Wei Xinghe's wife and child?" the white-robed youth inquired.

"No, Second Senior Brother. Third Senior Brother and Seventh Senior Brother... they're dead," one of the martial artists replied, stepping aside to reveal the decapitated bodies of Wang Qing Shan and another man.

"What?!" The white-robed youth was shocked, quickly stepping forward to examine the bodies. His pupils constricted as he took in the gruesome sight.

After a moment of silence, his expression turned solemn. "What vicious means. One had their head chopped off, the other pierced through the chest, their heart even removed. Have you found out who did this?"

"No, when we arrived, we only found the bodies of Third Senior Brother and Seventh Senior Brother. There was no one else around," one of the martial artists answered.

The white-robed youth fell silent, his mind reeling.

In truth, he was astounded.

He had assumed that capturing Wei Xinghe's wife and child, escorted by a single team of Silver Moon Guards, would be a straightforward task. Never did he expect that the Third and Seventh Senior Brothers would meet their end in this nameless valley.

While the Seventh Senior Brother's death was unfortunate, it was the Third Senior Brother's demise that truly shocked him. The Third Senior Brother had been a powerful martial artist at the Small Accomplishment stage of the Internal Organs realm, his strength not far below his own.

Even if he encountered a martial artist at the Great Accomplishment stage, he could escape if he couldn't win.

However, from what he could discern, the Third Senior Brother had his hands disabled before his heart was extracted. Moreover, there were signs that he had unleashed his secret technique.

It seemed that the Third Senior Brother had unleashed his full power, yet he was still defeated so thoroughly that he couldn't even injure his opponent.

Who could have accomplished such a feat?

Could it be the doing of a master at the Internal Organs realm's Perfection stage?

But how was that possible? Aside from Wei Xinghe, there shouldn't be anyone else in the Wei family who had reached that level of mastery. And Wei Xinghe wouldn't have been able to leave the Wei estate without his master's knowledge.

The wounds on the Third Senior Brother's body were also peculiar, almost as if they were inflicted by some exotic weapon, unlike anything the Wei family was known for.

Could there be another force interfering, seeking a share of the spoils?

Suddenly, a thought flashed through the white-robed youth's mind, causing him to start.

If that were the case, things would become extremely troublesome.

"Second Senior Brother, what should we do now?" one of the martial artists asked, sensing his leader's dismay.

"What else can we do? We take the bodies of Third Senior Brother and Seventh Senior Brother and return to Cang County," the white-robed youth sighed.

"Just like that? But what about Wei Xinghe's wife and child? We still haven't captured them," another martial artist hesitated.

"What else can we do? Whoever killed Third Senior Brother and Seventh Senior Brother is far beyond our capabilities. If we don't leave now, I fear we might not make it out of here either," the white-robed youth said, his voice laced with concern.

The other martial artists paled as the gravity of the situation sank in.

If someone could easily take down a powerful martial artist like the Third Senior Brother, what chance did they stand? As they exchanged glances, their eyes darted nervously toward the surrounding forest, as if expecting some monstrous beast to leap out at any moment.

Chapter: A Satisfying Treat

Ma Gu and Wei Xiaogongzi couldn't hold back their hunger any longer, and their grumbling stomachs gave them away. Embarrassed, Wei Xiaogongzi nodded in agreement.

At that moment, he even missed the raw rabbit meat from the night before. At least it had filled his stomach.

Understanding their predicament, Lu Qing nodded and rummaged through his backpack, eventually pulling out a package wrapped in oil paper.

"I brought these fried flatbreads as a precaution, in case we needed them during our journey. Please, don't hold back if you're hungry."

Ma Gu didn't stand on ceremony and eagerly unwrapped the package. Inside were thick, fragrant layers of fried flatbread, the aroma making his mouth water. Wei Xiaogongzi's eyes lit up at the sight.

"Please, help yourself first, young master Wei," Ma Gu said, offering the flatbread to Wei Xiaogongzi.

Though he initially hesitated out of politeness, Wei Xiaogongzi's hunger got the better of him, and he accepted the flatbread with a slightly flushed face.

"Thank you, Lu Qing. We won't hold back then."

After giving a few pieces to Wei Xiaogongzi, Ma Gu dug in without further ado. After a few bites, his eyes widened in delight.

"Lu Qing, what kind of oil did you use to fry these? They're incredibly delicious!"

Wei Xiaogongzi, who was also savoring the flatbread, paused with a curious expression.

He found the flatbreads to be not only fragrant and tasty but also infused with a unique aroma that made them exceptionally good.

"I made them myself," Lu Qing replied with a smile. "I used a special seasoning from my previous life and added a new spice I recently discovered."

These flatbreads were indeed different from the usual fare in this world.

"I can't believe I missed out on your culinary skills, Lu Qing. I always had other engagements whenever you invited me to dine with you. What a pity," Ma Gu lamented.

"That's not my fault. You always said you had other matters to attend to whenever I invited you," Lu Qing teased.

"It seems I've missed out on quite a treat," Ma Gu said, feeling a bit regretful.

Wei Xiaogongzi found the flatbreads more delicious with each bite, thinking to himself that he had never tasted such delectable flatbreads in his life.

He couldn't help but ask, "Lu Qing, what kind of oil did you use to fry these? They're so fragrant!"

Lu Qing, recalling the first time he had seen Wei Xiaogongzi at the market, felt a mischievous urge and replied with a smile, "Pig fat."

"Pig fat?"

An image flashed in Wei Xiaogongzi's mind, and he felt a sense of discomfort. He had never eaten anything derived from pigs before.

However, as much as he felt averse to the idea, he couldn't bring himself to spit out the food in his mouth.

'Oh well,' he thought, 'if I could eat raw rabbit meat, then eating food cooked with pig fat shouldn't be a big deal.'

With that self-reassurance, Wei Xiaogongzi's discomfort vanished, and he continued devouring the flatbread with gusto.

"I never thought food made with pig fat could taste so good. I guess I've been too prejudiced," he admitted.

Lu Qing nodded slightly, noticing the change in Wei Xiaogongzi. He hadn't forgotten how the young master had screamed in horror at the sight of pork and offal at the market.

"Indeed, pigs may look dirty, but properly prepared pork can be quite a delicacy," Lu Qing added with a smile.

"Really? In that case, I'll have to properly sample your culinary skills once we're out of here, Lu Qing," Ma Gu said eagerly.

"You're welcome anytime," Lu Qing assured him.

The amount of flatbread Lu Qing had brought was substantial, but it only partially satisfied Ma Gu and Wei Xiaogongzi's large appetites. Wei Xiaogongzi even set aside a piece for his mother, thinking that she must be starving after being unconscious for so long.

His thoughtful gesture was met with approval from Lu Qing and Ma Gu, who said nothing to stop him.

As they waited for Wei Furen to regain consciousness, the three of them passed the time by finishing the flatbread.

An hour later, a soft moan echoed from within the cave, signaling that Wei Furen had finally awakened after her prolonged unconsciousness.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end