Watching Manager Li not far away,

Gu Han's heart instantly leaped, and he subconsciously gripped the long sword in his hand tightly.

Strong!

Very strong!

This elder, who referred to himself as 'our family' with a soft and sinister tone, gave him an extremely dangerous feeling, one that seemed utterly irresistible!

He moved slightly,

Instantly blocking the cave entrance behind him.

There,

Ah-Sha was still in deep slumber.

Since the battle with Gu Commander two days ago, she had been sleeping abnormally long, and Gu Han thought it was due to her exhaustion. He had carved out a cave here for her to rest properly.

The scent of Little Snake lingered.

Few humans or Demonic Beasts dared to approach this place, making it a safe haven for the time being.

As for that fruit,

He had naturally plucked and eaten it long ago.

However,

Even though the fruit was miraculous and helped him break through the Qi Condensation Stage, it only allowed him to enter the second level of Meridian Opening, which was far inferior to the venom of that red snake.

Pondering without a clue,

He could only attribute it to the liquid Spiritual Power in his body and his meridians, which were much wider than those of ordinary people.

"Young man!"

Seeing Gu Han remaining silent, Manager Li grew impatient.

"Our family is asking you, where did that Fierce Sun Fruit go!"

Fierce Sun Fruit?

Was that the name of the fruit?

"I don't know."

Gu Han naturally wouldn't admit it.

"I haven't seen any Fierce Sun Fruit you're talking about."

"Sly boy!"

Manager Li's eyebrows twitched.

"You dare to deceive our family? If you haven't seen it, where did the scent of the Fierce Sun Fruit on you come from? Now confess to our family!"

"..."

Gu Han was speechless.

Did this guy have a dog's nose?

He could even smell that?

"Hand over the fruit obediently, and if our family is in a good mood, you'll be rewarded. If you continue to spout nonsense, heh heh, you'll taste our family's methods!"

As he spoke,

A chilling aura pressed down!

"You're too late."

Seeing him so aggressive, Gu Han understood that today's matter wouldn't end well, so he simply stopped hiding the truth.

"The fruit is gone."

"What do you mean?"

"I ate it."

"What did you say!"

Manager Li shrieked.

"Eaten? Boy, there's a limit to arrogance! The Fierce Sun Fruit is so potent that even those in the Yuan Gathering Realm must be careful when refining it. How could you, with your mere Meridian Opening cultivation, withstand its violent fire?"

"Believe it or not, I've eaten it!"

"Very well!"

Manager Li sneered.

"If you refuse to toast, you must be forced to drink. Since you're so stubborn, don't blame our family for bullying the weak and teaching you a lesson!"

With that,

The chilling aura suddenly intensified several times over!

Gu Han braced himself, gritted his teeth, and his cultivation surged within him, ready to unleash the Great Expansion Sword Qi!

"Stop!"

Suddenly,

A furious shout came from afar, timely stopping Manager Li.

It was Doctor Xue.

"Manager Li!"

He approached, his expression slightly stern.

"What are you doing!"

"Old Xue, you are unaware."

Manager Li glared fiercely at Gu Han and recounted the events.

"This boy is stubborn, our family had no choice..."

Across from him,

Gu Han coldly watched him.

I'm stubborn?

He didn't even look at his own character!

"Enough!"

Doctor Xue frowned upon hearing this.

"You were rash! He was here first, and the Fierce Sun Fruit should rightfully be his. If he doesn't wish to give it, you have no right to seize it. It's not proper, not at all!"

"Yes!"

Manager Li quickly put on a smile.

"Old Xue's lesson is right, our family was worried about the safety of the Seventh Prince and acted without thinking."

But he didn't really agree.

Doctor Xue was good in all aspects, but his temperament was too soft, a complete pushover.

"Young friend."

Doctor Xue pondered for a moment and looked at Gu Han.

"The Fierce Sun Fruit is precious indeed, but it's known for its fiery potency. Not to mention its overbearing medicinal power, its effect on enhancing cultivation is not as great as imagined, and besides... for someone of your cultivation, it's nothing but a chicken rib."

Fiery potency?

Gu Han suddenly realized.

No wonder the fruit's boost was far less than expected; it was for this reason.

"Young friend."

Doctor Xue continued, "The Fierce Sun Fruit is of great use to this old man. How about you let me have it? Rest assured, I won't let you suffer a loss and am willing to exchange it for something of equal value for cultivation!"

"..."

Gu Han was actually feeling some regret.

He had eaten it too soon!

If he had kept the fruit until now, the cultivation resources he could have exchanged for might have pushed his cultivation to the third or even fourth level of Meridian Opening!

"Elder."

Doctor Xue was kind and did not press with his status, so Gu Han naturally wouldn't respond coldly.

"It's not that I'm unwilling, but that fruit... I truly ate it."

"Young man!"

Manager Li screamed again.

"You..."

"Enough!"

Doctor Xue looked at him displeased and shook his head.

"Since the young friend is unwilling, I will not force the issue. Manager Li, let's go."

"This... sigh, alright!"

Manager Li was somewhat reluctant and glared fiercely at Gu Han again.

"Boy, don't let our family see you again!"

Gu Han was expressionless.

A threat?

He was naturally not afraid.

Although from the tone and address, he had already guessed Manager Li's identity, he had little feeling for the Great Qi Dynasty's royal family.

Since childhood,

Gu Tian had taught him a principle.

A true man stands between heaven and earth.

Only respect, not fear!

"Young master..."

At this moment,

A soft and weak voice came from behind, it was Ah-Sha staggering out, still looking drowsy as if two days and nights of rest were not enough to replenish her spent energy.

"Ah-Sha?"

Gu Han's face brightened, and he quickly supported her.

"You're awake? Don't move around, your foot is still injured!"

"Young master, I'm so hungry..."

She had no cultivation to rely on, just a mere mortal body, and having not eaten for so long, she naturally couldn't hold on.

"Hungry? Alright, I..."

"Young friend."

At this moment,

Doctor Xue's voice came again, having returned and approached Gu Han.

"Elder."

Gu Han tensed up and quickly shielded Ah-Sha behind him.

"That fruit, I really ate it!"

"It's not about that."

Doctor Xue smiled and took out a jade bottle from his Storage Ring.

"I see this young girl is badly injured. This is a medicinal powder I concocted in my spare time. I'll give it to you, young friend."

"Thank you, elder!"

Gu Han breathed a sigh of relief and accepted the jade bottle without pretense.

Just by the exquisiteness of the jade bottle, he knew the medicinal powder inside was precious, far beyond the common pills he had obtained from Gu Commander.

In the distance,

Manager Li's face was dark, wanting to erupt but not daring to.

Pah!

That boy got lucky!

To encounter Doctor Xue, such a famously soft-hearted man in the Great Qi Dynasty, it was his good fortune!

"Thank you, Grandpa!"

Ah-Sha peeked out from behind Gu Han and timidly thanked him.

"Very good!"

Hearing the word 'Grandpa,' Doctor Xue seemed to be reminded of something, his expression becoming momentarily distant.

"Little maid."

Regaining his thoughts, his eyes filled with even more tenderness.

"You are indeed well-mannered. This old man's medicinal powder is not given in vain... Huh?"

Mid-sentence,

His brow suddenly furrowed.

"That's not right!"

"Elder, what's wrong?" Gu Han's heart skipped a beat.

"It seems..."

Doctor Xue scrutinized Ah-Sha carefully, pondering for a moment.

"Girl, come here, let this old man have a look."

"Ah?"

Ah-Sha timidly looked to Gu Han.

"Young master..."

"Go ahead."

Gu Han smiled, "This elder means no harm."

He was clear that whether it was Doctor Xue or Manager Li, both had unfathomable cultivation, far surpassing his own. If they wanted to harm him, they would have acted directly, with no need for such pretenses.

Doctor Xue's hand slowly covered Ah-Sha's forehead.

A faint milky halo circulated ceaselessly.

After a long while,

"Sigh..."

Doctor Xue withdrew his hand, looking at Ah-Sha with a touch of pity in his eyes.

"Poor girl."

"Elder."

Gu Han tensed up.

"What's wrong with Ah-Sha?"

"If I'm not mistaken, this girl seems to have what is known as Soul Deficiency Syndrome!"

"Soul Deficiency Syndrome? What's that?"

"Soul Force is the foundation of a person, whether a cultivator or a mortal. The soul is locked tightly in the spiritual platform, with no leakage. Those with a soul deficiency are dull and slow, and in severe cases, they exhibit symptoms of idiocy..."

The more Gu Han listened, the colder his heart felt.

It all matched!

Ever since he found Ah-Sha ten years ago, she had always been this slow-witted.

"Ten years?"

After hearing Gu Han's story,

Doctor Xue's frown deepened.

"According to the records, those with Soul Deficiency Syndrome have their Soul Force constantly leaking, and they cannot live past three years. But this girl..."

Beside him,

Ah-Sha looked at him softly and weakly, listening but not fully understanding.

"Elder!"

Gu Han was anxious.

"Can you cure this Soul Deficiency Syndrome?"

"My skills are not profound enough..."

Gu Han's eyes dimmed.

His heart sank to the bottom.

"But..."

Doctor Xue's next words reignited his hope!