“Is that all?” Yang Hao couldn’t quite believe his ears. Just moments ago, when Ni Ziyan spoke so seriously, he had expected them to propose something far more difficult. It turned out all they wanted was to heal an ordinary customer. That seemed far too simple.
“That’s exactly it!” Ni Ziyan, ignoring the disappointed sighs of the onlookers, summoned her subordinates and directed Yang Hao to proceed toward the prepared patient’s room.
Yang Hao remained dazed, almost absentmindedly following an attendant toward the most luxurious presidential suite in Ling Fei Star Sea. He barely noticed the stern security guards along the way. He still couldn’t figure out why Ni Ziyan and Li Bo had suddenly decided to go easy on him. Everyone in the capital knew that even the simplest Dragon-Tiger Great Rejuvenation Pill from Yang Hao’s shop could restore a man’s vigor. Healing someone shouldn’t be a difficult task at all.
“Of course, it’s not that simple!” Hun Yuanzi muttered gloomily. He warned Yang Hao, “Just now, along the way, there were already three layers of security. The outermost layer was mechanical firepower, the middle layer was a line of swordsmen above level four, and the innermost guards—well, their strength was even hard to gauge.”
“Is that all?” Yang Hao couldn’t believe his ears. Given how serious Ning Ziyan had made it sound earlier, he had expected them to demand something far more challenging. Yet, all they wanted was for him to cure an ordinary guest—this seemed way too easy.
“Exactly!” Ning Ziyan ignored the disappointed sighs from the onlookers and summoned her subordinates, directing Yang Hao toward a prepared patient’s room.
Still dazed, Yang Hao numbly followed the attendant toward the most luxurious presidential suite in Lingfei Star Ocean. He barely registered the heavily armed security along the way. He couldn’t fathom why Ning Ziyan and Li Bo would suddenly go easy on him. Everyone in the capital knew that even the simplest Dragon-Tiger Revitalization Pill from Yang Hao’s shop could restore a man’s vigor. Curing someone was hardly a challenge.
“Of course, it’s not that simple!” Hunyuanzi muttered gloomily, snapping Yang Hao back to reality. “Just walking here, we’ve passed three layers of security—mechanical firepower on the outside, swordsmen above the fourth level in the middle, and the innermost bodyguards… I can’t even gauge their strength.”
Only then did Yang Hao focus and notice the anomalies. The suite’s exterior seemed unguarded, but his heightened senses detected at least ten elite warriors watching him intently. Each of them was at least as strong as Jinde—meaning ten deputy-level swordsmen were merely stationed as outer guards.
So… who exactly was the patient inside?
When Yang Hao entered the suite, his curiosity was instantly crushed. There was no high-ranking figure—just an elderly man. Well-preserved, with neatly combed white hair, he sat rigidly like a soldier, his icy expression unchanging as Yang Hao entered.
“Sit,” the old man commanded.
“How should I address you?” Yang Hao, uncomfortable with the cold atmosphere, tried to sit but found only one chair in the room.
“You’re Yang Hao?” The old man ignored his question.
Yang Hao nodded. “So… you’re the one I need to cure? Well, age can bring certain… issues.”
The old man remained silent, his gaze unwavering.
Yang Hao grew awkward. “No worries. My medicine guarantees a cure. Half the capital swears by it.”
“I know,” the old man said curtly. “That’s why I waited for you.”
Yang Hao’s curiosity reignited. Despite his ordinary appearance, the old man’s demeanor was anything but common. “Who are you?”
The question visibly irritated the old man. “Unnecessary questions are unnecessary. Just cure me.”
“Just making conversation. No need to be so cold,” Yang Hao muttered.
“You’re a lowly shopkeeper. You don’t qualify to know my identity.” The old man was merciless. “My temper is short. Fail to cure me, and you won’t leave this room alive.”
“What?” Yang Hao felt utterly unlucky. “You’ll kill me too? Just for failing? I’ve done nothing to you!”
“I don’t need a reason to kill. Displeasure is enough.” The old man’s voice was glacial. “Outside, ten elite warriors stand ready. If you can’t treat me, they’ll strike you dead instantly. Keep that in mind.”
“Mind? Mind my ass!” Yang Hao fumed. “What kind of place is this? Li Bo wants me dead, Ning Ziyan wants me dead, and now some old geezer I just met wants me dead too. You think I’m scared?”
His anger flared, and for a moment, he considered storming out to fight those so-called elites. After all, he was now on the path of immortal cultivation.
“You’d be wise to stay scared,” Hunyuanzi finally spoke after a long silence. “Against one of them, you might survive. Against all ten? You wouldn’t last half a second.”
“…” Yang Hao was crushed. After all his training, he was still this weak?
“Patience, disciple. Think of our grand mission—reviving the Dan Ding Sect!” Hunyuanzi lectured. “For our sect’s glory, swallow your pride. Just help the old man… regain his vigor. It’s a win-win!”
Yang Hao cursed inwardly. This guy was a flip-flopper—first urging him to fight, now preaching submission.
But Yang Hao wasn’t reckless. He sighed in resignation and reached into his pill pouch.
“Going for the Dragon-Tiger Revitalization Pill?” The old man smirked mockingly.
“You know my pills?” Yang Hao was stunned. That was indeed his go-to remedy—reliable and potent.
“I recognize the stench.” The old man’s sneer deepened. “No one else peddles such foul medicine.”
“Smells bad, works wonders.” Yang Hao, eager to be rid of him, didn’t mind boasting.
“If I were you, I wouldn’t bother.” The old man’s expression frosted over again.
“Why?”
“Because I’ve taken it. More than once.” His voice was flat. “A hundred pills, in fact. Zero effect. So… if you pull out that fake cure, I’ll kill you on the spot.”
Yang Hao’s hand froze mid-motion. His face paled. “A hundred pills… and no reaction at all?”
The old man’s unwavering stare confirmed it.
Cold sweat beaded on Yang Hao’s forehead. Now he understood—this wasn’t leniency from Ning Ziyan and Li Bo. It was a meticulously laid trap.
So, just who was the patient inside this suite?
Yang Hao entered the suite, but the sight before him completely shattered his curiosity. Inside, there was no one who appeared to hold high status—just an ordinary old man. If there was anything remarkable about him, it was that he had taken exceptional care of himself. Though he was over seventy, he looked much younger. His white hair was neatly combed, and he sat upright in the chair like a soldier. Upon Yang Hao’s entrance, his face remained cold and expressionless.
“Sit down!” the old man said.
“What should I call you?” Yang Hao wasn’t very comfortable with the chilly atmosphere. He wanted to sit but noticed there was only one chair in the room.
“You’re Yang Hao?” the old man didn’t answer.
Yang Hao nodded. “So then… you’re the one I’m supposed to heal? Well, it’s natural for someone your age to have some issues.”
The old man continued to gaze at him indifferently without saying anything further.
Yang Hao felt rather awkward. “That’s fine. As long as you take my medicine, I guarantee a swift recovery. In the capital, countless people have taken my medicine, and the results have always been great.”
“I know,” the old man replied briefly. “That’s why I’m waiting for you.”
Yang Hao’s curiosity stirred again. He sensed that this old man, though seemingly ordinary, carried himself with a demeanor and attitude far from common. “Who exactly are you?”
His question slightly angered the old man. “You don’t need to ask questions you shouldn’t. Just heal me.”
“Just asking casually. Why be so cold?” Yang Hao muttered, feeling disgruntled.
“You’re merely the lowest-ranking shop owner. You have no right to inquire about my identity,” the old man said bluntly. “I don’t have a good temper. If you fail to heal me, I guarantee you won’t leave this room alive.”
“What?” Yang Hao felt terribly unlucky. “Are you going to kill me too? Just for failing to heal me? I haven’t even offended you.”
“I don’t need someone to offend me to kill them. I only need to be dissatisfied,” the old man said. “Outside this room, there are ten top-tier experts. If you fail to heal me, they’ll strike you down immediately. You’d better be prepared.”
“Prepared? Hah!” Yang Hao cursed bitterly. “What kind of people are these? Li Bo wants me dead, Ni Ziyan wants me dead, and even this old man I’ve never met before wants me dead. Do I really have to be afraid of all of you?”
As he spoke, Yang Hao grew increasingly angry, tempted to give up entirely and confront those so-called experts outside. After all, he had already embarked on the path of cultivation.
“I think it’s better if you are afraid,” Hun Yuanzi, after a long silence, finally spoke. “Those experts outside—perhaps you could survive a one-on-one fight, but if they all attack together, you probably wouldn’t last even half a second.”
“…” Hun Yuanzi’s words struck a nerve with Yang Hao. Despite all his cultivation, he was still so weak.
“Patience is essential to avoid chaos,” Hun Yuanzi reminded him. “Good disciple, you must keep in mind the grand plan of reviving our sect. For the sake of restoring our Dan Ding Sect, you must endure the hardships. Isn’t it beneficial to both you and him to simply help this old man regain his vitality? Just do it.”
Yang Hao silently cursed Hun Yuanzi. This guy had previously insisted that once he made progress in cultivation, he could resolve things by force. Now, he was advising submission. Truly, a fence-sitter.
Nonetheless, Yang Hao wasn’t naive. He knew this wasn’t the time to be stubborn. With a resigned sigh, he reached into his medicine pouch to retrieve a pill.
“You’re going to use the Dragon-Tiger Great Rejuvenation Pill?” the old man finally showed a trace of mockery.
“You know about my pills?” Yang Hao was greatly surprised. Indeed, that was exactly what he had intended to take out, as it was currently the most effective and consistently reliable medicine.
“One whiff is enough to tell,” the old man still wore a sneering expression. “Who else but you would have such disgustingly smelly medicine?”
“Smelly, yes, but the effects are absolutely excellent,” Yang Hao, eager to be rid of the old man, didn’t mind boasting a bit about his own product.
“If I were you, I wouldn’t bring out that stinking pill,” the old man resumed his icy demeanor.
“Why not?”
“Because I’ve already taken it. Not just once,” the old man said indifferently. “At one point, I even took a hundred of them, and they had absolutely no effect. So… if you dare to offer me such fake medicine again, I’ll kill you on the spot.”
Yang Hao’s hand froze mid-reach into his medicine pouch, his face turning pale. Disbelievingly, he repeated, “A hundred of them, and you didn’t feel even the slightest effect?”
The old man didn’t speak, but his firm gaze told Yang Hao that what he had just said was the absolute truth.
Cold sweat broke out on Yang Hao’s forehead. Now he finally understood why Ni Ziyan and Li Bo had sent him to heal this old man. This wasn’t leniency—it was an extremely insidious trap.
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