"Hello everyone. Right now we're here at the seaside in Eastern A City, where the Alchemy Empress, or Grandmaster Bai Fanxian, has joined forces with the Divine Doctor to open a medical clinic."
At the seaside, reporters from multiple groups and stations were broadcasting the morning's events to viewers glued to their screens at home.
They transmitted images of the beach scenery and the massive crowd streaming steadily toward this clinic. Whether it was the Divine Doctor's reputation, the Alchemy Empress's fame, or perhaps both that attracted such attention was unclear.
Especially in the background, they could see several expensive cars parked at a distance, watching and waiting. It seemed that not only cultivators were interested, but ordinary people as well.
Illness was something everyone experienced at least once in life. It depended on how severe those symptoms were. If it was just a minor cold that would clear up in a few days, fine. But if it was a disease more difficult to treat, sometimes even finding a place that would accept such treatment was nearly impossible.
Serious illnesses didn't discriminate between rich and poor. If you had money and heard about an exceptionally skilled doctor who might cure you, sometimes paying hundreds of millions of yuan was worth it.
Therefore, there were a few powerful and wealthy individuals who sent people to observe and assess the credibility of this newly opened clinic charging exorbitant fees. Whether they themselves or family members were suffering problems, they needed to know if this place was trustworthy.
"It's almost nine o'clock now... this clinic is about to open for its first day of operation."
The reporter moved the camera to stop near the entrance. The doors remained closed, not allowing anyone inside. Several people waiting showed irritated expressions. Many who dared come today must have considerable status—people who normally received excellent hospitality wherever they went.
"When is this place going to open?"
A portly man grumbled with displeasure. Beside him, his butler turned to ask politely:
"Would young master like to wait in the car first?"
But he only got a glare in return. The man huffed and spoke loudly.
"I'm going in! What's so great about a clinic opened in a place like this anyway!?"
After speaking, he walked straight toward the door, but was blocked by Hui'er, who stepped in his way with calm eyes.
"I'm sorry... but we're not open yet. Please wait another ten minutes."
The child spoke. She was now dressed in a neat, cute white outfit. Bai Fanxian's three disciples were helping out during their free time to gain experience, and Wu Jia didn't mind—in fact, he was teaching them himself.
Right now, Hui'er managed people wanting to enter. She was performing her assigned duty quite well. She felt slightly displeased that someone would barge in like this.
This was her first task today. She didn't want it to fail and wanted to do her absolute best.
"Isn't that Hui'er?"
"The one who competed in alchemy that day, right? What a shame. I even went to watch in the broadcast room."
"That's right. She was extremely talented..."
A group of four or five people recognized her face. They whispered among themselves off to the side. Hui'er's face turned pink with embarrassment. She hadn't expected anyone would remember her.
"I don't care who you are! Hurry up and open for me right now!"
"Young master... the chairman said absolutely not to cause trouble..." The butler accompanying him tried to stop him with a troubled expression, but the man shouted him down.
"...Please stop making noise."
Hui'er's expression returned to its usual coolness. The situation before her was starting to become a spectacle. She could see Little Red watching from the second-floor balcony, as well as Huang Zihuan inside about to come out.
She didn't want to disturb others. This was her duty.
Hui'er's height was only half that of the portly man, yet she moved to stand before him and spoke fearlessly. Suddenly, a strange feeling emanated from her.
"My lady has given us full authority to handle those who cause disturbances. If you don't stop, we'll have to remove you. Understood?"
Her words immediately drew attention from those around. No matter how you looked at it, she was probably only about seven or eight years old. Yet she had words and demeanor mature beyond her years, like an adult.
"Will she be alright?"
"She should be fine. This is the Alchemy Empress's territory."
"But isn't she too bold? Judging by her size, if that fat guy slaps her once, she won't get back up, right?"
The onlooking citizens were discussing with interest. And among them, people who were displeased with that fat man began to step forward.
"Heh! What can a brat like you do... gak!?"
He mocked her and stepped forward challengingly, paying no attention. But in that instant, he felt his world spin. His massive body went flying through the air before landing with a thud on the sandy ground.
Even lying on the ground, he didn't want to believe what had just happened was real.
Hui'er maintained her cool demeanor. She brushed off her hands lightly, having dealt with the problem smoothly amid the shocked gazes of cultivators and ordinary onlookers.
Because many of them couldn't follow her movements!
Even though over half of them were cultivators, since they weren't paying close attention, they didn't know what just happened. By the time they realized it, that fat man was already flying through the air!
"What!? Who just made a move?"
"I don't know either! What just happened?"
"...That fatty was thrown by that child."
A middle-aged man in robes spoke while stroking his beard. He had almost missed it himself. But with his Martial Master-level cultivation power, he saw the child grab the man's arm and with a slight twist of her body, send a body many times heavier than herself crashing to the ground!
The movement was fluid and precise. Unbelievable from such a young child!
"You... you have to deal with that brat for me!"
The portly man still managed to get up. Fear still gripped him, but he turned to order his butler to act.
"But... young master."
"What do you think I hired you for!? If you continue being this useless, you can write your resignation letter for my father when we get back!"
He remained unconcerned. This man had grown up overly spoiled by his parents. He never took care of himself and solved problems with money. By his twenties, he suffered from numerous serious illnesses brought on by his own excessive obesity.
His father had heard rumors about Bai Fanxian and was interested in cultivators' power, so he suggested his son visit this clinic. The father had even specially hired the son's personal butler as a skilled cultivator.
For them, ten million yuan wasn't even a concern.
"I..."
The butler looked hesitant. He didn't want to strike a child. But he'd only recently started this job and couldn't afford to lose it.
Hui'er continued standing calmly. When she saw the butler walking toward her, her state changed again. She became completely relaxed and still. The faint aura emanating from her made cultivators in that area uneasy.
*Pat.*
Before the situation could worsen, a large, rough hand tapped his shoulder lightly. He turned back to see a dignified-looking middle-aged man shaking his head gently at him.
"If you don't want to do it, just stop..."
"...But—"
The butler was about to argue, but the man interrupted first. "I'm impressed by you and understand your troubles well... interested in working for me?"
The butler looked confused. He didn't understand what this man wanted.
"Isn't that Chairman Zhu..."
"The real estate tycoon from the west?"
"That's right! It really is Chairman Zhu. Why did he come here himself?"
Many were shocked because this was "Zhu Jinming." He owned companies and was an investor in massive real estate ventures. He wasn't a cultivator but an ordinary person. Yet his demeanor carried the authority of a natural leader.
"Who are you!? Stop meddling with my butler!"
The portly man still didn't understand the situation. But just one glare from the man beside Zhu Jinming made him flinch and retreat in a fluster.
"Mr. Gao, can your people help look after him?" Zhu Jinming turned to speak with the man called Mr. Gao. He was a cultivator with power at the highest Martial Master stage, hired long-term by Zhu Jinming as a bodyguard.
"Of course."
He smiled kindly. Then one of his disciples came to escort the bewildered butler to settle matters regarding a new contract. Chairman Zhu was willing to pay the penalty for breaking the old one.
Hui'er watched the situation calm down with composure. Her state returned to normal once more. Mr. Gao had been secretly observing her, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Even he felt it would be difficult to clash head-on with her earlier state.
Nine o'clock. Hui'er turned and opened the glass door with a wide smile.
"Welcome, everyone. Please keep quiet and stay orderly."
After speaking, she turned away. Those who came to observe looked at each other. Many of them had sufficient money for the treatment fee, but they still weren't bold enough to be the first to enter.
Who knew if they'd waste their money for nothing?
Chairman Zhu, seeing no one was entering, was about to step in first.
"In that case, I'll be this place's first patient."
He spoke while laughing. But when Hui'er heard, she turned back and spoke with an apologetic expression.
"I'm sorry... the first patient of this clinic arrived long ago."
"Huh?"
Zhu Jinming was surprised. Suddenly, at the entrance, a man appeared. He wore a comfortable white long-sleeved T-shirt. His face looked relaxed as he walked toward Hui'er.
"...Excuse me for a moment."
He spoke to Hui'er with a smile. He reached out to pat her head affectionately, and she didn't mind at all.
It could be none other than the army's General, commander of the Black Hawk unit—
Liu Yianfei!