Chapter 480: A Method of Treatment
Chapter 480: Chapter 480: A Method of Treatment
Yuan Chu’s mouth hung open as he recounted some stories from his childhood.
"Zhang Sheng’s father, that respected Senior Uncle... even back then, I could tell he was no ordinary person."
Zhang Sheng’s parents shared a love story few could ever hope for.
His father was the child of a Cultivator and a shapeshifted Spirit Beast, and he held a respectable position within the sect.
After cultivating in seclusion within the sect for many years, he descended the mountain and happened upon Zhang Sheng’s mother by the roadside. For some reason, he fell for her at first sight.
He watched her secretly for a long time before finally asking a matchmaker to propose on his behalf.
Unexpectedly, the matchmaker returned and told him that the elegant musk deer stepping gracefully through the pasture was merely a Spirit Beast being raised by the sect for its musk.
Zhang Sheng’s father was thunderstruck, but he didn’t give up.
He repeatedly sent her Spirit Medicine until she finally developed sentience. He also found all sorts of excuses to get close to her.
Over the course of a year, he "coincidentally" ran into her more than seventy times. His perseverance was extraordinary.
They spent their days and nights together, sharing romantic moments, and his wish was finally granted. He won her heart.
Unfortunately, when Zhang Sheng was six, his father was killed in battle during a conflict with an Outer Sect.
His mother’s foundation was too weak. She had an innate deficiency and a hidden illness to begin with. After learning of his father’s death, her health deteriorated daily.
Zhang Sheng sighed and cupped his hands.
"Everyone says I’m exceptionally talented and destined for greatness. I’ve cultivated diligently for years, but I still haven’t found a way to cure my mother..."
"Junior Brother Bai, if you have a method, I beg for your help. I will reward you generously afterward!"
Bai Mo thought for a moment before replying,
"Let me think about it."
With that, he made a show of returning to his room to consult a Pill Book.
"I’ll go have a word with him."
"Don’t worry, I’m sure he can do it."
Yuan Chu offered a word of comfort to Zhang Sheng before getting up and following Bai Mo into the room.
Bai Mo did, in fact, pull out a Pill Book and began flipping through the case studies on non-human races.
Even among humans, reactions to medicine vary. Between different races, the differences were naturally even greater.
The heat from the Pill Furnace washed over Yuan Chu, and he felt uncomfortably parched, as if his mouth and tongue were on fire.
"So? Is there a way?"
Bai Mo mulled it over. "Of course, there is."
"If Brother Zhang has truly consulted many people and tried numerous methods to no avail, then it’s likely because of his mother’s constitution."
"Her constitution is too weak, like a leaking bucket that can’t hold medicinal power. It’s even harder to remedy an innate deficiency. But I can use the Outer Pill method to keep her stable..."
After explaining some of his ideas, Bai Mo looked at Yuan Chu strangely.
"Brother Yuan, you seem awfully invested in this matter."
Hearing that Bai Mo really had a solution, Yuan Chu laughed out loud with delight.
"You don’t know this, but Zhang Sheng’s grandfather once raised a Spirit Beast to guard his home. After the beast died, its soul didn’t disperse. It still inhabits its own skin, appearing just as it did in life."
"The elders of my Divine Dao Mountain have examined it. If it continues on like this, its soul will not be nourished and won’t last more than another fifty years."
"It would be better for it to join my Divine Dao Mountain. We have methods to ensure its long-term survival."
’So that’s it. Divine Dao Mountain is after its body.’
Bai Mo shot Yuan Chu a sideways glance.
"It didn’t agree, so you came up with this plan?"
"Aren’t you afraid Brother Zhang will harbor some resentment?"
Yuan Chu quickly waved his hands and explained,
"That Spirit Beast, both in life and after death, has guarded the Zhang family for three generations. Junior Brother Zhang is happy to have it join our Divine Dao Mountain."
"It’s the one being stubborn."
He sighed as he spoke.
"It is a truly loyal creature. Many of the honored masters on the mountain have long wished to befriend it."
"Hopefully, this favor will persuade it to join our mountain."
Bai Mo’s gaze shifted from the book. He called over Ah Er, took the cloth pouch from its chest, and began rummaging through the Pills packed inside.
After a good while, he found a few blood-red Pills among a pile of Feeding Pills.
Yuan Chu watched him.
"What are those?"
Bai Mo said, "Blood Essence Pills. A type of Outer Pill that was nearly lost to time. I read about them in a travelogue and spent some effort recreating them."
Handing the Pills to Yuan Chu, Bai Mo said casually,
"This is my treatment. It doesn’t cure the root cause, but it’s somewhat effective."
Yuan Chu snatched them up immediately.
"So it’s a treasure."
There were three Pills in total. Bai Mo said,
"I’ve always been on good terms with Divine Dao Mountain, so I’ll just charge you three thousand Spirit Stones, Brother Yuan."
"Remember to send them over later."
Yuan Chu didn’t seem to mind. He found a pill bottle in the room and stored the Pills inside with great care.
"Three thousand Spirit Stones is nothing if it can help Junior Brother Zhang’s mother overcome this crisis."
Bai Mo shook his head.
"You should know, Brother Yuan, that these three Pills will only last for a year and a half at most before they lose their effect. They’ll need to be replaced with new ones."
"In other words, over the long run, Brother Zhang will have to keep coming to me for more Pills. The expense will definitely not be small."
"That’s no problem," Yuan Chu said.
"With Junior Brother Zhang’s talent, a mere few Spirit Stones are nothing to him."
"A Sect Elder even said that if he’s willing to put in the effort to have children, he could create a new non-human clan in a hundred years."
"Junior Brother, you’ve done him a great favor. Haven’t you just secured a connection?"
Yuan Chu started walking out with the Pills, casually revealing a few more details about Zhang Sheng’s background.
Bai Mo understood.
’So that’s probably how many of the non-human clans in the Xuandao Sect came to be.’
’The sect has existed for so long; some of these non-human clans have probably grown to a considerable size.’
Snapping out of his thoughts, Bai Mo turned his head and saw Ah Er staring at him eagerly.
Bai Mo brandished the cloth pouch in his hand and gave a wry smile.
"From now on, when you eat your Pills, don’t eat half and leave the other half. It looks pathetic, like a dog’s chew toy. What kind of look is that?"
With that, he returned the pouch.
Ah Er stretched out its two paws, took back the pouch, and retied it around its neck, hiding the cord with its fur.
It couldn’t care less about what Bai Mo had said.
’My master has never experienced eating Pills like meals. Sure, he performs Alchemy every day, but how could he possibly understand their flavor?’
’It was just a pity about those three Blood Essence Pills. Those were meant for me to nourish my own body.’
Just as Ah Er finished smoothing down its fur, Zhang Sheng strode quickly through the doorway.
"If my mother can be saved this time, Junior Brother, you will be my, Zhang Sheng’s, benefactor."
"If you ever need anything in the future, just come find me..."
This Brother Zhang was so emotional he was nearly incoherent.
Bai Mo just gave a polite, noncommittal response.
The three of them spoke for a little while in the room before Zhang Sheng grew impatient to leave.
"I can’t seem to control my emotions, so I’ll take my leave first. Brother Yuan, please don’t think me rude..."
Leaving Yuan Chu behind, Zhang Sheng strode away. With every step, he seemed to shrink the ground, vanishing in an instant.
Judging by his pace, he was no slower than a Flying Ship.
Seeing how effortlessly he moved, Yuan Chu realized that his junior brother had been holding back on their way here.
Nudging Bai Mo with his elbow, Yuan Chu said with a grin,
"Giving such fine Pills to your own Spirit Beast... Junior Brother, you’re truly extravagant."
"Or is it that your Alchemy Skill has already reached such a level?"
Bai Mo didn’t deny it, only saying,
"Outer Pills have their uses, but they aren’t as precious as you make them out to be, Brother Yuan."
"The ingredients to make those Pills are only worth a little over four hundred Spirit Stones."
"But let’s not talk about that. Since you’re here, Brother Yuan, there’s actually something I wanted to discuss with you..."