Lost a fortune

"Hahaha, Xiao Yuan, your uncle always knew you weren't useless. It's the first time in years I've seen Dugu Bo value someone so highly," Emperor Xue Ye said, patting Qin Yuan's shoulder familiarly.

Qin Yuan's mouth twitched slightly. He now realized this heartless uncle was a master of changing faces.

After six years of cold indifference, the moment he learned of Qin Yuan's value, his uncle immediately came to foster their relationship with great enthusiasm.

After all, Dugu Bo was the only Titled Douluo in the entire Heavenly Dou Empire, and Emperor Xue Ye dared not slight him. Of course, he had to find ways to win him over.

He just hadn't expected this useless nephew to gain Dugu Bo's favor.

He curiously inquired about the reason. Qin Yuan sighed, "It's a Martial Soul ability I discovered by chance. It can cure Senior Dugu Bo's granddaughter's terminal illness, which is why Senior Dugu Bo values me so much."

Emperor Xue Ye looked astonished. Dugu Yan had a terminal illness? How had he never heard of it?

Qian Renxue also looked surprised.

Then, Emperor Xue Ye's eyes gleamed. He dismissed everyone, leaving only Qian Renxue and Qin Yuan, and whispered, "Xiao Yuan, can you control this healing ability? Can you control Dugu Yan's recovery speed? It's best not to cure her completely, so that Dugu Yan and Dugu Bo will have to rely on you long-term. Only then can they be used by my royal family."

Damn! This is truly dark!

Qin Yuan was stunned. He never imagined Emperor Xue Ye would be so heartless.

Qian Renxue, however, didn't react much. She had seen such things too often over the years.

"Xiao Yuan, I've been on the throne long enough. I'm considering abdicating in the next few years. When Qinghe ascends the throne, his position will be difficult to stabilize without the support of a Titled Douluo. You wouldn't want Emperor Qinghe's reign to be unstable, would you?" Emperor Xue Ye knew his relationship with his nephew was weak, far inferior to his relationship with Xue Qinghe, so he resorted to emotional manipulation.

This line sounds so familiar. I feel like I've heard it somewhere before, maybe in some adult film... Qin Yuan fell into thought.

"Father, I don't need it." Qian Renxue didn't want her Xiao Yuan to be troubled. She immediately refused, ignoring Emperor Xue Ye's gaze.

Emperor Xue Ye's expression turned somewhat unpleasant.

Seeing this, Qin Yuan deliberately sighed, "Uncle, this ability of mine isn't something I can use whenever I want. It has limitations."

Both Emperor Xue Ye and Qian Renxue's gazes fell on Qin Yuan.

Qin Yuan said with a 'solemn' expression, "My healing ability requires consuming life force to be used. The more times I use it, the shorter my lifespan becomes. This is also why I've been reluctant to reveal it."

"What?!" Qian Renxue's face changed drastically. She quickly grabbed Qin Yuan's shoulder. "Xiao Yuan, why didn't you say so earlier! You are absolutely forbidden from using it again, do you hear me!"

"Yes, I remember," Qin Yuan nodded seriously.

Emperor Xue Ye's eyes, however, flickered, as if he were plotting how to maximize his benefits, completely disregarding Qin Yuan's safety.

After feigning concern for a few more sentences, he left.

"Xiao Yuan, you don't need to worry about Dugu Bo. I'll handle him. Remember, you absolutely cannot use it again!" Qian Renxue had never spoken so sternly to Qin Yuan before.

Qin Yuan peeked and saw Emperor Xue Ye walking away before he grinned and said, "I was just saying that on purpose. It doesn't hurt at all."

Qin Yuan raised his right hand, and a sacred white light emanated from it, making Qian Renxue feel exceptionally warm and comfortable.

"Really?" Qian Renxue was still a little worried, afraid Qin Yuan was just trying to spare her concern.

"Of course, it's true." Qin Yuan had a mischievous expression on his face. "If I hadn't said that, my cold and heartless uncle would definitely have tried to exploit me in every way possible. I won't let him have his way! Also, when Dugu Bo comes later, I can use this to negotiate for greater benefits. After all, my treatment requires 'lifespan' as a cost."

Hearing this, Qian Renxue finally relaxed. Having raised Qin Yuan since he was young, she could tell if he was lying with a single glance.

"What a naughty child. I never taught you these things," Qian Renxue pinched Qin Yuan's cheek dotingly and helplessly.

Not long after the message of his return was sent out, Dugu Bo arrived with Dugu Yan.

Qin Yuan was not good at negotiations, so Qian Renxue stepped forward to deal with Dugu Bo on his behalf, striving for greater benefits.

Of course, Qian Renxue fully retained the fabricated story of Qin Yuan's healing ability consuming his lifespan and even amplified it considerably.

When Dugu Bo learned that healing would shorten Qin Yuan's lifespan, he found it difficult to suppress Qin Yuan too much.

Thus, after bargaining, both sides reached an agreement.

Qin Yuan completely healed Dugu Yan. Dugu Bo promised Qin Yuan he could pick twenty types of medicinal herbs from his medicine garden at will, and he owed Qin Yuan three favors.

Just as both sides reached an agreement, Emperor Xue Ye suddenly appeared, putting on a magnanimous act. "Dugu Bo, as an honored guest of my royal family, treating your granddaughter is something my royal family should do. You don't need to pay anything. I will have my nephew treat your granddaughter for free."

These words sent a chill down Qin Yuan's spine.

In Emperor Xue Ye's understanding, Qin Yuan's healing ability consumed his lifespan.

Yet, even knowing this, Emperor Xue Ye still used Qin Yuan's healing ability as a bargaining chip to win over Dugu Bo, giving it away for free. How could Qin Yuan not feel heartbroken?

The last shred of familial affection he held for Emperor Xue Ye completely vanished.

Since Emperor Xue Ye didn't care about his life or death, then he, his nephew, wouldn't care about his uncle's life or death either.

In the future, if Qian Renxue were to kill Emperor Xue Ye, Qin Yuan would absolutely not intervene.

Qin Yuan had originally planned to protect Emperor Xue Ye's life once his own strength improved, but now—

What did it have to do with him!!!

After hearing Emperor Xue Ye's words, Qian Renxue also showed anger and strongly objected.

But Emperor Xue Ye suppressed Qian Renxue with his imperial decree.

In the end, it was Dugu Bo who spoke up, stating that he was not an unreasonable person and that the previously agreed-upon amount was the amount.

It was only when Dugu Bo spoke that the conflict between Emperor Xue Ye and Qian Renxue was averted.

Afterward, Qin Yuan treated Dugu Yan.

Although Qin Yuan could have completely healed Dugu Yan in one minute, he deliberately dragged it out for ten full days to showcase the difficulty of the healing, only then fully curing her.

He also used [Life Miracle] a full ten times, his complexion deliberately growing paler and more haggard with each passing day. If Qian Renxue hadn't known he was faking it, she would have been heartbroken.

Seeing this, Dugu Bo's previous reservations about the conditions completely disappeared. He even felt indebted and thought about compensating Qin Yuan well in the future.

And Dugu Yan, seeing such a peerlessly handsome man willing to expend his own life to save hers, was incredibly moved.

Even though she knew Qin Yuan was doing it for her grandfather's medicinal herbs, she couldn't help but feel touched, and her favorability towards Qin Yuan soared.

Qin Yuan, unaware of how well his act of playing the victim had worked, even felt it wasn't enough, and said in an extremely weak voice:

"Alas, I've lost about two and a half years of my lifespan. It's a huge loss."