Chapter 21: The Herbal Shop of Another World

Chapter 21: The Apothecary in a Strange World

“Oh, I think there’s a place that specializes in selling those things,” Lasse said thoughtfully after a moment.

“Really? That’s wonderful! I could just kiss you!” Ye Tian exclaimed, hugging Lasse with delight. Now, not only was there hope for the girl's medicine, but also for Ani's.

“Take me there!” Ye Tian said to Lasse, who was still blushing.

“Oh, okay,” Lasse hurriedly replied, snapping back to reality. “Tian, is your wound alright?” He shivered at the memory of that cicada-like creature burrowing into Ye Tian’s body earlier.

“It’s nothing. I’ll be fine in a while. Let’s hurry,” Ye Tian replied.

“Alright, sure.”

“Ani, Lisa, could you two help bathe this girl? Make sure to clean her thoroughly. And here, take these. Swallow one each and wear these gloves—be careful, they’re for poison protection,” Ye Tian took out a small bottle, poured out two pills for Ani, and handed over a pair of deerskin gloves.

“I have gloves like those,” Mara said cautiously.

“You do?” Ye Tian was surprised.

“Yes, I have some like these,” Mara quickly produced a pair of thin rubber gloves.

“Oh, these are good. Do you have any more?” Ye Tian asked.

“They’re only a copper coin a pair, very cheap,” Mara said, a little embarrassed. Ye Tian glanced at Lasse, who had a mischievous smile.

“I had no idea,” Ye Tian said helplessly.

“Let’s go buy the herbs you need,” Lasse suggested.

“Yes, thank you both,” Ye Tian instructed. Then he and Lasse left Mara’s house together.

In a corner of the small town, Lasse pointed to a shop. “That’s the place.”

“This one?” Ye Tian looked at the dilapidated little shop, which stood out among the bustling, lively shops nearby.

“There aren’t many alchemists left on the continent these days, and good ones are even rarer. Most who come here are magic apprentices buying ingredients for their mentors, or the occasional alchemist. People like us rarely need these things,” Lasse explained.

“How could you not need them? Hemostatic medicine—uh, never mind.” Ye Tian remembered that they relied on priests for healing, so hemostatic medicines weren’t really necessary. Still, when a priest’s magic runs out, everyone’s out of luck.

“Let’s go in. Looks like we’re in for quite a haul today,” Ye Tian suddenly grinned.

“Tian, why do you look so devious?” Lasse asked, puzzled by Ye Tian’s sudden excitement.

“Oh, it’s nothing. Let’s go inside.” Ye Tian led the way.

As soon as he entered, Ye Tian was hit by the thick aroma of herbs. “Oh!” he exclaimed in surprise. There were century-old lingzhi mushrooms, ginseng, fleeceflower root, and many herbs Ye Tian didn’t even recognize, all neatly arranged—a testament to the owner’s meticulous nature.

“Heh, tangerine root... only the root is left, what a shame.” Ye Tian saw that many of the herbs had parts missing—often the most valuable parts—diminishing their efficacy.

Mercury, cinnabar—what, are they trying to concoct an elixir of immortality?” Ye Tian laughed when he spotted these two. He’d seen alchemists before, but they didn’t use such toxic materials; instead, they used herbs to make tonics for health and longevity.

“Oh, they have this too!” Ye Tian exclaimed, picking up a piece of bright red coral. Even in China, this would be considered a treasure, yet here it was, carelessly displayed. He moved it to a shaded spot, since the bright sunlight streaming in from the window would soon ruin it.

“Hey, kid! Don’t move things around!” a voice barked.

“If you leave it there, it’ll be ruined in six months!” Ye Tian replied with a smile, turning to see a scruffy, exhausted old man glaring at him.

“Coral? Oh, you mean red stone. It only absorbs fire energy if it’s left in sunlight!” the old man grumbled.

“Fire energy, from this?” Ye Tian almost laughed. “This thing is cooling by nature, good for treating fevers. Making an ice cube catch fire—what sense does that make?”

“Ice burning?” The old man frowned. “Are you an alchemist?”

“No, I’m a doctor. I heal the sick. Now, I need some herbs.” With that, Ye Tian began gathering what he needed.

“Hey, kid, what do you want with these? And this one—this is poison!” The old man picked up a stalk of wolfsbane.

“I know. Poison can cure as well as kill—it’s all about using one poison to fight another.” Ye Tian grinned.

“Fight poison with poison… Of course! Why didn’t I think of that?” The old man’s eyes lit up, and he dashed into the back room, leaving Ye Tian and Lasse behind.

“Hey, you haven’t totaled up my bill!” Ye Tian called after him, but only sighed. “Forget it, I’ll write out a list and he can figure it out himself,” he said, still in a hurry to save lives. He had Lasse write out an itemized list and left it on the counter before heading back.

When they returned with a huge pile of herbs, Lisa and Ani had already finished washing the girl. Ye Tian had Mara prepare a large tub of hot water, then tossed in the necessary herbs and immersed the girl in the mixture.

“When will my sister recover?” Mara asked nervously.

“She’ll need to soak for three days before she wakes. As for a full recovery, it’ll take at least a year,” Ye Tian replied.

“A year? She has to soak in this for a year?” Mara stared at the dark liquid in shock.

“No, her body is weak. To fully regain her former health will take about a year,” Ye Tian explained with a smile.

“Thank you so much! How much do I owe you?” Mara asked.

“Nothing at all,” Ye Tian replied.

“What? Nothing?” Mara was stunned.

“I’ve traveled with my own family seeking doctors before, so I know your pain.” Ye Tian thought of the old man. “Are you alright?”

“Thank you, truly!” Mara bowed deeply to Ye Tian.

“It’s nothing, just what I should do,” Ye Tian said with a smile. “It’s getting late. We’ll go back now, and I’ll check on her again tomorrow.”

On the way home, Lisa, eyes twinkling, pouted, “Tian, I’m exhausted today—you owe me!”

“Yes, yes, you worked hard. What do you want for dinner? I’ll cook!” Ye Tian replied helplessly. He was worn out, too—didn’t anyone realize how taxing his methods were?

“The same as lunch will do!” Lisa beamed. Ye Tian glanced back to see Ani and Lasse looking at him with equal anticipation.

“Alright, how about I try something different tonight?” Ye Tian offered.

“You can cook other dishes?” Lisa perked up.

“You underestimate me! I could make a different dish every day for three months and never repeat myself,” Ye Tian boasted.

“Wow! You’re amazing! I almost want to marry you,” Lisa laughed.

“Forget it, little devil, go torment someone else!” Ye Tian flicked her forehead, and she chased after him in mock outrage.

“Hmph! I’ve decided—I’ll eat everything tonight and leave you nothing!” Lisa declared, hands on her hips.

That, as it turned out, was a critical mistake. She ate until she couldn’t swallow another bite, yet half the table was still left.

“Oh, Miss Lisa, done already?” Ye Tian brought out the last dish.

“I—uh…” Lisa began to retort, but a loud burp cut her off. “This is white fungus and lotus seed soup, good for the complexion, and this is seaweed and egg drop soup.” Ye Tian set the soup before Lasse with a smile.

“Tian, this is delicious! Why did you make so much tonight?” Geer asked, gnawing on a pork knuckle.

“Somebody asked for it.” Ye Tian winked at Lisa, who flushed and tried to protest, only to collapse back into her seat.

“Tian, honestly, you’re going to make me fat!” Lasse complained, sipping the soup.

“Nonsense, being a little plump is healthy,” Ye Tian laughed. “Look at Ani—she tries, but can’t gain weight!”

“Waaah!” Ani, munching on a chicken leg, tried to object.

“Eat more—good nutrition will help you grow taller,” Ye Tian said with a grin. Ani’s eyes lit up and she grabbed another drumstick.

“Tian, I’m amazed you can handle Lisa and Ani so well,” Gray marveled.

“That’s just because you’re too soft-hearted. Starve them for two days and you’ll see who’s boss,” Ye Tian replied wickedly.

“Uh… maybe not,” Gray stammered, at a loss.