The Prison Dragon: Unrivaled Medical God

Nine Heavens Healing

The black SUV glided through the streets of River City like a silent predator.

Thick was the atmosphere inside. Viper drove with a white-knuckled concentration, terrified to make an error; I sat in the back, looking out of the tinted window.

Sarah was furthest away from my side, pressed tightly against the door. Her eyes surveyed my hands-the same hands that just so easily snapped a billionaire's bones like twigs.

"Where are we going?" she whispered. Her voice sounded hoarse.

"Home," I simply stated.

Her gaze fell back to her lap. "We... don't have a home," she whispered. "The Millers took the villa. They took the apartment. They even took your car."

"I know."

"I'm living in the North District now," she murmured.

My eyes narrowed. The North District? That was the slum of River City. It was a place for rats, beggars, and criminals. A place where the drainage system didn't work and the police didn't go.

"Viper," I commanded. "North District."

Viper hesitated, just for a moment, surprised that a "Dragon King" would go to such a hellhole, but nodded immediately. "Yes, lord."

Twenty minutes later, the luxury SUV landed in front of a crumbling concrete apartment block. The contrast was jarring-in fact, the car probably cost more than this entire building.

Garbage was piled up on the sidewalk. The air smelled of rotting fish and stale urine.

I stepped out, my expensive leather shoes crunching on broken glass. I looked up at the building. The walls were peeling like dead skin. Mold grew in dark patches under the window ledges.

Was this the place where my wife had lived for five years?

While I was mastering martial arts and medical skills in prison, she was rotting here?

I could feel a surge of killing intent burning in my chest. The temperature on the street fell sharply. A stray dog, close by and barking at me, whimpered and fled.

"Ethan?" Sarah stepped outside, shivering. "It's... not a lot. Just cheap."

I stayed silent, though. Just tightened my jaw. Too gracious a punishment for the Miller family. "I'll make them live in a sewer."

"Lead the way," I said.

We climbed up four flights of stairs. The elevator had been in disuse since the nineties. Sarah was breathless by the second floor. By the fourth, she was gasping, her countenance turning alarmingly gray.

She staggered, her hand pressed against her chest.

"Sarah!"

I grabbed her before she hit the dirty floor of the hallway. Her skin was burning hot and she shivered.

"I'm... I'm fine," she gasped, trying to push me away. "Just tired. I work double shifts at the factory...

"Shut up," I snapped.

I pressed two fingers on her wrist. Didn't need a stethoscope. Nine Heavens Medical Art. My Qi flowed from my fingertips into her meridian points, acting like a sonar scanner.

System Diagnosis. BEEP. [Patient: Sarah Wright] [Condition: Severe Malnutrition, Chronic Fatigue, Blocked Heart Meridian.] [Warning: prolonged stress has damaged the liver. Life expectancy reduced by 10 years if untreated.]

Ten years?

My heart went cold. The Millers had worked her to the bone. They had slowly been killing her.

"Open the door," I said to Viper, who had followed us up.

Viper kicked the frail planks open.

The apartment was a tiny one. One room. A mattress on a floor. A hot plate for cooking. No heating.

I laid Sarah down onto the mattress. She was now moaning in real pain, clutching at her chest. The heart meridian spasmed from the shock of the evening.

"Ethan... it hurts..." tears leaked from her eyes "my chest... "

"Viper, guard the door," I commanded. "If anyone enters, kill them."

"Yes, Lord." Viper turned his back, standing like a statue in the doorway.

I was gazing at Sarah. "Have faith in me."

I didn't have my gold needles; thus, I had to use the Sovereign Finger Technique.

I raised my palm. The index and middle fingers were glowing faintly white; this was pure Qi, life energy cultivated from hellish training.

Thwack. Thwack. Thwack.

I struck three points on her chest with lightning speed.

The 'Spirit Hall' point. The 'Heavenly Pool' point. The 'Gate of Life' point.

"Ah!" Sarah gasped, her back arching off the mattress.

"Bear it," I said, focusing. "I am burning away the blockages."

I pressed my palm over her heart. I poured my energy into her. Sweat beaded on my forehead. This technique consumed a massive amount of stamina, but I didn't care.

""Tonight'' was what I ordered coldly. ''I want my wife to sleep on a king-size bed tonight. Get the paperwork done. Tell him that the Dragon King is asking it if the owner refuses to sell.'' ''Understood.'' Viper pulled his phone out and stepped out into the hallway.

Sarah stared. She rose from her seat and started walking, slowly approaching me. She touched my arm, as if to check if I were real.

''Ethan...who are you?'' she asked with her voice trembling. ''You break bones. You cure incorrigible diseases. You make Viper take orders from you. You have mansion purchases on your mind. You...you aren't the Ethan who went to prison.''

I looked at her. I couldn't tell her everything. This world of mine-the one living in blood and martial arts, ancient sects-was too much danger for her.

''I am Ethan,'' I said gently. ''But I learned a few things inside.''

Bang, Bang, Bang! All of a sudden, a fist hammered at the open door frame.

''Hey! Sarah!''

A screechy voice yelled from the hallway, and in waddled a middle-aged woman with curlers in her hair. She looked like a bulldog chewing a wasp.

''I heard voices!'' The Landlady glared at us, then spotted Viper in the hall. ''Who are these thugs? Sarah, I told you, no men!''

She marched into the room, crossing her arms.

''And I got a call from Mr. Miller's secretary,'' the landlady sneered. ''They said your husband is a fugitive and a violent criminal. I don't want trouble!''

She pointed at the door.

''Get out! Both of you! You're evicted!''

Sarah's face turned pale. ''Mrs. Higgins, please! It's midnight! We have nowhere to go! And we paid rent until the end of the month!''

''I don't care!'' Mrs. Higgins shouted, kicking Sarah's meager bag of clothes. ''The Millers said if I keep you here, they’ll bulldoze my building! Get out before I call the cops!''

I watched Mrs. Higgins kick Sarah's bag.

My eyes went cold thereby.

''You kicked her bag'', I said softly.

Mrs. Higgins sneered at me. ''Yeah? And what are you going to do about it, jailbird? Hit me? I'm an old lady! Touch me and I’ll sue you for everything you-''

''Viper,'' I said.

Viper appeared in the doorway, holding his phone. ''Yes, Lord. The Villa is purchased. The helicopter is on its way.''

''Good,'' I nodded and pointed at the Landlady.

''Buy this building, too.''

Mrs. Higgins froze. ''What?''

''Buy this building,'' I repeated, looking at Mrs. Higgins like she'd just stepped on my shoe. ''And then evict her.''