Ye Tong first glanced at Xu Mu, then asked, "What kind of favor?"
Xiao Ran briefly explained the whole situation.
"What? You know medicine too?" Ye Tong looked at Xu Mu in disbelief—then recalled how Wang Weiliang often praised him as a prodigy with pharmaceuticals.
So knowing some medicine wasn't impossible.
[Favorability +20]
A flush rose on Ye Tong's cheeks—no doubt about it, this was her man.
"I know a little, just a little," Xu Mu smiled at her. "Wife, your complexion is glowing—marital life harmonious, endocrine balanced, your health is excellent."
At that, Ye Tong was mortified.
Back then, even when Xu Mu didn't sleep at home, she still suffered insomnia every night—afraid he'd come back in the morning looking for an excuse to hit her. Body and mind were both tormented.
Now it was completely different. Every night after doing "that" with Xu Mu, she was exhausted and fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.
"You should hurry and take a look at her," Ye Tong mumbled, too embarrassed to stay. She fled toward the kitchen. "I'll cook for everyone."
"President Xu, since Madam has agreed, you'll treat me now, right?" Xiao Ran smiled at him.
"Sigh! Since my wife agreed, I'll reluctantly help," Xu Mu said with a playful sigh, then turned and headed to a side room.
Xiao Ran followed him in. She looked around—no signs of anyone living here. "No one uses this room?"
"It's the maid's room, but we didn't hire one. Ye Tong and I both work, and Ye Yu's in school—no one's home most of the time."
Xu Mu walked to the bed. "Lie down and expose the wound yourself."
Xiao Ran glanced at him once, then lay down.
Even with her bold personality—and hands stained with many lives—doing this in front of a strange man still felt awkward.
But she knew Xu Mu was a physician. Without treatment, she might end up a cripple—then she'd be useless to the Dragon King.
She had countless enemies. If they learned she was finished, they would surely come to kill her. She did not want to die.
With that thought, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and lifted the black shirt beneath her coat.
She paused, then fully lifted the black binding-thunder "garment."
Xu Mu frowned. Somehow, she seemed even more "formidable" than Ye Tong.
After the momentary shock, what drew his focus were the marks on her body—
knife scars, gunshot wounds. Across the chest alone, there were six.
On the right side, a deep crimson fist imprint.
Xu Mu reached out and began his "ball-handling"—with no ill intent.
Xiao Ran kept her eyes tightly shut, but the blush on her cheeks was plain; even her breathing grew heavier.
"How is it?" she asked.
"Quite serious. You took medicine, didn't you?" Xu Mu asked.
"Yes—but it didn't work," Xiao Ran nodded.
"Of course it didn't. The opponent's qi is still lodged in your lungs," Xu Mu said. "I can treat it. As for the fee—bring me three eighth-grade heavenly materials."
"Eighth-grade heavenly materials? Three of them? My life isn't worth that much," she said wryly.
"It is," Xu Mu said coolly.
"Thanks, but I really can't produce that," she shook her head.
Truth was, she had once obtained an eighth-grade treasure by chance—but she'd turned it over to the Dragon King.
"Then seventh grade?"
"The most valuable thing on me is a fourth-grade Blood Mountain Yam," Xiao Ran said, her one visible eye watching him. "I saved it for my next breakthrough."
Blood Mountain Yam.
The moment he heard the name, its form and effects flashed through Xu Mu's mind.
Shaped like a common iron-rod yam, but red inside instead of white.
Its effect is straightforward—directly boosts internal qi strength, mainly used to push a breakthrough.
Though only fourth grade, it's more precious than many fifth or sixth grades—
because many people can't break through on their own and need that one hard press on the accelerator. Blood Mountain Yam provides exactly that.
For Xu Mu, breakthroughs were trivial—he only needed enough cultivation points.
"Alright, I'll give you face—trade your life for the Blood Mountain Yam," Xu Mu said. "Wait here; I'll fetch the medicine."
He left. Xiao Ran quickly fixed her clothes and lay there.
After nearly half an hour, Xu Mu returned—holding a pitch-black pill about the size of a ping-pong ball, roots and fibers still stuck to it, looking… decidedly like cow dung.
He came to her side, took out newly bought silver needles, and began stimulating the acupoints around the wound.
He knew precisely where each point lay.
After two needles, Xiao Ran felt a burning sensation spreading around the injury.
"What I'm doing is drawing out the opponent's power. Otherwise, you'll never recover," Xu Mu said, then withdrew one needle.
Moments later, that wound spurted a thin stream of bright blood like a syringe.
As time passed, the pressure weakened and the blood flow slackened to a steady ooze.
He repeated the process with the other needles.
"Alright—the internal pressure is dispersed. Take this," Xu Mu said, handing her the pill.
"This huge thing—what is it?" Xiao Ran grimaced.
"Be grateful. There's seventh-grade medicine in there," Xu Mu replied, turning to go.
She had no choice—no point doubting him now.
Mouth open wide, she swallowed it in several bites.
Right after dressing herself, drowsiness washed over her. She soon fell asleep there.
…
Meanwhile, Xu Mu ate with Ye Tong and Ye Yu.
The sisters were discussing where to go tomorrow.
Xu Mu, however, was thinking about something else: he wanted heavenly materials not just for himself, but to elevate Xu Ningbing into a martial artist.
The Dragon King would return soon. In the story, he was the one who helped Xu Ningbing step onto the martial path—earning her deep gratitude.
Xu Mu intended to beat the Dragon King to it.
Though not his blood sister, watching her enter the Dragon King's harem? Absolutely not.
Since he might not acquire the right treasures in time, he could only spend Fate Points—of which he'd just gained plenty.
After the meal, while the sisters continued planning, Xu Mu sat on the sofa scrolling his phone.
A side-room door opened. Xiao Ran emerged and strode over.
"That pill had a sedative?" she asked flatly.
"It did. Likely the best sleep you've had in a long time," Xu Mu said with a sidelong glance. "You didn't think I'd take advantage of you while you slept, did you?"
"I…" Xiao Ran glanced at Ye Tong and Ye Yu, then shook her head.
"How do you feel? If it worked, don't forget the Blood Mountain Yam," Xu Mu went on.
"My injury…" Xiao Ran took several deep breaths—
and realized the pain in her chest was truly gone.
Before, she would have been wracked with agony—and a vicious cough.
This Xu Mu… just who on earth was he?
She'd thought he was joking earlier. Now it seemed he really had used a seventh-grade ingredient on her.
How was she ever going to repay a favor like this?