Qin Jingzhou didn’t say it outright, but the meaning was perfectly clear: he wanted to wait until the Gu martial association suffered a few setbacks and learned their lesson before considering a partnership.
Just as Lin Baiming had let slip, it wasn’t difficult to become an outer member of the Gu martial association, but to get into the core required passing multiple rounds of tests and winning unanimous approval from the other core members.
Even Lin Baiming called that inner circle a bunch of “old stubborn mules," so naturally, Qin Jingzhou was determined to go it alone.
But before he could "show off his skills," he had to strengthen the boys first. On the one hand, it didn’t feel right to let the hardworking lads who sorted herbs go unpaid... Yes, up to now he still hadn’t paid them. On the other hand, it was an added layer of protection, so that if the Demonic Sect ever staged a sneak attack, the boys could at least hold out until he arrived.
So he instructed, "Everyone’s working overtime today. Xiao Xu, go order four big wooden tubs—the kind you can soak in."
Xu Chen checked the time: six thirty in the evening. Uncle Cheng wasn’t the difficult or pushy kind of boss... As he messaged his group for help, he asked seriously, "Boss, we might have to order these custom, which could take a few days."
Qin Jingzhou replied, "It’s all right if you don’t mind waiting a bit for your medicinal baths."
Qin Er chimed in immediately, "You mean... like the ones in web novels?"
"Once you finish the medicinal bath, you’ll be able to try channeling qi into your bodies according to our sect’s cultivation technique."
Xu Chen didn’t hesitate again. "Boss, I’ll go myself!" Spending a bit was nothing to him.
A little more than an hour later, Xu Chen returned with four brand new wooden bath tubs.
Everyone ate dinner together, digested for a while, then Qin Jingzhou boldly started mixing the formula right there in front of the boys—not hiding the prescription in the slightest. He even demonstrated why they had to use wooden tubs instead of a regular bathtub: they needed direct fire to heat the water.
Xu Chen and Li Assistant both got themselves into their tubs. Qin Er had his bodyguards help, while as for Lu Jiuxiao, Qin Jingzhou simply picked him up and dumped him in.
Unlike Qin Er, whose lower limbs had basically recovered, Lu Jiuxiao was still in a wheelchair, so his father held him in place throughout the bath.
With his heart tribulation broken and the Huiwu temporarily inactive, Lu Jiuxiao was feeling rather understanding. "Dad, aren’t your arms getting tired holding me? I could just sit on a little stool in the tub."
Qin Jingzhou laughed, "Don’t worry, you only need to soak for about ten minutes."
"Because I can only take ten minutes?"
"No—the medicine effect only lasts ten minutes."
The medicated bath was not only uncomfortable—it was even a bit enjoyable. Sensing his father was in a good mood, Lu Jiuxiao asked, "Did you control it precisely on purpose?"
Qin Jingzhou teased his silly son, "If you can’t even control the effect of the medicine bath, stop calling yourself my son."
Looking at his father’s handsome, expressionless face so close at hand, for the first time in his life Lu Jiuxiao had the feeling: "I’m an only child, I can be spoiled, I can act out as much as I want."
He’d always felt some obligation toward his half-sister, but after seeing his father cure Lin Baiming and then seeing the lost, soulless Gu Su, he suddenly felt justified. His sister had her own dad—she could go to him if she ran into problems.
He propped his arms on the edge of the tub and grinned from ear to ear.
Qin Jingzhou ruffled his silly son’s hair. "Not a total waste of space, this kid."
Ten minutes flew by. Once the bath was over, the four of them went home to shower—Qin Er and Xu Chen had already moved to the apartment across from the Cheng family’s, while Assistant Li lived in an apartment downstairs. They returned soon after, all refreshed and glowing.
Qin Jingzhou sent the basic cultivation manual he’d devised to the group chat, and had Qin Er and the others practice once in front of him before sending them off to continue on their own.
Once it was just father and son at home, Qin Jingzhou slapped his silly son on the back of the neck and injected a wisp of spiritual energy.
Before Lu Jiuxiao could even turn around, he felt a warmth in his dantian. According to the manual, that was the sign of successfully guiding qi into the body. He laughed gleefully, "Instant initiation! I really am your biological son!"
Qin Jingzhou specially explained, "Channeling qi into your body really tests perception and comprehension. Giving you a helping hand isn’t spoiling you—but reaching a higher realm will depend entirely on your own efforts."
Lu Jiuxiao couldn’t stop laughing. "You’re using more words in every sentence you say to me!"
Qin Jingzhou gave him a flick on the forehead, plopped him into the wheelchair, and rolled off to the study to play games.
Lu Jiuxiao pushed the wheelchair to face him. Following the instructions of the cultivation manual, he guided his newly-formed wisp of true qi to circulate through his body three times in full. Just like the medicated bath, the process was thoroughly pleasant and relaxing.
He rested his chin on his hand and watched his dad for a bit. "Dad, you joined the association, but you don’t really want to be part of them, do you? You want to strike out on your own, form your own path?"
Qin Jingzhou was busy blocking all the in-game “husbands” and would-be disciples begging to “become an apprentice." Putting on an impatient look, he said, "Don’t ask what you already know."
Lu Jiuxiao beamed with confidence, "Ours is a Medical Dao inheritance! Treating only association members violates our family principle, and besides, there aren’t enough patients for me to practice on, right? And it’s not like our family lacks money—just the profits from those waist patches are enough to feed us for three generations..."
Qin Jingzhou laughed as well, "You’ve figured it all out, have you?"
Lu Jiuxiao grinned, revealing a row of even white teeth.
The System couldn’t help chiming in, "Wow, after recognizing you as dad he really is a different person entirely. Judging by this, he might be able to dispel the rest of the Huiwu left in his head on his own."
"As long as the Demonic Sect doesn’t treat him as a major target."
The System thought about it. "In that case, he’s still counting on his dad to bail him out." After watching Lu Jiuxiao for a bit, "He almost seems... happy in this role?"
Qin Jingzhou didn’t answer directly. "It’s only taken half a day, and his fortune is almost completely restored."
The System let out a cackle, "Even the World Will thinks relying on your dad is the righteous path?"
Qin Jingzhou was perfectly calm, "To be fair, he is kind of cute sometimes."
From then on, Qin Jingzhou appeared to focus wholeheartedly on building his own sphere of influence, healing patients, and teaching his son and the staff.
Qin Er, Xu Chen, and Assistant Li didn’t share Lu Jiuxiao’s “dad buff.” Their talents were fairly average, but with the best beginner’s cultivation method, they each succeeded in channeling qi into their bodies within three to five days.
To celebrate their formal entry into the Gu martial arts world, and with Qin Jingzhou’s permission, Qin Er and the others invited their own parents and closest friends over. Lin Baiming, as half an insider, was also on the guest list.
During those days, Lin Baiming had reconnected with his daughter and was now making every effort to get close to her master, Xuan Wei, as well as to Gu Su.
Xuan Wei’s master had all the bearing of a Demonic Sect master and was extremely easygoing. Lin Baiming made a deal with him, exchanged some favors, and got several of the answers and hard-to-find evidence he’d been looking for.
As for Gu Su, it wasn’t that she didn’t want to play hard to get, but after losing her golden finger, she was constantly worried about Lu Zhentong’s retaliation and lacked any sense of security. Once she got a promise for personal protection, she handed over a few useful clues, such as "the earring can produce Huiwu," and "how to use Huiwu to guide emotions," and so on.
All in all, with what they got from Xuan Wei’s master and Gu Su, the association’s management urgently convened the core members to figure out a response. Now that they had a basic idea of what the earrings did, and could deduce that the Demonic Sect master now had them, it didn’t take much to guess what the enemy’s next steps would be.
The Demonic Sect and their backers’ minimum demand was sure to be a share of the Yunling grass, and as for their maximum demand... it might simply be the elimination of the association.
Gu Su had clung to the earring for years without figuring it out, but in the hands of that ambitious, tireless Demonic Sect master, the situation was bound to change fast. The association couldn’t let the demon master roam free, but he was as elusive as a dragon—always just out of reach.
One evening, Lin Baiming and Qin Jingzhou ended up on a private restaurant terrace. After reviewing the “backstory,” Lin Baiming cut to the chase: "The association hopes you’ll have Jiuxiao and the Lu family... stay in contact at least."
Qin Jingzhou smiled faintly, "So you can’t keep track of the demon master or Lu Zhentong? Old Lin,"—he lit a cigarette—"I remember you promised to give Old Master Lu a taste of his own medicine?"
Lin Baiming looked weary. "You think I don’t want to? If I’m going to take over as vice president, I have to make a statement and look at the bigger picture..."
"I figured. Those old mules at the association aren’t arrogant enough to think I’d fawn over them of my own accord, but they’ve got a hold over you. And you seem to think you can always ask me for help."
Lin Baiming’s brows knit tight. After a moment, he forced out a word, "Yes."
Qin Jingzhou didn’t blame him. Lin Baiming, after all, had never expected him to do anything differently. "Old Lin, if you want to progress smoothly into Innate, your heart’s got to feel untroubled. At the very least, you need to fulfill one of your own small wishes or goals first, wouldn’t you say?"
Lin Baiming wasn’t surprised, and even laughed, "No wonder you’re the Innate Divine Doctor." He gave a thumbs up. "You’re the real deal!"
Qin Jingzhou slapped him on the shoulder. "To borrow a phrase from Buddhism—you're too attached. Getting revenge on Old Master Lu, standing up for Little Lu and your daughter, aren’t those your real wishes?"
Lin Baiming smacked his forehead, "That heart tribulation really got me. I really was a fool!"
Qin Jingzhou grinned, "Then you should have a good chat with my son. Not long ago, he still thought of himself as an idiot."
Suddenly, Lin Baiming rubbed his face, and asked solemnly, "How did you come out of seclusion already at the Innate stage? How did you manage to cross your heart tribulation in one go, right when you hit Houtian Perfection?"
Qin Jingzhou pretended to ponder, "Maybe because if I didn’t break through, my son was about to kick the bucket."
Lin Baiming pressed on, "You never felt the need to personally avenge your enemies, or else be consumed by rage?"
Qin Jingzhou shook his head, "No. If anything, my son’s more eager for revenge than I am. But he wants to do it himself, not have me do it for him. So, solve your own problems, okay? You’re not my son."
Lin Baiming rubbed his face again, and quietly muttered, "Sorry..."
The day after the celebration feast, the appointment app was finished. Qin Jingzhou tried it out, then had Father Qin help get it listed on all the major app stores. They didn’t bother with any marketing.
That same day, Assistant Li came to report in, "Some people in the association didn’t want your app to be released, Boss. As soon as Uncle Lin found out, he went straight to them, and they quickly dropped the idea."
Qin Jingzhou just shrugged, "Not bad. At least you didn’t spend three years acting like an idiot after one setback."
Assistant Li was worried about his boss clashing with the association elders, but also thought those elders deserved a wake-up call. It would do them good to see the real world with their own eyes. So he replied cheerfully, "They say Uncle Lin was altogether different in the imperial meeting today."
Qin Jingzhou waved it off, "This is only the beginning."
He opened the app’s backend and discovered that, within a day, over three thousand users had registered already. The one ranked number one for appointments was—it turned out—the demon master… He let out a laugh, "All that hype about being so elusive, but here he is knocking right on my door."