Chapter 296 - Diagnosis
Gu Zuo discovered that the three siblings in front of him had become incredibly nervous. They stared at him like they had encountered a particularly scary and difficult problem. Hu Changfeng had originally accepted Gu Zuo, but the vigilance in his small eyes promptly resurfaced. There was even a trace of panic… Did this mean that Hu Chang’an really had some kind of terrifying illness?
Gu Zuo’s mind churned with several thoughts, but he didn’t intend to prolong these people’s anxiety. At a loss, he simply stated: “Brother Chang’an, I owe you for saving my life. I’ve seen that Brother Chang’an’s body doesn’t seem to be doing so well, so I want to put my limited powers to use and return the favor.”
Hu Changbi asked in a clear and loud voice: “Big Brother Ah Zuo, you can tell what my big brother’s symptoms are?”
Gu Zuo didn’t keep them in suspense, and nodded his head: “I have several suspicions, but I’m still not certain about which one it is.”
In the end, Hu Changbi was young. At this time, she couldn’t contain herself: “Several suspicions? You have a different opinion?”
Gu Zuo paused, and prudently looked over: “Brother Chang’an, could it be that…a confirmed diagnosis has already been made? Is it a recent diagnosis?”
Hu Chang’an forced a smile: “It isn’t like that. I’ve had this illness confirmed since the second year I started practicing martial arts. Up until now, it has already been seventeen years.”
He started practicing martial arts when he was three years old until now…
Gu Zuo remained silent.
So many years, and the illness hadn’t been treated. Could it be that, among the few types of illnesses he previously suspected, it was the type that no medicine could cure? However, if it was that type, so long as the medicine was precise during the early course of the treatment, it should’ve allowed Hu Chang’an to continue practicing martial arts normally. It shouldn’t have led to this appearance as if the illness had broken-out less than two years ago.
Otherwise, the treatment was incorrect, or Hu Chang’an had come across… En, a charlatan.
It was just that these words were unpleasant to say out loud.
Gu Zuo knew that he looked young, and that this household was an aristocratic family of pharmacists. If he casually doubted Hu Chang’an’s diagnosis, wasn’t this just picking faults with a non-issue? But if he didn’t say it, could he continue allowing Hu Chang’an to live like this? In any case, Hu Chang’an was the person who saved his life. He couldn’t ignore it.
Fortunately, Hu Chang’an wasn’t a stupid person. After hearing what Gu Zuo said previously and seeing Gu Zuo’s expression, he somewhat understood.
He was taciturn for a while. Then, he opened his mouth and asked: “Brother Ah Zuo, if you have something to say, there’s no harm in directly telling me.”
Gu Zuo sighed: “I’ll still need to take Brother Chang’an’s pulse first before saying anything.”
Hu Chang’an revealed a gentle smile: “In that case, please take my pulse, Brother Ah Zuo.” He glanced at his siblings and spoke seriously, “I find Brother Ah Zuo trustworthy!”
This kind of trust was extremely precious. Although it couldn’t be said that the present Gu Zuo was as unconventional and amateurish as when he first met Gongyi Tianheng, with his level, he shouldn’t have been able to enter the eyes of an iron-ranked organization. Regardless of whether Hu Chang’an truly believed in Gu Zuo or not, the fact that Hu Chang’an was able to say such words and embrace this mentality of not wanting to make Gu Zuo lose face caused him to feel moved.
Gu Zuo didn’t delay his instructions: “Since Brother Chang’an trusts me, then go back later today. No matter what, don’t touch any medicines and don’t eat anything. Tomorrow morning, come here with an empty stomach. I’ll do my very best to give Brother Chang’an a proper diagnosis.”
Hu Chang’an heard Gu Zuo speak like this, and didn’t hesitate: “Okay. I’ll keep Brother Ah Zuo’s words in mind. Tomorrow morning, I’ll have to trouble you!”
After he finished talking, Hu Chang’an led his siblings, and turned around to leave.
Gu Zuo stood at the rear, and his eyes followed their backs as they departed…
Once Hu Chang’an was far away, his pair of siblings still looked at him with worry-filled gazes.
“Big brother, you’re really asking Big Brother Ah Zuo to diagnose you?”
“Will Big Brother Ah Zuo give a correct diagnosis…”
Hu Chang’an smiled placatingly at the two: “If Brother Ah Zuo hadn’t said anything, I still would’ve received him as a proper guest. However, he doesn’t appear to be the sort who’s only interested in personal gain… Thus, I’ll invite Brother Ah Zuo to take a look, and I’ll only have to reduce my medicine by one dosage today. If Brother Ah Zuo’s diagnosis is no good, then I’ll take another dose tomorrow. There won’t be any hindrances. And if Brother Ah Zuo really can cure me, wouldn’t this be an enormously good thing?”
Hu Changbi and Hu Changfeng listened and were convinced by Hu Chang’an’s words. Both of them nodded together: “Then, we’ll wait till tomorrow before saying anything else. We hope that Big Brother Ah Zuo can cure big brother!”
The next day.
Gu Zuo walked out from the medicine refining room. There was still a bit more than twenty thousand strands of medicinal qi remaining in his storage space. This looked like a lot, but that wasn’t enough if it was taken out for cultivation. Hence, he didn’t sleep last night. Apart from researching more prescriptions, he refined medicinal pills. He had accumulated some medicinal qi to a certain extent.
Just as Gu Zuo finished eating his food, there was the sound of knocking beyond the courtyard door. Sure enough, after Gu Zuo responded, Hu Chang’an and his two siblings walked in.
Hu Chang’an saw that there were still some bowls and chopsticks that hadn’t been put away on the stone table. He spoke apologetically: “Did I come too early? Did I interrupt Brother Ah Zuo’s meal?”
Gu Zuo talked as he quickly put everything away: “You aren’t bothering me. I just finished eating.” After that, he sat beside the stone table, “Brother Chang’an, Young Lady Hu, Little Young Master Hu. Why don’t you three come and sit down?”
The three siblings acted accordingly.
Gu Zuo said: “Brother Chang’an, may I take your pulse?”
Hu Chang’an was already prepared. At this moment, he rolled up his sleeve, extended his chubby arm, and placed it on the stone table. He waited for the diagnosis.
Gu Zuo’s expression turned solemn.
Regardless of whether he revealed his own strength, he would give it his all to repay this favor of saving his life.
Soon, Gu Zuo’s finger pressed down onto Hu Chang’an’s pulse. Then, a thread of psychic power was discharged. It followed Hu Chang’an’s arm, and slowly started to spread upwards.
Under normal circumstances, unless a martial artist particularly trusted the other party, they usually wouldn’t allow a pharmacist’s psychic power to enter their body and conduct a check — This would easily reveal one’s own secrets and fortuitous encounters. Consequently, when a pharmacist’s psychic power was strong enough, they only needed to attach their psychic power to the surface of the patient’s arm and use some special methods to make a clear judgment on the patient’s condition.
The current Gu Zuo had already reached the Core Psyche Realm, and had learned the Spirit Transforming Chapter. He let the thread of psychic power climb up like a vine. On that strand of psychic power grew numerous things that looked like suction cups. One after another, the suction cups adhered to all of the arm’s acupoints that had condensed bone pearls.
Gu Zuo stated: “Brother Chang’an, my psychic power will extend into your acupoints, but it won’t spread to the other parts of your body.”
Hu Chang’an nodded his head: “Brother Ah Zuo just needs to make a diagnosis. Don’t worry about anything else.”
Gu Zuo became even more careful.
As Gu Zuo’s psychic power suction cups adhered to the bone pearls, his finger felt the pulses of the meridians. He continuously monitored the state of affairs within Hu Chang’an’s body. Gu Zuo’s eyes slightly narrowed. His appearance became increasingly serious.
Unwittingly, a little more than an hour had passed.
Hu Chang’an didn’t make a single move. Hu Changbi and Hu Changfeng also waited patiently.
It had to be said that watching Gu Zuo, who looked like he had already discovered something, had faintly made them a bit more confident in him.
Another thirty minutes had passed.
Gu Zuo instantly scattered his psychic power and pulled his finger away. He heaved a sigh.
As the child of the family, it already wasn’t easy for Hu Changfeng to restrain himself for so long. There was no way he could wait anymore, and he hurriedly asked: “Big Brother Ah Zuo, how did your diagnosis go?”
Gu Zuo shook his head: “There’s no rush.”
Following this, the space between Gu Zuo’s brows condensed a silver needle. It turned towards Hu Chang’an’s finger and lightly pricked it — In the blink of an eye, a drop of scarlet blood flowed out. It gathered into a jade bowl, and it was as smooth and glossy as a blood pearl.
The three siblings restrained their emotions, and watched Gu Zuo’s actions.
Gu Zuo’s thoughts moved, and many medicinal ingredients appeared in front of him. The three watched him use methods they didn’t understand to transform these ingredients into liquid. Soon after, he poured this liquid into the bowl and mixed it with the blood.
Not long after, both components underwent a series of reactions. The dark-green liquid and the dark-red blood clashed until both colors unexpectedly disappeared!
All that remained was a solution that was as clear and transparent as water.
The three siblings had some experience, so they promptly understood what happened. Gu Zuo’s method used medicine to change the things contained with Hu Chang’an’s blood… Being able to make it transparent showed that the effects of these two types of things had cancelled each other out.
In other words, since Gu Zuo had planned this in advance, it should mean that he already knew the specific situation of Hu Chang’an’s body! If not, it would’ve been impossible for him to do this…
Hu Chang’an composed himself, and looked at Gu Zuo.
Hu Changbi and Hu Changfeng both had hopes and expectations in their eyes.
Gu Zuo tidied up his train of thought: “Previously, did the results of that pharmacist’s diagnosis say that Hu Chang’an suffered from a type of bone rotting disease? The refined medicinal pills were… Spirit Mending Pills, Bone Growing Pills, and Truth Returning Pills… He should also soak in a medicinal decoction similar to the Tortoise-Serpent Calcium Decoction, right?
Hu Chang’an looked amazed.
Meanwhile, Hu Changbi blurted out: “Big Brother Ah Zuo can diagnose this, too?”
T/N: Thanks for the corrections, Charysa.
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