The Old Patriarch was half-convinced, half-doubtful about Feng Jiu’er’s medical skills. Still, if she could really cure a brother who had lost his senses in just a short while, it would be an enormous blessing for their stronghold.

Though the Zhao Family Stronghold had always lived within Black Canyon, the canyon was their best natural shield.

But Black Canyon had its advantages and drawbacks — there were places even they didn’t dare to enter.

Going in might mean a dead end, and even those who made it out often came back with damaged minds.

Elder Feng, however, seemed to have full confidence in Feng Jiu’er.

“Old Patriarch, wasn’t there a brother who got hurt and was brought back last night? Since we already have a patient on hand, why not let this girl give it a try?”

The Old Patriarch considered this, and his eyes lit up at once. “Someone, bring Leopard here,” he called out.

“Yes!” The two men standing guard outside left at once.

Feng Jiu’er understood now — these people wanted her to heal someone on the spot, to prove her medical skill.

Saving one of their men was no trouble at all, but given her current condition…

Jiu’er said flatly, “To save someone, I need to apply needles. And with needling, what matters most is control over the strength of my fingers.”

“Are you saying that since you’ve been poisoned with our Soft-Bone Powder, you can’t control the strength of your fingers now?”

Elder Feng thought it over for a moment, then finally nodded and waved a hand. “Give her the antidote.”

A woman smiled, pulled a vial from her sleeve, and poured out a single antidote pill. She walked up to Jiu’er, intending to feed it to her directly.

Feng Jiu’er leaned her body back, dodging the woman’s hand.

“Let me smell it first,” she said, frowning, her face full of guarded suspicion.

The woman laughed. “Little girl, look at the state you’re in — you’re already in our hands. Do you really think we’d bother harming you further?”

“It’s just habit,” Jiu’er said, opening her palm.

The woman didn’t make things difficult and placed the pill in her hand.

Feng Jiu’er brought the pill close to her nose and sniffed it carefully.

The Old Patriarch was rather impressed by Feng Jiu’er’s caution. “Not bad — this is exactly the kind of care one should take.”

The woman turned and walked back to her seat, and in that same instant, Jiu’er swallowed the pill.

“Does this medicine act quickly? If not, I’ll need to rest a while first — otherwise I’m afraid the strength in my fingers won’t be controllable.”

She sat cross-legged on the ground, looking at the Old Patriarch.

Elder Feng frowned, about to say something, but the Old Patriarch had already spoken with a smile, “This antidote takes effect in less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea — you’ll recover right away.”

So it would take less than half a cup of tea’s worth of time — that meant she wouldn’t have to pretend for very long.

Jiu’er wiggled her fingers slightly, as if she still felt no strength in them, then closed her eyes again, resting with deliberate care.

Elder Feng’s gaze stayed locked on her face. He kept feeling that something was off, but he couldn’t pin down exactly what it was.

In about the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, the brother named Leopard was brought in.

He was bound tightly hand and foot, and as the two brothers dragged him in, he howled and screeched like a madman.

Feng Jiu’er watched his frenzied state and furrowed her brow.

She glanced again at her own fingers, then finally stood up.

As if doubting her own strength, she hopped a few times on the spot, raising her arms, stretching them out, and kicking her legs, continually loosening up her muscles and joints.

Only then did she walk up to Leopard, and turning to the two brothers, said, “Help him sit down in the chair.”

The two men immediately supported Leopard and pressed him down into the chair.

Feng Jiu’er took out the needle case she always carried with her. Her hand rose and fell so quickly that no one even saw clearly how she did it — the silver needle had already been driven into the top of Leopard’s head.

“That’s a death point!” The Old Patriarch leapt to his feet, and Zhao Yusheng strode over quickly, seizing Feng Jiu’er’s hand.

Feng Jiu’er glared at him, displeased. “A death point can also be a gate of life — haven’t you heard of that? Now, are you the one treating him, or am I the one saving him?”

“This is clearly murder!” Zhao Yusheng’s fingers tightened.

Feng Jiu’er’s brow creased, and she cried out in alarm, “If you crush the bones in my hand, then he really will be doomed!”

“You vicious woman!” Killing intent flared in Zhao Yusheng’s eyes — he wanted nothing more than to tear this wicked woman apart!

He truly hadn’t expected this woman to be so bold — everyone here belonged to them, and yet she dared to commit violence right in front of everyone’s eyes!

“Are you the Young Patriarch? Where is your brain?” Feng Jiu’er glared at him, her face full of fury.

“If I wanted to kill someone, it should be you and your old man — I mean, your father. Why would I kill a man who’s already injured and out of his mind? For fun?”

The words weren’t pleasant to hear, but they seemed to make some sense.

“Let go of me. I still need to needle him — if this delay costs him his life, it will be entirely your fault!”

“I—”

“Don’t worry, his life means nothing to me one way or the other. If you can’t even tell right from wrong on something this simple, what right do you have to be this stronghold’s Young Patriarch?”

Feng Jiu’er wore an expression of pure disdain, and Zhao Yusheng was so angry he genuinely wanted to crush the woman to death.

Still, what she said did make sense. Leopard was already hurt — taking his life would mean nothing to her.

If she wanted to take a hostage to escape, it certainly wouldn’t be someone whose mind was in chaos — it would have to be someone of some importance, at the very least.

Someone like, as she’d said, himself, or his father…

Feng Jiu’er had already wrenched her hand free and pulled the silver needle out of the top of Leopard’s head.

She put the needle away, then drew out several more silver needles, swiftly inserting them into the back of Leopard’s neck, the hollow of his throat, and the Taiyin point.

Leopard, who had been struggling wildly all along, gradually grew calm, until at last his eyes went vacant, staring blankly at some fixed point.

By the time Feng Jiu’er pulled the needles out, he had closed his eyes, seeming to have fallen asleep.

Jiu’er let out a breath and unhurriedly put the needles away.

Everyone’s attention was fixed on Leopard, and no one was quite sure what state he was in now.

He seemed to have fallen asleep, his breathing even, and nothing seemed seriously wrong.

But no one knew whether, once he woke, his mind would truly be clear again.

After all, judging by his current state there was no sign of improvement at all — and knocking him unconscious wasn’t exactly difficult either.

But the way this girl had just handled the needles was genuinely skilled — fast, precise, and decisive. One look told them she had unique experience behind her.

Her needling technique alone had already left the whole group stunned.

Zhao Yusheng stood guard to one side, watching Leopard and Feng Jiu’er. He still had no confidence in her at all, and remained on guard the entire time.

Jiu’er suddenly turned her head, and her gaze met Zhao Yusheng’s directly.

Zhao Yusheng startled, turned his face away, looking thoroughly disgusted.

He was the stronghold’s Young Patriarch, and being so handsome, plenty of girls usually stared at him without end.

In short, he disliked it whenever a woman looked at him, no matter who she was.

Jiu’er shrugged, unconcerned by his hostility.

“So you’re the legendary Young Patriarch? Has your stronghold always lived inside Black Canyon?”