“They have been sent by the Royal House.” Xiao Qi shook her head. “Without Grandmasters, Grand Secretary Kang would have already been assassinated.”

　　Guo Mulin scoffed, “He is too hateful!”

　　“Secretary Kang has an upright character and he has gained the support of those in the intellectual circle. In the event that he was really assassinated, it would lead to big trouble!” Xiao Shi said softly.

　　“That’s true too!” Guo Mulin nodded. “If he was really killed, people from the intellectual circle would hate those from the martial arts world even more. Moreover, they would urge the imperial court desperately to repress the martial arts world sternly, this may lead to a world in turmoil!”

　　Chu Li let out a small cough. “It’s still not to that extent, right?”

　　“Do you think the world is at peace now?” Guo Mulin rolled his eyes at him and scoffed, “There is a raging undercurrent, in the event that the world becomes chaotic, the Public House would be the first to bear the brunt!”

　　Chu Li looked at Xiao Qi. “We should be prepared.”

　　“We can’t do anything about it if the world becomes chaotic, but what I fear most is that during an enemy invasion, people of the martial arts world would take the opportunity to riot!” Xiao Qi replied.

　　Chu Li shook his head. “The martial arts world is too peaceful.”

　　“If the martial arts world is in turmoil, peace, and order will be lost, and people’s morale will drop drastically.” Xiao Qi shook her head. “I understand what you mean, but I don’t dare to do so.”

　　She understood Chu Li’s implication. Triggering chaos in the martial arts world and letting them kill each other to weaken their strength so that even if they cause trouble in the future, they would fail to pose a real problem. Unfortunately, this was like playing with fire, not even the imperial court dared to do so.

　　“The imperial court has no intention to unify the martial arts world?” Chu Li asked.

　　“Yes, they do but they weren’t able to do it,” Xiao Qi said. “Unless it’s someone from the four major sects, it is otherwise very difficult to convince the crowd, and the standing of the four major sects are transcendent, the imperial court did not dare to provoke them.”

　　Chu Li sighed. “It’s an awkward predicament.”

　　“Indeed, it is,” Xiao Qi agreed.

　　Xiao Shi smiled. “Chu Li, you studied medical knowledge from Sir Guo Mulin, how is your medical skill now?”

　　Chu Li smiled. “I only have a superficial understanding of it.”

　　“You are too bold! ” Guo Mulin said gruffly, “I’m the one who has superficial knowledge, you haven’t even grasped the superficial knowledge yet.”

　　Chu Li laughed. “All thanks to Sir Guo Mulin’s education.”

　　“If so, help me take a look.” Xiao Shi put out her snow-white wrist.

　　Her skin was as white as snow, but it lacked a little glossiness when compared to Xiao Qi’s white jade skin. Along with her long eyebrows, the soft and delicate look between her brows made one feel tender and protective of her. Almost as if it would compel a person to take good care of Xiao Shi and not dare to speak loudly in her presence.

　　Chu Li glanced at Xiao Qi.

　　Xiao Qi said, “Go ahead, take a look.”

　　Chu Li put his right hand on Xiao Shi’s wrist, a soft and cool sensation transmitted from his fingertips to his body. He suppressed his excited heart, focused his mind and examined her health. After a few moments, Chu Li let her switch to her other wrist and examined carefully.

　　His brows slowly wrinkled up. Chu Li activated his Omniscient Mirror and slowly examined her body, carefully searching inch by inch, but he could not find any problem.

　　“Have you identified the problem?” Guo Mulin scoffed.

　　Chu Li did not speak, he continued to stare at Xiao Shi.

　　Xiao Shi felt uncomfortable from his constant staring, it was as if his eyes could see through her clothing and that her naked body was exposed in front of him. There was a tingling sensation on her skin.

　　Chu Li frowned. “That’s strange.”

　　He had observed the body of someone with a deficient natural endowment, and it was different from Xiao Shi’s.

　　Xiao Shi’s case was somewhat strange, her meridians were small and weak, her vital essence was feeble, just like a dying candlelight and a gust of wind could blow it off. This did not concern being physically weak, but rather the lack of vitality. It was a sign of her life vitality about to come to an end.

　　“It’s a deficient natural endowment, can’t you see it?” said Guo Mulin.

　　Chu Li shook his head. “It does not seem so.”

　　“What is it?” Guo Mulin asked with interest. “What’s different?”

　　Chu Li turned his head to Xiao Qi and said, “My Lady, can you please find a young woman who does not practice martial arts? Preferably someone younger than Second Lady by two years.”

　　“Someone who does not practice martial arts…” Xiao Qi nodded. “No problem!”

　　Guo Mulin asked, “What did you find out?”

　　“I suspect that Xiao Shi is not congenitally weak, but a special kind of trick.” Chu Li frowned and said, “I have seen a kind of concealed trick in a miscellanea that can kill people imperceptibly.”

　　He had read medical books before but after all, there was no one to guide him, thus Chu Li only knew the theories. However, after Guo Mulin’s enlightenment, he incorporated what he learned into his own understandings and achieved a comprehensive mastery of the subject. Hence, when he looked at the human body again, it was completely different from before, Chu Li understood more about the uniqueness and wonderfulness of a human body.

　　Xiao Shi’s body looked like it was a deficient natural endowment, that was the case when seen from her pulse, and her external symptoms were also aligned with the diagnosis, but some situations did not comply with the signs of a deficient natural endowment.

　　No matter how good Guo Mulin’s medical skill was or how accurate he could diagnose an illness from checking the pulse, he could not be like Chu Li who was able to see through the human body. It was just like the difference between a type-B ultrasonic and nuclear magnetic resonance.

　　“What trick?” Xiao Qi turned her head and asked Chu Li after giving her orders to the maid.

　　“Vitality Sealing Finger… I suspect it’s this preliminary, but it still needs to be verified,” replied Chu Li

　　Xiao Qi pondered for a moment and then shook her head, she had not heard of this before.

　　Guo Mulin frowned and thought hard, he had never heard of it too.

　　Xiao Shi paused to think for a while and then said, “Vitality Sealing Finger, I feel like I have seen it before, it continuously discharges someone’s inherent vitality and reduces that person’s life-span.”

　　Chu Li nodded.

　　“Heavens, no.” Mullin frowned. “Looking at Young Xiao Shi’s symptoms, it’s exactly a deficient natural endowment.”

　　“After Vitality Sealing Finger is engaged, the outward manifestation is a deficient natural endowment, as it continuously detriment the innate vitality…but this is only my guess, I still need to look more carefully,” said Chu Li.

　　During their conversation, the maid from earlier had brought in another maid.

　　Chu Li took a glance at this pretty maid, she was petite and slim, with a ruddy complexion. Although she did not seem like someone who practiced martial arts, she looked to be in good health.

　　She walked in front of the four of them, hung her head and stood motionlessly.

　　Chu Li remained silent, he just stared at her.

　　After a long while, he turned to look at Xiao Shi. His gaze swapping between the two people.

　　A quarter of an hour later, Chu Li waved his hand, and Xiao Qi dismissed the maid. The former maid followed and they exited the small courtyard.

　　Xiao Qi asked, “Is it Vitality Sealing Finger?”

　　“Most likely.” Chu Li sighed. “I had no idea that such a trick had not been lost.”

　　“Is there a way to cure it?” Xiao Qi asked.

　　Xiao Shi’s eyes were like limpid pools, staring at him silently. It was clear that her heart did not stir.

　　Guo Mulin was rather skeptical.

　　In any case, Chu Li had just learned his medical skill for a few days, he was like a half-filled water bottle. Could he really find out whether it was a deficient natural endowment or Vitality Sealing Finger? Xiao Shi was not a normal person, if he truly made a mistake and an accident happened, he would never be able to compensate for his fault even with Chu Li dying a 100 times to make up for it.

　　Chu Li said, “Coincidently, I know exactly how to remove this trick. The removal method is not complicated, but it is… quite risky.”

　　“What is the method?” asked Xiao Qi.

　　Chu Li looked at Xiao Shi. “Use a powerful inner energy to hit the Baihui acupuncture point ¹ , preferably done by a Grandmaster.”

　　Xiao Qi’s eyebrows drew together. “It would be either she survives the treatment or she dies from it, right?”

　　Using a powerful inner energy to strike one’s Baihui acupuncture point, even a Grandmaster would die from this, not to mention a weak woman like her second eldest sister!

　　Chu Li nodded reluctantly. “Yes.”

　　“Audacious! You even had the guts to say that!” Guo Mulin stared with widened eyes petulantly. “Nonsense!”

　　Xiao Shi knitted her eyebrows together and deliberated.

　　Chu Li had saved her life before, she did not doubt his loyalty but she was not as confident in his medical skills.

　　Xiao Qi fixed her gaze on him. “Chu Li, are you sure it will succeed?”

　　Chu Li said, “Yes, there’s a very high chance it will succeed!”

　　“Total nonsense,” Xiao Qi said plainly. “Forget it, let’s pretend that this never happened.”

　　Chu Li stole a glance at Xiao Shi, shook his head and did not speak anymore