Chapter 00024: Grudges from the Past, Paid in This Life
# Grudges from the Past, Paid in This Life
Chapter 24
Novel: Abandon The Universe
Chapter 24: Grudges from the Past, Paid in This Life
"If Doctor Lan is ready, let's head to the operating room and wait for the young master to return," Ju Fei said after Lan Xiaobu had finished his preparations.
Lan Xiaobu picked up a pen and wrote down a list of medicinal herbs, handing it to Ju Fei. "Immediately purchase all these herbs and send them to the operating room. Also, we need a furnace and a pot for decocting the medicine; the furnace shouldn't be too big. Remember, we need two pots."
These herbs were all necessary for his bone refinement, and it was just right to utilize the other party's resources to acquire them. Lan Xiaobu didn't specify whether the herbs should be of high or low quality; he trusted that the other party would procure the best available.
"Doctor Lan, you haven't even seen the patient yet; how can you prescribe medicine?" Ju Fei looked at Lan Xiaobu with some confusion.
Lan Xiaobu replied calmly, "I am the doctor, or are you the doctor? As long as your young master has Frozen Silkworm Disease, follow my requirements to gather the medicine."
"Go, do as he says," Ju Jie said in a very gentle tone.
"Yes," Ju Fei quickly responded.
He was well aware that when the family head's killing intent reached its peak, it manifested as such a calm demeanor. Once the family head acted this way, it meant that Lan Xiaobu might not survive even until tomorrow. This was quite normal; he had heard that Lan Xiaobu had only taken half a day to treat Zhai Man, and there had been no follow-up consultation.
After Ju Fei left, Lan Xiaobu turned to Ju Jie and said, "Although I could perform the procedure in the hall, a top-tier operating room would yield even better results. Furthermore, the operating room must have windows; Frozen Silkworm Disease is unlike other illnesses, and it requires immediate air circulation with the outside world after the surgery. Of course, if there are no windows, the door to the operating room must be opened immediately after the operation."
As long as it was a top-tier operating room, it would definitely be soundproof. Lan Xiaobu believed that with the Ju family's strength, this could be arranged.
"Rest assured, there is an operating room that meets your requirements," Ju Jie replied lightly.
...
One cannot help but admire the Ju family's swift action. Lan Xiaobu had not waited long in the newly prepared operating room before Ju Fei returned with all the medicinal herbs.
"So fast?" Lan Xiaobu looked at Ju Fei, who had brought a heap of herbs, with some suspicion. If it weren't for treating someone from the Ju family, he would have doubted whether these herbs were genuine.
Ju Fei chuckled, "The largest Traditional Medicine Hall in Shenpu belongs to my Ju family."
No wonder they are so formidable, Lan Xiaobu thought to himself. Should I buy some more? But he quickly dismissed that thought. He was about to flee; buying too many herbs would be impractical.
As a doctor with twenty years of experience, Lan Xiaobu didn't even need to open the herbs to inspect them; just by smelling them, he could tell they were top-tier.
At that moment, a mobile hospital bed was pushed into the operating room. A middle-aged man called out, "Doctor Lan, the patient has arrived; you can start the surgery now."
Lying on the bed was a pale young man. After Lan Xiaobu's gaze lingered on the young man's face for a moment, it fell to his legs, and his thoughts drifted away once more.
In what year did Su Cen die beyond the protective wall? He had watched Su Cen leave before his eyes, his mind filled with Su Cen's image, and nothing else could draw his attention. And at that moment, he was forcibly sent to treat a young man.
He didn't know who the young man was, only that others also called him "young master," and he knew that the young man's father had no legs.
In the end, he couldn't cure that young man, and a hoarse voice called him down into the deep Shenpu Sea...
"Are you Lan Xiaobu?" the pale-faced young man asked, noticing Lan Xiaobu's daze and speaking in an unpleasant tone.
Lan Xiaobu's gaze fell on the young man’s pale face, and he reflected on the cycle of karma. Back then, he had treated this pale-faced man's son, only to end up submerged in the sea. Now, reborn, he was treating this pale-faced man again. He chuckled softly...
"Indeed, I am Lan Xiaobu. Your illness is quite simple; I can treat it," Lan Xiaobu pledged before the young man could ask further.
Upon hearing that Lan Xiaobu could treat him, a middle-aged woman beside the pale-faced young man showed wild joy in her eyes and urgently said, "Doctor Lan, as long as you help my son recover from his leg ailment, you can ask for anything you want."
"This is not your place to speak; leave," Ju Jie’s authoritative voice interjected.
"Yes, father..." The middle-aged woman then noticed Ju Jie, her voice halting, and she immediately lowered her tone, responding respectfully.
Lan Xiaobu waved his hand, "You don't need to leave; you must be the patient's mother, right? Stay here. Also, the patient's father and grandfather should remain as I have some questions to ask." Ju Fei looked at Lan Xiaobu with confusion, "Doctor Lan, what questions require so many people to stay here?"
Lan Xiaobu said with a serious expression, "Frozen Silkworm Disease has two sources: one is recessive inheritance, and the other is infection. I need to determine if it is hereditary. Furthermore, during my treatment, do not disturb me casually. Whether inside the operating room or outside, otherwise, if anything goes wrong, I will not take responsibility."
Ju Fei's strength was likely not inferior to Cheng Jianjie, whom he had previously dealt with. Lan Xiaobu knew his own strength was not very high, and he was not keen on engaging with Ju Fei. Moreover, the head of the Ju family was not simple; according to Cheng Jianjie's words, he was likely a practitioner of Inner Qi.
Before Ju Fei could say anything, Ju Jie waved his hand, "Everyone else leave; since Jun's father hasn't returned, anything needed can be answered by this grandfather."
Lan Xiaobu thought it was a pity, but with Ju Jie present, it was indeed acceptable.
Once everyone left the operating room, Lan Xiaobu closed the door and began to prepare some traditional medicine for decocting.
"Doctor Lan, you haven't examined the patient yet, and you're already decocting medicine?" The middle-aged woman was somewhat puzzled to see Lan Xiaobu directly starting the decoction.
Lan Xiaobu replied lightly, "You'll understand shortly."
The only person Lan Xiaobu was worried about was Ju Jie; he suspected that Ju Jie was also a master of Inner Qi. According to the medicinal formula he had obtained, the decoction process of Polar Night Seed would produce a mist that could suppress Inner Qi, but it was easily resolved as long as one held a piece of Snowpeak Blue Ginseng in their mouth.
At that moment, Lan Xiaobu was holding a piece of Snowpeak Blue Ginseng in his mouth, which Ju Fei had naturally purchased.
"You only decocted one herb?" Ju Jie had been staring at Lan Xiaobu and was now somewhat puzzled, as Ju Fei had brought back dozens of herbs, yet Lan Xiaobu had only prepared one.
Instead of continuing to decoct the soup medicine, Lan Xiaobu turned his head and looked at Ju Jie, saying lightly, "What is your name?"
The hostility on Ju Jie's face flickered and disappeared, "I am Ju Jie. Could it be that Doctor Lan wants to inquire about me before treating the illness?"
Lan Xiaobu smiled slightly and picked up the surgical knife, walking toward Ju Jun.
"Stop." Ju Jie sensed that Lan Xiaobu did not appear to be here to treat anyone and spoke more sternly.
Lan Xiaobu turned his head, gazing at Ju Jie, and slowly said, "Twenty-one years later, I will also come here to treat someone, but the patient won't be your grandson; it will be your great-grandson. You truly can live for a long time; even after twenty-one years, your voice hasn’t changed much, heh..."
What nonsense? Twenty-one years later? Ju Jun and the middle-aged woman looked at Lan Xiaobu in bewilderment, while Ju Jie frowned, already holding a flying knife in his hand.
"Ju Fei!" As he drew the flying knife, Ju Jie shouted loudly. Then he realized this was a top-tier operating room; unless he broke down the door, the soundproofing would prevent anyone outside from hearing. However, Ju Jie was not afraid; he regarded Lan Xiaobu as an old man who was blind. He had stepped into the realm of Inner Qi thirty years ago, and in those years of immersion, he could easily kill even a group of people with the flying knife in his hand, let alone just Lan Xiaobu.
Lan Xiaobu clearly understood the soundproofing of this operating room. He acted as if he hadn't seen Ju Jie draw the flying knife and continued, "At that time, my wife had just passed away, and I was preoccupied with her memory; I merely said that I couldn't treat it. Heh, it’s not just me who cannot cure your great-grandson, but I still remember clearly what you said back then: 'Just throw him into the Shenpu Sea.' And then I was tossed into the deep Shenpu Sea..."
Even Ju Jie, who had killed more than once, felt a chill at this moment. Not fearing Lan Xiaobu was one thing, but what Lan Xiaobu said was truly too bizarre and eerie.
Lan Xiaobu glanced at Ju Jun, who lay on the bed with a confused expression, and said again, "Back then, I was simply unable to treat your dog of a son, yet you and your old ones wanted to kill me. Today, I also cannot treat you; what will you do...?"
After saying this, the dagger in Lan Xiaobu’s hand drew a white light, leaving a red line across Ju Jun's neck.
"You’re seeking death..." Ju Jie’s eyes were filled with rage, and he was about to throw the flying knife, but he immediately sensed something was wrong; he couldn't gather any Inner Qi at all. The next moment, Lan Xiaobu charged forward, delivering a punch to his neck.
At that moment, he finally realized that all of Lan Xiaobu's earlier words were not explanations but were waiting for the medicinal properties of the boiled herbs to be released, preventing him from circulating his Qi. He felt an overwhelming regret; he should have opened the door immediately, even if just to make some noise.
"Ah..." Only at this moment did the middle-aged woman realize what was happening, but her scream was abruptly cut short as Lan Xiaobu's knife slit her throat.
Ju Jie collapsed to the ground, his throat shattered, making a gurgling sound as his eyes blazed with rage, nearly spitting fire in his fury.
(Third update delivered; still asking for monthly tickets and recommendation tickets! Friends who haven’t added to their collections, please add this to your bookshelf, thank you! Good night, everyone!)
(End of chapter)