"Deal, let's go right now." Ye Ning was immediately interested.
Making money was what interested him the most.
Zheng Le stopped midway, hesitating as if he wanted to say something.
Seeing right through him, Ye Ning smiled and said, "Don't worry, I won't charge a fee if I can't cure your father."
Zheng Le blushed slightly, looking a bit embarrassed as he said, "Thank you, Master Ye, for understanding."
He wasn't entirely confident in Ye Ning's medical skills.
After all, Ye Ning was simply too young.
Painting required talent, allowing someone to make a name for themselves at a young age.
Yet the medical profession demanded years of accumulated time and experience. No matter who it was, facing a young man around twenty years old would surely make anyone feel uneasy.
Tan Qingshan shook his head inwardly; Xiao Zheng lacked vision.
So what if he offered Ye Ning fifty million?
When the time came to ask Ye Ning for another painting, he certainly wouldn't be able to refuse.
Such a wonderful opportunity, yet missed by Zheng Le.
A penny wise and a pound foolish—that summed it up perfectly.
"Let's go." Ye Ning didn't think much of it.
If he couldn't cure the illness, naturally he wouldn't accept any money.
They bade farewell to Tan Qingshan and headed to Zheng Le's residence.
Before they even got close, Ye Ning frowned, fixing his gaze on Zheng Le's villa.
An evil aura was lingering over that place.
Zheng Le's father wasn't just sick.
However, Ye Ning kept quiet about it. Maintaining his composure, he walked inside alongside Zheng Le.
Chapter 25 You Just Don't Have Long to Live
As soon as the door opened, an attractive woman in her early thirties appeared before them.
Her face was etched with anxiety, but when she saw Zheng Le, she visibly let out a sigh of relief.
"How is he?" Zheng Le asked.
"He had another episode, so we've already had people restrain him, but going on like this isn't a solution," the woman said with a worried expression.
Glancing at Ye Ning and the others, she asked, "Who are these two?"
"This is Master Ye, a divine doctor I invited to treat my dad," Zheng Le replied.
The woman threw a look at Ye Ning, her eyes clearly carrying a hint of disdain.
"You must have lost your mind. What kind of medical skills could someone this young possibly understand? I've already invited Master Li, and he'll be here any minute."
Just as she finished speaking, a man in his fifties wearing a vintage cyan scholar's robe walked in.
Behind him followed a female assistant in her early twenties, dressed in sexy, fashionable clothes. She was carrying a small medical kit and walked with the delicate grace of a willow branch in the wind, her slender waist narrow enough to be spanned by a single hand.
Seeing them arrive, the woman at Zheng Le's home immediately beamed and hurried forward.
"Master Li, you're finally here! Please go and examine the old master quickly, he's acting crazy again."
The woman's attitude toward Master Li was night and day compared to how she had treated Ye Ning.
Zheng Le felt thoroughly depressed, but could only watch helplessly.
Seeing Master Li head upstairs, Zheng Le turned to Ye Ning and said, "Master Ye, please don't be offended. This Master Li is quite a renowned divine doctor in our Small City, and his medical skills are said to be exceptional."
Ye Ning shrugged and said indifferently, "I'm not offended. Let's go take a look first. I can bet you anything he won't be able to cure this illness."
Zheng Le was slightly startled. Why was Ye Ning so confident?
"A true divine doctor wouldn't let their own body get into such terrible shape. This guy is terminally ill himself yet still trying to treat others," Ye Ning shook his head.
Zheng Le was taken aback. Could that Master Li be a fraud?
"Master Li has a great reputation in Small City and has cured quite a few people," Zheng Le quickly defended him.
"He understands a bit of medicine, which is enough for ordinary people to consider him a divine doctor, but he can't cure this illness," Ye Ning said. It wasn't because Master Li lacked skill, but primarily because Zheng Le's father wasn't sick—he was possessed by evil spirits.
Master Li was just an ordinary person and lacked the ability to dispel evil auras.
A subtle shift occurred in Zheng Le's heart. In truth, he still held a great deal of trust in Ye Ning's words.
Putting everything else aside, just the identity of Master Hidden Dragon meant the other party wouldn't make baseless claims.
"I'll have to trouble Master Ye to step in shortly," Zheng Le said respectfully.
"By the way, is that woman just now your esteemed wife?" Ye Ning asked.
Zheng Le quickly waved his hand and said, "No, her name is Jiang Yuyan. She's my father's wife, you could say she's my stepmother."
Hearing this, Zheng Le looked at Ye Ning with some surprise and asked doubtfully, "Why? Is there something wrong with her?"
Zheng Le was a sharp fellow; hearing Ye Ning bring up his little stepmother, he immediately sensed something was amiss and pressed for an answer.
Ye Ning smiled faintly and said, "Play along with an act for me in a moment."
He whispered a few instructions into Zheng Le's ear, causing the latter's expression to change slightly.
Giving Ye Ning a suspicious glance, Zheng Le wore a solemn look and nodded.
Ye Ning suddenly chuckled, teasing, "The old master really is still full of vigor in his old age."
Looking slightly embarrassed, Zheng Le explained, "My father met my little stepmother seven years ago. My mother passed away early, and since he wanted to marry her—and Jiang Yuyan's character seemed decent enough—we didn't stop them. Besides, in the end, we'd just have to give her some money."
They certainly hadn't planned on treating Jiang Yuyan unfairly; even if the old master passed away, the money allocated to Jiang Yuyan wouldn't be lacking.
After all, why else would a young woman in her early twenties marry an old man?
If anyone claimed it was for love, what could a young woman possibly like about an old man? Did she love the fact that he was old and didn't take baths?
It was all for the money.
Stopping there, he hesitated as if holding something back, but ultimately said nothing more.
Ye Ning glanced at him, knowing there was more to the story than that.
Just then, a series of screams echoed from inside the room.
Pushing open the door, Ye Ning and the others walked in to find a withered, skinny old man holding Master Li with one hand and violently hurling him across the room.
"Your dad is really fierce," Ye Ning laughed.
Zheng Le was dumbfounded. When his father had episodes in the past, he only ever harmed himself—since when did he start beating other people?
Judging by the look in his eyes, it was as if he harbored a deep, irreconcilable hatred for this Master Li.
Master Li shrieked as he was pinned to the floor and severely beaten.
Scrambling up with great difficulty, Master Li hurriedly hid behind Ye Ning.
Zheng Le's father had originally intended to charge forward, but upon seeing Ye Ning, his body jerked violently and he actually stopped in his tracks, as if he had encountered his nemesis.
Everyone was astonished. The old master had been acting so frantic just moments before, yet he didn't dare provoke Ye Ning.
"Damn it, hell, this isn't an illness, he's possessed! I can't treat this," Master Li cried out in terror.
Jiang Yuyan's face darkened as she scolded, "What nonsense are you spouting? It's just your own medical skills that are lacking! What possession? This is the twenty-first century, stop spreading superstitious nonsense here."
"Bullshit! He is possessed! I've encountered patients like this before—it's a curse from the Coconut Country. You guys must have offended someone you shouldn't have; you'd better start preparing for the old master's funeral," Master Li declared with absolute certainty.
He inwardly sighed at his own bad luck; why did he always run into such bizarre things whenever he went out to treat patients?
This was already the second time. The last time, the victim had been in the final stages of a curse, and the sheer horror of it still gave him nightmares at night.
He had later asked around among many friends and only then learned that the person had been cursed.
Ye Ning was somewhat surprised; this guy actually knew his stuff, even recognizing a curse.
"Get lost, what kind of damn master are you? You're just a fraud! Get out of our house, you're not welcome here," Jiang Yuyan shouted angrily, as if desperately trying to deny that the old master had been cursed.
Instead of leaving immediately, Master Li said, "Your family must have offended someone. A doctor should have a benevolent heart; even though I can't cure his physical condition, let me give you a piece of advice: go find some masters with genuine spiritual attainment and have them drive away the evil spirits for the old master—there might still be a chance to save him. If that doesn't work, just start planning his funeral."
Zheng Le's face turned pale; he was starting to believe Master Li's words.
They had consulted so many renowned physicians for the old master's condition with no results; it really did look like a possession.
Ye Ning developed a new level of respect for Master Li.
Though the fellow's medical skills were somewhat subpar, he truly possessed a benevolent doctor's heart.
"Drive away evil spirits? No need to look for any masters, I know how to do that. It's just a mere curse, very easy to deal with," Ye Ning smiled faintly.
Zheng Le looked at Ye Ning in astonishment, truly not knowing what to say.
The dignified Master Hidden Dragon possessed medical skills, martial arts, mastery over the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and even understood the arcane arts of Qi Men Dun Jia.
Thinking of this, his heart instantly settled.
For someone who understood Qi Men Dun Jia, finding it unsurprising to be able to exorcise evil spirits made complete sense.
"Little brother, don't act recklessly. You saw the outcome of my attempt just now—this stuff isn't a game, lose focus for a second and you'll forfeit your life," Master Li warned.
Seeing that Ye Ning was young, he primarily wanted to keep him out of trouble.
"Don't worry, I'm not lacking in skill like you," Ye Ning smiled slightly.
Feeling somewhat aggrieved, Master Li couldn't help letting out a cold snort.
He had offered kind advice, yet the other party's words carried a sharp edge, which displeased him greatly.
"Heed not the elders' words, and suffer right before your eyes. I'd like to see how you exorcise these evil spirits," Master Li said.
"I object! The old master's body can't take this kind of tossing around," Jiang Yuyan interjected.
Zheng Le's expression shifted, and he said coldly, "I have the final say in this matter, you don't need to speak."
Jiang Yuyan's expression flickered.
She opened her mouth, but seeing Zheng Le's stern look, she instantly lost the courage to speak.
Though she was Zheng Le's stepmother, when Zheng Le grew serious, she had no choice but to obey.
"Master Ye, what items need to be prepared?" Zheng Le asked respectfully.
Glancing at them, Ye Ning said, "All of you get out. When I'm exorcising the evil spirits, I don't want anyone watching."
"Understood."
Zheng Le didn't hesitate in the slightest.
He led everyone away and closed the bedroom door behind them.
Ye Ning cast a glance at the old master, his gaze falling upon the Buddha pendant hanging around his neck.
It was a black ink-jade Buddha pendant, and the monstrous evil aura emanated directly from it.
The so-called curse was actually just a mass of evil, formless consciousness residing within the ink-jade Buddha pendant, eroding the old master's body.
Ordinary people were powerless against this malevolent energy, but for Ye Ning, shattering the evil consciousness inside the ink-jade Buddha pendant was a mere breeze.
Stepping forward, he reached out, grabbed the ink-jade Buddha pendant, and crushed it with a casual squeeze.
A faint shriek echoed from within the ink-jade Buddha pendant, followed by a surge of black evil aura that lunged directly at Ye Ning.
Lifting his hand, Ye Ning caught the black wisp of energy in his grip and circulated his true Qi, refining it on the spot.
Far away in the Coconut Country, inside a gloomy ancient temple, a middle-aged man suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Who killed my precious creation? I will make him pay with his life!"
The middle-aged man shrieked in absolute fury.
Unaware of this development, Ye Ning had already eradicated the mass of consciousness within the ink-jade Buddha pendant, causing the old master to collapse backward onto the bed.
His body was extremely frail, on the verge of breathing his last at any moment.
A flash of silver light danced in Ye Ning's hand as silver needles appeared. He laid the old master flat on the bed and began the acupuncture treatment.
Simultaneously, the true Qi from his other hand continuously poured into the old master's body, revitalizing his constitution.
Otherwise, even if the evil aura was expelled, the old master wouldn't live much longer—and that simply wasn't Ye Ning's style.
When he finished, a trace of healthy color was already visible on the old master's face.
Opening his eyes, the old master looked around with a dazed expression.
With a faint smile, Ye Ning said, "Old master, here is what happened..."
Ten minutes later, Ye Ning opened the door and walked out.
"Master Ye, how is my father?" Zheng Le asked anxiously.
With a gloomy expression, Ye Ning said coldly, "I failed. The old master has passed on."
"What?" Zheng Le turned pale with shock, panic gripping him.
"Don't blame the little brother. That was a curse; even if he hadn't intervened, your old master wouldn't have lived another two days. Ending it sooner just spared him some suffering," Master Li chimed in, offering an explanation for Ye Ning.
With a bitter expression, Zheng Le said, "I understand, this is all fate."
"In fact, even if the exorcism had succeeded, given the old master's physical condition, he wouldn't have survived more than a few days anyway. The outcome couldn't be changed," Master Li continued.
Zheng Le let out a heavy sigh, while beside him, Jiang Yuyan's eyes had already turned red.
At that moment, Ye Ning suddenly spoke up, "Don't worry, I've already figured out where the evil aura is hiding. It's an evil spirit raised by a curse-master from the Coconut Country. Once I rest for a bit, I'll draw that evil spirit out and find out who laid the curse on the old master. Then we can avenge him."
"I will never let that bastard go!" Zheng Le said through gritted teeth.
Hearing Ye Ning's words, Jiang Yuyan secretly slipped into the old master's room.
Carefully shutting the door behind her, she hurried stealthily toward the old master.
She reached out a hand toward the old master's chest, intending to retrieve the ink-jade Buddha pendant.
"What are you looking for?"
Right at that moment, the old master suddenly opened his eyes and asked.
"Ah!"
Jiang Yuyan was nearly frightened out of her wits; a man who was supposed to be dead had just spoken.
Her face drained of color, her legs went weak, and she collapsed directly to her knees.
"Husband, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." Jiang Yuyan stammered, her face white as a sheet.
The bedroom door was pushed open as Ye Ning and the others walked in.
Zheng Le's face turned livid. Glaring furiously at Jiang Yuyan, he roared, "Jiang Yuyan! Why did you do this? The Zheng family treated you well, why would you try to murder my father?"
"I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to..."
Jiang Yuyan wailed loudly.
She knew her plot to harm the old master had been exposed.
Too lazy to listen to the rest, Ye Ning knew whatever followed was a domestic family matter for the Zheng family and had nothing to do with him.
"Let's go."
Ye Ning called out to Lin Xue.
Lin Xue looked somewhat reluctant; she was thoroughly engrossed in the spectacle. This was an authentic family ethics drama, far more exciting than any television show.
Still, seeing Ye Ning head toward the exit, Lin Xue hurried to follow.
With a roll of his eyes, Master Li also brought his female assistant along and followed them out.
They stepped out of the Zheng family villa one after another.
"Master Ye, please wait a moment," Master Li called out.
Stopping in his tracks, Ye Ning turned around and gave Master Li a puzzled look. What did this fellow want with him?
"Master Ye, since you can perform exorcisms, could you take a look at me? It feels like I've been cursed too," Master Li asked with a hopeful expression.
Ye Ning gave him a once-over; the man showed absolutely no signs of being cursed.
"You're fine," Ye Ning said.
Refusing to believe it, Master Li anxiously argued, "That can't be right, I really do have a problem! I used to be able to go twice a day, lasting an hour each time, but now I can't even get a normal reaction. Please give me some guidance, Master Ye."
So that was the issue. Seeing that Master Li's female assistant also wore an expectant expression, Ye Ning casually remarked, "Oh, is that it? Don't worry, you aren't cursed. This has nothing to do with curses."
Master Li instantly let out a sigh of relief, speaking with a slightly relaxed tone, "As long as I'm not cursed, that's great! Does the master know what's wrong with me?"
"You just don't have long to live, that's why there's no reaction. Don't worry about it," Ye Ning said.
It was as if Master Li had been struck by five bolts of lightning from the blue; his heart turned completely cold.
He... didn't have long to live?
Chapter 26 The Five Realms of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Damn it.
He would have preferred being told he was cursed.
Still, given his own medical proficiency, he had indeed sensed something was amiss.
"I beg the master to save my life!" Master Li cried out, lunging forward to embrace Ye Ning's leg.
Master Li's assistant also stared at Ye Ning with pleading eyes.
Although Master Li was quite a bit older than her, he truly treated her well.
He was a man in his fifties while she was in her early twenties, and genuine affection had developed between them.
Therefore, she didn't want Master Li to kick the bucket just yet.
Mainly, though their relationship was intimate, they hadn't established a formal status yet.
If Master Li passed away, she would end up with nothing.
Ye Ning remained silent, merely rubbing his fingers together.
Master Li's eyes lit up instantly, and he blurted out, "Easy to talk about, easy to talk about! If the master can cure my body, I'm willing to pay one hundred thousand yuan."
One hundred thousand yuan was already quite a substantial sum.
Master Li's consultation fee generally capped out at one hundred thousand.
While he practiced medicine to save the world, the vast majority of his clientele consisted of wealthy people.
As for ordinary folks, Master Li occasionally offered free clinics, charging nothing at all.
Because of this, his reputation in Small City was actually quite decent.
Ye Ning turned and walked away. One hundred thousand yuan? That was loose change meant for beggars.
"Master, don't leave! Name your price," Master Li asked through gritted teeth.
"When I treated the old master, Zheng Le promised me fifty million. You want me to cure your condition—how much can you give me?" Ye Ning asked.
Master Li was dumbfounded.
Fifty million?
He could scrape that amount together, but it would completely bankrupt him.
Of course, compared to his life, fifty million wasn't much.
"Forget it. This Master Li has a decent reputation; he frequently holds free clinics and treats poor people without charging a cent," Lin Xue reminded him.
Ye Ning looked somewhat surprised.
Nodding, he said, "Fine then. I'll take your hundred thousand. Considering your free clinics, keep up the good work in the future, and I might even teach you some genuine medical skills."
Master Li's eyes lit up brightly, and he said with great excitement, "Thank you, Master! Thank you, Master!"
He put absolute faith in Ye Ning's words.
Someone capable of exorcising evil spirits naturally wouldn't bother scamming him.
Besides, he had witnessed the old master's complexion earlier; the man's physical state had clearly improved immensely.
An exorcism alone couldn't achieve that result, especially since the old master had been on the verge of total exhaustion.
This proved that Ye Ning had personally stepped in to nourish and regulate the old master's body.
To produce such immediate results, Ye Ning's medical skills were undoubtedly extraordinary.
"Is the master going to treat my body now?" Master Li asked with trembling excitement.
Glancing at the time, Qin Ming spoke up, "I'm hungry."
Understanding immediately, Master Li quickly said, "Master Ye, I'll treat you to lunch. I know a fantastic place where the family's ancestors were imperial court chefs, and their culinary skills are top-notch."
The legacy of imperial court chefs? Ye Ning's eyes lit up slightly.
Nodding, he said, "Let's go take a look then."