Chapter 244: One Thousand Taels of Gold

"Lend me your silver needles." Zhang Ping'an frowned the moment he took the pulse. He dared not delay; the man's Yang energy was almost entirely dissipated, and he was currently relying on ginseng decoction to hang onto his life.

*Swish, swish, swish. * Zhang Ping'an wielded the needles as if guided by a god.

"This, this, this is the Nine Needles for Returning Yang?" Li Shenyi was so shocked his mouth could almost fit an egg.

Zhang Ping'an did not answer, his expression solemn as he applied the needles, either lifting or twisting them, not daring to relax for a single moment; this was also his first time performing this set of needle techniques.

"Li Shenyi, what is the Nine Needles for Returning Yang?"

"The Nine Needles for Returning Yang, as the name implies, can restore the human body's Yang energy. This is a life-saving divine skill; even if you suffer the most severe injuries, it can keep you alive for nine days. Of course, that is only a rumor."

"Whew~ His life is temporarily preserved. He should wake up in a moment. I still need to prepare some medicinal herbs and will come back tomorrow."

"Sir, was that just the Nine Needles for Returning Yang?"

"Yes, but it's not as exaggerated as you say. You can take his pulse and feel it for yourself."

"Alright." Li Shenyi immediately took Jin Ye's pulse, his expression shifting uncertainly. These Nine Needles for Returning Yang had not only restored the body's Yang energy but could also temporarily lock it in, though it was not a long-term solution.

"This..."

"What is it, Li Shenyi? Is Jin Ye alright?"

"He is fine for now."

"Cough, cough, what happened to me?"

"Jin Ye, you have finally woken up. You have been unconscious for three days."

Jin Ye tapped his head, only then recalling the scene before he fainted. He seemed to have been playing poker at the time; just as it was about to end, he felt his vision go black, and he knew nothing after that.

"Li, did you save me? Why do I feel like I have no strength in my whole body?"

"No, this old man does not have such skills. Jin Ye, it was Tong Si who found someone to save you. In truth, your Yang energy had completely dissipated; it was this gentleman who saved you."

"Jin Ye, this is my younger brother, a trading partner from the Black Market, and a high-level disciple of a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner."

"I... how much time do I have left?" Jin Ye asked, his bloodless lips trembling. He was no fool; once Li Shenyi said his Yang energy had dissipated, it meant his time was short.

"Jin Ye, you are fine for the moment. Perhaps this gentleman can save you."

Upon hearing that he could still be saved, Jin Ye's instinct for survival erupted instantly. He struggled to prop up his body, only then seeing Zhang Ping'an on the side. His head and face were covered, making his exact age impossible to tell, but seeing his upright physique, he knew he could not be over forty.

"Sir, please save me. I am willing to offer one thousand taels of gold."

"Fine. I will bring medicine at this time tomorrow. However, you suffered from premature ejaculation of primordial Yang in your early years, and later on, you were completely without restraint. Although you had medicinal nourishment to assist, it ultimately could not keep up with your consumption."

"Your body is severely depleted. If it weren't for the Medicinal Wine keeping you going these past two years, you would have likely let go long ago."

"The medicine I used for you is rare on the market; it is no loss for you to have your life saved. However, do not be unrestrained in the future. You are approaching the age of sixty, yet you still play so wildly."

Zhang Ping'an sniffed; he could smell the scent of at least two women here previously. The old thing was still engaging in such debauchery at his age.

"Yes, yes, yes. As long as you can save me, I will listen to everything." He had walked through the gates of hell these past three days, and now he was incomparably desperate to live.

"Mm, get some sleep. I will come back at this time tomorrow."

After Tong Siye sent Zhang Ping'an out, Jin Ye looked toward Li Shenyi.

"Sigh, Jin Ye, I told you before not to overindulge in lust. Now..."

"I am not talking about that. I want to ask you, how is that person's medical skill?"

"Far better than mine, and he even knows the lost Nine Needles for Returning Yang. He is definitely not a fraud."

"Mm, that is good, that is good." A mere thousand taels of gold was not something he took to heart; as long as he could be cured, he would be willing to pay ten thousand.

"Damn it, my Family Heirloom Silver Needles were swiped."

At one o'clock the next morning, Zhang Ping'an arrived as promised with bags large and small. He first gave Jin Ye two needles to restore his Yang energy before going to decoct the medicine.

Seeing Zhang Ping'an casually tuck the silver needles back into his satchel, Li Shenyi opened his mouth, but ultimately did not speak.

"Velvet Antler, Morinda Officinalis, Aconite, Cinnamon, Eucommia..." These were all medicinal herbs from the space; this old fellow had made a killing.

After more than half an hour, a bowl of decoction filled with a rich medicinal aroma was ready. Just smelling it made one feel their body lighten a bit.

"Drink it while it's hot."

With the bowl of decoction down his throat, Jin Ye felt as if he had come back to life. That weak and powerless feeling gradually vanished, and his two kidneys felt warm as well.

"Many thanks, um, Divine Doctor." Jin Ye only then realized he did not know this Divine Doctor's name.

"Jin Ye, my brother's name is Chang'an."

"Many thanks, Brother Chang'an. Si, quickly bring the items up."

"Right away."

Tong Siye went out and brought in a box with some slight effort, then placed it on the floor and opened it. The golden ingots looked quite pleasing.

"These are twenty fifty-tael gold ingots. Please accept them, Divine Doctor."

"Fine." Zhang Ping'an naturally would not be modest; this was the reward agreed upon earlier.

"Jin Ye, here are six packets of medicinal herbs. I have noted the decoction method; one packet every night is sufficient. Do not engage in sexual intercourse during this period."

"Yes, yes, yes. That, then in the future, can I still, uh, play poker?"

Seeing Zhang Ping'an's hesitation, Jin Ye knew there was a chance and quickly put forward his bargaining chip.

"Five hundred taels of gold, as long as I can regain my vigor."

I am already over fifty; if the thing is useless, then what is the point of keeping so much money? I might as well be dead, Jin Ye thought to himself.

"This, alright. However, your body is severely depleted right now; you must nourish it for at least half a year. Wait for me to go back and prepare the Medicine Liquid; I will come back tomorrow night."

"Done, no problem. Si, go get another five hundred taels."

"Right away, Jin Ye."

Thus, Zhang Ping'an left the large mansion carrying two boxes, one large and one small. A total of nearly ninety catties of gold ingots were in his hands just like that. Damn, you really cannot imagine the happiness of these remnants of the old era.

"Li, can you tell anything from the medicinal herbs?"

"I cannot tell, but these herbs are clearly not ordinary. They have a faint scent of vegetation, and their medicinal efficacy is several times stronger than average herbs."

Jin Ye also picked it up and sniffed it, only feeling a rich scent of Chinese medicinal herbs rush straight to his crown, but he did not smell the herbal fragrance that Li Shenyi had mentioned.

"Jin Ye, this is not something an ordinary person can smell."

Li Shenyi acted coolly and indifferently; although he could not compare to Zhang Ping'an, he was, at any rate, a descendant of an Imperial Physician, so he still possessed this bit of insight.

Zhang Ping'an's way of doing things was also centered on integrity; since the other party had already paid, he had to properly fool—ah, ptooey—properly research and prepare it.

The main ingredient was diluted Space Water, supplemented with ginseng juice; done, he would first give him two bottles to let him taste the saltiness and see.

Thus, early the next morning, Zhang Ping'an made another trip, still starting with acupuncture, then boiling the Decoction, and finally taking out two wine bottles, inside which was a pale yellow liquid.

"This is a twenty-day supply; as for the rest, once the medicinal materials are all gathered, I will do my best to start preparing them, and at that time, I will have Brother Tong Si bring them to you."

"Good, thank you for the trouble, Divine Doctor."

Jin Ye downed another bowl of Decoction, and it was still that same feeling from yesterday; it was truly intoxicating, and the feeling of his kidneys being replenished was really good.

"You're welcome; I'll trouble Divine Doctor Li with the remaining four packets."

"It is only right," he said, having followed Zhang Ping'an to observe carefully today, and since he had his own skills, he understood it all at a glance.