vstars Chapter 30 "The Unwelcome Guest" Arrives
Chapter 30 "The Unwelcome Guest" Arrives
The atmosphere inside the shop became somewhat awkward due to Wang Yunniang's earth-shattering declaration of "acknowledging his wife".
Zhang Kui was both amused and exasperated, his heart filled with mixed feelings. He found it absurd, yet he was somewhat comforted by the fact that his mother had been accompanied by someone all these years. He was also filled with curiosity about this suddenly appearing "wife," Gao Lanying.
Gao Lanying was extremely embarrassed and wished she could disappear into the ground, but she couldn't help but steal glances at Zhang Kui out of the corner of her eye, her heart pounding like a drum.
Wang Yunniang ignored all of that. Looking at the "handsome man and beautiful woman" in front of her, she became more and more satisfied. She felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from her heart, and the smile on her face never disappeared. She pulled the two of them to sit down and began to chatter on and on about Zhang Kui's experiences over the years.
Zhang Kui composed himself, temporarily suppressing the matter of his "wife" and recounting what he could say, roughly describing his experiences of joining the army in Beihai, rising through the ranks due to his merits, gaining the appreciation of Grand Tutor Wen, and now holding the position of Commander of the Rear Army, as well as his fortunate breakthrough in cultivation. His tone was calm, but how could the dangers and hardships he endured be completely concealed?
Wang Yunniang gasped in surprise and wiped away tears as she listened. When she finally learned that her son had risen to the rank of commander and become an important general under Grand Tutor Wen, she was so excited that she clasped her hands together and kept saying, "Ancestors, please bless me! My son has made something of himself. Your father in heaven can rest in peace now."
Gao Lanying, standing to the side, remained unmoved upon hearing that Zhang Kui was now the commander of the rear guard of the North Sea army. However, when she heard Zhang Kui casually mention that he had "broken through to the Celestial Immortal realm," she was deeply shaken. As a Qi Refiner herself at the initial Earth Immortal level, she knew all too well the arduous path of cultivation. In their brief exchange, although she sensed that Zhang Kui's cultivation was higher than hers, she never expected that he had already reached the Celestial Immortal realm.
Celestial Immortals are beings who have truly stepped into the threshold of immortality, possessing supernatural powers and living as long as heaven and earth.
The general before her, who didn't look very old, was actually a celestial being with profound and hidden abilities. No wonder he could easily block her Sun God Needle. Shocked, her curiosity and admiration for Zhang Kui deepened, and the frustration of her previous defeat vanished.
After chatting for a while, the atmosphere in the shop gradually warmed up. Zhang Kui looked around at the deserted shop, recalling what his younger brother had said in his letter, and asked in confusion, "Mother, Shanzi said in his letter that our 'Jishantang' was doing very well, but I haven't seen a single patient since I got back. And this shop..." His gaze swept over the corners that had been damaged and were now a mess from the fight, "...it seems like it hasn't been properly open for a while, has it?"
Mentioning this, Wang Yunniang's smile faded slightly, and she sighed softly, seemingly finding it difficult to speak.
Gao Lanying, standing beside her, raised her eyebrows and her pretty face showed anger. She took over the conversation and said, "Isn't it all because of that bastard Yu De?"
"Yu De?" Zhang Kui frowned. "Who is this person?"
"He's the youngest son of Yu Hualong, the general guarding Tongguan Pass. He's the fifth in his family, and he's utterly unreasonable. He's just a self-important spoiled brat," Gao Lanying said with dissatisfaction. "I don't know where he found out, but he heard that Aunt Yun's family's medical manual contains a mysterious and effective antidote that can cure all kinds of difficult-to-treat smallpox. This guy is a medicine fanatic. Upon hearing this, he rushed to Mianchi, insisting on competing with Aunt Yun in medical and poison skills."
"A contest?" Zhang Kui's eyes turned slightly cold.
"They call it a competition, but it's just a joke!" Gao Lanying said, getting angrier as she spoke. "Every patient who comes to our shop for treatment tries to get them infected with some weird smallpox virus that he got from who-knows-where. Then he forces them to come to the shop to find Aunt Yun for an antidote. It's only because Aunt Yun is kind-hearted that she cured a few people before. Now, this guy has become even more aggressive, going even further, and he doesn't even spare the family members who accompany the patients. Now, no one in the entire Mianchi city dares to come to our 'Jishantang' for treatment. This pharmacy hasn't opened for business for three months."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Kui's face darkened. Such behavior was utterly lawless and blatant disregard for human life. The other party dared to oppress the people and harass his mother because he was the son of the Tongguan General.
Seeing her son's bad expression, Wang Yunniang quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, "Shitou, don't be angry. What Aying said is true, but Yu De... well, he's not really that bad at heart. Before inoculating people with smallpox, he always gives them a large sum of money first, and although his smallpox looks scary, most of it will dissipate on its own after seven days and won't really kill anyone. Even the money we spent on medicine during these months of business at our shop was for him. I think he's just a spoiled brat who's gotten himself into a rut, obsessed with studying his smallpox technique. His methods are a bit unscrupulous, but he's not exactly a truly evil person."
Just then, a series of light footsteps came from outside the shop, along with a young male voice that sounded somewhat lazy and ingratiating:
"Aunt Wang, Aunt Wang, I've come to visit you again. Please don't be so stubborn, just be kind and teach me the essence of the method to cure smallpox, okay? I promise, once I've learned it, I'll leave immediately and never bother you again."
She paused, seemingly still shaken, and added, "Sister Gao! Are you in the shop? Please don't shoot me with those gold needles again! The last time you pricked my butt, it hasn't fully healed yet! If I get hurt again, I'll have to trouble Aunt Wang to treat me, and I'll feel so bad about that. Okay, I'm coming in now, alright?"
Before the words were finished, a young man dressed in a bright yellow outfit, with a jade belt around his waist, his hair combed slicked back, and a carefree expression typical of a spoiled brat, pushed open the door and walked in with a grin.
Behind him followed six burly men, clearly skilled soldiers, each carrying something in their hands: seasonal fruits, exquisite pastries, and even several boxes of medicinal herbs that looked quite valuable—a dazzling array of goods.
As soon as the young man in yellow entered, his eyes instinctively searched for Wang Yunniang and Gao Lanying, his face plastered with a fawning smile. However, his smile froze instantly when he saw Zhang Kui, who stood tall and imposing in the center of the shop.
Especially when he saw the mess inside the shop, and the marks of Gao Lanying's gold needles still visible on the walls and pillars, his expression changed slightly, and a hint of surprise and uncertainty flashed in his eyes.
"Uh... Aunt Wang, Sister Gao, is... are we having guests?" Yu De suppressed his playful laughter, his gaze sweeping over Zhang Kui with a hint of scrutiny and barely perceptible wariness. The six attendants behind him immediately stepped forward, subtly shielding Yu De in the center, and the atmosphere instantly became somewhat tense.
The six men moved in perfect unison, seemingly taking only a casual step, yet perfectly blocking all possible angles of attack from Yu De. Their footsteps were extremely light, almost silent, their bodies as steady as rocks, clearly demonstrating exceptional lower body strength. Their gazes were locked on Zhang Kui like hawks, sharp and focused, without the slightest wavering, exuding a chilling aura honed through years of combat.
Zhang Kui was no ordinary man; he immediately sensed the undisguised hostility and pressure. But having been on the battlefield for many years and possessing profound skills, how could he be intimidated by the imposing manner of a few soldiers?
Although a hint of displeasure flashed through his mind, Zhang Kui remained outwardly calm. He merely adjusted the position of his hand, which had been casually resting on his knee. Seemingly unintentional, it subtly aligned with a defensive stance. His aura was contained and unreleased, like a powerful bow that was drawn but not released. This caused the six followers to feel an invisible counterforce, and their pupils contracted slightly in unison.