11 Cure

"You really brought it back!"

Lan Bei Er was almost unable to believe her eyes when I returned with the Red Python's blood. As promised, the horseman came with his heavenly carriage and two kirins when I used the talisman, and they gave me a ride back to the Lan residence. However, I didn't expect Lan Bei Er to be waiting at the main entrance for me.

She was accompanied by her mother, who had fallen into a stunned silence when she saw the bottle.

"Is that…really…?"

"Yeah." I took several Red Python scales out of my bag, as well as the fangs and other parts. "I got all of this from the Red Python."

"How…how is it possible…?"

"I told you he would succeed, Mother." Lan Bei Er looked proud of herself. Then she remembered something and blushed furiously. Hurriedly turning away, she waved to her servants. "Please call Doctor Yi over! Immediately!"

Unfortunately, I wasn't some Mary Sue protagonist who knew miraculous medical skills or was a gifted alchemist, so I couldn't concoct any spirit pills or elixirs. I was just some guy who knew how to fight. Rather than thinking of me as the typical Chinese cultivation story protagonist, it would be more accurate to identify me with the more balanced (but still overpowered) Korean murim story protagonist. I wasn't that much of a Gosu, but I certainly wasn't Yun Che or any of the many Chinese masters slash traditional Chinese medicine practitioners that were so popular everywhere.

An alchemist came along to concoct the elixir, using the Red Python's blood that I had brought home. I didn't bother them, choosing to wander somewhere else and train instead. There was nothing more I could do, and to keep my mind off worrying unnecessarily, I distracted myself through training.

"I've to improve this stupid Shadow Strike technique," I muttered to myself, swinging my sword. It was too weak and inefficient. I was tempted to modify it with Heaven and Earth Strike, but I was afraid of giving myself away. Perhaps I needed to find another orthodox sect technique.

While I trained, I remained close by because I wanted to ensure that my future father-in-law was all right. After a few hours, some of which I spent on watching the servants, I left the guest room where I was training to visit the main house. There was an increased flurry of activity, which pointed toward a great change. Whether it was for better or for worse, I couldn't tell. And I couldn't wait to find out, so I ended up rushing over.

"Lady Bei Er," I called out, seeing her pace impatiently in front of her father's room. "How's everything going? Is your father all right?"

"I think so." Lan Bei Er bit her lip, looking worried. She paused and glanced at the door of her father's room. "They concocted the elixir and everything, and then Doctor Yi fed it to Father. They say it'll take some time for the elixir to take effect, but I'm still worried."

"Yeah, I know how you feel." He wasn't my blood-related father, and I didn't know him, but even I was feeling the tension. To be honest, it was largely because my marriage to Lan Bei Er would be riding on him, and I needed his approval, but…yeah. Well, call me superficial, but I was supposed to be a villain, remember?

Fortunately, we didn't have to wait long. The door flew open and Doctor Yi – an old man in his eighties, dressed in blue and purple robes, hunched over and heavily wrinkled with white hair – strolled out. He smiled when he caught sight of Lan Bei Er and her mother.

"Young Miss, Madam Lan…the treatment is a success. Master Lan is now fully cured."

"Really?!"

"That's great!"

Mother and daughter embraced, weeping tears of joy. They then rushed into the room to check on Master Lan. I stayed outside, keeping a distance and sighing a breath of relief. Doctor Yi continued to hobble forward, leaning on his walking stick, but he stopped right in front of me.

"You are the young man who brought the blood of the Red Python back." It wasn't a question. I nodded.

"Yes, sir."

Doctor Yi beamed and patted my arm. "Allow this old man to express his gratitude to you. You have done an excellent job. Without you, we would never have been able to concoct the Fire Dragon Pill."

"I didn't do much…"

"Don't be humble, young man. Without the Fire Dragon Pill, we would never have been able to save Master Lan. You've saved the Lan family."

Surely the guy was exaggerating. Besides, it was only natural to help my in-laws. I needed to get into their good graces. This was but the first step to winning Lan Bei Er's heart.

"Anyway, this old man is tired now. I need to rest, so I'll be leaving first." Doctor Yi pointed his walking stick at me briefly. "I'll leave the Lan famly to your capable hands."

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"

But Doctor Yi was gone, waving his free hand at me dismissively before getting on a carriage and disappearing. I watched him leave, not sure what to make of his words. I didn't have much time to ponder on his words, though.

"Hei Ye!" Lan Bei Er called from inside the room. "Father wishes to speak to you."

"Ah, okay. I'll be there right away." I cast Doctor Yi's carriage one last glance before hurrying inside the room. Then I lowered my head and cupped my hands respectfully. "Master Lan, how are you feeling?"

"Much better, thanks to you. Please raise your head."

I obeyed and took the opportunity to study Master Lan. He certainly looked a lot better than before. Even though he still looked drained, the color had returned to his cheeks, the pallor fading away to be replaced by a robust tinge. He was sitting up, coughing slightly as his lungs struggled to draw in air after almost a year of not working properly, but otherwise I could see the strength returning to his limbs. His aura was a lot more potent, his qi circulating smoothly now that the demonic yin qi that had stricken him was neutralized by the Fire Dragon Pill.

"Thank you very much. I owe you my life."

"Not at all, Master Lan. I'm glad to see you back to health. Please rest well and recover fully."

"Ha ha, I will." Master Lan chuckled. Then he narrowed his eyes, studying me intently. I tried not to squirm, even though I felt like a bug under a microscope. Master Lan took a deep breath. "I'll get straight to the point. I heard my daughter made some sort of deal with you, in exchange for saving my life."

"Deal, Master Lan?" I asked, glancing at Lan Bei Er, who was standing on the opposite side of bed and refusing to meet my gaze.

"Let's not beat about the bush. She said she will marry you if you successfully brought back the blood of the Fire Python. Which you did."

"Ah…that." I scratched my head awkwardly. "Honestly, I would still have done it either way. I thought it was sort of a joke, or her way of trying to make sure I returned safely."

"That…" Lan Bei Er began, and then she trailed off, speechless. Her father glanced at her, and she swallowed, looking away nervously. "I…suppose that might be the case…"

"Hei Ye, was it?" Master Lan returned his intimidating gaze to me. "If I'm not mistaken, you are in love with my daughter?"

"Yes. But make no mistake, I have no intention of forcing her into marriage. If she's not ready, or if she doesn't want to, then I will not push the case."

"I don't think you have to worry about that," Madam Lan said, placing a hand on her husband's shoulder and smiling mischievously. "Relatively speaking, you're the closest man to her heart right now."

Relatively speaking, huh?

"Though it might be hard for Bei Er to forget about Long Ao Tian, so you might want to give her some time," Madam Lan whispered so that only her husband and I could hear her. I nodded discreetly.

"Yes, I understand."

Master Lan cleared his throat. "Well, I personally have no objections against the marriage. In fact, I encourage it."

"Father…!" Lan Bei Er protested. Her father turned to stare at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you have someone else you prefer, then?"

"No." Lan Bei Er was taken aback. "I mean, yes, I would prefer to marry Hei Ye. In fact, the sooner, the better."

Both her parents stared at her in shock. I didn't blame her. I was also gaping at her dumbly, not sure what caused the sudden change in her attitude. Then Master Lan shook his head and turned back to me.

"I personally have no objections, but I believe the White Herb Sect will."

"The White Herb Sect?" I asked, confused. What did they have to do with anything?

"My master is pressuring me to marry," Lan Bei Er explained.

"And the White Herb Sect has their own idea of who would make a worthy husband for Bei Er," Master Lan explained. "They might not consider you worthy of her. They will definitely do everything within their way to prevent the marriage."

"They have no right!" Lan Bei Er grumbled, folding her arms. "And if Hei Ye isn't worthy, then who is? He's strong enough to defeat a Red Python on his own, and was able to bring back its blood. No other cultivator in our generation has done that!"

"It's not just strength or results," Master Lan said wearily. "It's also about politics. No doubt they will want to make use of this chance to strengthen ties between sects and establish marriage alliances between families. I'm afraid nobody knows Hei Ye's background…unless he's from a major sect and a big family, they will never approve of him."

"Who cares about that? I'll only marry the person I want to marry." Lan Bei Er clenched her fists. When she caught me staring at her, she huffed. "My master wants me to marry that scoundrel Jian Shen. Senior Jian Shen! Can you believe it?"

"Yeah, I can." I honestly was not surprised at all. Jian Shen did seem like he was from a powerful family. not only that, I knew that he was from the Ten Thousand Sword Pavilion, one of the seven major sects in the Tian Xuan Continent. He definitely had the background and political connections. I wouldn't be surprised if he was related to the royal family or something.

"I'll never let the White Herb Sect make use of me as a pawn for political marriages!" Lan Bei Er declared stubbornly. I watched her, mesmerized.

"Um, then why did you join the White Herb Sect in the first place?"

"…it was to help heal my father after he was injured." Lan Bei Er lowered her head. "But despite their assurances, they failed to heal my father. But it was thanks to the White Herb Sect that we knew which elixir to use to heal him. They were able to identify the Fire Dragon Pill as the cure, but they didn't have it or the ingredients."

"The White Herb Sect isn't known for their fighting power, so it's difficult for them to hunt the spirit beasts or collect the spirit herbs necessary to concoct their medicines, pills and elixirs," Madam Lan explained. "They have to rely on other sects for that."

That explained why they were so desperate to marry off their disciples in order to establish political alliances and whatever.

"Too long, didn't read?" Master Lan asked. While I gaped at him blankly, he continued. "The short of it is that if you want to marry my daughter, you'll have to gain the recognition of the White Herb Sect. Even if you don't have any sort of family background, the least you can do is to belong to one of the seven major sects and have great achievements."

I wondered how he would react if I told him that I was from the Heaven and Earth Sect. Even now Lan Bei Er had paled considerably and was shaking her hands and head, as if praying that her father wouldn't blunder onto a landmine. How cute. She didn't have to worry about that. Instead, I smiled brightly and lowered my head.

"I'll do what I can, but no promises."

"Whatever happens," Master Lan vowed, his tone warm. "You'll always be welcomed in the Lan Residence, and you'll always be considered family here."