"Now, let's talk. Are you willing to divulge your secrets or should I pry them from your mouth?"
"Li Fan, don't go overboard. Do you think I just chanced upon those kids? They were entrusted to me! Do you dare suffer their wrath if something happens to me?"
Li Fan sneered. He grabbed Ikasa by his collar and pulled him close. So close, that their noses were almost touching each other.
"No one can save you today."
"If even a hair of mine is missing, I can guarantee everyone in this room will die."
Ikasa sneered with no intention of backing down. A slight quiver crept into his speech, but it made his charade seem more real.
Li Fan released him and took a few steps back. Ikasa could see him rapidly clench and unclench his fists as he paced in the room.
"No, You have to face the consequences for making a fool of us, the Li Family! The Old fools who wagged their tails when they saw me, dared to reprimand me. All because of you!"
His outburst ended with a finger pointed at Ikasa. Their eyes met. They saw the conviction and unwillingness to admit defeat in each other's gaze.
"You either give up your secrets or your dignity. If you don't talk, I swear I'll break every bone in your body."
He gestured to goons nearby to hold Ikasa in place.
"Even if I give you my method, where will you find a person with a special physique like me?"
Li Fan stopped the grunts. He half believed what Ikasa said. If it was so easy to create spiritual imprints, then everyone would be making one. But his resolve to get his hands on the secret couldn't be undermined so easily.
"Nonetheless, I want your method."
Ikasa dismissively waved his hand.
"Can't give."
Infuriated, Li Fan ordered, "Break his arm."
"Aah, Young Master Li Fan, wait! Don't you just want a stable supply of manuals? I can provide you with that."
Ikasa panicked as the grunt held the arm he was waving dismissively in a vice grip. The grunt waited for an answer from his superior.
Li Fan smiled viciously upon seeing Ikasa's panic.
"I changed my mind. I will just force you to give up your Imprinting method."
His words meant 'go-ahead' for the lackey. With a pop, that grunt dislocated Ikasa's shoulder.
"AAAHHH!"
"You are very sensitive, huh? Should I go for the knee next?"
Li Fan asked with a perverse smile.
Ikasa realized this was the moment of do-or-die. If he couldn't scare Li Fan, a fate worse than death awaited him. He decided to do what most villains love to do, threaten the dearest person.
"Li Fan, if you harm me one more time, I will commit suicide. And when I die the entire Li Family will be buried with me! Your dearest brother will make a fine corpse, right?"
Li Fan couldn't control his anger at the mention of his brother. His hand moved on its own and punched Ikasa in the face.
'Yes, I hit his nerve.'
Ikasa's smile widened. His teeth were red from his own blood.
"I am still giving you one last chance. Make a deal with me. I will provide the manuals. You will sell them."
Li Fan controlled his rising anger. He tried to think with a calm mind. The deal was the only way to gain any benefit from this situation.
While Li Fan was taking his time to think about the deal, Ikasa noticed two silhouettes near the window. He made eye contact with Xin Ruo and shook his head.
The two figures dived into the decorative shrubs and disappeared from the view.
Li Fan had finally come to a decision.
"Fine. We'll do it your way. I will sell the manuals, you make them. We'll divide profits 50:50."
"I don't have a problem with profit sharing. But I have two conditions."
Li Fan scoffed in response.
"You are in no condition to be dictating terms."
Ikasa sneered.
"Actually, I am. You just have to obey me. The Guardian of the kids just arrived. If I didn't stop him, All four of you would've been dead by now."
Li Fan's expression changed. He looked at Yin Ying in askance.
"I saw him shake his head, Master. I think he was signaling someone."
Li Fan believed Ikasa now. He felt a chill go down his spine. He suddenly had a doubt.
"Then why didn't you let him take action?"
Ikasa snorted with derision.
"Don't think your life is precious. Killing you is too much of a hassle. The playtime of those kids will end early, and their training will begin sooner. I am doing this for their sake."
He heard true conviction in Ikasa's voice when he talked about the well-being of the children.
Hence, he was convinced by this answer. The life of a prestigious family's heir was insignificant compared to the happiness of the kids? He could only imagine how prominent their background might be.
Li Fan personally helped Ikasa put the limp shoulder back in place.
"Son of Bi*ch!"
A cry of anguish sounded in the hall. He rotated his shoulder to adjust his discomfort. After taking a sip of his tea, Ikasa raised two of his fingers.
"The two conditions are fairly easy. Firstly, you will give the chance to use my manual to all the citizens of Sal City, even commoners. Each usage of manual should cost less than 20 Gold."
Li Fan immediately raised his voice in protest.
"Impossible! We won't cater to commoners. And selling them manuals for so cheap? Not a single one of those ancient fossils in Elder Hall will agree!"
Ikasa stepped closer and whispered near his ear. Seducing him with the lure of money.
"Think about it, there are ten thousand commoners in Sal City alone. If you can earn 10 gold from each one of them, that is 100,000 Gold! One million silver! Does the amount of 10 million coppers not excite you?"
Li Fan's eyes shone with greed. His drool was dripping along his chin.
Ikasa was like a devil whispering sweet promises and showing a bright future, all the while preparing a knife in the dark.
Li Fan wiped the drool while pretending to be in control.
"I will think about it. What is your second condition?"
"Our cooperation will begin after I have fulfilled the two prior orders. And you will not get a profit share from them."
Li fan felt both of the conditions were very reasonable. His mind was so occupied with the potential profits that he failed to assess any risks.
"Let's shake hands on the deal then."
"To successful cooperation!"
"To our prosperity!"
After concluding the deal, Ikasa bade the uninvited guests goodbye. His face was clouded with anger, helplessness, and gloom as he looked at the departing backs of Li Fan and others.
The moment the black clothes of those abominable Li Family stooges were out of sight, he rushed to Chu Qing's room.
In the room, the kids and Feng Yan were circling around the Bed. Xin Ruo was applying medicine to the broken arm of Chu Qing.
"How is he?"
A hoarse voice asked, attracting everyone's attention to the speaker.
"Fortunately, the bone is intact. He should recover within ten days."
Feng Yan answered Ikasa.
Then he brought him away and pinched his shoulder muscles. Ikasa lost all sensation in his shoulder. He looked questioningly at Feng Yan but he had already turned to watch Xin Ruo heal Chu Qing.
The numbness slowly wore off. When it did wear off completely, even the minor discomfort from the dislocated shoulder disappeared.
Xin Ruo finished wrapping Chu Qing's arm in a splint. Foul smell of medicine permeated in the room.
It was dinner time when she finished tending to Chu Qing and other's injuries.
Still, even after the treatment was over, no one was in the mood to eat. The Kids spent the rest of the evening sulking and blaming themselves.
Luo Qiqi had lost her mischievous smile. Hei Ying, whose eyes always shine with hope, was looking blankly at Chu Qing. Pei Yuan leaned on the wall in a corner, his eyes filled with impotent rage.
Ikasa and Xin Ruo wanted to go over and console them numerous times, but Feng Yan stopped them.
"This is a phase. They will only emerge stronger after this."
Whatever Feng Yan said made sense. But Ikasa and Xin Ruo couldn't just sit and watch the silent tears flow from Yan Xiao's eyes. They left the room and went outside to breathe in the fresh air.
"Where did you learn your medical skills?"
Ikasa inquired, trying to break the uncomfortable silence.
"My Mother… She had summarized all her knowledge in her diary."
Her voice choked thinking of her.
He cursed himself for asking the question. Today, they had suffered one trauma. He had gone and dug up another ordeal from her past. He tried to think of a way to remedy his blunder.
"Was she a practitioner of medicine?"
"Yes. She was scouted by Medicine Master Charaka but she refused because she was pregnant with me."
She replied with pride apparent in her tone.
"Medicine Master Charaka?"
"He is a renowned master from a distant land. His skills of mending skin and bones are on an entirely different level compared to masters here."
Ikasa saw a glow in her eyes when she spoke about this Master. He noted her genuine passion.
"Are you interested in learning the art of medicine?"
The light in her eyes dimmed, and her face also turned glum.
"Even if I want to, how will I learn? Who will teach me?"
"Don't worry. I will find a way to make your dream come true."
"Just like you found a way today?"
Her words sounded passive-aggressive. It was as if she was pleased and displeased with Ikasa at the same time.
"What do you mean?"
"I saw you shake hands with that bastard!"
Xin Ruo replied with a huff. Ikasa realized that his actions had caused a misunderstanding.
"It's not as you think…"
Ikasa proceeded to explain all the events that happened after his arrival. She laughed at his heroic bluffs. Her face scrunched with worry when Ikasa got hurt.
When she heard about the deal, her expression became complicated. She was proud of Ikasa for obtaining benefits even in such a bad situation. But she was also saddened by how helpless they were now.
Any day their bluff might be exposed. And when it does, they would have to face the reckoning. She gently held his hand and gave it a squeeze, reassuring him.
Ikasa saw the emotions flash in her eyes. Even though her squeeze assured him of her support, he was still afraid of the unknown future.
Back on earth, he had faced countless business decisions. He had dealt with big corporations, sharky investors, and belligerent unions. But never was his life in danger if he failed.
He would lose some profits. But not his life.
When he doubted himself, he would confide with Donna, his secretary.
At this moment, he needed a Donna, a confidant of sorts. Someone who will listen. So, he turned to Xin Ruo.
He voiced the nagging thought that was eating him inside.
"Xin Ruo, did I make a deal with the devil?"