When Ling Chuxi heard the attendant sending them off pass along this message, she kept quiet and pursed her lips. This Gao Wentian was really good at grasping opportunities to sell a favor. He was a businessman indeed. This was also a type of investment, after all.
After sighing, Ling Chuxi also helplessly accepted the fact that Gao Wentian had made her owe him quite a few big favors. After the people from the Gao Clan’s Chamber of Commerce brought them out through the side door, there was someone there already waiting for them. This person was none other than Luo Li!
“So, it’s you!” exclaimed Luo Li with some surprise after taking a clear look at the person who was holding onto the Thousand Pearl Orchid. Of course, he remembered this person called Cao Zhibai. Cao Zhibai had approached him many times before in hopes of getting him to save his lady and when he was finally moved by Cao Zhibai’s loyalty, he went over to perform a diagnosis. But in the end, he was unable to do anything. This had made him a little feel a little defeated. He never thought that the person who was selling the Thousand Pearl Orchid would actually turn out to be Cao Zhibai.
“Master Luo, hope you are doing well,” greeted Cao Zhibai courteously. In his heart, however, he was secretly wishing Luo Li wasn’t doing so well at all. He never thought that Luo Li would actually be waiting for him here. Letting such a proud person like Luo Li know that he was not his choice did not make Cao Zhibai feel good on the inside. If he had offended Luo Li, it wasn’t that big a deal to him, but he was worried that he would implicate Ling Chuxi and the rest in any ill feelings Luo Li might have towards him.
“You are indeed the one selling the Thousand Pearl Orchid,” said Luo Li with certainty as he looked at the Thousand Pearl Orchid in Cao Zhibai’s arms.
“That is right, Master Luo,” replied Cao Zhibai with a nod after much consideration. “I have nurtured this herb so I was looking to see if I could use it to find someone who could cure my lady.”
“And did you find that person? Which is it amongst them?” questioned Luo Li with a frown as he started sizing up the young person standing closest to Cao Zhibai— Ling Chuxi. When his gaze landed on Ling Chuxi, his eyes clouded with doubt. This person does not look very matured, but at first sight, he could see that she was a cultivator. Could she also be someone who understood medical skills? A surge of anger and dissatisfaction arose in Luo Li’s heart. Could it be that this was the person Cao Zhibai had placed his confidence in to cure his lady? Could this person possibly have a deeper attainment of knowledge than himself?
Just as Luo Li was sizing her up, Ling Chuxi was also sizing him up. The legendary Nan Xia Country’s number one sacred hand, Master Luo. Rumors say that he was a famous pill master in Nan Xia Country’s capital and was well versed in medical skills and pill refinement. However, asking him to use his skills was not such a simple matter. This person was a loner and a little eccentric. If he did not wish to save someone, even if hundreds of thousands in gold was placed before him or even if a knife was set against his neck, he would refuse to lift a finger. However, if it was someone he wished to save, even if it was a beggar without any special status, he would do his best and even use his own money to help them out. This was why he was known as the godly doctor who would not heal the living! The Luo Li who was standing before her was a tall and thin middle-aged man with an elegant temperament. He was dressed in dark blue clothes and his air gave people an extraordinary feeling about him. Especially, the pride he wore between his brows.
“Indeed, I have. It is this young lady right here, Miss Ling Chuxi.” Cao Zhibai smiled slightly as he made introductions.
“You?!” Luo Li looked at Ling Chuxi in surprise before an expression of mockery filled his face. “How old are you? Do you even know what sickness Cao Zhibai’s lady has?”
“Hey! Just because you couldn’t cure her doesn’t mean that my master can’t cure her, all right?! Don’t look down on others!” snapped the fifth princess. She immediately lost her cool when she heard Luo Li mocking Ling Chuxi. “Master Luo, judging a book by its cover like this is absolutely wrong!”
“Eh? Fifth Princess, Ninth Prince… The both of you are here as well?” asked Luo Li in surprise. He had only noticed that the fifth princess and Fu Chengyu were standing behind Ling Chuxi, Ling Yichen and Cao Zhibai just then. As Luo Li also provided medical diagnosis and treatment for the emperor, he naturally knew the other members of the royal family as well.
“Yes. Actually, it was me who bid on the Thousand Pearl Orchid,” said Fu Chengyu as he stepped forward. “Master Luo, you also know about the frost poison in my body. This Thousand Pearl Orchid is one of the herbs needed to refine the antidote for me.”