Chapter 122: He Can Leave, but You Have to Stay!

"Ugh!"

Luo Rongyao suddenly opened his mouth and vomited violently, spraying a shower of blood-flecked foam all over the floor. Mixed within the mess were fragments of the paper notes he had swallowed earlier, surrounded by dark purple stains.

"Master Luo... he actually moved?"
"Aren't those the fragments he spat out the ones we saw earlier?"
"Those dark purple stains are clearly signs of poisoning."
"What is going on?"

The crowd was stunned, whispering and buzzing with excitement. Qing Furong, in particular, was in shock. She had believed her husband was already dead, and bringing Ye Wushang in to treat him had been nothing more than a desperate attempt to find some psychological comfort. Yet, not only had her husband moved, but he was now coughing up blood. It felt like a miracle; she found it hard to believe!

"Ugh..."

Just then, after finishing the expulsion of the debris, Luo Rongyao let out a soft, relieved groan. He lay back down in the coffin, feebly rubbing his chest for a moment before suddenly snapping his eyes open.

"Husband!"

Qing Furong could no longer hold back. With a cry, she lunged toward the coffin and threw her arms around him. The surrounding Luo family dignitaries and martial arts students clenched their hands, faces flushed with excitement, some even unable to stop the tears from streaming down their faces. Their joy was beyond words—they had thought him dead, yet he had come back to life! His complexion, once a sickly, jaundiced yellow, was now visibly returning to a healthy, vibrant glow.

*Thud.*

The Ghost Doctor’s hand trembled, causing his teacup to crash to the floor. His face turned the color of ash; he looked utterly wretched. He could never have imagined that this young man would actually succeed in reviving Luo Rongyao. When his junior apprentice had been defeated by Ye Wushang, he had dismissed it as carelessness or some underhanded trick. But now, it was clear: this "nobody" possessed genuine, formidable strength. His needlework technique was something he had never even heard of.

"Ghost Doctor, what is happening?"
"Didn't you say Luo Rongyao was dead?"
"How can he be alive?"

Peng Haidong was spiraling into panic. He subconsciously grabbed the Ghost Doctor and hissed a reprimand. The Ghost Doctor himself was in a state of frantic confusion, shaking his head repeatedly. Beyond disbelief, he could find no words to describe his current state of mind.

"Husband, how do you feel? How is your body?"

Qing Furong and Luo Rongyao were an older man with a younger wife; she was in her early forties, while he was nearing sixty. Despite the gap, they shared a deep bond. Seeing him awake, she was more moved than anyone, clutching him tightly and sobbing.

Luo Rongyao took a deep breath and reached out to comfort her. "I'm fine, I'm fine. I feel quite well now, don't worry." He looked around, spotted the coffin he was lying in, and let out a dry, wry laugh. "You even prepared a coffin for me?"

"Haha, to be honest, I felt just like you all—when the attack struck, I thought I was done for. I never expected to wake up in this coffin. Who saved me?"

"It was Mr. Ye!"

Before anyone else could speak, Qiao Sen shouted. Dropping his previous cold indifference, he grabbed Ye Wushang and brought him forward, bowing respectfully. "Master, it was Mr. Ye who saved you. The Ghost Doctor nearly killed you, and it was thanks to Mr. Ye’s timely intervention. Furthermore, he was the winner of the medicinal diet competition between the An and Pei families—he was the one who completed that broken recipe!"

Luo Rongyao raised an eyebrow, looking at Ye Wushang with gratitude. "Mr. Ye is so young, yet his medical skills are so profound. Thank you. If not for you, I would be dead by now. Please, accept my bow."

As he spoke, Luo Rongyao attempted to kneel within the coffin. Ye Wushang quickly stepped forward to steady him, waving a hand. "Master Luo, you are too kind. I am a doctor; healing the sick is my duty. There is no need for this. Besides, I am here representing the Black Dragon Society. If you wish to thank someone, thank President Jiang."

He was currying favor. He didn't care for personal gratitude; he only cared about winning Jiang Hongwei’s favor to secure the master craftsman. As he spoke, he glanced at Zhang Heifa, who understood immediately and hurried over to support Jiang Hongwei.

"So it was President Jiang who sent someone to save me," Luo Rongyao realized, beaming broadly. "I knew I wasn't wrong about you. I supported you in the beginning because of your character, and your ability to lead the Black Dragon Society to where it is today proves I was right. Thank you, President Jiang. You are effectively my savior. As long as I am here, no one will ever touch your Black Dragon Society."

Jiang Hongwei nodded, saying, "Thank you for your patronage, Master Luo. I will continue to work hard." As he spoke, he glanced at Ye Wushang, his face burning with shame. He had previously dismissed the man as an arrogant, naive brat. When Ye Wushang claimed he could save Luo Rongyao, Jiang had wanted to tear him apart, fearing he was leading the Black Dragon Society to ruin. He had been blind. He felt ashamed and could barely look the young man in the eye.

"Mr. Ye, although you were invited by President Jiang, the truth remains that it was your medical skill that brought me back to life. You are my savior. Name your price—whatever you need, if it is within my power, I will do it!"

Luo Rongyao sat up, and with Qing Furong’s help, stepped out of the coffin and took a seat.

Ye Wushang nodded, glanced at the nervous Peng Haidong and his companion, and smiled. "I do have two small requests."

"Please, Mr. Ye, speak."

"The first is that I hope Madam Qing will keep her word and fulfill the terms of the written agreement."

"An agreement?" Luo Rongyao looked suspiciously at Qing Furong. After a brief explanation of the situation, Luo Rongyao slammed his hand on the table in a rage. "Peng Haidong, you dog! You brought in a quack to treat me—what were you trying to do? If President Jiang hadn't found Mr. Ye, I would be dead!"

Peng Haidong panicked, rushing forward and bowing low. "Master Luo, please calm down, actually I—"

"Say no more!" Luo Rongyao waved him off, his voice sharp. "I hereby announce that all the territories I previously gifted you are to be transferred to the Black Dragon Society. And all the money and resources I gave you? You will return every last cent. Not a penny less!"

"No, Master Luo, I beg you!" Peng Haidong knelt, pleading. "My Battle Dragon Gate has worked so hard to get where we are. Those gifts from the Luo family account for more than half of my assets. If you take them back, my organization will..."

"Get out!" Luo Rongyao kicked him to the floor, snarling, "Taking back my family's assets is an act of mercy. If you dare speak another word of nonsense, I will wipe your entire Battle Dragon Gate off the map. Do you believe me?"

Peng Haidong fell silent instantly. Under orders, he took pen and paper, wrote out the deed of transfer, and signed over all the assets to the Black Dragon Society.

Meanwhile, Luo Rongyao turned to Ye Wushang. "Mr. Ye, you mentioned two requests. What is the second?"

"It concerns Steward Qiao." Ye Wushang looked toward Qiao Sen.

Qiao Sen froze, his expression complex and grave. He had been mentioned—was this a settling of scores? When Ye Wushang was in such a difficult spot, Qiao Sen hadn't helped; he had even kicked him while he was down. Now that Ye Wushang had saved the Master, he was a guest of honor. If he chose to make trouble, Qiao Sen wouldn't stand a chance. He stood there, tense and terrified.

"Although I was invited by President Jiang, it was Steward Qiao who provided all the assistance along the way. Furthermore, he supported me without reservation from beginning to end. Here, I dare to suggest that you bring him into the Luo family properly, so he may participate more fully in the family’s affairs."

Qiao Sen was stunned, looking at Ye Wushang in disbelief. He had expected retaliation, yet here was kindness in return. He felt his face flush with shame. Luo Rongyao had always trusted Qiao Sen, but had never made it official for fear of family opposition. Now, with Ye Wushang’s request, it was the perfect opportunity.

"Very well, as Mr. Ye suggests," Luo Rongyao nodded. "I announce that from this day forward, Qiao Sen shall be renamed Luo Sen and become a true member of the Luo family. He will join the Luo Group and be responsible for daily management!"

Overjoyed, Qiao Sen nodded repeatedly. "Thank you, Master! Thank you, Master!"

"Don't thank me, thank Mr. Ye," Luo Rongyao laughed.

Qiao Sen turned to speak, but Ye Wushang stopped him, whispering, "I should call you Steward Luo now. This is what you deserve, don't dwell on the past. I only hope that in the future, if I ever need your help, you can be a bit more sincere."

Qiao Sen blushed and nodded. "Rest assured, Mr. Ye. Today’s incident was a one-time occurrence. It will never happen again."

Just then, Peng Haidong, having finished the paperwork, handed the transfer documents to Jiang Hongwei with a miserable expression. "President Jiang, these are the assets the Luo family invested in my Battle Dragon Gate. Please, take them."

"Many thanks, Gate Master Peng." Jiang Hongwei smiled, looking over the assets with a deep sense of satisfaction. Every word of thanks felt like a humiliation to Peng Haidong, who now wished he could crawl into a hole and disappear.

"Master Luo, I have business elsewhere, so I will take my leave. I wish you a speedy recovery." Peng Haidong swallowed his resentment and turned to leave. The Ghost Doctor was also unable to stay, deciding that vengeance would have to be planned for another day. But as he turned to follow, Ye Wushang suddenly spoke:

"Hold on."

"Gate Master Peng may leave, but the Ghost Doctor stays."