Song Ping personally saw him out. Watching Li Xingluo's retreating figure, Song Ping slowly wheeled himself to the bedside.
A single "Dad" and a long sigh filled Song Ping's eyes with sorrow.
In a secluded alley in the south of Ink Cloud City, the black-robed man heard footsteps but didn't turn around. He merely asked in an unhurried voice,
"What is it?"
The newcomer explained the situation in detail. The more the black-robed man heard, the darker his eyes grew, until at last he couldn't help exclaiming,
"What? You're saying that old Song and his crippled son have a chance of getting better?"
The newcomer nodded slightly, answering him.
"I absolutely won't allow that to happen. I've spent so many years plotting this, and now that I'm on the verge of success, how can I let someone ruin it? Absolutely not." The black-robed man was nearly crazed, his eyes filled with viciousness, bloodshot from corner to corner.
After his rage subsided, the black-robed man slowly calmed down. He released the newcomer's collar and fell into thought.
As if he'd come up with a plan, he motioned for the newcomer to come closer and whispered something in his ear. When he finished listening, the newcomer's eyes lit up, and he nodded firmly.
"Go. Take care of it."
"Yes!" The newcomer turned and left. The black-robed man clenched both fists, as if he hated someone to the depths of his soul.
Night fell. Li Xingluo was resting in his room when an urgent knock sounded at the door.
He opened it and saw Song Xue looking terribly anxious.
"What's wrong?"
Song Xue composed herself. Her expression was tinged with sorrow as she lowered her head and said apologetically, "I searched the warehouse for ages, but I couldn't find one of the medicinal ingredients. Even stranger, I checked every medicinal herb shop in my family's marketplace, and none of them had it. They said it had all been sold a few days ago."
As Song Xue explained, Li Xingluo paced back and forth, pondering every word she said.
The medicinal ingredient wasn't even of a particularly high grade. That didn't make sense.
"Miss Song Xue, besides you, who else has seen the list I gave you?"
Song Xue pressed a hand to her chin, her mind racing. Then she suddenly looked up.
"My second uncle?"
"Your second uncle saw the list? When?"
Like a child who'd done something wrong, Song Xue lowered her head and mumbled,
"When he accompanied me to the warehouse to collect the ingredients. My second uncle has always been in charge of the warehouse. He wanted to see the list, so I gave it to him."
Li Xingluo couldn't help laughing in exasperation. He'd told Song Xue ages ago that no one but her was allowed to see the list he'd written, and yet she'd gone and done exactly that.
Song Xue seemed to catch something in Li Xingluo's words and expression. She shook her head repeatedly, her eyes darting around as she stammered,
"No, that's impossible. How could my second uncle... He's Grandpa's—"
"I didn't say anything. It's just that without this ingredient, saving your grandfather's life will be difficult."
"No, you must have another way, right?" Song Xue clutched Li Xingluo's arm tightly, tears spilling from her eyes again.
"Right, the Su Clan's herb shops might have it. I'll go buy some now."
As if she'd grasped at a lifeline, Song Xue let go of Li Xingluo's hand and ran outside.
Li Xingluo shook his head helplessly. This girl really was foolish. Her Song Clan was at daggers drawn with the Su Clan. They might not sell her anything.
Li Xingluo quietly followed her. After all, the Seven-Colored Immortal Orchid was still in Song Xue's hands. If something happened to her, he wouldn't know who else to ask for it. What a hassle.
Song Xue went straight to a medicinal herb shop in the Su Clan's marketplace. The moment she entered, the shop's doors closed behind her.
Sure enough, it was all as if it had been planned. Li Xingluo quietly climbed onto a roof beam and looked through the window.
Song Xue was already surrounded by the patrol squad the Su Clan had lying in wait.
"So this is how the Su Clan does business?"
"Sorry, but the Su Clan only does business like this with the Song Clan. Miss Song, I'd advise you not to make trouble. Come quietly with us, or we won't go easy on you."
The squad leader looked at Song Xue smugly, as if he were watching a lamb fall into a pack of wolves.
"I'd rather die than go with you!" Song Xue drew her whip and gripped it firmly. Even though the others outnumbered and outranked her, she showed no fear.
"Fine. Let's see what Miss Song can do. Get her! Just don't kill her—she's still useful."
"Yes!" The patrol squad rushed at Song Xue.
Song Xue handled the patrol members with ease. She swung her whip to keep them at bay and even wounded several of them.
Seeing that more than ten members of his squad still couldn't take down a young girl, the squad leader flew into a rage. He cursed, "Useless!" and joined the fight himself.
Song Xue was still fending off the other patrol members and didn't notice the squad leader attacking. Just as he was about to strike her in the back, the squad leader smugly thought his sneak attack had landed—
The hand he'd thrust forward suddenly seemed to take a blow. He cried out in pain as blood welled from the center of his palm.
Only then did Song Xue realize the squad leader had attacked her from behind. She spun around and lashed out with her whip, sending him flying.
The sudden turn of events left the patrol members surrounding Song Xue dumbfounded. They all stopped attacking.
The middle-aged man behind the counter saw the squad leader get sent flying and likewise cursed, "Useless!" Then he vaulted out from behind the counter.
His large hands struck at Song Xue like a hawk's iron talons. She swung her whip, but he caught it with ease.
Song Xue tugged hard on the whip, but it wouldn't budge. The middle-aged man yanked it, and Song Xue was pulled toward him.
It was as if an invisible force were drawing her in. She couldn't break free. As the distance between them shrank, she saw him gathering strength, preparing to deliver a fatal blow.
At the critical moment, a flash of cold light streaked past. The middle-aged man instinctively released the whip and retreated.
The middle-aged man drew a sharp breath. If he'd been just a fraction slower, he might have ended up like the squad leader.
He couldn't help thinking back to how the squad leader had attacked Song Xue from behind. She hadn't noticed, yet he'd still been hurt. Could it be...
The middle-aged man cupped his hands in a salute and scanned the area.
"I don't know which friend is here, but would you do the Su Clan the courtesy of staying out of this? This is a matter between the Su Clan and the Song Clan."
Song Xue also realized someone had come to her aid in secret. She recalled what had just happened to the squad leader.
"I have no intention of getting involved in your two clans' dispute." Li Xingluo deliberately lowered his voice, making it rough and hoarse.
"If that's so, why did you intervene?" The middle-aged man tried to pinpoint where the voice was coming from.
"But I can't stand seeing the many bullying the few, or the strong picking on the weak."
The voice came from somewhere else now, and its owner had moved without a sound. The middle-aged man sensed trouble.
The foolhardy squad leader looked around but saw no one. He shouted angrily, "Whoever you are, stop skulking around and show yourself! This is the Su Clan's business. If you don't want trouble, leave. If we find you, we'll make you regret it."
"Is that so?"
At those two words, the squad leader, who had been shouting so arrogantly moments before, suddenly fell to the ground, frothing at the mouth. Within seconds, he stopped breathing.
Everyone was shocked. Seeing the squad leader's corpse, the middle-aged man was overcome with fear.
"A poison master? You're a poison master?"
The moment they heard the words "poison master," everyone grew even more frightened. This person could kill a Six-Star Dou Shi without making a sound. Their little group of shrimp couldn't possibly stand against him.
Song Xue had also seen the squad leader lying on the ground, utterly lifeless.
Before you continue