Resentment!

"Elder Shen, you would rather trust that worthless Ning Chuan than believe me. How disappointing! Do you really think he can save Qianxun?"

Li Yunfei sneered.

"Young Master Li, Ning Chuan might really have a way!"

Shen Wan looked grim, but her voice remained steady.

"A way? If he had a way, he would have stepped forward long ago. Isn't he only showing up now because he's afraid Qianxun will marry me? A selfish, incompetent good-for-nothing like him might even delay her treatment!

"Elder Shen, only my Li Family's Spirit-Nurturing Pill can save Qianxun. I advise you to stop him while you still can. Otherwise, if anything happens to Qianxun, it will be too late for regrets!"

Li Yunfei spoke with confidence.

"I..."

Shen Wan's expression wavered.

Just then, however, she heard Shen Qingqing's delighted voice from inside the room. Her whole body jolted. "Qianxun... Qianxun is awake?"

Overwhelmed with excitement and anticipation, Shen Wan pushed the door open.

Sure enough, Shen Qianxun had already sat up in bed.

"Qianxun, you're awake? This is wonderful!"

Shen Wan's eyes reddened as she hurried over.

"Mother, I'm sorry I worried you!"

A trace of guilt showed in Shen Qianxun's eyes.

"How is this possible? That worthless Ning Chuan actually cured Shen Qianxun?"

Li Yunfei, who had followed her inside, stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

He could sense that although Shen Qianxun still looked somewhat weak, her aura was growing stronger and stronger. She was no longer in any serious danger.

How had Ning Chuan done it?

Even though Li Yunfei had brought out the Li Family's supreme treasure, the Spirit-Nurturing Pill, he had not been completely certain it could cure Shen Qianxun. He had merely been using it to threaten the Shen family.

"Qianxun, was it really Ning Chuan who cured you?"

Shen Wan was utterly astonished as well.

In her eyes, Ning Chuan had always been a useless coward who did nothing but eat, drink, visit brothels, and gamble-mud that could never be plastered onto a wall. If Shen Qianxun had not kept defending him, Shen Wan would have driven him out long ago.

Although she had agreed to let Ning Chuan try, she had held little hope.

Yet now, it seemed Ning Chuan really had saved Shen Qianxun?

"Mother, it's true! Ning Chuan used an incredibly miraculous Acupuncture Technique. He not only expelled the fire poison from my sister's body, but also brought her out of her coma. I saw it with my own eyes!"

Shen Qingqing nodded repeatedly, her face full of delighted surprise.

At that, Shen Wan, Shen Qianxun, and the many elders of the Shen family all began to look at Ning Chuan differently.

Was Ning Chuan's medical skill really so remarkable?

They had thought Ning Chuan was nothing more than a worthless live-in son-in-law. Now, however, it seemed he was not entirely without merit.

After all, Ning Chuan had effortlessly solved a problem that even a Second-Rank Alchemist would have struggled with.

"Ning Chuan, thank you!"

Shen Qianxun's crimson lips parted as she looked at Ning Chuan with a complicated expression.

"We're husband and wife. Why stand on ceremony?"

Ning Chuan smiled.

"Impossible!"

Just then, Li Yunfei roared, his eyes filled with suspicion.

He fixed a fierce stare on Ning Chuan. "Ning Chuan, what trick did you use? I refuse to believe a worthless live-in son-in-law like you could save Qianxun! Qianxun, you mustn't trust him. He might have used some method to conceal the fire poison in your body. If you don't take the Spirit-Nurturing Pill, you'll die for certain once the fire poison flares up!"

"If I shouldn't trust him, should I trust you? A hypocrite who exploited my plight, threatened the Shen family, and tried to force me to marry you?"

Shen Qianxun sneered.

Shen Qingqing had already told her how Li Yunfei had brought the Spirit-Nurturing Pill to threaten the Shen family, filling her with disgust for him.

Li Yunfei nearly exploded with rage, his face livid. He abruptly turned toward Ning Chuan and said with a vicious expression, "Ning Chuan, you worthless scum! You must have used some underhanded trick to deceive Qianxun! If you're a man, do you dare fight me fairly? If you lose, leave Qianxun!"

He hated Ning Chuan to the bone, convinced that Ning Chuan had ruined his plans.

"How I saved Qianxun is none of your damn business. If you want to fight me, get past my wife first!"

Ning Chuan sneered.

"Ning Chuan, you're courting death!"

Li Yunfei flew into a rage, his gaze growing even more vicious.

"Young Master Li, this is the Shen residence. You will not run wild here!"

Shen Qianxun's gaze turned icy.

"Qianxun, listen to me. I wasn't-"

Li Yunfei hastily tried to explain.

"Young Master Li, you are not welcome here. Please leave!"

Shen Wan cut him off, her face cold.

"Fine! Very well! Ning Chuan, Shen Qianxun, I'll remember this! In seven days, our two families will hold the Spirit-Seizing Battle. We'll see whether you can still smile then!"

His eyes brimming with venomous resentment, Li Yunfei turned and stormed away with a sweep of his sleeves!

The Spirit-Seizing Battle.

Those words made everyone from the Shen family blanch, and a trace of worry appeared in Shen Qianxun's eyes as well.

"I'm afraid we've thoroughly offended the Li Family this time! Judging by Li Yunfei's reaction, we'll have to face their retaliation next. Especially at the Spirit-Seizing Battle in seven days... I fear we won't be able to hold on to our spirit stone mine!"

An elder of the Shen family gave a bitter laugh.

"So what if we offended them? Li Yunfei dared to threaten the Shen family and force Qianxun to marry him. What a bastard! As for the Spirit-Seizing Battle, with Qianxun here, why should we fear the Li Family?"

Shen Wan sneered.

Despite her defiant words, however, she could not hide the worry in her eyes.

"What is the Spirit-Seizing Battle?"

Ning Chuan asked curiously.

"The Spirit-Seizing Battle is a battle for a spirit stone mine! Not long ago, we and the Li Family jointly discovered a spirit stone mine in the Great Wilderness Mountains. To decide who would own it, we established the rules for the Spirit-Seizing Battle!

"Each family will send five geniuses from its younger generation to compete. Whoever wins in the end will receive the spirit stone mine!"

Shen Qingqing explained quietly to Ning Chuan.

"I see! Don't worry. In seven days, I'll definitely take part in the Spirit-Seizing Battle and beat that dog Li Yunfei's brains out!"

Ning Chuan smiled calmly.

"You? Save your breath!"

Shen Wan spoke irritably, though for the sake of his having saved Shen Qianxun, she refrained from belittling him further.

Naturally, the others paid his words little heed either. Before Ning Chuan had become a good-for-nothing, he might indeed have been able to participate in the Spirit-Seizing Battle.

But now, having Ning Chuan take part was nothing short of a joke!

"Let's go. Let Qianxun get some proper rest!"

Shen Wan nodded to Shen Qianxun and led everyone away.

Soon, only Shen Qianxun and Ning Chuan remained in the room.

Shen Qianxun's injuries were gradually healing, but she was still somewhat weak. Reclining on the bed, she watched Ning Chuan with beautiful eyes that shone like jewels, a hint of curiosity and puzzlement in her gaze.

"Ahem... Qianxun, I know I'm handsome, but you don't have to keep staring at me, do you?"

Ning Chuan gave a light cough.

Pfft!

Shen Qianxun covered her mouth and laughed softly, then said helplessly, "Why didn't I ever notice how glib you were? Thank you for saving me this time!"

"No need to thank me! We're husband and wife, bound as one. I heard the fire poison attacked your heart because you were refining a Meridian-Continuing Pill for me. Of course I had to save you!"

Ning Chuan smiled.

Only then did he realize that Shen Qianxun was even more captivating when she smiled.

"Ning Chuan, I never imagined you possessed such a wondrous Acupuncture Technique. It seems I underestimated you before! Unfortunately, every meridian in your body is severed, leaving you unable to cultivate. Otherwise, with such powerful mental strength, your future achievements would be limitless!"

Shen Qianxun sighed softly.

"Who says I can't cultivate? Before long, I'll be able to begin cultivating. At the Spirit-Seizing Battle in seven days, I'll give that Li Yunfei a proper beating for you!"

Ning Chuan smiled faintly.

At the thought of the Chaos Gods and Devils Art that the Demon Emperor Asura had obtained, he was filled with excitement and anticipation. Just how extraordinary was this divine art that even the Demon Emperor Asura had praised so highly?

All he needed now was to refine the Five-Element Marrow-Cleansing Pill, heal every meridian in his body, cleanse his essence and marrow, and shed his old flesh and bones for a new body. Then he could begin cultivating.