"Damn it, I've turned into a dwarf! How unlucky can I get? First blind, now a dwarf. Heaven help me, I'd rather be dead!" Madam Scarlett said, "What are you doing? Have you learned martial arts?"
Seeing how quickly Elliott had just examined his own body, Madam Scarlett became even more convinced of her suspicions. Elliott replied, "Nothing much, just checking if I'm missing any pieces."
In truth, he was frustrated but couldn't lose his temper in front of his savior. Madam Scarlett asked, "How did a ten-year-old boy like you go blind? And what's your name?"
"Elliott," he answered. "And you said I'm a ten-year-old kid? I'm not!"
Madam Scarlett chuckled, "Alright, you're not a kid. Here, have something to eat." With that, she fed Elliott some pastries.
Elliott was truly exasperated. It seemed Madam Scarlett had already decided he was a child. And when she asked why he was blind, he wanted to retort, "Don't you have eyes?"
Those watching from outside were puzzled. Why had Madam Scarlett suddenly changed her demeanor? It wasn't like her to be so kind to a man. Could she have taken an interest in this little boy?
As everyone speculated, Madam Scarlett inside was already moving forward with her plan. She said to Elliott, "Because your injuries are severe, we can help with the external wounds, but the internal injuries will need you to heal yourself."
"Oh!" Elliott responded indifferently. "What? How am I supposed to heal internal injuries myself?" Only then did he realize how dire the situation was. Damn it, what should he do?
Madam Scarlett smiled without saying a word, then instructed her servants, "Go fetch Amelia. Tell her I need to see her."
The servants hurried off, and soon, a strikingly beautiful little girl with delicate features entered. "Mother, what do you need?" she asked.
Madam Scarlett beckoned her over, "This is Elliott. From now on, call him brother. You've read many martial arts manuals. He has internal injuries; find him a good one to practice."
The girl's bright eyes sparkled as she replied, "Understood, Mother. Does he need to learn anything else?"
Madam Scarlett, pleased with her daughter's cleverness, asked, "Elliott, do you want to learn anything else?"
This confused Elliott. Were they really not acting? He said, "No, we'll see later."
Madam Scarlett nodded, "My daughter's name is Amelia, and she shares my surname, Wang. We'll leave now. Rest well."
Elliott nodded and muttered, "Amelia, Amelia, over a thousand years ago!!!" His eyes widened in shock, though he couldn't see.
Amelia sat on a chair, swinging her legs, pondering which internal martial arts manual to give the boy.
Her cousin's "Shifting Stars" technique was definitely off-limits. Powerful martial arts were also out of the question; otherwise, how would her cousin keep him in check? The poison techniques of the Star Sect were also unsuitable—though low-level, what if her cousin got poisoned?
Thunder Blade, Lightning Hammer, sword techniques—none could be taught. For the first time, the little girl felt genuinely troubled. Her thoughts raced, and her eyes wandered until they landed on a book on the desk.
Amelia picked it up and flipped through a few pages, then suddenly smiled. This book, called "The Nine Yin Manual," didn't seem like a typical martial arts manual.
Its contents seemed more about cultivation. But since she was giving it to him out of kindness, she could shift the responsibility onto him.
Whether he succeeded or not was up to him. Besides, this book had mysteriously appeared in her room, and she had wondered about it before. It seemed fate had brought it to her—and perhaps to him as well!