Chapter 17: A Compromise?

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To become a bodyguard for the Li family, one had to reach at least the Kan Water Realm.

The two bodyguards who had been guarding the entrance earlier were even stronger, both at the Xun Wind Realm.

Tang Xuan was so young that, in Li Meng’s view, there was no way he could have dealt with Xun Wind Realm experts so easily.

Thus, Li Meng naturally assumed that Huang Long had intervened.

Tang Xuan searched around for Zhao Ran and finally spotted her in the dining area.

Her face was deathly pale. Clearly, she had been badly frightened.

“You must be the famed divine physician. Don’t be nervous. I merely invited your girlfriend to dinner.”

Tang Xuan sneered.

“Does having dinner require this many people to guard her?”

Li Meng shrugged.

“This is how the Li family treats its guests. You’re simply not used to it yet. You’ll get used to it eventually.”

He did not take Tang Xuan seriously at all, speaking with arrogant abandon.

Huang Long was delighted. The more overbearing Li Meng acted, the less likely Tang Xuan would be to treat Li Qin.

“I’m sure you know why I asked you to come.”

“As long as you cure my father, both you and she can leave the Li family safely.”

Tang Xuan asked, “And if I can’t cure him?”

A trace of coldness flashed across Li Meng’s face.

“How could you fail to cure him? You managed to save Huang Long when he was practically on the verge of death.”

“If you deliberately refuse to cure my father, then she…”

Li Meng pointed at Zhao Ran.

“I’ve prepared so much food for her. Wasting food would be a terrible thing. Once she finishes it all, I’ll let the two of you leave.”

“If she happens to eat herself to death, though, don’t blame me.”

With that, Li Meng burst into laughter.

“My Li family would never bully the weak by relying on our strength. We simply don’t want food to go to waste.”

Huang Long cursed him silently. How could anyone possibly finish all the food covering the table?

He was threatening them while pretending to be some kind of saint.

“Li Meng, don’t go too far. The Divine Physician isn’t someone you can threaten.”

Tang Xuan frowned. Huang Long was not defending him at all; he was deliberately sowing discord.

Having one fool like Huang Ying in the Huang family was not enough. Now Huang Long had decided to join her.

“That’s right. If you sincerely beg the Divine Physician, he might be willing to help.”

Watching the grandfather and granddaughter sing the same tune, Tang Xuan stretched lazily.

If they wanted to put on a show, then he would give them all the stage time they wanted.

Li Meng said coldly, “Beg? I am a member of the esteemed Li family. Who has the right to make me use the word ‘beg’?”

“Does he even deserve it?”

Huang Long said, “Li Meng, you’re the one asking someone for a favor. Don’t assume that because the Li family holds a lofty position in River City, you can look down on the Divine Physician.”

“That’s right. To the Divine Physician, your insignificant Li family is nothing but dog shit.”

Tang Xuan smiled. The old man’s attempt to redirect the trouble toward someone else was quite clever.

[Page 2 of 3]

Unfortunately, he had made it far too obvious.

Huang Long was secretly pleased with himself. His move had not only driven a wedge between the two men, but had also demonstrated his loyalty to Tang Xuan.

In his mind, next month’s medicinal pill was already his.

“That was what he said. It has nothing to do with me.”

The moment Tang Xuan said this, Huang Long was completely stunned.

Divine Physician, I was helping you! How can you simply disassociate yourself from what I said?

Besides, judging from what Huang Long knew of Tang Xuan’s temper, he should not have been this calm.

For the sake of this woman, Tang Xuan had killed Zhou Zhuoyi and Zhou Hu!

“Divine Physician, how could your girlfriend possibly finish all this food? He’s threatening you with her life!”

“I know.”

“You… know?”

Huang Long was nearly at the point of collapse.

Could Tang Xuan be preparing to yield to the Li family?

If so, then what had all his earlier words amounted to?

Huang Long wanted to take back what he had said, but it was already too late.

Li Meng had no desire to listen to their pointless bickering any longer. He looked at Tang Xuan.

“You have only one choice: cure my father.”

“Otherwise, forget about this woman—you won’t leave the Li family alive either.”

The Li family held a lofty position and had grown accustomed to treating others from a position of superiority.

Li Meng would never beg, much less negotiate with Tang Xuan.

In his eyes, Tang Xuan was unworthy.

Threats were the most direct method.

“You want me to save someone, and this is the attitude you’re taking?”

Li Meng looked imposing and domineering. “Does a superior need an attitude when dealing with an inferior?”

Tang Xuan curled his lips.

“I think you’re absolutely right.”

“In that case, bring your father out. I can’t cure someone from across the air.”

Huang Long and Huang Ying were both dumbfounded.

They had never imagined that Tang Xuan would respond this way.

He had certainly not acted like this in front of the Huang family!

Li Meng laughed smugly and looked at Huang Long.

“Didn’t you say he had a bad temper? He seems quite agreeable to me.”

“Could it be that your Huang family simply isn’t important enough for him to care about?”

“In front of my Li family, who would dare refuse to bow their head?”

Huang Long did not dare to say a word.

He, too, had not expected Tang Xuan to submit.

It seemed that even the famed Divine Physician had to humble himself before the Li family.

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Huang Ying cursed Tang Xuan more than a hundred times in her heart.

Why had he put on such a show of strength before the Huang family, only to go soft in front of the Li family?

So he was nothing more than a coward who bullied the weak and feared the strong.

His girlfriend’s life was being threatened, yet he did not even dare to speak up. What kind of man was he?

Li Meng went to Li Qin’s room and wheeled his father, who was seated in a wheelchair, into the living room.

“Dad, I’ve already warned him. If he can’t cure you, he’ll have to die.”

Li Qin slowly nodded with his eyes closed.

“Huang Long killed two of our bodyguards. You decide how we should deal with him.”

Huang Long panicked.

“I didn’t kill them. It has nothing to do with me.”

Li Meng gave a cold laugh. “You still want to argue? Do you think it will help?”

At that moment, Huang Long’s carefully laid plans shattered completely.

He had not denied the accusation earlier because he had hoped the misunderstanding would cause the Li family to look down on Tang Xuan.

Now, that same misunderstanding had become like a bucket of filth dumped over his head, impossible to wash away.

Suddenly, Huang Long stared at Tang Xuan in terror.

Could it be that Tang Xuan had seen through all his schemes from the beginning, and had deliberately pretended to yield to the Li family?

“Don’t try any tricks and take me for a fool.”

Tang Xuan’s earlier warning echoed repeatedly through Huang Long’s mind.

An old fox was always wiser than a young one.

But compared with Tang Xuan, Huang Long was still far too inexperienced.

He had thought his scheme flawless, yet it was riddled with holes.

Tang Xuan walked up to Li Qin.

Li Qin had kept his eyes closed from beginning to end and could not even be bothered to lift an eyelid.

He did not care in the slightest who treated his legs. Afterward, a little money would be enough to send the man on his way.

“I’m here to treat you, yet you won’t even look at me?”

“Are you worthy?”

Tang Xuan smiled faintly.

What an impressive display of arrogance.

Tang Xuan raised his hand and suddenly struck Li Qin in the forehead with his palm.

Li Qin’s entire forehead caved inward in a bizarre deformation.

At that moment, the Li family villa fell into absolute silence, as though even the air itself had frozen.

Only when bright-red blood began to seep from Li Qin’s nose and mouth did anyone react.

Trembling all over, Huang Ying said, “Grandfather, what did I just see?”