I Am Immortal in Great Yu

Chapter 154: Chapter 66: High-Stakes Gamble (Part 3)

At this moment, with the enlightenment provided by the Tribulation Points, it was as if he was cheating. He instantly comprehended all the key aspects and secrets.

’500 Tribulation Points, *Fang’s Medical Skill* at Great Success!’

Fang Rui opened his eyes.

He clearly felt the change within himself. Disease analysis, pharmacological pairings, the hierarchy of herbs in a formula... he now had a perfect grasp of all these various key points.

’If I had to treat Ah Huai again now, I wouldn’t need to gamble with his life using harsh medicines like last night. I could have guided the situation, using four taels to move a thousand jin...’

’For that kind of situation, I now have dozens of better methods! Is this what Great Success Level Medical Skill is? It’s truly terrifying!’

That’s right. Minor Achievement in *Fang’s Medical Skill* meant Fang Rui’s Medical Skill Level had reached Minor Achievement. Great Success in *Fang’s Medical Skill* meant his Medical Skill had broken through to Great Success.

It was like how one didn’t need to read every text on Confucianism; by just thoroughly mastering half of *The Analects*, one could bring order to the world and be considered a Great Scholar.

By the same token, *Fang’s Medical Skill* possessed a complete foundational system. The upgrade from Tribulation Points wasn’t just limited to the knowledge recorded on paper, but also included a deeper dive into concepts, extensions, complete Inference, upward development...

Of course, ’Great Success Medical Skill’ and ’Great Success Medical Skill’ were not the same. There was certainly a significant gap between achieving Great Success in Medical Skill through *Fang’s Medical Skill* and achieving it by studying other, more profound medical texts.

However, no matter what, it was still Great Success Medical Skill. He had entered the Master Level, becoming what could be called a national-level master physician.

’My Medical Skill has reached Great Success. Time to get to work!’

At this moment, all sorts of ideas for dealing with the plague erupted in Fang Rui’s mind like a gusher, and he couldn’t wait to test them.

Fortunately, he had stockpiled a large batch of medicinal herbs earlier, so he wasn’t worried about lacking materials for his experiments.

He told Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family, the Third Lady, Fang Ling, and Nannan to go to bed and not worry about him. Then, Fang Rui dove headfirst into his research.

...

Perhaps it was because his Great Success Level Medical Skill was extremely potent;

Perhaps it was because the plague was still in its early stages of spreading and hadn’t become too difficult to handle;

Perhaps it was because this world contained an Extraordinary Factor, making the quality of medicinal herbs extremely high, far surpassing his previous life;

Perhaps it was because his scientific mindset and logical thinking provided some assistance in his research;

Or perhaps it was because, under the enhancement of his Fifth Grade Power, his perception was microscopic and his reactions were extremely sharp;

...

In short, Fang Rui’s research went exceptionally smoothly. Inspiration flowed like a spring, and as if he were using a cheat, his progress advanced with the ferocity of a charging boar.

By the latter half of the night, he had more or less found a solution.

’Just one last step missing: clinical trials!’

Fang Rui thought for a moment. He prepared a batch according to the prescription, and for convenience, he decocted the herbs and rolled them into pills. Then, he prepared to go out and find patients to test them on.

’As for the safety of his home?’

Medicine and poison are two sides of the same coin. At his level, he could casually concoct a few little tricks. Taking down Lower Three Grade Martial Artists would be no problem at all. He just needed to set up a few things at home.

Besides, with a plague breaking out in the city, thieves and burglars had long since vanished. It was highly unlikely anyone would break in at night.

He left home.

Fang Rui ran a fair distance away, randomly found a few households with ordinary sick people, snuck inside, and selected more than ten patients to test the medicine on.

An hour later, he observed the results.

’I originally thought a seventy percent success rate would be good enough, but I didn’t expect over ninety percent of the patients would start to recover. This is truly unexpected!’

Fang Rui had a second thought and understood. ’Unlike in my previous life, where people have overused things like antibiotics, the people of this world are extremely pure and have no drug resistance whatsoever. Their absorption of my ”antibiotic-like drug,” which extracts the essence of medicinal herbs, is extremely high. That’s why the effects seem so remarkably outstanding!’

’Continue testing? There’s no time for that. I’ll just release it as is! Anyway, the people of this world are tough and resilient. Even if a small portion can’t be cured, it won’t make the situation any worse!’

He made up his mind.

Of course, Fang Rui wouldn’t personally show up and invite trouble.

The method he chose was also very simple: he would just pick a few groups of governmental officers and constables and toss out several copies of the prescription.

With the forceful and elegant calligraphy on the paper, one glance would be enough to prevent the other party from underestimating it. There would always be someone who could recognize its value, or who was eager to claim credit, who would turn the prescription in.

...

After tossing out the prescriptions, Fang Rui returned to Willow Alley. With his work done, he finally felt a bit drowsy and decided to call it a night.

But while he could just dust off his hands and walk away, the uproar caused by the prescriptions he had thrown out was just beginning.

...

「In the center of Changshan City, a courtyard next to the County Magistrate’s Office.」

It was early morning, but many Physicians were already awake and gathered here. Many of them had dark circles under their eyes, arguing intermittently, and the air was filled with the smell of boiling herbs.

”Physicians,” a governmental officer of the Rebel Army said as he came in and put down a prescription, ”another one was just sent over. Please examine it.”

”The handiwork of which medical hall’s apprentice is this now?” a white-bearded old Physician huffed, his eyes wide.

”Isn’t it because of the Rebel Army’s generous reward? It’s attracted a whole crowd of fakes trying to pass themselves off as the real deal. How many has that been now?” another person complained.

”Exactly! All the well-known Physicians in Changshan City are gathered right here. Could there really be a hidden master physician in the city? How ridiculous!” a middle-aged Physician scoffed.

...

Despite the chatter, one person still went over to perform a routine inspection. As he looked at the prescription, the expression on his face gradually changed from disdain, to seriousness, and then to astonishment...

Finally, he slammed the table and shot to his feet, crying out, ”Marvelous!”

Everyone else was baffled by his reaction and crowded around to take a look. Then, the astonishment of one man turned into the astonishment of the entire group.

”Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant! How did anyone even think of this approach?!” one of the Physicians who had spoken earlier exclaimed, his face flushed with excitement as he repeatedly slapped his thigh.

”A prescription like this seems like it’s been refined a thousand times over, but how long has it been since the plague broke out? How is this possible?!” another elderly Physician exclaimed, nearly tearing out his own beard.

”I once heard that when Medical Skill reaches a certain level, one can return to simplicity, using the most basic herbs to achieve the best therapeutic effect. This prescription has done it!”

”Yes, the most brilliant part is this: it uses only simple and easy-to-find herbs, yet through their combination, they promote each other, drawing out the essence of each herb’s medicinal power... Brilliant!”

”We are far inferior. The person who developed this prescription is, without a doubt, a national-level master physician!” someone concluded.

”Where is the master who developed this prescription? What? They just threw it out and didn’t come in person? What a pity! A true pity! It’s a shame we can’t ask the master for guidance in person!” a Physician lamented, stamping his feet and beating his chest.

”Alas, to be unable to meet such a great physician!”

...

As experts in the field, even though they couldn’t have developed such a prescription themselves—and hadn’t even clinically tested it yet—it didn’t stop them from seeing its brilliance!

It was like a scholar steeped in the art of poetry; although he might not be able to write an immortal masterpiece himself, he would have no problem appreciating one.

A masterpiece of poetry, much like an exquisitely profound prescription, is something you know is good or bad at a single glance. You can feel its power. Why would you need the corroborating evaluations of a hundred future generations?

”Quick, go experiment! Try it on the patients!” one Physician urged, already impatient.

”Let’s go! Together! I have a gut feeling this prescription will definitely work!” another Physician vowed, patting his chest.

”Pah! As if we need your gut feeling for this?!”

...

The group was ecstatic. They hurriedly decocted the medicinal soup and went to conduct clinical trials.

The final results were a pleasant surprise. The cure rate was actually eighty to ninety percent. They were overjoyed, of course, and quickly relayed the good news up the chain of command.

...

「County Magistrate’s Office.」

Zuo Boyang pushed the door open and came in. ”Master Zhen, a prescription for the plague has been successfully developed. It was from a reclusive medical master, who didn’t appear in person but just tossed out the prescription...”

The man this Fourth Grade Martial Artist called ”Master Zhen” was a middle-aged man with an unremarkable appearance, but his bright, spirited eyes were filled with wisdom, leaving a deep impression on people.

This Master Zhen, named Zhen Yi, was only a Sixth Grade Martial Artist, but he was Zuo Boyang’s teacher, as well as Li Xuantong’s teacher.

Of course, the student is not always inferior to the master. Zhen Yi’s Martial Arts Cultivation was secondary; what was important was his wisdom, strategy, and profound knowledge.

The various decrees in Changshan City these past few days, as well as the strategy of ”speed is paramount in war” and the plan to take the city by surprise attack, had all come from him.

Both Li Xuantong and Zuo Boyang suspected that Zhen Yi had an unknown past. They had asked about it, but Zhen Yi never mentioned it to them. He also wouldn’t let them call him ”Master,” insisting they only address him as ”Teacher.”

”Oh? I didn’t expect Changshan City to have a hidden medical master?”

Zhen Yi hooked his brush, crossed out the plan labeled ’Burn Changshan City’ in front of him, and crumpled it into a ball. ”Then let’s distribute the prescription!”

”Yes!”

...