“Senior Sister Qingxuan?”
Guan Shengnan stared at Pei Qingxuan in astonishment.
In her memory, this Sect Master Senior Sister had never shown any interest in men.
Since she joined, she had never seen Pei Qingxuan get close to any man; even that Senior Nephew couldn’t get near her.
But what on earth was happening today?
She had actually taken the initiative to hold a man’s hand?
Was this… was this still the Pei Qingxuan she knew?
But when her gaze fell on Pei Qingxuan, she saw that her Sect Master Senior Sister’s face was now terrifyingly cold.
That oppressive aura, almost overflowing, made her involuntarily let go of her hand.
“S-Senior Sister, are… are you alright?”
Guan Shengnan asked cautiously, but Pei Qingxuan merely replied in a frosty voice:
“You go out, he stays. The treatment requires him present.”
“Mm.…“
Others couldn’t see it, but the bond between Guan Shengnan and Pei Qingxuan was close, with Kang Elder’s connection between them.
In the entire Flowing Cloud Sect, the only person who could speak a few words with Pei Qingxuan was probably her.
Because of this, she knew very clearly that Pei Qingxuan in front of her was already filled with rage.
Facing a furious Pei Qingxuan, she didn’t even have the will to resist.
She obediently nodded her head, turned, and quickly left.
Only when the door behind her slammed shut with a ‘bang’ did she snap back to her senses, and a thought suddenly flashed through her mind that she could hardly believe.
Could it be… this little Senior Nephew is Senior Sister’s man?
The image of Pei Qingxuan leaning gently into a man’s embrace made Guan Shengnan shake her head vigorously.
“No, no, no, impossible, Senior Sister, how could she… possibly…”
Yet when she recalled that moment just now, seeing the raging Pei Qingxuan, her woman’s intuition told her her guess was right!!
Because just before she left the room, she had subconsciously turned her head for a last glance.
Just that single glance made her absolutely certain.
Because until the very last moment, her aloof Senior Sister’s hand!
She still hadn’t let go of that little Senior Nephew’s arm.
In that instant, Guan Shengnan’s worldview completely collapsed.
She stood dumbfounded at the door, unsure what to think.
Whatever Guan Shengnan was thinking outside, the two people inside the room were completely unaware.
After all, Xu Ping’an was at this moment watching his lady with keen interest.
“What’s this? Not letting go yet? I still need to treat Kang Elder, you know.”
Pei Qingxuan frowned slightly, reluctantly letting go of Xu Ping’an’s hand.
“Are you jealous?”
Pei Qingxuan did not respond, only bowed her head, pursing her lips, casting a resentful sideways glance at Xu Ping’an.
“Go ahead and treat Kang Elder.” “Alright.”
Xu Ping’an smiled faintly and nodded.
He also knew that Pei Qingxuan was pouting right now, and there was no way to comfort her; besides, the most important matter now was the patient in the room.
Although he had only used the Chaos Golden Eyes for a glance from outside, he could already tell that the patient’s lifeforce was nearly exhausted.
If not treated now, in a few days they’d be covering him with White Cloth.
Stepping into the room, the first thing he saw was an elderly man lying on the bed.
Though he appeared to be in his forties, his hair was already white, his face haggard, and his eyes half-open, half-closed.
Through the narrow slit, there was nearly no focus left in those pupils.
“Kang Elder?!”
Pei Qingxuan had just entered the room when she cried out, hurrying a few steps to the bedside.
Staring at the man lying there, her eyes brimmed faintly with tears.
It seemed Kang Youwei heard Pei Qingxuan’s voice, for he slowly turned his head, struggling to open his eyes wider, but could only make out a blurry figure.
Yet in this moment, he knew clearly that the woman standing by his bed was Pei Qingxuan.
“I-Is that… Qingxuan?”
A weak voice squeezed out from Kang Elder’s throat; even with all his strength, he couldn’t make it any louder.
“It’s me. Don’t worry, I’ve brought a Doctor—he will surely heal you.”
Perhaps it was a flash of vitality before the end; Kang Youwei suddenly looked a little more spirited, and there was a hint of life in his eyes.
Looking at the woman beside the bed, his gaze was full of kindness and reluctance.
“Heh~ I know my own body. I fear it’s beyond saving.”
He struggled to sit up, and Pei Qingxuan quickly reached out to support him, helping him up.
After sitting up, Kang Youwei caught his breath for a moment before finally raising his head to look at Xu Ping’an not far away.
“This Doctor, please give us a moment. I’d like to say a few words to the Sect Master… cough, just a few words.”
“Ping’an, don’t listen to him, come and treat him!”
The moment she uttered the name Ping’an, Kang Youwei’s eyes suddenly flashed with a sharp gleam.
He turned abruptly to Xu Ping’an, his gaze now filled with severity and scrutiny.
Facing this stare, Xu Ping’an remained composed, walking over to the bedside in a few steps, reaching out to rest his hand on Kang Youwei’s right wrist.
Even then, that piercing, scrutinizing gaze lingered on Xu Ping’an.
Yet Xu Ping’an paid it no mind.
He closed his eyes gently and examined him carefully for a moment before withdrawing his hand.
“This Doctor… tell me, can this old man’s illness still be treated?”
There was both suspicion and threat in his tone—three parts doubt, seven parts intimidation—even the atmosphere in the room seemed to tighten.
Confronted with Kang Elder’s pressure, Xu Ping’an remained calm and nodded slightly.
“Perhaps others can’t, but this humble fellow has a few unorthodox tricks.”
Kang Youwei examined the young man before him with utmost care.
Pei Qingxuan was practically raised by him.
He knew Pei Qingxuan better than anyone in the entire Flowing Cloud Sect—if he claimed to be second, no one would dare claim to be first.
In his eyes, Pei Qingxuan was like his own child, as a senior, as a father.
Hearing his ‘daughter’ call a strange young man by such a familiar name, how could he not be wary? How could he not scrutinize him?
What’s more, this unfamiliar youth even dared to try to fool him—he could not accept that.
In an instant, he had already come up with several countermeasures in his heart.
But before he could speak further, a silver needle suddenly pierced into his chest—so swift and silent that even his cultivation could not sense it!!
And as the needle entered his chest, a single Elixir was flicked into his mouth.
Almost by instinct, he tried to spit it out, but the Elixir melted as soon as it touched his tongue.
By the time he reacted, the Elixir had already turned into a gentle warmth, circling his heart and protecting his meridians!
“How… is this possible!?”