Recovery from Internal Injuries, the Excited Lin Family

At this moment, after hearing Liu Yuan's words, Lin Xiao froze completely.

He looked at the calm-faced youth before him, then at the pill emitting a warm lustre beneath the dim lamplight, and fell into a brief daze.

Shock surged through his heart like a tide.

Alchemy...

Throughout the entire Great Yan Dynasty, it was an exceptionally noble and scarce profession.

Even in a remote place like Qing Yang Town, a physician capable of refining only the most basic healing medicine would be treated as an honored guest by every faction.

As for true alchemists capable of refining pills with such a rich fragrance, they were even rarer!

Yet how old was Liu Yuan before him?

Only seventeen or eighteen!

Not only did he possess such unfathomably terrifying martial arts cultivation, he even... possessed such exquisite alchemy skill?

At that moment, Lin Xiao's curiosity and shock reached their peak as he looked at Liu Yuan's young face.

What exactly was this child's background?

What kind of colossal force must that so-called "family" behind him be to nurture such a monstrous genius?

However, his shock over Liu Yuan's origins lasted only a moment before it was overwhelmed by another, even more turbulent emotion.

Liu Yuan's earlier words echoed in Lin Xiao's ears—

"This girl really put her heart into it. She searched day and night, and her hands were scratched open in several places..."

Lin Xiao's gaze unconsciously shifted away from the pill and landed on Qing Tan, who stood nearby looking at him with expectant eyes.

His gaze finally settled on Qing Tan's little hands.

Those little hands, once fair and tender, were now covered in small wounds.

Some had already scabbed over, while others still bore faint red marks—traces left by Sharp Thorns and Bushes in the Mountains.

Looking at those wounds, Lin Xiao felt as if a large hand had fiercely clenched his heart. Bitterness and warmth instantly surged within him.

This child...

She had done so much just to heal him.

Yet as her father, he had made his children worry about him instead.

Lin Xiao's eyes grew hot. He took a deep breath and forcefully suppressed the moisture in his eyes, his heart filled with gratitude and guilt.

"Ah, you silly girl..."

Just as Lin Xiao's emotions churned.

A faint sound of footsteps approached.

Lin Dong, who had been standing not far away, and Liu Yan, who had rushed out from the inner room after hearing the commotion, both quickly walked over.

Clearly, they had both heard what Liu Yuan had just said.

Seeing Lin Xiao still staring blankly at the pill in his hand, Liu Yan's gentle face was filled with urgency and concern.

In this family, no one understood better than her how heavy the burden in her husband's heart was, and no one wished more fervently for her husband to recover.

Her gaze rested on Liu Yuan for a moment, her eyes full of gentleness and trust. Then she looked firmly at Lin Xiao and said softly:

"Brother Xiao."

"If it's Xiao Yuan, there shouldn't be a problem."

Even though she had never seen a pill like this before, even though its maker was merely a teenage boy, not the slightest trace of doubt could be heard in Liu Yan's words.

Toward the youth who had once saved Qing Tan and selflessly taught Lin Dong, she held an almost instinctive trust.

Lin Dong also clenched his fists as he looked at his father with a burning gaze.

"Father!"

"Brother Liu Yuan never does anything he isn't sure about."

"Why don't you give it a try?"

Listening to his wife and son's words, seeing Qing Tan's expectant eyes, then looking at Liu Yuan's calm and confident smile.

At that moment, Lin Xiao felt as though a fire were burning within his chest.

Whether this pill truly worked or whether this attempt would end in disappointment once more like before...

This pill carried Liu Yuan's friendship, Qing Tan's filial piety, and the family's heavy love and expectation for him!

Lin Xiao hardened his heart. The loneliness and hesitation in his eyes instantly dissipated, replaced by determination.

"Alright!"

He spoke that single word with absolute decisiveness.

Though rationally, after suffering countless failures, he had long since stopped placing much hope in curing his internal injuries.

But today, even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance, he had to try!

He could not let down this child or Liu Yuan's kind intentions!

With that thought, Lin Xiao hesitated no longer.

He raised his head, lifted his hand, and directly tossed the pill called the [Great Returning Pill] into his mouth.

"Gulp."

His Adam's apple bobbed, and the pill entered his stomach.

Without any hesitation, Lin Xiao sat cross-legged on the wooden chair in the living room, his eyes closed and his hands forming a cultivation seal.

"I'll begin circulating my energy to dissolve the medicinal power."

As his deep voice fell, Lin Xiao's breathing immediately became long and steady. The deep Yuan Power within his body, though damaged, began to slowly circulate and refine the pill that had entered his stomach.

The living room instantly fell silent.

A pin could have been heard dropping.

Everyone's eyes were locked on Lin Xiao, and no one dared even breathe loudly.

Although they all trusted Liu Yuan and believed in his abilities.

But...

That was a chronic illness that had plagued Lin Xiao for many years!

The shadows of past failures were like Dark Clouds that refused to disperse, hanging over their hearts and leaving them with worry and fear.

The torment of waiting was truly unbearable.

Amid the tense and anxious atmosphere filling the room, only one person seemed completely out of place.

Liu Yuan.

He casually leaned against a wooden pillar with his arms crossed, looking relaxed and content. There was even a faint curve at the corner of his lips.

Watching Lin Dong's family fret anxiously, he secretly shook his head.

This was what they meant by concern causes chaos, wasn't it?

But he was different.

He had no need to worry, because he knew the result.

System Product, Guaranteed Quality!

This was the [Great Returning Pill] the system had specifically rewarded for treating internal injuries. Let alone an injury like Lin Xiao's blocked meridians, it could probably pull someone back even if they were barely alive.

There was absolutely no way anything could go wrong.

Time slowly flowed away amid this atmosphere of stillness and movement.

The sky outside had completely darkened. The candlelight inside the room flickered softly, stretching everyone's shadows long.

Lin Xiao remained seated cross-legged on the chair, utterly motionless.

However, as time passed, his complexion began to change.

His originally pale face was suddenly suffused with a strange redness, and fine sweat beads seeped from his forehead.

It was a sign that the Yuan Power within his body had circulated to the extreme!

Seeing this, Liu Yan and Lin Dong felt their hearts leap into their throats.

Finally.

After a full half an hour had passed.

Lin Xiao, whose eyes had remained shut, suddenly trembled!

Then, beneath everyone's horrified gaze, Lin Xiao abruptly opened his eyes!

"Pfft!"

Without any warning, his upper body lurched forward, and a large mouthful of black blood gushed straight from his mouth!

The blood splattered across the floor, releasing an acrid stench. It was shiny black and even contained small blood clots.

"Father!"

"Brother Xiao!"

It happened too suddenly, too horrifically.

Lin Dong and Qing Tan were scared out of their wits. They screamed almost instinctively and tried to rush forward.

Liu Yan's face went pale, and her body went limp as she nearly collapsed to the ground.

In that instant, only the worst thoughts flashed through their minds—could it be... could it have failed again?

Fear instantly flooded their hearts.

However.

Just as they were about to reach Lin Xiao's side.

They were shocked to discover that after coughing out that mouthful of blood, Lin Xiao had not collapsed weakly as they imagined.

On the contrary.

He remained leaning forward, his hands braced on his knees. Though he was panting heavily, his face, which had always carried a sickly and haggard pallor, now shone with an unprecedented rosy glow!

That redness was not the flush of a last burst of energy, but the healthy complexion of smooth blood and Qi, full of vitality!

Lin Xiao slowly straightened up, feeling the Yuan Power within him surge endlessly like a river, feeling the blood stasis that had once blocked his dantian like stone completely dissipate...

That feeling of being full of strength made his entire body tremble with excitement.

He raised his head and looked at his wife and children, whose faces were filled with terror. Wild joy appeared on his face.

"Don't be afraid."

"That was blood stasis! Toxic blood that had been blocked inside my body for years!"

At this point, Lin Xiao suddenly clenched his fists. Tears welled up in his eyes as he burst into loud laughter:

"Ha ha ha! It's healed!"

"It's clear! It's all clear!"

"My internal injuries! They seem to... really be healed!!"

His laughter was full of energy as it echoed throughout the room, making the window paper hum and tremble.

As Lin Xiao's confirming words fell, the atmosphere throughout the room instantly brightened.

After a brief stunned silence, Lin Dong, Qing Tan, and Liu Yan immediately became extremely excited!

Overjoyed, they all turned toward Liu Yuan at the same time—