9：Selling the Ginseng

After purchasing the medicinal bath and ginseng, Shen Hao left the medicine shop.

He wandered around Yangguan Town for a while, thinking about whether he should buy a house here for convenience in the future.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt it was a good idea.

Having a stable place would make traveling back and forth much more convenient.

Returning to his house, Shen Hao soaked in the medicinal bath again.

After completing the sixth movement, he sighed in relief.

"Finally, I've reached the mid-stage of Body Forging, the Bone Forging stage. This medicinal bath really feels great."

Looking at the wooden barrel, he saw that the water had turned slightly dark. It was filled with the impurities from his body.

At this moment, Shen Hao could clearly feel the surge of power within him.

After washing up, he looked at himself in the mirror and was pleasantly surprised.

The acne marks on his cheeks were completely gone. Even the tiny blackheads on his nose were no longer there. His skin was fair and glowing, as if he had undergone a beauty treatment.

Damn, his skin was really great.

It instantly raised his attractiveness. His facial features were still the same, but now he looked much more handsome. If someone called him the campus heartthrob, it wouldn't be an exaggeration.

Of course, this was based on his good bone structure to begin with. If his cheekbones were too high or his eyes too sharp, it wouldn't matter, unless he had plastic surgery.

"Incredible," Shen Hao exclaimed in surprise.

The changes were so significant that he couldn't help but be excited. Who wouldn't want to be more handsome?

It wasn't just a physical change; his aura had shifted as well.

Perhaps it was because Shen Hao now had money, but his entire demeanor had changed.

He no longer felt anxious, and his gaze was filled with confidence.

Indeed, money is a man's backbone and dignity.

With money, things are different.

After showering, Shen Hao put on new clothes and bought a train ticket to the provincial capital, Chang'an, to trade the ginseng with the medicine shop.

Around 3 PM, he arrived in Chang'an.

He really liked this laid-back lifestyle. There was no rush, and he had plenty of time.

He ordered a ride and headed straight for the High-tech Zone.

Sitting in the ride, looking out at the busy streets, he felt in a great mood.

The feeling of riding in a car versus driving it was completely different.

Chang'an, the largest city in the northwest, had a lot of cars, so the 15-kilometer trip took nearly 40 minutes.

After getting off, following the navigation, Shen Hao finally arrived at the pharmacy downstairs.

Looking up at the six-story building filled with Chinese medicine shops, Shen Hao felt reassured that this was a well-established business in Chang'an, a place with the financial ability to make such purchases.

The receptionist smiled and asked, "Sir, are you here for a consultation or to buy medicine?"

Shen Hao replied, "I'm here to sell ginseng, as we discussed."

"Oh, you're Mr. Shen! Please follow me."

The receptionist led him to the elevator.

In the elevator, Shen Hao couldn't help but notice the receptionist's slender figure in a gray OL skirt, accentuated by her black stockings. She had nice legs.

The front desk uniform at this pharmacy was quite nice—there was potential for promotion here.

The elevator was a bit cramped, and the scent of the receptionist's perfume filled the air.

Perhaps because his senses were heightened, the perfume was overwhelming, and it made Shen Hao a bit uncomfortable.

The woman looked good from behind, but her facial features and skin were average. Shen Hao instinctively rated her lower.

Out of sight, out of mind.

A few seconds later, the elevator dinged, and they arrived at the third floor.

Following the receptionist, Shen Hao entered a narrow corridor, lined with small custom cabinets.

Inside the cabinets were transparent glass jars filled with various medicinal herbs, including ginseng, astragalus, ganoderma, yam, and more.

Shen Hao lingered by the ginseng section and couldn't help but look a little longer. There was a display of hundred-year-old ginseng marked at over 2 million yuan.

Although it was a fake specimen, it still left Shen Hao impressed.

Soon, they arrived at the meeting room, which was about 60 square meters.

There were three people inside.

One was a middle-aged man with gray-white hair, around 40 years old, dark-skinned, and wearing a white lab coat. He had the appearance of a skilled doctor.

The second was a woman, around 30, plump, who seemed to be a nurse assistant.

The receptionist introduced, "This is Dr. Li Cheng, the head professor at the Chinese Medicine Hospital.

He comes for consultations on weekends, and the consultation fee is 300 yuan. Today, he's specifically here to meet you."

"Mr. Shen, right? Can I take a look at the ginseng first?"

Shen Hao nodded. "Of course."

He then took the plastic bag from his pack and handed it over.

Dr. Li Cheng carefully examined the wild ginseng, even biting off a small piece of the ginseng root to chew.

After a moment, his eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but nod in approval. "Good ginseng, the medicinal properties are right."

He then carefully held the ginseng and examined it further, growing more pleased with it. "This is good ginseng.

I can tell for sure that it's neither from Changbai Mountain nor from Russia.

Currently, 99% of wild ginseng on the market is smuggled from Russia. The appearance is similar, and the medicinal effects are the same, priced at hundreds of yuan per gram depending on age and quality.

But this one, I can't tell exactly where it's from.

The main root is long, and wild ginseng usually only grows for 30 to over 100 years.

Over time, the soil near the root becomes depleted, and the roots stretch further, seeking new sources of nutrients.

As it keeps growing, the main root lengthens, becoming more than three times the length of the main stem.

This wild ginseng has perfect medicinal properties. I can tell that it's a pure wild ginseng, about 50 years old, though it's slightly aged.

What amazes me is that its medicinal effects are even stronger than the 50-year-old ginseng from Changbai Mountain.

This is absolutely pure ginseng, definitely from a place where century-old ginseng grows.

Only such places produce wild ginseng with this level of medicinal power, not ginseng that's artificially cultivated and scattered in the forests.

Fifty years is precious, and a hundred years is a treasure. Although the medicinal properties are good, the appearance and age are still there.

Currently, this wild ginseng would be worth around 500,000 yuan, but the purchasing price would definitely be lower.

However, the medicinal properties are enough, and I'm willing to buy it at market price.

Even so, it's rare to find such good ginseng.

If you want to sell, I'll buy it for 500,000 yuan. If not, you can go look elsewhere."

Dr. Li Cheng praised the ginseng openly and honestly, and Shen Hao felt more at ease.

He had researched the price before coming—wild ginseng of 50 years was priced between 300,000 to 500,000 yuan, and this was the selling price, not the purchasing price.

The offer was quite reasonable.

Shen Hao had feared that things from two different worlds might be priced differently, wasting time.

Shen Hao said, "Since there's no problem, let's make the deal."

"Deal!"

Dr. Li Cheng smiled contentedly. "Good, no problem."

The transaction went smoothly. After receiving the money, Shen Hao was satisfied.

Since the deal was done, he was ready to leave.

Dr. Li Cheng said, "Shen Hao, let's add each other on WeChat. If you have more ginseng, contact me directly. I think your source is quite good."

"Sure, no problem," Shen Hao replied, happy to comply.

After the money was transferred, Shen Hao left without plans to sell more ginseng for now. He realized that selling too many could raise questions.

After all, this wasn't like selling everyday vegetables. Selling large quantities of wild ginseng could attract unwanted attention.

He knew that wild ginseng was a protected species, and too much trading would lead to problems.

Not long after Shen Hao left, Dr. Li Cheng called his mentor.

"Professor Zhou, I've received a 50-year-old wild ginseng."

"Fifty years? That's nothing. It needs to be a hundred years old. Even the century-old ginseng in your shop isn't enough, let alone a 50-year-old one."

"Don't worry, Professor. This 50-year-old wild ginseng has powerful medicinal properties. I think it's worth a try."

"Alright, bring it over."

"Okay, I'm on my way."

Dr. Li Cheng rushed to a nursing home, where he met an elderly man in Tang attire.

"Professor Zhou."

"Let me see the ginseng first."

"Here you go, Professor."

The elderly man, Professor Zhou, was Dr. Li Cheng's mentor, a renowned family doctor with traditional expertise.

Professor Zhou didn't waste time, took a small piece of ginseng, chewed it slowly, and after a moment, nodded in satisfaction. "It's full of energy. Good ginseng. Although it's not quite the right age, the medicinal properties are excellent."

Dr. Li Cheng smiled slightly, "Professor, can you use it?"

"Of course. Where did you get it?"

"A young man named Shen Hao sold it to me. I added him on WeChat."

"Good, I'll take you to meet Mr. Xiao."

"Okay, Professor."

They arrived at a second-floor patient ward, and Dr. Li Cheng introduced Shen Hao to Xiao Bing, a refined woman in her late twenties or early thirties.

Xiao Bing, who had delicate features and flawless skin, wore a light blue tight OL dress that accentuated her curves. Her long, slender legs were perfectly shaped, and she was strikingly beautiful.

Professor Zhou spoke up, "This ginseng, is it usable?"

"Yes, it has enough medicinal properties. I'll give it a try."

Xiao Bing responded, "How much is it?"

"It's 500,000 yuan," Dr. Li Cheng answered.

"Deal, it's usable, so it's valuable. I'll transfer the money."

Soon, Dr. Li Cheng received 800,000 yuan, much to his surprise. He hadn't expected Mr. Xiao to be so generous.

Although he didn't show too much excitement, he understood the importance of Xiao Bing's family connections, which were much more valuable than money.

"Thank you, Mr. Xiao."