Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, Terra Su remained remarkably composed, extending his hand to the young girl, "Bring me the Yang Origin Stone."
Many knew that the Yang Origin Stone was a common low-level material containing traces of Yang energy, widely used as a secondary ingredient in alchemy. A large batch could be bought for just ten silver coins.
Yet, no one had ever heard of using the inexpensive Yang Origin Stone as a primary material to treat injuries. It was preposterous.
Without hesitation, the girl purchased a jin of Yang Origin Stone from a nearby counter and handed it to Terra Su.
Edward Li scoffed, "Kid, you're messing around and it definitely won't work. If you succeed, I, Edward Li, will cut off my own head right here."
Edward Li was so confident because he was certain that Terra Su's haphazard approach would never work.
Edward Li watched Terra Su closely. Upon receiving the Yang Origin Stone, Terra Su didn't perform any complex procedures; he simply ground the stone into powder on a nearby platform.
Then, Terra Su unwrapped the bandage on the old man's arm and applied the Yang Origin Stone powder to the wound.
Edward Li couldn't help but sneer internally. Applying the cheapest of medicines to a wound was something only a child playing house would do. If such a method could heal injuries, what would be the need for Alchemists?
Edward Li was one hundred percent certain that this ludicrous treatment would have no effect and might even worsen the old man's condition!
However, just as Edward Li thought this, he witnessed something miraculous.
Before his astonished eyes, the fierce and twisting wound on the old man's arm visibly began to heal at a pace visible to the naked eye!
"How is this possible?" Edward Li doubted his own eyes, the scene before him completely overturning his understanding!
The most common Yang Origin Stone mixed with hemostatic herbs could treat a Cold-Hearted Python bite?
The girl's beautiful eyes were filled with shock as she quickly stepped forward to support the old man, asking softly, "Grandfather, how do you feel?"
The old man, equally astonished, slowly replied, "Much better."
His words caused an uproar among the crowd.
Edward Li stood petrified, his earlier bold claims now making him the target of ridicule. The onlookers' gazes felt like slaps to his face.
"This is impossible, absolutely impossible!" Edward Li muttered repeatedly, yet the undeniable truth in front of him forced him to believe.
"Thank you!" The girl let out a sigh of relief and smiled at Terra Su. Her usually icy face, when she smiled, seemed to thaw like spring water, stunningly beautiful.
However, Terra Su appeared indifferent, simply stating, "It was nothing."
The girl, remembering something, hurriedly took the hundred-year-old Supreme Yang Herb from the manager of Five Treasures Hall and handed it to Terra Su, "For saving my grandfather, I have no way to repay you. Please accept this hundred-year-old Supreme Yang Herb as a token of my gratitude. Additionally, I will pay your consultation fee in full."
Terra Su shook his head, pulling out his own banknote, "No need, as I said, it was nothing."
With that, Terra Su paid for the hundred-year-old Supreme Yang Herb with his own banknote and quickly left with it.
The girl stood there, stunned. She hadn't expected the plainly dressed young man to so casually refuse her gratitude and leave so decisively, showing no interest in currying favor.
Given her noble attire and demeanor, many sought to please her, like a flock to a prized hen. Even Edward Li, the intermediate apprentice Alchemist, had been eager to help, undoubtedly with ulterior motives.
Yet, this young man had turned and left so nonchalantly, not even bothering to exchange a few more words with her.
In a flash, the girl called out to Terra Su's departing figure, "May I have the honor of knowing your name, sir?"
Without stopping or turning, Terra Su simply uttered two words, "Terra Su!"
"Terra Su?" The girl murmured thoughtfully, a glint of intrigue in her eyes.
From this day forward, she would remember that name.
Meanwhile, Edward Li was seething with rage. He should have been the one to heal the old man, but the young man had completely stolen the limelight!
The looks he received from the people around him were clearly mocking. He, a mid-level apprentice Alchemist, had been outdone by an unknown youngster.
"They must be in cahoots!" Edward Li glared at the departing old man and girl, "They're surely a pair of swindlers, staging a play in my Five Treasures Hall to make that young man famous!"
This theory was full of holes and barely stood up to scrutiny, but in his anger, Edward Li found it increasingly plausible, "That's right, they must have conspired to act out this farce. The idea that Yang Origin Stone and hemostatic herbs could treat a Cold-Hearted Python bite is absurd…"
As Edward Li became more convinced of his reasoning, he caught a glimpse of an elder with white hair and a celestial aura hurrying out from the back hall.
Edward Li quickly composed himself and respectfully greeted, "Master Mo!"
He had to be respectful; this elder was the chief Alchemist of the Clear River City Alchemy Guild, also serving as its president. Unlike apprentice Alchemists like himself, Master Mo was a true Alchemist with a rank!
Moreover, Master Mo's prestige in Clear River City was immense, commanding respect. Five Treasures Hall had gone to great lengths to invite him as a guest consultant, and he only visited once a month!
Today was the day Master Mo was scheduled to be at Five Treasures Hall, but he usually disliked noisy crowds and stayed in the back hall. Yet today, for some reason, he had come to the front hall.
Edward Li noticed Master Mo's anxious expression, a departure from his usual composure, and as soon as he saw him, he hurriedly asked, "Where is that young man?"
Edward Li was momentarily confused, "Which young man?"
"The one who just used Yang Origin Stone and hemostatic herbs to heal the Cold-Hearted Python bite!" Master Mo's forehead was beaded with sweat from his hasty walk. He had been in the back hall's alchemy room instructing apprentices when he heard that a young man in the front hall had healed a Cold-Hearted Python bite using Yang Origin Stone and hemostatic herbs. Shocked, he had rushed over, but missed the young man.
"Master Mo means that young man? He… he's already left!" Edward Li was puzzled, wondering why the usually detached Master Mo was so concerned about the whereabouts of that young man.
"He left?" Master Mo's disappointment was palpable, and he muttered dejectedly, "Why did he leave so soon?"
"Master, he's just a swindler. It's no loss if he's gone, why worry?" Edward Li shook his head, thinking Master Mo was making too much of it.
To his surprise, Master Mo, abandoning his usual calm, nearly jumped up, pointing at him with a furious expression, "A swindler? Don't talk nonsense if you don't understand!"
Edward Li was taken aback, feeling unjustly accused, "What did I say wrong? How could such cheap materials like Yang Origin Stone and hemostatic herbs possibly heal a Cold-Hearted Python bite? Their act in Five Treasures Hall, clearly a staged scam to deceive people, calling them swindlers, where is the mistake?"
Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan
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