As Ning Tao exited Sky Clinic, a snowflake landed on his cheek and quickly melted away. He looked up into the night sky, many more snowflakes were falling from the dark night sky.

It was snowing. It was the first snow of this winter.

Autumn had gone and winter was here. Seasons changed, and it had always been so for the past billions of years. This world had its own rules, none of which humans could defy.

Ring, ring…

The phone in his pocket suddenly rang. Ning Tao took it out and answered the call immediately after taking a look.

It was what he had expected, a call from Lin Qinghua.

“Is Su Ya alright?” Lin Qinghua’s voice came from the phone.

Ning Tao’s voice was icy cold, “You still have the guts to call me? She’s alright, but you won’t be.”

Lin Qinghua stayed silent for a while before saying, “I know you’re very angry now and can’t wait to kill me, but I still have to say this. Your childhood friend Ge Ming is in my hands. Give me all the skull fragments you have and I will guarantee his safety.”

“What if I disagree?” Ning Tao said.

“I hope that you wouldn’t do that, because not only will Ge Ming die, many more people will be hurt from your stubbornness.” Lin Qinghua’s tone felt somewhat threatening.

Ning Tao was so angry that he started laughing. “Alright, give me a time and location.”

“Wait for my call,” Lin Qinghua said and hung up.

Ning Tao was in a daze for a while before returning to the rental courtyard house.

At the entrance, Howling Celestial Dog was wagging its tail at Ning Tao.

Ning Tao patted its head. Usually, he would have played with it for a while or tested its English vocabulary, but he was not in the mood today.

Yin Molan, Bai Jing and Jiang Hao approached Ning Tao, once he had entered the house.

“Where’s my sister?” Bai Jing asked anxiously.

Ning Tao said, “I got her to stay at Sunshine Orphanage. It’s a crucial period now, that place needs to be protected by someone.”

“Are you not scared that the people from Black Fire Company would attack again and my sister would be in danger?” Bai Jing’s tone was slightly reproachful. Jiang Hao was at home yet her sister was at a very dangerous place. She felt that Ning Tao was being unfair.

Ning Tao said, “Their aim is the Ancestor-seeking Elixir prescription. It’s unlikely that they will attack Sunshine Orphanage again. Qing Zhui is safe there. Even if I had to go there, it would only take me a few seconds. I can back her up anytime.”

Only then was Bai Jing reassured. But she still glared at Ning Tao, and mumbled, “Biased.”

Jiang Hao did not pursue after her and said, “Tao, those hooligans have been arrested. They have confessed that they were paid by Lin Qinghua to intentionally create trouble. In my opinion, Lin Qinghua has long planned everything in advance to distract and mislead us.”

“He’s a very cunning enemy. Ge Ming is in his hands now,” Ning Tao’s tone was somber, “Qing Zhui and I have followed Ge Ming’s tracks and found out that he was taken into a plane not far away from the orphanage. Most likely by helicopter. It is impossible for a helicopter to come to Beidu. I’m guessing that Lin Qinghua had already left Beidu after he left that restaurant to rush over to meet the people who had taken Ge Ming.”

Yin Molan said, “That guy must have taken your friend as a hostage to threaten you in exchange for the prescription, am I right?”

Ning Tao nodded.

Yin Molan’s fists tightened, he reprimanded with gritted teeth, “Damn it, they actually resorted to such a lowly trickery. What a shame to practitioners like us! Better not let me run into that kid, or else I’ll tear him apart to feed the dogs!”

Bai Jing said, “Brother-in-law, are you going to give the prescription to that kid?”

Ning Tao said, “I practice the way of Heaven and the way of Heaven cannot be compromised. If I gave the prescription to Lin Qinghua, it would equate to giving it to Nicholas Conway and Black Fire Company. Many more people will die.”

Jiang Hao asked, “Then what should we do now?”

Ning Tao thought before saying, “Lin Qinghua made me wait for his call. I’ll prepare a fake prescription for him now. I predict that he’ll make me go alone. Once he informs me of the time and location, I’ll take the fake prescription there to carry out the rescue.”

“No, I don’t agree with you going, it’s too dangerous.” Jiang Hao was the first to object.

Ning Tao said, “Ge Ming is my childhood friend. I must go and save him.”

Bai Jing said, “That Lin Qinghua is so sly, would he not have guessed that you would bring a fake prescription? I’m guessing that the traps would have already been set at the meeting location, have you considered how dangerous it would be for you to go? Didn’t that woman of the Tang Sect already say? This time Nicholas Conway could have personally come to Hua Country, do you have certainty in defeating him?” She glared at Ning Tao fiercely as she said, “Tell me, do you really want my sister to be a widow?”

Ning Tao smiled wryly. Even though Bai Jing’s words were harsh, he knew that she was genuinely concerned for him.

“Woof woof woof…” Howling Celestial Dog’s barks came from the entrance.

Ning Tao turned around and saw that two people were here.

A grey-haired blind man and a beautiful young lady. The blind man was holding an erhu while the lady was holding a flute.

Things were developing against his favor.

Sun Pingchuan and Sun Lanxiang had actually found them here, on this night of chaos.

Yin Molan’s tone was serious, “Sun, how dare you come here? Do you think I’m forgetful, that I can’t remember what you’ve done to me? I’ve not fought to my heart’s content that day, how about we do another round!”

Once he was done speaking, the Blade of Brotherhood was promptly taken out of its sheath. Snow fell into the open courtyard, but no snow landed on the Blade of Brotherhood.

Sun Lanxiang’s flute was held up, and gusts of wind bringing along snowflakes were encircling her in an instant. It was as if a musical courtesan had time traveled from ancient times, her beauty was so extremely breathtaking.

Sun Pingchuan said calmly, “Xiang’er, what have I told you before we arrived? Have you forgotten?”

Sun Lanxiang put away her flute and the wind encircling her vanished.

Ning Tao also said, “Senior Yin, hold on.”

Yin Molan nodded and put his blade back into its sheath.

At this moment, Sun Pingchuan said, “Doctor Ning, this is our second time meeting, you are an extraordinary figure, a rare genius indeed.”

With such words, it made one suspect whether he was really blind.

Ning Tao sneered, “Did you come only to compliment me? If you have something to say, say it. If you want to fight, then fight.”

Sun Pingchuan shook his head. “You’re wrong to put it that way. I’m not here to fight you, I’m here to help.”

Ning Tao asked in surprise, “Help?”

Bai Jing and Jiang Hao could not help but exchange skeptical glances. They felt the same surprise and curiosity as Ning Tao. No matter how they looked at it, Genesis Biotech Company was an enemy and these grandfather and granddaughter were the top killers of Genesis Biotech Company. How could they possibly be here to help?

Sun Pingchuan said, “I know what all of you are thinking but I have some information and thoughts to tell you, which you may already be aware of. The enemy of your enemies are your allies. Westerners are causing troubles in my Hua Country and are even robbing us. Xiang’er and I are sensible people. We can put aside our differences for the time being to resist the foreign enemies together. Doctor Ning, what do you think?”

Ning Tao stayed silent for a moment before saying, “What conditions do you have?”

Sun Pingchuan said, “We have no condition as long as they’re chased out of here.”

Ning Tao could not help but glance at Jiang Hao and Bai Jing. Women were sensitive people, and moreover, Bai Jing and Jiang Hao were no ordinary women. He wanted to seek their opinions.

But it seemed like Bai Jing and Jiang Hao had no idea what to do this time too.

Sun Lanxiang knitted her brows. “Doctor Ning, we’re here to extend our help out of kindness, yet you’re treating us like this? Making my grandfather and I talk to you in the snow?”

“Xiang’er,” Sun Pingchuan said.

Sun Lanxiang shut up again.

Sun Pingchuan said again, “Doctor Ning, we know that you don’t trust us but I would like to tell you that we have the same goal in this matter. If you gave that thing to the Westerners, it would be even harder for us to get it back, isn’t it? So, you can very well trust us.”

Even though these words were not particularly pleasing to hear, they were reasonable. If the Ancestor-seeking Elixir prescription ended up in the hands of Western practitioners or powers behind the Genesis Biotech Company, there would practically be zero chance of getting it back.

Sun Pingchuan and Sun Lanxiang suddenly coming to offer help was clearly to prevent him from handing the elixir prescription to Western practitioner powers. The enemies of your enemies being your allies was a novel idea. Weak and small enemies could come together to defeat the strong enemy then it would make eliminating the weak and small enemies much easier. This was the true reason.

Ning Tao understood everything but he revealed none of that. “I have my considerations, so I was too slow to attend to you. Please come in.”

Howling Celestial Dog made way.

Sun Lanxiang supported Sun Pingchuan up the stairs and inside the house.

Ning Tao led them to the living room.

Jiang Hao had gone to pour tea. Since Qing Zhui was not around, Jiang Hao would be the mistress of this house, thus such duties would be naturally performed by her.

Ning Tao got straight to the point. “Senior Sun, you said that you were here to help. I’m very welcoming of that. But what help are you offering?”

Sun Pingchuan said, “Xiang’er, take out the thing.”

Sun Lanxiang took out a folded square piece of paper from her waist sash and placed it on the coffee table, pushing it carefully towards Ning Tao.

Ning Tao took up that slip of paper, opening to take a look.

On the paper were the words: “Holy Mountain”.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Ning Tao asked.

Sun Lanxiang explained, “According to our intel, that friend of yours, Lin Qinghua has booked a private jet the day before. The destination was West Province. We’ve analyzed that the location he intends to meet you would be at the Holy Mountain.”

Zhu Hongyu was killed at the Holy Mountain, and to bring her skull fragments back to Holy Mountain a few centuries later, it would be like a cycle of reincarnation. She had already passed on, but the secret of Ancestor-seeking Elixir was still shrouded in mystery, leading many to vie for it.

“How did you know about this?” Ning Tao stared at Sun Lanxiang, observing her eyes.

Sun Lanxiang looked back at Ning Tao. Without any emotion on her face, she said, “Of course we have our own methods, you don’t have to worry.”

“You’re here to help because of Zetian Fairy’s command, right?” Ning Tao probed again.

Sun Lanxiang did not respond.

Sun Pingchuan stood up. “Doctor Ning, there is no rush in finding the answer, because it would surface eventually. That’s all we have to say, let’s meet at the Holy Mountain. Xiang’er, let’s go.”

Sun Lanxiang got up and left, following behind Sun Pingchuan.

Ning Tao said, “You may see yourselves out, goodbye.”

Sun Pingchuan waved.

After Sun Pingchuan and Sun Lanxiang had walked out of the door, only then did Jiang Hao say, “Tao, do you really believe those two?”

Ning Tao shook his head; he did not believe them at all.

Bai Jing asked, “Then are we still going to the Holy Mountain?”

Ning Tao said, “Of course.”