"Ming Dangshen?!" Su Yi exclaimed with delight, "Mr. Wu, you have this item?"
With this, there's hope for Lin Xinran's treatment!
Wu Hongwei smiled, "I have a channel to get this item, but to attain it, you'll have to compete for it!"
"Oh? How do I compete?" Su Yi couldn't wait.
"Let me explain it slowly," said Mr. Wu.
The current medicinal herb market isn't monopolized by just Yin Rentang; there are many other suppliers.
When peers are rivals, naturally, there's plenty of friction.
Two hundred years ago, a Great Grandmaster of the medical path established a rule: every year, each party would put forth a treasure to organize a gambling fight, to settle scores on the stage and reconcile off the stage, with medical skills determining victory and defeat!
No matter the moves, no matter life or death.
The winner takes all the treasures.
This year, the prize for the gambling fight includes that once-in-a-century superior medicinal herb: Ming Dangshen!
"This year, we had planned to send an elder from Yin Rentang, the white-browed old man you saw when you saved someone," Wu Hongwei said as he took a sip of tea, "but after he witnessed your medical skills, he strongly recommended you to me, and so I've had to seek your help."
Wu Hongwei waved his hand grandly, "If you come out on top, that Ming Dangshen will be yours! What do you say, interested in participating?"
"Yes! When is it?" Su Yi readily agreed.
Wu Hongwei drained his cup of tea, "Good! In two nights, I'll take you there."
A gleam flickered in Su Yi's eyes, he was determined to get that Ming Dangshen!
...
Two evenings later, under Wu Hongwei's guidance, Su Yi arrived at Yin Rentang.
Approaching the inner chamber, they saw Wu Hongwei lightly manipulate an inconspicuous lever on the wall, which caused a "click click" sound as a section of the wall flipped open to reveal an old-fashioned elevator.
Upon descending the elevator and the doors opening again, a spacious hall appeared before them.
Many people were already waiting inside, all big shots of the medical world.
Wu Hongwei nodded, "Today, Yin Rentang is the host, ladies and gentlemen, let's begin."
The competition rules were actually quite simple: two parties stand on a platform, fighting with their medical skills until one party loses the ability to fight or dies.
Because Yin Rentang was hosting, Su Yi had to defeat two individuals in succession to win.
Wu Hongwei glanced at the crowd, pointing to a middle-aged fat man, "There, your first opponent is an underling of that Mr. Li Yinghao over there. His name is Hu Pingqing. Although he is a doctor, he's served in the special forces and is skilled with hidden weapons. He's ruthlessly fierce. Last year, the white-browed old man also suffered under him, so be careful."
Su Yi nodded and jumped onto the platform.
This time, he not only needed to win, but to win impressively!
"What's the matter? Has Yin Rentang wet their pants with fear, sending a greenhorn to the stage?" Before the start, Hu Pingqing scoffed with ridicule.
Seeing that Su Yi didn't respond, Hu Pingqing became even more arrogant, "Kid, have you been weaned yet, or do you need to go back and have a couple of sips? Your grandpa won't go easy when he starts moving!"
Su Yi remained indifferent, not even giving his opponent a glance as he walked slowly to the other side of the platform with his hands behind his back.
Fury flared within Hu Pingqing, "Fine! You whelp dare to disrespect me. I'll soon have you riddled with holes!"
After the rules were read, the referee stood in the middle of the platform.
The match began!
Hu Pingqing moved instantly! With a flip of his hand, several thin surgical blades tucked in his waist were clenched in his hand.
Though called blades, they were actually over three inches long. Launched with his special forces' explosive force, they could maim or even kill!
"I'll show you for standing there with your hands behind your back like a Big Shot!"
With a vicious smile, Hu Pingqing's flying knives were about to strike at Su Yi's back – a hit that would certainly cause grievous harm or death!
But at that moment, Hu Pingqing's eyes bulged, and his body involuntarily stopped.
Three silver needles had already pierced his body, unknown when they were inserted. They hit his acupoints with extreme precision, rendering him unable to move!
"Too slow..." Su Yi slowly turned around and leisurely spoke.
The crowd below dropped their jaws in amazement – was it over just like that?
They didn't even catch Su Yi's movements, and Hu Pingqing, who had dominated the competition with his brutality for several years, was now stiff on the platform.
Even Wu Hongwei unconsciously swallowed and cursed, "Damn, this kid is too fierce!"
In a corner, a mysterious gray-robed elder chuckled, "Interesting. This young man is interesting."
It took a moment for the referee to react, "The first round, victory to Yin Rentang!"
"Well done, young man, that was amazing!" Su Yi stepped off the platform and was immediately greeted by Wu Hongwei's praise.
After humbly accepting a few compliments, Wu Hongwei looked at the list for the second opponent, his eyebrows gradually knitting together.
"The Yan Family has really gone all out this year..."
Wu Hongwei pointed out to Su Yi, "That gray-robed elder in the corner is a figure from a hidden family, almost a saint in the world of medicine, proficient in using poison and extremely secretive. You must be careful in tonight's gambling fight!"
Su Yi nodded lightly.
So what if he's a sacred medical expert? For Lin Xinran, everyone else is just a stepping stone!
The elder in the grey robe gently landed on the stage, his expression indiscernible in the dim light.
A hoarse voice emanated from within the robe, laden with immense confidence, "Young friend, your cultivation is not bad, but this old man has been invited to take away the Ming Dangshen. You should give up on your own to avoid blaming this old man for not showing mercy later."
Su Yi's expression grew serious, "The Ming Dangshen is a must for me, please—"
As the judge's voice rang out, the final bout unfolded.
The elder in the grey robe looked to be in his declining years, yet his movements were extremely swift; with a flick of his sleeve, several strands of gold thread shot out.
The gold threads used for pulse diagnosis!
Unassuming as they seemed, these gold threads could sever jade and were incredibly sharp.
Su Yi dared not be slow to react; a cold glint flashed in his eyes, and he clearly utilized the ancient Chinese medical technique "Observation Skill"!
The threading before Su Yi's eyes seemingly slowed down in an instant, and with a few quick moves, he dodged them.
Such fast movement! The elder's pupils suddenly constricted as several more gold threads spiraled out again in a flash.
This was his self-created ultimate move, the Whirlwind Hands!
The threads moved with the wind, flying in arcs, exceptionally strange and tricky.
Moreover, the tips hid a poison he had refined for years—one touch would lead to instant death!
With agile maneuvers, Su Yi was momentarily forced to a defensive stance, without the leisure to attack.
This can't go on! For Lin Xinran, I must go all out!
Su Yi twisted his body bizarrely, dispersing twelve needles that cunningly closed in, flying toward the elder's face.
The elder barely dodged, resulting in a deadlock between the two!
The elder took several steps forward, reaching straight for Su Yi's wrists with a pulse-checking hand.
If one's life pulses were cut off, one would be disabled!
Su Yi quickly used the Bone-dislocating Technique to counter, a method akin to bare-handedly intercepting a blade—it deflected most of the force and then wound upward, heading straight for the elder in the grey robe.
"Crack, crack," two sounds rang out, and the elder's arms limply fell.
Those hands were clearly broken!
Gasps and exclamations erupted from the crowd below!
How could the sacred medical expert, long renowned yet never showing himself, be outdone by this young man?!
Everyone's eyes widened, their faces filled with disbelief.
Could it be that the young man before them... surpassed the elder in medical skills by a wide margin?
"Damn, beautiful!" Wu Hongwei danced with joy down below.
The elder had come out of seclusion; even if he lost this match, it seemed only natural. He had never expected that Su Yi could actually overwhelm the sacred medical expert.
The elder's wails of agony echoed through the venue, with the pain in his hand and the resentment in his heart leaving him unable to calm down for a long time!
Years of living incognito were for the sake of overpowering others with a display of authority, only to have his plans foiled by a green youngster!
"Young man! Good! Good!! Good!!!" The elder in the grey robe gnashed his teeth in anger, "But to compete with this old man, you still fall short!"
With his other hand, he flipped over, revealing a small sack in his palm.
"Don't blame this old man for playing dirty; it's all for the Ming Dangshen, just to win against you this one time!" With that, he flicked his wrist, and a cloud of white powder dispersed into the air, enveloping Su Yi in a haze of dust!
Poison!!!
And it was a violently toxic substance—if one couldn't avoid it, death was certain!
And with such a large area, how could one possibly dodge it?
Among the powder, several dozen gold threads glistened as they raced straight for Su Yi!
With so many threads, the elder was confident he could have Su Yi die on the spot!
"Damn, cheating!" Wu Hongwei exploded in anger below.
Hehehe," the elder laughed sinisterly, "This doesn't count as cheating. The duel never said poisoning wasn't allowed."
Wu Hongwei was instantly left speechless with anger. Being defeated in such a manner was utterly disgusting.
What's more, Su Yi was someone he truly valued as a friend—if anything happened to him, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself!
Suddenly, a voice came from amidst the dust, "Yes, indeed, any method can be used."
Everyone's eyes bulged, staring at the stage in disbelief.
The haze gradually dispersed, revealing a young figure—it was Su Yi!
He was clean and unharmed, without even a speck of the toxic dust on him!
"The competition isn't over yet," a chilly voice rang out.
A commotion arose among the crowd.
Suspended before the elder's eyes was a silver needle!