Some of the alchemists were waiting anxiously, some were bowing their heads in deep thought, and others were whispering amongst themselves.
However, when they saw a youth of only sixteen or seventeen suddenly enter the side courtyard, they all clearly revealed astonished expressions.
One had to realise that the youngest person here was already over forty. At Ling Xiao’s age, he was truly far too young.
Ling Xiao paid no attention to these doubtful gazes and simply walked into the courtyard.
There was a pavilion there. Inside it stood an armchair, and an old man was lying upon it while Feng Ming Piaoxue kept him company at his side.
Ling Xiao looked at Feng Ming Piaoxue, and Feng Ming Piaoxue also noticed Ling Xiao.
“Why are you here!”
Upon seeing Ling Xiao, Feng Ming Piaoxue was not the least bit pleased.
Back in Divine Phoenix Imperial City, this fellow had given her no face at all. He had actually contradicted her in front of others, making her extremely angry and annoyed.
“Oh, you two know each other?”
Although Elder Ancestor Chang Le was injured, he could still speak and move normally. When Feng Ming Piaoxue spoke to the newly arrived youth, he asked a question.
“Grandfather, this guy is the Ling Xiao I told you about. He’s far too arrogant. He didn’t give me any face at all and caused me to lose face in front of my peers.”
Feng Ming Piaoxue shook Elder Ancestor Chang Le’s arm as she spoke.
“Heh heh, so he is the Heavenly Emperor Ling Xiao of the Heavenly Dynasty. Interesting. I never expected him to be so young.”
Elder Ancestor Chang Le looked at Ling Xiao, a trace of interest appearing in his eyes.
“Grandfather, help me teach him a lesson, please. Otherwise, I’ll really lose all face!”
At Divine Phoenix Academy, Feng Ming Piaoxue always acted aloof and cold, yet in front of Elder Ancestor Chang Le, she instantly turned into a spoiled little girl. No one knew which version was her true self.
“Piaoxue, stop fooling around. Everyone who has come today is here to treat your grandfather’s injuries. How can you speak of teaching someone a lesson?”
A man who appeared to be in his forties smiled bitterly, shook his head, and spoke to Feng Ming Piaoxue.
“He deserves to treat my grandfather’s injuries? If he can really cure my grandfather, I’ll marry him!”
Feng Ming Piaoxue wore an expression of utter disdain.
Although she knew Ling Xiao understood some medicine, her grandfather’s injury was a major problem that even yellow-grade alchemists could not solve. With Ling Xiao’s ability, how could he possibly manage it?
“I couldn’t possibly accept that offer, Miss Piaoxue.”
Ling Xiao said calmly.
“What did you say?”
Feng Ming Piaoxue could hardly believe her ears. “Are you saying this young lady is not good enough for a mere human like you?”
The expressions of both the man and Elder Ancestor Chang Le turned rather ugly. After all, Feng Ming Piaoxue was their relative. Being looked down upon like this was a serious loss of face for them.
“This isn’t a question of being good enough or not. I came here for only one thing, the Chang Le Flower of Chang Le Immortal Island. As for anything else, I haven’t considered it for the time being.”
Ling Xiao continued to speak calmly and evenly.
“It seems the young fellow is rather confident. Very well, stand to the side for now. If you truly manage to heal this old man’s injuries, let alone the Chang Le Flower, this old man will gift you something even more valuable.”
Since Elder Ancestor Chang Le needed help, he did not insist on blaming Ling Xiao. Still, like Feng Ming Piaoxue, he clearly did not take Ling Xiao’s words seriously and regarded them as the overconfidence of youth, nothing worth mentioning.
Ling Xiao cupped his hands, then stood to one side and waited.
After roughly a quarter of an hour, Tong Gang led the final group of alchemists into the side courtyard.
“Everyone, no one knows the exact condition of our ancestor’s injuries. Precisely because the cause cannot be found, treatment is impossible. So many alchemists have gathered today. I believe that if we all work together, we will find a way. Let us begin. Please come forward one by one in the order you arrived and try.”
Tong Gang announced.
“Anyone who can identify the cause of the ancestor’s illness will receive generous rewards. If you can cure him, the reward will be doubled!”
Hearing this, the alchemists immediately formed a queue.
Ling Xiao was in no hurry. He found a place to sit, poured himself some tea, and watched the people ahead of him perform.
Their diagnostic processes also served as a reference for him.
The first to step forward and diagnose Elder Ancestor Chang Le was a white-bearded old man who appeared to be over a hundred years old. He was a yellow-grade alchemist, the strongest among the yellow-grade alchemists.
Yet after more than ten minutes, he helplessly shook his head and said, “I am sorry. This old man is incompetent. I cannot determine the cause of the ancestor’s illness. This injury is truly strange. I genuinely cannot discover what caused it.”
Hearing this, Feng Ming Piaoxue, Tong Gang, and the man showed no disappointment, for they had already expected this outcome.
Before coming here, they had already tried having alchemists on Chang Le Immortal Island examine him, and none of them could find the cause either.
The old man stepped aside but did not leave. After him, many alchemists went forward eagerly, only to shake their heads helplessly.
Not a single person managed to diagnose the true cause of Elder Ancestor Chang Le’s condition, let alone treat it.
“Sigh, I said long ago that coming here would be pointless. Which alchemist on Chang Le Immortal Island isn’t superior to those here? Yet you insisted on coming and wasting everyone’s time.”
Seeing that only Ling Xiao remained among the alchemists present and had yet to act, Elder Ancestor Chang Le had completely lost hope and was even somewhat angry.
He had travelled while ill from Chang Le Immortal Island to Sin City. That journey had truly been exhausting, so of course he felt unhappy.
The alchemists who had already attempted diagnosis did not look pleased. Although they were furious at Elder Ancestor Chang Le’s words, they had to admit they had indeed failed to produce any meaningful diagnosis. They could only lower their heads and sigh helplessly.
“Senior is mistaken. The alchemists of Chang Le Immortal Island are not necessarily better than those of Sin City. If they were, Senior would not need to come here seeking medical help.”
At that moment, a cold and arrogant voice rang out, drawing everyone’s attention.
“It’s him?”
Everyone looked and saw that the speaker was none other than the youth who had been sitting and drinking tea.
“How dare you speak to my grandfather like that?”
Feng Ming Piaoxue exploded with rage.
The failed alchemists around them looked at Ling Xiao, a trace of anticipation appearing on their faces.
They too disliked Elder Ancestor Chang Le’s words, but none of them dared to retort.
Now that Ling Xiao had spoken up, they naturally supported him from the bottom of their hearts, though they did not dare say so openly.
“You are the rude one! Didn’t your family teach you how to treat an alchemist who has sincerely come to save a life? From what I see, you want your grandfather dead.”
Ling Xiao glanced indifferently at Feng Ming Piaoxue and suddenly countered sharply.
“I… I don’t!”
Feng Ming Piaoxue was instantly rendered speechless. She did not know how to refute Ling Xiao, because his words were correct.
