Ch. 11..20

Chapter 11 Refining Potion

Seeing that Zachary had remained silent, the teacher on duty said awkwardly, "Zachary, if Mr. Yan didn't make a special application, I'm afraid..."

Zachary snapped back to his senses and quickly waved his hand with a smile, "I was negligent. I don't need Snow Ginseng and dried antler. Please change them to White Ginseng and China root, and increase the dose by three taels and two taels respectively."

"White Ginseng and Hasbrouck root?" The teacher muttered. He looked down at the prescription and said to Zachary worriedly, "The Snow Ginseng and dried antler are the herbs of warm nature. Although White Ginseng also belonged to that type, Hasbrouck root is the herb of cold nature, which would have the opposite effect. Are you sure about this?"

Although the teacher on duty was just in charge of the herb storage for the School of Chinese Medicine, he was very clear about the basics of Chinese medicine. Seeing that Zachary had casually changed the prescription into other ingredients with a different dosage, the teacher couldn't help feeling a little confused, and even concerned.

Zachary was clear about the usage for each ingredient. However, the mechanism of action for the refining potion was not as simple as merely nourishing the body. It involved the interaction between ingredients in order to achieve various pharmacological effects, such as strengthening the body and enhancing the pneuma.

Although it would seem unsuitable to replace the Snow Ginseng and dried antler with White Ginseng and China root, the pharmacological effect of the refining potion would only be slightly affected based on the mechanism of action in the refining potion. There would be no problem with the overall pharmacological effect as a result.

Of course, it would be very troublesome to explain all that to the teacher on duty. Therefore, Zachary smiled and said, "I've copied the formula wrongly. So, I changed it to the correct formulation."

Since Zachary had said so, the teacher on duty did not insist on the matter any further. He took the ingredients and handed them over to Zachary, who then thanked the teacher on duty, and promptly returned to the lab.

The equipment for preparing medicines were no longer traditional crocks or gas stoves. There were all sorts of electrical appliances in the laboratory instead. However, it was not a problem for him, because the soul of Zachary from the modern era was familiar with the equipment.

Zachary produced the weakened version of the refining potion within two hours. As a result, it was a pot of black liquid, exuding a unique bitter smell. After letting it cool down for a bit, Zachary poured the medicine into a bowl and quickly gulped it down.

The liquid entered his stomach along his throat. The taste of the medicine would be bitter and unpleasant for most people, but it was a familiar taste for Zachary. It soothed him both physically and mentally.

After taking the medicine, Zachary selected a few more ingredients, ground them into powder, and poured it into the rest of the liquid. After stirring it for a few times, the black liquid began to solidify into a black paste. Zachary packed the black paste into a plastic bag, and then cleaned up the laboratory.

The refining potion had to be consistently taken for a period of time. Hence, Zachary had transformed the liquid into a paste formulation. It would be more convenient for him to carry it around with him all the time. Zachary took the paste and walked out of the laboratory. He locked the door and went downstairs.

At the staircase, Zachary bumped into a slightly bald middle-aged man. The man was none other than Jimmy Yan, Zachary's mentor.

"Hello, Mr. Yan!" Zachary greeted him.

"Uhm... Zachary, are you done with your internship?" Mr. Yan asked. He was surprised to see Zachary there.

"Yes, it's over. I have handed in the internship certificate. I came to the laboratory to get some medicine just now," Zachary explained, as he showed the paste in his hand.

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"Internship certificate..." Mr. Yan repeated. He seemed to be a little surprised, but his expression quickly returned to normal. "Well, that's good. Please prepare for your graduation thesis. You have three months left before graduation." "Alright!"

Zachary left. He hadn't noticed anything unusual about Mr. Yan's attitude, since Mr. Yan would only treat him well if he needed help for his experiments.

After Zachary had left the building, Jimmy went into room 712 and locked the door. Then, he walked to the window and dialed a number, with a serious look on his face.

A moment later, the call was connected. "Young Master Wu! I'm Jimmy! I just met Zachary. There seems to be something wrong with the internship certificate. He said..."

Before Jimmy could finish, the person on the other end of the phone scolded him angrily. Jimmy's face turned gloomy instantly.

Despite that, Jimmy said ingratiatingly, "Young Master Wu, please don't worry. Although he managed to get the internship certificate, I'll find another way to deal with him. I'm his mentor, there are many ways for me to deal with him, as long as he is still in school. I will definitely make him suffer, and seek vengeance on your behalf."

Jimmy glanced at Zachary through the window as he was speaking, and his expression became vicious.

"Yes. Sure," Jimmy nodded repeatedly while responding, as if the other person could see his actions.

In the end, he gave a flattering smile, "Well, Young Master Wu, I'll have to trouble you to help me talk to Principal Wu about my promotion."

Zachary was not aware of the evil intentions behind his back.

After returning to the dormitory, Zachary practiced a set of punches while the medicine was taking effect in his body. The set of punches was called Refining Boxing, which had been created by himself for the purpose of strengthening his body. The effect of Refining Boxing would be most effective when used together with the Refining Potion.

Zachary consistently took the Refining Potion and exercised his Refining Boxing every day for a few days in a row. The reputation of the "Herbal King" was well-deserved, even though the prescription was just a simple one.

Zachary felt that his body had become much stronger within the week. He had physically improved a lot in terms of strength and flexibility.

He would now be able to fight against four or five adult men at the same time, in contrast to just one man from before.

Besides exercising, Zachary spent almost all of his time in the library. He read through many books about modern Chinese medicine, in order to understand the current situation in the field of Chinese medicine.

After reading all those books, Zachary, who was once known as the "Herbal King", couldn't help but sigh. He didn't expect that people would have come to question the validity of Chinese medicine, when it was in fact valuable knowledge from their ancestors, which was used to save lives. Unfortunately, people nowadays claimed that it was akin to witchcraft or superstition.

As he was feeling disappointed, Zachary had a sudden revelation. It was an idea that would have been been laughed at and mocked by many people if he had said it out loud.

"Revitalize Traditional Chinese Medicine and bring back the medical legend!"

Zachary, facing the sunrise, had a look of perseverance in his eyes.

Chapter 12 Attending the Birthday Banquet

Chapter 12 Attending the Birthday Banquet

At the end of the day, Zachary walked out of the library. He was thinking about what to have for dinner. He took out his mobile phone and saw more than a dozen missed calls and messages.

Zachary was shocked. He quickly checked the missed calls and text messages, and found that they were all from Vanessa. It turned out that it was the day of Maxwell Sue's 70th birthday. The banquet would start at 8 pm. "Ah, it's almost half-past six!" Zachary realised. He quickly dialed Vanessa's number.

The call was connected after a few rings. Vanessa's anxious voice was heard, "Hey, Zachary!"

"Vanessa, I'm sorry! I was in the library just now. My phone was on silent mode," Zachary said, "I'll go to the birthday party now."

"It's okay. Err, where are you now?" Vanessa asked.

"I'm still at school. I'll set off right away. I should be able to reach there on time," Zachary said in embarrassment. He had promised Vanessa that he would attend the birthday party, but he had completely forgotten about it. "Oh, you're still at school! I'll pick you up then," Vanessa offered.

"It's okay. I can..." Zachary felt even more embarrassed at the thought of having to trouble Vanessa to pick him up.

"It's okay. I'm just nearby. Besides, it is the evening rush hour now. It'll be very congested on the bus routes and the subways. Please wait for me at the South Gate. I'll be right there," Vanessa said.

Zachary heard the faint roar of an engine before he could reply. Then, Vanessa hung up the phone.

Zachary walked towards the South Gate with his schoolbag on his back.

It was the end of the school day, and students and teachers were walking around.

Many people recognized Zachary as he walked towards the South Gate. They started to talk about the incident regarding his internship certificate from a few days ago.

Zachary ignored them. He took out a book from his bag to read while waiting for Vanessa.

Although modern Chinese medicine was not as good as traditional Chinese medicine, it was still inspiring for him to learn about the integration of Chinese medicine and Western medicine. Zachary was taking in the knowledge with great interest.

Seeing Zachary reading a book at the school gate, more and more people were talking about him.

At this moment, a roaring sound was heard, and the crowd turned their heads, stunned, their eyes filled with curiosity and envy.

A brand-new BMW was parked at the school gate. Although it was not a high-end model or a sports car, it was worth at least 500, 000 yuan. This was already considered a luxurious car for the student population. "Who is that? That car is so cool!"

"Could it be a playboy coming to our school to seek a lover? I've heard that the beauty in the Art Academy seems to be..."

...

Everyone shifted their focus from Zachary to the BMW.

Just as the crowd was engaged in discussion, the car door opened, and a slender figure alighted. Everyone held their breaths when they realised who it was.

It was Vanessa Sue, the campus belle of Ludington Medical College. She was wearing a beige gown, which accentuated her curvy figure. Her face looked perfect under the light makeup. Vanessa looked like a princess from a fairy tale. Everyone couldn't stop staring at her.

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Vanessa looked around, and she soon spotted Zachary by the gate. She waved at him and shouted, "Zachary, over here!"

Zachary had also been stunned when he saw Vanessa, but he quickly regained his senses and returned the book into his bag. After that, he waved back at her with a smile, and then ran over towards the car. "You're so beautiful today!" Zachary praised Vanessa as he got into the car.

Vanessa was slightly stunned, but she soon smiled. As she stepped on the gas pedal, the BMW sped away with a roar.

Everyone at the school gate was left speechless.

"Are the rumors true? Is Vanessa really seeing Zachary?" Someone asked.

"Of course! Have you ;ever seen Vanessa being so nice to a guy?" Another replied.

"I didn't expect that our goddess, Vanessa, would fall in love with that poor boy, Zachary... Tsk tsk!" Someone else chimed in.

...

The people continued to gossip about Vanessa and Zachary after they left.

Zachary didn't expect that Vanessa, who looked quiet and demure, would turn out to be really good at driving. She weaved swiftly among the cars on the street.

They arrived at La Belle Hotel, the most famous five-star hotel in Ludington City, in less than an hour.

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The atmosphere was lively at the hotel's main entrance. A stream of luxurious cars stopped at the entrance, as men and women entered the hotel.

Zachary got out of the car first. Vanessa went to park the car by herself, because there were too many cars and not enough valets.

He suddenly noticed that the men and women were all dressed to the nines in their fancy attire.

Zachary looked down at his casual clothing. His expression turned glum.

He was not feeling inferior because of how he was dressed, but rather, he felt that it would seem impolite for him to be dressed so casually at such a grand occasion. "Should I go and buy a set of new clothes, and change into something that's more appropriate?" He thought.

Just as Zachary was considering whether to change his clothes, a harsh voice was heard from behind him.

"Hey, who is this guy? Dressed like that, and even carrying a school bag. He can't be a guest here, can he?" Someone said.

"Perhaps he is a thief. We should be careful at the party later," said another.

Zachary turned around and saw Vincent and Petty, who were dressed gorgeously, standing in front of a red Mercedes-Benz. They were pointing at Zachary as they criticized him. Upon hearing that, other guests looked at Zachary strangely, and they started to avoid him. Zachary's attire was indeed inappropriate for the banquet.

Vincent and Petty knew that Zachary was there to attend the banquet. They were just trying to humiliate Zachary.

They passed Zachary and walked into the hotel as if they didn't know him.

As soon as they walked into the hotel, a tall man in a white suit went over to greet them. He smiled at Vincent elegantly as he said, "You must be Principal Wu's son, Vincent Wu. Welcome!"

Chapter 13 Arrogant Andrew Loh

Chapter 13 Arrogant Andrew Loh

The young man looked elegant. He was smiling brightly. Vincent, who had always been arrogant, tidied his suit and squeezed out a pretentious smile and replied, "Yes. I'm here to congratulate Master Sue on his 70th birthday. Vanessa and I are classmates and also friends. It seems that she is not here yet."

As for Petty, she was fangirling at this young man. She took a glance at Vincent and felt that this young man was much more charming than Vincent.

The young man took a glance at Petty and smiled. Upon that, Petty had butterflies in her stomach. She was so excited she almost exclaimed. The young man smiled and reached out his right hand to Vincent for a handshake, saying, "I'm Andrew Loh. My grandfather is a friend of Master Sue for many years. I have also known Vanessa since we were knee-high."

"Oh, you're Vanessa's childhood friend!" Petty said. She was still fangirling at Andrew. Vincent was displeased by this.

"Well, you can put it that way," Andrew chuckled. He noticed Vincent's displeasure. Therefore, he quickly invited them into the hotel. "There are still a lot of guests coming. Young Master Wu, this way please!"

Vincent nodded and walked in with Petty. He was both unhappy and angry. It was not because Andrew had offended him. It was merely because Andrew was too kind to him and had a perfect attitude. He was handsome and elegant with an influential family background. In addition, he was Vanessa's childhood friend.

Vincent, who had always been proud of himself as a Young Master, felt that he was outclassed by Andrew. At that moment, he felt that Andrew was more annoying than Zachary.

Perhaps it was out of his hostility towards Andrew, before entering, Vincent turned to Andrew and said with a smile, "Master Sue's birthday party is an important event. It will not be good if someone causes trouble here. Am I right, Mr. Loh?" Andrew, with a smile on his face, followed Vincent's gaze and saw an underdressed guy with a bag on his back standing at the main entrance of La Belle Hotel.

Andrew's face became solemn. He walked over to Zachary and looked at him with a disdainful look. He was no longer smiling.

"Please leave right now. This isn't where you belong!"

Zachary turned around and was about to explain, but his face turned grim when he saw the gaze Andrew was giving him.

Zachary could sense that this guy standing in front of him was extremely condescending. This guy was looking at him with such disdain as if his presence alone was a disgrace.

Zachary was very uncomfortable upon being stared at like that. He hated this attitude very much. As a 'Herbal King', he was absolutely qualified to look down on most people. However, he never treated others with this attitude. He even set a rule to refuse to treat arrogant people like this guy because he thought that everyone should be treated equally.

"Didn't you hear what I said? Don't try my patience. Otherwise, I'll make you suffer." Seeing Zachary standing still, Andrew's tone grew colder.

Zachary didn't back down, he stared at Andrew coldly. "I'm sorry, you have no rights to throw me out. I am Vanessa's friend and she invited me here."

"You're lying. It's impossible for Vanessa to befriend a lowlife. I won't allow her to have such a friend," Andrew said harshly.

"A lowlife?" Zachary repeated his words. Then, he said coldly, "A guy who uses this word to describe others is the real low-life. Moreover, Vanessa doesn't need your permission on what kind of friends she can make."

"You don't know the relationship between Vanessa and I. I don't want to waste any more time on you. The more you talk and the longer you stay here, the more serious the consequences would be for you," Andrew said arrogantly. "Oh, really? I'd like to see what the consequences are," Zachary challenged Andrew. He was not afraid of Andrew at all.

"You..."

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Andrew was furious. He waved for the security guard to come over. He looked at Zachary coldly with disdain.

"Don't let him appear in front of me again. Remember to teach this lowlife a lesson."

Two burly and menacing-looking security guards quickly came over and grabbed Zachary's arms fiercely. They were about to throw him out.

Zachary's expression darkened. He unleashed his power that he had been refining for the past few days. A strong power flowed out from his arms and bounced the two burly security guards away. The guards staggered a few steps back and fell to the ground.

"Is this how you treat your guests at your hotel?" Zachary roared coldly.

"Take him away!" Andrew frowned, looking a little impatient. He didn't want the incident to affect his reception of other guests.

More than a dozen security guards came out and surrounded Zachary. They swung rubber batons in their hands and rushed towards Zachary like hungry wolves.

Looking at those burly security guards, Zachary's face became grave. He contracted the muscles in his arms and they tensed up.

"Hurry up! I don't want to waste my time!" Andrew demanded coldly while waving his hand, signaling the security guards to pick up their pace. 'Whoosh!'

The batons were flung towards Zachary with a whooshing sound.

"Stop!"

At this moment, an angry shout sounded, accompanied by the sound of pair of high heels' ticktack.

Looking in the direction of the voice, they saw Vanessa in a beige dress. Vanessa had just parked her car and was ready to enter the hotel with Zachary. Unexpectedly, she saw more than a dozen security guards besieging Zachary when she approached.

"What are you doing? Is this how you treat the guests?" Vanessa was furious.

The security guards recognized Miss Sue. They looked at Andrew and Vanessa, unsure of what to do next.

The leader of the security guards, who was in his 30s, was clever enough to understand the situation. He stepped forward and explained to Vanessa immediately, "Miss Sue, this is just a misunderstanding. We didn't know this gentleman is a guest!"

"Misunderstanding?" Vanessa raised her voice and her face darkened. "How can you simply beat him even if he is not a guest?"

Vanessa looked at Zachary with concern and asked, "Zachary, did they hurt you? Are you okay?"

Zachary shook his head and glanced at Andrew without a word. Andrew obviously had a close relationship with the Sue family. Otherwise, they wouldn't ask him to welcome the guests. Zachary did not want to put Vanessa in a difficult situation.

Chapter 14 The Birthday Party Began

Chapter 14 The Birthday Party Began

Vanessa noticed Zachary's reaction. She looked at Andrew and questioned coldly, "Andrew, does this matter have something to do with you?"

Facing Vanessa, Andrew quickly resumed his well-groomed manners. He smiled lightly and gazed at Vanessa with affection. His tone grew gentle as well. He did not answer Vanessa's question. He asked gently instead, "Vanessa, is this your friend?"

"He is my savior, Zachary Ching. He is also an honored guest invited by my grandfather," Vanessa said in a deep tone.

"I see. There was some misunderstanding. I hope you do not take it to your heart, Mr. Ching," Andrew bowed slightly and apologized to Zachary.

Andrew tried to wave it off by saying that it was just a misunderstanding. Well, a person would compliment Andrew for being humble if they didn't know the truth.

"I don't think what happened just now was a misunderstanding. I'm afraid I would be lying in a pool of blood now if Vanessa didn't show up on time," Zachary snorted coldly, looking at Andrew with disgust. This hypocritical guy was even more disgusting than rich playboys like Fabian Huang. He continued, "Can I beat you up and say it's also just a misunderstanding?"

"You..." Andrew was a little angry and his smile stiffened.

"Andrew, is what Zachary just said true? How can you treat my friend like this?" Vanessa glared at Andrew, her tone serious.

Andrew could no longer maintain the smile on his face. He became serious gradually. Looking at Vanessa, he nodded and said calmly, "Yup, I did ask the security guards to throw him out."

"Andrew, how can you do this? You..."

"Vanessa, please listen to me. Although I don't know what kind of luck he had to have saved you, I believe such a vulgar person like him is not qualified to be your friend," Andrew said sincerely. He felt that it was natural to treat people from different social statuses differently.

"Andrew, what kind of friends I have is none of your business. And I don't want you to do anything to hurt my friends again," Vanessa was obviously very angry.

However, Andrew looked at Zachary arrogantly and said, "Tell me, how much money do you want? I'll give it to you right away. I know the reason why you cling to Vanessa. You want money."

He took out a stack of check from his suit as he spoke and looked at Zachary contemptuously.

Zachary looked at him coldly and said nothing. It was useless to explain or talk to Andrew about moral values. ;Self-righteous people like him would never listen to others.

"Andrew, shut up!" Vanessa yelled in fury and slapped Andrew.

Andrew covered his reddened cheek with his hand and was stunned. He gnashed his teeth and looked at Vanessa ferociously, saying, "Vanessa, how could you slap me because of a bast*rd! Don't you dare forget that I am your fiancé! I won't allow you to befriend him."

Vanessa looked at Andrew with disgust and said, "Andrew, you're more disgusting than I thought. I will talk to my grandpa about canceling our engagement."

After that, Vanessa turned to Zachary and whispered, "Zachary, I'm sorry!"

Zachary shook his head gently and comforted her softly, "Don't get stirred up by those who are unworthy. Today is Master Sue's 70th birthday. We should be happy."

Vanessa nodded. Then, she stretched out her hand and held Zachary's arm. Both of them then walked into La Belle Hotel together.

Andrew was glaring at them. He gritted his teeth and punched the marble pillar at the main entrance of the hotel, making a dull sound. "Vanessa Sue! You belong to me! No matter if you're willing, you're mine!"

After entering the hotel, Zachary realized that the interior design of La Belle Hotel was more extravagant than the exterior design. There were all kinds of decorations gleaming with magnificent colors. It was so magnificent that it could take anyone's breath away.

A lot of people were entering the main hall at the moment. Zachary glanced around and estimated that there were at least more than 200 people. Some of them were familiar to Zachary. They seemed to be people who were often featured on TV, in the newspapers, and in the magazines of Ludington City.

Vanessa was worried that Zachary would not be used to this kind of occasion. Therefore, she accompanied him the whole time and explained in a low voice, "According to grandpa's personality, we would've only invited some of his old friends and family members to dinner. But, Master Loh came over and organized this banquet. Grandpa also wanted to have a celebration to bring good luck to wash away my bad luck because I was injured last time." Zachary nodded slightly. He asked, "Does Master Loh have a close relationship with Master Sue?"

Upon hearing this, Vanessa was slightly stunned. She whispered, "Master Loh's full name is Yohannes Loh. He learned Chinese medicine together with my grandpa when they were young. Later, Master Loh went to Dravosbrug and gave up studying Chinese medicine. He studied Western medicine instead. As for my grandpa, he focused on the research in Chinese medicine. But, they still keep in touch with each other and have a good relationship."

Vanessa wanted to go on. However, some guests approached and greeted her. Therefore, she halted the conversation to greet the guests.

Zachary arrived on time. It was soon eight o'clock. The light in the hall dimmed as the banquet was about to begin. The lively atmosphere in the hall suddenly quieted down.

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A cluster of lights shone on two old men walking side by side. One of them had silver hair and was dressed in a dark red traditional suit. He seemed to have a good temperament. He was Maxwell Sue.

The other old man, who was walking alongside Maxwell, had silky black and was dressed in an expensive suit. He looked like a British gentleman. He should be Yohannes Loh whom Vanessa had mentioned just now.

Both of them gave a brief speech one after another. Maxwell expressed his gratitude towards the guests whereas Yohannes briefly talked about his relationship with Maxwell. He also wished Maxwell a happy birthday.

After the speech, Yohannes laughed and clapped his hands. Two waiters immediately carried out an exquisite gift box the size of a man.

"I am very happy on my old friend's birthday. I have prepared a gift for him," Yohannes said with a laugh. Then, he waved his hand, signaling the waiters to open the gift box.

As the gift box was opened, everyone couldn't help but exclaim. They were stunned when they saw a huge jade carving more than a meter tall.

The carving of the jade was of the landscape of Mount Tavista. All the animals, plants, rocks, stone steps, and temples were carved exquisitely and vividly. It was absolutely a master's work. On the top of the rock wall, there were two words carved in a lively manner, "Eternal Life".

What was even more amazing was that this large sculpture was actually carved from a whole piece of jade. It was green and crystal-clear, and it was incredibly smooth. It must be a rare precious green jade.

Such a jade carving must be worth at least ten million yuan. Everyone was shocked to see Master Loh's generosity. This also made them curious about his identity.

Chapter 15 Summerise Ginseng

Chapter 15 Summerise Ginseng

"Old friend, you never accepted my gifts in the past. You will have to accept my gift this time." Looking at everyone's astonishment, Yohannes said to Maxwell with a smile.

Maxwell knew his old friend's temperament. Therefore, he smiled and said, "Yohannes, thank you for the gift."

Yohannes burst into laughter. A round of thunderous applause came from below the stage.

After that, the guests came forward and presented their birthday gifts to Maxwell.

The guests were all influential people in Ludington City. Therefore, the gifts were all expensive gifts, including precious herbs, such as ginseng and antler, as well as antique arts such as calligraphy, paintings, and ceramics. The gifts were piled up like a hill.

Vincent, on the other hand, had another way to curry favor with Maxwell. He knew that Maxwell loved his granddaughter very much. Therefore, he focused his target on Vanessa. He presented a lot of luxurious bags and cosmetics, which were particularly eye-catching in the pile of gifts.

After Maxwell received the gifts from all the guests, Yohannes glanced at one side and said to Maxwell with a smile, "Andrew is here as well. He came back from overseas after hearing that you're having a birthday party. He even prepared a gift for you."

Yohannes's jade carving was already staggering enough. It seemed that the gift prepared by Andrew would be an expensive and precious gift as well since Yohannes was personally introducing the gift. Everyone looked on curiously. Andrew, who was wearing a white suit, walked out onto the stage. A gentle smile was pasted on his handsome face. He smiled at Vanessa as if nothing had happened at the main entrance of the hotel just now. His charisma made a lot of young women hold their breath.

He was holding an exquisite mahogany gift box. He smiled and walked towards Master Sue. Then, he bowed to Master Sue and said, "May you be blessed with endless happiness and health."

He opened the mahogany box gently as he spoke. A refreshing fragrance wafted into Maxwell's nose. The smell made him feel refreshed.

"Summerise Ginseng!"

Even Master Sue could not help but cry out the name of the gift when he saw it.

Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned. This was even more shocking than the huge jade carving.

Some guests, who did not fathom the situation, asked around in a low voice. They were stunned as well as they figured it out.

Summerise Ginseng was a legendary precious herb. It was said to be legendary because this kind of herb should not exist in the world by natural law.

Those who knew about Chinese medicine knew that ginseng and Summerise Herb were common herbs. Ginseng was a nourishing herb whereas Summerise Herb had a cooling effect on the body. These two herbs acted oppositely in the human body.

Summerise Ginseng was a hybrid of ginseng and Summerise Herb. It combined the characteristics of these two herbs, which were nourishing and cooling. Therefore, these two effects could compensate for the flaws of each other. Summerise Ginseng was a nutritious medicine with good pharmacological effects. It was especially good for the elderly in improving their physical health and prolonging their lifespan.

To put it in an exaggerated way, Summerise Ginseng was almost equivalent to the miraculous life-prolonging medicine that was mentioned in fantasy novels.

Even Zachary was a little shocked. This medicine was so rare that it could seldom be seen. Although he was a Herbal King, he had seen it only twice or thrice by chance. He did not expect that Andrew could get his hands on such a precious herb.

"This gift is too valuable," Master Sue came back to his senses and said to Andrew.

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Andrew smiled and said, "No matter how valuable it is, it's going to be worth it as long as it could prolong your life."

"Maxwell, he tried very hard to get this gift for you. Please don't reject him," Yohannes persuaded Maxwell with a smile.

"Thank you for your effort!" Master Sue sighed lightly.

After Andrew presented his gift, it would be Vanessa's turn. Vanessa gave Maxwell a Peace Talisman. Maxwell accepted it happily and carried it with him. A round of applause sounded. Although this was a very common gift, it was the thought that counted because Vanessa was Maxwell's beloved granddaughter.

After the gifts session, everyone was about to toast Maxwell.

All of a sudden, Andrew walked up to Vanessa's side. He pointed to the corner of the hall and said with a smile, "Vanessa, is that your friend?"

Everyone, including Vanessa, looked in the direction where Andrew was pointing his finger at. Their gazes fell on Zachary, who was eating pastries in the corner of the hall.

"Yup," Vanessa responded. She had a bad feeling about this. Zachary had a conflict with Andrew at the main entrance of the hotel just now. Therefore, it was obvious that Andrew was going to seek vengeance on Zachary now. Before Vanessa could think of a solution, Andrew held a glass of wine and continued to say with a smile, "We must treat him well since he is your friend. We must have manners!" Andrew deliberately emphasized the word "manners". The guests felt something fishy upon hearing what Andrew said. All of a sudden, Petty said, "It seems that he hasn't given Master Sue a birthday present yet. Could it be that he is not a guest? He's just here for the free food!" As a result, everyone looked at Zachary differently now.

Zachary's attire grabbed everyone's attention. They clearly remembered that this guy dressed in casual clothing had not given a birthday gift to Maxwell yet.

The guests started gossiping about him. They even looked at him with disdain.

Upon seeing this, Zachary frowned. He did not care about what others thought about him. He was just very unhappy with Andrew for seeking vengeance on him.

Zachary realized that he should have prepared a gift for Maxwell when he saw everyone presenting their birthday gifts to Maxwell. However, he came in a hurry and did not have time to prepare a gift. Therefore, he had decided to prepare a gift for Maxwell after he went home from the banquet.

Vanessa rushed over and stood in front of Zachary. She explained to the crowd, "Zachary is my friend. He is an honored guest whom my grandpa has invited."

Master Sue noticed the situation as well. He smiled and walked over quickly when he saw Zachary. He held Zachary's hand with a smile on his face.

"Zachary, you're here. I didn't see you just now. I thought you rejected Vanessa's invite! Let me raise my glass to you," Maxwell raised a glass of wine and bowed slightly to Zachary. The guests were all stunned. They did not know what to say. The poor boy, whom they thought was here for the free food, was being treated by Maxwell in such a polite manner.

Chapter 16 The Challenge From Andrew Loh

Chapter 16 The Challenge From Andrew Loh

"Master Sue, you're too courteous. Today is your 70th birthday. And it is my turn to toast you," Zachary said while raising his glass and bowing to Maxwell.

Maxwell laughed and drank up his glass of wine in one gulp. Then, he took Zachary to the center of the hall. Under the puzzled looks of the guests, Maxwell patted Zachary on the shoulder and said loudly to the crowd, "My granddaughter, Vanessa, got into an accident a few days ago, and was severely injured. It was Dr. Ching who saved her life. So, this is the best birthday gift for me."

Maxwell's words managed to help Zachary out of the awkward predicament.

Zachary was touched by what Maxwell did for him. He suddenly had an idea when he glanced at his school bag. He said to Maxwell, "Master Sue, I have a little thing with me right now. I want to give it to you as your birthday present. I hope you like it."

Zachary quickly took out a plastic bag from his bag. A piece of black mahjong-sized paste was wrapped inside. Zachary handed it to Maxwell and said, "Master Sue, I made this medicinal paste myself. It's called refining ointment. Besides strengthening the body, it has an energizing effect as well."

Looking at the black paste, the guests burst into laughter. Everyone was gossiping about Zachary sarcastically.

Moments ago, they were just wondering why Zachary was so lucky to be the benefactor of Maxwell. Unexpectedly, Zachary gave Maxwell a black paste as his birthday present. He even said he made it himself. What a big joke! Maxwell was also stunned for a moment. Then, he took Zachary's gift with a smile on his face and kept it properly instead of adding it to the pile of gifts. Upon seeing this small gesture, the guests stopped laughing at Zachary. Andrew walked to Yohannes's side with a sullen face when Zachary was giving the gift to Maxwell. Andrew pointed towards Zachary and Vanessa while whispering something to his grandfather.

After listening, Yohannes frowned slightly. After pondering for a moment, he said something to Andrew. Then, both of them smiled.

Yohannes came over and said with a smile while Maxwell was still chatting with Zachary, "There are a lot of talents amongst the younger generation. I bet your medical skills should be very good since Maxwell likes you so much. Which hospital are you from?"

Maxwell explained to him before Zachary could say anything, "Yohannes, Zachary is still a student of Ludington Medical College."

"I see. A student of Chinese medicine. Although I'm a Western medicine practitioner now, I've also learned Chinese medicine when I was young. I was Maxwell's classmate. Zachary, why don't you take this opportunity to show us some of your medical skills?" Yohannes said with a smile. He sounded as if he was a senior caring for his junior.

However, Zachary, who had gone through so much in his life, sensed the hidden motive. He looked at Andrew and understood what was going on. He said coldly, "Chinese medicine is not acrobatics. It is used to cure diseases and save lives, not for playing tricks."

Yohannes stopped smiling immediately after hearing what Zachary said. A young bast*rd was teaching Yohannes, who was famously known as Professor Loh in the Capital City, a lesson. Yohannes turned gloomy and snorted, "It's normal for young people to be arrogant. But, it's not good to go overboard!"

Andrew was angry when he saw Zachary disrespecting his grandfather. He strode over and quipped, "You don't even dare to show us your medical skills. How dare you talk about saving people's lives. I guess the Chinese medicine and the sh*tty paste you just talked about, are all just bullsh*t!"

Anger welled up within Maxwell's chest when he heard Andrew insulting Chinese medicine. However, he suppressed his anger and stopped the argument. He said to Yohannes, "Yohannes, young people have different temperaments from us old men. Please don't misunderstand him."

Yohannes did not say anything. However, it was obvious that he was very unhappy. Andrew said to Maxwell, "Master Sue, please forgive me for being rude."

After a short pause, Andrew looked at Zachary coldly and said in a serious tone, "I'll challenge you. Do you dare to accept this challenge? If you lose, I want you to kneel down to Master Sue and Vanessa, and get out of here with your sh*tty paste. This is not a place for you to fake your reputation."

"Andrew Loh!" Vanessa's face was gloomy.

Looking at Vanessa, Andrew softened his tone and put on a caring and gentle look. He said, "Vanessa, I just don't want you to be tricked. I will let you see his true colors soon."

Maxwell did not expect things to turn out like this. Yohannes was his old friend whereas Zachary was the savior of his granddaughter. He uttered helplessly, "Andrew..."

However, Yohannes patted Maxwell on the shoulder before Maxwell could say anything. "Maxwell, it's normal for young people to be impulsive. It's not good to restrain them. Why don't we let them have a try? This'll also be a competition between Chinese medicine and Western medicine. I'll ask Andrew to apologize to Zachary if he loses."

Upon hearing what Yohannes said, the guests were excited to watch the challenge between Zachary and Andrew, which involved Chinese medicine and Western medicine.

The situation was a little out of control. Maxwell could only let out a sigh and comforted his infuriated granddaughter.

"How are you going to challenge me?" Zachary asked coldly.

Andrew paused. Then, he smiled and said loudly, "Since it's a competition of medical skills, the best way to test our skills is to make a diagnosis on the spot."

After a slight pause, Andrew continued, "We will pick a guest. Then, the guest will be diagnosed by both of us. The person who can diagnose the guest's medical condition correctly will be the winner." After saying that, Andrew looked at Zachary.

If you're loving the book, nel5s.org is where the adventure continues. Join us for the complete experience all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! "Sure," Zachary replied flatly.

The challenge had been confirmed. The one who lost would also lose their face. Maxwell did not want this to happen. Therefore, he was very anxious.

However, Yohannes was smiling. He pulled Maxwell to sit down and said, "Maxwell, you and I are both old. It's time to find out the standards of the younger generation." Andrew stepped forward and said to the guests with a smile, "May I know who is willing to be involved in this challenge?"

Andrew said with a smile on his face and a gentle voice, looking handsome and elegant.

Unexpectedly, everyone took a few steps back as soon as he finished speaking. Even those young women who were fangirling at Andrew looked reluctant. There were more than 200 people in the hall. However, none of them were willing to be involved in the challenge.

Andrew was stunned, looking a little embarrassed.

Chapter 17 You Have Kidney Failure

Chapter 17 You Have Kidney Failure

Zachary narrowed his eyes and shook his head slightly. He sighed, "Andrew was so arrogant and thought that everything would always be under his control."

However, he forgot that almost everyone present in the hall was influential people in Ludington City. They would not be willing to expose their medical conditions in front of the public. Thus, no one was willing to give him cooperation. After taking a glance at Andrew, who was embarrassed, Zachary said, "Well, why don't we diagnose each other since no one is willing to participate in this challenge?" "Make a diagnosis for each other?"

Not only Andrew, but the guests were also slightly surprised. They were interested in this idea.

Andrew thought about it quickly. Although it was a great idea to diagnose each other, there was a problem with this idea. If Zachary did not want to tell the truth, Andrew couldn't do anything to prove his diagnosis correct even after diagnosing Zachary accurately. It would be impossible for him to take Zachary to the hospital to verify his diagnosis.

Thinking of this, Andrew could not help but hesitate.

It seemed that Zachary had seen through what Andrew was thinking. Zachary snorted and said, "Many guests here are doctors. Master Sue is here as well. You can ask them to diagnose me if you're worried that I won't admit my medical condition."

Zachary exposed Andrew's thoughts directly. This made him seem to be a magnanimous person. On the other hand, this made Andrew seem petty.

Andrew was furious. He gritted his teeth and said, "Okay, let's diagnose each other then!"

"You can start first!" Zachary sat down directly and said to Andrew.

Andrew came over and sat down in front of Zachary. He instructed, "Please raise your head and open your mouth. I'm going to start the examination."

Zachary did according to what he said. Andrew leaned forward slightly as if he was examining Zachary. Instead, he whispered in Zachary's ear, "You lowlife! I will definitely make you crawl out of here."

Zachary narrowed his eyes and glared at Andrew coldly.

Under Zachary's glare, Andrew felt a chill running down his spine. He calmed himself down and started to examine Zachary carefully.

It took Andrew a quarter of an hour to examine Zachary, including his mouth, nose, eyes, hands, and feet. He even obtained a stethoscope to examine Zachary.

After examining Zachary, Andrew smiled confidently. He looked at the guests and announced loudly, "Your muscles are weak, and your tongue is slightly dark-colored. Your heart is a little weak as well. According to my diagnosis, you're suffering from mild iron-deficiency anemia and Vitamin D deficiency."

After giving such a specific diagnosis result, the guests could not help but nod their heads and then looked at Zachary.

Zachary said directly, "Your diagnosis is correct."

Zachary was initially weak and malnourished because of his poor family background and constant fatigue. After taking the refining potion for one week, he recovered a lot. However, his body was still quite weak.

The guests were all stunned when Zachary admitted his medical condition without hesitation. Andrew was stunned as well. However, he came back to his senses quickly and felt happy because there was a high chance for him to be the winner of this competition now.

"This is the medicine I prescribe for you," Andrew said proudly while writing a prescription. Then, he threw it to Zachary and continued, "The medicine I have prescribed for you is a new medicine from overseas. It's very effective and you will be as good as new in three days."

"But, the price is a little high. It costs one hundred and twenty thousand yuan. I don't know if you can afford it," Andrew said sarcastically.

Upon seeing this, Vanessa, who was standing beside her grandfather, was angry and anxious. She was enraged by Andrew's arrogance and rudeness. She was also worried that Zachary might lose the competition.

Zachary seemed to have noticed Vanessa's reaction. He ignored Andrew and gazed at Vanessa with a smile.

It was a simple action and a faint smile. However, they calmed Vanessa for some reason. It was an unspeakable feeling.

Seeing Zachary making eye contact with Vanessa, Andrew was furious. He snapped instantly, "Your turn."

After saying this, Andrew stretched out his right arm and said in a bad tone, "Take my pulse now!" He didn't want Zachary, whom he perceived as a lowlife, to touch his body.

Seeing Andrew's outstretched right arm, Zachary did not move at all. He looked at Andrew's face quietly.

"What are you doing? Are you scared now?"

Zachary shook his head and said with a faint smile, "No. I've already finished my diagnosis."

"What? You..."

This caused an uproar in the hall.

"Well, what's your diagnosis then?" Andrew sneered and took back his arm. He would not admit it no matter what Zachary said.

Zachary paused for a moment and said, "Chinese medicine involves seeing, smelling, asking, and feeling. The most important component is seeing. You're suffering from kidney failure as a result of overactivity in sex." Everyone was stunned. Those young women who were fangirling over Andrew were whispering to each other now.

"I didn't expect such a handsome man to be so useless!"

"Don't tell me that he can only last ten seconds. It's useless to have such a handsome face!"

"It seems that he is not a good person since he is overactive in sex at such a young age."

....

"Nonsense..." Andrew was furious. He was about to deny it.

Zachary stepped forward at this moment and put his right hand on his waist. Then, he applied pressure to an acupoint on the waist.

"Ah!" Andrew shouted in pain after Zachary applied pressure on it. He grimaced in pain and his face was covered in sweat.

"I was pressing on your Kidnity acupoint just now. The more pain you feel after applying pressure on it, the more serious your kidney failure is," Zachary explained.

The guests were doubtful. Many people pressed the acupoint on their waists and some of them let out a cry of pain. It seemed that there were a lot of people suffering from kidney failure in this era. "It's impossible..."

Andrew's face was pale. He still wanted to deny it. However, Maxwell started talking.

"Kidnity acupoint and Centerfoot acupoint are two acupoints that are related to the kidneys. The health of the kidney can be examined from these two acupoints. So, this method can be used by anyone for self-examination." Maxwell had agreed with Zachary's diagnosis indirectly.

"Two taels of donkey-hide gelatin, three maces of cohosh, one tael of Jatamansi... to be taken for one week." Zachary wrote out the prescription swiftly and threw it to Andrew.

Andrew was gloomy. Looking at the prescription, he didn't know whether he should take it. It would mean that he agreed with Zachary's diagnosis if he took it. However, it would not be good to reject it as well.

Chapter 18 Relentless Pestering

Chapter 18 Relentless Pestering

Yohannes, who was sitting at the side, said in a deep voice while Andrew was still in a dilemma, "Andrew, you should thank Dr. Ching for his prescription."

Andrew understood what Yohannes was trying to say. Maxwell had indirectly agreed with Zachary's diagnosis. Therefore, there would be no point for Andrew to argue with Zachary. Denying it would make Andrew seem to be a petty person. Both of them would be on a tie if he agreed with Zachary.

After thinking about it through, Andrew took out his handkerchief and wiped the sweat off his face. Then, he took the prescription and said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome. The medicine is worth one yuan and twenty cents only. I'm sure you can afford it," Zachary said faintly. However, Andrew felt as if Zachary was teasing him.

"You don't have to be so complacent. This competition is a draw. You didn't win," Andrew said.

Everyone was discussing again upon hearing Andrew's words. Both of them could diagnose accurately and prescribe the right medicine.

However, Andrew took 15 minutes to diagnose the patient. He even needed a stethoscope to help with his diagnosis. On the other hand, Zachary took less than 10 seconds to observe Maxwell for a diagnosis. Moreover, the medicine prescribed by Andrew needed 120, 000 yuan whereas the medicine prescribed by Zachary cost one yuan and twenty cents only. It was very clear whose diagnosis was more practical.

Zachary was better than Andrew in terms of diagnosis speed and prescribing cost-effective medicine. However, Andrew insisted on a draw between them. This made him seem to be less magnanimous.

Andrew was a little anxious at this moment. He had always been accustomed to being adored by everyone. He did not expect a person from a low social class to outshine him. Also, this person even told everyone about Andrew's embarrassing medical condition, and flirted with his fiancée.

Thinking of this, anger welled up within Andrew's chest. He was so angry that he wished he could kill Zachary.

Andrew tried to suppress his anger and looked at Zachary, saying, "Well, do you dare to challenge me again since it was a tie just now?"

The crowd burst into an uproar. They did not expect Andrew to challenge Zachary again.

Zachary raised his eyebrows slightly and did not mean to argue with him about the so-called draw. He thought for a moment and said, "Okay. But, you must apologize to me and stop insulting Chinese medicine if you lose." "Okay," Andrew said, gnashing his teeth.

"Well, let's get started. How are we going to compete?" Zachary said, letting Andrew make the decision again.

Andrew took a deep breath. He glanced at Zachary, and then looked at Maxwell. He had an idea and whispered inwardly, "You bast*rd. I won't give you another chance this time. I'll show you how good I am in Western medicine." After taking a deep breath and thinking for a moment, Andrew looked at Maxwell. He bowed and said respectfully, "Master Sue, I hope we can diagnose you in this competition."

"Diagnose me?" Master Sue said in surprise. Then, he seemed to think of something and frowned slightly.

However, Yohannes said with a smile, "Maxwell, although you are an experienced Chinese physician, we are old and will definitely have some illness. Andrew is doing this for your sake."

It was hard for Maxwell to reject Andrew after hearing what Yohannes said. Therefore, Maxwell nodded and said, "Well, I'll let them diagnose me then."

"Thank you, Master Sue," Andrew said. Then, he looked at Zachary confidently.

Zachary nodded and stepped forward.

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"Let's make our diagnosis separately. Then, we have to write down the diagnosis results on a piece of paper. Master Sue will be the judge," Andrew explained the rules. Then, he looked at Zachary and said, "After you." Without a word, Zachary stepped forward and said, "Sorry to offend you, Master Sue."

Maxwell waved his hand and said with a smile, "It's okay, Zachary. You don't have to worry about anything. Just try your best to diagnose me."

Zachary examined Maxwell for half a minute. He thought for a while and then stepped forward to take Maxwell's pulse. He also gently pressed some parts of Maxwell's body with his left hand at the same time.

Zachary nodded after three minutes. Then, he retreated and wrote down the diagnosis results on a piece of paper. "I'm done."

Andrew was shocked to see Zachary diagnosed Maxwell so fast. He quickly stepped forward and said with a smile, "Master Sue, I'll start examining you now." Then, he began to examine Maxwell.

It was obvious the speed of Andrew's examination was much faster than the previous round of the competition. He didn't even use the stethoscope at all. He smiled and retreated after two minutes, saying, "Master Sue, I have finished the diagnosis."

"Please show us the diagnosis results," Yohannes spoke with a smile.

Andrew wrote the diagnosis result on a piece of paper swiftly. Then, he raised the paper confidently and smiled proudly.

"Mild blood clot, mild muscle degeneration, and chronic nerve damage in the right pinkie," someone read out the diagnosis result from Andrew.

"Maxwell, how's it?" Yohannes asked with a smile.

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Maxwell nodded. "The diagnosis result from Andrew is very accurate. These are indeed my medical conditions. A lot of doctors miss the diagnosis of the chronic nerve damage in my right pinkie."

After listening to Maxwell's words, everyone looked at Andrew differently. Although Andrew had kidney failure, it seemed he had good medical skills. The medical knowledge he learned overseas was quite useful indeed. Andrew beamed and glanced at Zachary, feeling proud.

"Zachary, what about yours?" Maxwell asked.

Everyone was shocked when Zachary showed them his paper.

He had written half a page full of words. ;Before even reading his diagnosis result, one could tell it was obviously different from Andrew's.

Maxwell had agreed with Andrew's diagnosis result. Everyone couldn't help but look at Zachary in doubt.

Petty glanced at Zachary and said begrudgingly, "Could it be that he wrote down all the common old age diseases without any diagnosis? Maybe he wants to try his luck."

After hearing what Petty said, the crowd nodded in agreement.

Andrew's excitement was palpable upon observing the crowd's reaction. He asked, "Mr. Ching, why are you quiet? Have they guessed it right?"

Ignoring everyone else, Zachary looked at Maxwell with a smile.

Maxwell's face was frozen at this point. After a long while, he came back to his senses and exclaimed, "This... is amazing. If I didn't know it, I would have thought that Zachary was living in my house.

Chapter 19 Unexpected Circumstance

Chapter 19 Unexpected Circumstance

"What?" The crowd asked curiously upon hearing Maxwell's exclamation.

Maxwell read out the diagnosis result from Zachary, "Mild blockage of blood vessels, mild muscle weakness secondary to degeneration, and chronic nerve damage in the right-hand pinkie."

The front part of the diagnosis was the same as that of Andrew. However, the diagnosis result from Zachary was not finished yet.

"Occasional tinnitus in the left ear, mild presbyopia..." The rest of the page was full of such specific yet unnoticeable symptoms.

"There are more than 20 symptoms listed here and they are all extremely accurate. I wouldn't have realized it if Zachary didn't write it down. There will be more problems as I age," Maxwell sighed and said. He confirmed that Zachary's diagnosis was correct.

The guests were also shocked. Their impression of Zachary had changed.

Zachary had not only diagnosed Maxwell's three major symptoms, he also pointed out more than twenty mild symptoms. Such medical skills were astonishing.

Petty, who had just slandered Zachary, was despised by many people at this moment.

Andrew's face darkened and he was no longer smiling. His fair hands clenched into fists, trembling with anger.

In order to be faster than Zachary in diagnosing the medical conditions, Andrew didn't carry out a thorough examination. And because he did not have the relevant instruments to aid in his diagnosis, he was only able to diagnose the chronic nerve damage in Maxwell's right pinkie because he had heard this from his grandfather before. Unexpectedly, that lowlife bast*rd could diagnose it and even describe the symptoms more accurately and thoroughly than Andrew did. After taking a glance at Yohannes and Andrew, Maxwell looked at Zachary with an apologetic face, "Both of you managed to diagnose my condition. You two are young talents. Medical skills are about treating patients and saving people's lives. Well, I think this is the end of the competition."

Maxwell said this for the sake of his old friend to prevent Andrew from being humiliated.

However, Andrew, who was determined to win the second round to humiliate Zachary, couldn't accept the result of their challenge.

He glared at Zachary while gnashing his teeth, and said, "The diagnosis of medical conditions is just the first step. The most important part of treating patients is to cure their diseases and save their lives. Master Sue, I can cure your illnesses right now."

As soon as he finished speaking, Andrew clapped his hands and brought a machine the size of a mobile phone. He said to Maxwell, "Master Sue, this is the latest muscular massage device. I was involved in this research when I was overseas. With the latest high-frequency ultrasound vibration technology, it can cure muscle degeneration and nerve damage effectively."

Then, Andrew took out a small glass bottle the size of a finger. The bottle contained a bright green liquid. He said, "Master Sue, this is the essence extracted from Summerise Ginseng. After taking it and using the massage device, you will be able to see the pharmacological effect after a quarter of an hour. Your diseases will be cured completely within a week."

Vanessa walked over with a solemn face before Andrew could pass the liquid to Maxwell. She stopped in front of Andrew and said sternly, "Andrew, I won't let grandpa take this unknown medicine."

"Vanessa, this is not an unknown medicine. This is the essence of the Summerise Ginseng. Do you think I will hurt Master Sue?" "You..."

Vanessa was so angry that she did not know what to say. Maxwell waved his hand, interrupting Vanessa. Then, he smiled, and took the medicine and massage device. "Andrew has a good intention. I'll just give it a try then. I'm already old anyway."

"Grandpa!" Vanessa said worriedly. She knew her grandfather's medical conditions well. He had sought treatment from a lot of Chinese physicians and doctors. However, his illnesses could not be cured. He couldn't move his finger at all. This greatly impacted his quality of life.

Andrew was just trying to defeat Zachary. Therefore, he didn't think much about it. He put on the massage device on Maxwell quickly. After seeing Maxwell taking the medicine, he said confidently, "Master Sue, please don't worry. I was involved in the research of this device. It is very effective. It will definitely cure your illness."

"I hope so," Maxwell smiled and wiped the residual liquid at the corner of his mouth.

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The massage device buzzed in the silent hall. Everyone was focusing on Maxwell.

"My fingers seem to be getting warm," Maxwell stated with a smile after a while.

"Master Sue, this indicates that this device is taking effect on you. The muscle is slowly regenerating," Andrew explained proudly while looking at Zachary provocatively.

"It's getting hotter and hotter," Master Sue said. His cheeks were becoming ruddy. Everyone was amazed by this. They began to discuss where they could get the massage device and Summerise Ginseng. "The medicine is exerting its pharmacological effect. We will see the result soon," Andrew said.

All of a sudden, Zachary's facial expression changed. He rushed forward and shouted, "Stop!"

Andrew had been staring at Zachary the whole time. He stretched out his arms to block Zachary when he saw Zachary rushing towards them. "What are you doing?"

Zachary glanced at Maxwell's cheeks, which were growing redder. He said anxiously, "There's something wrong with your medicine. Stop the device now."

"What nonsense are you talking about!" Andrew sneered. He blocked Zachary's way and continued, "You realize that I'm going to cure Master Sue soon. So, you're just trying to stop me. You're so ridiculous!" "Go away!" Zachary was angered and he shoved Andrew away. Andrew fell to the ground, rolling a few times before coming to a stop.

"Bast*rd! How dare you..." Seeing his grandson being pushed, Yohannes glared at Zachary and shouted.

Maxwell gasped, "It's too hot!"

"Grandpa!" Vanessa cried out when she saw her grandfather's face steaming and red hot. She immediately knew something had gone wrong. She screamed and ran over to her grandfather. Zachary rushed over quickly. He pulled the massage device on Maxwell's hands away and put him flat on the ground. Then, he put his fingers on Maxwell's wrist and began to take his pulse. Everyone fell into dead silence. No one expected that the medical device from overseas would cause such a life-threatening condition.

Andrew laid on the ground and looked at Maxwell who had fallen into a coma, muttering, "Why would this happen? It's impossible..."

Yohannes glared at Andrew and strode over, ready to help. However, he was stopped by Vanessa.

Zachary's facial expression became grave after diagnosing the condition. He ripped off Maxwell's shirt and took out a set of silver needles from his bag. He moved as fast as lightning performing the acupuncture on Maxwell.

Within moments, Maxwell's chest was stabbed with a bunch of needles in the blink of an eye. The needles were still spinning after being stabbed into the chest. An intermittent red line appeared on Maxwell's chest. This method was known as Firstie Spike, which was the first spike of Zachary's Miraculous Nine Spikes.

After performing the acupuncture, Zachary did not stop. He pinched Maxwell's right wrist. Then, he bent his thumb and pressed it hard into Maxwell's palm.

After a few minutes of treatment, Maxwell's face, which was red hot, finally cooled down and returned to its normal color.

Upon seeing this, Zachary let out a long sigh of relief. His forehead was covered in a layer of sweat. He looked extremely exhausted.

Chapter 20 The Cause of Illness

Chapter 20 The Cause of Illness

Vanessa's heart skipped a beat. She had an indescribable feeling. She took out a handkerchief, squatted beside Zachary, and wiped the sweat off his face.

She asked, "Is grandpa okay?"

Zachary nodded slightly and then shook his head gently, saying, "I have already performed the acupuncture to stabilize his condition. But, his illness will fluctuate if I pull out the needles. We have to find out the cause of the illness." "How could this happen? Zachary, you must save Grandpa!"

Zachary nodded and stood up. He walked over to Andrew with a serious look and asked coldly, "Where did you get the Summerise Ginseng?"

Andrew was so furious he almost lost his temper when he saw Vanessa being so intimate with Zachary. Therefore, he ignored Zachary's questions and asked angrily, "What do you mean? Are you saying that there is something wrong with my medicine?"

"Isn't that so?"

"That's impossible. The medicine has undergone extensive research overseas. The clinical trials had already been performed on animals. So, it's impossible that there's anything wrong with the medicine!" Andrew shouted. Vanessa stood up and said in a serious tone, "Andrew, stop arguing and tell Zachary everything you know for the sake of my grandpa."

Andrew wanted to continue refuting. However, Yohannes walked over and said in a low voice, "Andrew, Master Sue's condition is our top priority now."

"It's impossible that there's anything wrong with my medicine," Andrew glared at Zachary and argued again. But since his grandfather had voiced out, he reluctantly said, "I used the latest DNA replication technology to combine the DNA of Summerise Herb and ginseng and cultivated it with the latest technology. The medicine has passed the clinical trials. So, there must be no problem with the medicine."

"DNA replication technology," Zachary repeated Andrew's words while thinking about it. He recalled what he had studied from his books. All of a sudden, he seemed to realize something. He asked, "What did you use as the cultivation media for Summerise Herb?"

"We use a nutritional solution specially made by us, with the amino acids and catalytic enzymes needed by the plants, which you, a Chinese medicine practitioner, don't understand. It's useless talking to you about all these. Anyway, there must be no problem with my medicine," Andrew said.

"How long did it take for you to cultivate Summerise Ginseng?" Zachary asked again.

"One month. We cultivated it in a controlled laboratory environment. So, it grows much faster."

Andrew was very confident in his own research. However, Zachary narrowed his eyes and said, "This is the problem!"

"What do you mean? Are you trying to say that Master Sue's illness is caused by my medicine?" Andrew shouted. "I have a Ph. D. in Medicine from Harvard University in the United States. How can you slander my reputation!"

"Shut up!" Zachary roared. He glared at Andrew and said coldly, "There's nothing wrong with the medicine. You're the one who caused this."

"How dare you slander my medical skills. You are talking nonsense!" Andrew countered angrily.

Yohannes spoke out to help his grandson, "Dr. Ching, you are still young. Please mind your words."

It was very obvious that Yohannes was warning Zachary. But Zachary said loudly as if he didn't hear Yohannes, "Many of the guests here are doctors. They should understand the fact that any problem that arose during a treatment could only be caused by an incompetent doctor, not the medicine."

"The nature of the medicine itself is pre-determined. Its the responsibility of a doctor to use the right medication at the right time. Certain poisonous drugs could be used as the medication to treat patients if the medicine is used for the right diagnosis at the right time. And certain good medicine could poison the patients if the medicine isn't used at the right time."

Zachary was very convincing. The crowd couldn't help but nod their heads, agreeing with Zachary. Arsenic was well-known for its poisonous nature. However, there were a lot of medical cases that involved using arsenic to treat patients. "You... only know how to talk nonsense. You are just a lousy doctor. You're blaming me because you can't find the cause of the illness," Andrew panicked when he saw the crowd agreeing with Zachary.

Zachary looked at Andrew coldly. He grew angrier because Andrew was a hypocritical and vicious person. Maxwell fell ill because of Andrew's treatment. Everyone saw what happened. Yet, he still wanted to push his responsibilities away to protect his reputation.

"I'll tell you the cause of the illness now!" Zachary spoke loudly, "The natural Summerise Ginseng grows by coincidence in nature. It usually grows deep in the jungle and its growth cycle is very long. It needs more than 30 years on average to grow before it can be harvested for medical purposes."

"But, your Summerise Ginseng was cultivated and harvested within a month. You even used all kinds of tonics to cultivate the Summerise Ginseng. The Summerise Ginseng cultivated in such a way is much more potent than the ones grown in nature."

"If this Summerise Ginseng is given to an ordinary adult, nothing terrible will happen. But, Master Sue is old and frail. How could his body bear the potent effects of your medicine? What made things worse was that you think you are smart enough to use the so-called high-tech massage device to accelerate the drug absorption. But, the drug itself already has an effect on accelerating blood circulation. So, using the massage device together with the medicine is what causes Master Sue to fall sick."

Although many people present were not Chinese physicians, Zachary's explanation was simple and understandable. Therefore, everyone understood what he said. They were surprised and admired his medical skills.

As for Andrew, his face was pale. Sweat was dripping down his face. His legs went weak and he almost fell to the ground. Zachary was too lazy to pay attention to him. He knew a way to treat Maxwell after figuring out the cause of the illness.

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He searched Maxwell's pocket for a while and then took out a plastic bag. It was the refining ointment, which was the gift Zachary gave to Maxwell.

Zachary opened the plastic bag and broke off a small piece of the hardened paste. He handed it to Vanessa and said, "Dissolve it in warm water and let Master Sue take it."

Vanessa quickly poured some water to dissolve the paste and fed the medicine to her grandfather.

Maxwell's complexion was obviously better in less than a quarter of an hour after taking the medicine. His complexion gradually returned to normal. Zachary then removed the silver needles from Maxwell's body. Maxwell opened his eyes slowly a few minutes later. He had finally regained his consciousness. Although his face was still a little red, he looked just fine.

Maxwell moved his body slightly and Vanessa quickly told him what had just happened.

Maxwell smiled gratefully, "Zachary, thank you very much. I might've died if you aren't here today."

"Master Sue, it's my duty as a doctor to save lives."

"Good boy!" Maxwell laughed and said while waving his hand. He asked curiously, "The refining ointment you gave me is really amazing. Not only am I cured, I also feel that my muscles are full of energy."

Zachary said, "I formulated it myself. It can help to accelerate blood circulation and stabilize the Qi. Its main effect is strengthening your body's health. Your strength will be comparable to that of two or three young people after taking this medicine for a period of time."

"I'm so lucky to have such a good thing," Maxwell said. He did not doubt Zachary's words at all.