Chapter 138: The Prescription

Done.

With just those two words, Li Banfeng accepted the deal.

Zuo Wugang was slightly skeptical and planned to confirm again, but saw Li Banfeng whisper to Xiao Chuan, then place a chest of silver dollars on the table.

Li Banfeng said: “The payment is here, but let’s be clear—you three are here as branch guards, not as household guests. You must follow orders.”

Zuo Wugang nodded: “Naturally.”

Li Banfeng went out and returned with three contracts, handing them to Zuo Wugang: “Kindly place your fingerprints.”

Zuo Wugang glanced over them briefly—the terms were simple: Zuo Wugang and the other two were to protect the employer’s safety, and the employer would pay corresponding compensation.

If Zuo Wugang wished to end his service as a branch guard, both parties could mutually agree to part ways amicably; but during his term, if he disobeyed orders or betrayed the employer, he would be subject to the employer’s punishment.

Having spent a lifetime as a branch guard, Zuo Wugang had signed similar contracts before; the three men pressed their fingerprints without hesitation, becoming Li Banfeng and Ma Wu’s branch guards.

Could he trust these three?

Honestly? No.

With Li Banfeng and Ma Wu’s current strength, hiring a sixth-layer senior branch guard carried risk—and considerable risk at that.

If Zuo Wugang and his group had other intentions, Li Banfeng and Ma Wu had few means to counter them.

But “few” didn’t mean “none.”

Li Banfeng had channels to investigate Zuo Wugang’s background.

For Zuo Wugang, Li Banfeng was nearly unknown.

Just now, the contract they signed was made from copper lotus-forged paper, its auxiliary ingredient being Li Banfeng’s rust pills.

If Zuo Wugang broke the contract, he would turn into a pile of rust.

After drinking two cups of wine, Zuo Wugang said to Li Banfeng: “Seventh Master, could we meet Fifth Young Master? He and you are both our employers—we branch guards can’t even see our employer’s face.”

A reasonable request. Li Banfeng agreed.

Xiao Chuan brought Zuo Wugang to Ma Wu’s bedside. Seeing Ma Wu could barely move except for breathing and occasional blinking, Zuo Wugang paused, then asked: “This is wind paralysis, isn’t it?”

“What wind paralysis!” Xiao Chuan glared at Zuo Wugang.

Li Banfeng asked: “Is wind paralysis referring to leprosy?”

“Not leprosy,” Zuo Wugang waved his hand. “Wind paralysis comes from exposure to harsh wind, causing full-body numbness and immobility. I have a secret remedy—extremely effective. One dose works.”

Xiao Chuan frowned: “Master Zuo, you’re a man of standing. Don’t treat healing like a joke. I’ve seen wind paralysis before—it’s nothing like our Young Master’s condition.”

Zuo Wugang scratched his scalp: “Not the same? The symptoms look similar to me. My remedy is truly effective—many have said so.”

Li Banfeng studied Zuo Wugang and sensed hidden meaning in his words.

He invited Zuo Wugang to the parlor and asked about the remedy’s origin. Zuo Wugang sipped tea: “Don’t ask about the origin. Suffice it to say, this decoction truly cures wind paralysis.”

“Especially for those who travel constantly—it works against cold wind, warm wind, even horse wind!”

Li Banfeng understood.

“Those who travel constantly” referred to traveling cultivators.

The remedy worked, proving it had once been effective on Lu Dongliang.

Had Lu Dongliang ever shown symptoms similar to Ma Wu’s?

Yes. He must have.

At his age, with ninth-layer cultivation, he couldn’t have avoided pills. Ingesting pill poison was routine.

As the foremost household of Pulu Province, Lu Dongliang likely possessed methods to counter pill poison.

Though each house’s pills differed in nature, and no single formula could neutralize all pill poisons, the purity of lotus-refined pills was extremely high, and the Golden Core pills reached an exceptional tier—such pills likely shared common traits. The core toxicity of Golden Core pills was full-body numbness.

Beyond this base toxicity, Golden Core pills obtained through other channels carried unique toxic traits. Neutralizing these was far harder, requiring tailored treatments for each poison—hence no universal antidote existed.

Zuo Wugang’s method could counter base toxicity, which offered limited value to Lu Dongliang—but great value to Li Banfeng.

The lotus-refined poison likely carried only base toxicity.

Since Zuo Wugang had mentioned it, Li Banfeng wouldn’t let the opportunity slip.

“This secret remedy must be precious,” Li Banfeng waited for Zuo Wugang to name his price.

Zuo Wugang shook his head slightly: “I don’t recall the formula, but I have a few prepared doses.”

He didn’t want to reveal the recipe.

That was reasonable.

It was a hard-won skill of his own. The source didn’t matter, but to mention it at all under these circumstances was already generous—he had no obligation to disclose it to Li Banfeng.

“Prepared doses are fine,” Li Banfeng nodded. “Name your price.”

“You’re my employer, I’m your branch guard. I shouldn’t bargain with you.” Zuo Wugang offered the prepared dose to show sincerity.

Li Banfeng tilted his head slightly; shadows and beard concealed his face, yet conveyed a simple message.

He didn’t want to play games.

Zuo Wugang had gained some understanding of Seventh Master’s nature. He spoke plainly: “I failed the Lu family, my reputation is ruined, no one wants me. Yet you took me in without hesitation. I’m deeply grateful.

The first dose—I give it as thanks for your kindness. Afterward, if you or Fifth Young Master need more, just supply the herbs.”

Li Banfeng admired Zuo Wugang’s character. Zuo Wugang went to Ma Wu’s side, pulled out a small vial of powder, and forced it down his throat.

Over an hour later, Ma Wu’s fingertips twitched slightly.

Xiao Chuan exclaimed: “Master Zuo, your remedy really works!”

Zuo Wugang smiled: “It works for wind paralysis—only wind paralysis. If it’s another illness, all bets are off. You should advise Fifth Young Master to be more restrained.”

“What illness are you implying?” Xiao Chuan frowned, thinking he was mocking their Young Master for some shameful disease.

Zuo Wugang stayed silent, glancing sidelong at Seventh Master.

Li Banfeng understood—Zuo Wugang’s words confirmed his theory.

The medicine cured numbness from Golden Core pills, but couldn’t neutralize other toxic effects.

After another half-day, Ma Wu could eat and walk.

Ma Wu was deeply grateful to Zuo Wugang and ordered Xiao Chuan to arrange his lodging. No sooner had Zuo Wugang left than Ma Wu clenched his jaw and squeezed out a small clump of powder from between his teeth.

Li Banfeng blinked: “You kept this hidden?”

“This is good stuff—real good stuff! I’m cutting off the drug’s effect. I’ve already identified several herbs.”

Ma Wu was desperate to reverse-engineer the formula and stayed awake all night.

By morning, his eyes were bloodshot—the formula remained unsolved.

“This powder contains dozens of herbs. Some I can roughly identify, others are completely unrecognizable…” Ma Wu wanted to return to the Ma family estate to search the library for herb-related texts, but feared his father would bar him entry.

“Should I find a pill cultivator to test it?”

Li Banfeng shook his head: “No.”

Ma Wu sighed—he knew it was improper.

This powder was Zuo Wugang’s gift to save Ma Wu. If a pill cultivator cracked the formula, it would be leaked—clearly unfair to Zuo Wugang.

“Brother Ma, rest first. I’ll keep this powder.” Li Banfeng took the powder back to his quarters and stared at the copper lotus for a long while.

The copper lotus could refine anything—but Li Banfeng had no intention of refining the powder. He wondered if the lotus could extract the formula itself.

This seemed contrary to the lotus’s function. If the powder was consumed and yielded nothing, wouldn’t that be a terrible loss?

After much hesitation, Li Banfeng fed the powder to the red lotus.

Zuo Wugang was still here—the source wasn’t cut off. Even if this batch was lost, he could ask Zuo Wugang for more.

The red lotus swallowed the powder. Minutes passed with no reaction.

Li Banfeng sighed, ready to give up—when suddenly, the lotus petals opened again. Inside, one of its seeds had matured.

This seed was forged from Liu Liangyi’s body. Logically, the pill should’ve been complete long ago—but the copper lotus seemed to deliberately slow its pace.

The red lotus was indeed deliberate. She feared that if the pill formed too quickly, Li Banfeng’s mind would itch again, and he’d get reckless ideas.

Li Banfeng did feel a surge of impulse. Liu Liangyi had fourth-layer cultivation—his exact years unknown, but Li Banfeng estimated he could yield sixteen to twenty Xuanchi pills.

The result was unexpected: the seed burst open, revealing three Golden Core pills.

That equaled thirty Xuanchi pills.

Profit!

Big profit!

Li Banfeng was rejoicing—when he noticed one pill looked wrong.

The other two were perfectly round, glowing golden under candlelight.

This one was dull, as if coated with thin gold paint.

Why the difference?

Was it underweight? Or impure?

As Li Banfeng studied it closely, the phonograph suddenly hummed: “Hey~ Master, why stare at that pill? Planning to eat it again and go mad?”

Li Banfeng shook his head: “Last time I got burned. I’ve learned my lesson. Won’t eat it.”

“Master knows the pain. Since you won’t eat it, sell it quickly—get money for groceries.”

“Wife, your food isn’t something money can buy. Besides, you devoured so many ghost servants—now you’re hungry again?”

Huh!

The phonograph pouted: “Master, my body’s changed—I eat more now.”

Li Banfeng stared in surprise: “Are you pregnant?”

Huh~ Huh~

The phonograph sobbed: “Master mocks me again! You know my body can’t bear your child.”

“Whether you can conceive depends on strength, technique, strategy, and sincerity, Wife. Let’s start by consummating…”

Huh~

A wisp of steam pushed back Li Banfeng, and a wife’s dignified voice said: “Washing clothes and pants is hard work; husband, be more careful. You slept all night—your cultivation is enough. Go buy vegetables now.”

Li Banfeng left the portable dwelling, when the phonograph suddenly shouted into the outer room: “Honglian, did that pill just now seem off in quality?”

Honglian replied: “It’s going to be sold anyway—let that madman get more money for it, isn’t that a good thing?”

“If he actually sells it for money, fine. But I’m afraid he’ll go mad and swallow the pill. Don’t poison him.”

Honglian sneered: “You still care about him, do you?”

Huff~ huff~

The sound of steam venting slowed, and the singing voice became cold, syllable by syllable:

“Whether I care for him or not is none of your business. Don’t do anything behind my back, or we won’t be done with this.”

Steam slowly vented.

The copper lotus was covered in dewdrops.

…

Li Banfeng sat in the wooden hut with the pill, still pondering its quality.

After examining it for a long time in his hand, Li Banfeng suddenly noticed cracks on the pill.

What material is this?

Li Banfeng carefully traced the cracks, like when he was a child disassembling and reassembling a ball, peeling off the pill’s outer shell piece by piece.

The pill was hollow; on the inner wall of the shell, Li Banfeng saw three characters: Lan Ye Yang.

PS: The name of Lan Yang Village comes from Lan Ye Yang.

(End of Chapter)