Chapter 179: Making Friends

Ji Shi Tang.

Having just sent away the last returning Patient, Jiang Feng was lowering his head to organize the medical records when a plain white hand gently rested on the examination table.

"Doctor Jiang, I was attacked a few days ago and got a bit injured; I wonder if you could take a look?"

A cool, clear female voice came.

Jiang Feng looked up, and what met his eyes was Lu Xiao in a black, sturdy outfit.

Jiang Feng felt something stir in his mind and instantly guessed her purpose.

The Dragon Group, together with the stationed troops, is conducting a citywide hunt for Ling Zhaixing; now Lu Xiao suddenly shows up, claiming to come for the injury, but her true aim is clearly not the injury—it's aimed at Ling Zhaixing.

But he remains outwardly calm.

"Group Leader Lu, please sit; let me take a look."

Lu Xiao, following the instruction, sat down and extended her wrist wrapped in gauze.

Jiang Feng placed his hand on her pulse.

He pondered for a moment, then withdrew his hand.

"Group Leader Lu's external injury is not serious; it's just a superficial skin injury, easy to treat. However, your internal condition is not optimistic; the reverse flow of true Qi is severe. If this continues long-term, it will not only affect your cultivation level but may also damage the tendons and meridians, leaving a lingering ailment."

Lu Xiao's complexion changed slightly, and a flash of surprise flickered in her eyes.

The reverse flow of true Qi is her biggest secret—could Jiang Feng discern it at a glance?

"Doctor Jiang is joking; I only have a simple external injury—where would reverse true Qi come from?"

Lu Xiao forced a calm denial.

Jiang Feng's mouth curved into a faint smile, without exposing the truth.

"Group Leader Lu is a martial practitioner; pulse patterns cannot deceive. The technique you cultivate is domineering and fierce, which doesn't match your constitution; forcing it further causes true Qi to be unable to flow smoothly, resulting in reverse flow."

With those words, Lu Xiao's complexion completely changed.

She practices the Lu family's ancestral Standing Blade Technique, a method that is fierce and domineering; historically it has been passed only to Lu family males, because a woman's constitution is softer and hard to master.

But in this generation of the Lu family there is only her as a girl; to inherit the Lu family's Standing Blade Heirloom Vessel, she can only force herself to cultivate.

These years she has relied on Medicine to suppress the hidden risk of reverse true Qi, and this matter is extremely secret; Jiang Feng managed to deduce everything just by pulse reading!

Lu Xiao suddenly recalled that the person who saved her that day resembled Jiang Feng in stature; could it be…

A thought sparked in her mind, and she decided to use the chance to test him.

She then, following Jiang Feng's words, said: "I didn't expect Doctor Jiang to be not only proficient in medicine, but also to understand martial arts?"

Jiang Feng lifted his gaze, saw through her test, and gave a faint smile.

"I know a little. If I didn't know martial arts, how could I have saved Group Leader Lu that night in Chengjiao?"

Boom!

The words rang like thunder in Lu Xiao's mind, exploding; she shivered all over, looking at Jiang Feng in disbelief.

It really is him!

The mysterious savior that night was indeed Jiang Feng!

Lu Xiao hadn't recovered from the shock when Jiang Feng spoke again.

"Moreover, I can help you improve the technique you cultivate. With a slight adjustment, your true Qi will flow smoothly, no longer reverse, and it may even elevate your strength by another level."

"What?"

Lu Xiao sprang to her feet, her eyes full of shock, her voice trembling.

"You… you really can improve the Standing Blade Technique?"

The Standing Blade Technique is a technique passed down in the Lu family for centuries.

Successive ancestors have all tried to modify it to allow women to cultivate, but have never succeeded.

Jiang Feng claimed he could do it, which left her inevitably shocked.

"Of course. The issue with the Standing Blade Technique is that it has plenty of ferocity but lacks flexibility; by adding buffering methods at a few key energy‑circulation points, it can be adapted to your constitution."

Lu Xiao's heart raced.

If Jiang Feng truly can improve the Standing Blade Technique, it would not only resolve her reverse true Qi problem but also be tantamount to helping the entire Lu family!

But she also knows that Jiang Feng would have his own purpose in doing so.

After all, she and Jiang Feng have only met a few times.

So what exactly does he want to obtain from her?

Just as Lu Xiao's thoughts swirled, a faint footstep sounded from the direction of the ward.

Both turned their heads simultaneously and saw a woman in a blue coarse cloth dress step out, looking like an ordinary country girl.

She was Ling Zhaixing after Yifu.

Seeing Lu Xiao at the examination table, Ling Zhaixing's steps faltered, and a barely perceptible tension flashed in her eyes.

But she quickly regained composure, lowered her head, and prepared to walk toward the Medicine room.

Lu Xiao watched her back, her brows slightly furrowed, feeling an inexplicable familiarity in her heart, yet unable to pinpoint what was off.

The woman seemed unremarkable, but her figure and walking posture always gave Lu Xiao a sense of déjà vu.

"Doctor Jiang, who is this?"

Lu Xiao pointed at Ling Zhaixing.

Jiang Feng followed her gaze and said lightly.

"Oh, this is my newly hired assistant, called A Ling. The Medical Hall is too busy, so I hired a helper; she also knows a bit of pharmacology, can help with gathering and brewing Medicine."

Lu Xiao stared at her for a few seconds, seeing her expression natural and without any flaw; though her doubts were not entirely dispelled, she asked no further.

She stopped lingering, turned to look at Jiang Feng.

"Doctor Jiang, can you really improve the Standing Blade Technique? I wonder what conditions you have?"

She knows in her heart that there is no free lunch in the world; Jiang Feng will not help her without reason.

Jiang Feng smiled.

"There are no conditions; I just hope to befriend Group Leader Lu."

Lu Xiao's gaze hardened.

A free lunch is the most expensive.

Jiang Feng's friendship is likely even more costly.

Yet faced with the temptation of improving the Standing Blade Secret, Lu Xiao finds it hard to refuse.

She pondered briefly and said, "If you truly can improve the Standing Blade Secret, Lu Xiao would very much like to befriend Doctor Jiang."

Jiang Feng nodded.

"Alright. In three days, come back to Ji Shi Tang; I will give you the improved Method. However, I have a request: during this time, the Dragon Group must not disturb Ji Shi Tang's normal operations."

"No problem."

Lu Xiao agreed in one breath.

"I will instruct them not to disturb Doctor Jiang."

After speaking, Lu Xiao turned and left.

Watching Lu Xiao's figure disappear at the doorway, Ling Zhaixing finally exhaled, a fine layer of cold sweat seeping from her forehead.

When Lu Xiao stared at her earlier, she truly thought her Yifu had been seen through.

"She left."

Jiang Feng's voice came.

Ling Zhaixing walked to the examination table, removed the Yifu mask from her face, revealing her original appearance.

"That scared me to death just now; I thought she had recognized me."

"Lu Xiao's mind is meticulous; they still have doubts about you and will definitely keep a close watch."

Jiang Feng said, "From now on, in front of her, speak as little as possible, do more, and don't show any flaws."

"Understood."

Ling Zhaixing nodded, suddenly recalling something.

"By the way, the person you saved me from yesterday, really a subordinate of Jiangnan Wang?"

The vendetta of an annihilated clan, this is the only reason Ling Zhaixing lives now.

So at this moment, just after recovery, she immediately thought of that person behind the scenes.

Jiang Feng nodded, "Yes, Jiangnan Wang… I still have some friction with that guy, but I believe he's not doing well either now."