TNIBFT -Chapter 178 The Road to Demonhood

Xiao Jiang frowned slightly at Ye Tian, worry written in his eyes, his small hand gripping Ye Tian’s large one unwilling to let go.

Qiu Feibai glanced at Xiao Jiang, his eyes flickering. He spoke softly, “Xiao Jiang, if you become stronger, won’t you be able to protect others in the future?”

“At crucial moments, you won’t have to make choices between worry and action.”

“You won’t have to be torn between concern and calling out to your master, right?”

Recalling earlier, when Xiao Jiang had stumbled into the manor to call for him, tears had welled up in his eyes before a single word had come out.

The terrified, uneasy expression made Qiu Feibai’s heart tighten.

There had been too many incidents in Sifang City recently. It was too dangerous for Xiao Jiang to follow Ye Tian. He needed an excuse to take Xiao Jiang away for a while. Once things stabilized here and the people of the Medicine King Valley were properly arranged, Xiao Jiang could return.

Hearing his master say this, Xiao Jiang suddenly looked up at Qiu Feibai, pursed his lips, then glanced at Ye Tian: “Then I’ll go!”

His voice was soft, yet his eyes were resolute. “Dad, you must wait for me to come back.”

“I’ll grow up quickly, and I’ll protect you!”

“No one will ever bully you again…” The little one spoke while sniffling, rubbing his eyes with one small hand. Seeing his son like this, Ye Tian felt utterly useless and a mix of emotions churned in his chest.

He reached out to pat Xiao Jiang’s little head, tugged at the corner of his mouth with shameless cheer, and said, “Don’t cry. You said it yourself—so you have to work hard, my son.”

Xiao Jiang nodded repeatedly.

Qiu Feibai watched the father and son interact and shook his head with a smile.

Sun Wuji shouted for Ye Shuangxue at the door, and only then did Xiao Jiang and his sister leave the room, looking back every few steps.

Once the two children were gone, the room instantly fell silent.

Qiu Feibai glanced at Ye Tian and took a seat on the chair at the foot of the wooden bed.

“Brother Ye… I’m sorry, I—” Qiu Feibai began awkwardly.

Ye Tian said, “You truly care for Xiao Jiang. I should be the one thanking you.”

At this moment, Qiu Feibai was taking Xiao Jiang back to Medicine King Valley. How could Ye Tian not understand his intentions? Everyone at the hotpot restaurant had been injured today; two were critically hurt, barely alive. Qiu Feibai’s worry was only natural.

Ye Tian took a deep breath, his voice sinking. “I have no talent. In front of these experts, let alone protecting a child, just surviving is difficult.”

“Brother Qiu, do you have any way to protect yourself?”

Ye Tian was curious.

Qiu Feibai smiled, stood up, and looked at Ye Tian. “My martial aptitude is average. In this world, nothing is immutable. The Medicine King Valley is filled with experts. Even ordinary people would show respect when they hear the name.”

Ye Tian frowned.

A company that grows strong indeed wields influence.

Qiu Feibai continued, “Some people come to me to prolong their lives, but they must offer something of equal value in exchange. Brother Ye, do you understand?”

Exchange?

Ye Tian suddenly felt enlightened.

Even a president in his previous life wasn’t a martial artist, but he could hire bodyguards. As long as one had power and influence, there would always be people willing to fight—or die—for them. Ye Tian looked down at the white cotton cloth in his hands. Abilities, no matter the era, were always useful, right?

A spark seemed to ignite in Ye Tian’s heart.

His eyes lit up, and he looked at Qiu Feibai, a smile gradually spreading across his face.

Seeing this, Qiu Feibai’s expression hardened slightly, his tone neutral. “Brother Ye, what are you thinking?”

“Why don’t we work together?”

“I’ve thought of a money-making business. Are you interested?” Ye Tian spoke.

Qiu Feibai, whose heart had been racing, finally relaxed. He glanced out the window, lifted his cotton robe, and sat back down.

Ye Tian continued, “I want to open a pharmacy.”

Qiu Feibai’s eyes flickered. He had expected some mysterious business venture and was quite curious about Ye Tian’s plan—but opening a pharmacy? The pharmacies run by the Medicine King Valley made a fortune across Daliang. If Ye Tian was proposing this now, he was probably planning to leverage the valley’s reputation.

That wasn’t a problem, after all—Xiao Jiang was his disciple, and eventually everything from Medicine King Valley would belong to her.

Thinking of this, Qiu Feibai said, “I already have two pharmacies under my name in Sifang City. Brother Ye, if you want to give it a try…”

“That’s not what I mean.”

Ye Tian waved his hand, wrapped in cotton, cutting him off. “I don’t mean a herbal pharmacy for raw ingredients. I mean a proper pharmacy. Do you know about patent medicines?”

Qiu Feibai frowned.

Ye Tian continued, “Most people suffer from minor illnesses—fever, cold, diarrhea. Every time, they have to visit a pharmacy, have their pulse taken, gather herbs, then go home and decoct them. It’s not only complicated, it’s time-consuming. My pharmacy would sell ready-made medicines.”

Qiu Feibai’s eyes gleamed.

Ye Tian’s words shook his understanding to its core.

He frowned in silence, his blood rushing through him.

Ye Tian went on, “This reduces the time and cost for common people to seek treatment. Pills are fast and convenient. A minor illness can be treated early, preventing it from developing into something serious.”

“Yes, yes, yes!”

Qiu Feibai was excited, his face flushed unnaturally. He nodded eagerly, fully agreeing.

Why hadn’t the generations of physicians in Medicine King Valley thought of this over thousands of years?

“How would this work?” Qiu Feibai asked.

Ye Tian said, “It’s simple. Do you have formulas for colds? For wind-heat and wind-cold colds? Let’s start with just these two, plus medicine for diarrhea. Make them into pills, add preservatives, and put them into small bottles for easy carrying.”

Qiu Feibai nodded.

“You provide the formulas and the herbs, and I’ll handle production and management. Profits split evenly?” Ye Tian suggested.

Qiu Feibai shook his head. “No need to be so formal.”

“The herbs are cheap. Xiao Jiang can memorize the formulas for wind-cold medicine. I’m not interested in making money, but Brother Ye, your idea is brilliant. If the medicines can be developed, it would indeed be a great service to the people.” Qiu Feibai refused. He had grown up in Medicine King Valley and had been raised as the successor. He had little interest in doing business for profit.

Seeing Ye Tian watching him, he felt embarrassed, as if he were spoiling the mood. He hurriedly said, “Whatever you need, just say it. I will do everything I can—it’s also for Xiao Jiang’s sake.”

After discussing the plan, Qiu Feibai offered many more suggestions.

“There’s one more thing…”

Qiu Feibai walked to the door, suddenly turned back toward Ye Tian, looking a little awkward. “The one who saved you… is a girl.”

“Next time, have a girl handle the medicine exchange,” he added.

With that, Qiu Feibai turned and left.

A girl?

Ye Tian leaned against the headboard, recalling Shangguan Ning’s effort to save him. Her hands had been covered in blood, risking her life to buy time, just to save him.

“Could she be Ye Tian’s original master’s relative?”

And then there was Meng Qing.

The name sounded familiar. In the original book, Meng Qing was the underground slave market overlord in Sifang City, showing no regard for Ye Yunting’s life, torturing and humiliating him. He was eventually killed by fifteen-year-old Ye Yunting—the first victim of the demon path that Ye Yunting would later walk.

It was also the beginning of the road to becoming a demon.