Text-based martial arts: A nighttime rendezvous with the gang leader's wife in a dilapidated te

Your answer softened Dr. Cao's expression slightly, and he nodded.

"What is the correct order and proportion of the herbs and water used in this batch of Healing Elixir?"

Faced with the second question, you racked your brains to recall what had just happened, and spoke again...

"First, half a furnace of water was added, then cinnabar and mercury were added. After a stick of incense had burned, the green, grass-like medicinal herb was added. After a hundred breaths, the purple herb root was added, followed by two ladles of water. I am ignorant of the properties of medicine and do not know the mystery behind it..."

Seeing your eloquent answer, Dr. Cao's face showed a hint of surprise:

"Tsk tsk... I really didn't expect you, little brat, to be so frail, yet you're so quick-witted. Most importantly, you've truly studied diligently, not just trying to fool me!"

Cao Qing is extremely satisfied with your answer, increasing your favorability towards you by 7 points. Current favorability: 12 (Casual Encounter)

"I never expected that this tiny place of the Shen family would produce such a promising talent! He's far better than those fools who, after I took their blood, deliberately gave them a chance!"

[Dr. Cao gently stroked his beard, then suddenly asked:]

"Kid, are you really interested in learning this art of medicine?"

Looking at the font in front of him, Chen Xuan almost instinctively wanted to use voice to communicate. Needless to say, he genuinely wanted to learn!

However, the feedback from the options that appeared when defying fate surprised Chen Xuan:

[1. "This humble servant truly desires to learn the art of medicine. I humbly beg you, sir, to have mercy and teach me."]

(Defying Fate: Triggering the Serendipitous Ending 'Treachery'. Doctor Cao sneered: "You're someone the Shen family deliberately sent to test us, aren't you? But I don't care if you're from the Shen family or even from the North, I've always been one to kill the innocent rather than let the guilty go free!" As soon as he finished speaking, his fingertips flashed, and a silver needle, as sharp as lightning, shot straight toward your brow!)

If your cultivation level is "Acquired" and your agility is greater than 9, you can dodge and trigger a battle. If your agility is insufficient, you will die.

Is this old man crazy?

Chen Xuan's fingers trembled slightly. If it weren't for his talent to defy fate, he would have been dead for sure if he had faced this extremely suspicious old ghost!

2. "The kid just wants to live... he has no other hopes or desires."

(Defying Fate: Triggers the serendipitous ending 'Shared Misfortune'. Doctor Cao nodded, looking at you so weak that you could barely speak, and felt a little more convinced. Thinking of his own current situation, like a stray dog, he couldn't help but feel melancholy. His favorability towards you increased by 8.)

[Option 3: Free Play: You can press and hold this option to speak.]

(Defying Fate: Triggers either "Hidden Intentions" or "Shared Misfortune" based on the answer.)

Please answer within one minute.

If it were just a matter of increasing the reward cap, like with the Dragon Green Fish, Chen Xuan would dare to use words to try and see if there were any additional benefits.

However, faced with this extremely suspicious old ghost, who, as mentioned, would rather kill the innocent than let the guilty go free, he really didn't dare to play any tricks.

If you mess things up, it's all over!

You made the right choice!

The old man before us was like a highly alert cheetah; any unusual movement would trigger an overreaction.

Your humble origins and your frail health, making it difficult for you to even walk two miles, led him to initially believe your words.

Of course, to fully gain his trust, further performance is needed, as well as his continued observation and probing.

Cao Qing (Pang Bufan)'s favorability towards you has increased by 8. Current favorability: 20 (Casual acquaintance)

Seeing your pleading, Dr. Cao surprisingly showed a faint smile, then reached into his pocket, pulled out a yellowed book, and tossed it to you.

"It's rare to find someone with potential; compared to those idiots, he's still somewhat useful!"

"You seem to have some talent in this area. This book, 'The Green Book,' is an introductory medical text I wrote in my early years. It contains some basic medical techniques and herbal identification. Take it and study it carefully."

"If there's anything you don't understand, you can come and ask me. Also, come and supervise the alchemy process every day, and lend a hand when necessary... If you're not up to the task, then just keep obediently donating your blood to refine pills!"

He left those words behind, turned, and walked out of the alchemy room.

[You then realized what was happening and hurriedly opened the yellowed booklet...]

[Random encounter complete.]

[You have triggered the serendipitous ending: Surviving the Tiger's Mouth.]

[Adventure Grade: Yellow]

You have gained 180 potential points.

[Other gains: Alchemy (beginner level), "Qingqing Manual", Cao Qing's favorability increased by 20.]

[Summary of the serendipitous encounter:]

[Three questions asked at the alchemical furnace reveal the secrets of traditional Chinese medicine; a light leap from the secluded pool escapes the tiger's den.]

At this moment, Chen Xuan, who was watching from outside the screen, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He finally had the time to open his backpack and look at the book that had appeared in his inventory:

【Green Album】

[General Books (Medical Books, Collections)]

[This book records some of Cao Qing's medical skills and insights into herbal identification. It's puzzling why such a ruthless and suspicious person would name his medical book after something like this.]

[Viewing requires an aptitude of 3 or higher. This book can be learned through offline study or by using 'Potential Points', with a maximum upgrade level of 5 for Medicine and 3 for Gathering.]

What a close call! Chen Xuan looked at the book. He almost couldn't learn it. Even a fool could tell that if he couldn't learn it, he wouldn't be able to pass Cao Qing's test and would ultimately have to be offered as human blood.

Thinking of this, Chen Xuan glanced again at the flashing Life (Street) ability in his status bar:

Alchemy

Current level: Level 0, 61% (Beginner)

[Note: To fully master this ability, a prerequisite of Medical Skill Level 1 is required before even starting.]

"call……"

Chen Xuan finally let out a long sigh of relief.

At the same time, the voices of the other Dan Tong could be heard from outside the door:

"Dinner's ready! Dinner's ready!"

Chen Xuan glanced at the time; in the game, it was already three quarters past 5 PM, almost the start of the game!

In reality, the sky was already bright.

In reality, it's daylight, but in the game, it's night. Before I knew it, I had spent the whole afternoon refining pills!

Chen Xuan hurriedly readjusted his attributes to Strength to recover some of his depleted stamina before following the alchemy students into the dining hall.

It is worth mentioning that the food in the alchemy room was better than Chen Xuan had imagined.

Not only are there still white flour and rice, stir-fried vegetables, tofu, but there's even a bowl of chicken.

There were some unexpected incidents along the way. For example, Dr. Cao, who was also eating with them, gave Chen Xuan the two remaining pieces of beef that were only available to him after he finished eating.

This allowed Chen Xuan to feel the envy of the other alchemists, even though he was outside the screen.

He ignored it, quickly finished eating, and returned to his room, or rather, his dormitory.

I opened the book, "The Green Book".

[Should I use the life skills book "Qingqing Ce" as an item for offline study? This is a life skills manual; the experience gained from studying it will be determined based on your comprehension.]

[When AFK studying, if stamina is depleted, recovery will proceed through rest, eating, and finally, sleep.]

[Will you leave "Martial Arts"?]

【Yes! 】

The screen plunged into complete darkness at that moment, and Chen Xuan finally couldn't hold on any longer, closed his eyes, and fell into a deep sleep.