Bizarre Cultivation: Starting from Being Beaten Up by Reality

Chapter 242 Lan Hanyin

The two commanders frowned slightly. It was indeed his instruction to have the Gu doctor from the Southern Frontier also make a copy of the plague-expelling medicine, but the person who came was different from what he had expected.

He stood up abruptly and asked urgently, "Why didn't Granny Gu come?"

The young man with the silver earring, Lan Hanyin, replied sadly, "Grandma caught a cold last night and unfortunately passed away."

The two commanders' pupils dilated in shock. "How could he have died so suddenly? Wasn't he your Southern Border Gu Doctor Immortal? How could he have died from a cold?"

The two commanders even remembered that the old woman had confidently claimed she possessed a hundred kinds of deadly poisons, even smallpox, but while she herself remained unharmed, she couldn't use the same method to save others. Otherwise, even if the smallpox didn't kill, her poison would kill people first.

Lan Hanyin replied with a sorrowful tone and expression, "A doctor cannot heal himself. My mother-in-law is already 130 years old. Heaven has a fixed lifespan, and human effort cannot defy it."

There was nothing wrong with what he said. Besides, if there was something suspicious about Granny Gu's death, it was a matter of domestic affairs in Southern Xinjiang. The two commanders had no choice but to ask from a different angle, "Master Lan Gu, I know you are not a successor of Gu medicine. Is your medicine really effective?"

Lan Hanyin nodded firmly and said, "Of course, although I do not use poison, I am still a disciple of Granny Gu. Besides, the method of brewing this medicine was left by Granny Gu. It doesn't matter if the Commander doesn't believe me. Granny Gu has saved your life many times. Don't you believe her either?"

The two commanders fell silent for a moment. It wasn't that he didn't believe in the witch doctor, but the whole thing was just too strange, making him feel uneasy. If he had to rate his trust, he believed Doctor Lei 70% and Lan Hanyin 50%.

"Hehe, I believe Han Yin's brother. After all, we're from the same hometown."

A tall, beautiful woman draped in a thin veil swayed her hips as she approached Lan Hanyin. She looked to be only about twenty, with a curvaceous figure and exquisite features. Unfortunately, her face was covered in white and yellow pimples. Her alluring eyes, however, held a hint of menace.

She was breathtakingly beautiful and dressed extremely daringly, yet none of the bandits harbored any ill intentions towards her.

The long legs beneath the thin veil rubbed slightly against Lan Hanyin's skin, and the young man remained motionless like a statue.

The woman in the sheer veil walked past him, picked up a bowl, scooped up a bowl of soup, and drank it all in one gulp.

A man from southern Xinjiang spoke up: "Painted Skin, you're not human, yet you're afraid of smallpox too."

The beautiful woman gave him a flirtatious wink before slowly saying, "I'm not afraid, but if I don't get treatment soon, this beautiful face of mine will be wasted."

The man then turned to Lan Hanyin and asked, "Master Lan, aren't you going to drink it yourself?"

Lan Hanyin also scooped up a small amount of water and drank it down in one gulp.

The Grand Commander didn't ask Lan Hanyin any further questions, but instead looked at Doctor Lei and asked, "Wan San, someone says they've copied your medicine. Do you think their medicine will be effective?"

Doctor Lei walked up to Lan Hanyin's medicine, waved his hand to smell it, and cupped his hands, saying, "Brother, to be honest, this medicine is useless. It has no effect on smallpox, and taking it indiscriminately may even worsen the symptoms."

Lan Hanyin sneered upon hearing this, "Doctor, your surname is Lei, so are you also from my Southern Frontier? May I ask who your master is? Have you heard of the Gu Granny's name? Aren't you afraid of making a fool of yourself by speaking so arrogantly here?"

Doctor Lei sneered in response, “When I left Southern Xinjiang, I was just an unknown Gu doctor. But I traveled to Peach Blossom Spring, and the treasures of Peach Blossom Spring are beyond the imagination of a small worm like you. The medical principles I learned in Peach Blossom Spring are also beyond your reach.”

"You barefoot doctor who doesn't even have a proper teacher, how dare you spout such arrogant words! How dare you call me a worm in a well? How dare you make me look down on you?"

Lan Hanyin was about to erupt in anger.

Dr. Lei just looked at him with a cold smile.

The two commanders exuded a menacing aura and quickly overwhelmed Lan Hanyin.

"Hehe, I know better than anyone how skilled Wan San is in medicine. Wan San, I'll drink your medicine!"

As the president spoke, he picked up the bowl and went to fetch the medicine from Doctor Lei's jar.

He was critically injured and on the verge of death when he was saved by Doctor Lei, so naturally he trusted him. Besides, he had never liked the barbarians of the Southern Frontier, and he didn't think these guys who played with poisonous insects could cure any diseases.

Snapped.

The younger brother grabbed his older brother's hand and said, "Brother, I also believe that Doctor Lei really has the ability to concoct a medicine to expel the plague."

I'm just afraid he has ulterior motives.

"It would be better to use this medicine a day or two later."

Why not let others try it first to test the poison?

The older brother shook off his hand, "Stop dawdling! I'm itching to death from these damn pimples, and you won't let me scratch them. He's been drinking a stick of incense for almost a day while I'm waiting for some melon seeds, and he's perfectly fine."

After saying that, he picked up the bowl and drank it all in one gulp.

The two leaders already believed Dr. Lei about 70%, so they didn't really stop him.

With the Painted Skin and the President taking the lead, many people with more severe symptoms chose to drink one of the medicines. Those who were seriously ill and unable to get out of bed drank them all without exception.

Most of the river bandits and the "righteous men" from the Central Plains chose Doctor Lei, since they didn't trust the people from the southern border.

Almost all the people in southern Xinjiang drank the medicine containing blue silver.

Of course, there are also those who are greedy and afraid of death, and drink a bowl from each side, and no one stops them in this case.

Seeing that his younger brother remained unmoved, the Grand Commander patted him on the shoulder and urged, "Brother, why aren't you drinking? Don't underestimate this smallpox plague; it can really kill people when it gets serious!"

The two commanders did not answer him. As everyone began to scramble for the bowls, they suddenly stood on the table and shouted, "Everyone, the statue of the Goddess of Smallpox has been brought here. This smallpox plague was a test sent down to us by the Goddess. Life and death are preordained! We should not go against the will of Heaven. Come with me to worship the Goddess and ask her to forgive the sins we committed in our youth. This is the right way."

Upon hearing this, several people indeed put down the bowls they had picked up.

The two commanders strode towards the outside of the Hall of Gathering Righteousness, and those who had thrown down their bowls were the first to follow. Some people simply decided not to drink the medicine and just follow them, while others drank the medicine first and then went to worship. In short, apart from a few who were originally steadfast in their faith, everyone else followed along.

The actions of the two leaders ultimately led more than 30% of the people to give up taking the medicine and instead pray to Buddha for survival.

In addition, more than 30% of the people drank the medicine from Dr. Lei and Lan Hanyin, and 10% of them drank the medicine from both.

On the fourth day after Dr. Lei arrived on the island, which was the second day after he took the medicine, the effects of the medicine became immediately apparent.

"Second Commander, this Doctor Lei is really capable. Do you know what kind of medicine he prepared for himself yesterday? It was incredibly potent. We could hear it clearly from outside. It made Qian'er cry and laugh at the same time, and in the end, it sounded like a pig being slaughtered."

Upon hearing this, the two commanders felt a sense of relief. The more elaborate the game, the less they wanted to die. Moreover, he had been worried about whether his brother would be alright after taking the medicine, but now he was about 80% at ease.

"It lasted for most of the night. I even fell asleep leaning against the wall listening to that sound. I asked Qian'er, and she said, oh dear, she said that doctor is a beast in human clothing. Sigh, I really want him to give me some of his medicine, it's so strong. Brother, you know, I'm getting old, and I'm always a bit weak." The subordinate's eyes were full of longing.

However, seeing the two commanders looking at him coldly, he immediately changed his tone, "Big brother, I know, none of us brothers will take a single drop of his medicine, even if we die from smallpox."

"After they were reunited, Qian'er even made her two children, oh, the ones left behind by Mr. Wen, kowtow and call Doctor Lei 'Dad'."

The two leaders nodded. Things went even more smoothly than they had expected. But as expected of a doctor, under the influence of the medicine, they quickly became a real couple.

By this time, he was 90% convinced.

There weren't many people in the Hall of Righteousness this time. Apart from the two commanders, Doctor Lei, and Lan Hanyin, there were only a few other confidants.

boom.

The commander, whose smallpox had completely subsided, smashed a teacup. "Master Lan, is this what you promised yesterday, guaranteed to be absolutely effective? In this situation, what else do you have to say?"

The effects of the medicine were immediate for both of them.

Those who took Dr. Lei's medicine have all recovered. However, those who took Lan Hanyin's medicine have experienced a worsening of their condition, and now a whole bunch of "yellow-skinned people" are lying in front of the Goddess of Chickenpox.

The statue of the Goddess of Chickenpox is only about two feet tall and is made of jade. The round-faced deity with kind eyes has her face covered with tiny chickenpox spots like stars. She wears a conspicuous, intricately patterned gold necklace around her neck, and her clothes resemble a mandarin jacket, revealing her chest and breasts, with only a snow-white bodice covering her front.

In fact, the Goddess of Smallpox was a principal deity of the Great Qian Dynasty. However, principal deities of the court were traditionally represented only by memorial tablets, not statues. Even in some formal temples where statues were found, they did not resemble this. A proper statue of the Goddess of Smallpox would not show chickenpox on her face, and her clothing would be proper palace attire, not this style of clothing incorporating Buddhist elements.

The one in the imperial court wasn't called the 'Goddess of Smallpox,' but rather the Holy Mother of the Guardian, Yuanjun. Her husband, the Goddess of Smallpox, Bixia Yuanjun, was the true deity in charge of the smallpox plague.

However, among the common people of the Great Qian Dynasty, this version of the Smallpox Goddess was more widely believed, as it was more easily recognizable. The court's version of the Smallpox Goddess, on the other hand, was indistinguishable from her seven sisters.

Behind the jade statue of the Goddess of Chickenpox is another life-sized statue, but it is covered with a red cloth and cannot be seen clearly.

"Wan San was absolutely right when he said your medicine was not only ineffective but also worsened the symptoms! Now, many of our brothers are even unconscious and on the verge of death!"

The commander, who already disliked the people of southern Xinjiang, pointed his finger at him and started cursing.

"President, please calm down. My medicine works differently than usual. It will first cause shock, and then the pimples will gradually fade away until you recover!"

The president slammed his fist on the table and roared, "What do you mean, 'your medicine'! This is clearly a counterfeit of Wan San's medicine. Now that it's not working, you're still making up this excuse."

After saying that, he looked at Doctor Lei and said, "Wan San, don't you agree?"

Doctor Lei replied with a smile, "Brother, we doctors don't comment on other people's medicines. As I said yesterday, Brother Lan's medicine is ineffective against smallpox. As for its other effects, I don't know."

Lan Hanyin glared angrily at Doctor Lei, then turned to the Commander-in-Chief, "Commander-in-Chief, you must be wary of this man! I overheard yesterday that he has some old grudge against you, so you must be careful of his medicine!"

"Hmph! I've already cured him completely, isn't it a bit too much of an hindsight to say this now?" the commander-in-chief sneered.

Lan Hanyin shook her head and sighed, "If the Grand Commander wants my patient to take Dr. Lei's medicine, I won't stop him. However, I hope the two Grand Commanders will think it over carefully and not easily trust this person of unknown origin."

"Whether you drink it or not is up to you. Wan San brewed another pot yesterday. In short, there's plenty of medicine. If you don't listen to me, so be it. Little brother, you're already like this, aren't you going to drink Wan San's medicine?"

The Grand Commander didn't want to talk to Lan Hanyin anymore and turned to his younger brother. The Second Grand Commander had more pustules on his face, but his condition was not as uncontrollable as Lan Hanyin's patients.

The two leaders shook their heads.

By now he was almost completely convinced by Dr. Lei, but a slight unease still lingered in his heart. In other words, nothing in this world is ever 100% certain.

Dr. Lei remained skeptical. Lan Hanyin, on the other hand, had almost completely lost faith in him.

That day, many critically ill patients who could still speak drank Dr. Lei's medicine again. As for those who were already unconscious, they couldn't be force-fed at all.

Some of the people who went out on patrol returned because they had contracted smallpox. They saw how effective Dr. Lei's medicine was and drank it without hesitation.

The third day after taking the medicine.

A more complicated situation arose: those who had taken the two medications had recovered from smallpox, but still fell into a coma or remained unconscious.

The smallpox disease in the patients who only drank the blue silver medicine really began to subside. And although some of these people had been in a coma since yesterday, and their breathing was very weak, none of them died.

It seems that the dormancy therapy mentioned by Lan Hanyin is indeed working.

For those who were still in a coma even though they had recovered from smallpox, the two doctors who had previously been arguing fiercely and were on the verge of conflict surprisingly gave the same answer.

"Regardless of whether the medicine containing blue silver is effective or not, its effect of inducing dormancy and conditioning may be real. In this way, even healthy people who drink it will fall into a dormant state. This is the only explanation."

Since even Dr. Lei said so, no one doubted it anymore.

They locked Lan Hanyin up, intending to decide whether to deal with him or let him go based on the final treatment outcome.

It was the sixth day after Dr. Lei arrived on the island, and the fourth day after he took the medicine.

"Haa—" The bandit who was patrolling outside the stronghold returned and yawned loudly. He said to his companion, "Brother, I've been feeling really tired lately. I can't seem to muster any energy. Look, my hands are so weak."

"Come on, I think you were drained dry by your wife, right? The doctor said you shouldn't overindulge in sex after recovering from a serious illness, but judging from your dark circles, you couldn't hold back."

His companion had several pustules on his face, but because his symptoms were mild, he followed the Second Commander to offer incense to the Goddess of Chickenpox every day.

The young bandit with pimples on his face continued somewhat discontentedly, "Hey, I've never even been with a woman before."

The bandit who claimed his hands were weak patted the young man's hand. His hand was indeed limp and lacked strength. "Brother, don't worry. In a few days, when I'm fully recovered, I'll find you a good wife in a village outside the stronghold."

Of course, bandits wouldn't have proper marriages. Just like their own wives, they would simply abduct a woman from a nearby village.

As the two were discussing what style of woman they preferred, the clock in the main hall rang, and they hurriedly went to the assembly point. Three days later, most of the able-bodied men from the mountain stronghold had gathered in the assembly hall again.

Once everyone had gathered, Dr. Lei walked to the most prominent position and addressed everyone.

"I have some news for you brothers: I'm going to die."

His face was pale, and a stream of black blood was flowing from his nose.

Immediately, a jumble of questions arose from all around, and an uneasy atmosphere spread among the crowd.

"Hahaha, hahaha!" Dr. Lei stood on a table and laughed loudly, "You're all going to die too!"