BOOM!

  Lightning illuminated the entire sky. Thunder roared. The entire Royal Complex trembled on their knees.

  “What the hell are you doing?! I told you to focus your energy!” Zhao Lokun, the Royal Physician, scolded his apprentice.

  Chow Qinfen repetitiously bowed. “I'm-I'm sorry Master. The lightning just now…I'm really sorry!”

  “That's enough! Focus! If anything happened to the Fifth Prince because of you, I will not be held responsible!”

  “Y-yes Master.”

  Chow Qinfen fingertips touched the Fifth Prince's head. He closed his eyes, and let the energy in his Dantian flow into the prince and back. Forcing the accumulated energy in the Fifth Prince's body to be exhausted.

  While the beads of sweat on Chow Qinfen’s forehead kept increasing, Zhao Lokun’s hands were busy. He crushed the medicinal herbs with his hands, and threw them into the boiling water.

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  Moments later, pink vapor rose from the cauldron. Zhao Lokun sucked the vapor into his mouth and, with the aid of his qi, guided the exhaled vapor into the Fifth Prince's orifices.

  The process took a long time. Exhausting the qi reserve in both their Dantians. Finally, after three burnt incense, the process is finished.

  “Haa…haa…is it working, Master?” Chow Qinfen asked as he wiped his face.

  Zhao Lokun shook his head. “The Fifth Prince's fate is uncertain. It is all up to his will to live.”

  “Haih, I can't believe they would do such a thing to a child.”

  “Pfft, he's already thirteen. A boy his age would be training for the army right now.”

  Chow Qinfen gave an awkward grin. “Still, he's just a naive child. For his own flesh and blood to do this…”

  “Hush! Do you want to be beheaded?! Those are words of treason!” Zhao Lokun reprimanded his loose tongue apprentice.

  “Oh shit!” Chow Qinfen clamped his mouth as he looked around. “Apologies master.”

  “Just clean up. I'll brew some tea for the both of us.” Zhao Lokun just waved him off since they are in a very private place.

  Soon, the medicinal aroma is gone. Replaced by the fragrance of tea. As his apprentice was packing up the instruments, Zhao Lokun couldn't help but to gaze sympathetically at the Fifth Prince.

  In his mind, the Fifth Prince is as good as dead.

  ‘Haih, poor child’. He lamented in his mind.

  ‘May you be reborn to a family that loves you. May you have brothers that will protect you, instead of harming you’.

  When the cleanup was finished, Chow Qinfen felt thirsty. He approached his master, and poured a cup of tea for himself.

  Just as he was about to drink the tea, suddenly…

  “WOARGGGHHHH…!”

  PRANGGG!

  The teacup in Chow Qinfen's hand dropped to the floor.