Chapter 49: The Li Family Is Rising

“Everyone else, please leave first.”

In the bedroom, Xiao Nan looked calmly at the few members of the Xia family before him.

If it weren’t for the Lin family’s high regard for Xia Yunong, given how this family had treated him previously, no matter what they said, Xiao Nan would never have come to treat him.

After all, he still planned to stay with the Lin family for a while, hoping that Lin Xiaoniu could help him detoxify the fire poison.

Although the Xia family members were somewhat uneasy about Xia Yunong, they did not dare to go against Xiao Nan’s wishes at this moment. One by one, they obediently withdrew.

However, Xu Wei looked at him eagerly, speaking in a nearly pleading tone, “Senior, may I stay and observe?”

Since the last time he witnessed Xiao Nan treating Lin Guodong, the miraculous art of the Ghost Gate Thirteen Needles had lingered in his mind relentlessly.

He dreamed of seeing Xiao Nan perform it again.

“All right,” Xiao Nan nodded. Although he had refused to take the old man as an apprentice before, he had promised to offer guidance when the opportunity arose.

It would not do to send him away now.

But Xiao Nan had little intention of teaching him. Letting him stay meant that however much he could understand and learn would depend entirely on his own insight.

Xiao Nan took out the silver needles he always carried with him.

He had countless methods to cure Xia Yunong’s illness.

He could easily brew a medicinal decoction or employ qigong therapy; any approach would likely succeed.

Yet, comparatively, directly applying the Ghost Gate Thirteen Needles was simpler.

With Xu Wei, this devoted “apprentice,” by his side, Xiao Nan deliberately slowed his needle technique considerably.

Even so, Xu Wei watched with dazzled eyes, wishing he could pull out his phone to record the entire procedure for repeated study later.

Fearing Xiao Nan’s displeasure, he restrained himself.

His aged eyes remained fixed unwaveringly on Xiao Nan’s hands, striving to memorize every movement and the precise acupuncture points.

After about ten minutes, Xiao Nan ceased his motions and put away the needles.

Xu Wei wiped the sweat from his brow, looking as if he were more exhausted than Xiao Nan himself.

In truth, that was exactly the case.

For Xiao Nan, the entire needle procedure was second nature, as effortless as eating or drinking.

But for Xu Wei, who tried to capture the essence of every move, it was far from easy.

“Is it done?” Xu Wei asked cautiously as he saw Xiao Nan withdraw the needles.

His gaze at Xiao Nan was filled with even greater reverence.

Regardless of the outcome, the fluid, masterful technique of the Ghost Gate Thirteen Needles was like a celestial art to him.

To witness such skill in someone so young was a blow to this nearly seventy-year-old man’s pride.

“He should wake up soon,” Xiao Nan said calmly.

Indeed, as his words fell, Xia Yunong on the bed slowly opened his eyes.

Upon seeing Xiao Nan standing before him, he immediately understood what had happened.

During the time he had fainted, though completely immobile, he had not lost consciousness entirely.

For the first time in his life, he realized how close death truly was.

He had a strong intuition that if his consciousness faded away, he might never wake again.

But now, he had awakened.

Though Xu Wei also stood beside his bed, Xia Yunong was certain that it was this young man—the Lin family son-in-law who had been brusquely sent away by his own son—who had cured him.

“Thank you, dear nephew,” Xia Yunong said earnestly as he sat up, bowing in gratitude to Xiao Nan.

“No thanks necessary. If you want to offer thanks, thank Uncle Lin instead,” Xiao Nan replied and turned to leave.

“Xiao Nan, how is Old Xia?” As soon as Xiao Nan stepped out, a crowd led by Zhao Nan surged forward.

“He’s awake now. You can go in to see him,” Xiao Nan said and left without lingering.

“Old Xia, are you really better?” Zhao Nan rushed into the bedroom and saw Xia Yunong already sitting up, rushing over in tears of joy.

Xia Yunong stared blankly toward the doorway and said, “Truly, heroes emerge from the young.”

His praise was not only for Xiao Nan’s miraculous medical skill but also for the young man’s unpretentious grace—after curing him, Xiao Nan had not demanded any repayment but simply turned and left as if it were no big deal.

For a youth under twenty to possess such composure was indeed rare.

Only then did Zhao Nan come to his senses and nudged Xia Xiantao, “Tao’er, quickly go fetch Xiao Nan. We must thank him properly.”

Xia Yunong waved him off, “No need. How can one ever repay a life-saving kindness? Just keep it in your heart and find a chance to repay it gradually.”

Then he looked at his son Xia Xiantao, “From now on, you must pay more attention to the affairs of the Lin family.”

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Today could be said to be the most exciting day in Li Yadong’s life.

About half a month ago, he and Pan Rongxing had accidentally come across a recipe for the Qi-Concentrating Pill.

With the personal guidance of the divine healer Pan Guangxing and the devoted efforts of the Li family’s pharmaceutical research team over two weeks, they had finally developed the “Qi-Concentrating Beauty Pill.”

The moment the “Qi-Concentrating Beauty Pill” was completed, Li Yadong immediately selected several women of different ages, each with some freckles or acne, to test it.

The results confirmed Pan Guangxing’s earlier predictions without exaggeration.

After just three days of taking the pill, the women showed remarkable improvement.

Not only had their freckles and acne vanished, but their previously rough skin became fair and firm.

Seeing this success, the Li family was overjoyed.

This product was an absolute game-changer for women of all ages who cared for their beauty.

They knew that once the “Qi-Concentrating Beauty Pill” was released, the profits for the Li family would be staggering.

The opportunity for the Li family to shed their second-tier status and rise to elite, even super-elite, lineage was finally at hand.