A Bedside Ambush

Chapter 70: Stoking the Fire

Sect Leader Ma seemed to notice the tension between the two men. Far from showing concern, a faint look of delight appeared on his face.

“Young Healer Han may be young in years, but his medical skills are nothing short of miraculous. I am confident Elder Li will be brought back from the brink,” he said suddenly, praising Han Li’s abilities.

“Is that so? So young and already such a skilled physician? I find that hard to believe. Is his医术 even better than Doctor Mo’s?” This elder was also hot-tempered. Having been subtly provoked by the other man, he took the bait, blurting out words of distrust directly in front of Han Li.

His words left the family members standing nearby unsure of how to react.

Agreeing was certainly out of the question—they were counting on this young miracle doctor to dispel the poison and save their loved one!

But openly refuting him didn’t seem appropriate either, as the elder was a close friend of Uncle Li’s, and the senior of most people present.

“Hehe! Elder Zhao is unaware, but Young Healer Han was Doctor Mo’s prized disciple. His skills have already surpassed those of his master, far exceeding Doctor Mo’s abilities,” Sect Leader Ma said, secretly delighted as he added fuel to the fire.

“A mere lad of ten or so—even if he started learning from the womb, how skilled could he be? I still don’t believe it, unless I see it with my own eyes.” Elder Zhao shook his head vigorously, still unaware that he had fallen into the other man’s trap and offended someone he should not have. He seemed a rash and reckless sort, and one had to wonder how such a man could hold the high position of elder without losing it.

Watching from the side, Han Li could only roll his eyes. Did this man need to verify his medical skill? He knew this was Sect Leader Ma deliberately luring the other into saying such things, yet he still felt a twinge of irritation.

It was clear Elder Zhao was not from the same faction as Sect Leader Ma, and there was even some hostility between them.

“Elder Zhao’s Chaos Hand technique is truly refined and immensely powerful!” Sect Leader Ma, seeing the displeasure on Han Li’s face, felt even more pleased. He suddenly changed the subject, uttering a strange, pointed remark.

“Hmph! It is hardly a match for the purity of Sect Leader Ma’s Profound Yin Finger,” Elder Zhao retorted, his expression stern, showing no deference to the man’s status as Sect Leader.

“Haha! Elder Zhao flatters me.”

Sect Leader Ma was clearly the type to hide a knife behind a smile. He paid no heed to the sarcasm hidden in Elder Zhao’s words, accepting the feigned compliment with a genial smile.

Elder Zhao, having faced such situations before, was at a loss. Unwilling to continue sparring with such a thick-skinned opponent, he fell silent. Still, he couldn’t help but find it strange that the other man would suddenly make such a remark in front of all these juniors. Was Sect Leader Ma not usually one to air the sect’s internal conflicts so openly? There must be some scheme behind it.

Han Li listened to their sharp exchange, his expression unchanged, pretending to be oblivious. But inwardly, he understood perfectly well that Sect Leader Ma was once again trying to create a rift between him and the sect’s higher-ups.

Ever since their first encounter, Sect Leader Ma had repeatedly tried to sound Han Li out, hoping to recruit this skilled physician into his faction to expand his own influence.

But Han Li had no intention of getting involved in the Seven Mysteries Sect’s power struggles.

It wasn’t out of some lofty sense of principle. Rather, after having come into contact with figures like Doctor Mo and Yu Zitong, and especially after learning two spells, his horizons had broadened considerably. He now looked down on the petty power squabbles of a small sect like the Seven Mysteries Sect. Even if he were the kind of man who felt he could not go a day without power, he would not stoop to serving under someone like Sect Leader Ma.

And while Han Li’s current strength was not insignificant, he also did not want to offend the man outright. So he had been playing a delaying game with Sect Leader Ma, neither agreeing to his request nor outright refusing him, simply offering no definite answer.

This had, in turn, given Sect Leader Ma a considerable headache.

Because Han Li would not give a direct answer, and his medical skills were indispensable, coercion was not an option. And so, the matter of bringing him into the faction had been stalled until now, without a clear resolution.

Still, to prevent Han Li from falling into another faction’s embrace, Sect Leader Ma would, whenever possible, try to sabotage any contact between Han Li and other high-ranking members of the sect, driving a wedge between them. Whether these seemingly childish tactics were effective or not, Han Li didn’t know, but it was true that no one from other factions had come to bother him yet. This unexpected benefit secretly delighted him.

Now, Sect Leader Ma was doing the same thing again. Han Li knew he would leave no good impression in Elder Zhao’s mind.

Seeing the tense, cockfighting atmosphere, Ma Rong’s heart began to race. He hurried to continue the introductions.

“This is my shifu’s wife, née Li,” he said, first pointing to a middle-aged woman whose features bore a slight resemblance to the young girl.

“And this is…”.

The girl, being the youngest, was introduced last. Her name was Zhang Xiuer, and she was actually Elder Li’s niece. This took Han Li by surprise.

When it came time to introduce Li Feiyu, the man deliberately acted as if he didn’t know Han Li, putting on a cool, aloof demeanor that told everyone to keep their distance. This put Ma Rong, who had been about to take the initiative to introduce them, in an awkward spot. He hurriedly whispered an explanation to Han Li:

“Protector Li has always been this way. It’s his usual temperament, not something aimed specifically at you, Healer Han. Please don’t take it to heart.”

Han Li gave a faint smile, aware that Li Feiyu didn’t want to reveal their relationship in front of so many people.

“It’s nothing. I won’t hold it against some people. Let’s first take a look at Elder Li’s condition. Saving lives is more important,” Han Li said, deliberately taking a subtle dig at Li Feiyu.

Ma Rong felt relieved and quickly led everyone into the patient’s bedroom.

Li Feiyu’s mouth twitched upon hearing this, as if nothing was amiss. But when everyone turned their backs, he suddenly made a silly face at Han Li before instantly resuming his previous expression, as if nothing had happened.

Forcing back a smile, Han Li ignored him and followed Lady Li to Elder Li’s bedside.

The moment he saw the face of the man on the bed, even the usually bold Han Li couldn’t help but draw a sharp breath. Now he understood why the other physicians had refused to write a prescription.

The once kind-faced Elder Li was now unconscious. But from his face and neck to his hands and feet, his body was covered in poisonous spots the size of copper coins. These spots were a riot of vibrant, alarming colors. What struck Han Li as even more troublesome was the man’s bluish lips and the layer of black qi shrouding his face—clear signs of a severe, late-stage poisoning. Saving his life would be a monumental task, if not an impossible one.