Peerless Medical Emperor

Chen Qingdi nodded solemnly. ”Yesterday, my explanation of this poisonous insect’s origin wasn’t very detailed. Let me give you the full story today.”

The two brothers led Chen Qingdi back to the main hall, where Patriarch Luo and the others were waiting.

Everyone was extremely curious about this poisonous insect, so they listened with rapt attention.

”This Demon Flower Strange Heart Insect does not originate from the Dragon Country. It comes from the Western Fairyland!”

Fairyland?

Everyone present exchanged glances. What a distant kingdom.

If not for the modern prevalence of the internet, they would only have read about it in ancient texts.

This also piqued Situ Yun’s curiosity.

”Young Master Chen, could you enlighten us?”

Chen Qingdi nodded.

”Do you all remember the stories from *One Thousand and One Nights* that the queen told the King of Fairyland?”

Of course, they were famous tales! Everyone nodded.

”In the distant past, a demon offended King Solomon and was sealed away by him. It spent eighteen hundred years in the sea until, by a stroke of luck, it was saved by a fisherman.”

Luo Tianfeng frowned.

”Young Master Chen, we’re all hoping you can cure my daughter, not tell us fairy tales!”

Before Chen Qingdi could say anything, Situ Yun said coldly,

”If you want to cure your daughter’s illness for good, we must understand the origin and properties of this poison. If you want to treat her, let Young Master Chen finish speaking. If you want to go straight to planning her funeral, then just act like we never said a word!”

Luo Tianfeng snorted, thinking to himself.

’If my daughter didn’t need this treatment, I’d lock you father and son duo up until the end of time!’ However, for now, he had to suppress his anger and listen quietly.

Chen Qingdi continued, ”Everyone is familiar with *The Fisherman’s Story*, so I won’t go into detail. The Demon Flower Strange Heart Insect came from that very demon!”

Luo Bin snorted. ”You, Chen! If you’re going to spin a tale, at least make it a believable one. Who are you trying to fool with this story full of holes? Everyone knows the fisherman tricked the demon back into the bottle and sealed it. So how could it possibly have escaped to harm humanity?”

Chen Qingdi nodded.

”That’s only the version you’re familiar with. The original story has a second half. Unwilling to be sealed away again, the demon said to the fisherman, ’If you let me out, I will tell you of a four-colored fish that knows the location of all the world’s treasures. He will bring you great wealth!’”

Very few people knew this latter half of the story, so everyone pricked up their ears to listen carefully.

”Blinded by greed, the fisherman released the demon once again. And while he became a millionaire, the demon was free to continue plaguing the world!”

Everyone sighed in unison.

Luo Tianfeng was lost in thought.

”Young Master Chen, are you saying the Demon Flower Strange Heart Insect was created by that freed demon?”

Chen Qingdi nodded. ”It’s a method that demon used to control its followers. He would make this Demon Flower bloom all over their bodies, and then they would wither away and die.”

Luo Tianfeng didn’t care about demons or followers. He only cared about what kind of suffering his daughter would have to endure during her treatment.

”Young Master Chen, what do we need to prepare for the treatment? What must we do?”

Chen Qingdi thought for a moment.

”Once this poisonous insect enters a host, it uses the body as an incubator, forming a symbiotic relationship. Therefore, expelling it will cause the host unbearable pain, much like drug withdrawal.”

His words made everyone recall the Dragon Country a century ago, when countless citizens were tormented to the brink of death by a certain poison.

They couldn’t help but shudder involuntarily.

Luo Tianfeng could hold back no longer. With a THUD, he knelt before Chen Qingdi.

As he knelt, Luo Bin and Luo Ke also dropped to their knees behind him.

The three of them pleaded in unison.

”Please, Young Master Chen, you must save my daughter!”

Feeling he was too young to accept such a grand gesture of respect, Chen Qingdi stepped aside and had someone help them to their feet.

”I have a Nine-Turn Heart Protection Pill, refined by my sect. When the treatment begins, have Miss Luo take one. As long as it protects her Heart Meridian, then no matter how the insect struggles, her life won’t be in danger—provided a sliver of Spiritual Energy remains in her Heart Meridian and she holds onto her consciousness.”

The Luo father and sons, already awestruck by Chen Qingdi’s miraculous abilities, respectfully came forward to take the pill.

At that moment, someone suddenly shouted a curse.

”Chen Qingdi, you quack, you charlatan! As long as I, Sun the Hunchback, am here, you won’t harm our young miss!”

As the words fell, a large, withered hand like an eagle’s talon shot out, grabbing for the pill.

Chen Qingdi snorted and, without a change in expression, lashed out with a kick.

BANG!

Before anyone could get a clear look at the attacker, the figure was already sent flying backward. He slammed into the aluminum alloy door, leaving a deep dent, before rebounding and collapsing to the floor.

PTHOO!

A pool of blood spread on the ground.

Only then did everyone get a clear look at the newcomer. His back was severely hunched over, and as he lay on the ground, he resembled a bent bow with a broken string.

Others didn’t recognize him, but Luo Bin and his brother did.

”Sun the Hunchback, why are you trying to stop Young Master Chen from saving our sister?”

Sun the Hunchback was the Luo Family’s steward. He had served them since Luo Tianfeng was a young man, and though he possessed no extraordinary skills, he was unfailingly loyal, diligent, and uncomplaining.

Everyone in the Luo Mansion held him in high regard. Who would have expected him to be the one to cause a scene at such a critical moment?

As he lay on the ground, several of his front teeth were missing, and his words came out in a whistling hiss.

”Patriarch, don’t listen to this bastard’s ramblings! He’s just trying to swindle a huge reward out of the Luo Family by spouting nonsense! Even the great physician Hua Tuo himself couldn’t cure this strange disease, let alone a scoundrel like him! In this old servant’s opinion, we should break both his legs and throw him out!”

Chen Qingdi, however, was unfazed.

”Patriarch Luo, whether or not you treat your daughter’s illness is entirely up to you. I came here today only to help Young Master Situ, not for some reward! If you don’t want her treated, then I will take my leave!”

Luo Tianfeng’s reliance on Sun the Hunchback was bone-deep, so seeing him beaten so brutally by Chen Qingdi, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of displeasure.

He was about to order his men to throw Chen Qingdi out when he saw his daughter writhing in agony on her bed. He let out another long sigh.

He approached Chen Qingdi respectfully.

”Young Master Chen, I beg you, please be merciful and save my daughter!”

Feeling a hint of despair, Sun the Hunchback started screaming curses.

”You, Chen! Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to! You’re clearly using this ’treatment’ as an excuse to molest our young miss! You won’t even let her die in peace!”

The words were incredibly vicious. Everyone in the Luo Mansion exchanged glances and fell silent.

Chen Qingdi also remained silent, his eyes fixed on the hunchback on the floor. He noticed a foul odor emanating from the large hump on the man’s back.

He sneered. ”A bastard from the Evil God Sect dares to cause trouble here?”

Everyone stared at one another in confusion, having no idea what Chen Qingdi was talking about.

Sun the Hunchback grew even more defiant. ”Chen Qingdi, are you spinning another fantastical tale? Don’t assume everyone is foolish enough to be deceived by you!”