Chapter 109: Treating the Illness, Exposing the Conspiracy

“Hey, Li Chao, what about mass-producing that breast-enhancing ointment you gave me the other day?”

Liu Lele’s sudden question left Li Chao momentarily stunned.

“Sis Liu, are you... thinking of getting into the ointment business?”

Li Chao blinked, confused.

Liu Lele gazed into the distance, her eyes sparkling.

“Why not? Don’t you know how insanely profitable the medical aesthetics industry is? Women will try anything to become beautiful!”

She turned around, her expression serious as she faced Li Chao.

“I took the ointment you made to the quality inspection department—they confirmed it’s completely harmless! No pain, no side effects. Just a gentle application, and it can enhance cup size. Once mass-produced, this ointment will definitely cause an unprecedented sensation!”

Pausing briefly, Liu Lele continued outlining her grand plan.

“Besides, you could develop several other formulas—a kidney-nourishing medicinal wine, eye-brightening drops, and the like. Then we start a company focused on medicinal health and body care. How does that sound?”

“I’ll provide the funding and management; you just handle the formulations!”

Liu Lele grew more excited as she spoke, a faint blush rising on her cheeks—truly the spirit of a strong woman, turning every idea into business potential.

Li Chao looked at her and smiled helplessly.

“Ah, Sis, you’re really too much for my little heart!”

The moment the words left his mouth, they hit like an unexpected sour bean, instantly painting Liu Lele’s face with a complex mix of emotions—utterly captivating.

This guy was truly a living treasure who never failed to surprise—first making you pause, then leaving you both amused and exasperated, with a heart full of reluctant affection.

That said, Liu Lele knew perfectly well that Li Chao didn’t mean to tease her; his mouth just outran his brain, speaking whatever came to mind.

Still, despite herself, those words made her heart skip a beat, her cheeks flushing with a shy warmth.

Ah, this amusing little brother—both a joy and a headache. Life with him was like a seasoning blend: sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty—all flavors combined into a rich tapestry.

Realizing the unintended implication, Li Chao quickly changed the subject.

“Well, the ointment can definitely be mass-produced, but we need to solve the raw material issue first! As for the kidney wine and such, I do have the formulas, but let’s not rush—take it step by step.”

Liu Lele nodded; some things truly required patience.

Since Li Chao said it was feasible, the prospect of success suddenly seemed much brighter.

Just as she was about to delve deeper, her phone rang, breaking the calm. It was her father, Liu Zhenhua.

After answering, Liu Lele’s face instantly darkened.

When she hung up, she looked at Li Chao solemnly.

“My dad is gravely ill. I need you to come to Huaxi City immediately—it’s urgent!”

Upon hearing this, Li Chao quickly gave Yuxin a brief update, then rushed into Liu Lele’s car, speeding toward Huaxi City.

The Mercedes raced down the highway; Liu Lele’s worry was evident.

But there was nothing to do but hurry.

More than two hours later, they passed a giant cloud sculpture bearing the words:

“Welcome to Huaxi City!”

Honestly, this was Li Chao’s first time in Huaxi City, albeit under such urgent circumstances.

Thinking back, Li Chao had once been a simple country doctor, barely venturing as far as the county seat, let alone the city.

The transformation was truly unbelievable.

Yet this was the reality for many impoverished people.

Huaxi City governed thirteen counties, including Kaiyuan County, with a population in the millions.

During feudal times, it had been a renowned city but gradually declined thereafter.

Now, gazing at the straight, wide road and the towering buildings ahead, Li Chao was filled with mixed emotions.

Just a month ago, he was paralyzed, confined to bed; now he was riding in the car of a beautiful CEO, heading to treat a VIP in the city.

Such change was once unimaginable, even in dreams.

And all of it stemmed from the mysterious ancient tower in his mind.

Thinking of this, Li Chao closed his eyes and immersed his consciousness into the tower.

On the second floor, the razor-sharp, peerless sword still rested steadily in the center. The scale toward the third floor had shifted slightly.

Though slow, it had indeed increased.

However, the progress was much slower than he’d anticipated.

Judging by the number of patients Yuxin had treated recently, it seemed most experience points came from her, with Sun Xinglin’s contribution barely noticeable.

Could it be that only healing methods from the “Xuantian Medical Scripture” passed down by himself could grant experience points?

If so, that meant his plan to recruit divine doctors to cheat the system wouldn’t work.

Only disciples personally taught by him and performing the techniques could add to the tower’s scale.

This was quite a headache.

The scale was fixed, but people were living beings.

If this path was blocked, he’d have to try another.

Perhaps... open a traditional Chinese medicine school?

Recruit thousands, teach them all uniformly, and spread the legacy far and wide.

It sounded promising but also impractical.

After all, not everyone had Yuxin’s talent for medicine, and it was hard to know how many could truly be trained.

Moreover, Li Chao couldn’t just remain at the school teaching disciples forever.

Sigh, a headache indeed! After much thought, no perfect solution emerged.

...

In the Jinxiushanhe community of Huaxi City, inside a villa.

Liu Zhenhua sat on the sofa, dressed in casual home clothes, looking haggard and coughing intermittently.

Once a man who strode with vigor and commanded respect without speaking, he was now visibly thinner, with a sallow complexion and deeply sunken eyes.

Beside him, an elderly man with white hair and a ruddy face was taking his pulse—it was none other than Sun Xinglin.

After several seconds, Sun Xinglin raised his hand, furrowing his brow.

Liu Zhenhua’s heart skipped a beat as he solemnly asked,

“Master Sun, how is my condition?”

Sun Xinglin didn’t answer immediately. He studied Liu Zhenhua for a while longer, then shook his head.

“Strange! Truly strange! In my decades of practice, I’ve never encountered a disease like this! I’m powerless.”

Hearing this, Liu Zhenhua’s expression grew grave.

His illness had come suddenly. Not long ago, he felt weak and was diagnosed with multiple organ failures.

Despite treatment, his condition only worsened.

Seeing Western medicine helpless, he urgently sought out the famed Huaxi City divine doctor, Sun Xinglin.

...

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Sun Xinglin’s failure was a heavy blow.

Liu Zhenhua sighed, forcing a faint smile.

“This illness is truly baffling. Sorry to trouble you, Master Hua! I’ll have the steward prepare your fee.”

Sun Xinglin hurriedly waved him off.

“It’s my lack of skill that brings no results—I dare not mention fees!”

After speaking, he seemed to have a thought and told Liu Zhenhua,

“Though I can’t diagnose this, if my own master intervenes, the problem will surely be solved! Wait a moment, I’ll contact him right now!”

Master?

Liu Zhenhua’s face filled with confusion.

He had never heard that Sun Xinglin had a master in all his time in Huaxi City.

Besides, Sun Xinglin was already quite elderly; his master must be nearing a hundred years old.

Could he still practice medicine?

Just as Sun Xinglin pulled out his phone to call, the door suddenly opened, and two people entered.

It was Li Chao and Liu Lele.

Sun Xinglin, about to dial, stopped abruptly, then dropped to his knees with a thud.

“Master! You’ve come?”

That one word “Master” stunned both Liu Zhenhua and Liu Lele.

What on earth was going on?

Li Chao himself was speechless.

Respecting one’s teacher was good, but for someone of such age to kneel upon seeing him was truly overwhelming.

He quickly helped Sun Xinglin up and sternly warned him that next time, a simple greeting would suffice—no need for such grand gestures.

Sun Xinglin initially resisted but relented after Li Chao threatened to expel him from the sect.

Liu Zhenhua gaped at the scene, his mind swirling with questions.

He was already aware of Li Chao’s mysterious medical skills after Liu Lele’s situation, so after contacting Sun Xinglin, he had also invited Li Chao over.

But frankly, after Sun Xinglin’s diagnosis failed, his hopes in Li Chao had dwindled.

After all, Li Chao’s fame was recent, while Sun Xinglin was a long-standing master of Chinese medicine in Huaxi City.

Yet, unexpectedly, Li Chao was Sun Xinglin’s master!

So the hierarchy in Chinese medicine had become so confusing?

Of course, the hierarchy was their affair.

For Liu Zhenhua, the most pressing concern was still his illness.

Seeing Li Chao arrive, Sun Xinglin stayed, adopting the humble disciple attitude and carefully shadowing him.

The contrast in appearances was bizarre.

Li Chao said little.

He washed his hands, then approached Liu Zhenhua, placing his fingers on his pulse to begin diagnosis.

After a few seconds, he lifted his hand, raised an eyebrow, glanced around, then checked the pulse again.

After two rounds, he stood up.

He then paced the room with a serious expression, occasionally picking up collectibles and paintings to examine them repeatedly.

Rather than seeming like a doctor, he looked more like a casual visitor.

Liu Zhenhua couldn’t help but ask,

“Little divine doctor, aren’t you supposed to diagnose? What’s going on?”

Li Chao answered,

“I’m currently treating you!”

What?

Everyone in the room widened their eyes in confusion.

Not only Liu Zhenhua and Liu Lele, even Sun Xinglin was dumbfounded.

You call wandering around the room “treatment”?

Luckily, everyone present knew Li Chao wasn’t one to speak without substance; otherwise, he might have been thrown out.

Li Chao inspected the first floor but found nothing.

Then he asked Liu Zhenhua,

“Where are your study and bedroom?”

Liu Zhenhua got up and led Li Chao aside. Liu Lele and Sun Xinglin quickly followed.

The villa had three floors. Since Wang Lan’s death, Liu Zhenhua had lived alone on the top floor.

Li Chao first looked around the study, then moved to the bedroom.

Scanning the room, his gaze finally settled on a jade carving about twenty centimeters tall by the bedside.

It was a mountain peak design, exquisitely crafted—obviously the work of a master.

The texture was delicate and warm, clearly valuable.

Li Chao picked it up, squinting slightly, then asked,

“Where did this come from?”

Liu Zhenhua paused, then replied,

“A friend gave it to me half a month ago. Is there something wrong with it?”

Li Chao smiled,

“This is what’s causing your illness!”

What?

Everyone’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Especially Liu Zhenhua, who shook his head with a smile,

“Little divine doctor, are you mistaken? It’s just a jade piece by the bed. How could it be related to my condition?”

Li Chao didn’t explain; instead, he threw the jade carving to the floor.

Crack! It shattered into several pieces.

“You...”

Liu Zhenhua’s face changed drastically.

This was premium Hetian jade!

That single piece was worth at least thirty million yuan.

Yet Li Chao casually smashed it!

Even the wealthy Liu Zhenhua felt a sting.

Just as he opened his mouth to scold, Li Chao bent down, picked up a shard, and held it before Liu Zhenhua.

“This is the culprit!”

Liu Zhenhua, Liu Lele, and Sun Xinglin looked closely.

Embedded within the jade shard was a small, shiny metal piece slightly larger than a fingernail.

“What is this?” Liu Zhenhua frowned.

An unknown object inside the jade was clearly abnormal.

Li Chao smiled.

“A toxic metal! It’s been treated with special technology and contains radioactive substances! When exposed to sunlight, it emits gases harmful to the body. You placed it in your bedroom, inhaled the fumes long-term, which damaged your organs!”

Hiss!

Everyone present gasped.

Liu Zhenhua’s expression darkened as realization dawned.

No wonder no tests could find the cause—someone had been poisoning him right under his nose, killing him silently!

After swiftly arranging for professionals to confiscate and destroy the toxic metal, Liu Zhenhua was completely convinced of Li Chao’s skill.

He told Liu Lele to host their guests and prepare a banquet, while he took out his phone and walked away.

Sun Xinglin approached Li Chao with admiration.

“Master, how did you detect such an external cause?”

Normally, treatment focused on the patient’s internal condition, but Li Chao had taken a unique approach that surprised everyone.

Li Chao smiled.

“Because I knew the toxins in his body came from outside. Once that’s the case, find the source, and the problem is solved!”

It wasn’t that Sun Xinglin’s skills were lacking, but he had met an opponent playing on a whole different level.

Now, Li Chao not only mastered the “Xuantian Medical Scripture” but also trained in the Stellar Body Tempering Technique, allowing him to easily sense harmful objects.

With multiple factors combined, the problem was quickly resolved.

...

In the villa’s study, Liu Zhenhua stood by the bed, eyes narrowed in thought.

He took out his phone and dialed a number.

“President Xie, how’s business lately?”

A hearty laugh came over the line.

“So-so! Still a ways to catch up with President Liu! Are you calling to assign a task? Rest assured, just say the word, and I’ll move heaven and earth!”

The tone was resolute and confident, clearly indicating a close relationship.

Liu Zhenhua chuckled and said,

“Nothing serious. I accidentally knocked over and broke the stone carving you gave me while resting just now. It’s not the money I mind, but I feel bad for wasting your kindness.”

After a brief silence, the voice replied,

“Haha! A jade carving is nothing!”

“If you like, I’ll have one shipped from abroad to you again!”

Though still cheerful, Liu Zhenhua detected a subtle shift in tone—slightly awkward.

He coughed softly, looking out the window.

“It’s too valuable for me to accept. If you have others, keep them for yourself.”

He paused, then added,

“By the way, I’ve been unwell these days. Once I recover, dinner’s on me.”

After hanging up, a faint, enigmatic smile crept across his face.

...

In a luxurious mountain villa in Huaxi City, a short-haired, stout man sat shirtless on a sofa, wrapped in a towel, holding a phone.

His small eyes gleamed with inscrutable light.

His name was Xie Dongfeng, a notable figure in Huaxi City.

The jade carving by Liu Zhenhua’s bedside was a gift from him.

At the time, he emphasized that jade nourishes the body and should be placed by the bed, symbolizing steadfastness like a mountain.

Now, it had been smashed by Liu Zhenhua!

And Liu Zhenhua had even called him about it!

The underlying meaning seemed less about apology and more about something else.

Had he uncovered something?

Frowning, he pondered for a few minutes before sending a message:

“Situation changed!”

Just as he sent it, a seductive woman emerged from the bathroom.

Those familiar with TV would be surprised—she was a somewhat famous host on the city’s television station.

On screen, poised and dignified; in private, quite another side.

“President Xie, I...” she began.

Xie Dongfeng grabbed her hair, silencing her.

...

Back at the Liu villa.

Liu Zhenhua ended the call, his expression calm as if nothing had happened.

The group sat in the living room while Liu Lele brewed fine tea.

Liu Zhenhua looked at Li Chao.

“Little divine doctor, your reputation is well-earned. Without you, I might have been on the brink!”

Not mere politeness—no one expected the culprit to be right by his bedside.

With the source of illness removed, Liu Zhenhua’s spirits visibly improved.

Li Chao waved dismissively.

“Treating sickness is a doctor’s duty. Though the problem’s solved, your body still needs time to recover. I’ll write a prescription—be sure to prepare and take the medicine daily.”

Liu Zhenhua thanked him again, then hesitated before quietly saying,

“Little divine doctor, I have an idea. Please don’t be upset if I share it.”

Li Chao sipped his tea, smiling.

“Mr. Liu, feel free to speak.”