.
Entering the spacious shop, the moonstones hanging on the walls illuminated the interior like daylight. The shop was bustling with people, and the staff were extremely busy, so no one had yet greeted Xiao Ling and the other two who had just entered.
Unacknowledged, Xiao Ling was happy to be left alone, his gaze slowly scanning the transparent counter.
Suddenly, Xiao Ling felt a tug on his sleeve. He turned and saw Zi Yan staring at a pale yellow object in the far corner of the counter.
Seeing no one paying attention, Zi Yan pointed in the direction she had been staring at. Putting her lips close to Xiao Ling's ear, she whispered, "Xiao Ling, that yellow object, from what I sense, is a fifth-grade medicinal ingredient. I think you've used it in your elixirs before."
Hearing this, Xiao Ling followed Zi Yan's finger and saw the pale yellow object. A sudden realization struck him.
That must be the blood lotus essence Yao Chen had discovered in the Wan Yao Zhai in the original novel. Unexpectedly, Zi Yan had only just entered the Wanyaozhai before she noticed the uniqueness of the Blood Lotus Essence.
Blood Lotus Essence is an extremely rare, high-grade medicinal herb. It typically grows alongside Yellow Lotus Essence, though its abundance is extremely limited. Its appearance is nearly identical to Yellow Lotus Essence, making it difficult for someone unfamiliar with it to distinguish the two.
Xiao Ling had used this herb when refining the "Blood Lotus Pill," and several pieces were still in his ring.
Retracting his gaze, Xiao Ling called out to a passing female clerk, pointing to several herbs, including the Blood Lotus Essence. "Pack these up for me. I want them all."
The clerk, noticing Xiao Ling's elegant attire and the finery of the two women behind him, assumed they were the young master or young lady of a wealthy family and gave him a professional smile.
He took the herbs from the counter and said to Xiao Ling with a smile, "Sir, these herbs are worth a thousand gold coins."
Nodding, Xiao Ling casually took out a bag of gold coins from his storage ring and handed it to the female clerk. Seeing this, the clerk's eyes flashed. Storage rings were rare items in Qingshan Town.
Now, due to the system's withdrawal, Xiao Ling's least lacking item was gold coins. Xiao Ling had never felt the pain of having no money to spend.
After the herbs were packaged and brought to him, Xiao Ling's hand flashed white light and he casually put the herbs into the storage ring.
"Let me ask you something. Do you have a doctor named Xiao Yixian in Wanyaozhai?" Xiao Ling looked at the female clerk and asked casually.
"Sir, are you looking for Xiao Yixian?" the clerk's eyes shifted slightly, and after a moment's hesitation, she whispered, "Xiao Yixian is indeed at our Wanyaozhai. She's our specially appointed physician."
While she didn't know why this noble young man was seeking Xiao Yixian, she knew it was something she could easily find out. Why hide it from such a wealthy sponsor?
"Are you seeking medical treatment?" she asked cautiously.
People in Qingshan Town usually sought Xiao Yixian out for treatment, and even those who pursued her did so under the guise of seeking treatment.
However, no one dared to express any interest in her anymore. For one thing, Xiao Yixian was known for her unreserved demeanor towards men. While seeking her medical treatment was fine, taking anything further was out of the question. Secondly,
Mu Li, the young leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, a powerful force in Qingshan Town, had long since expressed his interest in her. He had broken the legs of several mercenaries who had attempted to approach her. No one wanted to offend a wealthy, wealthy man for the sake of a woman.
"That's not the case. I just want to meet her." Xiao Ling shook his head.
Xiao Ling himself was a sixth-grade alchemist. He could cure any disease himself.
The female clerk took another look at Xiao Ling, imagining him as another young man who had heard of Xiao Yixian's beauty and was seeking her hand. "Sir, Xiao Yixian is unwell today and cannot meet with outsiders."
If he took this man to see Xiao Yixian and Mu Li, the Young Leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, found out, wouldn't he be in big trouble? Wouldn't that be asking for trouble?
Frowning, Xiao Ling pulled a porcelain bottle from his ring. Inside was a second-grade elixir, which he pressed into the female clerk's hand. "Take me to see Xiao Yixian, and this elixir is yours."
Uncorking the bottle and sniffing the medicinal aroma, the female clerk quickly pocketed the elixir-containing bottle, fearing it might be discovered.
Qingshan Town lacked even a single first-grade alchemist, let alone a second-grade elixir. For the female clerk, who hadn't yet reached the Fighter level, this elixir was potentially worth more than her life.
After putting the pills away, the female shop assistant no longer dared to treat Xiao Ling as just another wealthy young man. To be able to casually give away a second-grade pill meant his background was undoubtedly far superior to those in Qingshan Town.
"Sir, please wait a moment," she said, and then she walked into a passage, heading towards Xiao Yixian's room in the backyard of Wanyaozhai.
With the bribe as motivation, her efficiency was naturally high.
A moment later, the female shop assistant emerged with a beautiful young woman dressed in a green shirt, dressed as a maid.
She was the maid that Wanyaozhai had carefully assigned to Xiao Yixian. Although Xiao Yixian was only a physician, she held some status in the tiny town of Qingshan, where even alchemists were rare.
This maid, specially assigned to her by Wanyaozhai to care for her daily needs, also served as her right-hand man. Her name was Li Fei.
In the original novel, it was this woman who leaked information about Xiao Yixian to Mu Li of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group.
"Sir... are you seeking to see the Little Medical Fairy? I'm her maid." The shop assistant and Li Fei had previously specifically reminded her that these three people were not ordinary people, likely distinguished guests from outside Qingshan Town. Seeing their splendid attire, Xiao Ling's conviction grew, and her attitude unconsciously intensified with a touch of respect.
"Yes, take me to her." Knowing this woman wasn't a good person, Xiao Ling didn't intend to engage her in further conversation, remaining rather distant.
Li Fei, far from being offended by Xiao Ling's cold tone, became even more respectful. She softly said, "Please follow me, everyone."
With that, Li Fei led Xiao Ling and the others through the shop's front counter and down a winding bluestone corridor, finally stopping before a courtyard.
Xiao Ling's gaze drifted towards a graceful figure within the courtyard, and his gaze was instantly captivated.
Within the courtyard, a young woman sat beneath a pine or cypress tree in the center, holding a pharmacopoeia and carefully examining the inscriptions.
The woman was dressed in a pale white dress. While her appearance wasn't breathtaking, she was a rare beauty. Her face, gently smiling, exuded a fresh, ethereal aura, a unique quality that instantly enhanced her allure. Her slender waist, barely slender enough to be held in one hand, was bound by a green belt, further accentuating her graceful beauty.
This beautiful scene, even years later, remained etched in Xiao Ling's mind, lingering for a long time.
(End of Chapter)