Chapter 18 Another Matter

Over at the Ye family…

Inside a room, Ye Shunzhong and Zhang Jindo were listening to what Zhou Jing had said, their faces filled with astonishment.

"What does the Daoist mean? What is this about a malevolent spirit?"

Ye Shunzhong hurriedly pressed for an explanation, his expression aghast. Zhou Jing considered his words before slowly explaining, "A malevolent spirit is a manifestation of dark and impure energy. Once it latches onto someone, it damages their life force and blood, and is difficult to remove. Your ancestor has most likely been tainted by something unclean…"

He had never actually seen a malevolent spirit, but that didn't stop him from fabricating a story.

The "Zhu Hua Culture" cultural system to which this world belonged did include such concepts, but they had not been verified in the current world, and still fell under the category of "folk superstition."

However, in the main world, the existence of souls had long been proven, and could be directly observed with equipment. The Supernatural Academy also had related records of evil spirits and anomalies, with abundant information.

Therefore, Zhou Jing wasn't completely ignorant of these concepts. He spun his tale with an air of plausibility.

He even had a faint feeling that this dark energy might really be a malevolent spirit. His fabrication might not be baseless, and he might actually be right.

Ye Shunzhong and Zhang Jindo's expressions changed several times as they listened, greatly shocked.

Hearing this from Zhou Jing, they were convinced without a doubt, secretly feeling that they had broadened their horizons.

"To think that the folk tales of ghosts and spirits are actually true…"

Zhang Jindo murmured to himself, unable to recover from the shock to his mind.

Ye Shunzhong suppressed his shock, composed himself, and immediately bowed deeply, anxiously saying, "I implore the Daoist to help. My entire Ye family will be eternally grateful for your kindness, and will build a shrine to you while you are still alive."

"There's no need for a shrine. This is just a small matter for me."

Zhou Jing waved his hand, then activated Mind Fusion, using wind element imbued with mental energy to shred and obliterate the black energy on Old Master Ye.

Although he didn't know any exorcism techniques, his mental strength had reached the second tier, and its intensity probably exceeded the current level of this world. He had already tried it, and could directly and brutally destroy the black energy with his mental energy. With enough force, one could overcome all techniques.

The black energy immediately struggled violently, boiling like hot oil, but under the sharp wind element mental energy of Zhou Jing, it was quickly torn to shreds and dissipated.

The aura of cold resentment that Zhou Jing sensed also disappeared.

Old Master Ye's body suddenly relaxed, as if he had escaped a nightmare and entered a deep slumber.

Zhou Jing inspected him slightly, confirmed that everything was fine, and then turned his head, saying, "I have removed the malevolent spirit from Old Master Ye. His condition should no longer worsen."

Ye Shunzhong was overjoyed, and hurriedly wanted to bow again, "Daoist, your great kindness, I will never forget…"

But Zhou Jing stopped him, interrupting, "Don't be happy too soon. Your ancestor has been tainted by the malevolent spirit for too long, and his body is severely depleted. If you don't replenish his foundation, he still won't have much time left."

Ye Shunzhong cried out in alarm, his expression anxious, "Then… then what should we do?"

Zhou Jing smiled slightly and said slowly, "I might as well go all the way to save him, I happen to be proficient in alchemy. I will refine some nourishing pills during this period to condition Old Master Ye's body. I'll need you to provide the medicinal materials and utensils."

Ye Shunzhong's mood went up and down, feeling both fortunate and grateful. He felt as if a heavy stone had been lifted from his heart, and hurriedly thanked him repeatedly.

As for whether alchemy was reliable or not… Daoist Ling Fengzi was a true expert, he shouldn't be lying, right? Ye Shunzhong had no choice but to believe him.

Zhang Jindo had been practicing medicine for many years, and this was the first time he had encountered such a way of "treating illness." He couldn't help but take Old Master Ye's pulse again, and found that his pulse was indeed a little better, and couldn't help but sigh:

There is always someone better.

"Daoist Ling Fengzi is incredibly powerful. I admire you immensely."

Zhang Jindo sincerely praised him, then looked at Ye Shunzhong, saying, "Brother Ye personally came to my door to invite me to treat him, but I haven't been of any help. I feel ashamed. I will also stay and condition Old Master Ye's body."

"Then I will have to thank Doctor Zhang." Ye Shunzhong cupped his fist, not neglecting Zhang Jindo, saying, "The Ye family will remember this kindness as well, and your consultation fee will not be reduced by a single cent."

Zhang Jindo hurriedly said that he was unworthy, and waved his hand to decline, but Ye Shunzhong insisted.

The two exchanged polite words back and forth, and finally the battle ended with Zhang Jindo taking the initiative to reduce his consultation fee by seventy percent.

Zhang Jindo stayed to continue taking care of Old Master Ye. Zhou Jing then wrote a list of medicinal materials and handed it to Ye Shunzhong, then, led by the steward, went to the Ye family's pharmacy, where all the alchemy tools were readily available.

Soon, the steward sent a large batch of medicinal materials according to the list, and also brought a pill furnace.

Zhou Jing familiarized himself with the utensils, then dismissed the servants and locked himself in the room to start making medicine.

He had rich practical experience in making medicine, and was already a master-level figure. He also had advanced [Pharmacology] and [Item Analysis Function] to help him. After only two or three trials, he completely got the hang of it, and constantly produced finished medicine with an almost error-free proportion of medicinal materials.

The list of medicinal materials that Zhou Jing gave was not a prescription; it was mixed with a large number of irrelevant medicinal materials. In addition to refining tonifying medicine for Old Master Ye, he also planned to embezzle some for himself.

He was making three kinds of medicine this time. The first was a warm and nourishing medicine for long-term consumption to supplement the body. The second was a life-saving medicine to stimulate potential at a critical moment, to be used when life was in danger. The third was a medicine to boost the spirit and clear the mind, which could assist in meditation or temporarily strengthen the spirit.

For all three kinds of medicine, he deliberately kneaded them into pills, not only to solidify the name of "alchemy", but also to facilitate storage and carrying.

At the same time, in order to improve the appearance, he named the three medicines separately. The nourishing medicine was called "Jade Spring Pill", the life-saving medicine was called "Heavenly夺 Pill", and the spirit medicine was called "Clear Mind Pill".

All three were highly effective prescriptions he had created himself, bringing the medicinal properties to the fullest. The effect was quite miraculous, and they were rare treasures given the current era's pharmaceutical conditions.

After busying himself for most of the day, the pills that came out of the furnace filled seven or eight porcelain bottles, lined up on the table.

Zhou Jing was satisfied.

Being able to be self-sufficient and sell his own products meant that he didn't have to worry about running out of resources. This was something that simply punching people could not accomplish.

He put away the pills, left the pharmacy, and went straight to see Ye Shunzhong.

Ye Shunzhong had returned to the main house at this time and was dealing with family affairs. When he heard that Zhou Jing's alchemy had been successful, he quickly put down his ledger and went out to greet him, secretly shocked at how fast he was.

Folk legends said that alchemy took a long time, such as forty-nine days to make a pill, which was mostly装神弄鬼 (zhuan sheng nong gui, putting on an act). However, Daoist Ling Fengzi did the opposite, so simple and fast. This act made Ye Shunzhong even more trusting.

Zhou Jing took out two bottles of medicine and handed them to him, unhurriedly saying:

"The green bottle is called Jade Spring Pill. It can nourish qi and blood, and replenish the foundation. Long-term consumption can condition the internal organs, remove some fatigue and hidden injuries, and make the body stronger. Give your ancestor three pills a day, dissolved in clear water, for at least two months. The white bottle is called 夺天 (Duo Tian) Pill. If he has a sudden illness, or his life is in danger, take this medicine, which can barely save his breath, unless your ancestor's condition suddenly deteriorates, otherwise, it doesn't need to be used."

"Thank you, Daoist, for bestowing the medicine, I will send it to Old Master Ye."

Ye Shunzhong solemnly put away the two bottles of medicine, his tone excited. After thanking him, he bid farewell to Zhou Jing, and then hurried to Old Master Ye's residence.

Zhang Jindo was still here taking care of Old Master Ye. Seeing that Ye Shunzhong had brought Zhou Jing's "elixir", he first did some testing with a responsible attitude towards the patient.

He poured out a verdant Jade Spring Pill, and smelled it, only to feel a burst of grassy fragrance rushing into his nose, making him feel refreshed.

"Good medicine."

Zhang Jindo subconsciously praised, then put the Jade Spring Pill into his mouth and licked it open with his tongue.

In an instant, a fresh air rippled in his mouth, sweet and refreshing, producing saliva.

He swallowed it in one gulp, and soon felt a warm current rising in his abdomen, making his internal organs feel comfortable and relaxed.

Zhang Jindo also understood medicine, and after carefully experiencing it, he was greatly moved, "This Jade Spring Pill is truly a rare treasure in the world... The medicinal effect is so miraculous."

Seeing that a "professional" was saying this, Ye Shunzhong was immediately relieved, overjoyed, and even more fortunate that he had talked to Zhou Jing and established a relationship with such an extraordinary person. 'Daoist Ling Fengzi has such alchemy skills, I can't let him work in vain. Although the Daoist doesn't like wealth, my Ye family must also show something, and ask for pills with heavy money to show our heart. Otherwise, if we offend the Daoist, it will be not worth the loss.'

Ye Shunzhong secretly calculated, determined to thank Zhou Jing with money, and try to buy more pills to keep at home for emergencies.

As for buying the pill formula, or partnering with Zhou Jing to do a pharmacy business, Ye Shunzhong simply did not dare to think about it, for fear of offending the expert and making people think that they coveted the pill formula.

The two did not hesitate any longer, dissolving the Jade Spring Pill in clear water and giving it to Old Master Ye.

The news that Old Master Ye's strange illness had been cured spread like a hurricane, causing a sensation in Ning Tian Prefecture.

The matter of Old Master Ye's illness had been a topic of conversation for several months, and all the doctors in the city were helpless, which the local people knew. At this time, someone suddenly solved the strange illness, and the common people were very curious and inquired about it. Soon, someone inquired about the detailed situation.

The eldest son of the Ye family invited "Miraculous Hands" Zhang Jindo from afar, but this famous physician was also helpless with Old Master Ye's illness. In the end, it was Daoist Ling Fengzi, who had been talked about recently, who used alchemy to cure Old Master Ye's strange illness.

As for the matter of the malevolent spirit, only Zhou Jing, Ye Shunzhong, and Zhang Jindo knew about it, and they did not tell anyone. The servants knew that Zhou Jing refined pills for Old Master Ye, and thought that the pills cured the old man, so there were such rumors.

The people of Ning Tian Prefecture were surprised and uncertain, and even more interested.

This Daoist Ling Fengzi actually understood the art of alchemy, and could diagnose and treat intractable diseases that even famous doctors could not solve.

Under this understanding, a saying spread in the market that this Ling Fengzi was also a master of medicine no less than a famous doctor, an expert of the world.

For a time, Zhou Jing's reputation greatly increased. He was already the most popular topic in Ning Tian Prefecture recently, and his popularity rose to another level.

Many sick people were eager to find Zhou Jing for diagnosis and treatment, but this person lived in the Ye family and did not say that he would see patients, and he was also an unfathomable神通 (shen tong, supernatural power) person, so they hesitated for a long time, and still did not dare to visit him easily.

The streets and alleys were full of discussions, and well-meaning people gave him many titles, such as "Pill Immortal", "Stepping River Daoist", "Riding Wind True Man", and so on, and his popularity can be said to be unparalleled for a time.

Ning Tian Prefecture, a large house in the north of the city.

There was a bamboo forest in the residence, and a remote courtyard was hidden deep in the bamboo forest.

A woman was meditating in the house with her eyes closed, holding a拂尘 (fu chen, horsetail whisk) in her hand, wearing a cyan-black Daoist robe, her face was pure and enchanting, her skin was as creamy as jade. She looked like a young and beautiful woman in her prime, but there were faint crow's feet at the corners of her eyes, and her actual age was not light.

The female Daoist adjusted her breathing and exhaled a turbid breath. She slowly opened her eyes, her eyes full of awe.

"Old Master Ye of the Ye family has been cured. So, the evil术 (shu, spell) I cast has been broken by someone... This Ling Fengzi seems to be a truly virtuous person... How hateful, I didn't expect that another Daoist who knows术法 (shu fa, magic) has come to this Ning Tian Prefecture."

Her expression showed a bit of annoyance.

She finally got rid of Wei Zifu of the Qingling Sect, who was chasing after her like a mad dog, wanting to eliminate demons and defend the Dao. She had just recently hidden herself in Ning Tian Prefecture and hooked up with a powerful family. She originally planned to show off her skills and fight for wealth, but she did not expect that a righteous guy would suddenly come to this place.

She wondered what kind of person this Ling Fengzi was. Judging from his故弄玄虚 (gu nong xuan xu, deliberately mystifying), knowing how to use the local powerful people to build momentum for himself, wasn't he probably a fellow? Did he also intend to make a name for himself and attach himself to the powerful and wealthy?

The female Daoist whispered to herself, her tone resentful.

No matter what means she used or what commotion she caused, she might be seen through, which would greatly affect her plan.

This situation was like she could have fooled laymen in any way she wanted, but now there was someone who understood, who had seized the "ultimate explanation."

"I wonder how much of Ling Fengzi's deeds are true and how much is false... It seems that I have to find a chance to test him. It's a pity that I can only open my spiritual eyes, but I don't know how to observe Qi, otherwise I could easily see how much Daoist power this person has. If he is ordinary, then I can find a chance to fight with him, so that he will retreat in the face of difficulties, or even harm this person and get rid of him once and for all..."

The female Daoist's eyes flickered.

For several days in a row, Zhou Jing was refining pills. The Ye family not only provided medicinal materials and venues, but also had to spend a lot of money to buy pills. He couldn't refuse, and people said it was "a token of appreciation."

When he encountered such a sucker, he would be embarrassed if he didn't slaughter them. Most of the finished products he refined every day were kept for his own use, and only a small portion was sold to the Ye family, which was completely in short supply, and people were still grateful.

In addition to taking advantage, this move was also to maintain the image of "scarcity creates value."

Zhou Jing offered his alchemy skills on purpose, in order to hype up his ability to "be proficient in alchemy".

Although supernatural powers were respected, pills that could provide practical benefits would make those powerful people pursue him more. Old Master Ye took the Jade Spring Pill and got better day by day, which made Ye Shunzhong the happiest and made him even more grateful to Zhou Jing. However, the other Ye family heads were not so happy.

However, they did not dare to complain about Zhou Jing, and could only suppress this depression in their hearts. When they saw Zhou Jing every day, they were still respectful and did not dare to offend him.

The outside world rumored that he had cured intractable diseases that even famous doctors could not solve, which was equivalent to becoming famous by stepping on Zhang Jindo, but Zhang Jindo did not care much. He had been practicing medicine for many years, and he was old and no longer cared much about this kind of false name.

Moreover, the rumors were generally correct. Zhou Jing was indeed a person with real skills, and Zhang Jindo was not unconvinced. Compared with irrelevant false names, Zhang Jindo was more interested in Zhou Jing's alchemy skills. In his spare time while taking care of Old Master Ye in the past few days, he often visited him, wanting to exchange experience.

Zhou Jing did not reject him, and happened to want to find someone with superb medical skills to learn from.

During the few days of exchanges between the two, Zhou Jing showed his deep understanding of various medicinal materials. Zhang Jindo was amazed and sighed that he was inferior in understanding medicinal properties, and admired Zhou Jing's pharmaceutical achievements.

If Zhang Jindo had previously been in awe of a mysterious expert with unknown means, now he was impressed by the other party in his own field of expertise.

Zhang Jindo felt that he had benefited a lot, and was not stingy. He not only shared his experience in practicing medicine, but even took out his medical book draft "Miscellaneous Diseases辨诊录 (Bian Zhen Lu, Differential Diagnosis Records)", which he had compiled for half his life, and asked Zhou Jing to evaluate and guide him.

In this atmosphere of good technical exchange, Zhou Jing's medical skills upgraded extremely quickly, and in just a few days, he rose from lv0 to lv2 proficiency.

At the same time, he also learned from the other party the names of the three famous folk doctors, each with their own strengths.

Zhang Jindo was known as "Miraculous Hands", and was best at taking pulses to identify diseases and diagnose them. "Golden Needle Doctor" Sun Boqing was especially good at acupuncture. "Qing San True Man" Ge Tong was proficient in using medicine.

This day.

Zhou Jing and Zhang Jindo were communicating in the yard as usual.

Ye Shunzhong suddenly came to visit, and the two stopped talking and looked at him together.

Seeing his subtle expression, Zhou Jing couldn't help but feel a movement in his heart, and took the initiative to ask, "What's the matter, Brother Ye?"

Ye Shunzhong hesitated for a moment, and said, "Daoist, the知府 (zhi fu, prefecture chief) of Ning Tian has set up a banquet on the 玉临 (Yu Lin) River, hoping to invite you to the banquet tomorrow night. I wonder what you think?"

"Oh?"

Zhou Jing raised his eyebrows.

Seeing this, Ye Shunzhong hurriedly explained, "I'm just conveying a message for the知府 (zhi fu, prefecture chief). If the Daoist doesn't want to go to the banquet, I'll reject him."

"... Since the知府 (zhi fu, prefecture chief) has invited me, then let's go. I happen to have something to trouble him with."

Zhou Jing heard this, smiled, his expression meaningful.

The springboard of the Ye family has finally worked. In just a few days in Ning Tian Prefecture, he had炒作 (chao zuo, hyped) so many hot spots, and finally attracted the attention of high-ranking officials and wealthy families.

Star Realm Apostle