Chapter 2749 — Changing the Terms

"So if I don't give up something, you won't treat her?" Wei Zhao asked.

"Exactly. If you don't pay up, I'll just turn around and walk out. If she dies, she dies. If she lives, she still has to marry my brother—that's hardly my concern," Kang Jingming said.

"..." Wei Zhao was somewhat speechless at Kang Jingming's shameless logic, but for Wang Xinyan's sake he could not afford to tear off all pretenses with the man, and so could only ask patiently, "If I agree to your terms, you're certain you can cure her?"

"Naturally. If you agree to my terms, then of course I can cure her," Kang Jingming said, thumping his chest.

"All right then. What are your terms?" Wei Zhao drew a deep breath. For the sake of Wang Xinyan's illness, he chose to endure for the time being.

"If I cure Wang Xinyan, you give me the true pill formula for the Marrow-Washing Bone-Cleansing Pill. How about that?" Kang Jingming asked.

"The true pill formula for the Marrow-Washing Bone-Cleansing Pill? Wasn't the one I gave you before the true formula?" Wei Zhao was slightly taken aback. Had Kang Jingming—or rather, the Xuan Dan Sect—spotted a flaw? By all rights, they shouldn't have...

"There's a problem with the formula you gave me. I've taken the Marrow-Washing Bone-Cleansing Pill, so I'm able to refine it—that much is fine. But anyone who takes the pill I refined can no longer refine it themselves. What's the meaning of that? Wasn't it you who tampered with the formula?" Kang Jingming demanded.

"Oh?" Wei Zhao was startled. He hadn't expected his formula to have this problem? What Kang Jingming described—that only one who had taken the Marrow-Washing Bone-Cleansing Pill could refine it—was indeed a defect Wei Zhao had built in. But the flaw that those who took the pills Kang Jingming refined could no longer continue refining them—that was not something Wei Zhao had set. Wei Zhao had never set such a defect at all! The defect he had set was a different one entirely!

Bai Lingtou was also looking at Wei Zhao with some astonishment. Wei Zhao could actually alter pill formulas—and even build in defects?

But Wei Zhao neither admitted nor denied it. He merely said lightly, "Oh, that. There are two versions of this formula, slightly different from each other. I gave you one of them—could it be that one's problematic? I wouldn't know. But if you cure Wang Xinyan's problem, I can give you the other one."

The formula was no great matter to Wei Zhao. Since he had already given Kang Jingming one copy, he was not afraid to give a second. As for the defect Kang Jingming mentioned, Wei Zhao would find a way to perfect it. And as for the other defects—if Kang Jingming didn't mention them, Wei Zhao certainly wouldn't help him perfect those.

"Hmph, I say you did it on purpose back then! You wouldn't know? You must have known—the one you gave me was the original version, and the one you kept was the improved version!" Hearing Wei Zhao's words, Kang Jingming concluded outright that Wei Zhao had deliberately set him up.

"Never mind all that. If you want the formula, go treat her. Otherwise, there's nothing," Wei Zhao said.

"Then let me have a look at the formula first?" Kang Jingming asked tentatively.

"Are you brain-dead? If I show you and then you don't treat her and just run off, where am I supposed to find you?" Wei Zhao cast him a contemptuous glance. "You're a man of poor character, and I don't trust you. If you want it, go treat her. Once she's cured, I'll give it to you. In front of your brother, I can have Teacher Bai bear witness—I'll place the formula in Teacher Bai's hands, and if you cure her, I'll have him give it to you. Ask your brother yourself if that works."

"That..." Kang Jingming turned to look at Kang Jinglong.

Kang Jinglong hesitated a moment, then nodded. He still trusted Bai Lingtou's character. "If Teacher Bai stands as guarantor, then I have no objection!"

"Fine. Then go see the patient first," Wei Zhao said with some impatience. Were it not for Wang Xinyan, he wouldn't even deign to speak to Kang Jingming. Once Wang Xinyan was cured, Wei Zhao intended to settle accounts with him.

Wang Xinyan was Kang Jinglong's fiancée, so while examining her, Kang Jingming behaved himself and did not dare take liberties. Besides, he had come on a mission this time and did not want to botch it.

Kang Jingming had studied some basic medical theory, but as for the specific problem, he had no idea. He merely made a show of noting down a few of Wang Xinyan's symptoms, then said, "All right. I need to think this over alone for a while. Find me a quiet room."

"So many demands. If you can't cure her, I'll kick you to death," Wei Zhao said. At Bai Lingtou's signal, he led Kang Jingming to a separate room nearby.

Think? Kang Jingming was thinking nothing of the sort. His half-baked medical skill amounted to treating common ailments like colds and fevers; a bizarre condition like Wang Xinyan's was simply beyond him. So his real reason for going to the separate room was to call the Xuan Dan Sect for help.

"Hello? Xiaotaohong? It's your Brother Zhaoming!" Kang Jingming got through to Xiaotaohong. "Taohong, I can't chat with you right now. Quick, help me find the young sect master—I've run into some trouble on my mission!"

"Ah... all right!" Xiaotaohong hurried off to find Tian Canbian and handed the phone to him.

Kang Jingming began with a round of respectful flattery, which only made Tian Canbian frown. At last, he finished explaining the situation on his end.

"Xiaoming, you're saying that Wang Xinyan's illness has Wei Zhao and Bai Lingtou both at their wits' end?" Tian Canbian asked.

"That's right. If they could cure her, they wouldn't need me," Kang Jingming said.

"Fine, I understand. Wait for my word," Tian Canbian said with a silent sigh. Truly, a bad start to the campaign—the terms Wei Zhao had proposed were indeed hard to fulfill! He still did not know that these were terms Kang Jingming had cooked up on his own initiative. Had he known, Tian Canbian would have had the urge to strangle Kang Jingming.

Tian Canbian was not especially skilled in medicine either. After ending the call, he went to visit Ancestor Xuanzhen and told him of Kang Jingming's affair.

"If even Senior Brother Xuantian had no way, then naturally I have even less," Ancestor Xuanzhen said with certainty after hearing him out. "When it comes to medical skill, Senior Brother Xuantian is far above me, and all these years he has devoted himself to the study of the medical path. So this condition—we truly have no way to meet it."

"Then... I'll have Kang Jingming change his terms," Tian Canbian said, his own head aching.