Perhaps it was too boring, Liou Yuan glanced out the window, and after confirming there was no one nearby, flipped his hand, revealing a pearl-white elixir in his palm.
The elixir was the size of a longan, and as soon as it was exposed to the air, it emitted a refreshing fragrance.
Liou Yuan just took a breath close to it, and as the aroma entered his lungs, his internal organs slightly contracted.
"Micro-Star Elixir!" Liou Yuan stared at the elixir in his hand and called out its name.
It was the reward given to Liou Yuan by the Fixed Star Compass after absorbing the power of the two Star Evils he had slain.
From the reaction of the Five Mansions earlier, it was clear that this Micro-Star Elixir would assist Liou Yuan in cultivating the "Five Mansions Star Gazing Breathing Skill."
But Liou Yuan did not intend to consume it now; he tucked it back into the medicine bottle and kept it close.
He planned to adjust his condition to its peak before taking it; this way, the medicinal effects of the Micro-Star Elixir would not be wasted.
As for now, he was clearly still in a weak phase.
"I underestimated the side effects of the 'Yunwu Prefecture' method. Thought I'd recover in two to three days."
"Now it seems it will take four to five days."
Four to five days was the time Bai Xin informed Liou Yuan.
She is quite a renowned doctor in Yanhe City, so Liou Yuan had not the slightest doubt about her words.
According to Bai Xin, his vitality was severely depleted, his organs were all weak, and four to five days were with the medicinal care she was providing to Liou Yuan.
If he were just to rest, it would take at least half a month.
"Four to five days is still good; without the threat of Star Evil, I'm not in a hurry to get out of bed."
Just as Liou Yuan was enjoying a moment of peace.
Creak!
The room door was pushed open.
Liou Yuan turned his head at the sound, looking towards the door.
He saw a woman in a light blue robe leading a young girl into the room.
The woman's features were seventy to eighty percent similar to Liou Yuan's, with an aura of refinement, although her facial features showed faint traces of time; she was not young anymore.
The young girl following the woman wore a pink dress, had her hair in a bun, and sleeves rolled up, presenting a capable appearance.
She was two to three years younger than Liou Yuan, around fourteen, with smiling eyes; her little face still had a touch of innocence but showed some beauty.
The young girl was holding a medicinal jar with both hands, from which steamy white mist was rising, and a strong medicinal scent filled the entire room with the mist.
Liou Yuan sniffed, his face showing a hint of bitterness.
This medicine was truly bitter.
The woman walking ahead was naturally Liou Yuan's mother, the well-respected doctor Bai Xin in Yanhe City.
The girl following behind her was named Kong Yi, the daughter of the owner of Xuanhu Clinic, and also Bai Xin's apprentice.
She had been learning medicine under his mother's guidance, despite being the clinic owner's daughter, not at all pampered, but capable and hardworking.
Though her personality was a bit lively, she had a loose tongue, unable to keep secrets.
"Mother is here." Liou Yuan called out to Bai Xin, then smiled at Kong Yi, saying: "What did I do to deserve the future mistress of the clinic bringing me medicine."
"If you can smile, it proves your health is recovering well." Bai Xin glanced at her son, her expression unchanging as she spoke, taking three steps forward to hold Liou Yuan's wrist and check his pulse.
Kong Yi placed the medicinal jar on the bedside, her big eyes curling into crescents, speaking sweetly to Liou Yuan: "If you care about me, come help at the clinic when you recover; I've been busy to the point of dizziness."
"Haha!" Liou Yuan laughed, neither agreeing nor refusing.
Giving a noncommittal response to Kong Yi, causing her to roll her eyes, muttering under her breath: "Lazy bug!"
"You have indeed recovered pretty well; in two days, you'll be able to get out of bed." Bai Xin was done checking Liou Yuan's pulse and softly reported his condition.
Then she put Liou Yuan's hand back under the quilt, got up, and immediately left without a moment's delay.
"The clinic is busy these days, so you rest well. I won't be accompanying you."
Bai Xin's attitude towards Liou Yuan was as usual; upon confirming her son was fine, she didn't stay even a moment longer, her cool eyes glanced at Liou Yuan before she stepped out of the room.
"Mother, take care."
Liou Yuan was long used to Bai Xin's attitude; or rather, in his memory, this was always how his mother was.
Not just towards him, even when facing his brother Liou Zhen, she maintained the same demeanor.
Moreover, it was strange that although Bai Xin knew Liou Yuan was cultivating, she hadn't asked him a single word over these past few days.
Anyone else might not understand.
But with Bai Xin, it seemed completely natural.
She appeared inherently indifferent.
But she never neglected her duties.
Kong Yi was also accustomed to Bai Xin's demeanor.
Thus, as she watched Bai Xin's figure leave, she made no attempt to persuade her to stay.
But Kong Yi, seeing Liou Yuan still looking at the door, seemed a bit unwilling to let it go, used her youthful voice to awkwardly comfort him:
"Don't blame the teacher, she sees hundreds of patients every day, she barely sleeps, and as soon as she opens her eyes, she's diagnosing, hardly having time to rest."
"Moreover, she's a woman, raising you two brothers is really not easy. The teacher is the strongest person I've ever seen."
In Kong Yi's view, whenever someone is sick or injured, they definitely need family around, but her teacher has such a cold personality.
Misunderstanding that Liou Yuan felt sad, she spoke up.
But Liou Yuan wasn't sad at all; instead, he turned his face and looked at Kong Yi, pretending to be sorrowful and said: "Good thing I have you with me."
Kong Yi and Liou Yuan grew up together, she knew his temperament very well.
Immediately she realized she had overthought, her little mouth slightly puffed up, seeming a bit angry.
Then she simply handed the medicinal jar to Liou Yuan, scolding in annoyance: "Drink your medicine!"
Bitter medicine indeed, although he was already tired of that pungent medicinal scent.
Facing Kong Yi's demand, he still pinched his nose and drank it all in one gulp.
Time is challenging to endure when recuperating.
Especially in Liou Yuan's situation, unable to get out of bed, unable to cultivate.
He could only idly sit by the window every day, occasionally reading the "Five Mansions Star Gazing Breathing Skill," but mostly dazing off, listening to the birdsong.
Luckily, Kong Yi would take time every now and then to visit Liou Yuan.
She was Bai Xin's apprentice, learning medicine from Bai Xin from a young age, naturally having a childhood relationship with Liou Yuan.
Perhaps fearing Liou Yuan's boredom, every time she visited, she would share her experiences at the clinic and the interesting happenings in the city lately.
"Mr. Luo has now retired and received a lot of compensation."
"A new Chief Constable has taken office, filling Mr. Luo's position; I heard his surname is Xin. From now on, our west city will be under Mr. Xin's jurisdiction."
...
"I heard Mr. Xin used to be colleagues with Mr. Liou; you must know him."
"Oh dear, it's been so hectic lately, my dad has fallen sick, and if this keeps up, I'm going to fall ill too."
Perhaps seeing Liou Yuan's spirit was good, Kong Yi's sharing turned into a murmuring complaint.
"When I take charge, I'll definitely hire more doctors. My dad is too stingy, he's worn himself out."