The Li family, healers for generations, are the oldest, most mysterious, and most powerful medical family in the Dragon Country.
In ancient times, the Li family only practiced medicine to save lives. Today, they also control Dragon Country's largest pharmaceutical group – Longteng Pharmaceutical.
The catalyst for all this was the global martial arts resurgence and subsequent prosperity that began several decades ago.
This is because martial artists require a vast amount of medicine for their training, including gene drugs to improve their genes and stimulate human potential, qi and blood drugs to aid their practice, and healing medicines for recovery.
Among these, gene drugs are scarce due to special reasons; they are only obtainable by major powers and exclusively supplied to martial arts prodigies.
Compared to gene drugs, qi and blood drugs are easier to acquire but still beyond the reach of ordinary people.
Twenty to thirty years ago, a good qi and blood drug cost over a million and could only be purchased through special channels.
Today, with the flourishing of martial arts, the increasing number of martial artists, and the advancement of pharmaceutical technology, qi and blood drugs have become more widespread, but they still cost over ten thousand yuan each.
This is also why the Longteng Pharmaceutical Group became the largest pharmaceutical group in the Dragon Country – it almost monopolizes the medicines required by martial artists within the country!
Unlike the Su Group, Longteng Pharmaceutical's headquarters and industrial park are separate. The headquarters is located in the most prosperous area of Donghai City's downtown, a towering skyscraper that pierces the clouds.
At three in the afternoon, Jiang Wuming arrived at the chairman's office of the Longteng Pharmaceutical Group headquarters building and met Li Shanglai, the helmsman of Longteng Pharmaceutical.
"Greetings, Master Wuming."
Li Shanglai personally welcomed Jiang Wuming and took the initiative to shake his hand. He showed no arrogance, instead appearing extremely enthusiastic.
On one hand, although Jiang Wuming was young and dressed ordinarily, he stood on the top floor of Longteng Pharmaceutical headquarters, in front of Li Shanglai, with a calm and composed demeanor.
This made Li Shanglai, a man with extensive experience in judging people, realize that Jiang Wuming was extraordinary.
More importantly, Jiang Wuming was introduced by the Qin family – Qin Xiaozhi's father, Qin Linhai, had personally called Li Shanglai!
Qin Linhai also served in the Eastern Theater Command of the Martial Department as a general, responsible for the management of the Donghai jurisdiction, and was the future successor of the Qin family!
While Li Shanglai was a leading business magnate in Dragon Country's pharmaceutical industry, earning astronomical wealth for the Li family each year, his position within the Li family was not high.
This is because, within the Li family, only those who inherited the medical tradition are considered core disciples!
In other words, many people within the Li family could serve as chairman of Longteng Pharmaceutical, but few had perfectly inherited the Li family's ancestral medical knowledge.
Under such circumstances, Li Shanglai's social standing and status were incomparable to Qin Linhai's.
"Greetings, President Li. Apologies for disturbing you."
Jiang Wuming shook Li Shanglai's hand and replied politely.
"Master Wuming, you were introduced by General Qin Linhai, making you a distinguished guest. How could you possibly be disturbing me?"
Li Shanglai said, gesturing for him to sit. "Please, have a seat. Would you prefer tea, coffee, or a beverage?"
"President Li, there's no need to trouble yourself."
Jiang Wuming shook his head and then directly stated his purpose, "I've come to discuss a collaboration with Longteng Pharmaceutical, and by extension, the Li family."
"Collaboration?"
Li Shanglai couldn't help but be taken aback.
He had learned from Qin Linhai that Jiang Wuming was a martial arts prodigy and assumed Jiang Wuming was here to purchase gene drugs or to seek introductions to the Li family for treatment of internal injuries.
Many martial artists suffered from internal injuries that, if left untreated, severely impacted their combat power and martial arts advancement.
"Yes, President Li." Jiang Wuming nodded.
"Master Wuming, what kind of collaboration do you wish to discuss with Longteng Pharmaceutical?" Li Shanglai asked, a hint of confusion in his voice.
Jiang Wuming didn't rush to answer. Instead, he took out a small white bottle, unscrewed the cap, and poured a pill into his palm.
The pill was dark red, crystal clear, and emitted a rich medicinal fragrance.
"The quality of this qi and blood drug is quite exceptional."
Li Shanglai's pupils contracted sharply, and then he couldn't help but praise it.
Although he hadn't inherited the Li family's medical tradition, as the helmsman of Longteng Pharmaceutical, he was very knowledgeable about medicines for martial artists.
With just one glance, he recognized Jiang Wuming's possession as a qi and blood drug, and of excellent quality at that.
"Indeed, President Li. The quality of this qi and blood drug is on par with Longteng Pharmaceutical's top-grade qi and blood pills."
Jiang Wuming spoke slowly, his expression calm and his words filled with confidence.
After taking Jiang Wuming as a disciple, the Heavenly Dragon Daoist did not provide Jiang Wuming with gene drugs like other martial arts factions did for their prodigies, and even strictly forbade Jiang Wuming from consuming them!
"Consuming gene drugs to forcefully stimulate a martial artist's potential is like pulling up seedlings to encourage growth. The path of martial arts becomes increasingly difficult later on, and the ceiling for martial achievements will be lowered."
These were the Heavenly Dragon Daoist's exact words.
However, apart from gene drugs, the Heavenly Dragon Daoist provided Jiang Wuming with all other medicinal resources, including the qi and blood drugs he now held.
During the four years Jiang Wuming trained on Mount Longhu, he consumed qi and blood drugs like beans daily, and the medicinal baths after training also contained these drugs.
Four years ago, when Jiang Wuming left Mount Longhu and established the Battle Dragon Hall, he realized how terrifying the medicinal resources he consumed over those four years were. Even the scions of the top martial arts factions might not have been as extravagant as he was!
Furthermore, Jiang Wuming had encountered qi and blood drugs produced by Longteng Pharmaceutical and other countries. In terms of quality, they simply could not compare to the qi and blood drug in his hand!
"Oh?"
Li Shanglai's pupils dilated further upon hearing this, his face a mixture of surprise and disbelief.
He was not unfamiliar with the martial arts world. He even knew that every martial arts faction could refine qi and blood pills, but their quality and efficacy fell short of Longteng Pharmaceutical's Heavenly Grade qi and blood pills.
Longteng Pharmaceutical's qi and blood pills were categorized into four types: Low Grade, Medium Grade, High Grade, and Heavenly Grade.
Among these, Heavenly Grade qi and blood pills used extremely expensive medicinal ingredients, costing over a hundred thousand yuan each, and were only supplied to the Martial Department and top martial arts factions in Dragon Country.
"President Li, you can have the most authoritative pharmacologists appraise the qi and blood drug I have."
Jiang Wuming could sense Li Shanglai's doubt and understood it.
After all, the Li family was the oldest and most powerful medical family in Dragon Country, and Longteng Pharmaceutical almost monopolized the drugs used by martial artists in the country!
In such a context, if someone suddenly presented a qi and blood drug, claiming its quality surpassed even Longteng Pharmaceutical's Heavenly Grade qi and blood pills, how could Li Shanglai not be skeptical?
"Master Wuming, are you looking to collaborate with Longteng Pharmaceutical on the production and sale of the qi and blood drug you possess?"
Hearing Jiang Wuming's words and feeling the confidence radiating from him, Li Shanglai temporarily suppressed his doubts and asked with a hint of unease.
Yes.
At this moment, he couldn't hide his inner turmoil!
"President Li, in addition to guaranteeing the quality of this qi and blood drug, I have another point to add."
Jiang Wuming could sense Li Shanglai's unconcealed unease and replied, not directly answering the question, "Its production cost is less than one-tenth of your company's Heavenly Grade qi and blood pills."
"Uh..."
Li Shanglai froze on the spot, his heart filled with two starkly contrasting emotions: fear and excitement.
Because his rational mind told him that Jiang Wuming's arrival had placed Longteng Pharmaceutical at a crossroads.
Heaven lay to the left, and hell to the right!