Chapter 568 - 568: Inedible Raccoon Dog Meat

Zhao Yuan had been inspecting the progress at the construction site when he received a call from Hao Li. He immediately walked off the site and demanded in astonishment, "What did you say? The Raccoon Dog Meat was a success, but it's inedible? What's that supposed to mean?"

Hao Li let out a long sigh and recounted, "The Raccoon Dog Meat finished cooking at seven this morning. The moment it was out of the pot, Cheng Haoyu couldn't wait to scoop up a piece to test its flavor and effects. But as soon as he swallowed a small bite, his entire body became scalding hot, and he spiked a high fever. I touched him, and his temperature was like a furnace. It's a good thing he's a Cultivator, with a constitution far beyond that of a normal person. Otherwise, if he wasn't burned to death, he would've been left with meningitis!"

"Something like that can happen?" Zhao Yuan was astonished.

It was the first time he had ever heard of someone suddenly spiking a fever after eating something. And from Hao Li's description, Cheng Haoyu's temperature must have reached a frighteningly high level.

"And that's not all," Hao Li continued. "When I saw something was wrong with Cheng Haoyu, I was about to grab some ice to cool him down physically. But before I could do anything, his condition got even worse. He fell into a manic state and went on a destructive rampage. He didn't even recognize me and chased me all over the place, trying to beat me up. Lucky for me, I'm a fast runner. Otherwise, I'd be a dead man for sure!"

It was strange enough for an ingredient to make someone's temperature skyrocket. But for it to also make them lose their mind, attack people, and destroy property—that was simply unbelievable.

'Is the Raccoon Dog Meat poisonous? Or maybe during cooking, the other ingredients and herbs Hao Li added reacted with the meat, creating this toxic side effect?'

Several questions popped into Zhao Yuan's mind.

But his primary concern was his friend's condition. "How is Cheng Haoyu now? Is he still in a frenzy?"

"Yeah, he's still in a frenzy. The guy has turned into a one-man demolition crew, tearing my Lakefront House apart! He's already smashed up several rooms. I wanted to stop him, but then Sister Ying showed up and said we can't. He has to vent all the scorching energy from the Raccoon Dog Meat. Otherwise, even if the energy doesn't burn him to death, he'll suffer a Qigong Deviation, be critically injured, and his Cultivation will be severely damaged!"

Hao Li really had the worst luck. First, Zhao Yuan's Artifact Refining at Lakefront House destroyed his Octagonal Tower. Now, Cheng Haoyu shows up, goes berserk from impulsively eating something he shouldn't have, and is on the verge of demolishing the entire Lakefront House…

Right now, Hao Li's heart was aching. 'He really wanted to ask the heavens who on earth he had offended to deserve this string of misfortune. But amid the heartache, he also felt a wave of relief. If Cheng Haoyu hadn't been so quick on the draw, he would've been the one tasting the Raccoon Dog Meat, and he'd be the one rampaging like a madman right now.'

Zhao Yuan made an immediate decision. "Ying Ji is right. We have to let Cheng Haoyu vent that scorching energy! Okay, I'm heading back to Rongcheng City now. You and Ying Ji keep an eye on him. If his condition changes, call me, and we'll figure something out together."

"Alright, we'll wait for you to get here," Hao Li agreed.

After hanging up, Zhao Yuan immediately ordered the Bone Woman, "Drive the car to the village entrance and wait for me."

"Yes!" the Bone Woman replied, immediately carrying out the order.

Zhao Yuan then went home to find his mother, Shen Lijun. "Mom," he said, "I need to rush to Rongcheng City. I probably won't be back for a couple of days. If anything comes up, have my sister give me a call."

"What? You're going to Rongcheng City now?" Shen Lijun was taken aback. "Does it have to be so urgent? I was planning on taking you and your sister to visit some relatives today."

Zhao Yuan said, "It's a matter of life and death. I have to hurry!"

Shen Lijun was startled. She stopped trying to dissuade him and instead began to hurry him along. "Then you should go! Saving someone is what's important. We can visit relatives any time."

Zhao Yuan nodded, then pulled a stack of cash from his pocket and handed it to Shen Lijun.

"What are you giving me money for? And this much, too," Shen Lijun said in surprise.

Zhao Yuan explained, "You can't visit relatives empty-handed, can you? With this money, you can buy some nice gifts to bring along. That way, our relatives won't say we struck it rich and then turned stingy."

"You're always so thoughtful," Shen Lijun said, accepting the money with a smile.

Zhao Yuan glanced at the White Cat. Seeing it sprawled lazily on the table with no sign of wanting to come along, he decided not to bring it. Besides, if any real trouble arose, the White Cat would find him on its own.

As for the two Little Dang Kangs, they were currently frolicking in the spirit medicinal material cultivation base. The two little creatures were far more attached to that place than anywhere else. Zhao Yuan had no plans to take them either; they would be of more use at the base than anywhere else.

After bidding farewell to his family, Zhao Yuan walked out of Jinhua Village. The Bone Woman had already started the Mercedes G55 SUV and was waiting at the village entrance. The moment Zhao Yuan was in the car, she sped down the mountain.

Along the way, Zhao Yuan summoned the Information Leaf, hoping to find some relevant information. And sure enough, after a bit of searching, he actually found an answer.

Among the medical case files left by Wu Peng, there was one that described a Cultivator who, not knowing the proper way to consume Raccoon Dog Meat, caused a scorching fire to rage within his body, nearly incinerating his soul. This Cultivator eventually sought help from Wu Peng—who had yet to achieve immortality at the time—and was finally saved by his treatment.

In this case file, Wu Peng not only provided the curative formula but also specified at the end that Raccoon Dog Meat is a substance of extreme heat and dryness. To be eaten, it must be paired with a substance of Great Cold and extreme coolness. This allows the hot and cold to mingle and fire and water to merge, only then can one consume it without issue.

Having found a way to save Cheng Haoyu, Zhao Yuan breathed a sigh of relief.

He pulled out his phone and dialed Hao Li's number while pondering, 'The substance of Great Cold and extreme coolness mentioned in the case file can't be just any ordinary cooling herb. It has to be a Spiritual Ingredient or a Spirit Medicinal Material!'

'If an ordinary cooling herb was enough, this would be much simpler—rhubarb, coptis, or gypsum would do the trick. But the Raccoon Power is an Exotic Beast, so its meat counts as a Spiritual Ingredient. A common herb could never create that fusion of fire and water. It needs an "equal match"—a Spiritual Ingredient or Spirit Medicinal Material of its own caliber! And those aren't so easy to find.'

Just as a headache was starting to form over the issue, Hao Li picked up the phone.

He immediately pushed his distracting thoughts aside and said, "I have a formula. Get the ingredients for it immediately, brew them into a decoction, and make Cheng Haoyu drink it! As long as he drinks this medicine, the scorching heat in his body will be resolved, and his mind will return to normal!"