Chapter 004: Complete Nourishing Soup

Manager He helplessly said: "I have no choice, the world is chaotic, and many medicinal materials are out of stock"

She explained, "Young Master Lu, it is not that I am stingy. Your body is weak and cannot handle too much nourishment, so I can only allow you to have this much of the nourishing soup."

Lu Yao flattered the little girl so much that she was overjoyed.

Three individuals arrived at Liao Ya's exclusive training room. In addition to the fragrance of the young girl, a faint herbal scent lingered in the air

He then asked, "Could you tell me which herbs are missing and the method of preparation? If convenient, I would like to purchase the prescription."

Indeed, if I were to die, you would have no money to earn, you little money-grubber

Another guest interjected, saying: "You should be content. Our Yunzhou, after all, relies on the foreign concession, which can be considered peaceful. Just look at those places suffering from military disasters; they have become what they are now"

Lu Yao took the opportunity to step forward and examine the items closely, engaging in a brief conversation with the shopkeeper, and confirmed that the medicinal materials from both worlds were identical

On the way back, Lu Yao chatted casually:

Lu Yao suddenly raised his head, his withered and haggard face filled with determination: "If... if I drink the all-encompassing tonic soup every day until I am full! Can I practice martial arts?"

In a situation where one cannot ensure their own safety, there is no energy to manage other matters. After settling the bill and taking the necessary medicinal materials, they left the pharmacy together with Liao Qi

For a terminal cancer patient like Lu Yao to aspire to reach the state of blood transfusion is no different from a fool's dream! The difficulty is comparable to that of a 3-year-old child taking the college entrance examination and being admitted to Tsinghua or Peking University

Liao Qi responded: "It is not just a matter of money! The main ingredients required for the nourishing soup are precious and rare medicinal materials, which are extremely difficult to gather; moreover, the preparation is quite troublesome. The order in which the medicinal materials are added is different, and one must constantly adjust the firewood and monitor the heat. If one is not careful, the entire pot of medicine could be ruined"

Liao Ya had taken her medication and was currently regulating her breathing. Upon hearing this, she opened her eyes and said

... ...

Lu Yao moved his limbs and couldn't help but exclaim: "Such immediate results are truly amazing!"

Liao Qi was at the age where she loved to dress up, and she immediately ran over, eagerly putting on a full head of accessories, her smile radiant as a blooming flower

After glancing at these shoddy little trinkets, Lu Yao did not insist, but merely said:

Liao Ya has been diligently practicing since childhood, yet has only refined her internal organs.

Just a few days have passed, and this person who could barely move is now able to walk briskly!

Liao Qi continued, "The expenses of practicing martial arts are so high that I have to work desperately to earn money, yet this foolish sister keeps hitting me. Don't you think that's infuriating?"

Liao Ya has the most, a full bowl; Liao Qi comes in second; Lu Yao has the least, with only a single bite

After obtaining the complete prescription, Lu Yao eagerly pulled Liao Qi to the pharmacy to get the medicine. At this moment, he was very excited

At this moment, Manager He said with a face full of apologies: "I am sorry, we are out of stock of the Di Jin grass, and I appreciate your effort in coming here again"

Liao Qi proudly said: "This is a recipe passed down through the Liao family, made with 10 kinds of expensive and rare medicinal materials! It nourishes vital energy and greatly benefits martial artists in their training. The prescription was crafted by 'Mr. Binhu' himself"

Just like a person with a fever of 39 degrees who reduces it to 38 degrees, the comfort level is significantly improved

Why is this? Is this medicine very expensive? I have money

Yunzhou is known as the "hub connecting five provinces," situated at a crucial water and land transportation junction, with docks and ports readily available, making it a rare treasure during the Shun Dynasty. Unfortunately, it is marred by the presence of foreign concessions.

Many people vent their frustrations about the current situation, lamenting the difficulties of making a living

Lu Yao stood up respectfully: "I have long admired your great name, and it truly has remarkable efficacy!"

Lu Yao curiously sniffed, and within the strong medicinal aroma was a unique essence

Liao Qi lowered her head and said softly, "Who wants to die anyway... After returning home, I will ask my sister to see if she can help you. You are quite an interesting person, and I don't want you to die either"

Haha, of course! Just look at my sister's foolishness; she was sold and is still helping others count the money.

Lu Yao was about to take out money to make a purchase when he was stopped by the young girl: "No, don't casually take a man's belongings, especially jewelry; my sister will kill me."

Then I asked Liao Ya: "Master Liao, this medicine is so miraculous. After taking a small sip, I feel much better. If combined with your acupuncture, can it cure my illness?"

... ...

Liao Qi, I am going home for a while. I may not be back in the evening, so there is no need to worry. I will bring you a big surprise when I return

Lu Yao is unconcerned; this journey has already yielded the desired information, and the missing medicinal materials can be purchased back on Blue Star

Liao Qi muttered, "It's gone again... You are also the number one figure in Yunzhou Pharmacy, how come the goods are not fully stocked"

Having said that, she quickly put down the accessories and pulled Lu Yao away

A flash of brilliance flickered in Lu Yao's eyes! Having been diagnosed with cancer and having consumed a considerable amount of traditional Chinese medicine, he possesses a certain understanding of this field. The issues of lacking materials and the difficulties in decocting are easily resolvable for him

The pharmacy has been in operation for an unknown number of years, with its old brick walls mottled and colorful, and a few thin wild grasses huddled in the crevices. Upon entering, one finds rows of Chinese medicine cabinets filled with inscriptions, and the entire room is permeated with the fragrance of medicinal herbs

Luyiao, with high emotional intelligence, echoed: "Indeed ~ it's incredibly expensive ~"

Lu Yao smiled and said: "I know. However... there is still a glimmer of hope if I practice; if I don't, I am doomed. I am unwilling to accept this and want to give it a shot"

The nine realms of martial arts, with the first five realms being: 1. Muscle training, 2. Bone forging, 3. Organ refining, 4. Marrow washing, 5. Blood exchanging

Liao Ya pondered for a moment and candidly said: "Once one reaches the 'Blood Exchange Realm' in martial arts, any illness can be cured without medication. However, your body... simply cannot practice martial arts"

After a moment of foolish laughter, Liao Qi's expression turned serious as she said softly, "If you practice martial arts, you will end up getting yourself killed."

Organ failure, there has been a lack of appetite for a long time, yet at this moment, there is an instinctive secretion of saliva, the body is instinctively craving this nourishing soup

Mr. Binhu is indeed Li Shizhen, the one who said that there is no cure for brain damage

Ah, this... Liao Qi glanced at her sister, not daring to make a decision on her own

Where is it? They truly do not wish for you, young master, to meet an early demise.

Liao Qixing's round eyes widened as she shouted, "Impossible, you must be dreaming! Even my sister can only eat once a week."

Soon, the two arrived at the pharmacy near the boxing gym - Jinsutang

Long silence

He hurriedly drank it down, feeling a surge of warmth flow from his esophagus into his stomach, then spreading throughout his body, creating an extremely comfortable warmth

Only a clay pot was bubbling, and Liao Qi took out three bowls to pour out the medicinal liquid inside

You truly are the backbone of the family! Master Liao will surely be grateful to you sooner or later

Liao Ya nodded and said: "The more than 10 taels of silver that Young Master Lu provided earlier is more than enough to purchase a prescription. However, I cannot guarantee anything."

The tonic merely provides a fleeting glimpse of vitality; your body is like a sieve, and sooner or later, it will run out of oil and burn out.

The two people laughed and joked, breaking the melancholic atmosphere. At that moment, they passed by a stall selling ornaments

Lu Yao also recalled this humiliating history learned in history class and sighed

Liao Qi replied: "Manager He, recently you have been lacking this and that, you should buy more to keep in stock"

Previously, my body could only move with great difficulty after acupuncture; now, I have gained some strength

While speaking, he rose and approached the medicine cabinet, skillfully retrieving medicinal materials from each small drawer

Practicing martial arts requires a significant amount of money? I remember you mentioned that Master Liao wants to advance to the Washing Marrow Realm, but lacks sufficient funds

In fact, he really did not feel it was expensive. He bought a whole bunch of medicine in large and small packages, including expensive medicinal materials like ginseng and reishi, and it only cost 100 yuan! Where is the expense?

With his fists tightly clenched, Lu Yao said loudly: "It's just a matter of seeking life amidst death; I must at least give it a try to feel at ease!"

Regardless of whether they are rebel troops or government forces, none dare to offend the foreigners. Nowadays, those who are wealthy and powerful all flock to the concessions

Liao Qi nodded vigorously, looking pained: "As the saying goes, the poor are cultured while the rich are martial. Practicing martial arts is truly a bottomless pit for spending money! You saw it just now when I bought medicine; 4,000 copper coins just vanished, and that was without even purchasing the Dijing grass."

The shopkeeper is a spirited old man. Upon seeing Liao Qi, he clasped his hands and said, "Second Miss Liao, didn't you just come by yesterday?"

The young woman spoke frankly without any hesitation, and upon hearing this, Lu Yao felt somewhat downcast. Undeterred, he pressed on with the question: "Is there really no hope at all?"

Manager He sighed, "It is difficult! Every day we are at war, not only have the goods disappeared, but the price of grain has also risen three times a day, alas"

Regardless, the "Ten Complete Nourishing Soup" must be prepared promptly

"Drink every day... drink... drink until full!" Upon hearing this, Liao Yawen was immediately taken aback