If he was even a little careless during this trip to America, he would cause Nicholas Conway to appear. It would not be an relaxed meeting where two persons sat down and talked about their lives and ideals over two cups of coffee. It would be a life-and-death showdown. How could he relax? Besides, he did not know who that tyrant from Beidu was. That fellow ought to be on the same level as Bai Sheng. He must prepare himself for a confrontation.

Although there were three beauties in his house, all lovelier than flowers, he could only look at but not touch them. He saw very little point to this, and preferred to practice alone in the clinic to improve his abilities.

After practicing his spiritual power several times using the grade three elementary cultivation method, Ning Tao started to work on his Hundred Steps Flying Needle Method.

After injecting spiritual power into it, the Sacred Needle started to give a crisp hum. The needle started to tremble slightly, almost shooting out of his hand.

Ning Tao aimed at the leg of his table. He waved his hand and flung the needle towards it.

Fizzing!

The sound of the Sacred Needle tearing through the air. That blue Sacred Needle flashed and darted into the leg of the table.

He was aiming for the left leg of the table, but the Sacred Needle had pierced into the right leg instead.

The Hundred Steps Flying Needle Method required one to inject one's spiritual power into the needle and control it using that spiritual power after releasing it. If one likened this whiff of spiritual power to a thread, the Sacred Needle would be like an embroidery needle. One might describe this Hundred Steps Flying Needle Method as a form of needlework or embroidery. As a novice, he could already manipulate his spiritual power like a thread to control the Sky Needle. He could not regard this try as a failure.

“I can't even control the needle from such a short distance, let alone from a few hundred meters. Looks like I must keep on practicing.” Ning Tao waved his hand and the Sacred Needles pierced into the table leg flew back. It did not return to his hand, but instead skimmed past his shoulder and ricocheted off the wall, falling down.

Ning Tao picked up the Sacred Needle and continued practicing…

One entire night slipped by unconsciously. At eight sharp in the morning, Ning Tao came to the lock wall, preparing to unlock a blood lock.

Just when he was about to open the convenient door, the voice of Jiang Hao rang out from outside the door. “Tao, are you in there?”

Ning Tao walked to the door. “Yes, I am.”

He opened the door and immediately saw Jiang Hao standing below the terraced steps. She had a file holder in her hand. Only then did he remember Jiang Hao's words the night before. He asked, “Are you holding a pa.s.sport?”

Jiang Hao climbed up the terraced steps and stuffed the file holder into Ning Tao's hands. “I got someone to find me this last night. It's not a counterfeit pa.s.sport, but a real one. But the entry stamp on it is forged. You must be careful in case you run into a policeman.”

Ning Tao nodded. “I will be careful. Don't worry about me.”

Jiang Hao said, “You've never stepped out of this country before. Shouldn't I worry since you are entering another country illegally?”

Ning Tao felt a warmth well up in his heart. He wanted to voice his grat.i.tude, but felt that he might be treating her like an outsider. But he must show her his appreciation. He hesitated for a moment, before quietly reaching out his hand to grab Jiang Hao's.

Jiang Hao did not avoid his grasp.

Ning Tao was initially feeling quite apprehensive. He had acted hesitantly, but since Jiang Hao did not avoid his grasp, he a.s.serted himself. He grabbed Jiang Hao's hand swiftly and came into contact with her tender, smooth hand, like a warm piece of jade.

Jiang Hao's hand trembled slightly.

Ning Tao plucked up his courage. “Well… Hao, let's be together, shall we?”

Jiang Hao s.h.i.+fted her eyes and gazed into Ning Tao's. “When you say 'us', do you only mean the two of us, or do you include Qing Zhui and Bai Jing?”

Ning Tao was immediately gagged by her question. He could not speak.

“Talk to me only after you have made your decision.” With these words, Jiang Hao retracted her hand from Ning Tao's grasp. She turned and ran to the alley exit, as if afraid that she would give in to Ning Tao's further request if she hesitated.

Ning Tao gave a sigh, turned and entered Sky Clinic.

In the alley, Jiang Hao had halted her steps. She turned to look at Ning Tao, but found the door of Sky Clinic shut. She also sighed and walked listlessly ahead.

Doo-doo… Doo-doo…

Her cell phone suddenly rang.

Jiang Hao took out her cell phone and picked up the call. The moment she heard the voice from the phone. She immediately and unwittingly straightened her back. “Yes, I will report back at once…”

Inside Sky Clinic, Ning Tao steadied his mood and unlocked a blood lock. Carrying his small medicine chest which he had long prepared, he walked in.

Two seconds later, Ning Tao strode out of the convenient door.

It was a bedroom painted predominantly in silver and black. It made use of a large quant.i.ty of metal to give a sci-fi feeling. The room was very s.p.a.cious. On the opposite wall was a large French window, where one could see the bustling streets of busy New York.

Ning Tao also saw Joanna, lying asleep on a circular bed near the French window. She was dressed in a loose-fitting negligee. Her mature, enticing curves and contours could be seen from under the sheer fabric.

The convenient door disappeared.

Ning Tao turned back his head to look. He saw an ordinary prescription with the picture of a blood lock discarded casually on the tea table. This woman really could not be trusted. Didn't he instruct her to leave it only at secluded spots? It was lucky that she was asleep. If she had been boozing in the room during a party with her bosom friends, he would have scared them to death if he appeared suddenly out from the convenient door!

Ning Tao picked up the ordinary prescription on the tea table and pasted it behind the frame of a decorative painting on the wall. Then he went out of Joanna's room, walked down the corridor and living room, and exited out of the door.

The corridor was quiet and the doors of Joanna's adjacent rooms were tightly shut.

Judging from the distance he had just walked, Joanna's house must be at least 300 square meters in size. In an expensive city like New York, it must have cost her three to five million U.S. dollars. But Joanna would not be under any form of pressure purchasing such a house, given her status.

Ning Tao studied the environment for a while before stretching out his hand to press the doorbell.

Ding dong, ding dong.

“Who's that?” Joanna's voice suddenly rang out from the electronic smart door lock. She sounded as lazy as a newly awakened cat.

Ning Tao said into the electronic smart lock. “It's me, Ning Tao.”

“Ah? I was waiting for your phone call… I'll open the door for you right now!” Agitation and joy could be heard in Joanna's voice. All her former drowsiness was gone.

The house door soon opened. Before Ning Tao could open his mouth and greet her, Joanna spread out her arms and gave Ning Tao a solid embrace.

Out of courtesy, Ning Tao too raised his arms and hugged her, clasping her on her back.

Joanna released Ning Tao. She seemed to have suddenly remembered something. “How did you come?”

Ning Tao said with a smile, “Are you making me stand to talk to you?”

“Oh, so sorry. Please come in.” Joanna made way for him.

Ning Tao entered. “I came here on a friend's private plane. I found this place from the address you gave me and came in a cab. I wanted to call you on the way, but decided to give you a surprise instead. I was still thinking just now, would I be in a fix if you aren't home? But I am still quite lucky. You're home.”

Joanna replied with a laugh, “You have indeed given me a pleasant surprise! I was waiting specially for you here. I very rarely stay in this house, only when I'm on a business trip. Most of the time, I live with my father in his country villa.”

“Where's that friend of yours?” Ning Tao immediately broached the subject.

Joanna said, “After you agreed to treat her, I spoke to her. She left immediately after my phone call, flying here directly from Ruitian. She should be in New York now. I thought you would only arrive tomorrow at the quickest. So I did not get her to wait here. I'll call her right away and get her to come. Have a seat first.”

Ning Tao walked to the sofa, put down his small medicine chest, and sat down.

Joanna went back into her room to call her friend. Although she did not reveal her friend's name, Ning Tao could vaguely recall her t.i.tle as the Princess. And she mentioned Ruitian just now. Joanne had unwittingly disclosed the ident.i.ty of her heavyweight friend. The name Ruitian sounded like Switzerland in Chinese. It was one of the few countries which retained a const.i.tutional monarchy. The king was the country's highest authority, and the head of its armed forces. Since there was a king, there would of course be princes and princesses.

Ning Tao took out his cell phone and searched for “the Princess of Ruitian” in the Baidu search engine. His cell phone soon gathered a large quant.i.ty of results pertaining to the Princess of Ruitian. There were news reports as well as photos.

Ning Tao clicked on a news item to read.

The king of Ruitian, Cagu Talman, had two daughters. One was called Shalim Talman and in her early 30s. The younger daughter was called Guli Talman and was only 23. They had an elder brother, Prince Joseph Talman.

Ning Tao also looked at the searched pictures.

Prince Joseph Talman looked mature and steady. He was active in many international arenas, an ardent patron of charity and community organizations. He was highly esteemed in Ruitian, and the people's favorite to succeed the throne.

The Second Princess, Shalim Talman, was a very low-key person. She worked as a genetics specialist, and had released several important papers on internationally renowned journals. Although she was past 30, she was still unmarried.

The youngest princess, Guli Talman, was a rebellious girl. She smoked, drunk alcohol to excess and dressed indecently. She was zealous about parties and there was a heap of negative press on her. But she was a defiant girl who persisted in her own ways, not caring about the reputation of the royalty at all.

Both Shalim Talman and Guli Talman had golden hair, blue eyes and tall, proportionate figures. They possessed the unique s.e.xiness and beauty of Viking women.

Ning Tao wondered in his heart, “Is Joanna's friend the second, or the youngest princess?”

At this moment, Joanna walked out of her bedroom with a smile on her face. “I've already contacted her. But she's really unlucky. She sprained her ankle while getting up the car and is now resting in the hotel. She asked us to visit her. If there's no problem, we will make a move once I change.”

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Ning Tao thought for a moment and agreed. “All right, I will go with you.”

“We really must thank you. Let's go right away to give her a pleasant surprise.” Joanna seemed very happy.

Ning Tao probed. “Joanna, what is your friend's name?”

Joanna gave a sly smile. “Tao, don't be anxious. I will let you know when we get there. Wait for me a while. I'm going in to change.”

Ning Tao sat back onto the sofa, somewhat bored. He wondered to himself, “Since you're putting on such airs, I won't be shy when I collect my treatment fees later.”

Was she the older or the younger princess?

He did not mind either, actually.