Chapter 21 – Vertigo Medicine
Lin Qi immediately busied himself after Professor Kou En’s cla.s.s concluded. First, he ran to the logistics department and paid for the detailed list of materials Great Master Ke Zha had demanded. The other materials were easily prepared; it was however estimated that it would take up to two months to gather three thousand of ten-year ten-leaved Moon Flower Gra.s.s that had the correct age.
Taking away the materials that were in stock from the logistics department, Lin Qi again extorted a sheet of protective talisman from Priest Bahrain. He then anxiously walked into the Tower of Great Masters.
This time, Great Master Ke Zha didn’t lose control. When Lin Qi entered his laboratory, he was sitting on a wooden stool in the corner, holding a crystal beaker full of dim-green colored liquid that was constantly giving off bubbles and white mist.
Noticing Lin Qi entering the laboratory, Great Master Ke Zha put the beaker on the black basalt experiment table. He used a little bit too much strength when he put down the beaker and caused it to slightly shake. A few drops of dim-green colored liquid splashed out, scattering on the experiment table; a sizzling sound was made as the liquid burned the table. A light, sour smell swiftly spread inside the laboratory.
Lin Qi s.h.i.+vered; only a monster like Ke Zha could enjoy this kind of terrifying thing, right? Considering its effect on the table, this liquid at least carried a strong corrosive nature. If a normal person drank a mouthful, he reckoned that person’s internal organs would dissolve.
Ke Zha let out several queer sounds of laughter before vaguely muttering, “Recently, a little food caused indigestion, so I’m making some medicine to help the whole intestine. Oh, the things I wanted, have you brought them all?”
Carefully putting the ten, variously sized wooden boxes he carried on his back onto a materials stand, Lin Qi respectfully bowed towards Ke Zha as a courtesy, “Respectable Great Master Ke Zha, the three thousand ten-year ten-leaved Moon Flower Gra.s.s needs roughly two months to be gathered. As for other materials, the brains of a Two-Headed Snake, the blood from a White-Haired Winged Tiger’s heart, the teeth of aBlack-Toothed Poisonous Bat, and other eighteen kinds of materials also need roughly one to two months to be prepared.”
“Incompetent tras.h.!.+” Ke Zha narrowed his eyes as a green light twinkled inside his pupils. It was unknown whether he was cursing at Lin Qi or the officials at the logistics department. After muttering to himself for a while, he slowly got up and grumbled in a low voice, “If I want to make a type of medicine, none of these materials can be lacking. Since I would only after two months..”
Lin Qi thought of his father’s letter, then hastily said in a low voice, “Respectable Great Master Ke Zha, the New Year Holiday is also in less than a month, I….”
Ke Zha slowly nodded his head. He looked at Lin Qi, showing a smile that was scary enough to make a child cry, “For the three years you have served me, you haven’t gone for New Year holiday, right? Since the materials aren’t ready, then, you just go home to see your family. See, I’m a sensible person.”
After his face muscles twitched once, Ke Zha coldly said, “But before that, prepare two months worth of food for me. You don’t want me simply starving to death here, right, Lin Qi? Hmm? Last time I was so hungry that I nearly depended on medicine to survive.”
Lin Qi felt a burst of shame. He suddenly thought, ‘Ke Zha said he had a little indigestion problem. It couldn’t be that, in spite of his stomach’s digestion capability, he went all out to gorge on the food that I delivered yesterday, right? Poor great master, no wonder today he was drinking this digestion medicine to aid his own stomach.’
Awkwardly squeezing out a hint of smile, Lin Qi slightly bowed his body as flattery and said, “That was my mistake, please forgive me.”
s.h.i.+fting his eyes and seeing that Ke Zha’s mood today was seemingly very good, Lin Qi very cautiously added, “Then is it okay if I come again tomorrow to replenish your food? Because I still have a little troublesome matter to take care of tonight.”
Ke Zha looked at Lin Qi in astonishment. He inclined his head and said in a low voice, “A troublesome matter? What troublesome matter? Who dares trouble you? Don’t they know you are serving me? Don’t they know that through provoking you, they are provoking my authority?”
It had been three extremely hard years working for Ke Zha. During these three years, this was the first time Lin Qi had ever seen Ke Zha act like a normal human being. Did it seem like he had a little shortcoming? Or did he simply value his own face too much? But no matter what the reason, this was a great thing for Lin Qi.
Letting out a slight cough, Lin Qi squeezed out a pitiable look and spoke in a low voice, “You know, for the past three years, I have always cautiously and conscientiously served you. At school, I am also an excellent student who observes the rules. My results were among the best in the finance and accounting major for the past three years.
Sighing deeply, Lin Qi pitiably looked at Ke Zha and said, “However, as you know, where there are good people, there will also certainly be bad people. This is exactly the case in Borali University City. There is a group of scoundrels who make a living through blackmailing; they like to use violence to bully us.”
“The Knights of the Round Table are a group of sc.u.m!” Lin Qi angrily waved his fist. “They are Army Academy’s group of scoundrels. Everyday they gather together, planning on how to bully us pitifully poor students.”
With two streaks of tears rolling down his face, Lin Qi spoke through gritted teeth, “My best friend, Wei Ke, was caught by them today. They want me to go to a place appointed by them tonight to pay them in exchange for him. They threatened that if I didn’t give them enough money, they would break Wei Ke’s hands and feet.”
Deeply inhaling, Lin Qi dejectedly cried out, “You know that we are all poor students. Otherwise, why would we came to the Tower of Great Masters to serve you?”
Ke Zha nodded his head in a daze, seemingly lost in thought. So it was like that? The Tower of Great Masters in University City had a vile reputation. Every year, there would be a record of the death of dozens of a.s.sistants. If not for the dest.i.tute and frustrated state of these poor students, who would risk their lives to come and serve these monsters inside the Tower of Great Masters?
Lin Qi lowered his head and spoke despondently, “Wei Ke is an honest person, with his family all depending on him. Only by spending their last copper coin could his family allow him to come and attend the Fifth University. If his hands and feet are broken by someone then….”
Ke Zha, who had an eccentric character, smacked his lips before then walking to the front of a shelf where he stored his medicine. He took out two bottles of red-colored medicine and three bottles of black-colored medicine and pa.s.sed them to Lin Qi. He lowered his voice and said, “This red one is a recovery medicine with powerful effects; even if your hands and feet were broken, they could be restored within three days. As for this black colored medicine… well, just stand upwind and open the medicine bottle, you will then discover its effects!”
Lin Qi firmly gripped the medicine bottles. The sloppy handwriting on the three bottles of the black- colored medicine explained the effects: powerful vertigo.
“Your generosity surpa.s.ses that of various G.o.ds, dear Great Master Ke Zha. Rest a.s.sured, I will surely wholeheartedly serve you!”
Lin Qi deeply bowed toward Ke Zha over and over again. He was so happy that his heart and lungs were trembling.