Chapter Nine: A Million-Dollar Bounty

After waiting a good ten minutes, the Shopkeeper finally finished his game, placed his phone on the counter, took a sip of tea, and then slowly asked, "What medicine are you buying?"

Ye Bufan handed over the written prescription. When the Shopkeeper saw it, his eyes lit up.

Many of the ingredients listed were precious, aged medicinal herbs. A single prescription like this would net him at least a few thousand in commission.

He asked, "Are you sure you want to buy this many medicinal herbs?"

Ye Bufan said, "Of course. I just don't know if you have all of them here."

"Of course we do. There are no medicinal herbs that our Baicao Hall doesn't carry." The Shopkeeper's attitude immediately improved. Smiling broadly, he said, "Little brother, please wait a moment. I will gather all the medicinal herbs for you right away."

Soon, the Shopkeeper placed a pile of medicinal herbs on the counter. Ye Bufan checked them one by one. The herbs were complete and of excellent quality.

He asked, "How much is it?"

The Shopkeeper picked up the abacus, calculated rapidly, and then said, "The total is two hundred fifty-three thousand two hundred chinese yuan. Cash or card?"

"Ah? That expensive?"

Ye Bufan was startled. Although he studied Traditional Chinese Medicine at Jiangnan Medical University, he was not very familiar with the price of Chinese medicine.

He had originally thought the thirty thousand chinese yuan in his pocket was a huge sum, but now it wasn't even enough for a fraction of the cost. He hadn't expected the medicinal herbs required to refine one Foundation Establishment Pill would cost so much money.

He said awkwardly, "I'm sorry, I didn't bring that much money."

The face of the Shopkeeper, which had been wreathed in smiles, instantly turned cold: "No money? If you have no money, why are you pretending here? Are you messing with me?"

Ye Bufan explained, "I apologize, I just didn't realize these medicinal herbs were so expensive."

"If you don't know the price, why are you buying medicine?" the Shopkeeper said discontentedly. "How about this, since you don't have that much money, just buy a smaller amount. You can't let me waste my time for nothing."

Ye Bufan said, "That won't work. These are the medicinal herbs for one dose; taking less would be useless."

The prescription he listed was only the dosage required for one Foundation Establishment Pill; insufficient quantity would make it impossible to refine the Medicinal Pill.

The Shopkeeper frowned and said, "Then just change the age of the medicinal herbs. You should know that the price difference between ten-year-old herbs and two-year-old herbs is more than tenfold."

Ye Bufan said, "That won't work either. The medicinal herbs I prescribed are already the minimum age required."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Shopkeeper instantly erupted, "This won't work, that won't work! You're just here to mess with me, aren't you?"

Ye Bufan apologized again, saying, "I'm sorry, I didn't bring enough money this time. I will come back to buy them once I have gathered the funds."

"Pah, you pauper! Who knows when you'll manage to gather the money." The Shopkeeper angrily put away the medicinal herbs. "It's my fault for being blind. Seeing you dressed like a beggar, I shouldn't have gotten the medicine for you."

Since he didn't get the commission he expected, the Shopkeeper was filled with rage.

Ye Bufan frowned: "How are you talking? I already apologized for not bringing enough money. Besides, you are the Shopkeeper here; preparing medicine for me is your duty. What is there to complain about?"

"Oh, you're getting angry now." The Shopkeeper immediately flared up, pounding his chest as he said arrogantly, "Did you not see where this is? This is Baicao Hall, and our head is Old Master Cao.

Everyone who comes here for treatment every day is either a wealthy person or an official. Is this a place for a pauper like you to act like a master?"

"You…"

Ye Bufan was about to get angry, but then he calmed down. No matter what, he was the Legacy holder of the Ancient Medical Sect; it wasn't worth arguing with such a snobbish petty person.

Thinking this, he turned his head and walked toward the exit, when he suddenly noticed a large red notice posted on the wall, featuring four large characters: Million chinese yuan Reward.

He looked down and saw a section of text: "I, Cao Xinghua, accidentally obtained Hua Tuo's Golden Formula. Unfortunately, it is an incomplete Pill Formula, with three medicinal herbs missing from the record.

If anyone can complete these three missing medicinal herbs, upon my confirmation, I am willing to offer one million chinese yuan as a reward."

Below the description was the prescription for Hua Tuo's Golden Formula, but only the first fifteen ingredients were listed, with three blanks marked afterward, obviously waiting for someone to complete them.

Seeing the reward, Ye Bufan was delighted. He knew Cao Xinghua, the head of Baicao Hall and an elder of the Traditional Chinese Medicine community in Jiangnan City, comparable to Mount Tai and the Big Dipper.

As for Hua Tuo's Golden Formula, he was even more familiar with it.

According to the records in the Ancient Medical Sect Legacy, Hua Tuo originated from the Ancient Medical Sect, but he was not skilled in the martial Dao, and was only an Outer Sect Disciple.

This Hua Tuo's Golden Formula was not created by Hua Tuo, but was passed down from the Ancient Medical Sect.

He was just worrying about not having money to buy medicinal herbs to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill, and now a million chinese yuan reward had been delivered right to his doorstep.

Thinking this, he picked up the pen prepared nearby and began filling in the remaining three medicinal herbs in the three blank spaces.

"Hey, you pauper, are you never going to stop? Who told you to scribble all over this?"

After he had only written two ingredients, the Shopkeeper rushed out from behind the counter and shoved him aside.

Being provoked repeatedly by this fellow, even a clay Buddha would get angry. Ye Bufan angrily said, "What are you doing?"

The Shopkeeper shouted, "I should be asking you! Do you know what place this is? This is Baicao Hall. Can you just scribble on it as you please?"

Ye Bufan angrily said, "Isn't this a reward notice? Why can't I write on it?"

The Shopkeeper said disdainfully, "Are you driven mad by poverty? A million chinese yuan reward is great, but what does that have to do with you?"

Since this notice was posted, it initially attracted countless famous medical practitioners. Many people wanted to try their luck here, but without exception, they all failed.

One must know that there are at least tens of thousands of types of medicinal herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine in Huaxia. If one wanted to rely on luck to complete the remaining three medicinal herbs, the probability would be infinitely lower than winning the lottery.

Even Cao himself could not complete this Pill Formula, and so many famous Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners had failed. He absolutely did not believe this poor Young man in front of him could succeed.

Ye Bufan sneered, "Isn't this a public reward? Since it's a reward, people should be allowed to try."

The Shopkeeper shouted, "The reward is for people to try, but it's not for just any stray cat or dog to come here and scribble nonsense! Do you think anyone can take that one million chinese yuan?

If you can complete Hua Tuo's Golden Formula, then I am Hua Tuo reborn!"

"Liu Hong, what is all this noise?"

Just then, a solemn-looking Old Man walked over from the Traditional Chinese Medicine clinic area.

Although this man's hair was completely white, his complexion was ruddy, and he looked full of vigor and spirit. He was precisely the head of Baicao Hall, Cao Xinghua, Cao himself.

"Cao, you are here."

Upon seeing Cao Xinghua, the Shopkeeper named Liu Hong immediately transformed into a lapdog.

"What happened? Why are you shouting loudly in the store?"

As Cao Xinghua spoke, he glanced at the reward notice. When he saw the two medicinal herbs Ye Bufan had filled in, he immediately stood there with a look of astonishment.

"Cao, this poor Young man has no money and came to our store to cause trouble. He was just scribbling nonsense on the reward notice…"

Liu Hong did not notice the Old Man's expression and kept chattering beside him.

Cao Xinghua didn't even look at him, and excitedly said to Ye Bufan, "Young man, did you write these two ingredients on the wall?"

Before Ye Bufan could speak, Liu Hong interrupted: "He was just scribbling! If I hadn't stopped him in time, he would have written the third one too.

Cao, please don't be angry. I'll wipe it off right away…"

Before Liu Hong could finish speaking, Cao Xinghua slapped him across the face. "You scoundrel! Apologize to this little brother immediately."

"Huh…?"

Liu Hong looked utterly bewildered, standing there dumbfounded.

Cao Xinghua angrily repeated, "Did you hear me? Apologize to this little brother right now."

"I…" Although Liu Hong still didn't understand what was going on, he couldn't disobey Cao, so he respectfully said, "I'm sorry."

Ye Bufan said coldly, "Today I have truly seen what it means for a big store to bully its customers. 'Whether prepared in secret or openly, the intention is known to Heaven'—this means practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine should not deceive themselves or others. Your Baicao Hall is utterly unworthy of this saying!"

"Little brother, I apologize. It is this Old Man's fault for being lax in discipline. I apologize to you again here."

After Cao Xinghua apologized, he said eagerly, "Little brother, can you really complete Hua Tuo's Golden Formula?"