91: Zhao Tiangang has arrived!

Zhou Weiguo tilted his head, staring blankly at that "old companion" that had been with him for forty-seven years. His chest heaved rapidly several times, and he subconsciously reached out to press against his heart.

There was no expected sharp pain, nor the familiar cold, twisting ache.

There was only an unprecedented sense of relief!

It was as if a heavy, rusted shackle that had been worn for half a century had been lifted!

He slowly took a breath and then slowly exhaled. The airflow was unobstructed, and as his lungs expanded, there was no longer that faint sluggishness and pressure from the past... He was cured!

Truly cured!?

He suddenly sat up!

The nimbleness of his movement frightened the family members and medical experts standing nearby, nearly scaring them out of their wits.

"Old Zhou! Take it slow!"

"Don't move! Lie down quickly!"

Zhou Weiguo turned a deaf ear to them. Instead, he looked down at his chest, then looked up at the slightly pale Ye Chen. His eyes were instantly filled with a stormy sea of shock and gratitude.

After a brief, deathly silence, an uproar erupted like a volcanic eruption!

"My... My god! It's out? It's really out?!"

"No chest opening! No blood! The shell casing was just coughed out like that?"

"A miracle! This is absolutely a miracle!"

"How... How did he do it?!"

"That needle just now... did you guys see it? The needle was moving on its own!"

...Exclamations!

Shock!

Incredulity!

All the guests, regardless of status or age, lost their usual composure and restraint at this moment. Each one craned their neck, eyes wide, their faces filled with the shock of having seen a ghost.

Academician Li stumbled, and if not for someone nearby supporting him, he would have collapsed to the ground.

He stared fixedly at the shell casing, then looked sharply at Zhou Weiguo's ruddy face, and finally, his gaze froze on Ye Chen. His mind was a complete blank.

The medical knowledge that had been deeply rooted for decades was shattered at this moment by the impact of this inconceivable scene!

Zhang Sansheng stroked his beard vigorously, his face glowing with excitement as if he had grown ten years younger.

He looked around at his dumbfounded old friends and peers, his heart filled with immense pride, wishing he could laugh toward the heavens.

Do you see?

This is Mr. Ye!

This is the extraordinary man whom I, Zhang Sansheng, revere as a semi-mentor!

Zhang Lu let out a long breath of turbid air. His clenched fists slowly relaxed, his palms already soaked with sweat.

If something had really happened to Old Zhou just now, his political career would likely have reached its end... but now, the heart that had been hanging in suspense could finally settle!

Zhang Wuji was even more excited, his whole body trembling. His gaze toward Ye Chen was filled with fanatical worship, wishing he could kneel on the spot and kowtow a few more times.

Ye Chen ignored the entire room. After drinking a cup of tea, he closed his eyes to regulate his breathing for a few moments. The warm spiritual energy from the ring continuously poured into his parched meridians, and a trace of color returned to his pale face at a speed visible to the naked eye.

He opened his eyes and looked at Zhou Weiguo, who was still in a state of immense shock, with a slight smile.

"Old Zhou, how do you feel?"

Hearing the voice, Zhou Weiguo suddenly snapped back to his senses.

He took a deep breath and nodded heavily, his voice booming like a bell.

"Good! Better than ever before!"

"That big stone in my heart... is gone! My whole body feels light!"

He took a few steps toward Ye Chen, ignoring the gap in age and status. He cupped his hands and actually gave Ye Chen a deep bow!

"Mr. Ye!"

"The grace of saving my life and the virtue of remaking me, I, Zhou Weiguo... will never forget it!"

This bow caused the noisy room to fall silent once again.

Everyone watched that old man, who once held high power and whose back had never bent, bowing so solemnly to a young man. The shock in their hearts was beyond measure.

They knew that from this moment on, the status of this "Mr. Ye" in Old Zhou's heart, and even in the top circles of the entire provincial capital, would be completely different!

Ye Chen quickly stepped aside to avoid the bow and reached out to support him: "Old Zhou, you overstate it. It is merely a physician's duty."

"What a 'physician's duty'!"

Zhou Weiguo straightened up, his tiger-like eyes burning. "This old life of mine was picked up by you. This favor, I, Zhou Weiguo, have noted!"

At this time, Academician Li finally struggled out of his shock.

The next moment.

He squeezed to the front and stared intently at Ye Chen: "Mr... Mr. Ye! May I ask what needle technique you just performed?!"

This question voiced the inner thoughts of all the medical professionals present, and even all the guests.

All eyes instantly fell on Ye Chen's face.

Before Ye Chen could speak, Zhang Sansheng had already stepped forward, stroking his beard and speaking loudly with his head held high.

"This needle technique is called—"

"Thirteen Needles of Gods and Ghosts!"

"It is a supreme secret transmission from the legendary Ancient Sage Guigu, which can communicate between Yin and Yang, reverse life and death, and seize the creation of heaven and earth!"

"What Mr. Ye displayed today is but the wonderful use of the seventh needle, 'Return of Spring'!"

He knew of the Thirteen Needles of Guigu, but he had only seen it in ancient texts.

As for why he guessed the seventh needle, it was because Ye Chen had used seven needles.

So... he guessed it!

However, his words were like a thunderclap, exploding in everyone's ears once again.

Those elders who had some understanding of ancient Chinese medicine trembled even more upon hearing this, their eyes bursting with shocked light.

The Ancient Sage Guigu?

Wasn't that a divine figure from legend?

His inheritance... actually exists?!

And it is in the hands of this young man before them?!

Academician Li took a step back, murmuring: "The Thirteen Needles of Guigu... actually exists? It's not... an imaginary legend from ancient texts?"

Zhang Sansheng snorted.

"The records in ancient texts may be exaggerated, but the inheritance is real!"

"Mr. Ye is the proof!"

The room full of guests fell silent.

The gazes looking at Ye Chen no longer held any doubt or contempt; there was only deep awe.

This young man... just how many secrets beyond their imagination does he have?

Zhou Weiguo took a deep breath and suddenly laughed loudly, breaking the silence, his voice shaking the hall.

"Good! Excellent!"

"Old Zhang hosted this banquet, and I thought I was just coming for a cup of tea and to meet old friends."

"I didn't expect to have the honor of witnessing such world-shaking medical skills and meeting a young divine doctor like Mr. Ye!"

"This banquet was worth it!"

He turned to Zhang Sansheng, then looked at Ye Chen, and waved his hand.

"The tea has boiled, and the shell casing has been removed."

"Everyone, what are you standing there for?"

"Raise your cups!"

"To Mr. Ye!"

The waiters snapped out of their daze and hurriedly served the Mingqian Longjing tea, which had already been brewed, to each of the guests.

Zhou Weiguo was the first to pick up his teacup, using tea instead of wine, facing Ye Chen and raising it solemnly.

Following him, Zhang Sansheng, Zhang Lu, Zhang Wuji... all the guests present, regardless of what they were thinking, stood up solemnly and raised their cups.

All eyes were focused only on Ye Chen.

Ye Chen picked up his cup of lukewarm tea. His expression was calm as he met the countless complex and indescribable gazes, lightly raising his cup in acknowledgment.

The tea was clear and had a sweet aftertaste.

Seeing this, everyone followed suit and drank it all in one gulp.

Bing Lan, among the crowd, also took the tea into her mouth. A sweet aftertaste following a slight bitterness spread across the tip of her tongue, much like her current state of mind.

Ye Chen, that man... divine medical skills, superb martial arts, stone gambling and treasure appraisal, Feng Shui and metaphysics, and unfathomable hacking skills... hmm.

It was as if there was nothing he didn't know.

He was like a bottomless mystery.

Omnipotent?

Perhaps that word was too exaggerated, but on him, it seemed perfectly reasonable.

Just as the guests in the hall had put down their teacups and the lingering charm had not yet faded—

The two heavy, carved doors of the banquet hall were suddenly pushed open roughly from the outside!

The heavy impact abruptly interrupted everyone.

Immediately following.

An old voice, like a cold wind in the twelfth lunar month, swept in: "I, Zhao, have come uninvited!"

All the guests were stunned and looked toward the door in unison.

An old man dressed in a black Tang suit, leaning on an ebony dragon-head cane, slowly stepped into the hall.

"Zhao... Zhao Tiangang?"

Among the crowd, an older guest recognized the newcomer and whispered in shock, his face instantly becoming extremely unsightly.

The "Lord" of the provincial capital's underground world, the true controller of the Azure Dragon Society!

How could he appear here?

This banquet didn't seem to have invited this person... As Zhao Tiangang entered, behind him, a group of men in black martial arts suits with cold, hard faces filed in, numbering as many as a hundred.

They quickly dispersed, sealing off all the entrances and exits of the banquet hall.

What was even more heart-stopping... was that two people were following beside Zhao Tiangang.

On the left was a man in a tall hat and Tang suit; it was Ghost Old Man, who had fled miserably from Ye Chen's hands yesterday.

On the right was a man with a face as white as paper and hollow eyes, playing with a silver-bright scalpel in his hand. He was the survivor from the "Seven Freaks of Jiangnan."

An invisible aura of slaughter and coldness spread with the entry of these people, making the temperature in the originally warm and bright banquet hall seem to drop several degrees.

The women subconsciously shrank back, and some timid guests turned pale, their eyes filled with terror.

Zhang Sansheng's face darkened, and he took a step forward, shouting sternly.

"Zhao Tiangang! What are you doing?!"

"This is the place where I have set a banquet to entertain guests. How can you be allowed to barge in with your men?!"

Zhang Lu and Zhang Wuji, father and son, also stepped forward at the same time, protecting their old man and Ye Chen, their eyes staring warily at Zhao Tiangang and the people behind him.

Zhao Tiangang's eyes fell on Ye Chen's face.

"Old Zhang, don't take offense."

"I, Zhao, have come uninvited today for only one thing."

"Once it's done, I will leave."

"I will absolutely not disturb... everyone's elegant mood."