Chapter 164: Blue Flame Silver Needle

Upon hearing this, Wen Hongyao's expression subtly changed. She couldn't help but glare fiercely at Wen Shengnan, thinking, "How can she not distinguish between superiors and subordinates? This might displease Shangguan Sheng and lead him to make things difficult for Jiang Fan."

He quickly tried to smooth things over for Jiang Fan, saying, "Brother Shangguan, how could his modest talent impress you? Let's go sit in the hall and try some of our Qingyun Sect's spirit tea."

Shangguan Sheng, however, remained fixed on Jiang Fan, saying, "Someone your niece respects so much can't have low talent, can they? Young man, do you dare? If you can pass my test, I will give you this set of Azure Flame Silver Needles."

He took out a set of silver needles sealed in a jade box, varying in length and size. Faint blue sparks flickered at the ends of the needles.

Jiang Fan's pupils contracted. This was one of the Immortal Doctor's three sets of silver needles. Forged from extraterrestrial meteorites, each needle was a mid-grade artifact, and the entire set was no less valuable than a high-grade artifact. It enhanced the needles' effects, virtually guaranteeing immediate recovery. The Azure Flame Silver Needles were indispensable to the Immortal Doctor's formidable reputation across the Nine Sects. This was a legendary artifact, coveted by all in the medical field.

Jiang Fan was immediately tempted and said, "Thank you for your high regard, senior. I am willing to try."

Wen Hongyao was astonished. Was Jiang Fan truly overestimating himself? He couldn't possibly believe that Shangguan Sheng would genuinely give away the Azure Flame Silver Needles, could he? This set of needles was the most precious inheritance the Immortal Doctor had bequeathed to him before his death. Someone had offered hundreds of thousands of crystal stones to buy them, but he had refused. How could he sincerely give them to Jiang Fan? He would surely pose an extremely tricky challenge, making it impossible for Jiang Fan to obtain the Azure Flame Silver Needles.

Shangguan Sheng nodded slightly and said, "Very well, I shall test you then." His gaze shifted to the round tray in front of him, and an idea for the test immediately came to mind. "Among these spiritual herbs, three are substandard. Can you find them?"

"What?" Wen Hongyao was startled. Could there actually be failed concoctions among these spiritual herbs? They were all prepared by disciples, and she had personally inspected each one, ensuring they were perfect before storing them. Yet Shangguan Sheng had found three substandard ones with just a glance. She shivered inwardly. After thirty years apart, to what pinnacle had Shangguan Sheng's pharmaceutical mastery reached? The test he proposed would be difficult even for her to pass, let alone Jiang Fan. She couldn't help but smile bitterly. It was just as she had suspected; Shangguan Sheng merely intended to make things difficult for Jiang Fan. It wasn't a genuine test at all.

However, Jiang Fan didn't seem troubled at all. He revealed a hint of realization and murmured, "I thought I was mistaken, but it turns out there really are substandard ones." Earlier, when selecting the spiritual herbs, he had already noticed that a few of them felt off. Out of trust for Wen Hongyao, he hadn't considered them to be substandard. So, there really was an issue. With practiced ease, he picked out the three spiritual herbs that felt off and asked, "Are these the three?"

Wen Hongyao was secretly speechless. If he didn't know, he didn't know. Why was Jiang Fan pretending? She simply assumed that Jiang Fan, being young and thin-skinned, didn't want to lose face in front of so many Qingyun Sect disciples, so he had randomly picked three to cope. She walked over and whispered, "It's perfectly normal not to pass the test. This is the Nine Sects' foremost divine physician's test; there's no shame in it." As she spoke, she was about to put the spiritual herbs back into Jiang Fan's hand.

However, Shangguan Sheng's expression subtly froze. He looked at Jiang Fan with a surprised gaze, saying, "You truly have some skills!"

Wen Hongyao suddenly froze. She glanced at the three spiritual herbs in her palm and asked in astonishment, "Brother Shangguan, you're not saying he actually picked the right ones, are you?"

Shangguan Sheng stared intently at Jiang Fan and said, "Just open them and see, won't you?"

Wen Hongyao found it hard to believe. Jiang Fan could actually, like Shangguan Sheng, easily identify the three substandard spiritual herbs from hundreds! One had to know that each item was tightly wrapped in kraft paper, making it almost impossible to spot any flaws from the outside. She quickly unwrapped the first spiritual herb, labeled "Hair Nourishing Cream."

As soon as it was unwrapped, a rotten smell wafted out. Upon closer inspection, the pure white cream had developed black spots inside; it had clearly spoiled. Jiang Fan said, "It's probably because the heat was too intense during concoction. The outside dried while the inside remained damp. After some time, it naturally became moldy."

Wen Hongyao's face showed embarrassment. The spiritual herbs she had personally inspected actually had issues. She immediately gave a stern reprimand to the female disciple who had prepared that concoction. Then she opened the second and third ones; without exception, all had problems. She was both embarrassed and amazed: "Jiang Fan, how—how did you find them?"

Shangguan Sheng could discern them because of his extremely profound mastery in pharmacology. But Jiang Fan was still a junior! Jiang Fan casually replied, "I've learned a little, just the basics." Such a modest attitude, in Shangguan Sheng's eyes, was merely feigned humility and self-satisfaction. "Indeed, just the basics," Shangguan Sheng commented. "Then I'll test you again. How should Elder Wen's chronic illness be treated?"

Only then did Jiang Fan remember that Elder Wen suffered from heart failure. Last time, when the elders were selecting disciples, her old illness had relapsed from anger after failing to choose Jiang Fan, leaving her bedridden. She had only stabilized her condition after taking the Nine-Flavor Heart Nourishing Pills. He fell into thought.

Wen Hongyao smiled bitterly, "Brother Shangguan, please don't make it difficult for him. Don't you know about my illness? It's an incurable condition that can only be suppressed by the Nine-Flavor Heart Nourishing Pills. Years ago, I traveled the world seeking famous doctors for my illness, which was how I met Shangguan Sheng. The Nine-Flavor Heart Nourishing Pills were also given to me by Shangguan Sheng. This condition was fundamentally untreatable."

"Haha!" Shangguan Sheng stroked his beard and laughed, "Indeed, there wasn't one before. However, in recent years, while reviewing the notes left by my master, I gained some insight. After several years of study, I finally developed a medicinal formula that can completely eradicate your heart failure." As he spoke, he pulled out a prescription and handed it to Wen Hongyao. "My visit to the auction was also an opportunity to come to Qingyun Sect and give this to you."

Wen Hongyao, with trembling hands, excitedly took the prescription. Her old eyes welled up with gratitude: "It's truly kind of you, Brother Shangguan, to remember my illness after all these years."

Shangguan Sheng clasped his hands behind his back and smiled, "Isn't it our duty to alleviate human suffering and overcome intractable diseases? Besides, being able to develop this formula allows me to comfort my master's spirit in heaven. Even he might not have found a solution for this condition!" His aged face brimmed with profound pride.

However, an unharmonious scratching sound of writing reached his ears. Shangguan Sheng turned his head and was astonished. He saw Jiang Fan, holding a writing brush, intently writing something. "What are you doing?"

Jiang Fan said without looking up, "A prescription for treating heart failure."

Shangguan Sheng scoffed. He shook his head, disdaining to look. He had painstakingly studied for years to devise this treatment method. How could Jiang Fan, with his limited cultivation, also research a treatment formula?

Wen Hongyao was also helpless. It was clear that Shangguan Sheng intended for Jiang Fan to give up completely, yet he stubbornly started writing. She immediately stepped forward to comfort him, "Don't take it too much to heart; Divine Physician Shangguan is just joking with you..." As she spoke, she inadvertently glanced at the prescription he was writing. It was fine if she hadn't looked, but upon seeing it, her expression instantly froze.