Chapter 186: The Madman Strikes
The most obvious thing was that the old man’s hands and feet were bound by an iron chain as thick as an arm, which looked quite intimidating.
"Is this Elder Xu Kan?"
Looking at the scene inside the cell, Hao Dahai couldn’t help but gasp. The Xu Family was too cruel, to put their own elder in such a place, binding his hands and feet with such large iron chains. A centenarian, can he withstand it?
"Yes, but he’s a madman. We lock him like this to prevent him from going out and hurting people when he goes crazy," explained Xu Xian.
"Oh, I see."
Hao Dahai, uninformed, could only nod.
"You’re the madman! I’m not crazy, it’s just you who keeps binding me."
Suddenly, a voice full of heaviness and age came from the cell.
The old man suddenly opened his eyes, glaring angrily at the newcomer at the cell door. He already knew that this person was Xu Xian.
Hao Dahai was stunned; it seemed the situation was not as simple as he had imagined. Obviously, there was a feud between Xu Kan and Xu Xian, but the urgent task was to save people, and Hao Dahai didn’t think too much about it.
"Humph, Xu Kan, you still don’t know remorse. Twenty years in confinement, yet still won’t admit you’re crazy. Do you still remember how my elder brother died? Wasn’t it a palm strike from you that smashed his skull?"
The mention of this matter made Xu Xian somewhat emotional.
"He deserved it, daring to steal the pills behind my back and sell them to foreigners, even inviting experts to study the pills, trying to decipher the materials inside. It’s laughable; the things I, Xu Kan, have researched, how could they be understood by such mice like you?"
Xu Kan’s sharp gaze swept over the people again, and when his eyes fell on Hao Shuai, who was lying on the small wooden bed, he immediately understood.
This time, Xu Xian obviously had a request for him.
"Alright, that’s enough. All of you, get out and don’t disturb an old man’s rest!" Xu Kan deliberately said.
Xu Xian was about to curse but was stopped by Hao Dahai. They had discussed that this time, they wouldn’t talk about past events, but first ask Xu Kan to heal Hao Shuai.
"Elder Wu, Junior Hao Dahai, request you to do something," Hao Dahai said to Xu Kan inside the cell.
"Haha...funny. Do you think I, a prisoner locked with a big iron chain, can help you with anything?" Xu Kan laughed heartily, but he had already made up his mind.
"Madman, if you can help heal the Hao family’s young master this time, I can set you free," Xu Xian said quietly.
"Haha, I’ve gotten used to this place. I don’t like the outside, so I don’t need freedom," Xu Kan said, surprisingly.
"You..."
"Master Xu..."
Hao Dahai quickly interrupted, fearing that if Xu Kan got angry, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Xu Xian took a deep breath. If it weren’t for the Hao family agreeing to give him a portion of their business as compensation, he wouldn’t have been so willing to compromise.
"Elder Xu, I’ve heard you’re a Divine Doctor who excels in treating internal injuries. Now my youngest son is on the brink of death, and even the Capital City’s major hospitals say there’s nothing they can do. I wonder if Divine Doctor Xu can help? If it’s really impossible, then never mind."
Hao Dahai, a man of deep scheming and cunning, thought this provocation technique might be somewhat effective.
"Nonsense. There’s no illness I can’t cure. Those self-proclaimed major hospitals are just nonsense. They only know how to imitate without precedent, and if there’s no precedent, they can’t do anything."
Speaking of medical skills, Xu Kan showed some interest. Being confined here, what he couldn’t bear the most was that his skills haven’t been passed on. Thinking of dying like this was somewhat regrettable.
"Yes, yes, Elder Xu’s medical skills are superb, incomparable to those mediocre people," Hao Dahai seized the opportunity and quickly praised.
"Haha, you don’t need to flatter me any more. I won’t help you."
"Hiss..."
Seeing Xu Kan say it so firmly, Hao Dahai couldn’t help but gasp, feeling a wave of anxiety. However, there was nothing he could do. If one refuses to help, even if you force them, it could backfire.
"But...I can treat him, but I have a condition!" Suddenly, Xu Kan spoke first.
"Ah? What condition?"
Just when Hao Dahai was in despair, hearing Xu Kan’s words made him extremely happy, knowing there was a turning point.
"That boy must become my apprentice." Xu Kan pointed at Hao Shuai on the sickbed.
"Huh? You mean my son should become your apprentice? But he...doesn’t know medical skills!"
Hao Dahai was greatly embarrassed. He knew his son well. If it’s about fighting and causing trouble, that’s his forte. Asking him to learn medicine, he wonders if he’d be willing.
"What? Disagree? Fine, no discussion then. You all leave!" Xu Kan directly turned around and lay down on the straw.
Feeling anxious, Hao Dahai quickly said, "Wait a moment, Elder; I agree!"
Xu Kan smiled slightly, revealing a hint of joy in his eyes. Although he hadn’t found someone with the right talent yet, given the current situation, he could only first find an heir.
Half an hour later, Xu Kan’s chains were unlocked, and the cell was already equipped with various clean chairs and everything Xu Kan had instructed was needed.
After everything was arranged, only Hao Dahai was left to assist Xu Kan, ready to prepare anything needed at any time.
"Hiss..."
When Xu Kan held Hao Shuai’s pulse gate, he inhaled sharply. Looking at his chest, he discovered two fingerprints and muttered to himself, "This kid was injured by Inch Force. Such a technique reappearing means another storm of bloodshed is inevitable."
Smiling bitterly, Xu Kan began to unbutton Hao Shuai’s shirt. His palm moved slowly over Hao Shuai’s wound, seemingly simple yet deceptively intricate.
Xu Kan was indeed a Divine Doctor. Besides pharmacology, his specialty was healing through Qi Cultivation, gathering Qi in the dantian and channeling it into his palm.
Then, through his exclusive technique, he activated the injured meridians and nerves within the wound, slowly connecting them to achieve blood and Qi circulation.
"Mr. Hao, help me get a prescription from the pharmacy and instruct them to brew it into a decoction. It must be completed within an hour, to be administered immediately after I finish the healing treatment."
After speaking, Xu Kan picked up the pen and paper on the table, quickly jotting down a prescription and handing it to Hao Dahai.
Without delay, Hao Dahai swiftly left the cell with the prescription, and Mr. Kang drove him at full speed to the pharmacy.
In the car, Hao Dahai glanced at the prescription, which listed several medicines, yet two additional lines of text appeared.
"To save your son, you must obtain a key from Xu Xian to unlock my iron shackle. Xu Xian won’t let me go because I killed his wife."
With this simple statement, Hao Dahai seemed to understand everything. Xu Xian’s promise to release Xu Kan was merely a guise, a plan already in motion.
Soon, the two reached a pharmacy. After obtaining the medicines from the prescription, Hao Dahai also requested knockout drugs.
In less than fifteen minutes, Hao Dahai returned to the prison cell, instructing Mr. Kang to stand guard while he went to discuss matters with Xu Xian in the living room.
"Do you think Xu Kan can cure my son’s illness?"
Hao Dahai asked as he calmly poured two cups of tea from the teapot beside him, secretly slipping a prepared drug into one of them.
Xu Xian didn’t notice, for he had no defenses against Hao Dahai; they were classmates and partners. Little did he know, for his son’s sake, Hao Dahai was willing to go to any lengths.
"I’m not sure, but that madman seems very confident." Having stood in the basement for a long time, Xu Xian was a bit thirsty and drank the pre-poured tea in a gulp.
"Sigh... Well, treating a dead horse as if it were alive is our only option." Hao Dahai sighed, secretly pleased as he glanced at the teacup on the table.
In less than three minutes, Xu Xian suddenly felt dizzy, his vision blurred, and he collapsed onto the table.
Hao Dahai found the key in his pocket, carried Xu Xian to his room, placed him on the bed, and hurriedly left.
Returning to the cell, Hao Dahai found his son covered in many silver needles and paused, realizing Xu Kan was administering acupuncture.
The brilliant old doctors typically used acupuncture and massage. Hao Shuai’s internal injuries required methods beyond surgery unless new organs replaced the old, maintaining their original state was unlikely.
However, Xu Kan’s technique was unique. His palm movements over Hao Shuai’s wound for over twenty minutes had already completed a significant portion of the treatment.
Now, the acupuncture merely aided in expelling the internal blood clots from Hao Shuai’s body.
"Divine Doctor Xu, how is my son...?"
"As long as you’ve secured the right medicine, your son’s life is assured."
Xu Kan didn’t elaborate, knowing Hao Dahai would understand.
Indeed, as soon as he finished speaking, Hao Dahai approached and quickly slipped the key into Xu Kan’s pocket.
Xu Kan smiled in satisfaction and then began withdrawing the needles from Hao Shuai beside him.
"Is it over?"
Hao Dahai was stunned, showing disbelief.
"Are you questioning my medical skills?" Xu Kan gave Hao Dahai a sidelong glance.
"Oh no, of course not. It’s just surprise; Divine Doctor Wu truly is extraordinary, like Hua Tuo reincarnated!" Hao Dahai realized his mistake and quickly corrected himself.
"Ha, Hua Tuo is worth nothing!"
Xu Kan arrogantly declared, "I claim this boy; once I’m out, he’ll be my apprentice."
Initially, Xu Kan wasn’t quite satisfied with Hao Shuai, but after the treatment, he realized the boy had an extraordinary aura.
Moreover, his skeletal structure and tenacious vitality made him excellent material for martial arts and medicine training.
"Of course, I would never go back on my word to my elders."
Hao Dahai was overjoyed that his son was saved, but then remembered Xu Xian, his expression darkening.
"Yes, it seems I didn’t misjudge you."
Xu Kan nodded, satisfied. He quickly unlocked the iron shackle on his ankle, then coldly smirked, saying, "Leave the rest to me."
As soon as he finished speaking, Hao Dahai’s vision dimmed, and he fainted.
Outside, the servants and Hao Dahai’s butler, Mr. Kang, only saw a flash of movement before all fell to the ground.
"Hmph, just you few? If it weren’t for the incredibly sturdy Profound Iron, I would’ve broken out long ago, not waiting until now."
After knocking everyone down, Xu Kan lifted Hao Shuai from the operating table and swiftly escaped from the Xu Family...