As the voices faded, a young man dressed in a green robe and a little girl in jeans, a T-shirt, and a ponytail walked through the door.
The man looked about twenty-four or twenty-five, but the green robe he wore gave him an air of maturity beyond his years. At first glance, he had the appearance of a youth with an old soul.
As they entered the room, before the man could say a word, the little girl asked, “Who are you? Are you a new disciple of my master?”
Before getting an answer, the girl frowned and shook her head. “No, that’s not right. Master said he wouldn’t take any more disciples. How could you be one of his?”
Kayden didn’t respond. His eyes stayed fixed on the girl. She wasn’t particularly stunning, not overly beautiful, but she had a fresh, clean charm-a girl-next-door kind of look. Without a doubt, this was the disciple Diomidis Stevens had mentioned. Stevens had said his student would return in a few days, and now it seemed she had.
“Yes, he says he’s Dr. Stevens’ disciple,” the man who had brought his wife for treatment interjected, speaking toward the young man.
Sensing the man might be capable, the husband quickly asked, “Are you a doctor?”
The man nodded without hesitation. “Yes, I am.”
“I heard the situation earlier,” he said with a calm yet somber tone. “Your wife’s condition is a classic case of being manipulated by a malevolent spirit. Honestly, you should’ve sought help as soon as she started sleepwalking. Waiting until she’s digging up graves is far too late.”
The man froze in shock, nearly collapsing to his knees. He scrambled to respond, his face filled with despair. “Please, help us! I had no idea! I thought it was just normal sleepwalking. I didn’t know it could be this serious. I’ll do anything-whatever it takes to save her!”
The young man sighed. “I wasn’t finished. This isn’t beyond saving. As long as she’s still breathing, I can cure her. Don’t worry. Leave this to me.”
He smiled then, and his smile was so warm and reassuring that it immediately eased the man’s panic.
Hearing this, the husband lit up like someone seeing light in the darkness. “Thank you, thank you!” he exclaimed. “You’ve saved us-thank you!”
“To save lives is our duty. You don’t need to thank me so much,” the man said modestly.
Then, with a glance at Kayden, he added with a hint of disdain, “Young man, pay attention. Watch and learn how to treat patients properly. Next time, don’t pretend to know what you’re doing. If you don’t understand, just admit it or go get help. Don’t make reckless decisions in your master’s absence. Got it?”
Kayden remained silent, his expression indifferent as he watched the young man. He had no interest in the man’s condescending attitude and didn’t take it personally.
The girl chimed in, her tone full of scorn. “I don’t know what Master was thinking, picking a disciple like you. It’s really baffling. If we hadn’t caught you in the act, who knows how much trouble you would’ve caused by pretending to treat people.”
“If anything had gone wrong, you’d be ruining Master’s reputation. When he gets back, I’ll make sure he knows everything. Let’s see if he kicks you out of the sect,” Christina said with a huff.
She didn’t wait for Kayden to respond and instead turned to the young man. “Nick, are you going to use your acupuncture system again?”
Nick nodded slightly. “Of course. Didn’t I tell you? This is a universal healing acupuncture system. Every illness has a source, and this system targets the root of all ailments.”
Turning to the husband, Nick said, “Hold your wife down. I’m going to begin the treatment now. Don’t worry-just two needles, and her condition will be completely cured.”
Nick pulled out his silver needles, examining them briefly before starting to insert them into the woman’s body.
Kayden watched closely and quickly noticed that Nick was using two needles-one long and one short. His brow furrowed. This was the Dual-Sided Mystic Needle technique, his own method.
No, something wasn’t right. Nick didn’t seem to know how to properly use it. His grip was unsteady, his hands trembling slightly, and the force he applied was inconsistent.
If he continued like this, something was bound to go wrong. Kayden didn’t care about Nick’s reputation, but if the woman suffered because of his incompetence, the situation would spiral out of control.
“Stop!” Kayden barked sharply.
At that moment, the woman on the table let out a loud, piercing scream. Nick was so startled he fell backward, landing on the floor.
Having been completely focused, the sudden noise had shaken him to his core. He glared at Kayden, furious. “What the hell is wrong with you? Are you insane? Do you know how delicate this process is? You can’t just yell like that while I’m working!”
“Christina, get this guy out of here! I don’t want him anywhere near me!” Nick wiped the sweat from his forehead, his frustration boiling over.
Christina frowned, about to speak, but Kayden stepped forward and cut her off. “You’re doing it wrong. For that acupoint, the needle must be inserted quickly and with precision. Your hesitant approach won’t just fail to cure her; it could cause her condition to transfer to you.”
Nick sneered, clearly unconvinced. He looked Kayden up and down with disdain. “Kid, do you even know what you’re talking about? Do you have any idea what this system is capable of? Just because you’ve spent a few days with Mr. Stevens, you think you’re qualified to criticize me? You’re nothing. This system is unique. There’s no one else in the world who understands it like I do. So, shut your mouth and get lost.”
“Exactly!” Christina chimed in. “Nick has saved so many people. Who do you think you are to question him? Do you even understand how dangerous that scream of yours was? Unbelievable!”
She shot Kayden a disdainful glare, her dislike for him written all over her face.
Kayden gave a small shake of his head. “Fine. Continue. I won’t say anything. I’ll just watch. Happy?”
“Are you deaf? I told you to get out!” Christina snapped, her tone growing harsher. Her entire demeanor shifted, her expression now fierce and unrelenting.
It was as though she were issuing a warning to Kayden.