After they went inside, Huang Luochen grew more and more uneasy.
‘Could this old man actually be a swindler? What if he just cobbles something together and slaps it onto me?’
‘No, I need to make some preparations, have Third Uncle come a bit later, and at the end, “invite” this old man to stay inside for a while.’
‘If nothing happens to me, then it proves he’s the real deal, and it’d be good to win him over. If not, at least I’ll have someone to take my revenge on.’
Thinking this, Huang Luochen took out the sound transmission stone…
*****
Inside the clinic’s inner chamber.
Ghost Doctor Li Jiu grumbled with some irritation, “Damn it, he actually doesn’t trust this old man. Whether it’s fine wine or a creation of flesh and blood, either one is worth more than that useless shell.”
“It’s nothing but the pointless troubles of vulgar mortals. Even I have to get dragged into this mess, hmph.”
Lin Huanhuan plopped down to the side, not bothering to pay any attention to the eccentric-tempered Ghost Doctor.
She looked at the room’s arrangement, glanced at the Ghost Doctor, recalled the rumors about him, and her eyes spun with mischief. ‘Suddenly, I have a pretty good idea. Why not try it this way?’
Ghost Doctor, who was just pulling out his tools from his bundle, was startled so badly his hair stood on end. He hurriedly looked around, confused.
“What’s going on? Someone planning to set me up? No, no, better finish this job and leave right away. If those people catch up again, it’ll be a headache.”
Ye Jinxi was already seated in the chair. Having guessed what was about to happen, she squeezed her eyes tightly shut, her little hands gripping the armrests turning slightly pale.
Ghost Doctor Li Jiu approached her with a smile, waving several slender, sharp knives in his hand. “Little girl, don’t be afraid. It won’t hurt for long. It’ll all be over soon. I’ll take out your Nether Frost Spirit Vein in a flash.”
Ye Jinxi started trembling even harder, but before Ghost Doctor Li Jiu could say more or make his move, a voice rang out from not far away.
“Hey, hold on a minute.” Lin Huanhuan raised her hand to stop him.
Ghost Doctor Li Jiu turned around, disgruntled. “You little brat, you sure have a lot of opinions. What is it now?”
Lin Huanhuan spoke unhurriedly, “I don’t think this’ll do. After all, Ye Jinxi is mine. If you take a good look at her, wouldn’t I be the one losing out?”
Ye Jinxi opened her eyes, bewildered. She couldn’t understand the situation at all anymore.
“If I don’t look, how am I supposed to extract the Nether Frost Spirit Vein?”
Ghost Doctor Li Jiu glared furiously. “You’re not telling me to do it blindfolded, are you?”
“You nitpickers, you really love to make a fuss over the tiniest things. So many complications!”
“Do it blindfolded?”
Muttering this, Lin Huanhuan suddenly clapped her hands and burst into laughter. “Do it blindfolded. Good idea! That’s perfect, the most suitable way.”
Hearing this, Ghost Doctor Li Jiu immediately blew out his beard and glared, so angry he actually laughed.
“I’ve lost all my cultivation now and am nothing but an ordinary man. I can’t use divine sense to scan, and you want me to work blindfolded? What if I mess up and damage the Spirit Vein? Then what?”
Lin Huanhuan didn’t answer, just showed a look of regret and sighed:
“I never imagined the legendary Ghost Doctor Li Jiu, once famed throughout the Southern Frontier, would have fallen so far. Not even able to do a simple thing like this without seeing—what a pity, what a shame.”
!
Ghost Doctor Li Jiu, who had been disgruntled, suddenly perked up, unable to believe it. “You’ve heard of me? You know who I am?”
“Of course.”
Lin Huanhuan nodded. “I grew up listening to my father tell stories of Senior Ghost Doctor’s exploits. Back then, you were the strongest core disciple of the Valley of the Medicine Saints, your unique healing arts renowned far and wide, enough to move Heaven and Earth and make ghosts weep.”
“Yet Heaven is jealous of talent. Because your ideas were too unorthodox and different, the conservatives of the Valley branded you a traitor, crippled your cultivation, and drove you out.”
“I thought I might get a glimpse of the old Ghost Doctor’s style today, but I didn’t expect to find you so down and out. It seems I was dreaming. Alas, alas.”
Lin Huanhuan sighed deeply, her voice full of regret.
“Exactly, exactly! It’s those old bastards, jealous of me! I was just different from them, but got persecuted for it.”
Ghost Doctor Li Jiu’s expression was moved.
‘Back then I was so glorious, but now I’ve fallen so far I’m extracting Spirit Veins for others just for a meal and a drink. Now, I’ve actually run into a girl who admires me—could I really let her leave disappointed?’
‘No, it’s just doing it blindfolded. At my peak, this would’ve been nothing more than a wave of my hand.’
Thinking this, Ghost Doctor Li Jiu felt a fire burning in his chest. The blood that had been still for so long began to boil once more.
“Fine!”
Ghost Doctor Li Jiu smiled with confidence. “Blindfolded Spirit Vein extraction? What’s so hard about that? Girl, watch closely—you’d better remember my technique when you go back!”
Ghost Doctor Li Jiu took out a black cloth from his medicine box and covered his eyes, standing tall with his hands behind his back, sweeping away his former despair, his face filled with confidence and composure.
He picked up the knife and was about to make his move when a sudden sharp pain struck the back of his head. Dizzy and dazed, he slumped limply to the ground.
“Finally took the bait!”
Lin Huanhuan beamed, tossing the brick aside.
“Lin Huanhuan, what are you doing?” Ye Jinxi stared at the scene, feeling completely dumbfounded.
Lin Huanhuan looked at her as if she were an idiot. “Sneak-attacking this old geezer, didn’t you see? Or do you plan to turn me in for assaulting the elderly?”
Ye Jinxi didn’t quite get it. “If I understood you right, you meant to knock out this Ghost Doctor Li Jiu, right?”
“I just want to know—he’s only a mortal now. Wouldn’t it have been easy to take him down in two moves? Why bother talking so much?”
On this point, Ye Jinxi was really confused. She couldn’t figure out the logic and even started to wonder if Lin Huanhuan just liked sneak-attacking people.
“Tch, this young lady does what she wants. Why should I explain to you?”
Lin Huanhuan snorted, but still explained, “Didn’t you hear my conversation with him just now? Even if he’s a mortal now, in his youth he was the most formidable core disciple of the Valley of the Medicine Saints.”
“Who knows what cards he still has up his sleeve? If he does, and I fail with one move and he starts shouting, bringing in the people from the White Tiger Hall, things would get messy. Better to trick him first and then sneak attack—way simpler.”
Hearing this, Ye Jinxi finally understood.
‘That does make sense, but why did Lin Huanhuan suddenly go back on her deal with the people from the White Tiger Hall? Is it that she doesn’t want me to lose my Nether Frost Spirit Vein? Why?’
Ye Jinxi lowered her head in thought, while Lin Huanhuan organized her own plans.
‘According to my original plan, I’d sneak-attack and knock out the doctor extracting the Spirit Vein, then find an excuse to go out and take the chance to ambush the White Tiger Hall people, and take Ye Jinxi away.’
‘But now, it seems there’s an even better way.’
Ye Jinxi asked softly, “Since it’s like this, Lin Huanhuan, what do you plan to do with me?”
Lin Huanhuan snapped back to herself and immediately laughed arrogantly. “Of course, I’m going to take you straight back, lock you up, and make you my slave!”