These words hit everyone like a bucket of cold water.

The atmosphere became even more oppressive and panicked.

The guard shoved Yan Ning and the others forward, shouting gruffly:

"Three more have arrived! Wait for them to call!"

After saying that, he went to the front to talk to the manager.

All the doctors' eyes instantly focused on the three newcomers.

That look in his eyes was incredibly complex, a mixture of sympathy and numbness.

There was still a sliver of hope that a new scapegoat had arrived.

The heavy doors of the main hall creaked open.

A middle-aged doctor was dragged out by two armored guards, one on each side of his arm.

His official robes were askew, his forehead was covered in cold sweat, and his lips trembled incessantly.

"Spare me... Your Honor! I have an elderly mother in her seventies and three children who are not yet adults..."

He almost collapsed to the ground, his voice hoarse as he pleaded, "Please..."

The guard on the right grabbed him without hesitation and shouted sternly:

"Shut up! If you can't cure the old patriarch, everything you say is useless!"

At that moment, a cold, loud shout rang out from inside the hall:

"Next up—Dr. Li."

The old doctor shuddered violently, and the medicine box in his hand fell to the ground with a clatter.

He hadn't even had a chance to bend down.

A guard strode forward and grabbed his arm:

"Your turn, hurry up!"

"Wait a minute."

Yan Ning stepped forward, blocking the path between Dr. Li and the guard.

The guard frowned and glared at her: "Who are you? Get in my way!"

"Let me in first."

Yan Ning remained unfazed, her voice resolute, "I can save the old clan leader."

"You think you can talk nonsense?" The guard sneered. "Little girl, don't spout nonsense, get out of the way!"

"I am Yan Ning, the miraculous healer, personally invited by the city magistrate."

Her gaze met his directly without flinching:

"Letting this old man in will only cost him another life. Let me treat him first."

The guards were stunned and scrutinized Yan Ning.

Despite her young age, she had sharp eyes and a calm demeanor, which made her seem unlike an ordinary person.

He hesitated for a moment, then finally stepped aside to make way:

"...Okay, I'll trust you this once, but if you can't cure it, you know what will happen!"

Yan Ning turned around and exchanged a glance with Xie Huaiye. He nodded silently and followed.

The two quickly passed through layers of guards.

The further you go in, the stronger the smell of medicine becomes, mixed with an indescribable fishy stench.

It was as if something was rotting.

Finally, we entered the inner room.

The room was filled with shadowy figures; the maids bowed their heads and held their breath, not daring to even breathe loudly.

A man dressed in a dark Taoist robe with a stern face stood by the bed.

He is the deputy clan chief.

The deputy clan leader glanced at Yan Ning and immediately revealed a mocking expression:

"What's going on? Is there no one else available in the city? Why did they bring in a young girl with blond hair?"

The guard leading the way hurriedly explained, "Reporting to the Imperial Preceptor, this young lady claims to be a divine physician, saying she was invited by the city magistrate..."

The deputy clan chief interrupted with a sneer: "A miracle doctor? I think he's a charlatan!"

His sharp gaze swept over Yan Ning. "You'd better have some real skills, otherwise, you've seen what happened to those doctors outside."

Yan Ning did not answer, but went straight to the bed.

The closer you get, the more pungent the stench of decay becomes.

When she saw the old patriarch's condition clearly, her pupils widened slightly.

The old clan chief had his eyes closed and his face was ashen.

From the neck to the arms, it was covered with a dense array of pus-filled bumps.

Each one is about the size of a copper coin.

The skin was so thin it was shiny, and a dark purple liquid could be faintly seen flowing underneath.

It seemed as if it could break at any moment.

Xie Huaiye stepped forward, protecting Yan Ning from the side and behind.

The deputy clan leader spoke in a sinister tone:

"Well, miracle doctor? Have you had enough? Is there any hope for the old patriarch?"

Yan Ning straightened up, meeting his questioning gaze, her voice calm yet clear:

"Of course there is hope."

She glanced around, then her gaze returned to the deputy clan leader's face, and she said, word by word:

"But to save people, I need everyone else to leave."

The deputy clan leader's face darkened, his eyes filled with suspicion:

"Get out? Who knows if you'll harm the clan leader?"

Yan Ning did not back down and looked directly into his eyes:

“My life is now in your hands. If I cannot cure him, or if anything happens to the old patriarch, you can kill me at any time.”

The deputy clan leader remained silent for a moment, then coldly waved his hand:

"Fine, I'll give you one hour. If you don't achieve anything after one hour, you can expect to lose your head!"

He led everyone out.

The heavy door slammed shut with a loud bang.

The room was suddenly left with only Yan Ning, Xie Huaiye, and the unconscious old clan chief on the bed.

Xie Huaiye frowned, leaned closer to take a look, and couldn't help but exclaim:

"What on earth is that? It's terrifying!"

Yan Ning did not answer immediately.

She carefully observed the wriggling lumps.

Suddenly, he pulled a slender silver needle from his cloth bag.

It pierced one of them swiftly and precisely.

"Pfft!"

The lump broke open immediately.

What flowed out was not pus, but a wisp of black smoke, hissing.

In the blink of an eye, the wound healed itself completely!

"This is not an illness."

Yan Ning said solemnly, "This is a curse... a curse cast by a toad spirit."

"A toad spirit?"

Xie Huaiye's pupils contracted. "This thing really exists?"

"Not only does it exist, it is probably hidden within the tribe."

As Yan Ning spoke, she quickly took out several herbs, a yellow talisman, and a bowl of water from her treasure bag.

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