Assistant Li and the bodyguard brothers circled around the “Mosaic” area for a bit: under the steel beams, it was either death or severe injury. The mastermind had initially still shown signs of life, but when the chill from the activated scroll swept over, the result was literal—he was finished. As for the first one who took a flying kick from the boss, the guy was still alive but with a fractured skull. When the time comes... well, as long as he’s not dead, odds are the boss will cure him. No need to worry—they’d get something out of his mouth!
After this heart-pounding yet thrilling ordeal, Assistant Li jogged back to the boss and his son, respectfully handed over the little boss’s glasses that had fallen when he’d been hanging upside down, and reported, “We have a survivor.”
Qin Jingzhou lit a cigarette, “Good, makes it worth holding back a little.”
After vomiting, Lu Jiuxiao was feeling more clear-headed. He accepted the glasses from Assistant Li and put them on, then hugged his father’s leg and quietly made a request, “I’d like to get my legs healed first. Right now both my legs are just for show...”
Qin Jingzhou ruffled his son’s hair and patiently explained, “Let’s wait a few more days. Healing your face used up a lot of my vital energy.”
Lu Jiuxiao remembered the new bowl of medicine he’d been given these last couple of days and didn’t argue anymore.
In less than ten minutes, the officials arrived to take over. Lin Baiming, who had said his goodbyes outside the factory gates, also doubled back. He glanced at the “Mosaic” not far off, looking regretful, “I missed out on a great show.”
Qin Jingzhou and his foolish son got into another commercial vehicle and headed home first... there was still a patient in the late stages of life to treat that afternoon.
Lu Jiuxiao carefully arranged his slender legs and nudged his father’s arm, “Is this the reason you put up with it for twenty years before acting? Worried someone from the Lu Family would put a bounty on the darknet?”
Qin Jingzhou glanced at his foolish son’s... legs and didn’t reply.
Lu Jiuxiao raised his hand and slapped himself on the forehead, “What kind of idiot question did I just ask.”
In the front seat, both the driver and Assistant Li had the same thought: asking the obvious. Except this time the assassin squad had been almost completely wiped out. If the Lu Family didn’t increase their bounty, no one was going to take the job.
Thinking of this, the driver and Assistant Li exchanged a knowing glance: that side street just happened to be a blind spot for the Heavenly Eye system, but a quick-witted bodyguard had pulled out his phone and recorded the boss heroically reversing the tide.
Assistant Li turned his head and carefully asked, “Boss, can I send the video of your performance to the association?”
Qin Jingzhou nodded.
Assistant Li got the feeling the boss was probably a bit tired and didn’t say more, instead focusing on contacting the vice president and Lin Baiming on his phone.
The vice president—a mentor and relative—was about to finish his term, had accumulated his resources, and was preparing to enter closed-door cultivation and advance further. As Lin Baiming’s injury healed and given his close relationship with the boss, the matter of him taking over was all but settled.
He figured the boss had noticed, which was why so many things were left unspoken, but tacitly approved... When he sent the video over, he couldn’t resist adding a question for the vice president, “What do you think my boss’s current level is?”
The reply came in an instant, “Houtian Perfection, or possibly... stepping into Xiantian.”
Assistant Li instantly perked up, “Damn! I have to stick close and follow him!”
Houtian Perfection equated to the peak of Qi Refining, and Xiantian was equivalent to Foundation Establishment—the maximum realm this world could support.
Because his own strength was heavily restricted, it had taken Qin Jingzhou some time to discern that the Huaguo authorities could dispatch or request seven Foundation Establishment cultivators—that is, Xiantian experts—almost double the number on public record. Of course, Huaguo wasn’t the only nation hiding its true power. Other countries also had more Xiantian cultivators than openly showed, though usually just one or two secretly stashed away.
In short, if Huaguo suddenly gained another Xiantian, it would certainly jolt other powers awake. But since it wasn’t enough to disrupt the balance, it wouldn’t make anyone act recklessly... not quite.
As for Huaguo’s top civil and martial authorities, and everyone in the Guwu Association, they’d just gained a Xiantian divine doctor for free and were gleeful about it.
That’s why when he unleashed the strength of Foundation Establishment just now and swept away the attacking assassins, he made sure to be strong, but not so strong as to stir fear. He figured he’d struck the right balance.
The system also issued a prompt, “Brother Zhou, the bounty on the darknet has been hidden.”
Qin Jingzhou chuckled, “The Lu Family’s intelligence network isn’t bad.”
“But now that they’ve hit a brick wall, the other factions are much more cautious. They’ll probably shift from open attacks to hidden war of attrition... After all, anyone can get on the darknet. Once your scheduling app goes live, you’ll have plenty of international clients.”
Qin Jingzhou wasn’t concerned, “Just make sure to collect plenty of specialty goods from those countries. I won’t lose out.” So what if they turned on him after being cured? He’d just eliminate them.
The trip back to his residential compound was uneventful. As soon as the bodyguard opened the car door and he set foot on the ground, Qin Er, leaning on crutches, rushed up and gave a thumbs-up, “Awesome! Uncle Cheng, you’re awesome!”
Qin Jingzhou couldn’t help but smile. This kid really was his type.
Xu Chen, Assistant Li, and the others noticed and felt only one thing... you couldn’t help but be convinced. If they said the same, it’d probably earn them a “death glare.”
With help from the bodyguard, Lu Jiuxiao moved into a wheelchair and asked his dad, “What’s for lunch?”
He wasn’t jealous that Qin Er could make his father smile. It didn’t matter how much Qin Er was favored—he was still his dad’s biological son. Only, now that he was thinking straight for once, he was suddenly struck by something: what had he ever actually done for his dad? Absolutely nothing! All this time he’d only brought him trouble... If not for him, his dad wouldn’t have been ambushed today...
Now, it seemed he still couldn’t really share his father’s burdens, but he ought to at least try—starting with something as simple as ordering takeout.
Lu Jiuxiao’s little scheme was clear as day to Qin Jingzhou, but he was happy to see his foolish son’s conscience awaken. As they walked home, he replied, “Same as usual.”
He ate everything. If anything, he could be said to be picky in that he’d just eat more of anything that was tasty.
Once he got his dad’s answer, Lu Jiuxiao immediately cradled his phone and began to browse with extra care.
There wasn’t much to be said after that until 2 PM, when two patients—one with a minor, one with a serious condition—arrived together.
The patient with the lighter case sat down first and unwrapped the bandages from his wound. His injury was similar to Lin Baiming’s, except a chunk was missing from his knee. Residual magic path true qi had prevented the wound from healing and put him through hell in recent days.
Qin Jingzhou infused two golden needles with spiritual energy and inserted them at the edge of the patient’s knee. The stubborn magic path true qi dissolved instantly, as if snow were melting under a blazing sun.
Feeling it first-hand, the minor patient was so excited he jumped to his feet, slamming his head into the ceiling and leaving a hole. As the wall dust scattered over his head, shoulders, and body, he blushed and quickly apologized to Qin Jingzhou, “Sorry, I got carried away! Mr. Cheng, you’re a real divine doctor!”
Qin Jingzhou kept a straight face and instructed Qin Er, “Ten thousand. Put it on his tab.”
Qin Er replied, trying not to laugh, “You got it.”
The patient also hastily said, “Of course, of course!” As long as the divine doctor wasn’t bothered by his outburst.
After that little interlude, even the severe patient, who’d seemed to be down to their last breath, showed a faint smile.
Qin Jingzhou already knew the identity of the gravely ill patient—a so-called retired divine doctor of the Guwu Association, who claimed age as the reason for stepping back.
In truth, she really was old. But the real reason she couldn't treat others anymore was the severity of her wounds: her skullcap had completely vanished, and severely damaged brain tissue was exposed to the air.
Even in Qin Er’s and the others’ eyes—youths who’d seen the world—this sight was startling.
If this master hadn’t cultivated something similar to the “Green Emperor Sutra”—a righteous and peaceful method that wasn't suited for fighting, but was excellent for health and longevity—she would have died long ago.
Qin Jingzhou went through the motions, examining her, “Who did you piss off? Magic path and evil path true qi invaded you at the same time. If your cultivation technique weren’t special, you wouldn’t have lived—and—”
The seriously ill patient, looking barely past forty but in truth well over eighty, smiled and interjected, “—and would have become their puppet. Looks like there’s hope for me.”
Qin Jingzhou didn’t keep her guessing. This Guwu master had the best disposition of anyone he’d met in this world, with genuine potential to reach Foundation Establishment. “It’ll take at least three months of treatment. You’ll need to come every three days, and it’s ten million per session.” He shook his head, “To cure you will probably exhaust all the reserves I’ve built up recently.”
Getting the divine doctor’s personal promise, the master beamed, “However much it takes, charge it. No friends’ rates!” She gave her son beside her a light push, “He’s a real estate mogul, has more money than sense.”
The master’s son hadn’t seen his mother smile in ages. Now he was all but glowing himself, “Mr. Cheng, tell me what herbs you need. I’ll hunt them down! I’ve even got some stock at home...”
Qin Jingzhou said, “I only need frozen or dried herbs—nothing processed. My lineage has unique ways of handling medicinal ingredients.”
The master’s son nodded enthusiastically, “No problem!”
While Qin Jingzhou was tending to the heavyweight case, Gu Su wasn’t idle either. Entrusted by Lin Baiming’s daughter, Xuan Wei, she was tasked with introducing Lu Zhentong.
Lu Zhentong had just landed and immediately went to meet Gu Su and Lin Baiming’s daughter—who was the half-sister of Lu Jiuxiao, sharing the same mother. He should call her “little aunt.”
Of course, absent the blood connection, Gu Su wouldn’t have agreed so readily to facilitate the meeting.
When Lu Zhentong arrived at the designated club, he took one look and immediately saw the family resemblance with his grandaunt: this girl looked even more like his grandaunt than Lu Jiuxiao did, and the madness in her eyes was identical to when his grandaunt lost control.
He’d done his homework before coming. His grandaunt had died of liver cancer, but her deepest torment was from severe depression. Clearly, both Lu Jiuxiao and Xuan Wei had inherited psychological issues from her... When Xuan Wei was five, she’d had an accident caused by her grandaunt’s illness, when those around her were distracted by the crisis.
Back then, Lin Baiming hadn’t been what he was now, so in his distracted state, he’d mistakenly believed his daughter was dead, but didn’t know she had survived and fallen right into the hands of a magic path master who’d been watching him for a long time... As far as misunderstandings go, it was understandable.
From his point of view, this had been an accident, but no matter what Xuan Wei had heard, she deeply resented her parents. Harboring a fierce desire for revenge against her surviving father, she’d also put her mother’s ex-husband and her half-brother on her "death list." As a beneficiary of her plans, he could only support her efforts.
Eyes red, Xuan Wei said, “Go ask Cheng Jingzhou out. I’ll seduce him, then get Lin Baiming and him to fight to the death for me.”
Lu Zhentong couldn’t help warning her, “Even if Cheng Jingzhou isn’t a Foundation Establishment master, he’s close...”
Xuan Wei grabbed Gu Su—only there as a backdrop—by the arm. “You’ll help me, right?”
Catching sight of Lu Zhentong’s changing expression from the corner of her eye, Gu Su held back a curse.