Immortal Martial Emperor

"Um, let me give it a try!"

The calm voice carried a tentative tone.

The voice was unfamiliar—so much so that everyone present was taken aback, only then turning to look at Hong Yu.

Meeting their confused, curious, and questioning gazes, Hong Yu gave a wry smile and rubbed his nose. "I once studied under a Spiritual Craftsman, so I’ve done some research on treating difficult and unusual illnesses!"

"Oh?"

Xu Rongchang’s eyes lit up, but he didn’t agree immediately. Instead, he looked toward Xu Wudi.

After all, Hong Yu had come with Xu Wudi!

Xu Wudi’s eyes flickered. She looked at Hong Yu and asked earnestly, "Hong Yu, can you really cure my sister?"

Hong Yu shrugged. "I can’t be one hundred percent certain. I can only say I’ll give it a try."

"Well..."

Xu Wudi hesitated for a moment.

But then she thought about how Hong Yu, at such a young age, possessed the strength to defeat Qi Feng. He also had unfathomable talent as a Spiritual System Spirit Cultivator and even knew the mysterious man who had harmed her sister. All of this shrouded his origins in mystery.

Looking again at her sister’s haggard face, Xu Wudi gritted her teeth. "Alright, then. I’ll let you try!"

Hong Yu nodded.

He had searched the *Divine Medicine Scripture* and found some records related to the condition of Xu Wudi’s sister.

It wasn’t an incurable disease. Her weakness was merely a side effect of taking medicine for years to suppress her body and keep her in a deep sleep.

Now, the side effects had fully erupted, and her frail body could no longer withstand them.

It wasn’t nearly as esoteric or difficult to treat as Hu Jun had claimed.

Just as Hong Yu was preparing to make his diagnosis, Hu Jun and his master exchanged a look, and both saw the anger in each other’s eyes.

Master Hu gave an imperceptible nod.

He held himself in high regard. As a distinguished Tier Four Spiritual Craftsman, he was the undisputed leader among the Spiritual Craftsmen of the vast Ice Kingdom.

He was extremely intolerant of any dissenting opinions.

Let alone from a mere wet-behind-the-ears brat like Hong Yu.

Hu Jun thought the same way.

’My master and I are of such noble status! And I was just about to use this opportunity to get close to Xu Wudi, maybe even get her to marry me.’

He had been fantasizing about how he would conquer Xu Wudi, but then Hong Yu had come out of nowhere to ruin his plans. This was already unbearable for Hu Jun, and now, with his master’s approval, he felt even more emboldened.

He snorted coldly and said in a snide tone, "The world is a strange place these days. Any random nobody dares to claim they can cure illnesses. What kind of Spiritual Craftsman did you study under? Probably some Tier One Spiritual Craftsman, or maybe an Apprentice Spiritual Craftsman?"

Hu Jun turned to Xu Rongchang and Xu Wudi. "Patriarch Xu, Second Miss... It’s not that I wish to stir up trouble, but there’s no shortage of incompetent frauds these days! They might talk a good game, but they have no real skill. If you just hand the Eldest Miss over to him and something goes wrong, it would be terrible if she were sent to the Yellow Springs!"

"This..."

Xu Rongchang faltered, suddenly becoming hesitant.

He was normally a decisive man.

Otherwise, he could not have managed the Xu Family to such a position of strength that even the Royal Family felt threatened, tacitly allowing the Tang and Cheng Families to join forces to suppress them.

But this concerned the life and death of his beloved daughter...

"Hong Yu, how confident are you that you can cure my daughter?" Xu Rongchang asked, looking at Hong Yu.

Hong Yu smiled. "First, I’d like to hear from Master Hu. With the treatment method you just proposed, what are your chances of curing the Eldest Miss’s illness?"

Xu Rongchang and the others all turned to Master Hu.

Master Hu frowned slightly. He gave Hong Yu a deep look, then said indifferently, "When a person falls ill, it is never a single isolated problem. One small issue can affect the entire body. Eldest Miss Xu has been sick for five years and in a deep sleep for three of them. Even if a Tier Five or even a Tier Six Spiritual Craftsman were to intervene, the chances would likely be fifty-fifty."

Master Hu’s words sounded grand and eloquent.

But one had to admit, a layman hearing this would take his words as gospel.

Unfortunately...

Hong Yu wasn’t buying it. He smiled. "Master Hu, you’re too modest. You are the number one Spiritual Craftsman in the Ice Kingdom and have been the Eldest Miss’s exclusive Spiritual Craftsman for three years. Your understanding of her condition should be unparalleled in this world!"

"Heh heh!"

Master Hu stroked his long, white beard with a trace of pride.

Clearly, he was very pleased by Hong Yu’s flattery.

Hu Jun also looked proud and boasted, "But of course! With my master’s skill, he would have a place even among the ranks of Spiritual Craftsmen in the entire Xiahuang Ancient Kingdom! With him on the case, the chances of curing the Eldest Miss are absolutely ten..."

Before he could finish, Master Hu quickly let out a few dry coughs.

Hu Jun froze. Seeing his master blinking at him repeatedly, his heart skipped a beat. He quickly retracted the words on the tip of his tongue and corrected himself, "With my master acting, the chances are definitely seven... ah, no, definitely around sixty percent!"

After he finished speaking, Hu Jun looked at his master with a smug expression.

But Master Hu’s old face darkened.

’If outsiders weren’t present, Master Hu would have already started cursing him. ’You master-screwing bastard! If I really had a sixty percent chance of curing her, why would she have been lying in bed for over three years, unable to get up?’’

But Hu Jun was completely unaware that he had just popped his own boastful bubble.

He still wore a triumphant look!

Hong Yu clapped his hands and clicked his tongue in admiration. "Impressive, Master Hu is truly impressive. To have a sixty percent chance of curing the Eldest Miss."

Hong Yu looked at Xu Rongchang, spread his hands, and said with a regretful expression, "My apologies, Patriarch Xu. This junior was going to give it a try, but unfortunately, I only have a fifty percent chance of curing the Eldest Miss. I never thought Master Hu would have a sixty percent chance. It’s better to let him handle it!"

After speaking, Hong Yu looked at Master Hu and his apprentice with a mocking expression.

It wasn’t that he was petty or malicious!

It was just that this master-apprentice duo had gone too far. It was one thing for them to constantly belittle him, but to try and use a person’s life to blackmail Xu Wudi into marrying Hu Jun was another matter entirely.

This affair infuriated Hong Yu.

That’s why he couldn’t resist striking back and putting them in their place.

Moreover...

’If you’re going to slap someone’s face, you have to do it hard.’

Xu Rongchang and the Xu Family Elders looked at each other, their expressions turning ugly as they stared at Master Hu. "Master Hu, what’s going on? When we asked you before, didn’t you say you only had about a twenty percent chance? How did it suddenly become sixty percent?"

"This... this..."

Master Hu angrily tore out a handful of his beard, too frustrated to speak.

Hu Jun’s expression also shifted constantly.

He finally understood that his master’s earlier glance wasn’t one of approval, but one that said he wanted to beat him to a pulp!

Hu Jun shot an angry glare at Hong Yu, but Hong Yu simply stared at his nose, his nose at his heart—the very picture of someone who had nothing to do with the situation.

Hu Jun was so angry his teeth itched.

With an almost pleading gaze, he looked at Master Hu. Master Hu gave a bitter smile and could only brace himself and say, "Patriarch Xu, please don’t blame me. When this old man mentioned a twenty percent chance before, it was because I had not yet refined the Life-extending Pill. Now that I have successfully refined a Fourth Grade Life-extending Pill, I thus have a sixty percent chance!"

"Really?"

Xu Rongchang frowned.

Astute as he was, how could he not see the guilt in Master Hu’s eyes?

Master Hu stroked his beard and said with a regretful look, "Since Patriarch Xu does not believe this old man, then I shall take my leave!"

"Master Hu, please wait!"

Xu Rongchang gave a wry smile. "Master Hu, please don’t take offense. This matter truly concerns my young daughter’s life..."

"This old man can understand Patriarch Xu’s feelings. It’s not impossible for me to continue. However, I detest it when some irrelevant person stands on the sidelines, pointing fingers and stirring up trouble..." Master Hu shot a sideways glance at Hong Yu.

Xu Rongchang was instantly put in a difficult position.

’But Hong Yu said he had a fifty percent chance!’

’Am I supposed to just kick Hong Yu out?’

But just then, Hong Yu smiled. "Patriarch Xu, there’s no need to be troubled. Since Master Hu says he has a sixty percent chance of curing the Eldest Miss, and this junior only has a fifty percent chance, why not let Master Hu try first? If it really doesn’t work, this junior can step in. That way, you have an extra layer of assurance."

"Master Hu, what do you think?" Xu Rongchang asked, looking at Master Hu.

Master Hu’s face grew thoughtful, but inwardly he was thinking: ’After three years of medicinal suppression, this Eldest Miss Xu is already on death’s door. Forget a Fourth Grade Life-extending Pill, not even a Fifth-Grade one could save her. Rather than drive this kid away only to have my reputation ruined when I fail to save her, I might as well go along with his idea.’

’I’ll make the first move. If it doesn’t work, I’ll let him try.’

’That way, if anything goes wrong, he’ll be the one to take the blame, and my reputation won’t be damaged!’

At this thought, Master Hu nodded. "If that’s the case, then it’s settled! However..."

Master Hu glanced at Hong Yu, a cold smile appearing on his face. "Since we are both going to take action, this will be a contest of medical skill. And since it’s a contest, there must naturally be stakes. I wonder, little fellow, what can you put up?"

"Master Hu, why don’t you just say it? What do you want to bet?" Hong Yu said with a smile.

"Good, little brother is indeed straightforward!"

Master Hu laughed, but his smile was chilling. "If we’re going to bet, let’s make it a big one. What I hate most is people pointing fingers and gossiping about me. If you lose, we’ll cut out your tongue and chop off your hands and feet as a warning to others!"

HISS!

The moment Master Hu said this, it triggered a wave of sharp gasps.

Hu Jun’s eyes lit up. "That’s right! That’s what I call a sincere wager!"

Hong Yu also narrowed his eyes slightly.

’This master and apprentice are truly ruthless!’

’When it comes down to it, we’ve only had a verbal conflict, and it was always them who were excessively provocative. And now they’re proposing such a vicious bet?’

Xu Rongchang said with some displeasure, "Master Hu, isn’t that going a bit too far?"

But Master Hu shook his head. "My reputation is at stake. This is not too far."

Hu Jun said smugly, "So, do you still dare to bet? If not, then kneel, kowtow, admit defeat, and get lost!"

Hong Yu took a deep breath and grinned. "Since you two are in such high spirits, I’ll take that bet. But if I lose, I lose my tongue, hands, and feet. What happens if you lose?"

"Us, lose? How is that possible..."

Hu Jun sneered, utterly confident. "If we really lose, then the same goes for us!"

"Good!"

After the two parties signed an agreement, Master Hu took out the Fourth Grade Life-extending Pill.

Eldest Miss Xu swallowed it. The medicinal power of the Fourth-Grade Spirit Pill was potent, and it did indeed bring some color back to her face, but she still didn’t wake up.

A full five hours passed, and it was finally Hong Yu’s turn.

Hong Yu stepped forward. Without using any Spirit Medicine, he simply formed a Sword Pointing gesture and gently tapped the center of Eldest Miss Xu’s brow.

WAH!

Eldest Miss Xu instantly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, and her aura immediately weakened.

Everyone’s expression changed drastically. Hu Jun, in particular, leaped out, screaming with hysterical excitement, "You’re finished! You’ve killed Eldest Miss Xu..."

But Hong Yu just smiled faintly, a sinister curve on his lips...

"Are you... so sure?"