Ming Hao and the others followed silently behind Yu Wanchuan.
As Yu Wanchuan passed a steamed bun shop, longing filled her eyes. She had not eaten for five days, and hunger had left her whole body weak and her legs powerless. Even her steps had become a limp.
Yet she did not pause at all. Still limping, she slowly left the bustling streets, walking farther and farther until she reached a secluded area.
After walking for who knew how long, they finally arrived at a slum. Most of the people they saw along the way wore ragged clothes and had haggard faces.
Now those people stared at Ming Hao and the others in astonishment, as though visitors from beyond the heavens had appeared before them.
Yu Wanchuan finally stopped before an utterly ordinary house. The Jade Slip in her hand flashed faintly, and a gap opened in the crude Protective Array around the house. She staggered inside.
With a slight movement, Ming Hao and the others passed effortlessly through the Protective Array.
They looked around. The small room was completely bare, with no household necessities to speak of, much less food. Even a rat wandering in would probably have to shed two sorrowful tears before leaving!
Inside a somewhat dilapidated room, Yu Wanchuan sat cross-legged beside the bed, carefully wiping the face of a woman whose complexion was as pale as paper and whose eyes were tightly shut.
Guilt filled her face as she murmured, "Mother, Wan'er is useless. I still couldn't obtain any pills today."
"Mother, open your eyes and look at Wan'er. I feel like I can't hold on much longer..."
Faint sobs followed, barely audible.
Outside the door, Ming Hao and the others all sighed softly.
They seemed to feel pity for the unfortunate mother and daughter.
With a soft creak, the door slowly opened.
"Who's there?" Yu Wanchuan instantly turned her head, her guard rising.
Seeing Ming Hao and the others standing in the doorway without entering, she seemed to sense an enormous threat. She clutched an old pair of scissors in both hands, her face filled with terror.
"Don't be afraid, little sister. None of us mean you any harm."
"We saw your sign on the street saying you would sell yourself to save your mother, so we came to see whether it was true."
Qing Yun spoke gently, afraid of frightening her again.
A flicker of joy appeared on Yu Wanchuan's filthy face, but she remained wary.
"How can I trust you?!"
"If we wanted to harm you, we wouldn't have needed to go to all this trouble and follow you here. We could have taken you away without anyone being the wiser."
Ming Hao spoke bluntly.
Yu Wanchuan shuddered at his words. She gritted her teeth, then slowly lowered the scissors.
"May we come in and take a look?"
"Come in. If you can save my mother, my life will belong to you from now on."
Yu Wanchuan seemed to have grasped her last straw of salvation.
Ming Hao and the others entered and approached the bed. Looking closely, they saw that the woman's face was as pale as paper, though they could still make out her striking beauty. She appeared to be in her twenties, and her breath was exceedingly weak.
"Qing Yun, examine her and see exactly what's wrong."
Ming Hao gave the instruction. After all, men and women should observe proper boundaries, so it was better to have Qing Yun examine her.
Qing Yun stepped forward and examined her carefully from every angle before returning to Ming Hao's side to report.
"Young master, this woman has suffered extremely severe injuries. Bones throughout her body are shattered, her meridians are damaged, and all her internal organs have suffered serious trauma. Her head also sustained a violent impact. Judging by her injuries, it has been over a month!"
"She also appears to have suffered extremely serious internal injuries before this. They were never properly treated and have lingered until now, erupting all at once."
"However, a strange power within her has barely been sustaining her life, while another medicinal force has been keeping her injuries in check. That is how she has survived until now."
Tears streamed involuntarily from Yu Wanchuan's eyes.
Ming Hao was also momentarily stunned. Surviving this long with such severe injuries was a miracle in itself.
"Then can she be saved?"
"Yes, but one Seventh-Rank Rejuvenation Pill probably won't be enough. We will also need a Seventh-Rank Flesh-Regenerating Pill to assist the treatment before she can be healed!"
Qing Yun answered in a somewhat subdued voice.
"Young master, please save my mother! I'm willing to serve you like an ox or a horse for lifetime after lifetime to repay your kindness. If you tell me to go east, I would never go west..."
With tears and snot streaming down her face, Yu Wanchuan knelt and begged Ming Hao to save her mother.
Ming Hao had intended to reach out and help her up, but after seeing the snot running down Yu Wanchuan's face, he silently took a small step back!
"Get up first. I promise you, I will heal your mother."
With that, he waved his hand, producing a Seventh-Rank Rejuvenation Pill and a Seventh-Rank Flesh-Regenerating Pill, both giving off a medicinal fragrance, and gently pushed them through the air toward Yu Wanchuan.
Yu Wanchuan caught the pills securely in her trembling hands and bowed hard enough for her forehead to strike the floor with a thud. Carefully cradling the pills, she went to the bedside and fed them to her mother.
Ming Hao waved his hand again, and a roast goose appeared before Yu Wanchuan. Its mouthwatering aroma wafted toward her!
"After she takes the pills, she will still need time to slowly absorb them. She won't wake up that quickly."
"You look so hungry your stomach is sticking to your spine. You can have this roast goose I just bought. Hurry and eat!"
Ming Hao spoke with an expression of painful reluctance, forcing himself not to look at the roast goose.
"Qing Yun, help her absorb the pills."
"Qing Ying, once the little girl finishes eating, take her to wash up!"
"As you command, young master."
Ming Hao hurried out of the room, afraid that a moment's lapse in restraint would make him snatch the roast goose back!
Behind him, Yu Wanchuan said nothing. Her eyes were wide as she watched Ying Ming Hao, as though she wanted to engrave his figure in her heart forever!
After leaving the room, Ming Hao turned and gave an order.
"Wang Yong, go buy enough food for several tables right away. Bring back two roast geese as well. Be quick!"
"As you command."
Wang Yong vanished in a flash.
An hour later, the door opened again. A slender woman with a rosy complexion and exceptional beauty approached them, holding the hand of a thoroughly transformed Yu Wanchuan!
Two thuds rang out as mother and daughter dropped to their knees.
"Young master, you saved my life today. I have no way to repay such immense kindness. I beg you to let me follow you and serve you like an ox or a horse, so I might repay even one ten-thousandth of this debt!"
Lady Yu pulled Yu Wanchuan along as she repeatedly knocked her forehead against the floor.
Ming Hao looked at the lovely Lady Yu before him. Though the offer sounded quite nice, which of the women beside him, such as Qing Yun and Qing Yun, was not countless times more beautiful than her?!
"There's no need for this. It was merely a small effort. Besides, we will be heading to the Misty Sect in a few days, and it wouldn't be convenient to take you two along."
Lady Yu froze at his words, then quickly recovered.
"I can wait outside the Misty Sect for your messages at any time, young master. Whatever you command, I will spare no effort to accomplish it!"
Ming Hao no longer refused and instead asked her a question.
"How did you come to be injured like this?"
A trace of pain flashed through Lady Yu's eyes.
"Young master, it is a long story."
"Nine years ago, Yu Wanchuan's father and I obtained a treasure in a Secret Realm, but a group of people surrounded us, trying to kill us and seize it.
"I was already pregnant then. Outnumbered, we both suffered serious injuries. Just as we were about to perish together in the Secret Realm, Yu Wanchuan's father used the last of his strength to send me out at the critical moment, while he remained inside forever!
"Not long afterward, I gave birth to Yu Wanchuan, but my injuries never fully healed. To hide from our enemies, I had no choice but to conceal my identity and settle in Ascension City.
"Later, forced by the need to make a living, I reluctantly went to the Fragrant Pavilion to work as a performer. Last month, a direct-line descendant of the Sima Lineage, the family backing the Fragrant Pavilion, took a fancy to my humble charms.
"Naturally, I refused. While resisting, I accidentally injured that disciple. Humiliation turned to rage, and he summoned his attendants, vowing to beat me to death. Fortunately, a colleague I was close to pleaded desperately on my behalf, and I was spared death on the spot.
"But that Sima Family disciple took her into a room and brutally tormented her for three days and three nights. Only then did that villain leave, satisfied.
"Even afterward, that Sima Family disciple still wouldn't let me go. If not for the treasure we obtained in the Secret Realm, I would probably have died on the spot. With its help, I later escaped, but my injuries were too severe, and I fell unconscious without waking!"
By then, tears covered Lady Yu's face, and her eyes were filled with hatred for the Sima Family!
Beside her, Yu Wanchuan was also sobbing quietly.
Lady Yu suddenly seemed to remember something and hurriedly spoke.
"Young master, if the Sima Family learns that you saved me, they will surely bear a grudge against you. I..."
"Don't be alarmed. The Sima Family has already been wiped out."
Ming Hao interrupted her directly.
Hearing this, Lady Yu sank onto the floor, hugged Yu Wanchuan, and burst into tears!
Ming Hao pondered briefly before asking, "Madam, would you be willing to return to the Fragrant Pavilion?!"
"I will follow your arrangements, young master!"
"Qing Yun, arrange for her to become the steward of the Fragrant Pavilion later."
"Yes."
Lady Yu repeatedly knocked her forehead against the floor before Ming Hao, as though any words of thanks would pale into insignificance!
"Wang Yong, set out the food. Everyone, come over and eat together."
Ming Hao grabbed a roast goose and began gnawing on it as though he had been starving for ages!
With a helpless expression, Qing Yun stepped forward and tied a bib around his neck.
Before you continue