After busying himself for a night, Ning Tao came to a conclusion.

A scrambled rune combination turning into a usable paper talisman—the likelihood was even slimmer than hitting jackpot at a lottery center. To come up with the correct rune combination like this would be like hitting a medium-sized jackpot. It would be a small repayment from Sky Clinic for fleecing him so much treatment fees.

Ning Tao threw all the useless paper talismans into the delicate perfumed tripod. He wanted to turn them into paper mash, for recycling into medium paper.

“Doctor Ning, are you there?” An immature-sounding voice rang out from outside the door.

This voice sounded quite familiar. Ning Tao remembered someone but was not sure it was her. He walked to the door and opened it. His gaze fell upon the empty Hakka Alley, where only two youths, a boy and a girl, were standing. They were the young disciples of Bai Sheng, Wu Xiaolin and Liu Xian'er.

Under the light of the breaking dawn, the boy had handsome, delicate features and the girl was graceful and demure. They were like a pair of young lovers. The sight of them would make anyone feel close affection.

Unfortunately, they were Bai Sheng's disciples.

Since the battle at the Temple of Dead Tree, Bai Sheng's death was undetermined. But the man should have escaped. That Sky Clinic was still standing at the same venue was living proof to that. Yet strangely and unexpectedly, these two disciples of Bai Sheng had called on him.

Ning Tao felt suspicious but on the surface, he looked unruffled. “How did you know I am here?”

Wu Xiaolin cupped his fists at Ning Tao, saying in a tone neither submissive nor haughty, “Doctor Ning, Senior Sister Bai has visited this place. Of course we know.”

“Where's your Master?” Ning Tao probed.

Liu Xian'er also cupped her fists at Ning Tao and replied in a crisp voice, “Doctor Ning, our Master would be holding a technological forum at Jinquan Hotel. There will be a banquet after that. He sent us here with an invitation. We would like Doctor Ning to attend the technological forum.”

Ning Tao gave a cold sneer. “Technological forum? Don't you know what your Master is? A thousand-year-old snake demon, pretending to be a man and giving a technological forum. Isn't it a joke?”

Wu Xiaolin and Liu Xian'er looked calm. They did not seem in the least angered by Ning Tao mockery of Bai Sheng.

Ning Tao continued, “You two show good potential and talents. I don't believe you are wicked. But why follow him?”

Wu Xiaolin took out the invitation and proffered it to Ning Tao in both hands. “Doctor Ning, please accept this invitation card.”

Ning Tao did not move. He felt a sense of frustration at them straying into the wrong path.

Liu Xian'er said in a crisp voice, “Doctor Ning, a Master is a father for life. It doesn't matter if he's a demon or a human. No matter what he has done, he is still our Master. We will only listen to you and not refute.”

She was making a very polite and dignified statement. Ning Tao would not be able to say anything more. After all, these two people before his eyes were only children. And they were not innately wicked, so he could not kill them just like that.

Wu Xiaolin bowed even lower. “Please accept the invitation card, Doctor Ning.”

Ning Tao still did not accept the card. He said, “Take it back. This invitation to the technological forum and the succeeding banquet are all a ruse. I know full well what he is doing. Take this message to him: I will go and find him.”

Wu Xiaolin was still proffering the invitation card and not moving. It almost seemed as if he would keep this position until the next year if Ning Tao did not accept the card.

Ning Tao frowned slightly. They were forcing him to accept the invitation.

“Doctor Ning, please accept this. If you don't, we cannot explain to our Master when we return. He will punish us,” Liu Xian'er said, a pleading tone in her voice.

Ning Tao's heart felt a small tremor. He summoned the states of looking and smelling in his eyes and nose. One glance and he instantly understood. Wu Xiaolin and Liu Xian'er had been hexed using the Viper-like Insect. Like Bai Jing, they had been bewitched by Bai Sheng. They would be punished even for the slightest violation to his orders. Even Bai Jing was not able to take it and felt it a suffering worse than death. So how could these two young people stand it?

“Doctor Ning, we're begging you. Please accept the invitation card.” Wu Xiaolin also entreated in a gentle voice.

Ning Tao retracted his states of looking and smelling and took the invitation card. He said blandly, “You two have been hexed by Bai Sheng's Viper-like Insect. Actually, both of you aren't willing to work for him, right?”

Wu Xiaolin and Liu Xian'er's expressions intensified and they exchanged glances. But they did not say anything.

Ning Tao said, “I can break this Viper-like Insect hex on you and free you like your Senior Sister Bai Jing. Are you willing to be freed?”

The expression on Liu Xian'er and Wu Xiaolin's faces instantly changed. They said in unison, “Doctor Ning, goodbye.”

Ning Tao waved his hand. “Go, just go. Take this message to your Master. I won't attend this technological forum but I will track him down. Ask him to prepare by was.h.i.+ng his neck clean.”

Wu Xiaolin hesitated for a moment before saying, “Doctor Ning, our Master would like one your friends, Lin Qinghua, to attend the forum.”

Ning Tao stared straight at Wu Xiaolin, “Are you telling the truth?”

Wu Xiaolin nodded.

“And Mr. Lin's sister, Lin Qingyu, as well,” Liu Xian'er added.

“Please come early, Doctor Ning. Our Master says that you have some misunderstanding with him. He hopes you two can chat and clear the air,” Wu Xiaolin said.

“Goodbye, Doctor Ning,” Liu Xian'er cupped her fist at Ning Tao again and turned to leave. Wu Xiaolin followed behind her.

As Ning Tao watched them leave Hakka Alley, he took out his cell phone and dialed Lin Qinghua's number.

Lin Qinghua's cell phone had been turned off. No one was answering the call.

After that, Ning Tao dialed Lin Qingyu's cell phone number.

A few seconds later, from the other end came Lin Qingyu's voice. “Wow, the sun's rising from the west! I thought you have clean forgotten me. To think that you're giving me a call! Anything's the matter? If there isn't, I'm hanging up.”

She was still angry with Ning Tao.

A woman had taken the initiative and called a man. She made a dozen calls and he did not even answer one. Of course she would be mad!

Ning Tao gave a bitter smile. “Still angry? I have my reasons for not answering your calls.”

“What reason? I would like to know,” came Lin Qingyu's voice.

“Have you received an invitation from a man called Bai Sheng, to attend a technological forum in Guan City?” Ning Tao asked.

“Changing the topic again. I can't see what I have done wrong. I called you so many times and you did not even answer one call. Do you really hate me so much?” Lin Qingyu's voice sounded aggrieved, with a tinge of sorrow.

Ning Tao did not know what to say. If he had to choose one of the three women other than Qing Zhui—Lin Qingyu, Jiang Hao and Zhao Wushuang—as a prospective wife and start a family, he would choose Jiang Hao. He was never a two or three-timer. He would not flirt with other women and date them all. If he did, he would be a cad! Qing Zhui was an exception because she was his demon slave, his destined concubine. So, after Lin Qingyu made clear her feelings, he could only deliberately avoid her and Zhao Wushuang. Sometimes, he did not even pick up Zhao Wushuang's calls when she called.

But how could he tell Lin Qingyu the real reason?

“Say something!”

“I lost my cell phone.” It was hard to explain, so Ning Tao gave an excuse even he would not believe himself.

Lin Qingyu kept silent for a few seconds. “Really?”

“Ye… yes.”

“Okay, I believe you.”

Ning Tao: “… ”

Everyone says women are easy to coax. But sometimes, it is because they would like to be coaxed.

“What did you say just now?” Lin Qingyu's mood had clearly brightened.

Ning Tao answered, “I was asking you if you had received an invitation from a man called Bai Sheng, to attend a technological forum in Guan City.”

“Yes, I have. But they are not really inviting me but Tamao Takeda. It was my dad who made me attend. He said that we should show some esprit de corps since we are partners. Although we manufacture biological medications, we are also a technological company. We ought to attend such major technological conferences. It would benefit us developing as a joint venture.”

“Your company really started a joint venture with the Takeda family?” Although he was not surprised, Ning Tao could not help but ask to ascertain this.

“Of course. The headquarters of the joint venture is in j.a.pan. There's a branch in Man City, managed by the Takeda side. There will be another branch in Shan City, managed by me.”

“Did Bai Sheng mention your brother?” Ning Tao asked.

“No. Do you have news on my brother? Tell me, quick.” Lin Qingyu's voice sounded very anxious.

“No,” Ning Tao answered. His mind returned to the conversation he had with Wu Xiaolin and Liu Xian'er. The more he thought about it, the more he felt an uneasiness about the matter.

“My brother…” Lin Qingyu wanted to speak but checked herself.

Ning Tao consoled her. “Don't worry, your brother will be fine. I have been searching for him. I will let you know if there's news.”

“Oh, by the way, how did you know I'm attending the Asian Technological Forum?”

Ning Tao opened the invitation and glanced at it. The heading was indeed “Asian Technological Forum.” He said, “I've been invited too. The messengers bringing me the invitation said they had invited you too. That's why I call you up to ask.”

“Isn't this a technological forum? Why would they invite a doctor like you?” Lin Qingyu's voice sounded very curious.

“I don't know either.”

“So where are you now? I am going to the airport and can pick you up.”

Ning Tao said, “I am in Guan City. What time is your flight? I can pick you up.”

“The 11 a.m. flight. I should be in Guan City by 2 p.m. Come and pick me up so that we can chat,” Lin Qingyu said.

“Okay, see you at the airport in the afternoon.” Ning Tao hung up the line. Then he gave Bai Jing, Qing Zhui and Yin Molan consecutive calls.

After his calls were done, he returned to Sky Clinic. He got everything ready and put them into his little medicine chest. Then, he opened the convenient door and came to the House of Sword Pavilion Cave.

After an hour, Qing Zhui, Bai Jing and Yin Molan all returned to the House of Sword Pavilion Cave.

Ning Tao came straight to the point. “Bai Sheng has appeared again. He has invited me to a technological forum held by him.”

“Isn't this a Hongmen banquet?” Yin Molan said.

Ning Tao answered, “I don't know what on earth he is up to now. But this will be another chance to kill him. Tomorrow, I shall attend the forum. You people stay outside and support me. But don't act rashly. Follow my instructions in the messages.”

Bai Hao asked, “What messages?”

Ning Tao thought for a while. “I will text you people.”

Bai Jing looked at Ning Tao. The expression in her eyes seemed to be telling Ning Tao something.