Inside Liu Chendong, the head of the Liu family’s study, a man was kneeling and reporting what had just happened in the Xu family’s courtyard.
If Liu Yingying were there, she would recognize him at a glance – wasn’t this the coachman of the carriage she took earlier in the day?
“You mean… two more women have appeared at Xu Ping’an’s house?”
“Yes, family head, that’s correct.”
“What do those two women look like? Do you know their names?”
“Reporting to the family head, to avoid exposure, your subordinate dared not get too close. I only know that the woman’s name is Yu’er, and her face is pale and haggard, as if she is ill, and her aura is weak. She was accompanied by a maid named Xiao Jing. Additionally, there was a middle-aged servant in the courtyard, whose name is unknown, only that his surname is Zhao.”
“Oh… How old does that woman appear to be?”
“Reporting to the family head, the woman appears to be fifteen or sixteen years old. The accompanying maid seems to be around fourteen years old. As for the middle-aged servant, it’s hard to tell, but he’s probably around thirty and seems to have some martial arts skills.”
“Good, I understand. You may withdraw.”
“Yes.”
As the subordinate withdrew, Liu Chendong slowly turned his head and looked towards a corner of the study.
“Third Great-Ancestor, who do you think that person is?”
As his gaze swept across, an old man with white hair but a youthful complexion slowly emerged from the dark corner.
He stroked his grizzled beard and pondered for a moment.
“The age matches, the time matches, the number of people… also matches.”
Liu Chendong frowned slightly, tapping his finger on the table.
“Yu’er, Yu’er… If it’s a coincidence, even the name is the same, which seems a bit too coincidental. Could it be that the Prince of Zhennan…”
“Say no more. Some things are best known and never spoken aloud.”
“But Third Great-Ancestor, if that woman truly is ‘that person,’ then this matter could be troublesome.”
“Hmph, what trouble? Our Liu family belongs to the immortal cultivation lineage. Unless the Great Qi collapses, no matter how chaotic things get, it won’t have anything to do with our Liu family.”
“Since Third Great-Ancestor says so, then this matter… we won’t get involved?”
Liu Chendong’s expression was solemn, but then he saw his Third Great-Ancestor’s face straighten.
“What do you mean, ‘not get involved’? We don’t know, understand?”
“Yes.”
Liu Chendong paused slightly, then quickly bowed in salute.
“Mmm, teachable youth.”
Third Great-Ancestor’s youthful face showed a smile, then frowned.
“It seems you and I might have both misjudged our little divine doctor.”
“You mean… Xu Ping’an?”
A hint of confusion appeared on Liu Chendong’s face, even a touch of disdain.
“But he’s just a young man of twenty-five or twenty-six. Even if he’s talented at a young age… what can he do? He’s just a physician, after all.”
Hearing this, Third Great-Ancestor chuckled softly.
“You, you know you cherish your daughter, but some things won’t disappear just because you don’t want to see them. Since ‘that person’ chose to seek treatment from him, then his medical skills must have reached the pinnacle, don’t you think?”
After a pause, Third Great-Ancestor glanced at Liu Chendong, who had “unhappy” written all over his face.
“Don’t forget, even a powerful figure from the Liuyun Sect could only leave a phrase ‘incurable’ when it came to ‘that person’s’ illness. Yet our little divine doctor has a way… ponder on that.”
“This…”
Even if he was unwilling to see his own daughter go after another, hearing Third Great-Ancestor say this, Liu Chendong suddenly became alert.
That’s right!
Back then, the Balzing Fire Peak of the Liuyun Sect even sent an elder-level figure, but they were completely helpless against ‘that person’s’ illness. Could it be… that this kid really has some special ability?
No, no!
He must have misunderstood something.
Surely, that person will leave soon, right?
Anyway, that kid definitely isn’t capable.
If he really were, would he be content to live in seclusion at that small hillside?
He’s not some eighty-year-old geezer; he has no youthful drive at all.
Liu Chendong absolutely hated the sight of his own precious daughter going after an outsider.
Naturally, he wouldn’t have a good impression of Xu Ping’an.
“Hmm, I think we can let that girl Yingying interact more with that boy. Even if it doesn’t work out… forming a good connection is still beneficial.”
But as soon as his Third Great-Ancestor said this, Liu Chendong instantly bristled.
His eyebrows shot up, and the veins on the back of his hands throbbed.
“How can that be?! That kid, he wants to touch my Yingying?!”
“You… sigh, you, you! Alright, since you’re so insistent, I won’t say anything more.”
Third Great-Ancestor waved his hand and turned to leave the study.
As soon as he stepped out, he saw Liu Yingying, looking wronged and with reddened eyes, walking in from outside the courtyard.
“The girl’s back?”
Seeing Liu Yingying like this, Third Great-Ancestor knew the girl had been wronged.
A kind smile couldn’t help but appear on his face.
“What’s wrong, girl? Did someone bully you outside? Tell Third Great-Ancestor, and Third Great-Ancestor will go teach them a lesson!”
Upon hearing this, Liu Yingying’s large eyes instantly lit up.
But when she saw her Third Great-Ancestor’s stern face, seemingly with suppressed anger, the image of Xu Ping’an being brutally beaten by Third Great-Ancestor involuntarily flashed in her mind, and she immediately changed her words:
“No… nothing, the wind and sand just got into my eyes. I made Third Great-Ancestor worry.”
Watching Liu Yingying’s evasive behavior, Third Great-Ancestor stroked his white beard and smiled.
“Good, good, good. If you say there’s nothing, then there’s nothing. Third Great-Ancestor will go back to his courtyard first. If you’ve truly been wronged, come find your Third Great-Ancestor, and see if I don’t teach him a lesson!”
“No, no, really no~”
Liu Yingying quickly explained.
Her Third Great-Ancestor, who was her father’s Third Great-Uncle, was her grandfather’s grandfather’s third brother.
He was also one of the people in their Liu family who had achieved success in cultivation.
Currently, apart from this Third Great-Ancestor, only one Ancestor remained in the Liu family, but that Ancestor had not shown his face for several years, almost always in secluded meditation.
And this Ancestor was the Liu family’s greatest reliance.
However, because she didn’t meet him very often, or rather… she was almost sixteen, but had only seen this Ancestor twice, far less intimate than she was with this Third Great-Ancestor.
“Hmm, judging by your look, you’re looking for your father, aren’t you? Go on… that boy is in the study.”
“Hmm, then… Third Great-Ancestor, I’ll go see you in a couple of days~”
“A couple of days?! Oh… Third Great-Ancestor is old now, and there won’t be many more chances to meet~”
Seeing Third Great-Ancestor acting as if he was “on his last legs,” Liu Yingying quickly stepped forward and grabbed Third Great-Ancestor’s arm, coaxing:
“Alright, alright, Yingying will go see you this afternoon~”
Third Great-Ancestor showed a satisfied smile and nodded.
“Mm, that’s more like it. Go on, go on, your father is waiting for you.”
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