Chapter 49: Celestial Demon-Subduing Array

Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Celestial Demon-Subduing Array

A night passed without incident. The next day, Chen Xiao followed Lu Wushuang directly to the Li Family.

Under the guidance of a Li Family servant, Chen Xiao arrived at a pavilion within the Li Family Estate.

The Li Family’s estate was exquisitely arranged with pagodas, platforms, and pavilions—it had everything one could ask for. At that moment, an elderly man in a Tangshan was sitting in the pavilion in the middle of the lake. Despite being over seventy, he had the aura of a tiger and was brimming with energy, exuding an awe-inspiring presence without being angry.

Next to the elder sat a young girl with a clear and elegant face. She was very tranquil as she served the elder hot tea, exuding the quiet grace of a sheltered young lady.

However, Chen Xiao saw someone he knew: Xu Yanran!

What rotten luck,

he cursed inwardly.

Why did I have to run into this woman here?

Xu Yanran’s gaze met his, and her previously smiling face instantly turned ashen. "How are you here?"

"What, do you live by the sea? Mind your own business," Chen Xiao retorted dismissively, not bothering with pleasantries.

"Yanran! This young gentleman and President Lu are guests of my Li Family," the elder said with a good-natured laugh. "Biyun, pour our guests some tea."

The young girl smiled faintly and poured a cup of hot tea for Chen Xiao and Lu Wushuang.

The two took their seats. The young girl didn’t say a single word from start to finish.

This must be the young miss of the Li Family that Lu Wushuang mentioned,

Chen Xiao guessed.

She’s certainly beautiful,

he thought.

It’s true what they say—heaven is jealous of beauty...

Li Xinghu chuckled. "President Lu, is this your junior martial brother? The young Divine Doctor you mentioned?"

"That’s right," Lu Wushuang nodded.

Chen Xiao introduced himself. "My name is Chen Xiao."

"Excellent! A true prodigy!" Li Xinghu sized up Chen Xiao. He noted that although the young man concealed his aura deeply, in his presence, he maintained a demeanor that was neither servile nor arrogant. Such composure was rare indeed.

Xu Yanran, however, just snorted. "Elder Li, don’t let him fool you. This guy is just a scoundrel, not some ’Divine Doctor.’ He knows jack-squat about medicine!"

Li Xinghu also sighed. "President Lu, my granddaughter has been the apple of my eye since she was a child. Countless famous doctors have examined her illness, all to no effect."

"I invited you both here today as guests. Let’s just forget about the treatment."

He hadn’t spoken plainly, but his meaning was obvious: he didn’t believe Chen Xiao could cure his granddaughter and was refusing his help.

Lu Wushuang smiled. "Elder Li, since we’re already here, why not give it a try?"

Li Xinghu took a sip of his tea. "President Lu, you know about my granddaughter’s strange illness. The Li Family went to great lengths to obtain the Seven Orifices Exquisite Fruit, which gave her a glimmer of hope. How could we part with it so easily?"

"Young man, it’s not that I don’t trust you, but... the condition you’ve set is just too difficult for me!"

Chen Xiao scoffed. "Elder Li, the Seven Orifices Exquisite Fruit is meant for your granddaughter, but if she’s cured, she won’t need it, will she?"

Xu Yanran sneered. "I knew it! So that’s how a young swindler turns into a ’young Divine Doctor’! You’re just here to trick us out of the Seven Orifices Exquisite Fruit! How despicable!"

Chen Xiao looked calmly at Li Xinghu, then at Li Biyun. "Elder Li, my terms are simple. If I cure her, the Seven Orifices Exquisite Fruit is mine. If I can’t, I’ll leave."

"The choice is yours. After all, for the Li Family, this is a very favorable deal."

"Also, I strongly advise against giving her the Seven Orifices Exquisite Fruit. If you do, she will never be able to speak again for the rest of her life."

As soon as he said this, Li Xinghu’s face turned ashen. "Young man, aren’t you taking things a bit too far?"

He doted on this granddaughter more than anyone. For Chen Xiao to say such a thing—wasn’t that cursing Li Biyun?

"I’m just speaking the truth," Chen Xiao said, his posture unflinching. "Elder Li, if I’m not mistaken, this entire layout was arranged specifically for the young miss of the Li Family, wasn’t it?"

"The Celestial Demon-Subduing Array... a fine formation, indeed."

"Unfortunately, the array is broken. As it stands, your family’s feng shui is now courting disaster, drawing malevolent energy into the home. If you don’t deal with it soon, you’ll be in serious trouble."

At these words, Li Xinghu’s expression immediately grew solemn.

Xu Yanran snapped, "Stop spouting nonsense! Weren’t you just calling yourself a young Divine Doctor? Now you’re a swindler again?"

"The Dao and medicine are inseparable. Don’t you even understand a principle that basic? I’ve dabbled in both."

"You’re just bragging—"

Before Xu Yanran could finish, Li Xinghu raised a hand to stop her. "Young man, you can actually recognize the Celestial Demon-Subduing Array? You truly have some skill. Do you, by any chance, have a way to break it?"