After speaking, the first Elder started to take his leave.
But the girl beside him suddenly stopped and glanced at him. She said calmly. “First Elder.”
First Elder was stunned.
It was a very mild voice but possessed a sharpness that couldn’t be overlooked. That lovely face also somehow looked a little twisted.
Su Huiqing didn’t wait for the first Elder to respond but just took out her earphones again. She inserted one into her ear as she looked away. “You better cherish the next two hours.”
What did she mean by that? First Elder was clearly shocked.
But Su Huiqing didn’t say anything more. She just put on her other earphone, before casually following Dugu Heng out.
The group of them walked on, with the caretaker trailing far behind them.
Dugu Heng patted Su Huiqing on the shoulders, his eyes shining. “Not bad, not bad. You are truly my child.”
Su Huiqing was taken aback by his pat. She said calmly, “Damn, I am doomed if I am like you.”
Her tone was very matter-of-fact.
“Who else would you rather be like? You disdain your old man?!” Dugu Heng turned to stare at her indifferent face. He just couldn’t tell what she was thinking.
“You brought us back, but in the end, I am the one who resolved the problem.” Su Huiqing tucked her hands into her pocket and raised her brows. “Don’t you think you were rather useless?”
Her expression was even more arrogant than Dugu Heng’s. Only she would dare to say such things.
This was the first time in Dugu Heng’s life that he heard someone say he was useless.
Even the caretaker was totally stunned by her words.
Su Huiqing glanced away. “Nevertheless, you are willing to protect my mother and I. That’s pretty good.”
“Of course. Who else should I protect? Those Elders?” Dugu Heng immediately retorted.
Recalling something, he continued. “There is an auction the night after tomorrow at the International Association. I will bring you two to see if there’s anything worth buying.”
Su Huiqing nodded and lowered her eyes thoughtfully.
The corners of her lips curled up nonchalantly.
Under the sunlight, that fair face looked clear and pristine.
Dugu Heng never knew that Su Huiqing finally acknowledged him only because of what he just said.
She declined Dugu Heng’s invitation to have her stay.
Instead, she returned to the Su Family residence, and remained in her little laboratory for nearly an entire day.
Uncle Chen saw that Su Huiqing had not eaten for almost a whole day. Unable to tolerate it anymore, he went upstairs and was about to knock on the door, when it just opened.
Su Huiqing stood there still wearing her white shirt and dark jeans. She had a grave expression.
Even Uncle Chen could see how tired she was.
Su Huiqing brushed back her hair and looked at Uncle Chen. She said very simply, “I am hungry.”
She was indeed hungry.
Having spent nearly a whole day concocting potions, she had expended a lot of energy. At this juncture, even walking was a chore.
It was rare to see Su Huiqing in this state.
Uncle Chen’s heart ached for her, but was also relieved to see her emerge. “The food is ready. You can eat right after your bath.”
Su Huiqing didn’t immediately go downstairs after her bath. Instead, she opened her laptop and sent Dugu Yusheng a message: Come over later. I have some potions for you that I need your help to auction off.
She got this idea after Dugu Heng mentioned the auction.
She wanted to arm the entire Unknown Island and the Su Family people.
All that would require money. And in the International Association, nothing earned more money than selling potions.
Dugu Yusheng was taken aback by her message. His eyes darkened. He knew just how valuable a potion personally concocted by Su Huiqing was.
He typed a reply: You wish to go against the Ye Family?
Su Huiqing wasn’t sitting on the chair, but was standing with one hand propped against the table and the other resting upon the keyboard. Her eyes glittered coldly. “I just need money.”
Eyes lowered, the corners of her lips curled up slightly.
She used to be acquainted with Ye Bin. He had been a great help in enlightening her about potions. Ye Bin was near the level of an elite potion maker and possessed a good character too. However, he had a weakness. He had poor taste.
Otherwise, how did he end up choosing such a lousy descendant like the current head of the Ye Family?
She had always been very good at distinguishing between those who had been kind to her, and those who did her wrong. She would seek direct vengeance on whoever harmed her mother.
Dugu Yusheng replied: Okay.
She shut her laptop.
Downstairs, Uncle Chen had just picked up a call.
From the corner of his eye, he saw that cool figure descending the stairs. Covering the mouthpiece with one hand, he said, “Ms. Su, it’s the Dugu Family. Some Elder. He has been calling since yesterday. Do you want to take his call?”
Su Huiqing sat on the sofa and poured herself a cup of water. She accepted the phone casually, and without waiting for the other party to speak, she asked, “First Elder, how are you feeling?” It was as if she already knew who was on the other end of the call.
Hearing her calm voice, the other party kept silent for a long while.
Su Huiqing was in no hurry. She just leaned against the sofa and slowly sipped her water.
In fact, on the other end of the phone, the first Elder’s condition was not good at all. In just a day, his face had turned extremely pallid and haggard.
On hearing Su Huiqing’s calm voice, he tightened his grip on the phone as his eyes hardened. “This is your doing?!”
“Do you think I have the ability to make your insides rot within a year?” Su Huiqing put down her cup and brushed back her hair, her face serene as ever. “Have you forgotten I am just a useless bastard with an impure bloodline?”
“You… how did you know?” First Elder looked like he had just seen a ghost.
This thing was highly classified. Only a few people in the Dugu Family knew of it.
If not for that, he wouldn’t have tried so hard to go against Dugu Heng. All he truly wished for was to properly groom the younger generation of the Dugu Family, and fight for more resources from the International Association.
Su Huiqing ignored his question and just narrowed her eyes. “You have needles with you, right? Jianli, Jiaosun, Heding… insert needles into all these acupuncture points. Leave the needles in for 10 minutes before removing them.
“What do you mean?” First Elder was so stunned at this point that he forgot to ask how Su Huiqing knew he had needles with him.
Su Huiqing saw that the food was already laid out and replied casually. “You still have half a day.”
With that, she hung up.
First Elder was drenched in cold sweat. He didn’t know if it was from the pain or out of fright.
He couldn’t help recalling Su Huiqing’s words that day: “You better cherish the next two hours.”
He thought Su Huiqing was just trying to scare him. But two hours later, his body was indeed wrecked by pain. The hospital couldn’t figure out what was wrong, and even his potion makers were helpless. He tried to use his own internal energy to heal himself, but to no avail.
At this point, he finally thought of Su Huiqing but her cell phone had been engaged all day. She was not at home either.
Now that he finally got through to her… that tone of voice… she indeed knew of his situation!
He still had half a day? What did that mean?!
First Elder gazed at the silver needles glinting coldly on the table. After a moment of silence, he steeled himself and inserted the needles into the acupuncture points that Su Huiqing listed.
His mind was in a blur as he inserted the needles. He felt that he must have indeed gone mad.
An hour later.
First Elder opened his eyes and stared at his own hands in a daze. His eyes had recovered its usual brightness.
“First Elder, Young Master Ji-An is back.” Someone was knocking on his door.
First Elder snapped out of his trance, setting aside the issue with Su Huiqing for the moment. He immediately threw on a grey robe and went out.
Nearly everyone from the younger generation was gathered in the ancestral hall.
At this moment, even Dugu Xing looked like she had lost her glow. Only that person still stood there, poised and erect, wearing a green robe instead of modern clothing.
Hearing the first Elder’s arrival, he slowly turned, revealing his handsome, flawless face. Smiling gaily, he cupped his fist at the first Elder in greeting. “First Elder.”
“I thought you still have a few more days to go? Why are you out now?” First Elder could hardly believe Dugu Ji-An was really here.
“Master Dugu said there is an auction, and so I came back earlier.” Dugu Ji-An smiled.
First Elder nodded. “How are things there?”
Dugu Ji-An’s expression went stern as he replied, “Depths beyond our imaginings.”
Dugu Xing and the rest didn’t understand what they were talking about. But seeing how serious they were, they didn’t dare to cut in.
“It’s good that you are back.” First Elder kept silent for a moment before continuing. “It is still early. Bring them to Principal Dien. This upcoming competition is very important. You are all participating for the first time. Principal Dien can give you many good pointers.”
Dugu Ji-An didn’t object and led the bunch of them away.
The moment he reached the outside of the door, he met the caretaker, who was waiting for them. The caretaker smiled at Dugu Ji-An. “Young Master Ji-An, Master Dugu has requested you to bring the Eldest Young Mistress along. This is her cell phone number.”
The caretaker recited a cell phone number.
“Eldest Young Mistress?” Dugu Ji-An raised his brows in wonder.
One of the juniors spoke up. “Young Master Ji-An, she is the illegitimate daughter of the Dugu Family Head. She is nearly 20 years old but doesn’t possess any psychic power. But the head still wants Ms Xing to give up her spot on the training grounds to her. Really infuriating! Go ask Jiyun if you don’t believe me.”
Dugu Ji-An glanced at his little sister.
Su Huiqing’s serene face flashed by Dugu Jiyun’s mind. She nodded after a moment’s hesitation, but didn’t speak.
“Young Master Ji-An, she doesn’t possess a pure bloodline and has never trained before. It is dangerous and a waste of resources to send her there.” Dugu Xing smirked. “People like us, no matter how hard we work, we still can’t compare to someone with good parentage…”
Dugu Xing’s heart jumped when she noticed Dugu Ji-An frowning at her. She didn’t finish her sentence.
It was better that she didn’t continue.
Others may not be aware but Dugu Xing knew very well that Dugu Ji-An’s background was not that simple.
Every year, Dugu Ji-An had to be away for 10 months. Was there anywhere else in the world that was better for training than the International Association?
This sparked Dugu Xing’s curiosity. Especially when she inadvertently observed one day that Dugu Ji-An and the other big three sat together as equals.
Apart from Dugu Heng, no one in the Dugu Family dared to show Dugu Ji-An any disrespect.
“Master Dugu has his own reasons.” Dugu Ji-An took out his cell phone and dialed the number which the caretaker had just recited.
Although he didn’t say it, he couldn’t help frowning at what those juniors had just told him.
Letting a person without psychic power into the training grounds? Was the family head so unreasonable?
Noticing that the group still looked very aggrieved, he said placidly. “Don’t worry, I will speak to the family head if things get too out of hand.”
Dugu Xing gave a hapless smile. “Thank you, Young Master Ji-An.”
But her lowered eyes shone with glee. Nearly everyone from the younger generation now stood behind her. Dugu Ji-An was also on her side. She also possessed true skills that were exceptional.
Su Huiqing, you might be Dugu Heng’s daughter and had his unwavering support—but there were still some gulfs which you would never pass.
The Dugu Family only respected power. The more the family head favored you, the less support you would receive from the public.
Did they really think she wouldn’t understand the family head’s motives in bringing Su Huiqing to meet Principal Dien?
The call was only picked up after several rings.
Dugu Ji-An sat in a chauffeured car as he held the phone to his ear. Today’s weather was rather gloomy. There wasn’t much sunlight and the sky was grey. It looked like it was about to rain.
As Dugu Ji-An brooded, a voice suddenly sounded out from the phone.
The voice was cold and clear, with a hint of suppressed anger. “What?”
Dugu Ji-An was somewhat taken aback.
But then he just lowered his eyes and politely relayed Dugu Heng’s message.
Su Huiqing kept silent for a few moments, before massaging her temples as she climbed out of bed.
She took out a jacket from the cupboard and said calmly, “Wait for me at the International Association Airport.”