Chapter 136: Huang Yuanxiang, Harboring a Guilty Conscience!

Hearing this, Wang Xiaolong’s expression shifted, and he snorted coldly, "Who is Xu Wei?"

"Never heard of her!"

"She left just before you walked out. Do you still expect me to believe you don't know each other?"

"Tell me, what exactly is she doing here?"

Ye Wushang raised his voice, his eyes flashing with anger. Although he was divorced from Lan Ruoxue and felt no need to concern himself with her affairs, the An and Lan families were currently in a partnership. As a supervisor, he had to be vigilant about anything that might jeopardize that collaboration. He had never liked that woman back when he was with the Lan family, and seeing her suddenly getting involved with someone from the Zhanlong Sect gave him a bad premonition.

"Let go!"

"If you don't let go this instant, don't blame me for being impolite!"

Wang Xiaolong glared at him. As he spoke, he placed his right hand on his waist, ready to draw a weapon at any moment.

Just then, Huang Yuanxiang, having heard the commotion outside, stepped out and smiled, "Ah, Mr. Ye is here. Quickly, come in."

Because he was standing at an angle, he did not notice the physical confrontation between the two.

Ye Wushang took a deep breath, let go of his hand, and said coldly, "I don't care what you two are planning."

"You had better keep a low profile; otherwise, you will only suffer the consequences of your own actions."

"What a joke!" Wang Xiaolong sneered, curling his lip. "Don't for a second think that just because you have the Luo family behind you, nobody dares to touch you."

"The reason my Zhanlong Sect has developed to this point isn't just because of our backing, but because of our own strength."

"Going against us? Just you wait, kid—we’ll finish you!"

With that, he straightened his clothes and turned to walk out the door.

Ye Wushang took a deep breath, nodded to Huang Yuanxiang in greeting, and entered the hall, heading straight to the second-floor bedroom.

Examination. Acupuncture. Massage.

The sequence of treatments was fluid and seamless. After the session, Huang Pianqiang’s vitals stabilized, and there was a noticeable improvement in his complexion and vitality compared to before.

"Young Master Huang, your condition has improved by sixty to seventy percent."

"As long as you take your medicine on time and continue the acupuncture and massage techniques I just showed you, you should be fully recovered within a month."

Ye Wushang handed the prescription he had written to the butler.

Huang Pianqiang was moved to tears and nodded, "Thank you, Mr. Ye."

"Once I am fully recovered, I will certainly repay you properly."

"You’re too kind, Young Master Huang. I am a doctor; treating patients is my duty. Besides, your father has helped me quite a bit as well, so one could say this is a mutually beneficial arrangement."

After a brief exchange of pleasantries and ensuring the patient was settled and asleep, Ye Wushang left the room. He looked around and asked with a hint of suspicion, "Mr. Huang, I don’t see Miss Huang anywhere?"

The purpose of his visit was twofold: to check on Huang Pianqiang’s recovery and to borrow that specific plot of land.

At his words, Huang Yuanxiang was delighted. He gestured to the side, and a nearby room opened, revealing Huang Pianruo.

She had known Ye Wushang arrived the moment he stepped through the door. Today was the third day of their agreement, where he was supposed to teach her about medicinal knowledge. Her feelings for him were complicated, even she couldn't quite name them. Wanting to present her best self, she had specifically gone to her room to change.

She was wearing a silver-white form-fitting dress that perfectly accentuated her slender, graceful figure. With her light makeup and long, dark, beautiful hair cascading over her shoulders, she looked as fresh as a lotus emerging from the water—pure, yet extraordinarily enchanting. Her playful yet alluring high heels added a touch of charm that was truly captivating.

"Mr. Ye."

Huang Pianruo walked over slowly, smiling with a shy, budding grace.

Xiao Cui, standing nearby, giggled, "Mr. Ye, you are certainly in for a treat today. My young mistress changed her clothes specifically to see you. What do you think? Isn't she beautiful?"

"Xiao Cui!" Huang Pianruo’s face flushed as red as a ripe apple.

Ye Wushang nodded awkwardly, "Miss Huang, I came here today to..."

"Are you here to teach me about herbs?" she interrupted, taking the initiative. "I’ve gone over everything you asked for over the past two days."

"Since you’ve finished treating my brother, why don't you come to my room? I’d love for you to explain some things to me. There are a few points I don't understand and would like your guidance on."

As she spoke, she stepped aside, clearing the path. Her bedroom door was left slightly ajar.

Seeing this, Ye Wushang’s brows furrowed. The atmosphere didn't feel like a student waiting for a master; it felt more like a woman waiting for a lover. He had just gone through a divorce, and his relationship with An Lan was still a mess. If he were to get tangled up with Huang Pianruo as well, how was he supposed to handle it?

To make matters worse, Huang Yuanxiang chimed in, "Yes, yes, go to Pianruo’s room. Talk more, get to know each other better!"

"The two of you—one is my daughter, the other is my benefactor. You are both very important to me, and you make such a fine couple. If you spend more time together, who knows, maybe some sparks will fly."

He grabbed Ye Wushang and joked, "Mr. Ye, have a good talk with my daughter. Stay for dinner tonight, and we’ll have a proper drink together."

Ye Wushang shook his head, offering an apologetic smile, "I appreciate the offer, Mr. Huang, but I came today not only to check on Young Master Huang but also to ask Miss Huang for a favor. It’s unrelated to medicinal studies for now."

"You’re not here to spend time with my daughter?" Huang Yuanxiang looked disappointed, his tone dropping.

Huang Pianruo, in particular, felt her face burning. She had dressed so carefully and taken the initiative to invite him, only to realize he wasn't there for her. For a moment, she felt quite humiliated.

Xiao Cui, ever sharp-tongued, immediately bristled, "Mr. Ye, don't be ungrateful. Being able to teach my mistress and spend time alone with her is an opportunity most men only dream of. You, on the other hand, not only refuse to appreciate it but..."

"Xiao Cui, that’s enough!" Huang Pianruo commanded.

Though she felt slighted, he had saved her brother’s life. Moreover, he was genuinely talented; staying by his side would certainly help her learn a great deal. Her feelings for him were strange—a mix of romantic affection and the reverence of a student for a master. In truth, it was his integrity that she admired most. If he had simply agreed without hesitation, she might have actually looked down on him.

There was no rush. There would be plenty of time to get to know him later.

"Wushang, just say what you need to say," Huang Pianruo said, taking a deep breath and looking at him with a forced smile. "If I can help, I will."

"It’s nothing major. If possible, I would like to borrow the plot of land where you previously harvested the Langya grass."

"The land?" Huang Pianruo frowned, puzzled. "What do you need it for?"

"It’s not convenient for me to disclose that."

"I only need to borrow it for one night, and the area must be completely sealed off. No one is to enter or leave until I’m finished. Is that a problem?"

Everything was in place. He was confident that with one night, he could break through his current barrier and ascend to the Qi Tempering Stage. Once he achieved that, he could obtain the Dragon King’s Birth to repair his body and further accelerate his cultivation. Then, his goal of going to the capital to rescue his mother and reunite his family would be one step closer.

"Fine, I agree." Although she was confused, Ye Wushang always did things in his own unconventional way. He must have his reasons.

"Butler, please. Seal off that plot of land immediately and send security to guard it. Without Wushang’s orders, no one is to enter or leave—not even members of the Huang family."

The butler looked at Huang Yuanxiang. Huang Yuanxiang had hoped to use this opportunity to let his daughter spend time with him, and perhaps bring up the marriage contract, expecting it to be a simple matter. Instead, Ye Wushang’s refusal and this sudden request left him disappointed.

However, upon second thought, if his daughter helped him, the man would surely be grateful. It was a roundabout way to build their relationship, which wasn't a bad thing.

"Do as the young mistress says. Mr. Ye is an honored guest of our Huang family; we must satisfy his every request."

With the order given, the butler set to work. Xiao Cui, still bothered by Ye Wushang’s perceived lack of appreciation, couldn't help but ask, "But Mr. Ye, you promised my mistress. You said you would teach her medicinal knowledge. To waste such a good opportunity..."

"No rush. Once I’ve settled my business, I will naturally come to find Miss Huang," Ye Wushang said calmly. "Give it two or three days. I’ll let you know."

In his view, after breaking through the barrier, the priority was to find the Dragon King’s Birth at the Qingcheng Taoist Temple. He had asked Luo Sen to coordinate, and he wasn't sure how that was going. Luo Sen had said he would contact him within three days; one day had already passed, so he would have to wait a little longer.

Seeing that Xiao Cui was still persistent and noticing the expectant look on Huang Pianruo’s face, Ye Wushang felt an inexplicable pressure in his heart and quickly changed the subject. "By the way, Mr. Huang, there is one more thing I wanted to ask you."

"Please, Mr. Ye."

"When I arrived, I saw Wang Xiaolong of the Zhanlong Sect. Do you... still have contact with him?"

Huang Yuanxiang’s brows furrowed tightly upon hearing this. And when Ye Wushang followed up by asking why Xu Wei, the assistant to Lan Ruoxue, was also there, his expression turned grim.

After a moment of contemplation, he managed a strained smile, "You mean Wang Xiaolong? We don’t have much of a connection, just some minor business dealings. They come to me for favors, and I help where I can, but that’s all. As for this Xu Wei, I haven’t really paid any attention to her."

He turned to the others and asked, "Did any of you see her? This 'Xu Wei' person, she’s a woman, right?"

Playing dumb. That was Ye Wushang’s first reaction. He claimed it was just minor favors, but there was definitely a deeper collaboration. Now that they had lost the protection of the Luo family, were they looking to the Huang family as their new patron?

Honestly, he still respected Huang Yuanxiang. If the man really was helping the wicked, he would truly be at a loss. As for Xu Wei—there was definitely a connection. She had been at the Huang estate; to claim they hadn't seen her was absurd.

"Never seen her."

"I'm not sure."

"Mr. Ye, why are you asking about this?"

Aside from Huang Pianruo and Xiao Cui, who had been in her room, the other servants and members of the Huang family all sang the same tune, shaking their heads and feigning ignorance.

"Nothing, just asking."

Since they wouldn't talk, there was no point in pushing further. It seemed he would have to have Master Rabbit investigate properly later.

After a few more brief pleasantries, Ye Wushang left the Huang estate. As he turned the corner at the main gate, several figures suddenly flashed out, surrounding him from all sides. Wang Xiaolong, who had been waiting for a long time, stepped out from the darkness!