Tang Yingchang looked at Xu Ke in disbelief. "Are you kidding me?"

A sacred prescription? You wrote it? Impossible! What kind of joke is this?!

But Xu Ke was dead serious. "I'm not joking."

"Take a closer look at the Medical Saint's signature. See how the color of the ancient characters is a bit smudged? A few strokes from the brush pen have bled to the side. It only looks less obvious because I tried to cover it up with black ink."

"It happened when I accidentally smeared it while imitating my master's signature."

Instinctively, Tang Yingchang reached into his breast pocket, took out the prescription, and examined it back and forth. After carefully confirming it, his eyes widened. "It's... it's true."

At that moment, the disbelief in his eyes had turned into complete stupor.

How is this possible? Could the details on this prescription really be exactly as Xu Ke described?!

"No, impossible… How could you possibly be…"

But Tang Yingchang still refused to believe it. He tried to refute Xu Ke, "Did you peek at this prescription beforehand? Do you know everything that's written on it?"

"That's why you know it inside and out!"

He couldn't accept that the prescription he had been taking for two years wasn't the work of the Medical Saint. He was sure Xu Ke must have seen the prescription beforehand and was now trying to deceive him!

"Believe what you want, but I'm telling you, if you take that medicine again, you'll be beyond saving," Xu Ke said coolly.

Tang Yingchang's pupils constricted. "What did you say?"

"The biggest flaw in this prescription is that it only treats the symptoms, not the root cause," Xu Ke said. "Moreover, it has side effects."

"Every night at ten o'clock, don't you experience unbearable pain in your lower abdomen, like you're being twisted by knives?"

Tang Yingchang was taken aback, stammering, "Yes…"

He was spot-on.

"You're severely drowsy in the morning, and on cold days, you probably need to sleep for fourteen to sixteen hours."

Tang Yingchang's expression gradually changed. "Yes…"

Xu Ke was right again.

"The chaotic reversal of your True Qi is growing more and more severe. By now, your Dantian is probably in complete disarray, isn't it?"

Tang Yingchang's face turned completely ashen. Cold sweat dripped down his face, soaking the back of his shirt as he trembled, "Yes!"

Xu Ke had correctly described every single symptom.

"So I advise you not to take it anymore."

Although he disliked Tang Yingchang, he had written the prescription. He didn't want to cause someone's death.

"So, you're saying you really wrote this prescription?!" Tang Yingchang's voice trembled.

Xu Ke nodded.

"Does that mean you're a disciple of the Medical Saint?!" Tang Yingchang's lips quivered.

Xu Ke nodded again.

THUMP!

"I beg you to save me!"

Without hesitation, Tang Yingchang dropped to his knees and pleaded aloud.

His kneeling immediately shocked Wang Yu, who was standing not far away. She was completely dumbfounded.

What's going on? I just cleared the living room so Tang Yingchang could torment Xu Ke, but now he's kneeling to him? What kind of spell did Xu Ke cast on Mister Chang?

Tang Yingchang's kneeling not only shocked Wang Yu but also stunned Wang Wu, who was hiding in the shadows. He hadn't intervened at Xu Ke's request, but he hadn't for a moment forgotten his duty to protect him. He had been worried about Xu Ke confronting Tang Yingchang alone, but they hadn't even exchanged a few sentences before Tang Yingchang was on his knees.

What is going on?

…

"Save you?" Xu Ke's eyes narrowed slightly.

Tang Yingchang was on the verge of tears. "Yes! I know my days are numbered and I've been searching for life-prolonging elixirs. But I'm completely powerless now, so I've been relying on deceiving Wang Yu and surviving on this prescription. My condition is getting worse by the day, and now you are the only one who can save me!"

Xu Ke was about to refuse. Why should I save Tang Yingchang for no reason?

But Tang Yingchang quickly added, "I'll agree to any condition! As long as you're willing to save me, I'll promise you anything!"

Something stirred in Xu Ke's heart. "Any condition?"

"Yes!"

Hearing Xu Ke say this, Tang Yingchang's face lit up with hope. I can be saved! He knew Xu Ke would only consider his offer if he was absolutely certain he could be cured.

"Then how about you take this poison and submit to my control?"

Tang Yingchang's pupils contracted. "Poison?!"

"How else am I supposed to control a master at the Great Perfection of the Innate Realm?" Xu Ke said with a faint smile.

If he could gain a Great Perfection Innate master for his trouble, Xu Ke felt that saving Tang Yingchang might be an acceptable price to pay.

Hesitation appeared on Tang Yingchang's face. Controlled by poison? Wouldn't that mean losing my freedom?

"You have three seconds to consider. When time is up, I'm taking someone into custody." Xu Ke began the countdown. "Three…"

A sense of urgency washed over Tang Yingchang. "Can you give me a little more time…"

"Two."

Tang Yingchang's face turned deathly pale. He hurriedly asked, "For how long will I be under your control?" Since being controlled by Xu Ke's poison was unavoidable, Tang Yingchang could only try to bargain over the duration.

"One year," Xu Ke said slowly, looking at Tang Yingchang.

One year! Tang Yingchang's expression was a mask of indecision. Who knows if Xu Ke would actually let me go after a year?!

He was about to bargain further, but Xu Ke gave him no time. "One…"

The countdown finished.

"Wang Yu, get out here now!" Xu Ke shouted, bypassing Tang Yingchang to bellow at Wang Yu in the distance.

The shout was like thunder!

Frightened out of his wits, Tang Yingchang had no more room to think. "Dr. Xu, I agree! But you must first prove to me that you have the power to cure me. Then I'll take the poison."

Xu Ke, his back still to Tang Yingchang, allowed the corners of his lips to curve into a smile.

At that moment, Wang Yu walked out with an ugly expression. "Mister Chang, why didn't you do something?"

She didn't understand why Tang Yingchang hadn't acted, much less why he had kneeled.

"This doesn't concern you." After making his deal with Xu Ke, Tang Yingchang felt a wave of relief. This was a disciple of the Medical Saint! As for the patsy Wang Yu, she could be cast aside.

Wang Yu's face twisted in rage. "Mister Chang, when have I ever mistreated you? Not only are you refusing to help me, but you're kneeling to a good-for-nothing? What is the meaning of this?"

Wang Yu wanted to vent her frustration, but Tang Yingchang exploded with anger, roaring, "Audacious! How dare you offend Mister Xu! You're courting death!"

With that, Tang Yingchang charged at Wang Yu with a terrifying aura and viciously slapped her across the face.

SMACK.

The blow was powerful and heavy. Wang Yu's cheek immediately began to swell. The only lingering side effect from his Qi Deviation was that he couldn't use his True Qi, but he didn't need it to strike someone like Wang Yu.

"You…" Wang Yu clutched her face in disbelief.

What on earth did Xu Ke do? Why did Tang Yingchang surrender just like that?

Just then, Xu Ke walked up to Wang Yu. "Let's go. The car is waiting outside."

"Impossible!" Wang Yu roared. "I won't go with you!"

Then, like a cornered animal, she lunged at Xu Ke, claws bared, ready to tear into him. She had always been graceful and dignified, but with her final bastion of support gone, she could only rely on making a scene to escape the investigation.

But Xu Ke ruthlessly grabbed her hand and, with a swift motion, twisted it behind her back, immediately subduing her.

"Ah…!"

Wang Yu screamed, her appearance pitiful and utterly disheveled. In her lofty position, she never would have imagined that she would one day be captured by Xu Ke…

…

"Mister Xu, they are in that car. Someone is already escorting them to the Wang Family Mansion where the young lady is," Wang Wu said from the driver's seat.

Xu Ke nodded. "Good."

The Wang Family Mansion was the true gathering place for the core members of the Wang Family Clan.

Just then, Wang Wu glanced at Xu Ke's expression in the rearview mirror, hesitating to speak.

"Uncle Wu, is there something you want to ask?" Xu Ke smiled.

"I'd like to know…" Wang Wu, having been noticed, didn't seem embarrassed at all. "Why did Tang Yingchang kneel to you?"

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