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Chapter 8.1: When Your Nemesis Needs Medical Attention

  For a long moment, Bai Lianhua simply stared at Su Lan Yi, her composure momentarily shaken like a pond rippled by an unexpected stone. Then, with visible effort that reminded Su Lan Yi of a cultivation technique used to suppress emotions, she regained her calm demeanour.

  "You are perceptive," she said, her voice carrying the hint of someone who just had their deepest secret casually mentioned over tea. "Perhaps there is some truth to the rumours about this shop."

  "Rumors are like herbs," Su Lan Yi offered. "Some contain elements of truth, others are entirely fabricated, and discerning the difference requires expertise. That, and a healthy skepticism about anything that sounds extremely flattering."

  Bai Lianhua's lips curved into the slightest smile, as if she'd tasted something unexpectedly pleasant. "And you claim such expertise?"

  "I claim nothing. Results speak for themselves." Su Lan Yi gestured to the pouch in Bai Lianhua's hand with a flick of her wrist. "Three silver coins for the headache remedy. An additional two if you'd like written instructions for adjusting your sword form so you don't continue damaging your sixth cervical vertebra every time you execute the 'Pure Heart Sword Form'."

  The stunned recognition in Bai Lianhua's eyes was worth every coin in the register.

  [TRANSACTION SUCCESSFUL WITH ENEMY FACTION! ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: "KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE, BILL YOUR ENEMIES HIGHER." BONUS ACHIEVEMENT: "DIAGNOSING YOUR OPPONENT'S FLAWS MID-CONVERSATION"!]

  She placed five silver coins on the counter without further comment, the chime of silver against wood failing to mask her discomfort. Of course she would feel that way. Just a week ago, she'd tried to get on Su Lan Yi's bad side.

  Well, she wasn't the Compassionate Bodhisattva herself.

  As Su Lan Yi was writing out detailed instructions for the sword form adjustment, the shop door burst open again. This time, the interruption caused even more of a stir among the customers, as the man who entered was none other than Wei Chenglin himself.

  He swept in with the entitled confidence of someone accustomed to immediate deference, his azure robes immaculately pressed and probably more expensive than the entire inventory of the neighboring shops combined. Jade ornaments jingled softly with each step, announcing his wealth with all the subtlety of a town crier. Behind him stood two Divine Healing disciples, their expressions alert and hands resting on their sword hilts in the universal "we're not threatening you but we definitely could" stance of cultivator bodyguards. All in all, the effect was REALLY dampened by his personality, which had left the room.

  [MALE PROTAGONIST HAS ENTERED THE BUILDING! THREAT LEVEL: SMUG, WITH HIGH PROBABILITY OF CONDESCENSION! RECOMMENDED RESPONSE: RESIST IMMEDIATE URGE TO SLAP THAT SELF-SATISFIED LOOK OFF OF HIS FACE, HOST!]

  "Hua Hua?" Wei Chenglin addressed Bai Lianhua with obvious surprise, his voice immediately shifting into a honeyed tone that made Su Lan Yi's stomach churn. "I did not expect to find you here of all places, my lotus blossom."

  "Lin Lin..." she cooed, with a smile that transformed her serene face into something sickeningly sweet and increasingly annoying. Her white robes swayed as she moved toward him with practiced grace while trying to look cute. "I was just investigating this establishment. For sect purposes, of course."

  Wei Chenglin took her hand in his, his thumb caressing her palm in a way that made several customers awkwardly avert their eyes. "Always so diligent, my precious."

  [...BLEURGH... THIS IS WHY HE DIDN'T LIKE SU RUOLAN ALL THAT MUCH. BECAUSE SHE WASN'T CRINGE.]

  Su Lan Yi fought the urge to strangle the two behind her veil. This was the same man who, just last week, had imperiously demanded she remove her medicine cart from outside the Divine Healing Sect's medicine shop, threatening to have her arrested for "unauthorized commerce" while Bai Lianhua stood by with that self-righteous smile. Now here they were, saccharine sweethearts in her shop, one seeking treatment and the other already purchasing remedies.

  [DANGEROUS LEVELS OF PUBLIC AFFECTION. RECOMMEND IMMEDIATE INTERVENTION BEFORE CUSTOMERS DEVELOP SYMPATHETIC TOOTHACHES FROM THE SWEETNESS. AND IF IT LED TO REAL TOOTHACHES, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN GOOD FOR BUSINESS, BUT IT WON'T.]

  Wei Chenglin's gaze finally shifted to Su Lan Yi, his eyes narrowing as he took in her veiled appearance and the unique shop decor. His expression suggested someone who had just discovered a new insect in their garden—mild interest tinged with the assumption that he could squash it at will.

  "So this is the infamous new apothecary that has been causing such a stir," he remarked, in the tone of someone who had expected more and was pleased to find less. "The... Medicine Immortal, isn't it? Quite different from selling remedies out of a cart outside existing establishments."

  "Welcome to Immortal Remedies," Su Lan Yi greeted him with perfect politeness, though her tone carried a hint of amusement that clearly caught him off-guard. "How may I assist the Young Master of Divine Healing Sect today? Perhaps something for that tremor in your right hand? Or has your opinion of 'unauthorised commerce' changed now that you need my services? Oh, or maybe you're here to check my certificate once more."

  If Wei Chenglin was surprised by her immediate recognition and accurate medical observation, he masked it quickly, though not before Su Lan Yi caught the flash of alarm in his eyes. Instead, he approached the counter with measured steps, studying Su Lan Yi.

  "I find myself in need of medical consultation," he stated, his tone making it clear this admission displeased him only slightly less than discovering his favourite robe had been used to mop the floor. "Private consultation," he added, with a pointed look at the other customers who were pretending not to eavesdrop while hanging on every word. Gossip, sweet sweet gossip.

  Su Lan Yi nodded, turning to a newly hired young assistant who had been organising shelves nearby. "Min, please attend to our remaining customers while I speak with the Young Master in the consultation room. And do remember, the ginseng jar goes on the third shelf, not the second—unless you want to explain to Old Man Liu why his 'virility enhancement' tonic included ingredients for hair growth."

  The young assistant blushed crimson as several customers snickered, and Wei Chenglin's eyebrow twitched in what might have been irritation or a new disease forming.

  Out of the corner of her eye, Su Lan Yi noticed something outside the shop window—a flash of black robes and a familiar tall figure partially concealed behind a vegetable vendor's cart across the street. Hei Wuya was watching the shop, one hand clearly resting on his sword hilt, looking about as inconspicuous as a tiger in a sheep pen.

  If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

  [WEIRDO DETECTED! HE'S ATTEMPTING TO BE STEALTHY, BUT HE'S ABOUT AS WELL HIDDEN AS WEI CHENGLIN'S PIMPLE. HIS IDEA OF SURVEILLANCE APPEARS TO BE 'GLOWER INTENSELY AT POTENTIAL THREATS WHILE HIDING BEHIND OBJECTS MUCH SMALLER THAN HIMSELF.']

  Suppressing a smile, Su Lan Yi casually raised her hand in what appeared to be an adjustment of her shop sign, but was actually a small wave directed at Hei Wuya. From his sudden stiffening and almost knocking over the cabbage display, she could tell he'd spotted it.

  "This way," she said to Wei Chenglin, gesturing toward a door at the back of the shop that led to a small, tastefully decorated consultation room. "Saintess Bai, your prescription will be ready momentarily. The written instructions will include diagrams. Follow them exactly unless you enjoy the sensation of your meridians tangling like badly cooked noodles."

  Bai Lianhua inclined her head slightly in thankfulness, but her eyes communicated clear warning to Wei Chenglin as he followed Su Lan Yi into the consultation room. The two guard disciples remained where they were, taking position outside the door with expressions that suggested they'd perfected the art of looking intimidating while being extremely bored.

  Once inside with the door closed, Wei Chenglin's demeanour shifted subtly. The arrogance remained, but there was something else underneath—discomfort, perhaps even pain, and the slightest hint of desperation carefully concealed beneath layers of pride.

  "Your reputation has spread far and wide," he remarked, remaining standing despite the chairs available as if sitting might somehow diminish his authority. "They say you possess medical knowledge that rivals the Wei Clan's senior physicians. Some even claim you diagnosed Magistrate Chen's wife's condition with a single glance at her."

  "People say many things, and most of them have a bit of truth in them," Su Lan Yi replied, gesturing again to the chairs. "Please, sit. Proper diagnosis requires observation of qi flow, which is more accurate when the patient is seated and relaxed. Unless you prefer I examine you while you're standing and pretending not to be in pain?"

  [BLUNTNESS: EXTREME. PATIENT DISCOMFORT LEVEL: INCREASING. THERAPEUTIC METHODOLOGY: QUESTIONABLE BUT ENTERTAINING. WEI CHENGLIN'S FACE: BLANCHED AND UGLIER!]

  Reluctantly, the Young Master took a seat, his posture rigidly formal as if he expected the chair to judge his cultivation technique. "I require absolute, entire and complete discretion regarding this consultation."

  "All medical matters in this establishment are treated with absolute confidentiality," Su Lan Yi assured him, taking the seat opposite him. "Your deepest, darkest cultivation secrets are safe with me. Now, please describe your symptoms, preferably without using vague euphemisms that waste both our time and your money. I can't guarantee a useful treatment if you lie."

  Wei Chenglin hesitated for a moment, then spoke with obvious reluctance.

  "I... I experience episodes of Qi deviation during advanced techniques. Specifically, moments of Qi instability followed by severe internal pain. As if my meridians were..." he searched for words, "rebelling and fighting against me."

  Without asking for permission, Su Lan Yi reached out and took his wrist, her fingers pressing against his pulse points with more pressure than absolutely necessary. Wei Chenglin flinched at the contact but didn't pull away, though his expression suggested someone enduring an unpleasant procedure.

  After a moment of silent assessment where she felt the patterns of his spiritual energy—jagged where they should be smooth, rushing where they should flow—Su Lan Yi released his wrist and sat back, her diagnosis complete.

  Got you, Protagonist.

  "Ah, the classical Yin Deficiency coupled with excessive Yang circulation," she declared confidently. "I saw this same pattern five hundred years ago during the Azure Sky Rebellion, when cultivators were pushing their limits against the Demon Emperor's forces. Three of my disciples nearly burned out their golden cores trying similar shortcuts."

  [UNNECESSARY FAKE HISTORICAL REFERENCE: CHECK. IMPOSSIBLY ANCIENT KNOWLEDGE: CHECK. IMPLYING YOU FOUGHT DEMON EMPERORS: EXCELLENT VILLAIN BRANDING! MAKING HIM QUESTION YOUR AGE AND SANITY: PRICELESS!]

  Wei Chenglin's eyes widened. "What did you say?"

  "Your condition," Su Lan Yi continued, acting as if she hadn't just claimed to be half a millennium old. "It's relatively common among those cultivators who advance too quickly without proper foundation work. Rather like building a nine-story pagoda on the foundation meant for a teahouse. The meridians haven't fully adjusted to higher energy levels, causing internal friction when spiritual power circulates."

  She stood and moved to a small cabinet in the corner of the room, retrieving several jars with the efficiency of someone who could find them blindfolded. "The treatment is complex, but effective. A remedy dating back to the early Verdant era—likely so old that even your sect elders would recognize it only from ancient texts they pretend to have read."

  Wei Chenglin watched her mix ingredients with practiced hands, his expression a mixture of skepticism and unwilling fascination. "You speak as if you've witnessed these ancient times."

  "The Medicine Immortal sees all, knows all," Su Lan Yi replied with deliberate mystique, playing into the persona she was creating. She added a pinch of powdered ginseng with a flourish. "Especially when it comes to cultivation mishaps caused by... shortcuts. Particularly those involving certain famous elixirs."

  She emphasised the last word just enough, peeking to see Wei Chenglin tense slightly, like a guilty child caught with sweet buns before dinner.

  A direct hit.

  [SUBTLE ACCUSATION LANDED!

  HE KNOWS YOU KNOW ABOUT HIS ELIXIR ADDICTION!!

  HIS PANIC IS VISIBLE TO ANYONE WITH EYES AND A BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF GUILTY BODY LANGUAGE!!!]

  "These episodes," Su Lan Yi continued, grinding herbs with a mortar and pestle, "when did they begin? After achieving Golden Core, perhaps? Shortly after your celebrated the breakthrough that impressed so many elders?"

  "How did you—" Wei Chenglin caught himself, swallowing whatever denial he had been about to offer. "Yes. Shortly after."

  "And I imagine you've been taking supplements to manage the symptoms? Perhaps provided by the Divine Healing Sect? Something with a pretentious name involving inane celestial references?"

  The tightening of Wei Chenglin's jaw told her everything she needed to know. If his teeth clenched any harder, they might crack into fine dust. Then she wouldn't be able to beat his pearly whites out of him!

  "Their Heaven's Ascension Elixir is quite renowned," she remarked casually, as if discussing the weather rather than his dependency on a potentially dangerous substance. "Though I find their formulation... interesting. Not quite what the ancient texts would recommend."

  "What do you mean by that?" Wei Chenglin's voice had taken on a dangerous edge.

  "It's just that traditional alchemical theory suggests different proportions for optimal results." Su Lan Yi completed her mixture, pouring the resulting powder into a paper packet with elegant calligraphy, labelling it with his name and detailed instructions. "This should provide relief within the hour. Take it with warm water, not hot, and avoid cultivation for at least two days afterward. Or you could enjoy the sensation of your Golden Core feeling like it's filled with angry fire ants."

  Wei Chenglin accepted the packet, studying it suspiciously as if it contained powdered poison rather than medicine. "Why would you help me? You know of the tensions between your establishment and my Clan's shops."

  "I'm a physician first," Su Lan Yi replied simply. "Healing those in need transcends political considerations. Even when the patient has questionable taste in who to trust and worse taste in robes."

  [LYING THROUGH YOUR TEETH WHILE SOUNDING NOBLE: MASTERFUL! ADDING A SUBTLE INSULT TO HIS FASHION CHOICES: UNNECESSARILY PETTY, BUT HIGHLY SATISFYING!]

  Of course, what she didn't mention was that her remedy, while genuinely effective for his symptoms, was also designed to begin slowly neutralizing the addictive compounds in the Heaven's Ascension Elixir—the first step in breaking his dependency on the Divine Healing sect's products.

  A dependency that would soon transfer to her own, non-harmful remedies, making him crave them like an addict, willing to spend any amount on them.

  Qi Deviation (气机偏差 – Qì Jī Piānchā)

  Dangerous instability in one's spiritual energy. Wei Chenglin experiences this during advanced techniques because he took shortcuts that his meridians are now rebelling against.

  Yin Deficiency (阴虚 – Yīn Xū)

  An imbalance in cultivation energies. When coupled with excessive Yang circulation, it creates symptoms Su Lan Yi "definitely saw" during the Azure Sky Rebellion 500 years ago.

  Golden Core (金丹 – Jīn Dān)

  An advanced cultivation stage.

  Heaven's Ascension Elixir (天升丹 – Tiān Shēng Dān)

  The Divine Healing Sect's famous addictive concoction. Su Lan Yi finds their formulation "interesting" in the same way one finds a rash "interesting."

  Yang Circulation (阳气运行 – Yáng Qì Yùnxíng)

  The movement of positive energy through the body. Wei Chenglin's is excessive due to shortcuts, creating a cultivation disaster waiting to happen.

  Medicine Immortal (药仙 – Yào Xiān)

  Su Lan Yi's developing public persona. Sees all, knows all, and charges premium prices for fixing problems created by other people's medicine.

  Thank you for reading!

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