"May I ask, Miss Bai, are you from any sect or clan?"
Once he'd calmed down, Tang Xiuhan asked the question he most wanted to know.
Bai Fanxian pondered. Now that her Alchemy Goddess Palace was gone, she supposed she could say she wasn't affiliated with any side?
"No, I'm alone." She answered calmly.
"Oh, now there's this child too. She is mine." Bai Fanxian gently stroked Hui'er's head. The little girl was happy to let her lady stroke her head.
"I see..."
Tang Xiuhan sighed with relief. What he worried about was that she might be a descendant of some great clan or sect. If that were the case, the matter would be rather difficult for him.
"I have a request to make. Miss Bai, could you hear me out?"
Tang Xiuhan spoke politely and asked Bai Fanxian straightforwardly. This sudden request made the young woman raise an eyebrow in surprise.
"I would like to ask Miss Bai to help protect someone."
While requesting, Tang Xiuhan looked directly into Bai Fanxian's eyes to show his sincerity.
"Protect you?"
"Not me." Tang Xiuhan quickly waved his hands in refusal.
"...My daughter."
"I told you before that I have a daughter about Hui'er's age, didn't I?" Tang Xiuhan began reminiscing. When he spoke of his daughter, he looked truly happy.
"That child has a weak body. Even my father, who has extensive medical knowledge, cannot treat her. But recently there's news that the Divine Healer has emerged from cultivation."
"...Divine Healer?"
"You don't know him, Miss Bai?" Tang Xiuhan asked back with confusion. Because the Divine Healer's name was one that cultivators should widely know.
Because he was a cultivator with supreme knowledge in both medicine and pharmaceuticals. He could treat many diseases that were difficult to cure. And he helped people without discrimination. Making him ultimately called the Divine Healer.
"...An interesting title."
Bai Fanxian said. Ten thousand years ago, her title was "Alchemy Empress." What she excelled at most was concocting elixirs, not healing. Though there were times she healed people, that all came from the power of the elixirs she concocted.
Hearing the name Divine Healer made her interested.
No one knew what his real name was. Recently, he'd been in closed-door cultivation for 5 years. Finally, rumors emerged from his disciples that the Divine Healer would soon emerge from closed-door cultivation.
This made people who knew the news excited and delighted. And they began traveling to the mountain village where he was rumored to appear.
Tang Xiuhan himself was one of them. When he learned the news, he wanted to quickly take his youngest daughter. But what worried him most was safety.
Not just his daughter's health, but also enemies ready to attack the Tang Clan the moment they knew.
For example, the black car that chased him today and almost caused an accident with Hui'er. There were many clans that wanted to attack the Tang Clan both covertly and openly. Because the Tang Clan had influence as an alchemy clan in the city. And publicly they owned several hospitals.
So there were both ordinary people and cultivators ready to profit from them.
Bai Fanxian listened to Tang Xiuhan's explanation quietly.
"I won't trouble you much, Miss Bai. Just during the journey taking my daughter to find the Divine Healer." Tang Xiuhan knew well the limits of his request. For a Grandmaster-level being, asking him or her to constantly protect a little child seemed quite unworthy. And also seemed rather presumptuous.
"You already have these people, don't you?"
Bai Fanxian looked at A'Ma and A'Tian. Both were also cultivators. And they already worked for the Tang Clan.
"The enemies this time aren't at a level that Cultivators can handle." Tang Xiuhan sighed softly.
"There are several Martial Masters eyeing the Tang Clan. If not for my father who is a 6th-stage Martial Master, the Tang Clan would have already collapsed." He continued with sadness.
"I myself have no talent in cultivation. At this age, I'm still stuck at 10th-stage Qi Gathering." He laughed dryly at his own incompetence.
But both A'Ma and A'Tian disagreed inwardly. Though their master's talent was low in cultivation, Tang Xiuhan was a business genius. Under his management, the Tang Clan's hospital network had grown tremendously over the past 20 years.
The black car drove into the grounds of a large mansion. The guard on duty opened the gate immediately upon seeing the car. Hui'er, who noticed the changes outside, pressed against the side window and watched with interest.
After passing through the gate, what appeared was a spacious lawn with well-maintained trees. At the end of the path was a large, elaborately constructed modern mansion.
When the car stopped, A'Ma quickly got down to open the door for the master and guests. The sight of Bai Fanxian stepping down from the car gracefully in ancient attire attracted great attention from the servants waiting to welcome them.
Little Hui'er jumped down from the car with A'Ma's help. She thanked him and refused A'Ma's kind offer to help carry that large bag.
"This way, please, Miss Bai." Tang Xiuhan gestured politely to invite Bai Fanxian. Creating more surprise for the servants watching.
Who was this guest that their master valued so much?
If even the master treated her so politely, they quickly put away their curiosity.
"Welcome home, sir." An elderly butler with a kind smile stepped forward to greet him dutifully. He looked at Bai Fanxian with surprise and asked:
"Do we have guests today?"
"Yes, Uncle Huang, please prepare food and accommodations for tonight." Tang Xiuhan spoke politely to the elderly butler. This Uncle Huang had been with his father since youth. And had raised him since childhood. Making him, though master of the house, still treat the elderly butler with respect.
"Yes, sir." Uncle Huang nodded. He bent down to look at Hui'er hiding behind Bai Fanxian and secretly watching with curiosity, with affection.
"Should I prepare a separate room for this young miss?"
"N-no... I'll stay with my lady." Hui'er refused softly. She used her free hand to clutch Bai Fanxian's clothes tightly.
"Ho ho, then I'll prepare an extra bed." Uncle Huang laughed softly and excused himself to give orders to prepare the room as quickly as possible.
Tang Xiuhan led them into the guest room. There were both comfortable sofas and a large television. Moreover, many conveniences were prepared there.
"Please sit, Miss Bai." Tang Xiuhan invited Bai Fanxian to sit on the long sofa. He didn't forget to say the same to Hui'er.
"Refreshments, sir."
Uncle Huang who had disappeared returned with a cart with tea and snacks on it. He served tea deftly including good cheesecake to everyone including Hui'er. Moreover, he added several small cookie pieces beside the little girl's plate.
"Thank you! Grandpa."
Hui'er thanked Uncle Huang happily. Uncle Huang laughed heartily with affection. He seemed quite pleased to see the little girl call him grandpa and eat the snacks he gave with happiness.
Because the house's little miss was sick and not strong, making the house not very cheerful. And when eating anything, she ate so little it was worrying.
"You're back?"
A gentle voice rang out from the doorway. A dignified middle-aged woman stepped into the room with a warm smile across her face. And seeing there were guests, she asked with surprise:
"Oh, do we have guests?"
"Xinlan, come greet Miss Bai first." Tang Xiuhan got up to his wife with a smile. He brought her in and introduced her to Bai Fanxian.
"My name is Tang Xinlan. Pleased to meet you." Tang Xinlan greeted Bai Fanxian courteously.
"Hello."
Bai Fanxian merely greeted simply. But that didn't make Tang Xinlan angry or displeased in the slightest. She'd been Tang Xiuhan's wife for decades. Seeing her husband's attitude toward the young woman before her, she knew she was no ordinary person.
"This child is so adorable..."
When Tang Xinlan glanced at Hui'er who was eating cookies in big bites until those little cheeks puffed up like a squirrel, she murmured unconsciously.
"That child's name is Hui'er. Can I ask you to look after her while I discuss business with Miss Bai?" Tang Xiuhan asked his wife. She naturally nodded willingly. She got up and led Hui'er to the sofa on the other side near the TV after Hui'er received permission from her lady.
The plate of snacks and tea were moved along by Uncle Huang who appeared from who knows when. And he secretly served several more pieces of cake without realizing it.
Bai Fanxian glanced at her little follower who was happy with a faint smile at the corner of her mouth. That made both male and female servants stunned beyond control.
Only Tang Xiuhan and Uncle Huang looked on calmly.
"Miss Bai, about what we discussed in the car..."
The middle-aged man opened the topic.
"Don't worry about compensation at all. I'll prepare it appropriately."
"Or if Miss Bai has other needs, please tell me. Not just me, but the Tang Clan will fulfill Miss Bai's needs to the best of our ability." Tang Xiuhan spoke straightforwardly. He secretly watched Bai Fanxian's indifferent manner with concern.
He didn't state compensation as a number. So he could only probe in case the young woman had some special need he could fulfill.
After all, the Tang Clan was renowned for alchemy among cultivators. He was prepared if the young woman would demand elixirs or some rare ingredients. And he knew well that the price of a Grandmaster-level cultivator definitely wouldn't be cheap.
But the young woman's answer surprised him.
Because it was neither massive money nor valuable elixirs.
"A house... I want one house."