"Little friend, if anything should happen to me, can I ask you for a favor?"
"No," Xiao Man refused without hesitation. "Miss Yan's Foundation Establishment Pill isn't even enough to cover the cost of the medicinal ingredients, at most it can offset the treatment fee. Old sir, don't be too greedy. Whatever you want to do, just fight with all your might to survive and do it yourself."
"I mean, if there's an accident..."
"If there's an accident, the City Lord will have to fight me to the death," Xiao Man said lazily. "Don't mind what he says about not blaming me. If something really happens, he'll definitely blame me, and I might not even be able to leave the City Lord's mansion."
"Even if he blames you, he can't do anything to you, and besides, my Yan'er is a reasonable person," the old man chuckled. Xiao Man was now a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Although she was one rank lower than his son, Xiao Man was skilled in poison, and his son might not be her match. If they fought, his son would be at a disadvantage.
"If it weren't for Miss Yan's sincerity, I would never have been willing to get involved in this mess," Xiao Man sighed. "I was trapped by Miss Yan's frankness."
The old man immediately beamed with joy. "My granddaughter, I'm not bragging, but she is smart, clever, and kind. She's a good girl that you can't find even with a lantern."
Xiao Man nodded in agreement, and as she spoke, she inserted needles into the old man. By the time he realized it, he had been turned into a hedgehog by Xiao Man. Black blood seeped out along the silver needles. The old man felt as if something was pulling at his body, trying to separate his blood from his flesh and bones. He writhed in pain, his face contorted.
"Ah." The old man's screams pierced the sky, scaring those waiting outside pale. The City Lord even tried to barge in several times, but he held back each time. After all, his own daughter, with a pale face, was guarding the door, preventing anyone from disturbing Xiao Man's treatment. Even though he was worried about his father's safety, he couldn't conflict with his own daughter!
Moreover, he was afraid that if he barged in rashly and disturbed Xiao Man's treatment, it would delay his father's recovery.
The screams from the room continued, piercing people's eardrums as if the person inside was suffering immensely.
Inside the room, the old City Lord was fighting with himself. Outside, the Yan family father and daughter were also in agony, worried about the old City Lord's safety and fearing that the treatment might go wrong.
The sun rose and set, but the person inside still hadn't come out. If it weren't for the old City Lord's occasional screams, they would have thought Xiao Man had failed and the old City Lord had passed away.
"Father, you should rest for a while. I'll stay here," Yan Yan said, seeing the weariness on her father's face and the dark circles under his eyes, and urged him to rest.
"Father is fine. It's you who has been here for two days and two nights. You go down and rest first. Father will stay here," the City Lord said tenderly, looking at his daughter with affection. "Don't argue with me. When you're rested, come and take over from Father."
Yan Yan hesitated for a moment, then finally agreed. If both father and daughter stayed here, in case of any accident, they might not have time to react. Although she trusted Xiao Man, she had to be prepared for the worst.
Ze Fang sat nearby, quietly eating snacks to pass the time. When he was bored, he would chat with Xiaobai. The City Lord tried to pry information from Ze Fang, but no matter how hard he tried, Ze Fang just looked at him innocently, neither answering nor asking questions, as if he were looking at an idiot.
After several attempts, the City Lord began to wonder if he was the one who was foolish for arguing with an idiot.
When Fan Ting arrived, he saw the City Lord sighing sadly and Ze Fang engrossed in a conversation with a snake. He thought, the friends of eccentric people are also eccentric. Although Ze Fang's cultivation was not high, in Fan Ting's opinion, he should not be easily offended. Who knew if this person had some extraordinary ability?
"Immortal Master Ze Fang, I've asked the kitchen to send more food. Please try it, Master. Does it suit your taste?" Fan Ting had food sent over. Ze Fang took a look and lost interest. He was tired of these things. He wanted to eat the roasted meat made by Xiao Man, but Xiao Man was still busy.
Ze Fang looked at the closed door, then picked up Xiaobai the snake by the neck and slumped by the door, looking listless and unhappy.
Fan Ting looked at the food on the table. "Young Immortal Master, does none of it suit your taste?"
Ze Fang shook his head.
"Then I'll ask the kitchen to remake it and send it over."
Ze Fang shook his head again and began to count on his fingers. "It's been two days and three nights. Xiaobai, do you think Xiao Qin is hungry? She must be hungry. She loves to eat the most, but she hasn't eaten for thirty hours. Can she hold on?"
The City Lord stood up uneasily. Yes, the person inside hadn't eaten for thirty hours. Would she starve? Had Xiao Qin fainted from hunger? Would this delay the treatment?
The City Lord began to pace anxiously outside the door again, but each time he walked to the door, he would retreat. He didn't dare to go in. For cultivators, it was most taboo to be interrupted while cultivating. Mild cases could lead to qi deviation, and severe cases could be life-threatening. This was the same for treating the sick and saving people. The person receiving treatment inside was his father. If he rashly entered and endangered his father's life, it would be extremely unfilial.
Fan Ting, seeing Ze Fang making the City Lord so agitated with just a few words, frowned. "City Lord, you haven't closed your eyes for days. Please go and rest for a while. If there's any news, I'll have someone inform you immediately."
"No, I'll feel more at ease staying here," the City Lord said uneasily. However, staying here made his mood easily affected by Ze Fang. Although the situation inside was unclear, for them, no news was good news. Yet, he couldn't help but think of the worst.
"Father, I'll take over from you." Yan Yan looked full of energy. She had only slept for a short while, but it was enough for her to recover her vitality.
The City Lord wanted to refuse, but under Yan Yan's persistent persuasion, he finally went to rest. Yan Yan sat down next to Ze Fang, one on each side, like two guardian deities. Su Dan Novel Network
Yan Yan placed the food box she was carrying in front of Ze Fang and opened it. "This is the osmanthus sugar cake I made. Would you like to try some?"
Ze Fang was uninterested and leaned against the doorframe with his eyes closed, dozing. He was tired of being here. Although Xiaobai was with him, he still felt bored. A shattered Golden Core was not the same as broken limbs. Broken limbs could be reattached, but a shattered Golden Core could not be repaired.
"If Xiao Qin can't save your grandfather, will you blame her?" Ze Fang asked.
Yan Yan slowly shook her head. "I know how badly my grandfather is injured. Even if Xiao Qin can't cure him, I won't blame her. She's already done her best."
"What if your father blames her?"
"Don't worry, I won't let anyone make things difficult for Xiao Qin."