Return of the King, Dominating the City-Chapter 1616 - 1510: The Condition

If he wasn’t already familiar with this old man’s bizarre nature, Song Yun would have held a gun to his head, forcing him to treat Xiao Qing. The old man’s attitude towards life is as mysterious and strange as his methods of saving people.

Although the old man is unknown to the outside world and lacks the fame of those hyped-up medical doctors,

he is an absolute legend in a certain field. He is skilled in medicine, but every time he treats someone, he demands a very peculiar condition. If one cannot meet his condition, there is no discussion.

Years ago, when the wife of Fei Chong, the Sect Leader of the Eight Diagrams Sect, was gravely ill, Fei Chong heard of this person’s exceptional medical skills. He sent someone with a generous gift to invite him, but the old man flatly refused. Fei Chong understood the temperament of these Martial World eccentrics, so the second time he came personally to show his sincerity. This time, the old man did not refuse but proposed a condition that was unbearable for Fei Chong.

In a fit of anger, Fei Chong’s men dragged the old man back, first trying to persuade him gently, then with severe torture, and finally with the threat of death. Even after crippling one of his legs, the old man still refused to treat Fei Chong’s wife. In the end, Fei Chong’s wife heard of this and went personally to apologize to him. To everyone’s surprise, upon seeing Fei Chong’s wife, the old man immediately agreed. Within three days, he cured the strange disease that had troubled her for over a decade. Afterward, Fei Chong asked the old man why he suddenly changed his mind and treated his wife. The old man chuckled and replied, ’Because your wife is too beautiful, it would be a pity if she died’.

Later, many people, unable to endure the conditions he set based on his mood, tied him up and brought him back, but after much back and forth, they ended up agreeing to his demands.

Song Yun knew the old man’s proud nature. Although Song Yun did know a few methods of coercion, he didn’t want to use them on this old man. The old man held a cherished childhood memory for Song Yun, and years ago, they had shared a friendship centered around gentlemanly literature. The methods others used were no less brutal than his; they failed, and Song Yun didn’t want to try again, fearing only to worsen the situation.

Song Yun took a deep breath, trying hard to keep his mind calm. Then a wave of dizziness came over him, nearly causing him to faint from lack of oxygen. Damn, the air in this room is toxic.

"Old man, don’t you like this treasure?" Song Yun pointed at the iPadx in the old man’s hand, squinting and asking. He had bought this iPadx in Yanjing and specially loaded it with a bunch of movies. Know thy enemy, win every battle.

Due to their childhood acquaintance, Song Yun had some understanding of this eccentric doctor’s preferences. Apart from rare creatures and exotic medicines, he was also interested in such gadgets. Initially, Song Yun considered buying a few Playboy magazines, but those were too common; the old man had seen them before, and gifting them now wouldn’t show sincerity. But this iPadx was different. The old man hadn’t stepped out of his home in years and probably hadn’t seen one; furthermore, the new iPadx was small, portable, combined media and text, was visually attractive, and he could make up an extraordinary story for it. After interacting with those high-society people, Song Yun understood the importance of packaging.

The old man did not respond, absorbed in watching the large screen of the iPadx with shining eyes. At some point, he had put on his headphones again. It had to be said, this old man was a genius. Song Yun had deliberately turned it on out of his sight, hoping to use it as a mild threat. Unexpectedly, the old man figured it out and started using it by himself.

Song Yun unhappily yanked the headphones off his ears and pointed at the iPadx, "Old man, don’t you like this thing?"

The old man, irked by Song Yun’s repeated interruptions, moodily replied, "Yes, I like it."

"Then help treat my friend. If you cure her, I’ll give you this one-of-a-kind item," Song Yun coaxed him. He had left Xiao Qing outside earlier, afraid of blushing in front of someone knowledgeable.

"No," the old man shook his head.

"Then give me back the treasure," Song Yun said, frustrated, reaching for the iPadx.

"No. You gave it to me," the old man hurriedly hid the iPadx inside his clothes, afraid that Song Yun would snatch it away.

"I said I would give it to you if you cured my friend’s illness. You aren’t helping me at all, why should I give it to you? No one gives gifts for nothing, understand?" Song Yun held his breath and patiently explained.

"No. Anyway, it’s in my hands now, you gave it to me," the old man played coy and started running outside. Song Yun quickly followed. Though talking in the room allowed him to avoid Xiao Qing, the air inside made him feel suffocated. He feared dying not at the hands of the Elder Council but right there in the old man’s house.

The old man ran to the door, tightly clutching his pocket, watching Song Yun warily, fearing that he’d snatch the treasure away.

Song Yun took several deep breaths of fresh air, gradually approaching the old man. The old man bolted, ready to run.

"Hey, old man, don’t run. I won’t snatch it. Let’s sit down and talk," Song Yun quickly conveyed his intentions.

"When you stole my ’Silver Bottle Plum’ back then, you said the same. I don’t believe you. Don’t come near; if you do, I’ll run," the old man shouted, turning his head.

Seeing Xiao Qing’s inquisitive eyes gazing over, Song Yun awkwardly touched his nose. Damn, is my reputation really that bad?

Song Yun gestured at the old man, smiling, "Alright, alright. I won’t come over. Let’s have a long-distance discussion. Old man, tell me, what do I need to do for you to agree to treat my friend?"

"I haven’t thought it over. You guys come back in a few days after I’ve decided," the old man said after pondering.

Song Yun knew this was a stalling tactic. Believing him would likely drag things out for who knows how long. Time was precious, and Song Yun had to hurry to Yanjing after settling this matter, maybe even return to Sunan to resolve some issues. No time to waste here. It was then that Song Yun suddenly grasped a principle: dealing with women is indeed more amusing than dealing with men. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"Old man, you’re a genius, how could a question stump you for days? I think you can come up with something in three minutes. I’ve always admired your wisdom; three minutes... within three minutes, whatever requirement you have, I will... um... old man, for the sake of the treasure I gave you, please don’t set too difficult a condition," Song Yun pleaded with a wry smile. If the conditions were simple, he wouldn’t be an eccentric doctor.

The old man was quite receptive to Song Yun’s flattery. After hearing Song Yun, he looked at the treasure in his hand and nodded, agreeing. "Alright, this genius will test you." Clutching the iPadx tightly and wearing a pair of unidentifiable colored homemade cotton shoes, the old man began circling around Song Yun from a distance, scrutinizing thoughtfully.

Xiao Qing and Song Yun’s eyes followed the old man’s steps. Song Yun was somewhat tense. Although Xiao Qing was skeptical of this doctor’s skills, the fact that Song Yun did not trust the famous doctors of Yanjing and brought her here indicated that this eccentric old man indeed had remarkable attributes. However, if the condition he proposed was too harsh, would she need to make such great a sacrifice?