Chapter 15
I Want To Help That Child
"She's okay now, right dear?" Tang Xinlan asked her husband hopefully.
Tang Xiuhan's expression didn't look good, however. He spoke softly, afraid of waking his daughter.
"No. That was a Life Replenishing Elixir. It just helps delay her condition for a while..."
His wife covered her face with her hands at his answer. He could hear her soft sobbing but didn't know how to comfort her.
"N-no! That's impossible! It can't be!" Tang Letong was in a confused state. He saw with his own eyes that his sister's condition improved. How could this be happening?
"The Clan Head has returned!"
The attendant outside hurriedly came in to notify the Tang clan members inside. In less than a minute, heavy rushed footsteps sounded, followed by the figure of an elderly man opening the door.
"How's Yeye!?"
Tang Tianjie, quite old but still full of vitality, had qi rippling from his body showing he was anxious beyond control.
"Grandpa?"
Tang Letong called his grandfather with a trembling voice. Seeing his grandson's eyes, Tang Tianjie hurriedly went to check his granddaughter.
She seemed to have improved greatly. He could sense the chaos and smell the Life Replenishing Elixir—like the Tang clan's treasure—already used.
The old man listened to Tang Letong explain the situation. He seemed to age several more years. The pill he'd refined himself—meant to help his granddaughter—had nearly killed her instead.
"...What have I done?"
The pill he'd devoted time researching—meant to strengthen his granddaughter's body—had nearly killed her instead. His heart felt deeply wounded. He treasured this granddaughter dearly.
"The Life Replenishing Elixir should help extend time by one day..." Tang Xiuhan told his father, and the old man nodded lightly.
"Do we have any more of this medicine, Father?" Tang Xinlan asked her father-in-law hopefully.
"The Life Replenishing Elixir is a level 4 pill. At minimum, you must be a Grandmaster-level cultivator to refine it. In this country, there's only one Grandmaster-level cultivator who's also an alchemist."
"Grandmaster Lu Qing."
Tang Tianjie explained to his daughter-in-law with a gloomy face.
"...Can we invite him to come help Yeye?"
"I'll try..."
Tang Tianjie sighed. He walked out of the room just in time to pass the alarmed doctor rushing in. Uncle Huang appeared beside the clan head, worry etched on his face.
"Sir, Grandmaster Lu Qing has been traveling around the world. There's been no news of him for 3 years now."
"I know..."
"What about the Divine Doctor?"
"He still hasn't emerged."
Tang Tianjie leaned against the wall with a headache. He gently massaged his temples then asked his confidant about what happened.
"Was it Letong who discovered this medicine's side effects?" Tang Tianjie was very interested in this point. When his grandson told him the story briefly, he'd mentioned the side effect—the elixir drew on life force in the body.
Even though he was the one who refined it, he didn't know at all.
"That's not it. It was Grandmaster Bai who told us." Uncle Huang reported truthfully. Then he flinched because he'd forgotten that he left a Grandmaster waiting in the dining room.
"Grandmaster Bai? Why have I never heard this name before?"
.
.
.
In the dining room, Bai Fanxian was indeed waiting. The young woman sipped tea that was starting to get cold calmly. She wanted some fresh tea, but since everyone was busy, she was reluctant to bother them. Little Hui'er sat beside her, confused by the situation.
Uncle Huang hurried down from the second floor. A Grandmaster-level identity was even greater than the Tang clan head. If he made someone of that level displeased, he didn't know what consequences would follow.
At this level, even if they didn't become friends, they absolutely couldn't become enemies.
She was the one who told them about the Vitality Restoration Elixir's side effects.
Uncle Huang walked quickly to Bai Fanxian and bowed deeply to apologize as sincerely as possible.
"I apologize for the rudeness, Grandmaster Bai. It was urgent, so the master will come apologize to you formally later. Should I take you to the guest room first?"
Uncle Huang spoke with a worried expression, watching Bai Fanxian carefully. When he saw the young woman remained calm with no sign of displeasure, he felt relieved.
"Let's go."
Bai Fanxian set down her teacup. Uncle Huang noticed the tea in the cup had gone cold, yet the young woman had still drunk it. So he couldn't help but ask:
"Did you like this tea, Grandmaster Bai? Once I get you to your room, I'll have someone brew you some fresh tea."
Bai Fanxian was surprised by his offer. But she still nodded to accept it.
"Thank you."
She quite liked these teas. She didn't need to eat or drink much. But if she had to choose between those foods and tea with flavors she'd never drunk before, she would naturally choose the tea.
The tea was just ordinary tea, with no supplementary properties like the tea she used to drink ten thousand years ago.
Uncle Huang's unintentional action warmed her to the Tang clan a bit more.
"How's that little child?"
Bai Fanxian asked while walking. Uncle Huang explained the situation honestly to his guest. After all, she had told them about this side effect, allowing them to stabilize the young miss's condition.
"As I said, we can't get either the Divine Doctor or Grandmaster Lu Qing here."
Uncle Huang sighed softly. He had to keep most of his emotions in check according to duty.
"Please, Grandmaster Bai." Uncle Huang opened the door at the end of the hallway, revealing a spacious, grand room. Since it was at the end of the hallway, this room's balcony was especially wide and could clearly see the front yard below.
The room had a large bed with a small bed added beside it. Clearly it was Hui'er's bed.
"I'll have someone bring some snacks too." Uncle Huang spoke with a smile, bending down to look at the little girl. Of course those snacks would naturally be for Hui'er.
Uncle Huang was about to excuse himself when Hui'er, who had been quiet the whole time, raised her small hand to tug gently at Bai Fanxian's sleeve.
"My lady...can you help them?"
The innocent question came from the little girl. She still remembered when she was hit in the middle of her back until it was swollen and bruised. When she woke up, that wound was gone—her lady had healed it. She felt her lady had the power to help that child.
"Do you want to help that child?"
Bai Fanxian didn't refuse, but turned to look at Hui'er and asked softly.
"Yes...Uncle Tang, Auntie Tang, and Uncle Huang were all so nice to me." The little girl spoke. For a child with a past like hers, receiving both love and care today was something she'd never dreamed of. Hearing their daughter was critically ill—to the point she might die—worried her deeply.
"I-I know medical treatment costs money."
The little girl hesitated, then continued.
"But I'll help pay. I'll work hard and earn lots of money. Enough for the treatment." She spoke resolutely while staring into Bai Fanxian's calm eyes.
"Someone as kind as you will have a hard time in life."
Bai Fanxian's voice was icy, and Hui'er lowered her head sadly. Her hand gripping her lady's sleeve tightened unconsciously.
But suddenly a hand gently patted the little girl's head.
"In that case, when you grow up, just stay with me."
Bai Fanxian's words were gentler than ever before. She patted Hui'er's head again with affection.
That's just who this child was.
No matter the environment, her kind nature never changed.
Fwip!
Bai Fanxian waved her hand lightly. A pill floated slowly into Uncle Huang's hand. He received it without understanding just as Bai Fanxian spoke:
"Go. Give that pill to the child."
When Bai Fanxian finished speaking, some mysterious power pushed the confused Uncle Huang out of the room. The well-made wooden door closed in his face before he could catch up with the situation.
He held only the black pill in his hand—he couldn't sense any aura from it at all. When he realized he'd been pushed out with no chance to resist, he trembled once more.
"Grandmaster Bai is truly powerful..."