In the Sea City Riviera's number one villa.

Inside the spacious living room.

The ever-docile Su Shanyue brought a cup of hot tea over and placed it in front of Su Guobang.

Su Guobang snorted, glaring at Luo Xiu with a malicious look, as if he wanted to devour him whole. He had only this one precious granddaughter, Su Shanyue, who had been the apple of his eye since she was a child. Yet, to his dismay, this wayward girl had taken advantage of his absence to move in with a young man.

If word of this got out, it would surely tarnish the Su Family's reputation!

Fortunately, Su Shanyue was still a virgin, and Luo Xiu hadn't done anything untoward to his precious granddaughter. Otherwise, with his infamous "Su Man'er" temper, he would have crippled Luo Xiu long ago.

"Uh... Elder Su, if you have something to say, just say it. It's rather awkward with you staring at me like this," Luo Xiu said, touching his nose and chuckling dryly.

Su Guobang snorted again, his eyes fixed on Luo Xiu. "Living in a place like this suggests you have some backing. However, among all the families in Sea City, big and small, I've never heard of one named Luo. Are you from out of town?"

Luo Xiu nodded. "You could say that, but I don't have a family. I've been an orphan since I was young."

"Enough." Su Guobang couldn't be bothered to say more, nor was he interested in Luo Xiu's origins. Since Luo Xiu hadn't done anything inappropriate to Su Shanyue, he wasn't going to quibble with a junior. Besides, he couldn't stand Luo Xiu's sickly appearance. A true man, especially a young one, should be brimming with vitality! That's what made a fine man!

He turned to Su Shanyue and said sternly, "Yueyue, pack your things and come home with Grandpa. And as for you, Sun girl, go home immediately. Otherwise, I'll tell your grandfather and have him deal with you!"

Sun Li was too scared to speak. She had been terrified of this old man since she was a child.

"You are unmarried young ladies! Gallivanting about with a boy, and even living together! Where is your sense of propriety?!"

Su Shanyue, however, shook her head, looking at Su Guobang with pleading eyes, silently conveying that she didn't want to go back.

Sun Li quickly stepped in front of Su Shanyue. "Grandpa Su, please don't be so hasty! Yueyue is about to start her treatment. She needs to stay by Luo Xiu's side for this. If she stops now, all her previous efforts will be for nothing!"

"Treatment?" Su Guobang frowned, his gaze shifting to Luo Xiu. "What's going on? Treatment for what?"

"For her muteness, of course!"

At this, Su Guobang's expression darkened, and he stared sharply at Sun Li. Su Shanyue's muteness was a constant ache in his heart. He had done everything he could for her, but nothing had worked.

"Sun girl, are you telling me this kid is treating Yueyue's condition?"

Sun Li nodded.

Su Guobang scoffed. "And how could he? Even the renowned Doctor Li of Sea City is helpless when it comes to Yueyue's condition. I swallowed my pride to go see those old fossils at the Medical Association, and even they couldn't help."

"How old is this kid? What makes him think he's capable? Does he have the skill? I bet this kid knows just enough medicine to use treatment as an excuse to take advantage of Yueyue!"

"Grandpa Su, you're looking down on him!" Sun Li blurted out, flustered.

Su Guobang's gaze turned icy. "Girl, is that any way to speak to an elder?"

Realizing she had misspoken in her haste, Sun Li quickly apologized. She glanced at Luo Xiu, pursed her lips, and said, "Grandpa Su, to be honest, it was Luo Xiu who cured our Sun family's hereditary illness, and he did it with ease. With his medical skills, curing Yueyue is just a matter of time."

"Oh? Is that so?" Su Guobang turned to look at Luo Xiu, his interest suddenly piqued. He was, of course, aware of the Sun family's hereditary illness.

Just then, Luo Xiu stood up. "Elder Su, you may appear robust, but you are actually riddled with hidden injuries. I imagine you have trouble sleeping every night, your body aches all over, especially your arms, neck, and shoulders. This is due to problems with your meridians. I estimate that in another year or two, you'll be completely bedridden."

Hearing this, Su Guobang frowned and gave Luo Xiu a deep, searching look. "How do you know that?"

Luo Xiu smiled. "I've been observing you."

Su Guobang was taken aback. "I began my martial arts training at the age of five. I am now eighty-two, and I have never once stopped."

Luo Xiu continued, "No matter how much you train, the human body has its limits. If you can't break through them, you'll only accumulate a host of ailments. Once they manifest, not even divine intervention can save you."

"So, you have a solution?"

"May we speak in private?" Luo Xiu asked.

"Why not?"

With that, Luo Xiu led Su Guobang upstairs to his room.

「...」

Down in the living room, Su Shanyue waited anxiously. Nearly an hour passed with no sign of Luo Xiu or Su Guobang. She had no idea what they were doing up there.

Sun Li patted her on the shoulder. "Relax, Mute Su," she said confidently. "You have to trust Luo Xiu. To convince a stubborn old mule like your grandfather, you have to show him what you're really made of."

"Sun girl, who are you calling a stubborn old mule?"

Suddenly, an aged voice drifted down from the top of the stairs.

Startled, Sun Li shivered and stuck out her little pink tongue. She stood up to face Su Guobang, who had come downstairs at some point, and smiled sheepishly. "Well... my grandfather calls you that. It has nothing to do with me!"

Su Guobang waved a dismissive hand, not intending to argue with her. The old man then looked at Luo Xiu with a warm, friendly gaze and smiled. "Doctor Luo, I will entrust my Yueyue to you. I will be sure to thank you handsomely later!"

"You're too kind, Elder Su."

Earlier, upstairs, Luo Xiu had used the "Creation Thirteen Needles" to effortlessly heal all of Su Guobang's internal and external injuries caused by his martial arts training. After the treatment, Su Guobang even felt the faint stirrings of a breakthrough, a sign that he might surpass his limits and enter the next realm. For a martial arts fanatic like Su Guobang, this was nothing short of a rebirth. His gratitude toward Luo Xiu was beyond words, and his faith in his medical skill was now absolute.

He had seen the Creation Thirteen Needles before, but the so-called Divine Doctors he knew could only perform the first three needles; the latter ten had been lost to time. He never expected that someone as young as Luo Xiu would possess such peerless medical arts. Because of this, he now believed that Luo Xiu truly had a chance to cure Su Shanyue.

"Doctor Luo, I shall take my leave," Su Guobang said. "I just returned from a trip and haven't been to the Martial Association yet. I must make a stop there."

He then turned to Su Shanyue with a solemn expression. "Yueyue, you must listen to Doctor Luo while you are here."

Su Shanyue stared at her grandfather with a bizarre expression. How can he change his tune so quickly? What kind of magic potion did Luo Xiu give him?

「...」

At the Sea City Martial Association headquarters.

In the main hall, the senior members all wore grim expressions as they looked at the bruised and swollen Han Zhitao.

"I think this was deliberate!"

"They see a genius finally emerge from our Martial Association, so they strike with such viciousness!"

Vice President Zhao Gandan of the Martial Association suddenly raised a hand, and the room fell silent. His old eyes glinted with a cold light as he walked over to Han Zhitao. "Zhitao, who did this to you?"

"It... it was just some naive kid. I was drunk and careless, and he ambushed me," Han Zhitao said, too ashamed to admit he'd been beaten so badly by a young brat like Luo Xiu.

Zhao Gandan pondered for a moment, then smiled. "Your constitution is strong. Despite such heavy injuries, you haven't broken any bones. You'll be fine after a day or two of rest. However," he added, "we must avenge this insult!"

Han Zhitao looked at him, touched.

"Zhitao, this incident should be a lesson to you. In this day and age, without money, power, or connections, you'll only be bullied."

Han Zhitao nodded in shame. In truth, it was a lesson he had learned many years ago.

"So, are you willing to become my disciple?"

Upon hearing this, Han Zhitao's eyes widened in disbelief. He nearly fainted from the shock. This happiness was so sudden! The last time he was at the Martial Association, he had demonstrated his newfound strength, and several directors and honorary members had clamored to take him as a disciple. He hadn't agreed, feeling he wasn't yet worthy and needed more time to consider.

But now, the Vice President himself had taken an interest in him!

Although Vice President Zhao of the Martial Association wasn't ranked among the top four masters of Sea City, his strength was undoubtedly in the top tier! Furthermore, he had the entire Martial Association backing him. If he became his disciple, who in Sea City would he ever have to fear again?

"Master, please accept this disciple's bow!"

"Alright, alright, silly boy. Get up."

Han Zhitao rose with a broad smile, but inwardly he sneered. Xu Qianqing and Luo Xiu... that despicable couple! I'll make you pay very soon!

Just then, an apprentice from the Martial Association ran into the hall. "Vice President Zhao, President Su has returned!"

Everyone was stunned.

Zhao Gandan asked quickly, "Where is President Su now?"

"He's about to arrive at headquarters."

Zhao Gandan strode toward the main entrance. "Quickly, everyone, tidy up and prepare to welcome the President!"

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