Chapter Fifty-Seven: Capturing the Blood Silkworm Alive

Time slipped away bit by bit. Zhang’s father was encased in a thick layer of ice, leaving only the triangular area on his chest exposed, resembling a frozen statue. Had it not been for their trust in Liu Fan and their awe of his mysterious abilities, the three Zhang women might have rushed forward to stop him.

As noon approached, the Blood Silkworm inside Zhang’s father grew restless, accelerating its consumption of his vital essence. Soon, sensing something was amiss, the Blood Silkworm began thrashing inside his heart like a panicked insect, desperately seeking escape. Yet no matter how it darted about, it could not break free from the Three Talents Formation Liu Fan had set; the cold energy surrounding the triangle was its nemesis, and venturing beyond meant certain death. Clearly, it was not foolish enough to try.

“Three Talents Formation, cold—seal!” Liu Fan chanted, his fingers forming a sword gesture. A golden light split in three, entering each of the water needles. Instantly, the needles grew icy cold, slowly converging on Zhang’s father’s heart. The Blood Silkworm, now drained of its initial vigor, curled into a trembling ball like a frightened rabbit, desperately emitting its own yang energy to resist the cold. But it was merely a parasite, not even an exotic beast; how could it compete with someone like Liu Fan, a cultivator? No matter how it struggled, it was futile—the cold continued to shrink its refuge.

“Water Spirit, freeze—condense!” Liu Fan withdrew his sword gesture, rapidly forming an unknown seal with both hands. With a thunderous shout, the ice enveloping Zhang’s father transformed into cold energy, surging toward his heart. His figure, previously hidden within the ice, was revealed—but to the disappointment of those present, his face remained gaunt and fleshless. What they did not know was that the Blood Silkworm had been sealed in the ice by Liu Fan.

Before anyone could voice their disappointment, Liu Fan’s next action sent their hearts racing. With a swift stroke of his sword fingers, he unleashed a sharp burst of sword energy, slicing a long opening in Zhang’s father’s chest. Strangely, there was no rush of blood—only a pale, frozen heart. Fortunately, Liu Fan had warned them not to disturb him during treatment; otherwise, even the bravest might have screamed. Yet even so, those present felt their stomachs churn.

“Withdraw!” With a sharp command, Liu Fan drew out a stream of cold from the chest wound, which shot into his hand and then vanished. More precisely, it was stored in the He Tu Luo Shu space. In truth, Liu Fan could have destroyed the Blood Silkworm with much less effort, but he had other uses for it and wished to capture it without harming Zhang’s father’s organs.

“Gather spirit!” With the Blood Silkworm subdued, the rest of the procedure was simple. Liu Fan touched the center of Zhang’s father’s brow with his sword fingers, silently reciting a talisman. The Wood Spirit Water he’d prepared earlier surged through Zhang’s father’s pores, guided by the true dragon energy from Liu Fan’s fingertips to repair organs and cleanse muscles and bones. Gradually, Zhang’s father’s gaunt body began to recover, filling out with new vitality under the nourishing wood spirit energy.

Seeing the task nearly complete, Liu Fan withdrew his dragon energy, allowing Zhang’s father to recover on his own. At this point, Liu Fan appeared utterly exhausted, swaying on his feet, sweat pouring down his face, his clothes soaked through. The stifling early autumn air and his thin shirt revealed his powerful, athletic form.

This was not due to a lack of skill, but rather Liu Fan’s deliberate effort to appear spent. Think about it: if he had cured the illness effortlessly, word would spread, and countless people would come seeking his medical expertise. Though he could refuse, his friends and family might be approached by others seeking favors; would he help or not? Treating people day after day would leave him no time for anything else, wasting his youthful years. Yet refusing would shame his friends and strain relationships. After much consideration, he chose this method: to earn virtue by healing, spare his friends from awkward requests, avoid unnecessary trouble, and ensure his skills were not seen as cheap. Not everyone was worthy of his care; only a fool would fail to see the benefits of such an approach.

“It’s done. Uncle’s parasite has been eliminated, and his damaged organs repaired. Don’t disturb him—just wait for him to wake, and he’ll be fine.” Liu Fan wiped his forehead, feigning weakness as he spoke.

This news was nothing short of exhilarating for the Zhang family; Liu Fan’s voice was like a celestial melody in their ears.

“Thank you, thank you, little miracle doctor! I don’t know how to repay you—I… I’ll kneel and bow to you!” Madam Zhang, who loved her husband dearly, was overcome with emotion, tears streaming down her face, her voice trembling. Before she could finish, she tried to kneel to Liu Fan, startling him. He hurriedly helped her up. “Please, don’t! You’re much older than me—if you kneel, it’ll shorten my life! You’re Second Brother’s stepmother, and you’ve changed for the better. Just be kind to him in the future—that’s thanks enough.”

“Thank you, Third Brother, I…” Zhang Yi was deeply moved by Liu Fan’s words.

“Hey, we’re brothers—this is nothing. Besides, I promised you I’d restore your father’s health. Liu Fan always keeps his word.” Liu Fan replied with casual elegance. Though they hadn’t known each other long, they were honest with one another. Some people scheme despite long acquaintance, while others become fast friends in a short time; that’s fate.

“Yes! We’re brothers—always!” Zhang Yi grinned, nodding solemnly, then hugged Liu Fan tightly.

“Hey, you idiot, I don’t like men—why are you hugging me so hard?” The two pushed each other away, blurting out in unison, then burst into laughter.

“Um… Yi, everything I did before was because of jealousy. I hope you can forgive me.” Thanks to Liu Fan’s guidance, Madam Zhang now sought only goodness, speaking with deep remorse.

Seeing Zhang Yi remain silent, Madam Zhang continued, “Back then, your mother and I were close friends in college. Our bond was deep, but when we both fell for your father, that changed. Eventually, we became rivals. Originally, your mother and father were a couple, but out of jealousy and admiration for your father, I used my family’s influence to separate them and win his love. If you hate me, you can beat or scold me—but please give me a chance to make amends, won’t you?”

Hearing her words, Zhang Yi took a deep breath, calmed himself, and said, “I should hate you, but I can’t—because you’re my brother’s mother. He’s cared for me like a true sibling all these years. Now that you’ve changed for the better, thanks to Third Brother’s guidance, I have no reason to hate you. As the old saying goes: ‘To know one’s mistake and correct it is the greatest good.’ I sincerely hope you will continue to change.”

“Really? Am I dreaming?” Madam Zhang, who thought forgiveness impossible, was overjoyed, gripping his hand tightly. Suddenly, she stood up too quickly, her blood pressure spiking, and fainted, frightening everyone present. This couple had suffered enough; the husband had just been saved but had not yet awakened, and now the wife had collapsed.

Fortunately, Liu Fan’s skills and medical prowess came to the rescue. Noticing her pale complexion, he caught her before she fell. Zhang Tao and Zhang Yi watched anxiously as Madam Zhang remained unconscious.

“No worries. She’s simply been anxious over her husband’s illness, which weakened her lungs. Just now, the excitement caused poor circulation, raising her blood pressure and making her faint. One needle will revive her, and with future medicine, it won’t happen again.” Liu Fan explained as he checked her pulse, then inserted a golden needle into her philtrum.

Within seconds, Madam Zhang woke, coughing lightly. “What… what happened to me?”

“Mom, I’m so glad you’re all right! You really scared me just now—if anything happened, what would I do?” Zhang Tao said happily.

“Yes, Mom, for Dad and this family, you must take care of yourself. This home… can’t do without you!” Zhang Yi’s gaze was filled with sincere concern, a genuine acceptance of Madam Zhang as his mother—evident in his change of address.

“Yi, what did you just call me?” Madam Zhang was deeply moved by his words, tears streaming down her face.

“I called you ‘Mom’—isn’t that right? But don’t get too excited, or you might faint again, and I’ll worry.” Zhang Yi responded instinctively.

“All right, Mom understands. From now on, you’re my son. I’ll love you as I love Tao, to make up for my wrongs to Xiu Xiu.” Madam Zhang covered her mouth, smiling through tears. She never dared hope that Zhang Yi would call her “Mom” so soon, so her joy was beyond words.

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Oh heavens! Today’s two chapters were released early because I set the timer wrong in the draft box. They were supposed to update after midnight on the 22nd, but instead went live at 7:00 PM on the 21st. So tomorrow, there will be no update. I apologize to all readers for any inconvenience. Please continue to support this novel as always!