Everyone stared, bewildered, at Zhou Fan. He was squatting beside Chu Yan in front of Chu Tianxiang, speaking eloquently with a look of utmost respect. This was especially true for Chu Yifeng and the others. 'Damn it, is this the same guy who just slapped him outside and claimed to be his father?'
Shameless!
Utterly shameless!
Chu Yan, on the other hand, was so mortified she wanted to find a hole to crawl into.
"Just say a little less!" Chu Yan pinched Zhou Fan with her small hand. But to Chu Tianxiang and the others, her embarrassed expression looked like the playful squabbling of a young couple. They had no idea she was terrified that this attention-seeking show-off would say something else that would leave her speechless.
The more Chu Tianxiang looked at the young couple before him, the more he liked what he saw.
"Oh, right, Grandfather. Zhou Fan knows medicine too. Do you want to let him take a look at you?" Chu Yan suddenly looked up at Chu Tianxiang, her face full of anticipation.
Even though Divine Doctor Ouyang himself had said nothing could be done, and Chu Yan didn't believe Zhou Fan could be more skilled than him, for some reason, she just wanted to give it a try.
"Hmph. If even Divine Doctor Ouyang couldn't do anything, what could some kid from who-knows-where possibly do?" Chu Peiyu snorted. He was already annoyed at how much Chu Tianxiang doted on Chu Yan. Now that she was married and trying to let Zhou Fan show off, he was determined to stop it.
"Alright, that's enough. Get out of here and stop embarrassing yourselves. I wonder if you even still see me as your father. You got married without even telling us. You really think you can do whatever you want now, don't you?"
Chu Peiyang also looked impatient. Because Chu Yan was a girl, he had lost his advantage in the early struggle for the family inheritance. As a result, he had always resented Chu Yan and her mother. It wasn't just a lack of fatherly love; he found them displeasing no matter how he looked at them.
Hearing their words, Chu Yan's expression turned ugly. She wanted to storm out, but she had to consider the feelings of Chu Tianxiang, who might only have a week to live.
"So, you two must be the father who ignored Xiaoyan and never fulfilled his parental duties, and the second uncle who has looked down on her since she was a child, wanting nothing more than to kick her out of the family, right?"
Zhou Fan gently patted Chu Yan's hand, then turned and stood up. A faint smile played on his lips as he looked at Chu Peiyang and Chu Peiyu.
Then, without giving them a chance to react, he turned to Divine Doctor Ouyang and gave a slight bow. "Divine Doctor Ouyang, I presume you've also determined that the Elder's condition is due to cold energy invading his body over a long period, damaging his very foundation. May I ask if you were able to determine the cause of this invasion?"
A challenge!
Everyone heard the challenging tone in Zhou Fan's words. For a moment, they all stared at him as if he were an idiot. Divine Doctor Ouyang was the vice-president of the Capital City Medical Association! His medical skills were practically peerless. In all of Huaxia, you could count the number of doctors on his level on one hand, and those more skilled than him were even rarer.
"I have, of course, discerned the cause," Divine Doctor Ouyang said, lifting his gaze slightly, his demeanor lofty. "Elder Chu has been afflicted by a poison that has blocked most of his meridians, preventing proper blood circulation. The cold energy took that opportunity to invade."
"Then how did you treat it, Divine Doctor Ouyang? Did you use acupuncture? If so, was it the Ghost Gate Thirteen Needles, or perhaps the Celestial Traveling Fifteen Needles?"
Zhou Fan seemed not to notice Divine Doctor Ouyang's arrogant posture, continuing his calm and unhurried questioning. For a moment, no one knew what he was up to.
"Hmph. Neither the Ghost Gate Thirteen Needles nor the Celestial Traveling Fifteen Needles can be performed by just anyone. They require not only superb medical skill but also a mental fortitude beyond that of an ordinary person. I was only able to perform the first three needles of the Ghost Gate Thirteen Needles, which was just enough to save Elder Chu and seal his major acupoints. This will ensure he is not tormented by the cold energy for the next week. It's equivalent to keeping him alive for a week!"
Divine Doctor Ouyang snorted, his brow filled with pride. Among all the people he knew, only three, including himself, could perform the Ghost Gate Thirteen Needles. One of them, like him, could only manage three needles. The other could barely manage five but was a recluse who rarely involved himself in worldly affairs.
"Thank you for your hard work, Divine Doctor Ouyang!"
Chu Tianxiang had heard of this needle technique. It was said that if one could perform the complete set, they could save a person even if they were on their last breath. He immediately bowed respectfully to Divine Doctor Ouyang.
The rest of the Chu Family also bowed to Divine Doctor Ouyang with expressions of reverence.
"Kid, what exactly are you trying to say? If you have nothing to add, then get out! You're not welcome here!" Chu Peiyu seized the opportunity to loudly challenge Zhou Fan, ordering him to leave.
"Grandfather, we'll be leaving then. We'll come see you again when we have time!" Although Chu Yan didn't know why Zhou Fan was asking these questions, since they were clearly not welcome and he was being so rudely thrown out, she had to stand by him. She planned to leave with him.
Chu Yan tugged on Zhou Fan's arm but couldn't move him. She turned back to see him standing firm, his expression determined, his posture defiant.
"And what if I said... I can perform the Nine Celestial Needles?"