The Master Descends the Mountain: My Destined CEO

The doctor also thought it was impossible. "That's why I'm suggesting you find a Divine Doctor to take a look."

Liu Loulan tried to get out of bed, only to find she had no strength.

Even for an illness, the onset couldn't be this rapid.

And aside from the weakness and dizziness, there were no other symptoms.

An image of a person instantly surfaced in Liu Loulan's mind.

Xiao Ling!

Back when she'd poisoned Xiao Ling... it had been just like this. Dizziness, weakness!

Liu Loulan was horrified. Fear washed over her like a tidal wave. "Quick, find the Divine Doctor! Get him here immediately!"

------

「Imperial City.」

「Huichun Hall.」

Xiao Ye, his features disguised once more, stepped through the main gate.

The rich aroma of medicinal herbs washed over him.

This was a very ordinary-looking traditional Chinese medicine clinic.

But Xiao Ye knew that the one practicing here was none other than the Imperial City's renowned Divine Doctor Lu, also hailed as the greatest living practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine.

The man was eccentric. Who he chose to treat depended entirely on his mood.

Some high-ranking officials and aristocrats could offer tens of millions, but if he wasn't in the mood, he'd sooner die than acquiesce.

Yet for a poor person who couldn't pay a cent, if he took a liking to them, he would treat them for free all the same.

There weren't many people in Huichun Hall when Xiao Ye went inside.

Normally, aside from those buying herbs, not many people came here for treatment.

If people on the outside knew the resident physician was actually the Divine Doctor, their jaws would probably hit the floor!

But true masters are often the ones who hide in plain sight, their talents deeply concealed.

After Xiao Ye entered, an elderly man emerged from the back.

He looked to be in his eighties, with a full head of white hair, but his complexion was ruddy. It was clear he was in good health. Barring any accidents, living for another decade or more would be no problem for him.

"Are you here for a consultation or to buy herbs?"

"A consultation."

"Very well. Have a seat."

Xiao Ye sat across from him, and Divine Doctor Lu placed a hand on his wrist to take his pulse.

His expression was initially placid, but it soon changed. "Wait... this pulse reading... something's not right!"

"You... this is clearly the pulse of a dead man! How is that possible!"

Xiao Ye smiled faintly. Then, under Divine Doctor Lu's incredulous gaze, he pulled a long, slender silver needle from his chest.

Divine Doctor Lu shot to his feet. "I see! This is... this is the long-lost Stabilizing Needle!"

The Stabilizing Needle, just as its name implies.

It allows a person's vital signs to be maintained in a static state, to a certain degree.

Xiao Ye had used this technique to make his pulse nearly undetectable.

"That's right, Divine Doctor Lu. This is indeed the Stabilizing Needle."

"You know who I am, so it seems you came prepared. Where did you learn to use the Stabilizing Needle?"

"My master taught me. In addition to the Stabilizing Needle, I know most of the lost Acupuncture Techniques."

Naturally, Divine Doctor Lu wasn't going to believe Xiao Ye's words so easily.

For the next half hour, Xiao Ye gave him a thorough demonstration.

By the time he finished, Divine Doctor Lu was looking at Xiao Ye as if he were a bar of shimmering gold.

"You... you are the hope for the resurgence of traditional Chinese medicine!"

Just as Xiao Ye was about to speak, two men suddenly burst in from outside.

"Divine Doctor Lu, you're coming with us. Now!"

"Who are you?" Divine Doctor Lu was clearly displeased at the sudden interruption.

"We are from the reclusive Xiao Family. If you agree to come with us for a consultation, we are prepared to pay five million for your services."

Divine Doctor Lu scoffed. "I'm not going. You're rude, and I don't care for your attitude."

One of the men stepped forward, his eyes filled with menace. "Divine Doctor Lu, your grandson is still attending school in the Imperial City. Are you sure you won't go?"

"Perhaps we'll go pick him up from school this evening."

"You...!"

Divine Doctor Lu was furious. He never imagined that people from such a prominent family could be so shameless!

'Then again, it's always the rich and powerful who are the most shameless!'

'They think having a little power gives them the right to do whatever they please!'

"Fine. I'll go with you. But I can't cure every illness! If I can't fix the problem, don't you dare think of laying a hand on me!"

'As a Divine Doctor, he still had some connections.'

"Don't worry, Divine Doctor Lu. We would never do that. We're just acting out of desperation."

Divine Doctor Lu turned to Xiao Ye. "You don't have anywhere else to be, do you? Come on, you're coming with me!"

"I may not know about your other skills, but your Acupuncture Technique is definitely among the best in the world!"

This was exactly what Xiao Ye had intended. He had sought out Divine Doctor Lu precisely because he'd guessed Liu Loulan would come looking for him.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have needed to waste time demonstrating his skills.

"Alright, I'll go with you for a look. It'll be an eye-opening experience."

'Finally, I can go see the heavily guarded Xiao Family estate for myself!'

'What is it really like, this place where I was supposed to have grown up!'

------

「The Xiao Family Estate.」

In a room steeped in antiquity.

Even the bed was an ornate canopy bed, the kind once favored by an Empress Dowager.

Liu Loulan lay on the bed, screaming like a madwoman. "I can't see! I'm going blind!"

Her hands had been temporarily restrained; otherwise, she might have truly hurt herself.

Divine Doctor Lu stepped forward and began taking Liu Loulan's pulse.

Hearing that the Divine Doctor had arrived, she finally quieted down, though she continued to mutter incessantly.

"Divine Doctor, you can save me, can't you?"

Divine Doctor Lu frowned slightly. "Judging from the pulse, this is indeed a case of poisoning. And this poison... I've never encountered it before."

He looked at Xiao Ye. "Why don't you take a look?"

"Alright." Xiao Ye took her pulse as well.

When Liu Loulan felt his hand withdraw, she asked frantically, "How is it? Tell me, quickly!"

"You have to cure me of this poison, or none of you are leaving here today!"

Xiao Ye completely ignored her threat and said coolly, "I don't know what this poison is either, but I have encountered it once before."

"The symptoms of this poison begin with total body weakness, followed by blindness. After that, the victim is unable to get out of bed, becoming an invalid who can only lie there day after day."

"After one week, they go deaf."

"Another week after that, they become mute."

"A week later, they lose their sense of smell."

"Finally, even their skin loses all sense of touch, leaving them in a vegetative state, completely cut off from the outside world."

The color drained from Liu Loulan's face, leaving it ashen.

'This manner of death... it's exactly the same as Xiao Ling's all those years ago!'

'She was the one who had administered that poison!'

'Why... Why was she afflicted with the very same poison?'

Xiao Ye continued, "I've only ever seen this poison. I've heard it's extremely rare, so I don't know its name, much less how to prepare an antidote."

'An antidote!'

The word snapped Liu Loulan back to her senses. She shouted frantically, "Quick, open my safe!"

"There's a black porcelain vial inside, give it to me! Hurry up!"

Everyone immediately sprang into action.

Divine Doctor Lu looked at Xiao Ye and asked in a low voice, "Could you really diagnose all that?"

"Of course." Xiao Ye nodded coolly, his voice filled with certainty.

'In truth, only he knew that this wasn't the poison he had administered at all.'

'He had said all of that on purpose—to deliberately recount the horrific details of Xiao Ling's death!'