After sending Wang Qiya and Zhou Yi Yi off in the car, Wang Wu hurried back to Xu Ke's side.

Xu Ke released Ye Chong and reached out to support him. "Let's go inside."

"Okay."

Ye Dexian stepped forward to take Ye Chong from him, looking at Xu Ke with a deep, penetrating gaze. "If you can't treat him, I will fight you to the death today."

"Alright." Xu Ke nodded decisively.

Then, with a pained expression, Ye Dexian turned to Ye Chong. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," Ye Chong forced out, his face as pale as a sheet of paper.

Ye Dexian quickly helped him inside.

Wang Wu stood beside Xu Ke and asked in a low voice, "Mister Xu, what's your plan?"

"Curing him will be useful to us," Xu Ke explained in a voice only the two of them could hear.

Wang Wu nodded. "Understood."

On the way upstairs, Ye Dexian kept asking if they needed to go to the hospital. In response, Xu Ke simply took out his silver needle pouch.

However, to prevent any tricks, Ye Dexian brought out their own set of silver needles and gave them to Xu Ke. He also insisted that one of their own doctors be present to observe the acupuncture.

Xu Ke agreed without issue. After all, he really was just going to treat the man.

***

As Ye Dexian and Ye Chong slowly made their way upstairs, Xu Ke took a moment to check his phone. He had a few messages.

The first was from Jiang Yi: "Boss, I've found a place to stay, and I've made all the backups you asked for. I'm at home for now."

Xu Ke replied with an "Okay."

Qian Hong had also sent a text: "I left the chair and chopping board you wanted at your door. Just grab them yourself." She was too terrified to even knock.

Xu Ke didn't reply.

There was also a message from Duan Chongfeng regarding two matters. First, Ye Fan had come looking for trouble on behalf of the Li Family, but Duan Chongfeng had managed to talk him down. Second, he had eaten a couple of crayfish and was worried it might interfere with his medication.

Xu Ke couldn't help but laugh.

The last message was from his parents. Xu Zhenguo said they would likely arrive in Tianhai the day after tomorrow and wanted to coordinate the arrangements.

Xu Ke replied, "Okay, Dad. I'll arrange everything. I'm about to go to sleep, so you two should get some rest as well."

After sending the message, he looked up at the figure of Ye Chong being helped up the stairs and slipped his phone back into his pocket.

***

However, Xu Ke was startled the moment he reached the top of the stairs.

A groggy Er Long had just stumbled out of the bathroom. Seeing the chaotic mess in the hallway, he froze in place for a long while.

Xu Ke shook his head. It seems the knockout drug really had no effect on this tough, thick-skinned fellow; he's already waking up.

Meanwhile, Zhao Xinyue, her face still bruised and swollen, had been tossed to the side. Clearly, no one was in the mood to deal with her. The private rooms all remained tightly shut, their occupants expressing their motto through their actions: they truly knew nothing.

"Is this place okay?" Ye Dexian asked, pointing to a room.

It looked like a private room from the outside, but the interior was a magnificently furnished bedroom. It was obviously where Ye Chong usually rested.

At that moment, Ye Chong was being settled onto the bed while two men in black suits checked his injuries. These had to be the doctors Ye Dexian had brought along.

"It's fine," Xu Ke nodded indifferently.

"Then get started already," Ye Dexian said impatiently. He was extremely anxious. If Xu Ke didn't start treating Ye Chong immediately and show some signs of improvement, he would surely lose his mind.

Xu Ke just smiled. "What's the rush? I haven't discussed my terms with you yet."

The moment he finished speaking, the expressions of the Ye Family members in the room turned cold, and a murderous aura filled the air.

Ye Dexian's face flushed with instant fury. "What did you say?"

This guy actually wants to negotiate?

Wang Wu, however, stood quietly in front of Xu Ke, blocking Ye Dexian's line of sight.

"Let's discuss the terms," Xu Ke repeated with a slight smile.

Ye Dexian trembled with rage. How can this Xu Ke be so shameless?!

Just then, Ye Chong, who had been lying weakly on the bed, suddenly propped himself against the headboard and stared quietly at Xu Ke. "Don't delude yourself, Xu Ke. I don't care that much about my Dantian. Even if you heal it, the most I'll ever be is a Postnatal Initial Stage cultivator. It makes no difference whether I have it or not."

He narrowed his eyes. "If you push your luck, I'll send my men to capture Wang Qiya and bring her back right now."

While under Xu Ke's control, Ye Chong had been forced to endure everything. But now, surrounded by six or seven of his own experts and his Grandpa Jiu, he no longer had to tolerate such humiliation.

Xu Ke smiled. "Since Young Master Chong is so nonchalant about it, what does it matter if I choose not to heal you?"

Ye Chong's face paled. "Show him the door."

Xu Ke immediately made a move to turn and leave.

But Ye Dexian couldn't hold back any longer. "What in the world do you want? Can't you just say it?!"

"Ye Laojiu, you're refreshingly straightforward," Xu Ke chuckled. "It's simple. I just want to have a private chat with Ye Chong."

At his words, everyone froze. After all that, all Xu Ke wanted was a private conversation with Ye Chong?

"You?" Ye Dexian glared. "Are you planning to murder him?"

Xu Ke looked at him placidly. "Are you an idiot? If I wanted to kill him, wouldn't I have done it already?"

Ye Dexian was left speechless by the retort.

"Grandpa Jiu, all of you, please step outside. I'll have a chat with Young Master Xu," Ye Chong interjected, his form of address for Xu Ke having changed. At this point, he had a vague idea of what Xu Ke wanted to discuss, but he couldn't resist the urge to hear him out.

Seeing this, Wang Wu shot Xu Ke a worried glance.

Xu Ke simply clenched his fist and smiled, signaling that there was nothing to worry about.

Wang Wu sighed and walked out the door. Soon, everyone else had filed out of the room. Before leaving, Ye Dexian remembered to pull out a timer. "Two minutes. Don't talk for too long."

He was worried that if they delayed any longer, Ye Chong's injuries would become untreatable.

Xu Ke nodded.

THUD. The door closed tightly, and they were alone.

***

"Young Master Chong, it's simple. I want to destroy the Li Family and Ye Fan, and I need your help," Xu Ke said, getting straight to the point.

Ye Chong's eyes narrowed slightly. "Young Master Xu, the Li Family is an ally of our Ye Family. I have no reason to help you."

His response only addressed the matter of the Li Family. Obviously, he and Xu Ke had already reached a tacit understanding when it came to dealing with Ye Fan.

"Cut the crap," Xu Ke said, looking straight at him. "Everyone knows how close the Li Family is with Ye Fan."

When Li Lang was beaten, it was Ye Fan who had stood up for him. It was predictable that the Li Family's first instinct would be to seek help from Ye Fan; their true loyalties were self-evident.

Ye Chong's expression turned grim, and he said nothing.

"Fine. Since Young Master Chong is so concerned about upsetting Young Master Ye, I won't touch the Li Family," Xu Ke said with a shrug, spreading his hands.

A ploy to sow discord. A very crude one at that.

Still, Ye Chong's fists clenched quietly. This tactic was far too effective against him.

"How do you want me to help?" Ye Chong asked in a low voice.

"Just give me the recording," Xu Ke said.

Ye Chong's pupils shrank. "What recording?"

"Are you really going to feign ignorance about the bug you planted yourself?" Xu Ke was losing his patience. This guy's Dantian had been shattered, yet he was still trying to beat around the bush.

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