"I was able to tell your predicament; of course, I can cure you. But on one condition," Yi Ling stated firmly.
The Crown Prince's eyes widened slightly, and he leaned forward with a hint of desperation. "Then... what's your condition?"
"I came here to Xiang Kingdom to build an organization. I will cure you and help you ascend the throne. In turn, I want you to follow me," Yi Ling declared, her ambition clear. Even though she was only at the 1st Rank of the Dawning stage, no one could discern her true power with the mask on, not even a Sainthood Cultivator.
She had noticed that the Viridis followed Linyu's commands when they arrived in Xiang Kingdom. With the Viridis at her disposal, she knew it would be easy to handle the Mid-Rank Kingdoms, where the strongest individuals were typically at the Nascent Stages. The strongest in the Azure Kingdom, the highest among the Mid-Rank Kingdoms, was rumored to be at the Emergent stage.
Having the Viridis at Sainthood was one of her trump cards. She smirked at the thought.
The Crown Prince and Elder Zhen were shocked into silence, unsure of how to react.
"Your Highness?..." Elder Zhen began, thinking it was a good deal but worried about the Crown Prince having to obey Doctor Yi's whims.
The Crown Prince clenched his fist. He had endured four years of being crippled and weak. But during those years, he had Elder Zhen investigate what had happened to him.
It had taken three years to find clues. They had even found links to what had happened to his mother and why the concubines were not producing sons. All the evidence pointed to his uncle, the little brother of the current emperor. If the Crown Prince died and the Emperor had no other sons, his uncle would become the next emperor. It was a flawless plan, but fortunately, they had managed to uncover some clues.
The Crown Prince looked at Doctor Yi. He appeared so young, yet there was a confidence behind the mask that was undeniable. This was pretty much his only choice; not even Elder Bai was certain he could be cured. A year ago, Elder Bai had seen him but said he needed to study the case further.
"I, Xiang He, Crown Prince of the Xiang Kingdom, will follow Doctor Yi Jin for all my life." He sat up straight, enduring the pain, and cupped his fist, bowing towards Doctor Yi.
Yi Ling's mouth curled up into a smile. It was a good starting point, she thought.