''Are you certain that your son is a cripple?''
''..you certain that your son is a cripple?''
'' ..your son is a cripple?''
''..cripple?''
These words repeatedly echoed inside Shun Fang's head and as if a dynamite had exploded, his aura burst out of his body, like a torrential wave that was looking to submerge and drown 'alchemist Lu'.
Even the quiet Shun An frowned as her gaze towards Lu Wen instantly turned icy.
Shun fang hated it when people called his son a cripple.
There was an incident a few years back at the imperial capital, when another rank 3 bronze formation master called Shun Long 'a useless cripple unable to cultivate' in front of Shun Fang and as a result Shun Fang broke that persons legs and ended up almost entirely crippling him. It was only after a lot of people pleaded on his behalf for Shun Fang to let him live, that Shun Fang did ended up letting him off but not before he had finished venting his anger on him. In the end that formation master was almost crippled with shattered arm bones and fingers and both legs broken but luckily for him Shun Fang didn't go any further, else even if this formation master hadn't died, he would surely have ended up as a cripple.
Alchemist Lu knew that what he had said was wrong and that Shun Fang would never allow anyone to insult his own son, let alone in front of him which was why he burst out like that.
If Lu Wen wasn't invited by him to check up on his son, he would have already sent him flying in the air with a single slap, but even now, it was still nearly impossible for him to reign in his temper any longer. Shun Fang even felt that Lu Wen was almost intentionally provoking him by mentioning his son's matter like that, and not only just in front of him, but in front of his son and his wife as well.
Alchemist Lu knew that things were slightly bad now and that he had made a blunder so he quickly said as he bowed his head as a form of apology in Shun Fang's direction while cupping his hands at him and the frosty Shun An behind him
''Please calm your anger master Shun and listen to what I have to say.
It was rumored that young master Shun's meridians were blocked and almost crippled, that he could never cultivate unless he consumed a meridian opening pill or some other heaven defying pill if he wanted to ever unblock his clogged up meridians, right?''
It seemed as if Lu Wen was talking to Shun Fang but also to himself as if he was looking to verify that what he was saying was correct while he continued
''But I have heard that in the past, even master Fu himself, a rank 3 bronze grade alchemist had personally come to examine young master Shuns body and ended up saying that this condition was incurable without special pills like the Meridian Opening pill, as all the meridians in his body where the qi is supposed to flow from, were all filled with blood and that was blocking every attempt of qi circulation or absorption.''
Shun Fang didn't answer and just plainly nodded, his anger also had already eased a great deal, but his heart was now aching with pain for his sons condition.
''What is your point master Lu?'' asked Shun An somewhat irritated. It was obvious that she hadn't forgiven Lu Wen's previous transgression of calling her son a cripple.
Lu Wen continued as if he was in his own world right now, his eyes having an absent-minded look in them as he looked at his own hands almost as if he was pondering something and after a few moments of silence he continued saying
''There are 2 things that I don't understand'' said Lu Wen as he turned his head to look at Shun Long properly for the first time since his visit.
Looking at Shun Long's deep and unpertubed black eyes Lu Wen's brain kept pondering possible scenarios as his gaze then lowered to observe Shun Long's destroyed clothes, especially the area around the left side of his chest that had almost no fabric left on it.
Lu Wen took a breath as if he was organizing his thoughts and then said
''It is obvious that young master Shun was attacked at some point today. I also normally wouldn't ask why or how someone who is asking for my services got injured... but... there are no injuries in your sons body internally or externally. But if that was all it was then it wouldn't have been that big of a deal, but the most shocking thing is his meridians.
Your son obviously has never cultivated in his life, but his meridians right now are completely unblocked and unclogged, free from any blood that was hindering the qi from circulating inside them.
Do you understand what I'm trying to say here? There is no way your son is any longer a cripple.''
When Shun Fang heard Lu Wen's words, not only did he not get angry at the mention of the word 'cripple' anymore, but his eyes teared up as he turned around to hug Shun An who was behind him and also started sobbing, their eyes both moist with tears of joy.
Lu Wen turned his gaze from Shun Fang back to Shun Long and was shocked to see that same unperturbed expression on his face as if what he had just said now didn't concern him at all or perhaps Shun Long already knew that and that's why he didn't seem to feel any surprise from Lu Wen's words, and was instead looking at his father and mother with a slight smile hanging at the corner of his lips.
Lu Wen was now fighting internally with himself, but in the end he couldn't hold himself back any longer and asked in a voice which fully betrayed his curiosity ''Young master Shun, can you tell me what happened to your meridians?''