Chapter One Hundred and Two: The Yellow Apothecary’s Ordeal!

The thatched cottage looked plain enough from the outside.

But once inside, it gave the unmistakable sense of a hidden world within.

From the overall layout to the smallest carvings and ornamentation, everything was exquisite and finely wrought, yet never overdone, bearing all the refined elegance of the immortal abodes one read of in books.

When they reached the main hall and pushed the door open, they saw a middle-aged man seated cross-legged within, eyes closed in quiet repose.

He wore a white Tai Chi robe, and his hair and beard were entirely white, giving him an air of transcendent grace.

His expression was kind and approachable, making it impossible not to feel a certain closeness toward him.

"Mr. Ye, this is my master, the valley master of Medicine King Valley, known throughout the martial world as Doctor Huang."

Xue Kaichen introduced him warmly. He hurried to Huang’s side, bent slightly in a respectful bow, but before he could speak, the other man waved a hand and said, "Serve the tea."

At once, more than a dozen servants emerged quickly from both sides of the corridor.

Each carried a tray, and each tray held at least five large bowls. The herbal decoctions within were rich and varied in aroma.

Sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, and salty all seemed to be present, drawing every eye.

"These teas were all brewed from medicinal herbs picked from the fields of our Medicine King Valley," said Huang.

"If Mr. Ye wishes to inquire about the seeds of the finest Langya grass, that is no problem."

"But before that, you must first taste the teas I have specially prepared for you, appreciate their flavor, and explain their effects."

"If I am satisfied, then we can talk."

"Otherwise, I will have to show you out."

At this, Ye Wushang frowned.

He did not understand what this meant.

He wanted to ask, but seeing the other man’s resolute expression, he wondered whether this was deliberate humiliation, or whether there was some deeper purpose behind it.

"Master, Wushang came here sincerely to ask for advice. Please don’t make things difficult for him."

Huang Pianruo was embarrassed on his behalf.

First her senior brother had deliberately made things hard for him, and now her master was making such a baffling demand.

She was still hoping to become Ye Wushang’s disciple, and after getting to know him, the two of them had even become friends.

Surely, on her account alone, there was no need to make such a fuss.

"These bowls are all filled with decoctions made from the finest herbs in the medicinal fields. Not to mention tasting them and identifying their origins—most people wouldn’t even have heard of them."

"Wushang is an outsider. He can’t possibly know that much. Even Senior Brother, after following you for so many years and seeing more than a hundred medicinal fields, probably only recognizes a dozen or so. You want him to identify them? That’s not asking too much?"

Her tone was sharp.

Even though the man was her master, she could not help herself from complaining.

Xiaocui, who knew Huang’s temperament very well, quickly tugged at her young lady’s sleeve, signaling for her not to speak too harshly.

As for Xue Kaichen, he had always obeyed his master without question and had never once defied him.

But hearing this demand, he too felt it was rather excessive.

Perhaps because Ye Wushang had helped him out of a tight spot earlier, he had a favorable impression of the man and also hoped to bring the two sides to an amicable understanding. So he added his voice: "Yes, Master. I don’t know what you intend, but could you perhaps change the test? I think..."

"If you dare say another word, get out of Medicine King Valley."

Before he could finish, Huang Doctor suddenly cut him off in a cold voice.

His volume was not high, but there was an unquestionable dominance in it.

The sharp force of that presence startled Xue Kaichen into silence. He could only look apologetically toward Ye Wushang, helpless to do anything more.

"Guest follows the host’s arrangements."

"If Valley Master Huang has set a condition, then I shall taste the tea."

There were many herbs.

And they were all rare and precious.

For an ordinary person, this might have been as difficult as climbing to heaven.

But in Ye Wushang’s eyes, it was no more troublesome than choosing clothes in a shop.

Without another word, he walked straight toward the servants.

Seeing this, Huang Doctor did not speak, but his brows lifted slightly as he looked at Ye Wushang with interest.

When his young disciple had first mentioned this young man to him, he had not taken it seriously, and had even thought the praise a little exaggerated.

And earlier, outside the thatched cottage, the other man’s bold words had only made him feel that he was a self-promoter chasing reputation.

But when he settled the fire dispute with nothing more than a hairpin, Huang Doctor began to think that this boy might actually have some real ability.

Now, with so many medicinal herbs to identify and conclusions to draw, yet still so calm and composed—could he truly be the real thing?

If he really could do it, perhaps the heavy responsibility of Medicine King Valley could indeed be entrusted to him.

Of course.

Everything would have to be judged by facts.

"Miss, what should we do?"

"It’s obvious that Valley Master Huang is trying to make things difficult for Mr. Ye."

"There are so many herbs that just looking at them makes my head spin, and he expects him to identify them all? How is that even possible?"

Xiaocui asked worriedly.

Huang Pianruo sighed helplessly. "What can we do?"

"Master has a strange temperament. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to change masters in the first place."

"It’s clear that the finest Langya grass seeds are extremely important to Wushang. If he can’t identify the herbs, Master won’t answer his questions."

"Forget it. If he really gets driven away later, I’ll just cling to them and refuse to let go..."

"Useless, Junior Sister."

Xue Kaichen stepped forward and shook his head. "You know Master’s temper."

"Once he decides on something, even ten oxen couldn’t pull him back."

"Although your Huang family played an important role in building Medicine King Valley, behind Master there is also a mysterious backer."

"Even your Huang family would have trouble resisting that. If you think you can cling to him or threaten him into backing down, that is absolutely impossible."

At that, the three of them fell silent together.

In their view, Ye Wushang might be able to identify a few herbs by his own ability.

But to get them all right, and then give reasonable explanations for each one, was no different from a wild fantasy, an impossible dream.

Huang Doctor was no longer merely making things difficult for him; he was practically showing him the door.

"Hmm, it’s quite salty. This Cold Vine Grass has enough salinity, but it still lacks moisture and nourishment. If you want to use it to treat gastric cancer patients, it needs to be refined at least three or four more times. Poor review."

After taking a cup of tea and sipping lightly, Ye Wushang gave his verdict.

Xue Kaichen raised his brows and motioned to a servant beside him. The servant lifted the plaque beneath the teacup and took a closer look.

Indeed, it was Cold Vine Grass.

Its medicinal effect was to treat gastric cancer patients.

"This..."

Xue Kaichen froze.

He knew the name Cold Vine Grass, but he had no idea what its effects were.

And Ye Wushang had identified it after only one sip?

Xiaocui and Huang Pianruo both widened their eyes, not knowing what to say.

"Continue."

Huang Doctor showed no great reaction. He only said it in a calm voice.

He appeared composed on the surface, but inwardly he was already shocked.

This boy really did have something.

He could identify the herb’s name from a single sip, and even infer its properties from its quality.

"This Needleshade Root is rather sweet, though overly so. Its care must usually be too meticulous, which has instead caused it to be forced into premature growth. That is not a good thing for treating patients with sprains and contusions."

"As for this White Bellwood, it’s of moderate size and just the right color. Used in rehabilitation for patients with broken hands or feet, it works quite well. But too much of a good thing is often a mistake—though effective, it cannot be used every day, or you may end up with the opposite result."

"And this Yellow Lingzhi..."

Ye Wushang spoke with ease.

He tasted the tea as he went, giving his conclusions one after another.

And each time he did so, the servants would flip over the plaque beneath the corresponding bowl.

Without exception, every one of them was correct.

By the end, Xue Kaichen was as if he had discovered a new continent. He simply pushed the servants aside and began serving Ye Wushang personally.

He even feared the man might be cheating, so he had all the plaques hidden away.

Yet the results were exactly the same as before.

Not only did Ye Wushang know these herbs, he also knew the treatment methods and growing habits of each one.

More than a hundred cups of tea, nearly two hundred kinds of medicinal herbs, were all identified within the span of a brief half hour.

A perfect score.

Immediately, thunderous applause broke out in the hall.

"Mr. Ye is truly extraordinary. With so many herbs, he not only recognized them all, but also knew their corresponding properties."

"Only a small number of these herbs are common. Most of them I have never even seen before, and yet you recognized them all. I am impressed!"

"Mr. Ye is so young, yet he understands medicinal science and pathology so thoroughly. Truly, the hero comes from the young."

"Too amazing!"

The servants praised him from every direction, admiration genuine in every voice.

Xue Kaichen went from shock to awe, and by the end tears were welling in his eyes.

In truth, ever since Ye Wushang had used a hairpin to extinguish the fire, he had known the man was no ordinary figure.

But he had never imagined that he could be this monstrously capable.

He had followed his master and studied for many years, only to suddenly realize that compared to Ye Wushang, he was merely a child, with no basis for comparison at all.

"Mr. Ye is amazing!"

Xiaocui gave a heartfelt thumbs-up.

Huang Pianruo was so moved that tears filled her eyes as she cried out, "Wushang, how are you so incredible?"

"How did you recognize all these herbs?"

"And how did you know their properties? I..."

"That’s nothing," Ye Wushang said with a wave of his hand. "You just have to focus on accumulation in daily life—read more, learn more."

"There are no shortcuts in medicine."

"Well said!"

Huang Doctor could hold back no longer.

Hearing such humble and righteous words, he shouted once and rose directly from his cushion, looking at Ye Wushang with open admiration.

"As I expected, Mr. Ye truly is a dragon among men. You have passed this test. As for your inquiry about the Langya grass seeds, I am willing to answer your questions."

"Thank you, Valley Master Huang."

Ye Wushang clasped his fist in salute and was about to offer further thanks, but the other man said, "However, before I answer your questions, you must first agree to two conditions."

"Otherwise, even if you have passed the test, I will not tell you a single thing about those seeds."

...