Chapter 8: Hall of Divine Peace

"What do you mean?" Xie Meina’s brow furrowed even deeper.

"This young Master Li beside you has clearly indulged in pleasure far too much; his physical foundation is long since hollowed out. As for certain aspects, well, I don't need to spell it out for you to imagine," Xiao Nan said, a playful smirk dancing on his lips as he looked at Li Yadong. "What difference is there between marrying a man like this and living as a widow?"

"Can't you smell the scent of medicine clinging to him? It’s obvious he’s been trying to treat that very issue."

Stung by having his sore spot poked, Li Yadong turned bright red with rage. "What the hell are you babbling about?" he spat. "Meina, don't listen to this brat! You know perfectly well how vigorous I was last night."

Hearing this, a blush crept across Xie Meina’s face, and she nodded in agreement.

Xiao Nan let out a cold, derisive laugh. "Vigor forced by medication is nothing more than a paper tiger. You’re overdrawing your body now, but I’d like to see how long you can keep that up. You were already feeling a bit out of your depth last night, weren't you?"

Xiao Nan’s words were like a sharp blade, piercing straight into Li Yadong’s heart. Observing Li’s reaction, a flicker of strange emotion crossed Xie Meina’s eyes. But before she could dwell on it, Xiao Nan turned his gaze to her with a smile that left her feeling an ominous sense of unease.

"And Li Yadong," Xiao Nan continued, "your fiancée’s appetite is not exactly modest. If you can’t even satisfy the basics, how long do you think she’ll stick around? I fear it won't be long after your wedding before you find yourself wearing a pair of horns."

Xie Meina shrieked, "Brother Yadong, don't listen to this brat's nonsense! I am utterly loyal to you; I would never do anything to betray you!"

"Meina, I believe you. This guy is just talking trash," Li Yadong nodded, finding common ground with her.

Seeing Xiao Nan about to speak again, Li Yadong roared, "Shut your mouth, kid! Still talking nonsense? See if I don't tear your mouth apart!" With that, he charged at Xiao Nan, throwing a punch toward his face.

Xiao Nan sneered in disdain. He took a slight step back, dodging the blow, and followed up with a knee strike to Li Yadong’s chest. Li stumbled backward, landing hard on his backside right in front of Xie Meina. He felt as though his windpipe had been blocked, gasping for air.

His face turned deathly pale, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead. It took a long time for him to recover.

"Brother Yadong, are you alright?" Xie Meina asked anxiously, stroking his chest. "This brat is just a country bumpkin with nothing but brute strength. Why bother getting your hands dirty, Brother Yadong? He’s not worth your time."

Xiao Nan shrugged. "Now do you see why I said you two are such a perfect match? Li Yadong, Xie Meina, try to take care of yourselves. And one more piece of advice: sometimes, people practically beg to have their faces slapped."

With those words, Xiao Nan turned and headed down the mountain. Li Yadong sat on the ground, watching Xiao Nan’s receding back, his fists clenched tightly, his face twisted with hatred. "Fine, kid," he hissed through gritted teeth. "Just because I couldn't beat you today doesn't mean I can't deal with you! If I can't even handle a bumpkin like you, there’s no point in me staying in Luo City!"

He pulled out his phone and made a call. "Brother Leopard, I need you to help me take care of someone."

A low, cold voice came from the other end: "Why should I help you?"

Li Yadong gritted his teeth. "Because my father saved your life back then. If it weren't for him, you wouldn't have been able to take control of the South District so easily, would you?"

There was a moment of silence, then a flat reply: "Fine. I agree. But let me be clear, I am only helping you this one time!"

"Good, thank you, Brother Leopard!"

After hanging up, Li Yadong brushed the dust off his clothes and stood up. Regaining his arrogant demeanor, he took Xie Meina’s hand and headed deeper into Emerald Mountain.

Taxis were generally forbidden within Emerald Mountain; one had to walk to the main road to catch one. Xiao Nan was lucky; he happened to flag down a taxi that had just dropped off an owner and was heading back.

"Brother, let me ask you something," Xiao Nan said after getting in. "Where is the best place to buy traditional Chinese medicine in Luo City?"

The driver, having traveled far and wide, knew every corner of the city. "If you’re looking for the best, that would be Shen’an Tang. Everything there is authentic, and the physicians are top-tier. It’s actually owned by one of the three great doctors of Luo City, Dr. Xu. My niece had a serious illness that no one could cure, but after two acupuncture sessions and two prescriptions from Shen’an Tang, she was right as rain."

"Good, let’s go to Shen’an Tang," Xiao Nan decided.

"You got it! Though, young man, the medicine is effective, but it isn't cheap. Do you have enough money?" the driver asked.

Xiao Nan smiled but said nothing. He had more than enough. Lin Guoliang had given him fifty million yesterday; that was more than enough for herbs.

Half an hour later, Xiao Nan stepped out in front of a three-story building. Shen’an Tang stood out from the surrounding modern skyscrapers with its retro architecture. A massive plaque hung above the entrance, inscribed with the words "Shen’an Tang" in small seal script—written, according to the driver, by a famous calligrapher during the Daoguang era.

Xiao Nan looked at the characters, which exuded a sense of unrestrained elegance. Below the plaque hung a couplet: *May there be no illness in the world; would that medicine on the shelves turn to dust.* It was a testament to their reputation that far outshone any pharmacy’s promotional gimmicks. Even at the door, the air was thick with the scent of herbs.

Xiao Nan entered and listed the herbs he needed, specifying that each must be at least five years old. Such aged herbs were never cheap, and the total quickly reached hundreds of thousands. The young clerk at the counter, wearing glasses, didn't pay him much mind, used to people who just came in to browse.

While Xiao Nan was selecting his items, his peripheral vision caught a uniquely shaped ginseng on the shelf. It was purplish-gold in color, with long, slender roots and a pungent earthy aroma.

*Purple Gold Ginseng!*

It was incredibly rare—one in a hundred thousand. Xiao Nan estimated it had to be at least fifty years old. For ordinary people, it was just a tonic, but for Xiao Nan, who had been stuck at the innate stage since he was ten, it was the key to breaking through to the next level.

Suppressing his excitement, Xiao Nan asked the manager, "Manager, how much for this herb?"

The old manager glanced at the ginseng and sneered, "That ginseng has already been reserved. It’s not for sale, no matter the price!"