Chapter 17: The Extraordinary Man
1043 Words
Around eight o'clock, Lyra Reed woke up sleepily to find her father's doting gaze. Instantly energized, she threw herself into Alexander's chest, her small arms wrapping around his neck.
"Daddy! Daddy!"
Alexander pinched his daughter's tiny cheeks.
"Hungry? Let daddy take you somewhere nice to eat!"
"Yes!"
Lyra nodded vigorously, planting a kiss on Alexander's face that brightened his mood considerably.
"Come on! Let daddy change your clothes first."
After dressing his daughter, Alexander took Lyra to an upscale restaurant downtown for breakfast. Though not usually one to spoil children, after his daughter's years of suffering, he had no heart for discipline - he only wanted to shower her with love.
After breakfast, Alexander took her to North River City's finest traditional medicine hall - the Douglas Family Pharmacy.
The Douglas name commanded respect across not just North River City but half the country. Old Master Douglas had inherited ancient medical texts and his expertise in traditional medicine was legendary. He'd even treated many high-ranking government officials.
With such golden credentials, the Douglas Pharmacy naturally did booming business.
Just after eight in the morning, not yet nine, the pharmacy was already bustling, with people constantly leaving with bags of herbs.
By the pond beside the pharmacy, under a willow tree, an elderly man and a young woman were gracefully practicing an ancient martial arts form.
The old man appeared around eighty but had a youthful vigor, his every movement flowing like water, displaying masterful control.
The young woman was around twenty-three, not strikingly beautiful but with skin like snow and porcelain. Though her movements matched the old man's, she lacked his natural harmony with the surroundings - clearly still needing practice.
"Whew! Grandpa, I can't go on - this form looks slow but it's exhausting!" said Amanda Douglas, flopping onto the grass and wiping her brow. The old man immediately stopped, laughing with obvious affection in his eyes.
"Amanda, there are no shortcuts in martial arts. It's all about building foundation! Don't just see the tiredness - after practice, your whole body will be energized and your meridians clear. When you're forty or fifty, you'll still maintain your current beauty!"
Amanda's eyes lit up at her grandfather's words.
"Grandpa! Is martial arts really that magical? I know you're amazing, but even you have white hair now!"
"Ha ha ha... Silly girl, I don't care about appearances. If I wanted, I could use my inner energy to nourish my hair - in less than two months, I could look forty or fifty again!"
"Wow! That's like real magic!"
The old man stroked his beard and laughed again.
"Ha ha... Foolish child, what I can do barely counts as magical! I'm just a beginner. True martial arts masters can kill with a gesture, their mere thoughts can deflect bullets. They can even move mountains and seas as easily as turning their hand! That's real magic!"
Amanda's eyes filled with wonder and yearning.
"Are there really people like that in the world?"
The old man sighed.
"Such things are far beyond us! Just keep practicing with grandpa for now. Perhaps someday you'll have that opportunity."
"Alright!"
As the two resumed practice, a child's voice piped up nearby.
"Daddy, kung fu!"
Amanda turned to look, seeing a pale, sickly-looking little girl in expensive clothes. Beside her stood a handsome man in his late twenties with a distinctive air that made her look twice.
These were, of course, Alexander and Lyra Reed.
They'd come to the pharmacy to buy herbs for purifying and healing Lyra's constitution after the poison damage. They happened to see the grandfather and granddaughter practicing.
Alexander had actually noticed them before his daughter did - his awareness could scan everything within miles. However, their martial arts seemed no different from ordinary people to him, so he felt no particular interest.
"Let's go, we need to get your medicine!"
Lyra lingered reluctantly.
"Lyra likes kung fu!"
The little girl was drawn to anything that could provide a sense of security. Alexander stroked her head.
"If you like martial arts, daddy will teach you later. This style is too crude - learning it would only hold you back!"
Amanda, who had just noticed the father and daughter, stopped her practice mid-movement, her eyes flashing with annoyance at Alexander's words!
The Douglas Family Form was a genuine ancient art! While perhaps not as miraculous as her grandfather claimed, it was still unmatched throughout the country!
Now this stranger dared call it crude! How could she tolerate that?
"Hey! What did you just say? Say it again!"
Alexander gave her a cool glance but ignored her, simply taking his daughter's hand and walking toward the pharmacy.
The old man grabbed Amanda's sleeve.
"Let it go, Amanda. Don't cause trouble!"
Amanda clenched her fair hands into fists, pulling away from her grandfather's grip, indignantly declaring:
"No, our Douglas family's ancestral art cannot be insulted like this. I must make him apologize!"
With that, she chased after Alexander.
"Hey! You there, stop right now!"
Her aggressive manner frightened Lyra, who hugged Alexander's leg. Alexander turned, his eyes shooting out two beams of cold light that flashed behind Amanda.
The icy light passed like lightning - in that instant, Amanda felt death closer than ever before in her life!
The cold beam whistled past her ear and with a thunderous c***k, the hundred-year-old willow tree behind her - over three feet in diameter - snapped clean through!
In that moment, the air froze in terrifying stillness!
Both Amanda and Old Master Douglas's hearts pounded wildly - they barely dared to breathe!
"I don't want trouble, but... don't provoke me."
"You... can't afford to mess with us!"
With those words, Alexander led his daughter into the pharmacy, leaving Amanda and her grandfather standing dumbfounded.
Only after Alexander disappeared inside did Amanda shift her gaze to look at the massive severed willow.
In that moment, she suddenly believed her grandfather's talk of supernatural abilities.
Looking at her grandfather, the old man gave a bitter smile and shook his head.
"Don't look at me - this is my first time seeing someone so extraordinary too! We're lucky his temperament isn't too bad, otherwise just now, both of us might have died on the spot!"
- Writer
