Chapter 326 - 324: A Person Neither Male Nor Female

The young man was slightly surprised but didn’t doubt him.

The Tang family was a prominent presence in Shunping. If the person before him was lying, his claims would never hold up to scrutiny. Giving a slight nod, he inspected the items one by one before finally making an offer.

"I’ll give you one million for the inkstone, five million for the jade ornament, and for the remaining three pieces of jewelry, from left to right: eight million, ten million, and seven million. What do you think?"

Yang Xun leaned back in his chair and said unhurriedly, "The prices are quite fair. You seem like a straightforward boss, so I won’t beat around the bush. I want to trade that ten-million jewelry piece for a piece of information from you."

The young man raised an eyebrow slightly. "What kind of information?"

"A woman came into your shop earlier and stayed for nearly half an hour before leaving. I want to know what she came here for."

At these words, the young man’s expression changed imperceptibly. The shift was incredibly fast—like a drop of ink blooming in water for a split second before returning to utter calm—but Yang Xun still caught it.

"Mr. Yang, our shop’s rule is to never ask about our clients’ identities, nor do we disclose their information." The young man’s tone remained polite, but a quiet sense of distance had already risen between them. "I’m afraid I cannot answer your question."

"I don’t believe you don’t know her identity," Yang Xun said, narrowing his eyes slightly.

He wondered, "Could Su Mei have come to this pretty boy for some shady business? A woman like her is insatiable. This guy looks a bit too frail to satisfy her, doesn’t he?"

"I apologize. Even if you were to give me all these items for free, I still couldn’t tell you. If I broke the rules, my regular customers certainly wouldn’t come back," the man said with a helpless look.

Yang Xun finally understood. The reason this shop was so dilapidated and hidden was that the clients who came here couldn’t afford to expose their identities. The boss hadn’t avoided relocating because he lacked money; rather, he had specifically chosen this place for its secrecy.

"Alright, I understand the rules of your trade." Yang Xun didn’t press the matter and smoothly changed the subject. "Let me ask a different question then. Do you have any information on the whereabouts of three items: Nine Nether Cold Jade Grass, Green Blood Dragon Saliva Fragrance, and Purple Cloud Soul Condensing Flower?"

The young man’s expression shifted once more. This time, the change was much more obvious than before. His gaze lingered on Yang Xun’s face for two or three seconds, as if re-evaluating the person sitting across from him.

"Are you an Alchemist?" His voice was a few degrees lower than before, carrying a probing undertone.

After all, these three medicinal ingredients were highly unusual and exclusively used by Alchemists. Ordinary doctors wouldn’t have even heard of them, let alone used them.

"I’m a doctor, and I also know how to refine medicine." Yang Xun smiled slightly. He could tell this man was very interested in Alchemists, so he decided to cater to his interests.

"Mr. Yang, you mentioned earlier that all these items were gifted to you by Elder Tang. I also recently heard news that the Tang family’s youngest granddaughter was critically ill but miraculously recovered today. Could it be that you were the one who treated her?" the man asked curiously.

"I was," Yang Xun nodded. "Not only that, but Zhao Hongshan was critically ill after a car accident a while ago, and I brought him back from the brink of death too."

Hearing this, the young man’s gaze toward Yang Xun changed completely, and he stared at him intently.

"Mr. Yang, seeing as you are quite young, it’s truly rare for you to possess such brilliant medical skill. I’ve heard of several renowned doctors. May I ask who you studied under?"

"It’s inconvenient to disclose my master’s name. However, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say his medical skill is so brilliant that he can bring the dead back to life and regenerate flesh on bare bones," Yang Xun boasted with a straight face.

In reality, he had no master at all. He had learned all his medical skill straight from the Rejuvenation Medical Scripture.

"Could you possibly introduce me to him?" the young man asked, his face full of anticipation.

"I’m sorry, but my master has lived in seclusion for many years. He won’t return to the secular world, nor will he allow outsiders to disturb him at his home. However, despite my youth, you could say I have fully inherited his mantle." Yang Xun lifted his chin and spoke with absolute seriousness.

Seeing this, the young man grew somewhat excited. He immediately stood up, walked over to Yang Xun, and suddenly bowed deeply to him.

"Mr. Yang, to tell you the truth, I suffer from a strange illness that has tormented me for many years.

"If you can cure my illness, I can’t guarantee I’ll find all three of those medicinal ingredients, but I can at least help you find one of them."

Looking into those earnest eyes, Yang Xun sized him up. The boss’s complexion didn’t look like that of a sick person. His brows furrowed slightly in confusion.

Still, it was a good thing that someone was willing to help him find the medicinal ingredients. He nodded and said, "Alright, let me take a look at your condition first."

The young man hastily extended his hand, and Yang Xun pressed three fingers against his wrist. The moment his True Qi entered, Yang Xun’s pupils sharply contracted.

The pulse...

It was wrong.

Yang Xun frowned slightly and sent his True Qi a bit deeper, carefully sensing the frequency and trajectory of the beating pulse. He could feel a warm aura flowing through the young man’s meridians, carrying a vigorous and exuberant vitality that didn’t quite match the clear, refined, and gentle temperament he outwardly exuded.

But what truly stunned Yang Xun was something else entirely. This pulse clearly belonged to a woman!

He calmly withdrew his hand and raised his eyes to look at the young man before him once again. The collar of his pale blue shirt was neatly buttoned. The silhouette of an Adam’s apple was clearly visible, and the line of his jaw had a clean-cut sharpness unique to men.

"What’s wrong?" The young man grew nervous at his reaction. "Is it very serious?"

"You..." Yang Xun chose his words carefully. "When I checked your pulse, I found that it doesn’t quite feel like a man’s pulse."

The young man’s face instantly drained of color. A flash of panic crossed those clear eyes, and he instinctively pulled his hand back. "You... you could tell?"

"I am a doctor," Yang Xun replied evenly. "If you trust me, don’t hide your condition. Whatever the situation is, you can just tell me straight."

The room fell quiet for a moment. This person, who seemed neither entirely male nor female, lowered his head and bit his lip. A flush crept onto his cheeks, as though he was making a tremendously difficult decision.

After a long while, he finally turned around. His handsome face was twisted in conflict, as if the words were too difficult to say.

"My name is Wen Ruyu." She spoke up, her voice suddenly clearer and brighter than before, carrying a subtle, completely different texture. "I am actually... a woman."

Yang Xun didn’t look surprised. Instead, his face was full of curiosity. "You like dressing up as a man, but how did you fake this Adam’s apple?"

He assumed Wen Ruyu cross-dressed merely for the convenience of dealing with clients. Still, this masculine disguise had actually managed to fool his eyes; he had to admit her technique was exceptionally good.