Demon Lord and His Unknown Child With the Empress

Chapter 45
I Know a Little Something~

“Save the Qi family…?” Luo Ruying asked with a puzzled expression.

“Yes…”

“Actually, the Qi family is on the verge of being eradicated from Nanli City…” Qi Yuan said, her eyes downcast and her expression gloomy.

“In a few days, it will be the time for the Contests of Commerce between the Qi family and the Jiang family.”

“The Contests of Commerce determine the ownership of the various commercial streets and businesses in Nanli City.”

“In the past, the Qi family and the Jiang family each controlled fifty percent of the city’s businesses. But in recent years, the Jiang family, relying on their powerful backing, has been expanding and forcibly seizing our properties!”

“Now, the Qi family controls less than thirty percent of the businesses…”

“How do you want me to save the Qi family?” Luo Ruying asked.

“I want to ask Sister Luo to represent the Qi family in the Contests of Commerce!” Qi Yuan pleaded earnestly.

Conflicts and disputes often arose between merchant clans. Once these conflicts escalated, they could easily lead to bloodshed and even the annihilation of entire families!

Therefore, the clans had established a new way to resolve conflicts: the Contests of Commerce!

If two merchant clans had irreconcilable differences, one could choose to challenge the other to a competition.

Both clans would wager their stakes and each would invite a cultivator to represent them in the competition.

The losing side would have to forfeit their wager to the winner.

This kind of competition greatly reduced the instances of clans resorting to covert violence to settle their disputes.

This solution was proposed by an organization called the Treasure Merchant Alliance.

The Treasure Merchant Alliance was an alliance formed by countless merchant clans in the world.

In theory, it was meant for mutual assistance and development, but it also mediated conflicts between merchant clans and maintained stability.

To ensure fairness, whenever two clans held a competition, someone from the Treasure Merchant Alliance would be present as a witness.

This time, it was the Qi family who had challenged the Jiang family.

Years of oppression had finally forced the Qi family to risk everything and challenge the Jiang family in the Contests of Commerce, hoping to reclaim what was rightfully theirs.

However, the cultivators who had initially agreed to fight for the Qi family either suddenly withdrew or died in various “accidents”…

After witnessing Luo Ruying’s formidable strength, Qi Yuan had the idea of asking her for help.

She hadn’t wanted to involve Luo Ruying in the feud between the Qi and Jiang families, especially considering the Jiang family’s powerful backing.

But she was desperate and had no other choice but to ask for Luo Ruying’s assistance.

“Alright, I can represent the Qi family in the competition,” Luo Ruying agreed after a moment of consideration.

On the one hand, she wanted to repay Qi Yuan for the house. On the other hand, she felt that if people like Jiang Li and the Jiang family continued to gain power in the city, it would be impossible to live a peaceful and happy life.

Therefore, she was willing to help Qi Yuan overcome this difficulty.

“That’s wonderful! Thank you, Sister Luo!” Qi Yuan expressed her gratitude with a bow, the weight on her heart lifting slightly.

“You’re welcome,” Luo Ruying replied. “Consider it my payment for accepting this house.”

“Sister Luo! I have another request!”

“Could you take me as your disciple?”

“I can pay you extra!” Qi Yuan said, her expression conflicted for a moment before turning hopeful.

From the first time she saw Luo Ruying’s graceful figure and powerful aura, she was deeply captivated.

Although her family had been merchants for generations, she harbored a dream of cultivating and attaining the Dao!

Luo Ruying didn’t expect Qi Yuan to ask to be her disciple. She looked at her in surprise, then gently shook her head apologetically.

“I’m sorry, I’m not planning to take on any disciples.”

She had chosen to live in seclusion here to lead a peaceful life, so she had no intention of taking on disciples.

Moreover, she was still being pursued and didn’t want to involve anyone else.

“Alright, I apologize for bothering you, Sister Luo…” Qi Yuan said, her expression filled with disappointment.

Since she was young, she had sought out many cultivators to become her master, but they all rejected her.

The reason was an injury she sustained in her childhood, which left lingering damage to her meridians, obstructing the flow of spiritual energy and making it impossible for her to cultivate effectively.

Qi Yuan figured Luo Ruying must have also noticed her condition and deemed her unsuitable for cultivation, lacking the necessary talent, which was why she rejected her…

“Sister Luo, if someone’s meridians are damaged, does that mean they can never cultivate?” Qi Yuan asked, looking up at Luo Ruying with a hint of unwillingness.

Luo Ruying, seeing the expression in Qi Yuan’s eyes, knew who she was referring to. Although she felt sympathy, she still answered truthfully:

“Meridians are the pathways through which cultivators absorb and circulate spiritual energy within their bodies and from the world. They are the foundation of cultivation.”

“Without the ability to absorb and circulate spiritual energy, one cannot truly cultivate.”

“One could say that a person’s meridians are like the paths to immortality.”

“The denser and wider your meridians are, the smoother and longer your cultivation path will be.”

“Is that so… Indeed, it seems I’m fated to have no connection with the path of cultivation…” Qi Yuan said, her expression growing even more dejected.

She wasn’t surprised by the answer.

She had already known this; she was merely asking again to extinguish any lingering hope.

“Then Sister Luo, I’ll take my leave…”

Just as Qi Yuan was about to turn and leave, Ning Yechen’s voice rang out from behind, laced with amusement:

“It’s true that one cannot cultivate with damaged meridians, but wouldn’t it be fine if the meridians were healed?”

Qi Yuan froze, turning around to look at Ning Yechen in surprise.

Of course, she understood this logic.

But how many people in this world could restore damaged meridians?

She has never even heard of anyone capable of such a feat!

Yet, from Ning Yechen’s words, it seemed he had a way to heal her meridians!

“Brother Ning, you… can you help me restore my damaged meridians?” Qi Yuan asked, her eyes filled with hope as she looked at him.

“I know a little something~” Ning Yechen said modestly, raising his chin.

Luo Ruying also looked at Ning Yechen in surprise.

So he also knows medicine and could heal damaged meridians?

That is an incredible ability!

If she still possessed her Empress level cultivation, she could easily heal the old injuries in Qi Yuan’s meridians, but now, even she was unable to do so.

Yet, he, a mere mortal, seems to have a way?!

But thinking back, it wasn’t so strange that Ning Yechen could make medicinal porridge and highly effective healing soups when she was injured.

Perhaps he really does know some medicine…?

“Brother Ning, quickly tell me what to do!”

“Do I need to prepare any medicinal herbs?”

Qi Yuan asked eagerly, practically bouncing with excitement.

She has never been so thrilled!

Ning Yechen smiled and shook his head.

“You don’t need to prepare anything.”

“Just come inside with me and take off your clothes.”

“I’ll give you a few acupuncture treatments~”